Interview with Erik Lassche (Lisbon Spotter)

Today an interview with Erik Lassche, Spotter for our Lisbon cityblog. We met Erik in 2008 in Lisbon, and last year again during a very nice Spotter meeting.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Erik Lassche, 31 years-old, born and raised in the Netherlands. I am currently General Manager of an internet-agency based in Lisbon (called SixandCo). I left the Netherlands almost 10 years ago, and after a 1-year-stop in China, ended up in Lisbon. Let’s call it a twist of fate!

Maintaining my “unique” Dutch accent, my Portuguese is not that bad and I am pretty much integrated in the Portuguese society. During World- & European Championships this can be a bit problematic, especially since Holland has been on the losing side the last few years. It’s a price I have to pay.

How do you like being a Spotter? Do you have a nice Spotters-story?
Being a spotter is great. I should dedicate some more time to it, however, but I keep forgetting to take pictures. I am still waiting for the 1st free meal due to my Spotter-activities. We urgently need some kind of fancy business-card!

Why Lisbon? What is a must do when you visiting Lisbon? What not?
I am a huge Lisbon fan. Although my friends say that I tend to be critical about Portugal as a country, Lisbon can’t do anything wrong! It is a unique mixture of a laid-back setting (due to the climate, proximity of the beach and the local culture) and a rich cultural heritage. Besides this, the city is improving fast. Due to renovation projects, the city is being restored to its former glory.

The most unique about Lisbon, compared with other capitals in Western Europe, is that it still has its local charm. You can still stumble on old alleys and passages, full of local commerce and activity.

What do you know about Lisbon what no tourist will know?
That one of the most famous Portuguese of all time, the fado-singer Amália, is actually still alive. Not only that, she is having an affair with former football-star Eusébio! (Really, it’s true.)

That Lisbon is not built on 7 hills at all, like all the tourist-guides claim. It was invented to make the city more prestigious and give it a “Roman aura”. Shame on you!

What is the most popular neighborhood to live in Lisbon at this moment?
For me by far the most interesting is Bairro Alto. It is the soul of the city and reflects Lisbon’s different faces and extremes. During the day you can still find local commerce and elderly going around their business. But already you see a huge variety of design outlets and ateliers popping up. It’s the creative heart of the city. At night it transforms into a huge outdoor nightlife venue, filled with bars and restaurants.

I love just walking around in Bairro Alto during the day. I always find a new shop, street-art or something else that is noticeable

Can you describe a perfect day in your city?
I can do my “perfect day” in a radius of 1KM of my house (that’s why I bought it!), which is great but also shows that Lisbon is no Paris in terms of size.

My perfect day starts by waking up not too early and having a late breakfast (you might call it lunch) at Café no Chiado, in the middle of Chiado. After that I love browsing the streets at the left and right of Rua Garrett, not forgetting to check out Fabrica Features at the top floor of the Benetton store.

If the weather does not allow going to the beach, having a drink and watching the sunset at Noobai is a great way to spend the end of the afternoon. After that I love to stroll through Bairro Alto and see some shops. Since most of them only open at 14h00 and close at 22h00, I have plenty of time.

Dinner tends to be in Bairro Alto as well. But, if the weather is good, sometimes I take the ferry to Cacilhas and walk to a Brazilian restaurant called “Atire-te ao Rio”. The food is great and the view even better!

At night it’s having a drink first at Bicaense before going to Capela or just having a beer on the street in Bairro Alto. And afterwards, maybe some Lux for dessert!

`Read all of Erik’s articles here`

Check out the other interviews with our Spotters