Away

Travel is a powerful catalyst for discovering the meaning of place. While walking in Portugal I thought about the countless generations who lived there beyond the reach of memory. A closer look at a contemporary mural revealed layer upon peeling layer of paint over graffiti, over tile, over stucco. Like vessels, centuries-old structures carried the stories of their vanished occupants. Peering through the windows I saw shapes that hinted at past lives behind the walls. The cacophony of rooflines, patterned vineyards, steep alleys, and fractured spaces was intensified by the collective memory of the generations there before me.