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Vergonha – Shame!


Vergonha – Shame!
Photo Information
Copyright: Francisco Santos (xuaxo) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2579 W: 171 N: 2406] (4063)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-08
Categories: Daily Life, Architecture, Ruins
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-04-23 14:26
Viewed: 546
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This week, Portugal celebrates the Carnation Revolution of April 25, 1974. It ended the colonial war in Africa and it established formal democracy in Portugal.
But, 34 years after the revolution, Portugal (a member of the European Union since 1986) remains the country with more social injustice in Europe, not to mention other Third World features. The Human Development Index and other statistics in a worldwide scale are not so bad. But statistics are... statistics; just numbers, often averages. The gap between poor and rich is widening and it's a real shame. The slums of this picture are a striking example, because it is not located somewhere out of town. This is just 600 metres (656 yards, or 0.37 miles) from the Palace of the President of the Portuguese Republic (Palácio de Belém). See location map in workshop #2; click also Map: [view], at left, under Photo Information.
The Presidential Palace and its gardens is somewhere at right side, half way between the slum and the Monument to the Discoveries that you see at background. From a high window on the Palace, Mr President maybe can see these poor neighbors of him.
This shot is from a modern building near the slums. There is other view in workshop #1.
See also a twilight view, from the same POV, but to the left, including Tagus River.
euryan, ribeiroantonio, stego, Docarmo, adores has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To stego: prédio nada pobrexuaxo 2 04-26 17:07
To Bluejeans: situação insólitaxuaxo 1 04-25 15:02
To Docarmo: helicópteroxuaxo 1 04-25 14:29
To euryan: slums in Portugalxuaxo 1 04-24 11:47
To ribeiroantonio: selective visionxuaxo 1 04-24 11:44
To npecanhuk: Olá Neyvanxuaxo 1 04-24 11:25
To plimrn: Olá Patxuaxo 1 04-24 11:12
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Critiques [Translate]

  •      
  • euryan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1109 W: 121 N: 1759] (7722)
  • [2008-04-23 17:03]
  • [+]

Having lived in Cape Verde and Portugal, I was quite surprised to find slums in Portugal to rival those found in a poor African nation like Cape Verde. The ones you show in this photo aren't even as bad as some I've seen around Amadora or Almada, but the fact that this is only 600 meters from the Palácio de Belém does make for a striking contrast.

But we all know how politicians have a selective vision of what surrounds them. And the president is no exception!!! He did not see it when he was prime minister and, of course, he does not want to see it now, as he is president. The presidential palace has quite high walls to the exterior!!!
It is a goog way of commemorating the Carnation Revolution. We should send them, the President and the PM, this photo.
Antonio

Hello Francisco!
And we brazilians inherited a great deal and even have worsened the situation on politicians, gap between poor and rich etc.
I don't know, I was in Portugal just as a tourist, so I can't say anything, but here in Brazil people don't usually like when we point out our "scars". People kind of pretend this is not real, this is not happening...
Anyways... good speaking out... I'm so sorry, for the Portugal I got to know was so nice and beautiful!
Best regards!
Neyvan Peçanhuk - Brazil

  •      
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3686 W: 230 N: 4930] (15622)
  • [2008-04-24 9:41]
  • [+]

Ola Francisco,
I do agree with you, a gap is becoming increasingly wide here as well. The gas prices are tipping many people who chose houses far away from work because they could just barely afford them.

Still people identify with the bullies and fear-mongers; I predict theat the war-monger, McCain, will win because he'd not a woman or an African-American. I almost think anyone willing to take on Bush's mess must be certifiably insane. Yet Clinton turned around Papa Bush's deficit - but this mess is SO much bigger. Still anything will be an improivement over the current administration.

Still within our own families, we can experience health, love & joy; at present,
Pat

  • Great 
  • stego Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3572 W: 599 N: 4710] (14370)
  • [2008-04-24 20:04]
  • [+]

Olá Francisco,
E eis o Portugal que temos 34 anos depois da 'revolução'... Está muito bem 'caçada', muito eficaz jornalisticamente, pois percebe-se imediatamente em que zona é por causa do monumento das Descobertas e além disso mostra que está nas traseiras de pelo menos um prédio novo de aspecto nada pobre. A compo está muito equilibrada e para um contraluz, até que a luz está bem controlada.
Um abraço, José.

Olá Francisco,
É mesmo uma tristeza essa discrepância de modos de vida e a sua imagem mostra bem este contraste. Fico matutando... como fazer para acabar com esta situação no planeta? Não é fácil para ninguém.
Mas deixando de lado as imperfeições intrínsecas à nossa natureza, vamos à foto: o POV está fantástico, parecendo que você estava num helicóptero. Gosto muito da iluminação, num contraluz muito bem manejado. Prefiro o WS, onde o tema ficou centrado, como um alvo na mira. E de quebra, um campinho de futebol a mostrar que nem tudo são agruras ;-)
Abraço,
MCV

Oi amigo ,
A coisas fantásticas em Lisboa uma ilha a 600 metros do Palácio do Presidente , foi muito bem capturada esta situação insólita , muito triste o lixo espalhado , o fosso entre ricos e pobres cada vez está maior isto e um exemplo , parabéns pela foto .
Um abraço Gonçalo

  • Great 
  • Buin Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3443 W: 0 N: 6868] (23996)
  • [2008-04-27 5:29]

Hallo Francisco!
An interesting and very curageous photo which shows a bitter truth in today's Europe, a truth politicians mostly do not want to see. A very good contribution to TE - an for me amazing one!
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

  •      
  • adores Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2685 W: 52 N: 3765] (12035)
  • [2008-05-05 17:38]

Olá Francisco!
Sem dúvida, uma foto adequada a esta data. Está muito bem captada. Gosto da forma como mostras aquelas atracções turisticas ao fundo e uma pequena parte da varando do lado direito.Acho que forma ainda um contraste maior com a barraquita.

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