A very short visit to Lisbon resulted in a crush on Portugal. The capital, the food, the art, and architecture. And the history. But more than anything, what pulled me in was the apparent zest for living the Lisbonese exhibited.

People here seem to love their city — and the city loves them right back. A vibrant core, day and night, care for city planning and urban initiatives adds a human scale to the otherwise sprawling hive. At the same time, I didn’t find the atmosphere intense or electric. Instead, the vibe appeared understated, calm, yet slightly hedonistic. At least that was my impression. Not having time for extensive “research,” one often make assumptions. But in this case, I think I’m right; the Portuguese know how to live but don’t put on airs.

Unfortunately, my photos don’t do the town justice, so I leave the beauty shots to professionals. Instead, my focus for the day was some of the “street art,” in a wider sense. “Yesterday” it was the spectacular tiles seen all over the city that captured visitors’ gaze, but today, more contemporary expressions can be found throughout the capital. I submit a few samples but encourage you to experience this wonderful city before H&M, Starbucks, and Walmart takes over.

Throughout the city, the famed building tiles 

Considering the age, most buildings seem to hold up pretty well, though there are exceptions.

Ok, one “beauty shot”…