Portugal is not a common destination for travelers. Let's face it: It's small. It's out of the way. It's not much characteristically different from the rest of Europe - so given a choice for vacation, Lisa, as it is known, would not stand out as a clear choice, which was why I decided to go against all common sense and take a vacation there.
Boys, was I pleased with my decision!
It would be hard to detail all the fun I had there - but I will give you 5 reasons why Lisbon was the perfect vacation spot.
1. It's an extremely relaxed city - I felt it the moment I arrived at the airport: no hassle, no forms to fill, no hoo-haa - just simply an enjoyably chill atmosphere. The weather helps, too. Against the gloomy weather forecast, my days in Lisbon were either filled with sunshine or a bright crisp air, not cold enough to make you chill, but refreshing enough to keep you intact. You see people stroll on the street with such a carpe diem attitude, enjoying the rays of sun tingling on their shoulders. You see people gathering for an expresso or some pastries, on any given day, and hey, given the economic downturn they are facing, it's a hell of an attitude!
2. It's full of simply good culinary adventures! From the Pasteis de Belem (a small tart with flaky crust and creamy fillings) to the spit-roasted chicken restaurants to even the fancier Olivier restaurants, I absolutely enjoyed the genuinely good food - no fancy deco, no formality, just simply very good food.
3. Come evening, Lisa is a party heaven! Strolling the alleys in Bairro Alto with a drink in hand, feel free to stop by any bar for refill or any dance floor to crash the party. In some way, Bairro Alto is like a big college party, except no one is worried about underage drinking, just focused on having a really good time.
4. Lisboners are super friendly! From old men on the trams to young ladies on the street, the people here just make you feel welcomed, even when you don't speak Portuguese.
5. And yes, the boys are dreamy! Portuguese boys are inspirations for hundreds of ad campaigns for A/X, Guess, and so on - but they also put those ads to shame! Walking on the street, you have the feeling that anyone of them can be a model. With their dark features, chiseled faces, luscious lips, and well-coiffed messy hair - these boys can make you feel weak at the knees.
Just like that, one week in Lisbon was a good amount of time to experience the beauty of Lisa in her very own ways. I arrived excited, was pleased, and left with a piece of my heart in Lisbon! Amo-te, Lisa!
I never thought I would be angry watching American Idols.
I never thought I would have much emotion watching it, if at all. But last night - I really did.
Aside from very talented and worthy artists, the top 12 fell short of greatness, kicking out extremely strong contestants such as Lily Scott and Alex Lambert in favor of the pretty boy Tim Urban and a forgettable Katie Steven. As Lily exclaimed, "I don't know what America wants to hear" - the popular voting system certainly managed to sideline some of the most unique talents who are not of mainstreamed look, style, or vocal. It was certainly not fair!
But life is never fair! This week, as my office space continued to shrink from a glass-wall single room to a pathetic little table in some hallway, I found out that bitter truth the very hard way! While some fresh college graduate temp enjoys an actual office, I am thrown out there in the hall way with absolutely zero privacy! I was angry at that unfair treatment - I really was! It didn't make sense when people told you you were doing a good job and then put you in such a situation when you feel least appreciated. Life is certainly not fair!
Yet, as I looked at the top 12 American Idols - there was also a sense of accomplishment that softened me to tears - a sense of joy when you have done something so great after working so hard. Some of them had been through hard times when things had certainly NOT been fair, and the reward of sitting on one of those uncomfortable stools was worth all that hardness. And I thought to myself, this is just a rough pad - and I have just the right strength to overcome it. If I am put on such a display in that hallway, I will make it a great show!
At some point, it will probably feel absolutely normal when someone tell me "I am falling in love with you" or "You broke my heart!".
And I wouldn't even blink.
However, at this moment, I am not that jaded yet - and so when I got a text message from this guy with the latter content, I was shaken for a few seconds. The first reaction was to sit down and take a deep breath. In some way, it felt very similar to being pointed out, mistakenly, as a thieve in a public place - or at least, that's what I usually imagine it to feel like, not that I've ever been in that situation.
Anyway, this friend of mine - whom I like dearly, even now - and I have been hanging out for a month or so. We liked each other very much, and loved spending time together doing more than just physical activities. The reason for it being relatively casual was that he would move away very soon for work - and obviously I've got my own career to pursue as well, so there's no reason to go too deep into anything that we couldn't commit ourselves too. That made sense - well, at least until he allegedly developed unexpected affections for me and expected me to feel the same way - and ultimately sent the accusatory SMS above.
After recovered from the unexpected accusation, I was confused, and then very upset. I felt like people, in this and a few other similar incidences, had victimized themselves and then tried to put me to blame. It was ME who behave like myself, ME who made them fall in love, and ME who broke their heart. All of this, I had almost no control - but when it came to blaming someone, I was the one, despite having been straightforward and honest, who misled them to misery.
In the end, after all that anger, I just felt sad for failing to make someone happy.
Portugal is not a common destination for travelers. Let's face it: It's small. It's out of the way. It's not much characteristically different from the rest of Europe - so given a choice for vacation, Lisa, as it is known, would not stand out as a clear choice, which was why I decided to go against all common sense and take a vacation there.
