Portuguese Pavement

[@lucasithegreat2711]

Here in Brazil the portuguese pavement is just as traditional as well. It's one of the most remarkable inheritance of portuguese culture in Brazil. Pretty much all cities in Brazil have portuguese pavements or, "calçadas portuguesas", in its main thoroughfares. Unfortunately it's often not very well maintained, but that's another matter.

[@viriatomoderno1667]

Obrigado pela lição que deste a um português! Desconhecia esse facto mas é engraçado!!

[@At3nT]

yup, a famosa calçada portuguesa de copacabana! muito bonito

[@carlospentes7436]

When it rains it’s very beautiful. It looks like fish scales. The way we found to bring the sea to the earth.

[@carlospentes7436]

And also the high reflection from this material helps Lisbon to have one of the most beautiful light in the world. There’s no city with this kind of light.

[@representado8751]

AND HELLA DANGEROUS

[@tomaspaiva3514]

@@representado8751 fr it gets crazy slippery when it rains

[@Yan4yan]

@@representado8751 For sure!! I always had mixed feelings about calçada... When they are badly made, a single rain session will make it uneven, loose and with gaps. I honestly don't know how Portuguese women can walk on high heels without twisting their ankles 24/7. When it's well made, it's a slipping disaster if wet. I remember trying to walk down the slope in Alameda during rain and was sliding every few step. Was trying my best not to tumble all the way down!

[@representado8751]

@@Yan4yan thats the autum/winter experience, people bashing their head in stone becuase we don't got no special shoes 😆

[@ReeceDee]

I've been to Lisbon 23 times and it is such a beautiful unique destination. I can see a photo and immediately recognise lisbon.....I hope they keep this wonderful feature.

[@miguellemos4669]

Macao (a former Portuguese colony in China) you can also find that famous calçada portuguesa

[@lisboaantiga260]

Verdade, em todos os cantos do Mundo existes marcas de Portugal!

[@mariacandido771]

Those stones are skillfully placed, one by one, like a mosaic, so tradicional everywhere in Portugal. It is truly an art form that is painstakingly executed. It is the amazing work of the "calceteiros".👍

[@TagusMan]

Hats off, sir. Calçada, much like the monster waves of Nazaré, is hidden in plain site and almost no one ever talks about it. Everything is prettier in Portugal, even the sidewalks.

[@AlgarveAddicts]

That's such a cool observation, when you spend 20 years walking on it, it's good to get a fresh perspective on calçada like you have!

[@nelsonsoares2975]

Portugal & Lisboa (imagine if Lisboa had not been almost completely destroyed by earthquake, fires & tsunami what it would be like today) one of the oldest countries & city in Europe with a great history & so many places to visit and for that matter all of Portugal has so much to see and the best thing about Portugal for tourists & locals alike is that you spend way less time traveling to places you want to visit and way more time experiencing those places once you get there, small country in land mass yes but not small at all when you consider how many fascinating places there are to enjoy. I for one love the fact I spend way less time getting to a point of interest and once there I have way more energy & time to enjoy calmly , Portugal is not just about many beautiful beaches & best climate in Europe, outsiders have been finding this out through out the last 10-20 years . Portugal top 3 safest country just adds to your visits, Portugal in my view has been so so very underrated through out the years at so many levels & not given more credit for its important achievements through out its history, but now more & more people including Portuguese abroad are flocking to this one of the best quality of living countries on the planet, now we just need the minimum wages of the country to rise so the young people don't have to go to other countries to make good money for their hard work , but for now its great for expats, retiring people and for people like me who eventually will be returning back home after so many years away and let me tell you there hasn't been one day that my true home hasn't entered my mind , miss Portugal and all it has to offer more & more each day.... by the way the calcada roads & walkways along with the wall tiles are one of many Portuguese things that I enjoy about Portugal it adds a unique look to an already beautiful country & don't forget the food-wine which is very affordable compared to other countries & right up there with the best other countries have to offer if not better eheheh oh yeah :) ... Thanks-Obrigado for the upload amigo :)

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

De nada! We look forward to our next visit and exploring more of Portugal's beauty and diversity!

[@tattianasalles3019]

In Brazil we call it "pedra portuguesa". You can translate like "portuguese stone". It's really beautiful!

[@ivonapoleao8639]

I love Portugal and the calcada portuguesa.

[@brunocrxable]

Thanks for sharing our country. You're very welcome coming back

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

Thank you as well! We loved it and are already discussing a return trip, hopefully for much longer.

[@josephrego2527]

Just beautiful!!!

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

Thank you, it is! I really was looking down as much as I was looking up! It's quite the art form, I hope it stays for centuries to come.

[@01x01-j4g]

@@jaydubdiscoveries Are you gay?? Cuz you look & sound like one. Just wandering....

[@fernandocoutinho3479]

A isso se chama arte é lindo demais maravilhoso.

[@tugadmundo]

Lisbon, in particular, has a distinctive light,due partly to the use of this kind of pavement.In other countries where pavements are of cement or other materials of a dark colour, give the impression of being dirty ,are ugly and somehow unfriendly.

[@lurdesfaro923]

Calçada is the most unconfortable pavement in the world, it´s slipery when it rains and really impossible to keep in good conditions. In this video we only see the good calçada, but the reality is that in most cities we have a really bad calçada, with loose stones, uneven and painful to walk. I wish we had fewer calçada ( only in historic places) and in most of the streets we should have a modern pavement that's confortable to walk in it.

[@rogeriocoelho8674]

Fantastic!!!

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

Thank you, I'm glad you like it!

[@TheTusto]

This work is done by people ( calceteiros ) with low levels of education because it is very hard work but it is obvious that many of us don't need degrees to be great artists.

[@carlferreira6905]

They may not have a school degree but they have skills and creative minds that no school could ever teach you. Indeed. They are great artists and should be appreciated and respected for the quality of work they do. Força Calceteiros!! Cheers Carl (Toronto, Canada)

[@TheTusto]

@@carlferreira6905 Obrigado Carl big hug from Portugal

[@carlferreira6905]

@@TheTusto Thank You. Obrigado.

[@SilVia-hs2kb]

Artisan skill and formal education have little to do with one another. I'm pretty sure many lawyers won't be able to do masonry. we must appreciate everyone and the skill they have.

[@littlemissmajik]

Amazing!

[@pixotass]

Every portuguese person has childhood memories of walking holding their parents hands and placing their feet on the floor according to the pattern. A shame that when we grow up we take those things for granted

[@arturjcrebelo3275]

Not only with parents. I remember come from my primary school in my neighborhood alone with my schoolmates and we jump to avoid the black rocks using only the whites. Going the whole street until I reach my home, always avoiding the black stones. Yes with 8 years old i was walking alone to my home (10 minutes from the school) and never had any danger or bad ppl to mess with me whatsoever. Soz my broken english.

[@lisboaantiga260]

0:47 Saudades de menino, já lá vão mais 60 anos que eu subia e descia estas escadas para ir para escola, que ficava em frente do Museu de Arte Antiga! Obrigado meu bom amigo de reviver os meus tempos de menino!❤

[@9unapologeticsanatani]

yeah...i was also wondering about the rainy season issue... landed here three weeks back .. let us see in a rain, how I cope... need to be careful.

[@Vanajaschannel]

New subscriber here, lovely video. Planning to visit Lisbon from Oz in October.

[@catarinaf3261]

You're most welcome here! October is a great month to visit Lisbon, because the weather is still amazing and it's not as packed as in summer. If you can, spend a day in mystical, stunning Sintra (40-min. train ride from Lisbon) and also visit beautiful Cascais. Enjoy!

[@Vanajaschannel]

@@catarinaf3261 yes definitely planning to visit Sinatra. Does it rain in Lisbon on October?

[@catarinaf3261]

​@@Vanajaschannel not usually :) In the last few years, October has been a very warm month! Sintra is known for being foggier though (which makes it even more mystical). I hope you get a super clear sky when you go there to fully enjoy the landscape. If not, it's also super cool to be above the clouds when you visit the fairytale-like Pena Palace :) Make sure you don't miss Quinta da Regaleira with its stunning gardens, secret passages, symbolic signs (many masonry-related) and, my favourite, the Initiation Well. Also, when in Sintra's centre, go to Casa Piriquita and taste this medieval town's sweet specialties: travesseiros and queijadas. xx

[@eopoep]

Slippery as hell when wet.. constantly warning tourists in hilly areas like Albuferia

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

It is very slippery! We knew of it before our visit and brought sensible footwear. Still, we had to be extra cautious when we were out in Alfama and it started raining.

[@anabelaferreira9926]

@@jaydubdiscoveries For us Portuguese it's not slippery. I never ever saw someone slipper on it. You just have to have the right footwear. All the best for you, Sir.

[@SilVia-hs2kb]

Depends highly on what type of sole your shoes have. Rubberized soles like flip flops, crocks and sneakers are slippery when wet.

[@lurdesfaro923]

@@anabelaferreira9926 I have fallen more that once, luckly nothing serious happened to me. Not long ago, the wife of our Prime Minister António Costa fell on the calçada in Lisbon and broke her leg. Some years ago the mother of an ex American President visited Lisbon, she also fell and was in the hospital for a while. We should have a decent pavement and not be limited in our footwear choices.

[@shafiq3328]

it's attractive and nice !

[@suevialania]

💚❤️🇵🇹👍🏻

[@isildaalmeida5950]

Hi there, this is brilliant. I wanted to ask you for permission to use some of your footage in my PhD film project. What is the best way to contact you? So great to see my country and culture promoted like this!

[@RyanJohnsonD]

How do you keep weeds from growing out from the grout areas?

[@terra7066]

The Calçada it is not and was never slippery , modern plastic shoes are.

[@lurdesfaro923]

You must be kidding!

[@ZecaPinto1]

Tile is for the walls.

[@caesarskiba9008]

Leave it to politicians to try to ruin beautiful cultural heritage

[@joelcoelho5841]

AS PORTUGUESE I SAY HEI!!!!!😃😃😃😃😃

[@vommir.]

It is supper slippery when walking downhill on a raining day lol..

[@nat3299]

I slippled and nearly torci o meu pé.

[@ZecaPinto1]

It is. Why not using proper shoes?

[@vommir.]

@@ZecaPinto1 If you planned it ahead then yes sure

[@martz3606]

😃😃😃😊😊😊👌👌👌👌🥂🥂🥂🥂🥂

[@goncalosimoes909]

Thumbnail is in Lagos right?

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

Yes it is - excellent observation!

[@paulineverriere8054]

To live in Portugal…heck…I’d sell my 160 or só hi heals…flats ok by me

[@batistajose6974]

Ganham 5€ M2! Autênticos artistas.

[@brunomanco7529]

Its arranged limestone

It's CALÇADA.

[@lurdesfaro923]

It's tortura!

[@renatosureal]

OMG, OMG ... water is wet !!

[@kuratr]

Portuguese here. I generally hate our pavement because of a few reasons: 1-It's very slippery when it rains (being a very hilly country with ups and downs, especially Lisbon, it's a death sentence if you decide to walk down a steep street while it's raining. Even if you're careful you WILL slip) 2-It's usually very badly done. Most people who make this pavement are not specialists in the craft, which makes most pavements be unreliable and prone to get ruined very fast by rains and tree roots. You will often see misplaced pavement stones or pavement with no stones at all, which will make you trip all over the pavement. 3-Again, it's a death sentence for the elderly and physically impaired people, and anyone who decides to walk in high heels, risking getting their stilettos stuck in between the stones. 4-It's very high maintenance. This shouldn't be a problem if Portugal was a rich country but, since it isn't, it is very difficult to maintain all the streets, all over the country, all the time. Only the more touristy areas should have the pavement. All the other residential areas should just ditch it and switch for something more convenient and comfortable and cheap.

[@afonsomeireles174]

Agree 100%. In the regular suburban living areas they are not this neatly built, stones come off all the time, they’re uneven and definitely don’t look as good as this. If you want to go for a jog, it’s safer to run on the road than risk slipping off on the sidewalk. It sure is wonderful in Lisbon, but I hate it in my street.

[@pedrorequio5515]

The Stones come off that is truth but is actually a strenght of this kind of pavement, it is actually cheaper, if the pavement is damaged you just have to fix that small part of it and the Stones are widely available and they are cut by hand with little tooling needed. It looks expensive but it is not, that stone is plentiful

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

This seems to be a common thought, and to be fair, a common-sense one. It would be logical to have it preserved in historical areas, but if it can't be properly maintained in other high-traffic areas and if it presents a health risk, perhaps other sensible alternatives should be considered. Obrigado for watching and your comment!

[@ritaruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu]

Its pretty and beautiful until people fall on it when its just a tiny bit humid or wet and seriously get hurt. Elderly have died. They should coat them with smth, the world was able to create cellphone, Im sure we can figure it out without a solution...yet here we are ( i am portuguese, talking from experience)

[@ZecaPinto1]

Proper shoes to walk over them? No?

[@lurdesfaro923]

@@ZecaPinto1 Parece que ter uma calçada decente para idosos, pessoas com limitações físicas /deficientes em cadeiras de rodas , cegos e pessoas em geral não é importante, o problema são mesmo os sapatos.

[@ZecaPinto1]

@@lurdesfaro923 uma coisa é ter uma calçada, outra é ter vias que permitam transição e acesso. É possível as duas? É. Mas com determinados meios. Você não vai simplesmente juntar cozido á portuguesa com bacalhau á espanhola pois não? São pratos de culinária sim, mas não são o mesmo prato

[@birddaddydetta]

Most dangerous things I ever walked upon

[@wuulfgaarth7186]

The problem with that pavement isn't just that it gets slippery but it's also harder to walk on and gets everyone tired way faster than the pavement in other countries. This images you shown with the patterns and different colours only exist in a few locations most of it is just plain white. It gets damaged way too quickly and makes the sidewalk bumby and with holes which makes it ugly and dangerous. Everyone can notice the roots of trees beneath the sidewalk. I'm in favor of the removal of this pavement from most of the places and keeping it only in the old and more traditional zones of the cities. This would make it cheaper, easier to maintain and keep, preserve said zones and make it easier to identify which zones are traditional and which are not. And before people start to say that I'm only saying this because I'm not Portuguese let me tell you all that I am in fact Portuguese and lived in Portugal all my life. I know that this is very beautiful for tourists but it's a nightmare to walk on this pavement day after day for years. There are people in Portugal that defend that this pavement should be preserved the way it is and there are the others like me that understand that this is too much trouble for the benefits it provides. I must say that in the zones where this is done carefully with different colours and designs and its well kept it's a beautiful thing yes but those are only the smallest amount of places, and if you guessed that this zones are the touristic zones you'd guessed completely right. There's also another thing that people must know, Portuguese people included because there are a lot of Portuguese people that do not know this. In the well done zones with patterns this is done by those specific people that know how to do this pavement correctly, the Calceteiros. But in pretty much every other place this is done by the civil construction, most of the people that work in civil construction aren't even Portuguese and they get really small salaries, there's not much science to do this pavement it's mostly hard work instead of a lot of plain skill. The process is simply placing the rocks in place and smash them into the ground with a tool that makes it become even. Whenever civil construction needs to dig, in the end after they close the hole they do this. And it's not a prestigious calceteiro that will be transported to the place in order to fix the pavement. It's most likely someone who originates from a 3rd world country that is working in construction because he couldn't find a better job. I know that there will be a lot of people upset because I said this, but this is the truth and I don't care if people don't like the truth to be said. It's just the way it is. I pray for the day that most of the zones are repaved with some proper pavement that is easier and less tiring to walk on. There are a whole lot of Portuguese traditions that are forgotten and are way better than rocks on the floor, listen to some Portuguese Folklore and you'll know that it's way better, but sadly it's almost non existent, it only exists in the interior and mostly on the northern part of Portugal. The youth don't care about it and will even mock you if they catch you listening to it. Fado is also something that is getting lost day by day, it's not as lost as the Portuguese Folklore but in a few years, when the old folk die, fado will take a huge hit in it's popularity. It makes me sad that people are all so patriotic when it comes to the fucking ground made out of white rocks but then those same people are the ones that don't care about the country and its traditions at all. Everyone can see this just by looking to the state that Portugal is in. There are things way more important to deal with then the "beautification" of the cities.

[@jaydubdiscoveries]

I really appreciate your thoughts on this. I didn't know that civil construction did so much of the maintenance in other areas of the country. Of course it's no surprise that the best-looking and maintained areas are in the ones where you find tourists. Maybe a compromise like you suggest can be reached that will benefit everyone. I'm glad you brought up fado. We enjoyed a fado performance, and next time I will ask if I can record and share parts of it here as it is an equally beautiful part of Portuguese culture. What others can you recommend for our next visit? You mentioned heading north, which we intend to do and would welcome any suggestions.

[@wuulfgaarth7186]

@@jaydubdiscoveries Thank you for your reply. There are some places that you showed that just by looking at the pavement I could instantly recognize the places, this are some of the places that should be kept for sure. There are a lot of beauty around Portugal you can visit the 3 main cities of Portugal which are Lisbon, Oporto and Faro which belong to the Center, North and South respectively. But, of course, you would be visiting the main places that pretty much everyone visits. You can go to Serra da Estrela which is the highest point in continental Portugal, there are also a lot of villages and small towns hidden in the inside which vary a lot in architecture styles, this is something that everyone that likes architecture should visit for sure, We have old places that are preserved from Visigothic times although this can be a little hard to find for those that aren't searching for them. You can visit some Roman places in Evora which is in Alentejo (South) there are some Dams that are also beautiful places that a lot of people like to visit. I'm sure that you can record performances of Fado but it's also better to ask first because there are some people that like to complicate. There are so much things in Portugal that it's hard to chose a few to say. You can visit some medieval castles. You can visit Sintra which is 20 minutes west of Lisbon and it's extremely forested but very beautiful, just make sure you visit during the day, at night it's still beautiful but there are a lot of small roads that are easier to navigate during the day. There's some Palaces that are open to the general public that are also built in different kinds of architecture some of them even have tours. Portugal isn't a big country but there are a lot to see one should only search for things that are of his/her interest and a lot of things will pop up. The Portuguese people are most of the times very nice to tourists and most of this people are able to talk Portuguese so don't be afraid of engaging in conversation with the Portuguese, just be careful about who you talk to because there are also some people that aren't to be trusted but this is true for every place around the world, it's just a matter of not giving your full trust to people you don't know. You are unsure about a specific place you can ask the authorities about that place before going there, if that place is dangerous they will advise you not to go. The authorities in Portugal are actually very nice. Portugal is a place to be a explored for sure. I hope you visit soon and find some hidden gems inside Portugal. I lived here my entire life and I'm still amazed at a lot of things I find in my own country.

[@g_c6668]

Well said. They are beautiful in flat touristic areas, but elsewhere they are bumpy and not well maintained

[@vommir.]

Well said.

[@nat3299]

@@g_c6668 even in parque das nações the floor is SOOOO BUMPY

[@mixa4195]

Its beautiful, but… its not happy story behind them, slaves…

[@wiki3065]

As a Portuguese I should say, these pavements are as dumb as it can be. If it’s sunny outside, you can’t even ride any personal transportation that doesn’t have tyres, and once it rains it becomes extra slippery and people fall all the time, and let me tell you the stories of people, specially old folks, that live on slopes... oh boy… they rather walk on the road! useless pieces of art.

[@josephrego2527]

Being careful, slowing down, and wearing appropriate shoes, when it rains, are minute inconveniences and a small price to pay for such exquisite beauty. Portuguese calcada is a unique and beautiful art form. Calcada and the unique architecture of Portugal, often incorporating non-European architectural elements, are what distinguishes Portugal from its European neighbors. It is part of the maritime heritage of Portugal. Whose brave mariners opened up sea-routes to parts of the world previously isolated. Bringing to Europe not only spices and other products but the flora and fauna of the world. God bless this Great little country called Portugal as well as its people. Portugal may be small in size and population, but that never stopped its people from accomplishing the extraordinary.

[@wiki3065]

@@josephrego2527 no, it’s a huge price to pay. You can paint the picture any way you want with all the color of the rainbow if needed, but the lack of good functionality for something as basic as a sidewalk shouldn’t be excused by beauty alone. It’s like dating a ‘viewtiful’, but systemically toxic woman. There is no excuse, unless you like the pain.