Steemfest Blog #7 - Day 3 - part 4: A night of food, company and song.

So sorry for not updating this series sooner. These past few days have been a whirlwind over at The Writers' Block.

Continued from HERE...

@lenadr, her sister and I decided to take a leisurely walk up to the old town in Lisbon to experience a little of the local culture.

Lisbon is a hilly city, so affords some spectacular views. Churches appeared around almost every corner.

The roads are not built for cars, being thin, twisting and narrow. I soon lost count of how many steps we walked up and down.

As much as I tired of steps, this stairway brought a smile to my face.

I very much enjoyed the chaotic nature of the old streets and architecture, buildings nestled and hugging each other. This front door to a house was just over 4 feet tall. I suspect Portuguese hobbits lived there.

We worked up a thirst so stopped off in a little bar. We tried this local liqueur, made with cherries. It was served in these little tiny chocolate cups, which we ate afterwards. Delicious.

Around another corner we saw bright lights flooding the street from an open doorway. Curiousities piqued, we went inside to see many local festival costumes on display.

The look of the mannequins fit perfectly with the colorful and vibrant clothing on display.

The walls were adorned with interesting works of art such as these.

There were many local restaurants, either open air like this one below, or nestled inside ancient buildings.

@lenadr and I were told by her sister of the local Fado music tradition, so we went off in search of a suitable venue for us to experience it first hand.

Fado is traditional folk music popular in the Lisbon area of Portugal. Melancholy by nature, the music includes instruments like guitars and mandolins with one Fadista singing poetic lyrics related to darker elements of love, death and sadness. The music may, however, occasionally include some humor.
Source

Having decided we were hungry we settled on a pleasant looking outdoor restaurant where singers were already performing.

It very much put me in mind of when I lived in a small village in Italy, as a child. On an evening the men of the village would gather in the local square, wine would flow and song would echo throughout the village.

We ordered dinner, both @lenadr and I settled on a dish with octopus.

We were serenaded throughout by various Fadistas who would move from venue to venue. One lady Fadista walked among the tables, handing out yellow roses to the ladies as she sang. Here's @lenadr with hers.

It was a fantastic last night in Lisbon for me. The company was fantastic, food and drink was delicious, and the culture I absorbed made me wish I could have had another week in Portugal. Definitely a return destination for me.

All photos taken on my Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

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