Lisbon Pride Parade

 One of the unexpected joys of my recent trip to Portugal was being in town during the Pride Parade. I'm stumbled across it, which is a surprising thing to say about a massive parade. Nevertheless, I wasn't planning on going downtown - my legs were very unhappy with me after a long day of walking - but it was a beautiful evening and I hadn't made it into the city center yet. I ended up hanging out on the side of the road waiting for the parade to pass by, and it had already been going for a while when I got there. I leaned against a building and wept. It was impossible to not think about what was happening at that moment back in the US, and members of the LGBTQ+ community were suffering because of the actions of Trump and the radical right. For not the first time, I was deeply ashamed of my country.

This was one little glimpse of a massive parade that snaked throughout downtown.

The vibe was extraordinary, so positive and loving and accepting. I say this way too often, but I love Portugal so much. They are such welcoming folks.