(this post is from my newsletter, which you can sign up for, here).
I’ve spent a lot of time wandering around Porto this past week, visiting new-to-me neighborhoods and taking photos with my trusty but ancient iPhone 6s.
I need to replace this phone soon, but I hang on to my tech as long as possible—damned planned obsolescence makes me so mad! I’ve already replaced the battery, but now certain apps won’t update—so I guess it’s time. Anyway…
The weather has been beautiful, perfect for wandering, but it looks like we’re in for a week of rain starting on Sunday. The weather report is wrong here so much of the time that I’ll believe it when the raindrops are hitting my head. I never let a little rain stop me from getting out.
I’ve included just a few images in this post, but you can find more in Snapshots: Porto May 2021, which I will add to over the next few weeks.
GOOD LINKS:
- Yikes! Take a look at the world’s longest suspension bridge that opened in Portugal’s Aveiro district, the 516 Arouca Bridge
- Urban planning and how cities work is a topic I’m deeply interested in: What Would A City Look Like If It Were Designed Entirely By And For Women? These Places Offer A Glimpse
Inequality is spatially reinforced by design, from our systems all the way down to individual public spaces. ~ urban planner Jennifer Gardner and design researcher Larissa Begault
“Maputo, like nearly every city on the planet, was designed by men. Because urban planning and architecture have long been dominated by men, the reality of how women use and travel through spaces has too often been an afterthought in the design of urban environments, leading to inconveniences (such as small public restrooms) as well as serious dangers (such as low visibility areas) for women.”
Thank you Rick, M. Moreno, Bernie, Rob, Trevor, Regina, Marti, and others who’ve supported me through Buy Me a Coffee—and you can do the same, too! I appreciate your faithful readership, your comments, and your generosity!