Looking for Children's Crossing Signs in Portugal is most dis­appointing. There is probably only one decent roadsign out there: in Valença. It shows offspring with decent clothes, drawn with much detail, collec­tor's delight. It reminds me of an observation from the Azores which is perhaps even better.

The other signs are bleak shadows of it, or variations on the widespread Mediterranean kind (see Malta for an overview). Only a bit worse. I didn't feel very much like letting them in. But I did. Because Bartolomeo's mission is to report roadsigns as they are howsoever sad their situation.

• the girl wears a skirt which is surprisingly short.
• the boy risks loosing his head: running down from his arms or escaping in the sky.
• the boy drops his pants.