LISBON - 3RD TO 6TH JUNE 2015...

 LISBON: DISCOVERING A NEW CITY...

Hello beasties...

Hello and welcome to Lisbon; you may have been there yourself - nice, isn't it? Anyway, I'm just back and it was a new city for me. I'd like to share with you what I got up to and also include some of my holiday snaps - not to mention a diary of my trip and a couple of new prose pieces... Don't worry! I don't intend to do so in one post - two, maybe - if that's agreeable with you!

So, where to begin?? Time for some photos, first, I think...

Well, I hope you enjoyed some of those photos. Whilst I was away I wrote a few little pieces, one of which I've included below and which should probably be filed away with related poems and prose that I've already written on Florence and Paris. I wrote it between the 04/06 - beginning in the small wee hours and working on it again on a train to Sintra on 05/06, doing final rewrites just before posting this...

I did very much enjoy Lisbon... It's definitely one of the nicest European cities that I've visited; although Venice is still the one for me overall.

Next time, I'll have some more Lisbon photos, a diary from the trip and also another new piece of prose...

Yeti hugs,

Paul xx

LISBON...  TRES BON!!

You know how it is...

Some cities you "get" right from the start...

It's like people; sometimes it's love at first sight - but that doesn't happen every day...

On this occasion Lisbon reached out and kissed me almost as soon as we met...

I was curious from the word go -

But you know me; I've become a bit of a cynic in recent years...
It's early middle age that's doing it;
Although I've always been a bit that way inclined...

I don't really believe in things like loved at first sight...

My heart was made for Venice and I don't intend to just give it away...
Venice and I forged a relationship over time.
Paris flirted with me over a good decade or two...
But Lisbon... I came at it with a slight frown...

Trams, aye? I'm sceptical, but allow myself to be whisked away to hillier parts of the city -

Hardly having a moment to take it all in - seeing sights fly by.

Seeing stops that I would have liked to have made; all too late.

Perhaps this is why people come back -

It all passed by too quickly to take in on one visit...

Sitting on the beach at Cascais - at Estoril - is all very well for some...

But Lisbon wants to make me race about and do things, see things;

I keep MISSING things! 

There's precious time for sand...

It's as good an excuse as any;

I enjoy a paddle or a swim on occasion -

But I haven't the temperament for sitting still for hours...

Deep down I think Lisbon approves...

It wants to impress me -

To show me as much of itself as I have time for...

"Here! Here!! See the view across from top of Saint Gloria's Hill...

See the castle - the Palace... The rude graffiti on the side of a building...

Now... Here... Down this side road... This place... You'll like it...

True Portuguese food - it's a buffet - help yourself...

Take a large spoonful of everything!

The gin and tonics are also generous; but get them to stir it!"

They are generous and I do like it...

I like everything about Lisbon...

We'll certainly keep in touch and, well...

Who knows what may happen on my next visit!!

LISBON... TRES BON!! and all contents of this post are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2015...