In the summer of 2018, I was pleased to have a chance to visit Portugal for the first time. Why Portugal? Fundamentally, I was intrigued with the country’s maritime history, leading to a seafaring empire in the sixteenth century.

Beyond that, and the existence of the Portuguese community in Toronto, I didn’t know much. Soccer, port wine, beaches … these were my images of Portugal. Of course, I learned there is so much more (though visiting during the World Cup, soccer – football – was everywhere).

To begin, here are some photos from Lisbon, with more to follow.