Lishboa (Lisbon)

At 5am bus number 206 pulled up at the central hub in Lishboa. In a whirlwind 23 hours, we trekked up and down 4 of the capital’s 7 hills, first visiting the important tourist stops then back to Marco’s girlfriend’s sister house to prepare for the biggest festival of the year. When I arranged to meet up with Marco in Portugal, I had no idea that June 12th was the largest celebration of the year in honour of St. Anthony, Lishboa’s patron saint. St. Anthony is also the saint of matchmaking, so at night there are pots of basil everywhere, decorated with paper carnations and hand written love poems. Marco picked up one for his Else, his girlfriend.

Marco and Else at 6am

The celebration was nothing shy of insane. Only in the subway in Tokyo during rush hour and the Paul McCartney concert outside the Coliseum in Rome have I ever come close to encountering that many people. The streets were so packed that on occasion our group of six had to form a human train to maneuver through the crowd. At times others would join in at various spots as the train turned to a traditional Portuguese dance. Everywhere food tents as well as red beer stalls worked ferociously to quench the thirst and hunger of those who stopped. At 1 euro for a beer (a very small beer but a beer nonetheless) we stopped often. But this festival was so much more than beer…

One of the many streets of Lishboa at 5am

Lishboa, the city on seven hills, allows for stunning panoramic views. At the top of each hill, the city takes on a new look - some looking out to the fishing and industrial ports on the Atlantic, others offering a lavish view of the housetop terrace’s and café’s that cascade the horizon. As we made our way up and down the hills we crossed through street parties where entire neighborhoods were shut down for the festivities. Marco had several invites and we made our way to a couple. At each place food and liquor greeted us in plentiful quantities.

I love revisiting cities that have grown on me, like Rome and the hamlets that dot the Norman coast of France, but landing in a new country always sparks different kind of wonder.

Portugal offers a unique European experience. Lying on the south western coast of Europe, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is closer to the Moroccan capital Rabat than Madrid. As a small colonial power without many of the guns of the bigger European power, my host Marco elegantly said, Portugal was forced to copulate with the local populations of their imperial acquisitions. As a result there is a great deal of African and Brazilian culture embedded in the Portuguese experience. Portugal is also one of the few remaining affordable European destinations. Exotic Meals with all the seafood you could EVER dream of complete with many bottles of outstanding Portuguese wine will cost you no more than 20euros.

Although I alluded to the outstanding hospitality of Marco Rosa and his Girlfriend and her sister Lena, it really deserves more of a mention. I met Marco at a history conference earlier this year at the University of Southern Mississippi. From there we spent an extra two days travelling around with Colin Colburn (I met Colin on the Sicily and Southern Italy Battlefield Tour last summer and he lives in Southern Miss.). Marco, Colin and I travelled to Mobil, Alabama to satisfy our historical geekdom and walk aboard one hell of a big battleship and then we landed at the party of all parties: Mardi Gras in New Orleans. In New Orleans Marco insisted that we really must come and visit Portugal – a true ambassador for his country! Being so close in Europe I took him up on the offer. Conscious of the mere two days I had we made the most of it! I can’t wait to play host to them in the vast landscape of my beloved Canada!