Emanuel Melo torontonian azorean writer

Les Santons de Charlevoix

Many years ago, while travelling through the Province of Quebec’s Charlevoix region, I came upon a wonderful shop nestled in the small town of St. Joseph de la Rive, called Les Santons de Charlevoix, where they make beautiful Nativity scene figurines.

Also known as crèches throughout the world since the 18^th century, the tradition goes back to 1223 at Greccio, Italy, and is attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. The display of Jesus lying in a Manger, with Mary and Joseph on either side; the donkey and the cow; the three wise kings and shepherds with their sheep, are the essential figurines that make up a crèche but most Nativity scenes also include an accompanying display of houses and vignettes of village life. One of the most beautiful is the Neapolitan crèche yearly displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Crèches can be displayed at home but also in churches during Advent in many parts of the world where Christmas is celebrated. St. James Cathedral, in Toronto, for example, has a seasonal display of crèches from around the world.  In its 20^th year, this year’s display includes crèches from Estonia, Finland, Russia, China, Thailand, India, and many other countries.

When I visited Les Santons de Charlevoix I could not resist buying a Crèche Québécois. I display it from the first week of Advent until Epiphany – often referred to as The Feast of the Three Kings – celebrated 12 days after Christmas. I add my Portuguese crèche figurines of clay to the mix and take great delight in combining a French-Canadian tradition with that of my Portuguese heritage.

In a small fishing village, Pugwash, in Nova Scotia, the Seagull Pewter company, makes beautifully handcrafted Nativities out of pewter. My partner, Stephen, who collects pewter, has one of their exquisitely beautiful Nativity Tryptic which he purchased over three years with money his Grandma would give him for Christmas. It is one of his prized possessions, as this crèche is a tangible link to the memory of a grandmother he adored.

Of all the symbols and ornamentation of Christmas, it is the crèche, or presépio in Portuguese, that brings me the most comfort as I remember Christmases of the past.

Feliz Natal!

Les Santons de Charlevoix shop display

Les Santons de Charlevoix shop display

My Crèche Québécois with Azorean figurines on either side

Christmas card, Silhouette Nativity 2019

The Nativity : Watercolours by Borje Svensson, adapted from the eighteenth-century Neapolitan Christmas crèche at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. A three-dimensional pop-up book published by Kestrel Books, London, 1981

Christmas card, pop-up three-dimensional crèche, 2019

Seagull Pewter Nativity: In memory of Grace McLean

Malmö, Sweden

While the Queen Elizabeth docked in Denmark, we decided to go into Sweden for a short visit. I felt guilty, riding on the bus that took us away from beautiful Copenhagen, especially when our bus tour guide pointed out Queen Margrethe II of Denmark exiting a black limousine for the official opening of the Danish Parliament. We should have visited longer in this magnificent city.

But ultimately it was worthwhile to cross the long Øresund Bridge  from Copenhagen to the lovely Swedish city of Malmö. We also visited the magnificent Lund Cathedral where we watched the astronomical clock (The Horologium mirabile Lundense) come alive at 3 o’clock with medieval figures rotating from inside the clock while the organ played Good Christian Men Rejoice.  It was pure magic to experience this fifteenth-century clock!

Our Baltic Journey came to an end in Denmark. The following two days were spent at sea on the way back to Southampton, followed by the flight home to Toronto.

What I brought back with me, more than the lasting good memories of the places I visited, was a new understanding of the meaning of “home” and “belonging.”  Yes, Toronto is my home, above all. Yes, the Azores call to me often enough and when I am there, I also feel a strong connection to the land and the sea. Yes, I feel it, too, when I am in mainland Portugal, but I have also had strong feelings of belonging in other places in the world, especially when I see a hint of something familiar: the landscape of Estonia reminded me of Northern Ontario trees and lakes; the predominantly yellow architecture of St. Petersburg reminded me of Lisbon; and the cobblestones of Tallinn and Malmö reminded me of Ponta Delgada.

The grace and wonder of travelling is that we can find a sense of belonging wherever we go, even when we are far from the place we most identify as home.

Bronze Sculpture water fountain in front of Town Hall, Malmö: details

Sankt Petri Kyrka (St. Peter’s Church), Malmö

Optimistorkestern (Optimist Orchestra) marching band led by a drum majorette is public art at its most whimsical.

Cobblestone: Malmö or Ponta Delgada?

Town Square, Malmö

Lund University grounds with Cathedral Towers in the background

Lund University

Lund Cathedral

Skyddsmantelmadonnanl, sculpture by Lena Lervik 2015

Copenhagen, Denmark

What I remember most fondly about Copenhagen is the rushing sound of hundreds of bicycles going by in the streets. The exhilarating feeling of being part of a vibrant city was never as intense as I walked the streets of Copenhagen.

Riga, Latvia

Riga is a beautiful city to visit. We managed to enjoy a guided tour of its abundant Art Nouveau architecture, which graces many of its streets like an outdoor museum (a comparison I read about in a Portuguese edition of a guidebook I bought in Riga, entitled, Riga: Arte Nova).

Vanšu Bridge (Vanšu tilts), Daugava river

Art Nouveau architecture

Freedom Monument (Brīvības piemineklis)

Cat House

Memorial to Latvian Rifflemen (Latviešu strēlnieku piemineklis)

Tallinn, Upper Town – from the Kohtuotsa viewing Platform

Tallinn’s Upper Town, on Toompea Hill, is as charming as the Lower Town. We explored it on a guided tour. Our tour guide was excellent and she enriched our knowledge not only of Tallinn, but of Estonia in general.

Unlike the morning’s visit to the Lower Town, the afternoon was full of people walking at a leisurely pace which was surprisingly pleasant even though the streets and lookouts were busy. There was a calmness about Tallinn and people seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as we were. Sometimes, being with a crowd can be just as rewarding as being by one’s self.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Tower of Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin (Dome Church-Toomkirik)

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin

Another view from the Kohtuotsa viewing Platform

Bronze statue of Gustav Ernesaks, Estonian composer and ‘father of song’

Estonia and music have a powerful relationship. We were fortunate enough to also visit Estonia’s famous Tallinna lauluväljak (Song Festival Grounds).

Tallinn Old Town, Lower Town

 Tallinn is a beautiful city full of exquisite architecture, both new and old. Although we didn’t have time to visit modern Tallinn, we meandered through the medieval Old Town on a quiet Saturday morning by ourselves, before other tourists filled the cobblestone streets, restaurant patios and cafés of the Lower Town.

St. Nicholas’ Russian Orthodox church

The State Hermitage Museum seen from Palace Square (Dvortsovaya Ploshad)

The day we visited the Hermitage, it was packed with tour groups given in many languages. Our large Cunard group was masterfully guided by a Russian tour guide – a tall young man who was also an English teacher. He skillfully herded us as we pressed against other groups making their way from gallery to gallery; his calm clear voice resonating in the earbuds of the portable audio guide we all had to wear.

It was a challenge to get close to most of the art with such a throng around us but I still managed to find moments to enjoy looking at a few favourite paintings. However, it was impossible to get close to Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son, one of my favourites. After waiting patiently to get close, unsuccessfully and with the voice of our guide fading away, I knew I had to move on.

I feared getting lost from the group and having to make it back to the ship on my own. But I suppose people get lost from time to time. The tour company anticipates such a possibility because each of us was given a card written in Russian informing whoever reads it that you are from a cruise ship and could someone please contact the tour company!

As I quickly moved through the crowd, I was relieved when our guide’s voice became louder in my ears again. Luckily, we came to the end of our visit without incident.

Crowd waiting to see Rembrandt’s The Return of the Prodigal Son

St. Petersburg

A rainy day in Helsinki

Havis Amanda Fountain and Sculpture  by Ville Vallgren

Bicycles at the edge of Esplanadi Park

Esplanadi (Espa) Park

Helsinki Central Station

Helsinki Central Station

Helsinki Central Station

Senate Square and the Lutheran Cathedral of St. Nicholas

Oodi Helsinki Central Library

Oodi Helsinki Central Library

Kansalaistori Square and Sanomatalo Building

Finlandia Hall

Sanomatalo building (headquarters for  daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat)

Opera House

Temppeliaukion Rock Church

Temppeliaukion Rock Church Dome

The Queen Elizabeth docked in Warnemünde

Whenever I tell anyone that I am going on a trip, the predictable question asked of me is, “Where are you going to in Portugal?” But as much as I enjoy visits to the mainland and the Azores, I also like to explore other parts of the world.

This autumn, my partner and I embarked on Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth at Southampton, England for a 14-day Baltic Highlights Voyage.

Our first port of call was the seaside resort town of Warnemünde, at the mouth of the River Warnow, in Germany (formerly the German Democratic Republic – East Germany). In the nearby town of Rostock we explored the Neuer Markt, surrounded by beautiful houses, the Town Hall (The Rathaus), and Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church, begun in the 13^th century).

The highlight for us, however, was talking to our tour guide, a young man in his thirties, who shared with us his life story of growing up in a post-Berlin-Wall Germany.

Our time there ended too quickly and soon we were back on the ship sailing onwards north across the Baltic Sea to our next stop: Helsinki, Finland.

Universität Rostock

The Rathaus (Town Hall) with countdown to the 600th anniversary of the University

houses along Neuer Markt, Rostock

houses along Universitätsplatz, Rostock

St. Marien Kirche (St. Mary’s Church), Rostock

Neuer Markt, Rostock

The Fountain of the Joy of Life, Rostock

Warnemünder’s oldest Kirche

Bookstore in Warnemünde 

Warnemünde Lighthouse

Baltic Sea 

Warnemünde Beach