Obidos at night is magical, even in the rain. And Marga was right, at their best, streets are outdoor rooms. The “Obidosians”, if that’s what they were ever called, certainly knew that, and planned accordingly.
Buildings and trees,
walls and doors,
hug the hand laid stones that allow passage by foot and horse drawn wagon. Vehicles are not allowed within the walls of the medieval town.
Entries provide both access and cover as pedestrians move from one “room” to the next.
Lanterns are hung to illuminate, but not so as to inhibit the display of shadow and shape. Magic requires slight of hand. There must be limits to what is seen and known.
It’s been only a week, but Pa has been transported back to medieval Utrecht where his ancestors lived in step with the seasons and the celestial lights of day and night. Utrecht has changed considerably, now a municipality of nearly 400,000. Obidos not so. Enclosure limiting its growth to 4,000 or fewer. Residents and tourists each the beneficiaries.
We could have walked until midnight, but our tiny room beckoned.
A good night’s sleep is required for exploration.
Utrecht!
How can a place like this still exist in the world? Magical and a treasure.