A motley crew of explorers - from St Francis Xavier to Vasco Da Game, adorn the different facades of the spectacular Discoveries monument in Lisbon, right by the Tagus River. The Portuguese once conquered a large part of the known world. The yearning for those bygone days, and of things that never were or never will be, fuels the national Portuguese spirit of saudade - melancholia that permeates the cultural ethos, especially their fado music that plays out in every wine soaked night time bar.

The conflict between the old and the new is best epitomized by Lisbon's trams - much like San Francisco and Kolkata, they sputter along in many ways - the very soul of the city.





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