The Fado

September 2010

We got back with just enough time to freshen ourselves and to get ready for the dinner at a typical Portuguese tavern in the old quarter. Our tour brochure described the place as a "characteristic Portuguese tavern." The description in the brochure gave me an impression of it being just a typical tavern – a bar, some food, and a stage for the show. We arrived there to find an unimpressive tavern, its small door facing a narrow street. We got in. I realized how wrong my preconceived idea of the tavern was. As we entered the small door, we were ushered to a cozy and quaint place, yet elegant in its own way. Exquisite pattern of intricate lacework on wood as those of the Alhambra embellished the ceiling and sidewalls. The usher led us to our seats and I was lucky to be seated at a table that was right next to the stage where the Fado and the folk dances were to be performed.

Fado is a Portuguese word meaning destiny or fate. Unlike the Coimbra Fado, the Lisbon Fado is a mournful song, originally about the sea or about the life of the poor. It symbolizes a feeling of irreparable loss that has a lasting damage to one's life or one's soul. However today, it could be a song about anything as long as the faddista follows a certain structure of the song.

I was seated next to Florence who was seated just below the stage. Across her was her husband Paul who sat next to Jose Gonzales and his parents. Ron sat to my left. We were virtually looking up to the performers. Without any obstruction, we watched the faddistas sing their soulful songs of lament to the accompaniment of the two guitarists who, from time to time, would make eye contact with each other as if savoring the music and feeling it with their souls. We enjoyed the performance so much that Paul could not contain himself from shouting "bravo" and "ole" at the performers. Ron also showed his appreciation vocally especially when one of the guitarists demonstrated his expertise and superbly picked his twelve-string Portuguese guitar.

While we heard and watched the Fado and the folk dances, we had an appetizer of chorizo with wine. Caldo verde, which was kale soup, followed the appetizer, then the dinner of cod, potatoes, greens, roasted turkey with mushroom sauce and rice. A dessert of flan punctuated with a demitasse of dark coffee ended the meal. There was an assortment of wine served during the meal. Dinner ended with a glass of Port.

The Fado show ended, so did our dinner; and it was time to head home to the hotel. We exited through the little entrance door, while the performers lined down the aisles and outside. Florence and I congratulated the two guitarists who happened to be outside and we expressed our appreciation, in English, of course, and they responded in Portuguese. Florence said that she was sure they understood what we said.

It was a dinner and a performance to remember.