In his pursuit of greatness, it has been well documented that Novak Djokovic has left no stone unturned. From changing his diet to incorporating meditation into his training, the Serb is constantly
By Norma V. Hansen.
Lisbon is in the midst of a renaissance. The latest European capital of cool’s affordable rents, great nightlife and gorgeous streets – which wind high into the hills from the River Tagus – have seen younger travelers arrive in their droves in recent years, enjoying extended stays thanks to dedicated “digital nomad” visas.
As a result, the city has taken on a youthful, multicultural and international vibe, helping to pull in tourists from around the globe in the process.
It isn’t just those looking to live and work here that are driving this change, though.
Walk the streets of Portugal’s buzzing capital and it’s impossible to escape the sense of confidence around the place.
Locals have truly begun embracing their Portuguese identity, unashamedly showcasing the best of traditional food and culture, from delicious pastel de nata pastry in the Belem district to the aching sounds of Fado singing in Alfama.
It all goes to make up what Lisbon citizens call “alma” or soul, something that’s utterly unique to this wonderful place.
Visitors can see this on special nights such as June 13’s The Feast of St Anthony, perhaps the biggest night in the Lisbon calendar, when locals celebrate their patron saint with long processions that go on late into the night, preceded by epic meals of sardines and local wine in the streets.
But “alma” goes beyond just one night.
Come here at any time of the year and there’s a feeling that life is to be lived in public. That might be on the bohemian streets of the Bairro Alto neighborhood, where restaurants spill out onto narrow lanes. Or at ultra hip spots like Park, a bar atop a multi-story parking lot that has become a byword for hipster cool, not to mention incredible views. Everyone is welcome and the atmosphere remains vibrant well into the early hours.
Discovering another side to Portuguese Fado
“Alma” isn’t just about hanging out with friends or enjoying languid meals outdoors, however. It’s also found in traditional music, especially Fado.
Marrying poetry and singing and born on the streets of Lisbon’s beautiful Alfama and Mouraria neighborhoods, it is more than simply an expression of sadness and melancholy. It is rather, explains Fado singer Gisela João, an expression of Portuguese intensity and tradition.
“I think Fado, it’s the most true… as we can be expressing the personality of [the] Portuguese country, Portuguese people,” she says while walking Alfama’s streets.
João is not the archetypal Fado singer of old. She does not wear a black dress and she is also younger than most stereotypical Fado singers too.
“Why should I dress as a girl that grew up in the ’40s and ‘50s?” she asks. “It’s not who I am.”
She is, though, very much steeped in the music’s history.
“I moved here because I came to sing in a Fado restaurant,” she says. “In this street, for example, I remember that you would walk on the street and you would listen: Fado going out of the windows like here, one singing here, another one here… It was like you were in the middle of Fado.”
She is also keen to debunk the idea that sadness is what defines Fado.
“For me, [Fado] is about poetry and the poem for me, a really nice poem, is a poem that can talk about [the] life of everyone… when I sing it is when I feel that I can express myself.”
This is evident in João’s beautiful voice, which echoes around the neighborhood. It is a sound that is quintessentially Portuguese.
“We are really intense people,” she says, laughing. “We care a lot. You come to Portugal and it’s really normal that you meet someone and that person immediately invites you to go to the house, to have dinner, to be with the friends and the family and organize a big party just to receive you… We are dramatic!”
Exploring Lisbon’s connection to the sea
Lisbon can feel as if it’s half on land and half at sea, with the wide sweep of the River Tagus leading out to the vast Atlantic. This, after all, is a country that remains fiercely proud of its 500 years of seafaring history.
Lisbon’s famous Padrão dos Descobrimentos, Monument of the Discoveries, which stands in the Belem neighborhood on the banks of the Tagus, pays tribute to the country’s great explorers.
Henry the Navigator is depicted alongside historic figures including Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan, a tribute to Lisbon’s place at the heart of maritime discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Ricardo Diniz, an intrepid solo sailor turned corporate coach, is continuing this long tradition, bringing the past into the present day.
“We’re very proud of our past. We achieved something incredible over 500 years ago, and we are reminded about this every single day,” he says, pointing from the deck of his boat out across the water.
“We are on the ocean. We have this incredible river.” When he returns after long journeys out to sea, he says his pride swells as Lisbon comes into view.
Diniz says that while the water is key to Lisbon’s traditions as well as its present and future as a modern city, the changes in recent years have been driven by people from outside talking about just how great this place is.
“In the last five years, especially, many people who come from abroad to Lisbon are surprised at what they find,” he says. “I think they are the true ambassadors of our city and our country, people from abroad talking beautifully about Portugal.”
The chef who championed Portuguese fine dining
Speak with the locals here and it won’t be long before they remind you of the great explorers and the Age of Discovery some 500 years ago. However, there wasn’t always much to be said about its more modern past. Much of that has changed in the last 20 years, though, as that sense of confidence has come to be felt across the city with Lisbon’s resurgence as a tourist destination and a place to work and play.
That’s particularly clear in Lisbon’s food scene.
Acclaimed chef Jose Avillez has championed Portuguese fine dining for years. Fifteen years ago he began introducing that most humble of local dishes, the sardine, to his high end restaurant.
They are, he says, “… very, very special, because it’s something that we have only three, four months, a year, maximum.
“When Portuguese [people] arrive at a contemporary Portuguese restaurant… he expects to have modern food, but to have the soul of Portuguese food. So we have a lot of respect for the sardines.”
You can’t avoid coming back to that sense of soul when in Lisbon. It is, explains Avillez, all about a respect for tradition while bringing dishes into the future.
“I would say that Portuguese cuisine that is transmitted from grandmothers to granddaughters, from mothers to daughters is the art of bringing the flavors with simplicity, with love. [That] is what we try to do, even if you do it very creatively with a lot of creativity – if it’s fine dining, it’s a two-Michelin star, whatever, what you need to bring to your guests is something delicious. And, I will say 90% of the time, quite simple.”
That’s certainly true of Avillez’s cuisine, from his simple sardine recipes to his delicious steak.
And, of course, no meal in Lisbon would be complete without a famous pastel de nata, the custard tart which comes from Belem. These small treats have gone global in recent years, but they taste at their very best right here in this brilliant city.
Lisbon’s renaissance is something to behold, especially with something so delicious to hand. A place that has changed in so many ways in the 21st century, but has managed to stay true to its roots, its past and its fascinating history.
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By Norma V Hansen.
Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines have all retracted their tsunami alerts, while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has indicated that the risk to the USA has “largely subsided.”
Tsunami waves were detected along the shores of Taiwan and the southwestern islands of Japan following the magnitude 7.4 quake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday morning.
Nevertheless, there have been no immediate reports of any substantial damage attributed to these waves.
In Taiwan: Tsunami heights reached nearly 0.5 meters, or 1.5 feet, in Chenggong, located approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the earthquake’s epicenter.
Measured tsunami heights are determined over open waters and can be considerably greater upon reaching land.
In Japan: A 0.3-meter wave struck Okinawa Island, as confirmed by Naha airport spokesperson Hideaki Tsurodo to CNN, but no waves impacted the airport, which was promptly resumed operations.
In the Philippines: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported “no significant sea level disturbances” following the earthquake.
“Thus, the impact of the tsunami alert has largely dissipated,” the institute noted.
In the US: The potential threat of a tsunami has “largely passed,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated. The update from its warning center in Honolulu mentioned that the assessment was “based on all available information.”
It also noted that minor sea level “variations” of up to 30 centimeters above and below normal tide levels might continue “over the next several hours.”
The US Tsunami Warning Center also recommended that agencies “monitor conditions along the coastline to determine if and when it is safe to resume ordinary activities.”
Tsunami waves under 0.3 meters may be observed along the coasts of Guam, Indonesia, the Northern Marianas, Palau, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and Yap, added the center.
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By Norma V Hansen.
On Saturday, Lyon delivered a stunning performance against Manchester City, winning 3-1 to secure their spot in the Champions League semifinals.
The French team got off to an excellent start, neutralizing Manchester City’s forward momentum and ultimately taking the lead in the 24th minute with an inventive finish from Maxwel Cornet just outside the box.
In the second half, the English team escalated their efforts, and the intensity paid off when Kevin de Bruyne calmly netted the equalizer. However, substitute Moussa Dembélé then netted twice, propelling Lyon forward.
Lyon is set to clash with Bayern Munich in the semifinal on Wednesday, after the German squad moved on by defeating Barcelona 8-2 on Friday.
For the first time since the 1990/91 season, and in the Champions League era, there will be no English, Spanish, or Italian teams featured in the semifinal round. Additionally, this marks the first occasion in Champions League history where two French teams will compete at this stage.
Belgian midfielder de Bruyne reflected on yet another painful exit from the tournament, stating it’s “not acceptable.”
“It’s definitely the same issues. I think the first half was inadequate,” he told BT Sport post-match. “We’re aware of that.
“We started sluggishly, lacking options. I think we performed quite well in the second half. We equalized at 1-1, created a couple of opportunities, but then naturally the 2-1 goal, followed by the 3-1, sealed our fate. It’s unfortunate to finish this way.
“The match was competitive, but they didn’t really generate chances outside of the two goal opportunities. Yes, we need to learn. It’s not satisfactory.”
READ: ‘The club requires changes’ Shifts on the horizon for Barcelona following Champions League disgrace.
With its star performers and a colossal head coach, Manchester City was heavily favored to triumph over Lyon.
Nevertheless, the French squad had demonstrated its fortitude in the second leg against Juventus in the prior round, managing to scrape past Cristiano Ronaldo and his team despite being nearly five months without competitive action.
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL !!!!!!@MDembele_10 scores the third goal! LET’S GO! #ManCityOL pic.twitter.com/D2ZN5t2PdM
— Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) August 15, 2020
And their tenacity was tested right from the start. Manchester City held a strong grip on possession from the very first whistle but failed to generate any significant opportunities.
Ultimately, Lyon’s capacity to counter-attack yielded the game’s opening goal. A pass played behind the City defense for Karl Toko Ekambi to pursue eventually reached Maxwel Cornet, who, with Met City’s goalkeeper Ederson away from his net, executed a remarkable curling shot into the near post from about 20 yards.
The remainder of the first half unfolded precisely as Lyon and manager Rudi Garcia had envisioned. Manchester City maintained possession largely yet struggled to carve out many clear chances, while Pep Guardiola’s side appeared vulnerable on the counter.
After the interval, the match began to open up, and following an attacking substitution by Guardiola, City started creating opportunities at will.
As pressure mounted, some deft footwork by England international Raheem Sterling freed him to set up de Bruyne for a finish.
It seemed there would only be one victor. However, Lyon’s own super-sub Dembélé had other ideas, capitalizing on a through ball near halfway and slotting it under Ederson. Following a tense video assistant referee check, after a few anxious moments, the goal was awarded.
Although Metropolis was at a disadvantage, it generated greater chances, and one of the finest fell to Sterling. With some clever footwork and a cross from Gabriel Jesus, Sterling found himself with a clear shot just 5 yards from the goal, yet he sent the ball soaring over the bar.
This miss proved costly. Just 59 seconds later, Lyon found the net again, with Dembélé capitalizing on a weak save from Ederson, sending the French side into the semifinals for the first time in nearly a decade.
This outcome means that during Guardiola’s tenure at the club, Manchester Metropolis has yet to progress past the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Despite believing his team performed well for most of the match, Guardiola expressed disappointment over Manchester Metropolis’s inability to play error-free in the Champions League.
“One day we will overcome this quarterfinal barrier,” he told BT Sport post-match. “Except for the first 25 minutes when we struggled to effectively exploit space, the players exhibited freedom in their play.”
“Moreover, the last quarter-hour of the first half was encouraging. The second half was acceptable; I felt we were superior, but in this competition, perfection is essential in a single match, and we fell short.”
The 2019-20 Champions League semifinals will feature two teams from France and two from Germany vying for a place in the final; a first since 2012-13 where only two different nations are represented at this level.
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In his pursuit of greatness, it has been well documented that Novak Djokovic has left no stone unturned.
From changing his diet to incorporating meditation into his training, the Serb is constantly trying to find that extra edge to improve his chances on the tennis court.
His latest efforts, however, have drawn criticism.
In a video posted on social media, Djokovic’s physio Ulises Badio is seen preparing a drink in the stands during Saturday’s semifinal win over Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Paris Masters.
Badio is then shielded by two other men as he finishes preparing the drink, before handing it to a ball girl to pass onto Djokovic.
The incident has been described as looking “amazingly dodgy” and “bizarre” by two journalists on Twitter.
However, Djokovic’s wife Jelena has launched a vigorous defense of the 21-time grand slam champion on social media.
“I don’t see anything dodgy,” Jelena Djokovic wrote in one reply. “In fact, I see people trying to be private about their business in a world where everyone feels like they have every right to point a camera at you whenever they want.
“Apparently, wanting/trying to be private makes you dodgy nowadays.”
In one Twitter interaction, a user suggested Djokovic hire a PR agency to help avoid these types of backlash, an idea which was given short shrift from the tennis star’s wife.
“He will talk when he is ready to talk,” Jelena replied. “This whole nonsense about making people speak about something they are not ready because OTHERS are unpatient (sic) is absurd.
“Sit a bit in silence. Mind yourself more. Not everything you see is controversial. It could be private. Is that allowed?”
Djokovic was eventually defeated by unseeded Danish teenager Holger Rune 3-6 6-3 7-5 in the final of the Paris Masters.
It’s not the first time Djokovic has drawn curiosity over a drinks bottle.
During his victorious Wimbledon run earlier this year, Djokovic was seen inhaling from a drinks bottle. When questioned about it in the post-match press conference, the world No. 8 laughed it off and said it was a “magic potion.”
“It’s going to come out as one of the supplement, let’s say, lines that I’m doing right now with drink and a few other things,” he said.
“You’ll try it and you’ll let me know how it feels. You might win Wimbledon.”
With January’s Australian Open fast approaching, it remains unclear whether Djokovic, who is unvaccinated against Covid-19, will be able to compete.
He is currently banned from re-entering the country until 2025 after being deported before the start of the tournament earlier this year.
Last month, Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley said he would not try to convince the Australian government to allow Djokovic to compete in the tournament.
“At this point, Novak and the federal government need to work out the situation and then we’ll follow any instruction after that,” Tiley told reporters.
“It’s not a matter we can lobby on. It’s a matter that definitely stays between the two of them and then depending on the outcome of that we would welcome him to the Australian Open.
“(Djokovic) said that he’d obviously love to come back to Australia, but he knows it’s going to be an ultimate decision for the federal government.
“He’s accepted that position. It’s a private matter between them but we’d like to welcome Novak back – he’s a nine-time champion – provided he gets the right entry requirements into Australia.”
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