I was here in 2002 for a few days and have a positive memory of the city from that trip (see photo gallery for a few pics). I am happy to say that this trip has only increased my fondness for the city. So why would you want to visit Lisbon? Well for starters the city is just beautiful. Many of the homes in the old town area are tiled with colorful ceramic tiles on the outside. The city has hills and in many ways reminds you of San Francisco. They even have a smaller version of the Golden Gate Bridge made by the same company that built the one in San Francisco. One other similarity is that they have trolley cars that look similar the San Francisco cable cars.
If you are a seafood lover, then Lisbon is for you. I ordered fish and it was grilled whole with the head, skin, and tail attached. Those of you who know that I am picky with my seafood will be surprised to hear me say that it was GREAT!! So good in fact that I ordered it two nights in a row!
One thing very unique to Portugal and Lisbon that I have to share is Fado music. The music is a singer accompanied by a few guitarists. Fado means “fate” and Fado music is usually the emotional telling of a story. The stories usually describe daily life and heartbreak. For voices to be consider good they should be deep and throaty, like a wail of pain. Most Portuguese love Fados and associate them to the word “suadade”, which tries to express the idea that you miss someone or something, or yearn for it; it may be the person you love, the street where you lived, or just the good old days. “Saudade” has been defined as “the presences of absence”. Last time I was here we heard Fado street singers and had a dinner where Fado singers came to entertain while you ate. On this trip I did get to a dinner where we had Fado entertainment - we were the only foreigners in the place. I was amazed to watch the locals in the restaurant. They basically stopped all conversation and eating and paid rapt attention to the singer as she spun her tale. Fado music is definitely not tourist music!!
Lisbon is a wonder in the way they decorate the city for the holidays. I cannot recall a city that has delighted the eyes more with holiday spirit. In the downtown area, each corner you turn will reveal a new area uniquely different from the others. The picture on the left and the one in the post below are examples of what I am talking about.
