boa

 

Portugal has a really interesting aesthetic...I had a good time attempting to capture it. 

 

 

 

that pink building was my hostel! (called This Is Lisbon)

 

Most of the building exteriors are decorated with colorful tiles or wallpaper

 

My weekend in Portugal coincided with the announcement that Portugal would be the third country to need an EU bailout.

 The number of abandoned buildings in Lisboa was disheartening, and indicative of the need for serious housing reform. The decrepit buildings did contribute to the unique aesthetic of Lisboa, in which the decay is striking.

  

"aqui podia viver gente" - people could live here - was painted on several empty buildings in the heart of lisboa

View from atop the Santa Justa lift (see below)

the elevator

lisboa monuments

pretty graffiti

Monastery, tomb room

Portuguese kings' and queens' tombs + eerie figure

I stumbled upon a beach in Albufeira where the shore was entirely covered in shells.  The waves, as the foam crawled and bubbled over the thousands of seashells, sounded like rain on a rooftop. This photo was taken at a sea shell exhibition.

These little trolleys are in fact used as public transportation, snaking through the narrow, steep streets of Lisboa.

portuguese flag + light pole with golden ship atop

view of the city from the other side

typical tile artwork - pastry shop in Belém

gorgeous day on the atlantic/río tejo

Discovery and exploration still holds a special heart in the Portuguese national identity.