{"id":5583,"date":"2013-03-24T12:30:07","date_gmt":"2013-03-24T11:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chiller.at\/?p=5583"},"modified":"2013-03-24T12:26:11","modified_gmt":"2013-03-24T11:26:11","slug":"2012-11-lissabon-lisbon-thruogh-my-lens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.chiller.at\/?p=5583","title":{"rendered":"2012 11 \u2013 Lissabon \u2013 Lisbon through my lens"},"content":{"rendered":"

It all started with forgetting my passport at home, because I spontaneously decided to visit an important person in the AKH (hospital). Funnily the flight was late (as I was informed at the baggage drop), so no need to hurry. This made me unnecessarily nervous of my connection to Lisbon. (The connection was the very same gate, plane and crew) In Lisbon I was picked up by Carlos, my colleague from Odessa<\/a>…<\/strong><\/p>\n

The houses are rather small and I noticed that there is only little advertisements all over the city, which was somehow relaxing. Unfortunately time took it’s tribute in dilapidation, which sometimes was at least as bad as in Odessa<\/a>. Of course the overall architecture and decoration is way different. There was Vegetation that I haven’t seen for ages – which had a great effect on my well-being; and after a while I just thought in English, because talking to my friend all the time and not having any other language…<\/p>\n

Metro<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I set foot into a metro station for the first time, I realized an incisive smell of oil and hot iron that somehow took my breath away and left me coughing like hell. But this effect just was gone after first contact and after some more visits, I even didn’t realize the smell anymore later. As I already mentioned, the metro is great, not very cheap (1,15 \u20ac for entering the underground system) but affordable with a nice chip card system. The rather wide stations and trains are very clean, and I had a feeling of comfort and security (not as in Sankt Petersburg<\/a>; where even non-claustrophobic could feel a little bit weird of being near the earth core ;)).<\/p>\n

Culinary street-art<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had the best beef of my life (marinated just with garlic, salt and pepper) put into a sandwich at a diner in the docks. The cabbage and bean soup there was also delicious. Some great snacks from different Pastelarias (Samosa, Pastel de Nata, codfish snack,…) as well as national dishes like Bacalhau \u00e0 Br\u00e1s<\/a> and various pies also took my gustatory sense to the next level.<\/p>\n

Strange Momentum<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I – not being a typical tourist – somehow realized on the sixth day that something\u2019s wrong, I got a little depression. The city is great, the food and company even better, only the weather was not comparable (with exceptions). A strange feeling of boredom was growing in me, still not haven’t seen everything I just needed a break maybe. I had the feeling of being at home, with all that reading in the evening (and going to bed rather early) or watching a dvd, having dinner together… Just it didn’t felt right, I was there but somehow not, a feeling of looking through haze, it’s normal life but somehow not. Looks like another cultural shock to me or just an action vacuum. I stressed myself, because the time was running out, but somehow everything in me just wanted to relax, which I till then didn’t realize. Suddenly I asked myself, what did you do in Odessa? in Sankt Petersburg? Just go, sit in a caf\u00e9 or just at the riverside and do nothing but let your mind go! Do what you want<\/strong> (as in Copenhagen, go home and read a book if you feel like), you won’t miss anything! It helped!…<\/strong><\/p>\n