Chasing the sunset – road to Rio part 8
Lisbon, Lisbon… I felt in love! I don’t want to tell you how beautiful this city is, how colorful and multicultural, how wonderful architecture have, how is fulfill by music, street art, many kinds of events, amazing parks. I don’t want to tell you that sun is always above you (what makes 40C in shadow but beer here is cheaper than water so you can fight with that temperature 🙂 ) but also in eyes and hearts hospitable citizens. Because that thing and many many many more you can find yourself, for what I encourage you very much because that city is wonderful 🙂 To world capital of trams, hilly streets and steps you can buy ticket for 80zł (and it’s not difficult to find it because on every corner I heard “s*** it’s so hot and expensive!” or in more chilly version “s*** it’s so wonderful sunny and cheaper than in Spain” – I agree with that second option 🙂 )
But I want to tell you that is much more easier to find pharmacy on legs, which offer you everything from marihuana to cocaine, than simple shop with food. Only during first days here I meet 20 people who in center of the city invited me for trip to the other side of mirror (they wanted even gave me a free samples! What a city…).
I want to tell you that in first Fridays and third Saturdays of every month (if I understand everything correctly in Portuguese 😀 ) on Avenida de Liberdade you can take a part in best flea market which I ever seen! Sellers have amazing things, and because this Avenida is veeeery veeeery long you can find there almost everything – from old projector from 30’ to plates with signs of swastika.
I want to tell you how I found The Tall Ship Races Lisboa 2016! On that weekend when I dropped anchor in Lisbon 20 most wonderful ship from around the world curled sails 🙂 I had a biiiig smile on my face when I visited another ships but my heart quiver when I saw… polish flags! There was a lot of beautiful ships and crews but most beautiful was, what is not a surprise, polish crew (I have a proof of one from the picture 🙂 ). Good luck on the rest of race, and greetings for crews from Roztocze, Polonez, Politechnika, Pogoria, Jagiellonia, Fryderyk Chopin, Camelot, Bies and most wonderful Dar Młodzieży!
I want to tell you that on Saturday evening it’s good to have fun – also crews of ship know that so they prepared special dinners. Exactly on two ships – Polish and Mexican 🙂 On our was in dignified manner (white shirts, ties, candles and wine (probably the cheap one from Portugal 🙂 ). Everything happened under deck but for fun of crowds everybody can see everything through bull-eye. ) than on Mexican one was in full charge – evening dresses, sabres, chefs on deck, orchestra – like on Titanic 😀 I’m wondering if they’ll play to the end… When I came back on Mexican ship party was dying but under the polish deck glasses for vodka shined and party just started…).
I want to tell you how I met guys from some ship and how they bought full bags of wines and opened them one by one! And that I wasn’t surprised that was marines from… Russia!
I want to tell you how I saw a volunteers of Tall Ship Races and… tears showed in my eye :’( when I saw that they can’t make it with some chairs and fences I naturally wanted to help them, I stepped forward and then… I realized than I’m not a volunteer here :’(
I want to tell you how I realize my next dream and spend 24 hours on Cabo da Roca, west continent edge of Europe! When I came there by train and bus I met some 23 years girl from Netherland who traveled alone around Europe and camp under the tent where she wants! So if you’re reading this and asking “can I do it?” there is only one answer – yes! You can do everything! Our very nice talk stopped blinking of lighthouse on Cabo – she goes further and I was stay on cliff. And it’s unusual cliff because you can’t go west even one more step more, with blowing wind and compelled to reflect. Because when I sat on wall and my legs dangled over crevice, and sight wanted to see foots of Jesus from Rio, which I’m going to kiss soon, than you had a think how brave should be a man to sail through ocean of fears, doubts, weaknesses, somewhere on horizons where you see light from lighthouse of your dream. Respect for mans on sea!
I want to tell you that I felt a lot of winds during mountains hiking but that winds impressed me! But not tourist who jumped over barriers to take this one, amazing picture with whom they will win the National Geographic prize (and one way ticket to bottom of cliff). Mostly there are Japonese but with theirs love to take a picture of everything that’s shouldn’t surprise anybody, but I remember story for polish couple which fell down on eyes of theirs kids because their wanted to take a selfie… Cross which is standing on edge of Europe not only greeting sailors but always say goodbye to mindless lovers of Instagram…
Finally I want to tell you about Damian and his friend who wrote to me because he’s stay in touch with my adventures. He’s a bus driver and he brought here a new part of crew from Fryderyk Chopin! We drank beer on main place of the city, talked in polish and after that in tuk tuk rode to hotel. Thanks to them now I’m sitting in hotel room (they went to Poland around 22 so I jumped on their places 🙂 ), after night in bed, clean after shower and in the middle of laundry which I hang on string through whole room, waiting what last 2 days in Lisbon will bring.
