Once upon a time I loved Lisbon & I couldn’t imagine that would ever change but slowly it did over 18 yrs but one night in 2023 I completely feel out of love with Lisbon & now only go if it’s a must have to
Great post, Lucy , in really enjoyed reading that...it's been very wet here in central Portugal too...liked the remark about growing black mould, feels like that's my new (horrible) hobby...forever in marigolds these days spraying and respraying walls with mould remover! As the idiots in the UK say I'm really "living the dream" 🤣
What a coincidence! Just yesterday I went up the Minho mountains of Lindoso and Peneda, just by the Spanish border (here separated by the Castro Laboreiro river). We had rain, clouds, sun, more than one rainbow and a tiny bit of leftover snow.
Lucy, I've been interested to read your post. We moved nearly ten years ago from Lagos, Algarve to just south of Torres Vedras, on the Linhas de Torres Vedras. Initially, we were looking to move to Lisbon, which I've known since I was a kid when my father worked there for a couple of yearS. I cannot agree more with your comments about the city. The city, which was romantically sang about by Carlos do Carmo, Amalia and others & which in the time of the tragic Estado Novo was the capital of an Empire, where the Alfama still existed is No more! We were blessed to find a traditional village, where few povo speak English and, yet, which lies within 45 kms of Praça da Espanha. I work part-time with a small local & regional real-estate agency where no-one speaks but a few words of English. I am happy in this rural environment where we can buy locally, go to the Bailes, enjoy the views of the surrounding hills where Wellington & Beresford changed the History of Europe in 1815. You will enjoy your move. Be Brave. A LUTA CONTINUA!!
One of the joys of where I live in ruralish Japan is seeing the clouds come in and hide the mountain out the back window. It's only 5km away and it's 500m high so you'd think it would be hard to hide but it's terribly shy and often hides for a while covering itself in clouds. Sometimes just a few minutes, sometimes all day.
And you get to see the rain (or snow) coming down, just like a Turner painting. It's wonderful. ANd I wish you good fortune to be able to see the same sorts of thing
I can vouch for Vila do Conde. If you do go to Geres, you can go and swim in that lovely place on the Rio Cavado where some wit has posted a sign saying ‘Ipanema Beach’. We go there as often as I can persuade my husband, in our very underpowered Fiat 500 which isn’t good at hills, after I first have had to endure ‘But, but, but the bloody Braga one way system’.
I get you but wouldn't you and L like to come to my part of Arrábida? No people, huge skies and this year, buckets and buckets of rain. We need to talk Missy L !!!
Intrigued by you falling out of love with Lisbon. I’ve only been there once and I get that it’s strikingly, graphically beautiful and culturally rich – but perhaps a little monotonously so over a long period, (and I wasn’t there during heavy tourist season). Are there a couple of things that would fix it for you, or are you just done with the whole vibe?
The problem is that is ALWAYS heavy tourist season these days, and is being rendered uncharacterised, unPortugalfied, themeparkiefied and unaffordable for the Portuguese. It’s still beautiful, but it’s not home any more :(
Having been to Lisbon three times, more recently a month ago, I agree with you. Our first trip was in 2011, we have seen a huge change. And my husband and I decided we are Lisboned out. The amount of tourists was crazy (I know, we were tourists too).
We found rural Portugal much more charming and have fallen in love with the mountains and the north. Loved your article! Thank you’
Such lovely skies!!! I love this song and had to share after seeing those cloud photos: https://youtu.be/udecELOV-Ng
Once upon a time I loved Lisbon & I couldn’t imagine that would ever change but slowly it did over 18 yrs but one night in 2023 I completely feel out of love with Lisbon & now only go if it’s a must have to
The north is wonderful hope you come this way
Great post, Lucy , in really enjoyed reading that...it's been very wet here in central Portugal too...liked the remark about growing black mould, feels like that's my new (horrible) hobby...forever in marigolds these days spraying and respraying walls with mould remover! As the idiots in the UK say I'm really "living the dream" 🤣
In the end, we always just have to make friends with the mould :)
What a coincidence! Just yesterday I went up the Minho mountains of Lindoso and Peneda, just by the Spanish border (here separated by the Castro Laboreiro river). We had rain, clouds, sun, more than one rainbow and a tiny bit of leftover snow.
Great minds!!
Lucy, I've been interested to read your post. We moved nearly ten years ago from Lagos, Algarve to just south of Torres Vedras, on the Linhas de Torres Vedras. Initially, we were looking to move to Lisbon, which I've known since I was a kid when my father worked there for a couple of yearS. I cannot agree more with your comments about the city. The city, which was romantically sang about by Carlos do Carmo, Amalia and others & which in the time of the tragic Estado Novo was the capital of an Empire, where the Alfama still existed is No more! We were blessed to find a traditional village, where few povo speak English and, yet, which lies within 45 kms of Praça da Espanha. I work part-time with a small local & regional real-estate agency where no-one speaks but a few words of English. I am happy in this rural environment where we can buy locally, go to the Bailes, enjoy the views of the surrounding hills where Wellington & Beresford changed the History of Europe in 1815. You will enjoy your move. Be Brave. A LUTA CONTINUA!!
Thank you. I miss village life, the ups and downs of it! We’ll get there somehow
One of the joys of where I live in ruralish Japan is seeing the clouds come in and hide the mountain out the back window. It's only 5km away and it's 500m high so you'd think it would be hard to hide but it's terribly shy and often hides for a while covering itself in clouds. Sometimes just a few minutes, sometimes all day.
And you get to see the rain (or snow) coming down, just like a Turner painting. It's wonderful. ANd I wish you good fortune to be able to see the same sorts of thing
That sounds wonderful.
I’ll get it back eventually, even if I just spend half the year on holiday in a tent!! Thanks Francis
I can vouch for Vila do Conde. If you do go to Geres, you can go and swim in that lovely place on the Rio Cavado where some wit has posted a sign saying ‘Ipanema Beach’. We go there as often as I can persuade my husband, in our very underpowered Fiat 500 which isn’t good at hills, after I first have had to endure ‘But, but, but the bloody Braga one way system’.
I’m totally in love with rio Cavado, I must look up Ipanema hahah.
Underpowered Fiat 500s just make Gerês more exciting! ;)
Its opposite here
https://belezaserraguidehotel.com/
Dammit, I want to go on holiday again! Those 40 hours weren’t enough.
If you book lunch there they will let you park for the beach. Where I was once attacked by a wild crayfish.
Omg ouch!!
Morning Lucy, this is the exact place I lived for 6 years. Let me know if you’d like some local intel!
Thanks Simon, I’ll take you up on that!
I understand the appeal.
Gosh, big move!
You know me, I always exaggerate in everything. Still in hopefully stage
OK… Have to admit… the north seems very - well, far…
It kind of is…. but it’s no further than, say, London to Cornwall… a bit further than London to where I grew up. I never felt like that was far.
Even Meco, let alone Caparica, seems far away from Sesimbra!
I get that. Meco is stupidly far from everywhere
lol
I get you but wouldn't you and L like to come to my part of Arrábida? No people, huge skies and this year, buckets and buckets of rain. We need to talk Missy L !!!
Nice try!! But I want an adventure… time for new pastures AND GREENNESS :) you can come with us!
Wow that is very GOOD bad weather, Lucy. Stunning cloudscapes. Good luck with your plan to head north.
Thanks Wendy
Intrigued by you falling out of love with Lisbon. I’ve only been there once and I get that it’s strikingly, graphically beautiful and culturally rich – but perhaps a little monotonously so over a long period, (and I wasn’t there during heavy tourist season). Are there a couple of things that would fix it for you, or are you just done with the whole vibe?
The problem is that is ALWAYS heavy tourist season these days, and is being rendered uncharacterised, unPortugalfied, themeparkiefied and unaffordable for the Portuguese. It’s still beautiful, but it’s not home any more :(
https://open.substack.com/pub/lucypepper/p/lisbon
Having been to Lisbon three times, more recently a month ago, I agree with you. Our first trip was in 2011, we have seen a huge change. And my husband and I decided we are Lisboned out. The amount of tourists was crazy (I know, we were tourists too).
We found rural Portugal much more charming and have fallen in love with the mountains and the north. Loved your article! Thank you’
Thank you Valerie
https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/ :)
É uma das razões que adoro Portugal, a variedade de paisagens