The Alfama District

Lisbon, Portugal

We set out in search of the Alfama district and it's Fado clubs:

"In popular belief, fado is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a characteristic sentiment of resignation, fatefulness and melancholia (loosely captured by the word "saudade", or longing). However, although the origins are difficult to trace, today fado is regarded, by many, as simply a form of song which can be about anything, but must follow a certain structure. The music is usually linked to the Portuguese word saudade which symbolizes the feeling of loss (a permanent, irreparable loss and its consequent life lasting damage)."

We start with the Baixa District which  is closed to vehicular traffic. I have a "Cafe Cong Layte" (phonetic for coffee with milk......much like Spanish)...It is rude to speak Spanish in Portugal for cultural/historical reasons...Mrs. Phred shops for shoes.

The Oriente region where we spend the night has a lot of expensive infrastructure, restaurants statues, pools, gondolas, train station, metros. auditoriums...etc.

We eat at "Mister Fish" where they sell red snapper by the kilogramme. The name is actually "Senor Peixe"

In the morning the bus runs along the river shore.

We go back to the Belem neighbourhood to see the Museum of Modern Art. This nuclear submarine has people singing noises coming out of the missile launch tubes.

This is the elevator of Santa Justa which was built over 100 years ago. It is a puzzling structure. Apparently there is a walkway on the other side that reaches to somewhere else.

Mrs. Phred approaches the Museum of Modern Art.

In the afternoon, more shoe shopping. Amelda Marcos would like Mrs. Phred.

We take a bus to the top of the highest hill and walk down into the Amalfa District. It is a maze of narrow alleyways packed with Fado clubs where one drinks, dines and listens to soulful Portuguese folk songs...Mrs. Phred is chilly in her little skirt with the cold wind blowing. We navigate to the nearest Metro (subway) station with the GPS and  are back at the hotel two lines and ten stops later.