Live entertainment..'Fado'...at the 'Casa do Pao' tomorrow evening(Sunday) from 8.30pm.. I dont intend missing this..something Ive never experienced even in my time of residence!
Apart from ..that is...'free concerts' given to us by a 'Portuguese nightingale'...a close neighbour....she had the voice of an angel..
lovely memory

It was a wonderful night.I believe the best of my holiday.Four great singers and two wonderful instrumentalists.
Took pics.If they come out okay,Ill get Steen to post them.
Tonight the Fado is at Restaurant 'Rampa' in Porches.
If you are out in CVO..please give it a go...I assure you, you will not be disappointed.
Bye..ellie

Hi Ellie…….you back?…….have a nice time?……….meet anyone nice?……or is their anyone nice you didn’t meet????

Well, me for starters....
(I would have been there, but my horse isn't a long distance swimmer)

cowboy wrote:Well, me for starters....
(I would have been there, but my horse isn't a long distance swimmer)

cant you take the f-150 then?

cowboy wrote:Well, me for starters....
(I would have been there, but my horse isn't a long distance swimmer)

..bet she’s a bit of a dark horse tho……what’s she good at? can she sing at all…

just resurrected this one and realised I hadnt looked at Coop's and Digger's posts!
Bit late answering Digger.but I did meet lot of interesting folk..amongst whom were the Fado singers!(of course it would have been nicer still had I met up with both you & Coop! )
Steen has now put story and pics on the Corner archives. Thanks Steen !

Read your article Ellie, very interesting and lively, as all of your "scribbles" (no offense intended). We went to a Restaurant in Lagoa a few years back to hear the Fado singers, and from your description it could be the same person.

I don't mind what you call them heini...in fact 'scribbles' is a good word...and thanks for reading them
There were 4 singers altogether. The Senhora..fadista Maria..was main act..but they were all very good and 'different'!
The elderly man 'Jose Cabrita' (who..the waiter told me..must be near 80)..had a lovely 'tenor' voice (he is a Lagoan).
But I enjoyed all of them!
In fact..we played couple of the CDs today.. Senhora Maria..Jose Pinto-viola- and Jose Cabrita and though miserable outside ... I was immediately 'transported' back to favourite place!

Hi ellie [in response to your PM] I know nothing about Fado – only a Portuguese can understand all that emotion – but I’ll tell you what I know about the fado scene in Lisboa.
Fado seems to be big business during the summer months when lots of bars and restaurants employ a karaoke singer, or maybe a genuine guitarist to entertain the tourists. And there are some big venues too, for example down by the docks in Alcantara there’s an old covered market with an upstairs which is nowadays used for book fairs and things like that during the winter, but for the summer it’s turned into a fado restaurant…..never been, but there is some kind of package sold: set dinner inc wine & the live fado for 20 or 30 euros (?) a head. I have been to a couple of other relatively cheap ‘n cheerful events and they are good fun.
But as the Portuguese will tell you, this is not the real thing, and the real thing can be very expensive. This is because the best shows must be enjoyed with the best food and wine in a small venue….the intimacy being all part of the show.
Have I seen Jose Cabrita in Lisbon?…Ellie, I’m afraid I’ve never heard of him. Amalia is the only one I could name…..we do have 2 or 3 CDs at home and for me the best way to enjoy that sound is in the car whilst driving through somewhere like Sintra or Monchique….some dramatic Portuguese countryside.

Thanks for reply Digger
It makes very interesting reading. Actually..I did feel that'intimacy' on that night. Casa do Pao isnt that big and with mostly Portuguese around me it did seem more like a family gathering.the singers were close to we diners and it was all most enjoyable...and a super meal for about 20 euros,plus birthday cake as a freebie
Jose Cabrita (the elderly 'Coimbra style'fadisto) doesn't live in Lisbon..its his son Luis who lives there. Jose lives in Lagoa.
Playing the CDs whilst driving through 'wild/dramatic' countryside sounds ideal and the perfect setting D.!