Thursday doors

Moved to thursdaydoorsuk.wordpress.com

Thursday Doors in Matosinhos

Just along the rocky beach from Foz, there is Matosinhos. If you want to eat the freshest seafood in Porto, this is where you must come. The promenade has some fancy restaurants built on piles, just out of reach of the green-grey waves of the Atlantic.

The street facing the sea reminded me of the Malecon in Havana. Some old houses needed renovation, others had been renovated and a few have been replaced by glassy concrete monstrosities.

English people must bedrunk or crazy to swim at this beach

Dilapidated house in Moorish style

This is the last post on my Have Stethoscope, Will Travel blog, because it is full. I’m starting to use a new blog entitled thursdaydoorsuk.wordpress.com so if you wish, you can follow me there. My door’s always open.

Thursday Doors Foz do Douro

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside, we do like to be beside the sea… Even if the weather is grey and grim. But I am always on the lookout for a few choice portals.

School

Great tiles, super fanlight, interesting panels. With a temporary bus stop outside.

Purple and green? Wimbledon!

Double doors on a slope. With tiles

More double doors.

The white on blue arrow tells you to look up at the balcony. Juliet?

Another balcony above a corner door

I nearly got run over by a bus taking this one

And finally a little grocer’s shop

Thursday Doors Porto

Porto is Portugal’s second city. Apart from the production of Porto, it is famous for modern architecture. Alvaro Siza Vieira and his protégé Eduardo Souto De Moura are the big hitters. Our hotel is next to the Casa da Musica, designed by Rem Koolhaas (great name). Just a mile away is the Serralves Contemporary Art Gallery, designed by Vieira, set in the gardens of a pink Art Nouveau villa.

Three doors

The back door to the villa

A glass door in a sculpture, reflecting me

The villa has a farm which has been converted to an educational centre

But the hot house needs a lick of paint

Close up of a mouldy window frame in the hot house

Thursday Doors Wimpole Estate

The National Trust is a marvellous institution. It preserves historic buildings, such as the Wimpole Estate. The hall dates from the 17th century. The interior is mainly Georgian. It is set in acres of parkland with a working farm and walled gardens.

The stables are very grand

Barn doors.

Stanley the shire horse, behind a stable door

Front entrance to the house

Butler’s uniforms hanging in front of his cupboard

Flock wall paper around a splendid door

Side entrance

Breakfast room with the Queen’s coronation on the front page of the newspaper

Thursday doors KPR

KPR stands for Knighton Park Road in Leicester. I don’t know how it got that name as it goes nowhere near Knighton Park which is a mile to the south. It is rather posh, with some fine houses and doors to match

I love Victorian brickwork

Sold door for a substantial house

I think there’s a door in there somewhere

A bit on the side

Nice and stately

Smart

Not sure about the number

Impressive house

Thursday Doors Springfield Road

Springfield Road is a lovely street of Victorian houses in Clarendon Park. It was a beautiful February day so, naturally, I took some phone photos of doors, starting with the Bishop of Leicester’s residence, snapped from the end of the drive.

The blue bicycle with spare tyre draped over the handlebars matches the Bishop’s door in the previous picture.

What a lovely white door with stained-glass panels. I like the chimney pot on the right with what looks like a plastic dog water/food bowl on top.

Very smart, eau-de-Nil door with lantern, flanked by a fancy bay window

Sadly gone to seed, this doorway needs some TLC

Looking at the letterboxes on the left, it seems there are 8 apartments in this house. I like the turned pillars, best seen on the left of the door

The black door is unassuming, but the Victorian brick facade is impressive

Dark blue door with elegant surround and blue picket fence above

Next door is pillar-box red with black pillars

Not surprisingly situated over the street from the church (“Church View”), this brown door has some amazing leaded panes

Tighty-whitey door

Puce coloured back door to the church, with boreholes

Thursday doors at the Arsenal

Arsenal are leading the Premier League. Their home, the Emirates Stadium, is magnificent. I had a Chinese (Xian) meal across the road, celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Water Rabbit a day early. And I took a few pictures.

The Emirates Stadium

Che

This is a typical north London pub. Glazed brown tiles cover the walls. I’m sure that it was not originally called Che (as in Guevara). Perhaps they serve Cuba Libras and mojitos, with a cigar-only smoking room.

Boys entrance, but the school has been converted into apartments

Lovely red door, but look at the decorative surround

Fancy black awning (fading slightly), black door, earthenware tiles and a boot scraper on the left pillar

Nothing like a warm fire in the living room

Thursday Doors Striesen 2

More lovely doors from Striesen

Thursday Doors Striesen 1

Striesen is a well-to-do suburb of Dresden. It has some fine doors.