The Rua Da Academia das Ciências in Lisbon is a narrow lane 100m from our family’s abode. Cars that turn into it have to slow down to navigate the sharp turn and pedestrians hug the wall to let the cars pass. The arch and the bridge a bit further on used to connect a convent and a church many centuries ago. It is rumoured that the priests secretly used the bridge at night to visit the nuns.
This door leads visitors down to the water systems that serve the city of Lisbon. These are ancient water systems and many go back to Roman times. Every time I walk past I remember my uncle describing a tour he took down these dark dank tunnels and I was reminded of Edgar Allen Poe’s stories…
Mozambican-born Portuguese South African; reflecting on travel, writing, editing, life, family and change that has social impact; chief wide eyed in wanderer, wonderer and bottlewasher
