Lagos, Portugal: Street Smarts

I love walking the streets of a city, especially in European towns where they twist and turn and you find yourself compelled to walk them, even as you know you will most likely get lost. And getting lost is really part of the dance, for you know that even without giving it much attention you will eventually find your way back home. But the discovery that happens between getting lost and finding your way back home is the real gift. And this is the magic that I’ve been encountering on my morning walks here in Lagos, Portugal . . . getting lost and then discovering the true beauty and culture of this town.

The city streets hold the history, the personal experiences, and the energy of those who have come before us. Imagine as you walk through Florence, possibly landing in the same footsteps that carried DaVinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Or Athens, where the streets were once inhabited by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. There is a wisdom that breathes out of the streets of Lagos - where the Romans and Moors once lived - and a nice morning walk before the rest of the town comes to life is the best way to connect with that energy. You get up early, you hit the pavement (or marble tiles in this case) and you breathe in the city - watching, listening, and most importantly, just allowing your feet to guide you.

If we wander with wonder, we will recognize that the streets are not paved with asphalt or marble, or any other material for that matter. They are paved with the culture, the stories, and the people that truly make a city a home.