Like the old Mamas and Papas song, California Dreamin’, I wish I was in Lisboa.
I admit, I’m not a city girl. I don’t like the frantic pace. I don’t like crowds of people pushing their way through a grey city just to live their daily life.
I only want to be a visitor in cities like New York, Rome, Madrid, London, LA, etc. As vibrant as they are, I wouldn’t dream of trying to live in any of them.
But Lisbon is different. Yes, she is big. Yes, she is noisy. Yes, her inhabitants bustle through her streets on their private daily missions.
But, instead of being grey, Lisbon has this pastel glow about her. She wears her white and cream and peach buildings with an innocent flair. She accessorizes with huge scarves of ceramic tile. Her shoes are all four inch square in black and white geometric designs.

Only her makeup is gaudy. A riot of graffiti. Graffiti everywhere. The most elegant of shops wear it without apology. Churches, fabulous restaurants, monuments. All of them seem to proudly display their graffiti.

Lisbon is like an aging character actress. She still has fashion sense, she just can’t see well enough to put her lipstick on evenly. And you love her for her quirkiness.
Yes, Lisboa is the city I would rather occupy than visit.