Streets of Lisbon

The second I stepped out of the airport in Lisbon, I felt like I had been transported to a cleaner, quieter Brazil. I have been to Brazil a few times to see family, so I am familiar with the style and energy. It was fun to be on a brand new continent and yet still feel so at home. Clothes flap on windowsills and all of the sidewalks are paved meticulously with fragments of white and black stone.




I got a kick out of exploring the older parts of the city and discovering the layers of history in some of the buildings like this one:




I was also impressed with how energy conscious people are here, and apparently in all of Europe. When we arrived at our hotel room in Lisbon, we could not figure out how to turn on the lights. Finally, someone from reception explained that we had to put our door key into a little slot that would allow the lights to come on. This way, there is absolutely no chance of forgetting lights on when you leave the room. It is also very rare to own a dryer, so clothes hang out of windows everywhere. It is common for toilets to have two flush settings, half and full. This way, you can decide how much water you would like it to use when you flush. It is really eye opening.




I felt refreshed as I wandered the city. The weather was perfect (I got very lucky) and there was something new and fun to see around every corner.