A Look at the Portuguese World

 

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It is now one of the new attractions of Portugal and in good time.

They say you should not return to the places where we were happy, because you never can replicate those moments, that ideal of happiness that is forever stuck in time, however hard we try. And it's true. What they forgot to add is that it does not matter, because life is not just a series of unchanging and static pieces of a puzzle , it is what it is, a finite continuum of joys, disappointments, loves, unlove, hugs, tears and sadness. Without being in this order, we are understood. And it's about a particular location that I want to talk, the undefeated.
Recently I revived its corners, alleys and lanes and I came across a new city less neighborhood, more cosmopolitan, and although I still listen the everyday insults, Oporto is changing and winning new shades in every way. The city that I knew would appear darker of appearence but hid in its womb people with a boundless generosity. Welcomed us with open arms and carried us almost to the lap, as if we were family and is sure that I am given to a slight exaggeration, but in this case not so much.
It was a mixture of village and town, where everyone greeted you at the exit of the buildings, we knew the girls of "pingo doce" by name, could tell the stories of madmen that hung on our side of the street and in which was discussed in a loud, rejoicefull collective uproar the football results, or the latest nonsenses uttered by politicians, while we were squeeze in every bus stop during the morning hustle and bustle. Stores with boards worn by time crunched to greet us, the moldy smells of time toasted our nostrils with childhood memories and from the back came the friendly smiles and the phrase of the occasion: miss, what can I do for you?

Not that everything has gone, but it change. Porto won another breath, thanks to the hordes of tourists brought by low cost airlines. The city center is now dominated by renovated buildings that are the delight of visitors, the old neighborhood bookstores, fabric stores and bric-a-brac were replaced by restaurants, bars and souvernier shops. I can Hear in the streets tiffs people in various languages and in many places instead of the usual good morning, now they say: hello! And it's not that bad, the buildings have more cheerful colors, who ever knew that underneath the stolid vertical architectural there was such beauty, but, and there is always a but, I'm still largely undecided in some cases if the result was the rather better, the greenish moss and faded tones lent a certain air of dignity to the secular buildings of the metropolis. The traditional trade almost has disappeared, although there are some honorable resistants, spaces that died with their owners were replaced with urban craft shops and there is a greater investment in products made in Portugal. In my view this is all very good. And. .. here comes another but it seems that the city is losing its identity, it seems more camouflage at least. And neither Saint John escapes. The biggest celebration of the unbeaten, where you could barely breathe such was the sea of people jostling through the narrow alleys from the Ribeira to the Foz, where around every corner was sold grilled sardines and beer and we could danced to the sound of the hits of popular portuguese music now, not only are less people like there is a multiply of theme parties, with different sounds, where we can drink plenty vodka, mojitos and caipirinhas and little by little the tradition is getting lost. I do not know if it's good or bad, it is different, get it?

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