Woke today and took my morning meds. Started a load of laundry. Then I did the same with a load of dishes. Took a moment to read a couple of news articles. Scanned the stuff regarding American politics, Trump this, Trump that, blah, blah, blah. Read about real estate developers trying to buy land from fire victims when family members of those people have yet to be found. Came across an article in the Guardian talking about how tourists with wheeled suitcases are destroying Europe. Most of it in the article was stuff I had heard before, inappropriate behaviors in public spaces, noise, crowding, etc. Most of what was there on the page was seemingly code saying Americans are being ugly, they don’t respect our cities and their treasures.
Then I got to the part where the author argues expats, retirees and digital nomads have killed the essence of Lisbon. Zoe Williams said, and I quote, “Lisbon is the prime example of a city altered beyond recognition, to many people’s eyes denatured by an influx of people who could just afford higher rents.” (The emphasis is mine.) She then quotes a half Brit-half Portuguese man who says, “The main avenue, where there used to be old multibrand boutiques, now Gucci has come in, Prada has come in, so that’s shot the rents up. The newcomers want sushi, they want Thai food, they want vegan. The old lot can’t cater to that, so they’ve shut down. Lisbon has lost its soul.” Geesh, make me feel like a soul butchering murderer why don’t you Zoe?
I took a break at this point from doom scrolling, and anytime you actually follow the news today from the fires in Hawaii to bombings of grain silos in Ukraine, you are doom scrolling. Made my breakfast. My morning repast was oatmeal with nuts, raisins and a teaspoon of sugar. Couldn’t read the instructions but the recipe is universal, two cups boiling water, one cup oats and five minutes simmering. Sat on the balcony and watched the city of Lisboa awaken. Deliveries were being made. Women with heels totally incompatible with the sidewalks of this city headed into office buildings. Birds chirped.
Hung the laundry. Put the dishes away. Checked my calendar, nothing urgent today. Have to straighten up the room where my nephew will stay when he arrives tomorrow. I probably should pick up a fan for that room. This place is not air conditioned.
I am troubled by the Guardian post. Note well, I have spent more than a year here over the course of the last five years in bits and pieces. I have done what I can to observe local courtesies. I don’t join the crowds in the touristic areas (unless someone is here visiting and wants to see a particular sight). We shop local and cook most of our meals at home. I am trying to learn the language, but I am an old dog and I am going deaf so it is hard. I rented a place at asking price in the business district and I pay my rent on time. I have expat health insurance so as to not overburden the health care system. I pump my retirement income into the Portuguese economy by buying goods and services. I am not alone in these practices.
I fell in love with Portugal because of its beauty, its kind people, and the pace of life. I am trying to be part of this place, not a destroyer of it. Thanks Zoe for making me feel awful which is what I think your whole article was about. I think the goal of the article, without explicitly saying it, was to justify xenophobia and shame the others, in this case primarily Americans.
Ms. Williams seems to intone that tourists and expats need to somehow solve the issue of housing affordability in European countries but she offers no insight as to how that might be accomplished. In the end I think her xenophobia shows its full ugliness in her last two words, “…go away.” Don't be just another pundit Zoe, if you going on this kind of attack, throw in some proposed solutions to the problem you feel you are highlighting. "...[G]et naked or go away," really isn't much of an answer now is it?
Here is a link to the article so you can read it for yourself. https://apple.news/AMAzgdcrgQ6Gzu8rSIt_YPA
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