Over a year ago, I left London, and practically my life there as I knew it. Spurred by myriad reasons — the lifestyle one: the lack of work-life balance, the unpredictable English weather; the psychological one: London is too draining a city to live in; and the political one: Brexit, above all things — let’s just say Theresa May’s government had disposed of my rights to live in a country where I’ve legally resided for over a decade, so I decided to take it as a hot ticket to live somewhere new, somewhere good, perhaps a better city, since I wasn’t exactly clamouring to live in the UK for the rest of my life. I felt my time there was enough, and moving on to explore another side of the world whilst in my youth was a much more enticing option.
To set things straight, I’m not exactly the sort who hastily form a decision without burning a fair amount of brain cells and do some considerable legwork. My partner and I have both crossed out the Northern European cities despite being oh-so-stylish because, well, we just don’t want to deep-freeze on winter months. So we head south, to the warmer, more temperate climate, and suddenly Lisbon stood out like a gleaming dot on the map.
As a grateful new resident, I’ve started this lifestyle blog to give back something to Lisbon — a little ode to this beautiful westernmost corner of Europe where the sea sings, the light dazzles and the sun radiates with unabashed joy.
As a grateful new resident, I’ve started this lifestyle blog to give back something to Lisbon — a little ode to this beautiful westernmost corner of Europe where the sea sings, the light dazzles and the sun radiates with unabashed joy.
Travel documentaries, YouTube videos, city guides, a plethora of blogs — you name it, I scoured the Internet and travel literature to know more about the Portuguese capital. Not to mention, Lisbon kept popping up on Monocle’s revered Top 25 Cities annual survey (2017, 2018), steadily climbing on a higher spot, year after year. And what’s more, I asked a few friends who have been to this city, all of whom had given rather delightful impressions, as well as a good friend of mine, who had just been on a trip and came back gushing in sun-kissed ecstasy. “You’ll love it there,” she declared, even more enthused than I was.
So that sealed the deal. To the destination: Lisbon. The thirst for adventure must be quenched. I said to myself, and to the beloved people around me, “Three months. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll move somewhere else.” It’s good to convince myself, and everyone else, that it’s not the only liveable city on the planet.
A year later, I’m still here, and not leaving this place anytime soon. There were a few hiccups along the way (cough, Portuguese bureaucracy, but more on that later), but on the upside, Lisbon has been so welcoming, warm and relaxed. I enjoyed far more drinks in the sunset here than perhaps I’ve collectively had for the last ten years in London. Far more trips to the beach and far more walks along tree-lined avenidas, up and down the rolling hills and waterfront strolls.
Thus, as a grateful new resident, I’ve started this lifestyle blog to give back something to Lisbon; a little ode to this beautiful westernmost corner of Europe where the sea sings, the light dazzles and the sun radiates with unabashed joy. There’s a reason why the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Visigoths, Romans, Moors and the Napoleonic Army came to the Iberian peninsula, all drawn by the shining light of Olissipo. I was drawn to it, too. Hopefully not like a moth to a flame, but a busy bee to a lively blossom, cross-pollinating creative and entrepreneurial pursuits that will help surge the new wave of ideas growing in the capital. Lisbon, indeed, is that phoenix rising from the ashes, carefully unfolding its wonderful plumes. I’m certainly glad to have made the voyage to be sumptuously entangled in her feathers.
