Lisbon was a special trip for us this year. It, like Helsinki, is often overlooked when tourists pick their travel destinations. That's unfortunate seeing as both cities have so much to offer. I don't think I realized how fantastic Lisbon was before actually setting foot there. I know now.
When we discovered that our dear friends were living here for a season, we worked hard to figure out a way to be with them while we were both living in Europe!
My dear friend Aubrey was my college roommate for two years. In fact, she was my only roommate. I'm so grateful to have gotten randomly paired with such an incredible woman. It's been a real gift to see how God has worked out our stories, and how we've gotten to be players in each others lives, however major or minor our roles have been each season. We even had babies just 4 days a part! Good timing Aubs. ;) Getting to see our boys play together was such a sweet sight for me. It's just so cool to see how life unfolds, especially when sharing it with people you care so deeply about.
So, with Aubrey and her husband Jordan living in Lisbon, we planned out an Easter Weekend stay with them. It was fun to get to live under the same roof (plus babies and husbands) all over again. It was a treasure to my heart to get to share overseas living with a friend who has known me and I her for so long. After the kids went to sleep, getting to talk deep talks into the night is this girls dream. Pair that with some incredible sights, some amazing food and some ridiculous humor and you have one very special gift of a weekend.
They proved to be quite the tour guides, as you'll see by the photos. Pair that with the fact that we were travelling with three kids and I'd say it was an impressive feat. Rain or shine, The Monsons know how to give a good time.
While the first full day was a bit rainy, the second full day proved fantastic weather. During our trip we had fantastic food, saw beautiful sights-from overlooks to castles, to ancient ruins-and even somewhat mastered a basic understanding of their metro system. (which is a feat compared to the simplicity of the Helsinki Metro.) We had an incredible wealth of knowledge to accompany the sights, as Jordan was able to fill us in on all sorts of history and really make the place come alive. If the beauty of Lisbon wasn't enough, once we were acquainted with its history, we walked away with a deep appreciation for this beautiful city.
Lisbon, you're beautiful and you hold some of my favorite people.
Thank you Jordan, Aubrey and Everett for being so kind to us. Getting to travel with you, share in meaningful conversation, parent along side you and be guests in your home was such a gift.
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