The Graffiti of Lisbon

The image above is me praying for silence.  I can’t hear myself think, the music is at a solid level eight here at the Hostel Lemon in Portugal.  This place is a little different than the other hostels I’ve stayed in, as it’s difficult to avoid the party– there is only one common room, and being a slave to Wifi I find myself here in my downtime.

This trip was inspired by Lily, who couldn’t rave about Lisbon enough, and by the others that seconded her opinion.  To be honest, at first I wasn’t impressed.  If you’re in the wrong part of Lisbon, then head down to the waterfront expecting something other than a train station and some 10 foot tall barricades, you might be a tad disappointed.  I’ve have been reformed.  After that first hour, wondering what the heck I was doing in the graffiti capital of the world (an honorary title from me), I have developed a little crush on Lisbon.  Madrid is very jealous.  Paris isn’t returning my calls.

Yesterday when I posted that Lisbon, “Is falling apart beautifully”, understand that it’s mostly cosmetic.  The paint is peeling, the plaster beneath that is crumbling and the bricks beneath that are peeking out and cracked.  Where Paris has a strict code about facade style, Lisbon seems to have hired a team of renegade graffiti artists, gotten them drunk, and set them loose on the town.  In fact in those first moments, when I was disappointed with Lisbon, I have to admit the constant graffiti had something to do with it.   But now I’m charmed.  I don’t know why, but it seems ok.  Naturally there are areas of town more saturated than others,  but I say bring it on.  There is something very beautiful about this decaying buildings, filthy and full of graffiti, with uneven cobblestone streets.  Or at the very least you get used to it, and barely even notice that the last three blocks looked like this:

(There is much more to this city than the graffiti, but I wanted to share a little slice of what you won’t find in Frommer’s).