“My soul is a hidden orchestra; I know not what instruments, what fiddlestrings and harps, drums and tamboura I sound and clash inside myself. All I hear is the symphony.” Fernando Pessoa
It is not the silence that relaxes us in nature, but the soothing sounds we hear when noise is left behind. Even though it’s been cold lately, it’s still beautiful walking in the countryside.
I first discovered the poetry of Portugal’s most famous poet, Fernando Pessoa on an orientation walking tour in Lisbon. We were taken to the Livraria Betrand, the oldest operating bookshop in the world.
More spectacular, still, is the bookshop in Porto, the Livraria Lello. The author, J. k. Rowling is rumoured to have drawn from the new-Gothic and Art Nouveau for her novels during her stay in the city whilst teaching English.