Finding Solace in the Sun of Lisbon
As the sun has been slowly creeping out these past couple days, I am beginning to remember the magic that Lisbon has to bring. After weeks of pouring rain and heavy winds adjacent to those of when I lived in the Netherlands, the memory of the sun on my skin had become distant. After enduring tumultuous weeks of slippery roads, weather warnings, and arriving to class soaking wet, the sun made its long-awaited appearance.
Following the winter months, one begins to forget the transformative power of vitamin D, feeling rejuvenated by the rekindling of the rays on your body. Lisbon seems to have reclaimed its once-dwindling charm and retransformed into the sunny European city it rightfully is. We return to study seshes outside covertly masked as tanning sessions and the return of our summer wardrobe that has been taunting us in our closets, untouched due to the untimely weather. However, the sun in Lisbon transcends the sun in so many other cities, but why? It lies in the fact that the most mundane activities transform into a vacation-like euphoria, and the worries that preoccupied us with the rain seem to evaporate with the presence of beautiful weather. The power in reclaiming Sundays for long strolls on the beach, surfing sessions, sunset watch parties, picnics in the park, and so much more.
After enduring yet another strenuous week of long university hours, countless readings, examinations, and the presence of the soonly arriving examinations, the sun slowly arose from hibernation and warmly welcomed us into the weekend. Leaving seminars and classes and welcoming Saturday and Sunday under its warm embrace left us in a state of unbothered bliss nonexistent in the past. Saturday morning arrived, and I prepared my beach bag, anxious to use all the essentials: sunscreen, a good book (Lolita is the reading of this month), lots of water, a towel, and snacks. After much anticipation, I entered the Uber, embarking on a somewhat traffic-fueled transit.
I arrived to the feeling of the ocean breeze brushing past my hair, sand sifting through my toes, and the notion of the restful day that laid ahead of me. As it was the first day of summer’s slow return, I bumped into half of my classmates on the beach, and with each interaction, we were all reminded of our humanity outside the classroom and the importance of a long-awaited rest. That feeling of warmth, of a gentle awakening, wasn’t unique to the beach that day. In Lisbon, the sun amplifies it, infusing the entire city with a similar, vibrant energy.
In Lisbon, the sun signifies the warmth of the Portuguese culture that awakens the city from its slumber. It kisses the cobbled streets, turning them into rivers of gold, and ignites the pastel facades of the buildings, painting them with a thousand vibrant hues. It dances on the rippling surface of the Tagus River, scattering diamonds of light across the water, and bathes the city’s hills in a warm, golden glow. The sun in Lisbon is a muse, inspiring its residents to capture its fleeting beauty. It is a storyteller, weaving tales of ancient civilizations and forgotten dreams into the very fabric of the city. It is a symbol of life, energy, and the enduring spirit of Lisbon itself.
The approach of exam season casts a long, anxious shadow, a stark contrast to the hypnotic melody woven by Lisbon’s sun. This city, bathed in a golden luminescence, offers a constant, soothing counterpoint to the rising tide of academic pressure. The melodic cadence of the city’s light becomes a subtle yet powerful balm, a tranquil undercurrent to the frenetic study sessions and late-night revisions. It’s a unique juxtaposition: the intellectual rigor of university examinations set against the languid, seductive embrace of Portuguese warmth. The very air, thick with the scent of salty breezes and sun-baked tiles, seems to whisper assurances, a gentle reminder that life, even in its most demanding moments, holds beauty and respite. And in this confluence of academic challenge and sun-drenched serenity, I find an unexpected strength, a quiet conviction that there is no other city I would rather be in, preparing for my first official university examinations, enveloped in the comforting embrace of Lisbon’s soulful warmth.
