Theme tunes. Please follow the link, openning it in another tab, and listen to these songs as you read the blog.
and when that is finished, this one:
These are both songs that my house mates have shown me.
Pictures
Left: This is the view from my flat. This is the Number 28 Tram, which trundles all the way from Campo Ourique to Graca or Martim Moniz, through some of the most charming areas. It is, however, crammed with tourists.
Right: Old man doing exercise on a park's bike.
OK, let's start.
The house.
Haaa! Well. It is the topsyturvy house. The washing machine needs a "nappy" in order to work: the kitchen is, hence, often just one big puddle, the kitchen table frequently tips over, the side of the sofa pings off if you hold on to it.. it is all funny. THe house is very communal indeed, I have not eaten one lunch alone. And if you are going to live with Italians, get ready for some FOOD. A normal lunch would consist of a plate of pasta with courgettes and onions, followed by meat and potatoes (on the cleaned plate), then salad, pudding, coffee and a sweet. This is just lunch. Everyhting revolves around meals, socially-speaking. It is quite incredible. I have tried to contribute with cakes and a measly attempt at a Greek lunch. They are such giving, warm people.
Serena -- Italian. just finishing erasmus. Mature, fun, kind, popular.
Thiago -- Portuguese. Studying Philosophy. Quirky, interesting, kind, fun.
Franchesco -- Italian. Finishing erasmus, in Journalism. Wise, collected, giving.
Then
Marco arrived -- Italian, just finishing erasmus. Crazy, funny, energetic, giving.
and later (afer Serena left)
Miguel - French/portuguese. Finished Erasmus and now starting work here in Lisbon. Funny as hell, charismatic, especially when drunk.
So now i am the only girl in the house. But in August, Miguel (maybe), Franchesco and Marco are leaving and a Brazillian guy and a Portuguese girl are arriving. He is a painter and she makes and sells things. Thiago is very keen on the house being more productive, artistically, including body prints on the walls, a serious stencil making job together, which we wil put on Lisbon walls, and such things. I tell you, some of the stencil work in Lisbon is just great. I'll talk more about that later.
The rest of the building is inhabited solely by mad people. The old woman who chases her dog with the wonky eyes, the other one who feeds the deaf cat in the courtyard, the druggie, blah blah. It is a loopy place. The balcony is dangerous because sometimes the dog upstairs pisses down onto it. And at about 5 every day the dog sings along to the church bells, too.
The people of Lisbon
It is odd. When travelling, I have found it quite easy to place labels on people or make generalisations about "The English", "The Cubans", etc. But when you start living somewhere it becomes more difficult every day to define them.
They are more themselves. I feel comfortable enough to sing, clap, talk with myself and even -- subtly -- dance in the street by myself. There are more mad people here, for sure, but they are also more comfortable in talking to themselves, etc. This has made me more sure of myself and now I feel freer. In England I aam too afraid of what other members of the public on the bus would think if I started to sing. That is quite common here.
On my runs I see at least 5 people snoozing on benches.
Sexual. I was warned that Portugal is nothing like Brazil in its liberties (of culture). For sure it is not AS liberal, but they are darn passionate here. In the park, at about 4pm, was a middle aged couple straddling each other on the bench kissing like the world was about to end.
One thing is that I have been shocked by is the relative poverty. Indeed, there are many many beggars and some deformaties I could not have imgained existing. As well as this, I know that I am only seeing a small segement of Lisbon. In the papers are stories of the problems in the suburbs where Gypsy and Cape Verdean communities have hit it off badly.
Very diverse. Especially gypsy, cape verdians, guinea bissauns, angolans, mozambiquans.
Portuguese people eat out in restaurants more than any other european country. Cafes, restaurants, esplanades are forever full of people eating and talking.
Parks are few and far between and as a result have many intersting characters wandering about. One of my favourite parks has several benches and chairs and old men are playing cards and sometimes impromptu rehearsals start up.
Many "hippies", many styles, many skin colours, many ages.
I expected them to be more grumpy but actually they are very friendly indeed.
More coming.....
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