A few months ago, I volunteered to work at Web Summit Lisbon. Volunteering is not something I’ve done since childhood, when I was milk monitor and server at Green Top school in Thorne, when I was between 4 and 8. I did it though as I love Lisbon, Portugal, having spent a week here a year ago.
It is a city that has faded grandeur, massive architectural heritage and welcoming people. It is effortlessly cool, it seems to me, without really trying to be.
Flights and accommodation booked, with two days set for volunteering at the Altice Arena, I’ve found the city as appealing as on first visit a year ago. It is still mesmerising, with a wonderful climate, friendly locals and a vibe that is laid back and appealing. It is though an expensive city now it seems, as a place to live and eat out. Property is prohibitively expensive to rent or buy and is akin to London from a cursory glance online.
Monday started well with me marvelling at the Norwich train dropping me directly at Stansted, without the hassle of parking or shuttle buses, but the flight was delayed. I sat next to a lovely chap from Frankfurt (Eintracht were playing Sporting, I found out) and he’d had to travel from Frankfurt to Amsterdam to Stansted to Lisbon – dedicated fan indeed. He did find our musical chairs of Tory Prime Ministers amusing though, and I was envious of Angela Merkel and Olaf Schultz and their seeming competence after the shithousery of this country.
Accommodation was basic, though quiet and convenient on the iconic Tram 28 route, and Tuesday saw us visit the Castle of St Jorge, Lisbon Cathedral after a wonderful brunch at Zenith. The weather was low 20s – T shirt and shorts, with time spent wandering the cobbled streets and wondering when my calves would explode with the burn of ascents.
Tuesday afternoon saw my first stint at Web Summit, with me swallowing principles and ordering an Uber to get there without the palaver of transport changes and I enjoyed it immensely. I was on the Speakers team and watched Paddy Cosgrave, the founder, various start ups deliver unicorn pitches, the Mayor of Lisbon, all capped off with a spider-web cam going rogue above the audience. It collided with a speaker and fell to ground, arrested 10 feet above the shocked crowd, whilst a speaker rocked gently like an abandoned t-shirt in Famagusta.
All exciting.
I found the First Lady of the Ukraine’s address brought me to tears, with the message that Russian technology – drone attacks – is destroying the Ukraine and it is imperative that Web Summit propagates ways of harnessing technology to foster peace not terror.
I made many connections too on LinkedIn and mental notes from conversations, with my next ambition being to learn how to develop simple apps and add this to my design repertoire.
Cascais was planned for Wednesday and what a gem of a coastal town that turned out to be – Boca do Inferno was one highlight, getting up close and personal with the rocky cliffs and sweeping waves of the Atlantic. Danger was palpable on the edge with fishermen casting lines and me reading one angler was pushed over yesterday and has still not been found. Hope he is and soon. There were two characters there, bearing bodies and showing three Muslim women in hijabs how to cast and fish. Very sweet and sums up Portugal to a tee for me.
Thursday though saw torrential rain and abandonment of sightseeing, with a final shift planned at Web Summit 2022 on Friday, before heading home to Norwich on Saturday, refreshed and appreciative of the city I live and work in – which, believe it or not, I prefer to Lisbon.
Norwich is home and will be for some years to come.
Perhaps.
