❝Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.❞
– Rita Mae Brown –
Learning Portuguese is not optional for us. In rural Portugal hardly anyone speaks English, unlike Lisbon, where most people can speak a couple of languages. And so, I thought, while we were anyway in Portugal in April, it would be sensible to start the process by joining a two week basic language course in Lisbon, after I scoured the Internet for various options. I eventually decided on Lisbon Language Café, as they were the cheapest I could find. These days we think twice about how we spend our money, as we funnel everything we can spare into the various projects we have lined up on the land. It turned out to be an excellent choice, and good value for money, and although I walked away from it with a head buzzing with new words and confusing grammar, I have made great strides in my ability to wrap my tongue around those tricky sounds.
My lovely loft apartment was a short eight minute walk from class, and everything I needed for the almost three weeks I spent in Lisbon. Tucked away in a traditional neighbourhood, it was also close to Cais do Sodré train/Metro station, which allows for easy access to Belém and Cascais. The apartment is also close to a variety of excellent cafés and restaurants, and as a vegetarian, I had no problem finding a wide selection of things to eat. Close by is a Pingo Doce supermarket, which provides, apart from the basic necessities, a wide selection of very affordable local wine, and an amazing array of delicious Portuguese bread, I am particularly fond of.
Lisbon is a small city, and as I love walking, I managed to explore it easily on foot. Walking also allowed me to discover those little streets that do not throng with tourists, but capture the spirit of the people calling this lovely city, home. I am particularly fond of doors, and my heart fluttered regularly in my chest, as I stumbled upon ones that clearly have a myriad stories to tell.
I prefer the quieter spots of the city, and as Belém throb with tourists most of the day, I headed out there early one morning, and after the obligatory Pastéis de Nata and a cup of coffee, I could take photographs at leisure, before the tour buses choked the streets, and strangers’ heads bobbed uninvitingly into my photographs.
Lisbon is one of those cities I doubt I will ever tire of, and although I would not like to live there, I would love to visit on a regular basis. Lucky for me, a three hour train ride from our nearest city, Castelo Branco, will get me there whenever I need to exchange an abundance of peace and quiet with the bustle of city life.
Read more about my adventures in Lisbon HERE.
Written by: Jolandi
April 2018
Lovely door photos! I have never been to Portugal and really don’t know what I’m waiting for.
A 3-hour train ride is quite something. I live 1.5 h away from Rome in rural Tuscany and I can imagine what twice as far from the capital would feel like. I’m glad you got good value for money for your classes. It’s not something I have decided on yet. Instead I learn it by organically by circumstance. It’s a long process.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with learning a language organically, and suspect that is eventually the route I will follow too. The language classes were a great introduction to the basics, though, and I am glad I did it. At least now, I have more or less an idea as to how to pronounce words, despite the fact that my tongue still trips up regularly.
You are lucky to be so close to Rome. I guess that gives you the best of both worlds!
Such jewels to see everywhere especially the doors. Wow! Jolandi How exciting to start learning Portuguese. 🙂
I suspect it will take me a while to even just get the basics down, Corlia! But it is definitely exciting. The people we meet are so lovely, and we would love to be able to communicate with them in a way that doesn’t involve a whole game of charades. 🙂