The one in the Jardim [park] Teófilo Braga, in Lisbon, known by everyone as Jardim da Parada. It is a bit off the beaten track, but this is a place very dear to me. It actually is the neighbourhood where I grew up (and so did my father, and so are my nephews and nieces… you see the trend emerging). Not at all a bad place: the respectable Monocle has considered last year as the best inner-city suburb to live… It is like a small village within the big city of Lisbon, a bit apart from everything. It is even a tedious to get to Campo de Ourique, unless you like to walk up and down hills or have a car…
But, back to Jardim da Parada. The kiosk and outside café are relatively new – a really cool place to hang out and watch people passing by tough. But, as long as I can remember, the retired man playing cards and chess have been there. So many happy hours for these folks… A whole cycle of life – they start coming to the Jardim to play in the kiddie area. Then, they move to long talks with their significant ones by the pond, and finally play cards until is dark.
I still remember coming here with my mother and grandmother, and I have lots of snapshots in this park. While in high school, I would come here for croissants with chocolate, a huge success he early eighties (shop is still there, but as croissant fad went away, they start selling all sorts of pastry) or to the Baskin & Robbins ice-cream shop (sadly gone). Now I go back to sit at the outside café or with the kiddies, always happy to chase the birds (so was I, by the way…).
Zurich 1200 Fountains 