Portugal proves to be a fertile ground for street music – it is also a breathtakingly scenic country. Smiles are back on the boys’ faces!
Alex, Zuppaflai-Alex, what a guy! He gave Max, Hanno and Jamie a roof to sleep under, fed them Argentinean steaks and gave them a stage at his bar. He even went with them to Porto the next day to help them sell a few more CDs and show them around the town.
Even under “normal” road trip circumstances, it takes the guys a while to get up in the morning. The nights are always long and sleep is scarce, and a night in a proper house has to be savoured. So the lads don't appear until around midday.
After breakfast Alex and the guys are off to Porto, one of the oldest cities in Europe and one with a lot of students. The student quarter of Porto is a lively neighbourhood where new musicians, travellers and artists are always welcome. The rap show, freestyles and beats are very well received and CD sales go through the roof.
The worries they faced in Barcelona where they wondered if they’d have enough cash to get to Morocco at last started to diminish. The boys are on a roll. They decide to adjust prices to suit student pockets, and cut the CDs from 10 euros to 5 each – and walk away with more than they hoped for. The next part of the trip down to Lisbon and along the Algarve are safe.
Lisbon is scattered over seven hills, divided by the Tejo river and with a great atmosphere. Get the picture: tiny alleyways, cobblestones, beautiful tiles on old houses and trams rattling up and down the hills.
It’s a city that immediately draws you in, it’s got a special something. A quick peek into the Lonely Planet something, they haven’t tried before. A flea market near the Panteão Nacional is a hot tip. Max, Jamie and Hanno drive up and down the seven hills of Lisbon, through the mini streets – and by the way still with their couch on top of the car – until they find their destination.
The flea market is packed with other young people, some play bongos, others sell old records, clothes or jewellery. The T-shirts and CDs go on display and the boys are set up and JollyJay and H-to-O are ready to start their show.
They entertain the passers-by and other sellers with freestyles and make a couple of Euros – and they make a new friend: Elliot, an appreciator of Hip Hop, a free spirit, a big fan of H-to-O and JollyJay and their new big help. As the flea market slowly comes to an end, but the boys are far from having made enough money, Elliot knows what to do.
He leads them through more old, tiny streets, up and down seven hills and as they turn around one last corner, they get a feeling of what awaits them: a small place, right next to an old church, a fountain where birds are bathing, a café with a breathtaking view over Lisbon and relaxed people who are happy to hear tales from the road.
Hanno and Jamie play easy going summer tunes, converse with the people around in smooth freestyles, flirt a little with girls sitting on their own and easily made the money they need so badly to make the rest of their way through Southern Europe and Morocco.
The next place Elliot leads them to, is quite similar and therefore also stunningly beautiful. A place overlooking Lisbon and the river, people enjoying the view and life and a little extra: 4 musicians from Africa. Completely fascinated by the view, the atmosphere, and the music, the boys just sit there, listen and watch. People around start to dance, a crowd gathers and all you see are smiling faces.
This is one of the few times during this trip where the guys have a little time not to think about making enough money, but to sit, listen to other musicians and enjoy something like a holiday. Normally it’s almost always about scraping together enough Euros, getting to the next city, thinking about CD sales.
Initially the boys wanted to spend way more time with international musicians and artists, but due to the financial pressure, they hardly ever got round to doing that. Here they finally have a minute to listen and to actually join in. Of course … our friend Elliot who seems to know everybody in Lisbon, used to play with that band and makes sure that the guys can set up their box and do something they wanted to do from the beginning.
African bongo sounds mix with English freestyles, rhythms adjust to each other, the singer tunes in with JollyJay and H-to-O, fades out again, and the guitar provides the melody. A crowd of tourists as well as locals sway to the music and clap along, it’s a wonderful scene and you can tell from the faces of the guys that they are having one of the best moments during this 39 days trip.
© even.tv
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