Lisbon is a ancient city overdue for a steam-clean of it’s grimy, butt-strewn streets and heavily graffitied walls. Overflowing garbage bins and cars clog the higgelty-piggelty cobble-stoned alleys.
Distinctive decorations of tiling, cobblestone patterns and sorbet colours suggest an abiding pride in the city and its maritime conquering heritage.
Trams dating from the 1930’s lurch, creak and rattle through the narrow streets, chock-full of citizens, urgently alerting pedestrian interlopers with the sound of their mechanical bells. Each are rideable museum pieces so dearly loved that the city cannot replace them.
Hot sunny days are swept by evening Atlantic sea breezes.
Grids of grungy alley ways by day soon transform into throbbing night life, full of lights, tables, chairs and people in search of other people, music and drink.
And lots of food. Always tasty, rarely ordinary. Lisboan favourites that become your favourites; Cheeses (Queijo)- especially the runny. Bacalhau – Codfish mostly salted. The rice (Arroz) risotto-like dishes. Not so much the Francesinha, described as follows:
A Francesinha is a sandwich containing sausage, ham and steak. It’s wrapped in cheese, a fried egg is put on top and then smothered in some delicious sauce made up of beer and tomato sauce. All surrounded by a mountain of fries.
Lisbon – Welcoming, lively, seductive and colourful.