Lisbon, my city of “saudades” or nostalgic longing

Written by guest 15 July 2010 4 Comments

The Portuguese have their own word for expressing the feeling of nostalgic longing for someone or something that one adores and now is lost. They call it “saudades”. This is the feeling that fills me sometimes when I think about places I adore, people I love and experiences I never know if I will see or feel again.

New friends, a boyfriend or a crush, new hobbies, a couple of new home-towns, some new foreign languages and a whole lot of exiting experiences are some of the things I’ve gained on my journeys. Still, after 5 years of moving around and travelling I get that “Help! I’m leaving” feeling when the journey back is getting close.

saudades1

Yesterday I packed all my stuff together, that somehow has grown to the double the last 6 months. I’m pretty sure not even my female charm or the 7-layer-of-clothes trick will make it possible to bring it back on the flight. The next month I will spend surfing, going to a music festival (or two) and travelling in Portugal and Spain, and I’m officially homeless since I’m moving out of my flat in Lisbon today. Thank you dear friends for letting me stay at your place and making it possible for me to finance my travelling!

saudades4

I’m super exited for the upcoming month, but still I feel a pre-post-travelling-blues sneaking up on me and I know the “saudades” will catch up with me. I know it’s all coming to an end, but when I come home I’m going to follow up on Jaclyns “beating the post-travelling blues” advices and revive my memories through travelettes articles and planning my next trips.

saudades3

I’ll have a nice trip, because Lisbon is waiting for me! But I will always have “saudades” and nostalgic longing for Lisbon. Do you have a place that makes you feel the same way?

Kathrine Opshaug Bakke, editor at Travelettes from 2009 to 2013, wrote this post. Originating from Norway, she has been living in Berlin, Lisbon, and Stockholm the past 6 years.

She loves cities with imperfect facades, photography, traveling by bike, vintage hunting, and everything that comes with cheese. Follow her visual diary at anchoredpaperplane.com.

4 Comments »

Julie said:

Berlin, definitely. I lived there as a little girl and missed it so much – then this year went back for one weekend and my suadades came welling up!

It was like being reunited with the love of my life, now I am making plans to move there

# 15 July 2010 at 5:38 am

kathrine said:

Berlin also tend to have that effect on me, I wish I could construct a utopia with the best people, feelings and spots of my favorite cities Good luck with your moving plans Julie!

# 23 July 2010 at 4:07 pm

nina said:

Barcelona, definitely. It was so weird to come back there after more than 2 years. First I recognized the smell. It made me feel home again immediately. And I miss this city so much, even if I don’t have only good memories about living there.

# 26 July 2010 at 2:58 pm

Elisabetta said:

Lisboa is exactly the same to me.. and I always go back again and again.. Last trip to Lisboa, july 2010.. Next trip to Lisboa,november 2010.. congratulation for your blog *_*

# 9 October 2010 at 12:42 am