Secret charm by acemj
Walking in Lisbon, I felt like I was exploring an overlooked, often missed, out of the way, European secret, but at the same time, that I was in a bustling capital that was truly the focus of a nation. I talked with locals who had that hardened exterior pride that only comes from living in the "big city" and I was reminded of friends that I have from New York City ("if you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere" goes the tune). I wondered if they were aware, or if they would even care, that much of the traveling world tends to view their city as a rustic diversion from exploration of the Iberian peninsula's larger country to the east. Somehow, I think they're enjoying their beautiful city too much to mind.
