500 Words a Week - The Old and The New
I’m sitting in a trendy coffee shop in Lagos, Portugal. Amongst cobbled streets, and old brick buildings, sits this coffee shop on the corner. Matcha Latte’s, Acai Smoothies (which I’m currently drinking, post a beautiful Filter Coffee) and Hard Kombucha, a few things on the menu giving a flavour of where I’m sitting. Large ceilings, white walls and big windows in which to look out at the world walking by. The tell tale sign of a great barista, small assortments of tattoo’s littered across their arms.
Less than a minute down the way is an old Portuguese Bakery. A place in which you grab a number as you enter it, telling you how busy it can get. Experienced staff behind the counters, wonderfully weathered individuals, who’ve seen and experienced what the world has to offer. A look into their eyes and you know they have experienced the array of emotions that make us human. They may or may not have ventured far outside this coastal town, but they’ve seen every nationality pass through their doors. Each having an uncertain look about what to do, what to order and where to stand.
I sit in a window seat looking onto the street, a little to my right lies this old bakery. An old man walks by the window, walking stick in hand, and particularly wrapped up for this early April day. Giving me the thought that he is Portuguese, and in his experience he knows those clouds soon approaching, hold something sinister within. In his opposite hand, he holds a bag bursting with baked goods from the bakery. What has he got himself? Pastel de Nata, or Bolo de Berlim (a custard filled doughnut)? This individual passed by the window 15 minutes ago, what took him so long to purchase his favourites? A queue of tourist’s flocking to his local bakery on this spring morning? Or perhaps a friendly chat with the bakers? A joint complaint of “so it begins” as their streets begin to experience the first trickle of tourists, soon to be a flood over summer.
These two buildings not far apart, bring a beautiful symbiosis of the old and new. We don’t really know their relationship to each other. We could potentially imagine a little sigh and roll of the eyes when the grisled bakers are asked about their thoughts of the trendy cafe. But hidden behind this, is a playful and grateful tone. For we can see how with the trendy cafe bringing flocks of people to this street through Instagrams and Maps, and how a few of these individuals might happen upon the bakery on their travels to the cafe. And might decide to stop in after their Mushrooms on Toast, or Cold Brew coffees.
This little street shows us how not everything within the world must be a competition. How we can learn and benefit from those operating within or going on similar journeys to us. How the strategic placement of the new, may help the old and loved places.
As I come towards the end of this blog, my thoughts go to my Grandparents.
Questions to ask, hugs to have, lessons and stories to cherish.
