The City of Red Roofs

Well there is just no way to describe exactly how much I love Lisbon. This city is incredible. The people, the buildings, the trees, the nightlife, everything.

I was a little worried when I first arrived because the directions to the hostal were written by someone who spoke English as a second language. It had no explicit directions like ªturn right at this sign.ª Instead it said things like ªRight on left side Tattoo shopª and ªThe road splits keep going.ª So I decided that I would just try and worst case I would hail a cab. Cleverly, the directions mentioned nothing about the giant hill it was located on top of. So I climbed and climbed and climbed. Luckily scaling the hill was easier because I was so distracted looking for landmarks. Just when I was about to give up and go back I saw it. I booked my hostal the night before I got on the plane to come to Portugal and it was the cheapest one so I wasnºt expecting much. To my surprise though it has been delightful- one of the best hostals Iºve ever stayed in. The staff is so kind and helpful and I met some amazing people. Not to mention it has a view that looks out over the whole city and a balcony from which we can sit and admire it.


Generally in life there is not a whole lot I am 100% certain of. I have my opions about things but I generally feel that true facts are hard to come by. I can say though, as a fact, that Lisbon is the most beautiful city Iºve ever seen. Usually when Iºm in the city, even though I feel invigorated by it, I canºt help but view every median incasing grass or trees as trapping the nature (that would occur naturally if we hadnºt created all these buildings) instead of fostering it. But in Lisbon I donºt see it that way. Thereºs just as much cement but somehow the city seems more like a work of art to me than a nature trap. I was stunned to note as I flew in that, almost without fail, every building in the city has a pitched, orangey-red roof. Every building is either painted a striking color or is covered (I mean from top to bottom) in bright, breautiful, intricate tiles. I canºt even get over it. It never gets old looking at these three story buildings that are totally adorned in four inch by four inch tiles. Itºs breathtaking (or maybe thatºs just the hills I was climbing up while admiring the buildings...). And if all that werenºt enough, every building as the quaintest little balconies. Itºs like something out of a dream.

I soon found out that hills like the one that leads to the hostal are common. In that way Lisbon is like San Fransico because itºs bumpy as the back of a stegosaurus. Except for the main roads, every road and sidewalk I walked on was coblestone. It is beautiful but maddeningly slipperly. About three times a day my feet would take me for a ride as we slipped down a hill. I am tempted to say that I have yet to fall, but I donºt want to jinks is because I still have one more day. In the five days Iºve been here Iºve seen someone cleaning the sidewalk or street somewhere. The first day I passed a worker using what looked like a jackhammer. It was hooked up to a little metal cart that was buzzing with the words ªGUM BUSTERSª across the side of it in big red letters. I laughed out loud. While I appreciate the thought, I almost wish there were more gum on the sidewalk so I wouldnºt slip so often!

Now the people here are something else. Keep in mind that I flew in from Boston, a city of nice but very surly people, into a city where the people have a warmth Iºve never quite experienced before. I was delighted to find how kind the people were in Chile but in Lisbon itºs something else. When I talked to someone they would look me in the eye, even if we only exchanged a one word greeting. And most of the time it felt like they were really looking at me, really seeing me. I canºt remember the last time I felt that in the states. It filled me with warmth like a big cup of coco. Today when I was as the post office, after I had waited in line a half hour, the cashier informed me that they didnºt accept foreign cards. I was somewhat crushed and I let out a sigh like I had been literally crushed by the ceiling. I shrugged and was about to walk away when she told me, ªIºll wait. Go to the bank around the corner and I will wait.ª I turned around and dashed through the crowd of ten people waiting to mail stuff. I went as fast as I could which meant of course that I messed up my pin twice and punched in the wrong amount once. When I came back in she was waiting for me with my pile of postcards and stamps ready to go.


Iºve been trying to save money by not eating out but tonight I treated myself to a Portuguese meal for my last night. I decided on fish since that is Portugalºs specialty. I tried to ask the waiter what to order. He happy responded, only I didnºt understand a word he was saying. I opted for swordfish, something Iºve never tried. It came with a boiled potato and a small salad. It was absolutely delicious. In Portugal they bring you lots of treats before your meals starts but then whatever you eat they charge you for. Thankfully Iºd read about it in my guidebook otherwise I would have had to pay for cheese, bread, and a smattering of spreads. I didnºt feel bad about passing on the cheese because tomorrow Iºm going to Paris and I can only imagine what they have to offer me...