When I left Portugal as a child, one of things that surprised me was how boring sidewalks abroad were. They consisted of large, dull, gray concrete slabs sprinkled with vestiges of discarded gum. It saddened me that other people were deprived of the pretty sidewalks back home. Growing up in Portugal clearly spoiled me, as we have what is known as the calçada portuguesa, the Portuguese pavement. It consists of small stones (usually in black and white) arranged to create patterns and images, s...
