Queen of the Hill

My toes curl up tight as I grip the dewy cobblestone on the steep decline.

Just an average morning stroll in my neighborhood on the tippy-top hill of the sprawling urban landscape. Over the next three days, a coastal warning alert sets in with overcast and a peeking slanted sun. Yesterday brought sporadic sun showers, and a mysterious sunrise greets today through the low clouds. 

Winter greets my arrival in one of the oldest cities in the world - Lisbon. 

This city is known for its legendary seven hills, and the architecture that passes by the endless ups and down led me to question how this all came to be. I wonder what it looked like from the perspective of the construction workers who built these steep paths, one uniquely chiseled stone after another. 

My curiosity peaked after reading a history book on Lisbon over the Christmas holidays just before arriving.  ‘The Queen of the Sea’ by Barry Hatton exposed some incredible stories about how the intricate roads and picturesque landmarks came to be, helping me place my first pins of interest on the map.

‘Lisbon is down-to-earth, charming and close.’

The sensory overload of this place is still mind-blowing. Constant reminders as I walk that many of these places and the foundations of these communities still exist on the same sidewalks and have been here for hundreds of years.

Lisbon was once referred to as ‘Aladdin’s cave of ‘exotic’ goods,’ and there is certainly no shortage of bustling streets with global citizens, cuisine from all corners of the world, and friendly greetings in many languages. While passing through, my field of vision is low as I prepare for each next treacherous slip ahead of me while trying to take it all in. 

‘The overall effect is enchanting. Getting lost is easy and agreeable.’

Every time I walk, no matter the ground beneath me or the environment surrounding me, I know the sweet moments of awe and appreciation are the forces that get me there walking every day.

Awe is defined as an overwhelming, self-transcendent sense of wonder and revenge in which you feel a part of something is vast, more significant than you, and that transcends your understanding of the word. 

People often refer to awe as a form of reverie or an altered state that unearths joy, well-being, and inner calm.

I enjoy the moments when I find myself in awe during a walk, and it was not until recently that I discovered the concept of ‘awe walking’ in a recent podcast.  

Awe walking is a practice to help you get out there and turn an ordinary walk into a series of awe-inspiring moments filled with delightful surprises. 

These are the moments when the attention shifts outwards instead of inwards, focusing on something larger than you. It’s not the passing thoughts of upcoming deadlines or big presentations, but the birds that perch side-by-side on the wires, the sprawling landscape in the distance, and the sweet older man who shares a smiley hello in passing.

These moments stop me in my inward thinking and remind me that simple moments of awe, struck by wonder, bring a sense of inner calm and well-being.

My favorite morning walk soundtrack is a podcast to begin the day with a thought-provoking perspective. An afternoon walk helps me to create some headspace accompanied by an upbeat playlist from a favorite yoga instructor. The evening saunter is a duet with instrumental jazz coming home from meditation and ready to end the day.

Tune into the sounds that soothe your soul. Choose a soundtrack or a story to suit your mood. 

Or enjoy a silent stroll in awe.

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Thank you for being a reader and a supporter of this newsletter.

In this newsletter, I will document my walks and share them in hopes that the pitter-patter of my feet and the stories that come from the journey inspires you to take a stroll. 

What else would you like to discover? Please comment below and share with your fellow walkers in Lisbon!