Lisbon nights

May 10, 2007

Duarte had a birthday to celebrate so we decided to take off for a couple of days without Marcos and Jenna to the capitol of Portugal “Lisboa”. Lisbon is a huge city filled with fashion, energy, history, beauty, nightlife, shopping, technology, and much more. Leaving the slow paced lifestyle of Chaves for the lively Lisboa was a welcomed change. Duarte went to college in Lisbon and therefore knows the city well. He oriented us to some of the most charming and unique places off the beaten path.

Our first night was a unusual blend of pop culture, history and romance. Walking up the steep streets of Bairro Alto it was hard to escape the energy of the night. Small bars and café’s with their own jazzy or retro or disco themes have doors open onto the narrow streets. There was an eclectic mix of people out and about from hip college students to not so hip elderly German tourists. The sounds of those around us expressed a more worldly interaction with a wide array of accents and languages. Here and there were a few odd stores open late in the night selling unexpected items like eastpack backpacks or creative t-shirts, funky shoes… Gypsies walked up and down the streets and in and out of restaurants selling roses or blinking lights or watches or sunglasses.

Among all of this hustle and bustle we sought out a traditional Portuguese Fado restaurant. Fado music has a long history within the Portuguese culture. It is nostalgic music of longing for the past and hoping for the future. There is both sadness and a wistful cheer in the lyrics sung by strong male or female voices and accompanied by a 12-string guitar. These folkloric songs are rich with the passion and emotion of the Portuguese people who throughout their long, tumultuous existence have been proud explorers of the new world, nationalistic soldiers and people oppressed by a long-standing dictatorship. We found a tiny, candle-lit restaurant crammed with people. There were four different singers who would alternate singing after 3 songs. Each singer was interestingly unique and talented. The first was an older, blind man without a very special voice but his charisma was enchanting. The second was a tall, full figured, woman with a powerful voice that resonated off of the hand painted tile walls of the small restaurant. The third singer was a younger woman who seemed to have a grudge against life. Her voice was poignant and sharp. Her talent was her ability to make the lyrics of the songs really touch the listener. I could feel the words she sang. The fourth singer was the most unique in that she was the dishwasher who came from the kitchen to sing. She was a thick, motherly woman with kind eyes and a sweet voice. She dressed in the simple, checked dress of all maids and dishwashers in Portugal and wore slippers on her feet. Her performance though admirable was unpolished as she constantly cleared her throat between verses in the songs. This was Fado! We ate a delicious meal and shared a bottle of wine and every now and then caught each other’s eye across the table and whispered our marvel at how beautiful this experience was.


Our second night in Lisbon had its own magic. We met up with Duarte’s longest friend “Paulo” and his girlfriend “Patricia” who live in Lisbon. We met at their chic apartment overlooking the skyline of Lisbon. From their apartment, we walked to Duarte’s favorite restaurant in Lisbon called “Casa de Alentejo.” On our way we stopped at a small, city garden and gazed out at the buildings and river spread out beneath us. Paulo and Patricia are great for sharing really interesting conversation with and so it was easy for us to get side tracked here and there being philosophical or inquisitive about any given topic. We finally moved on from this beautiful garden only after a security guard found us and informed us that the garden had closed and been locked since our arrival. He was kind and jovially escorted us out when he realized we were really not intentionally being menaces.

Casa de Alentejo is a very special place. The large building which now forms the restaurant was originally a Moorish palace dating back many centuries. Inside the original tiles adorn the many rooms of the house that have become the rooms of the restaurant. This is a restaurant with tremendous ambience. Because it is so unusual the average tourist would have a hard time finding it and if they did I suspect that they wouldn’t know how to navigate through the strange building. We selected a table on the second floor that overlooked the open courtyard of the majestic house. We dove into a nice bottle of wine and ordered a few traditional dishes to share. Once again the chemistry of our friendship blended well and the conversation was enjoyably stimulating and engaging.

Following our late night dinner we headed for a traditional, after-dinner drink in Lisbon called “Ginjinha.” This shot of cherry liquor served with or without cherries is offered at a well-known, walk-up bar in the street. Small groups of friends leisurely stand about outside with their shot glasses enjoying the strong, sweet drink. Music filled the air as the street performers wisely entertained the indulging crowd.

At 1:00am we pondered the thought of ending the night but decided that one more stop would finish the night nicely. Patricia led us to a place where the sound of loud jazz was pouring from the dimly lit, below-ground bar. Concerned about the music deterring us from our conversation, we headed to the back of the bar where the music was a bit more muted. Patricia noticed a door in the back and went to explore. She found a huge garden behind the bar with a few tables and chairs – perfect for such a night. We enjoyed the warm night air and talked and talked until 2:30 in the morning. Nobody knew we were back there.

At last it was time to get to bed. We said our goodbyes standing outside of a taxi in the middle of Lisbon. As with every city, Lisbon has its own unique charm and character. We tapped into some of its magic during our time there. We can’t wait to get back to explore some more. Portugal truly is a wonderful country.