Lisbon: Paradise for youthful spirits & old souls.

it’s impossible to summarize Lisbon in one succinct title. Romantic, historic, lively, beautiful, full of surprises … you get the idea. A lively city that’s a young persons dream, then you step into an old fado bar where an aging singer defies time with romantic songs from Lisbons historic past. You walk up desolate narrow steps and turn a corner to street musicians and young people enjoying the dramatic view below. The cab driver when we arrived was proud of the copied relics to sister cities San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, but the truth is I don’t think there’s any city in the world quite like Lisbon.

Every day stepping out of our flat and up or down the hilly street we were met with surprises. What looked like a quiet street turned into an evening of eccentric bars and pub crawlers. The nearby river (still miles from the ocean) turned into an exciting waterfront offering sunset cruises and river taxis. The hostel down the street opened their doors to an inviting garden with guest musicians. Markets, vendors, tourists, locals, tapas, sardines…. All with a unique mix of western and middle eastern flavors.

So it was indeed bittersweet to leave Lisbon, and difficult to fly back to Paris where Zhen and I (for now) went our separate ways. A 50 day adventure covering the most beautiful places across four countries …. The Alps, Paris cafes, the French Riviera, Spanish Flamenco, and Portuguese magic. Now we await the immigration process, but have plans in place to ensure that this adventure continues to grow and flourish. Thank you for joining us on this amazing trip, and we look forward to more ahead. Live your life to the fullest and keep your dreams alive!