Eminyakeni embalwa edlule lapho ngifunda incwadi kaPascal Mercier ethi, “Night Train to Lisbon,” ngaqala ukuba nemibono engemihle mayelana nokubuyela ePortugal. Ngangingekho kusukela ngasekupheleni kweminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye ngenkathi ngisebenza esihlokweni sePort Wines e-Oporto. Lapho ngiqeda le ncwadi, elethela umfundi enkathini emnyama yomlando wasePortugal lapho inguquko yezenhlalakahle iqala ukuvela futhi izwe lizama ukuzikhulula emaketangeni omashiqela, ngakhumbula uhambo lwami lokuqala lokuya eLisbon:
Ngangineminyaka engu-11 ubudala futhi ngihlala eMadrid. Ngolunye usuku ekuseni ubaba wavuka enombono ongalawuleki - ukuchitha impelasonto eLisbon, futhi sizohamba amakhilomitha angama-500 noma ngaphezulu ngemoto yakhe iRenault Dauphine. Lezi kwakuyizinsuku ngaphambi kokuba kube khona imigwaqo emikhulu, kwakungu-1959, futhi iSalazar yayisaphethe.
Ngaqala ukubona phakathi kwamabili lapho sifika emngceleni futhi kufanele silethe amapasi ukuze singene. Amagama okuqala esiPutukezi engawezwa ayezwakala njengokungathi ngiwulimi lwesiSlavic. Ukusiza ubaba ukuba ahambe emigwaqweni emincane eya eLisbon kwakuwumsebenzi, izibani ezimbalwa endleleni zisiza ukuqondisa umshayeli kanye nolayini omhlophe kuphela phakathi nendawo, owawudinga umsebenzi wokupenda.
Ngemva kwamahora ambalwa, safika edolobheni futhi savinjwa ngokuphepha ehhotela iTivoli e-Avenida Libertade yaseLisbon.
Ngokushesha ngibheke ku-2018, futhi ngineminyaka embalwa ubudala, ngangihlezi ehhovisi lami laseNew York, ngenkathi iqhwa lalinqwabelana emigwaqweni engezansi futhi amazinga okushisa eqhubeka nokuwohloka, ngaqala ukuhlanganisa izithombe zama-clime afudumele.
Umazibuthe wami ubelokhu eyiMedithera futhi ikakhulukazi i-Southern Europe, futhi ngaqala ukufuna inketho engabizi kakhulu eyayizongibuyisela endaweni yami kanye ngesikhathi saseNice. Ngokwemvelo, abathwali bendabuko abafana ne-BA ne-Air France bazofika engqondweni, nokho, izindleko zabo beziphezulu kakhulu ukuthi bangakwazi ukuzikhokhela, futhi abazange banikeze imali yokugibela yendlela eyodwa yokuncintisana lapho ngiya khona. Ngena, Air Portugal. Lapho ngibheka iwebhusayithi yabo angizange ngiwakholwe amehlo ami, indlela eyodwa eya e-Nice nge-Lisbon engaphansi kuka-$300 - yayifana nayo kakhulu.
Uma ngihlola ngokuqhubekayo, ngathola ukuthi i-Air Portugal ibinikezela ngokumisa ubusuku obu-1-5 e-Lisbon noma e-Porto ngaphandle kwenkokhiso eyengeziwe. Ukwenza okunikezwayo kukhange nakakhulu, inkampani yezindiza izofaka amahhotela anesaphulelo, izinkambo, nezindawo zokudlela ezizoziqalisa. Lokhu kwakungeyona into ehlakaniphile, futhi nali ikhefu lami lasebusika.
Okuwukuphela kokukhathazeka kwami kwakuyizimo zami zangaphambilini ku-TAP, ngikhumbula inkampani yezindiza ehleleke kakhulu futhi ephethwe uhulumeni. Lokhu kwakusemuva kuma-80s. Manje sasiku-2018, futhi ngezwa ukuthi ngaphansi kobuholi be-CEO entsha, u-Fernando Pinto, leso sithombe sasingasekho futhi inkampani yezindiza yayithole imiklomelo eminingi.
Isithombe © Ted Macauley
Ngemva kwesonto, ngangiphuza itiye ntambama, ngiziphumulele ngiye eYurophu, endaweni yokudlela ka-Audrey, ingxenye yehhotela elihle laseSantiago de Alfama endaweni yakudala yaseLisbon, ngesikhathi ngizithela kumnikazi uManel. Umlingiswa onemibala egqamile nothanda abantu abaningi, uManel nomkakhe baba nesandla ekuhlobiseni nasekuphileni kwehhotela futhi manje balungisa isakhiwo esiseduze esaziwa ngokuthi i-Palacio de Santiago, esizongeza entendeni yesandla kanye namagumbi ehhotela. Lapho ngibuka “isiza” esisha, uManel waqinisekisa ukuthi ngiyaqaphela ukuthi kulo mgwaqo othile, iRua Santiago, “imbulunga yonke” yayixhaswa ngezimali, futhi uChristopher Columbus wayeshadile. Ihhotela eliphelele lomhambi onelukuluku. Ukubuka okuhle ngesifunda esidala se-Alfama ukusuka endaweni yaso phezulu phezulu kwedolobha kuhlukile njengoba kwenzeka ePantheon naseSao Vincente Monastery.
Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva, ngabuyela esikhumulweni sezindiza ngemva “kokulungisa” okujabulisayo kwaseLisbon ngase ngigibela indiza yami ye-Air Portugal exhuma eNice.
Angikwazi ukucabanga indlela engcono yokudlula i-jet lag.
