Our walking guide João asks us to stop and look up on one of the street corners he walked by everyday without really noticing… the Azulejos tiles that decorate every buildingIn the square where João’s father was part of the Carnation Revolution 50 years agoThe famous statue where everyone tells a different story – is the King welcoming people in or is he actually leaving the city as he did after the 1755 earthquake? Are the angels leading the people to freedom or are they indifferent to the bondage of the colonizers?A city of seven hills provides some great viewpointsAlfama district – one of the now gentrifying neighborhoods getting ready to celebrate St. Anthony’s day – born here and also the Saint of Lost causes. Notice wall tile on left side……which is an image of a current local resident meant to celebrate their life and story before they are forgottenChurches used Azulejos to tell bible stories to an illiterate population Amazing Azulejo patternsInceedible variety in the local Azulejo shopModern AzulejosMix of old and new Azulejos The classic Lisbon limestone designs that decorate every sidewalk and public square – this represents the waves their explorers encountered. Later, a person added it was done in black and white to mourn the loss of so many people and Lisbon’s stature in the world after the devastating 1755 earthquake.Outside the main squareOur sidewalk down to the riverAt the train station In front of the church
Our local Lisbon walking guide João is captivating us with another story, this one of the amazing wonders that Portugese explorers brought back from these strange lands that must have been seen as magic to the people of the time Vegetables (onions and peppers) that make people cry? Magic!
He tells 5,000 years of history in 5 minutes to start us off and and adds in a bit more of local flair, like his father was in this same square 50 years ago that we are now standing in when the soldiers chose not to shoot when the people took down their 40+ year dictatorship.
These are the stories he will tell his kids and we will tell others. He is a proud Portuguese who created his own tour company, Chill-Out Tours, after losing his teaching job during the great recession.
After he shows us the backstreets of the town and literally is being called to, affectionately, by little old ladies from their windows and doors, we start to discover the city on our own.
Siri leads us across the city to check out the Azulejo or Tile museum, our first stop. We can’t stop taking photos of these intricate designs that grace so many buildings. See back to one of first posts and we are excited when we get to see this unique art form closeup. We also look down to see the limestone designs in the sidewalks. It is a good first full day where public art is literally on every corner.
Siri and David Adventures 