Lisboa, Portugal

It doesn't take long to figure out Lisbon is a fascinating place. It's one of the oldest cities in Europe. Although there are a few shallow tourist areas and gentrified neighborhoods, for the most part it is a city teeming with real life. This is the kind of place where old women hang their laundry out to dry and talk from their windows. There are narrow, winding streets, hills, and trolley cars. The people are energetic, passionate, and seemingly love a good party. It's a little gritty, but has a great deal of character and mystery (In the first photo below, the apartment building where I'm staying is just to the left of the one with the orange colored sheets).