From a donkey’s perspective, the Chafariz da Meia-laranja wasn’t just a fountain. It was an oasis. A cool, gurgling promise after a long morning hauling wares along Lisbon’s Rua Maria Pia. My master, a fruit seller, would pause at the Chafariz da Meia-laranja, allowing me a refreshing drink. He would join the other aguadeiros, the water carriers, filling their jugs and the troughs for their weary animals. The Chafariz da Meia-laranja was a social hub, a place where news and gossip flowed as freely as the water. The name, Chafariz da Meia-laranja, meaning “Half-Orange Fountain,” always struck me as odd. Then one day, as I looked down the street while enjoying my drink, I understood. The street curved, forming a semi-circle. It resembled an orange sliced in half. The Chafariz da Meia-laranja sat nestled in this half-orange curve, a vital part of the neighborhood in the early 1900s. It served as a watering hole for the working animals. It provided water for the residents. It was the heart of this small community. Even in 1964, the Chafariz da Meia-laranja still held its importance near Casal Viúva Teles. I imagine the conversations, the laughter, the clinking of jugs. The Chafariz da Meia-laranja was more than just a source of water. It was a source of life.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to