Winding Down and Return Home
We decided to return to Lisbon as we were flying out of the cities’ airport. We moved to a different area, more popular, more touristy. I understand why it is so popular as the buildings have such an elegance and grace that people want to be apart of that experience. And they were, wall to wall.
The area has all the tourist trappings, high-end stores luring people in to spend money, restaurants ranging from mom and pop to elegant and very sophisticated. Trollies, Tuk-Tuk drivers toting people around in motorized carts that held up to 6 people, personalized with flowers, lights, etc. For people interested, the walking tours are a wonderful way to tour the city and learn about its’ heritage. The tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable and more than willing to share. Portuguese food is not my favorite, but there are a host of other styles of food, and there is never a shortage of moderate to very expensive restaurants depending on your wallet and your desires. The city is growing rapidly. I have never seen so many high-rise cranes overshadowing the city. Movement in the city to modernize, gentrify….. is palpable. Everywhere you look buildings are being refurbished with a movement to preserve what they have. Many buildings have collapsed roofs but the façade of the building is preserved, thus preserving its’ history, its’ beauty.
Portuguese people are very proud of their city and work hard maintaining their appreciation of its' history, etc. We did what we do, we walked all day up and down the hills, into the arbor to see 3 huge cruise ships unloading. We walked the back streets that were filled with some of the most artistic murals I have ever seen. Then there was the tagging, EVERYWHERE. But different drivers told us it is just art, not gang related. I understand the art part, but the city is filled with tagging and it takes away some of the beauty of what they are trying to preserve.
It feels like the people have tourist fatigue, they want their city back. They enjoy what the money does to improve the city, but they seem exhausted with all the tourists. I understand, I was exhausted fighting the crowds, so I can imagine how they feel.
Our Uber driver picked us up at 2 am, after his very long shift, in his Mercedes SUV. Obviously fatigued, he was a breath of fresh air. We really got his sense of pride, community and an allegiance to Portugal. His desire to live in the city, to transport people and help them “feel” what he feels, to share his pride in his job, but more than anything, to help us have the best 2 am experience ever with a man immersed in family, city and taking care of people.
That was the best of Portugal.
Now on to Mexico. Almost home!
Adios