Weird Lisbon – Part II
Yes, just like in all cities, you’ll find plenty of unusual and strange things and characters in Lisbon, as seen in part one of our Weird Lisbon report. Here are some more:
Mr. Hello
Pass by Saldanha Square in uptown Lisbon at around 11PM and you’ll likely see a well-dressed gentleman with grey hair waving at everyone found inside the cars speeding by. That’s Mr. João Paulo Serra, who says hello and good-bye with his hands in an attempt to brighten people’s night or end of day. He’s been doing it for years, and he says it brings him joy. Call him crazy and weird, but you’ll certainly feel the same when you wave back at him.
The Doll Hospital
If your favorite doll suffers any damage or is broken when you’re in Lisbon (surely there have to be a few tourists out there who carry dolls with them whenever they travel, so let’s not judge), take it to the doll hospital in Figueira Square. It’s been taking care of dolls since 1830, complete with emergency and operating rooms. It seems business is still going strong, but one day when that’s no longer the case, the dolls with no cure, those abandoned, or their forgotten accessories will be turned into a museum collection.
Reading Between the Walls
For some reason the most rebellious Lisbon youth seems to think every building in the city is their canvas. So you’ll find graffiti everywhere in the city’s oldest central districts, especially in Bairro Alto and Alfama. That’s apparently going to come to an end (or so says City Hall), when a clean-up starts this upcoming September. But in the meantime, read the amusing propaganda found on the walls of the city center. You’ll be reminded that “Living kills” or that “advertising makes us stupid,” among some thought-provoking questions such as “Do you believe in everything you see on TV?” For other examples of Lisbon’s amusing graffiti, see our Photo Gallery – Street Art(?).
