LISBON IN MOSCOW
What I hate most of all - is traveling to a new place for just a couple days. It was with Lisbon this way and ever since I have a desperate wish to come back. My new fever is called "fado". And another language I wish to learn one day - Portuguese. On the other hand I am lucky to find some imitation of what I need around me. And namely it was "Moscow Fado-house".
This time my travel to Lisbon was not that long as the first time. I took subway in stead of airplane, and needed to book just a table in a Moscow cafe in stead of a hotel. The organizers tried to recreate the atmosphere of the Portuguese cafe. The concert started with a fantastic "guitarrada" by Antonio Neto and Sandro Costa. Both accompanied the whole concert as well. Cristiano de Sousa - the relatively young singer - with a fantastic and charismatic vocals simply charmed me. Between the songs he also explained the meanings of the songs, which was very nice of him. As I wrote in my articles about fado before - those pieces are normally quite sad and melancholic. Most of them are telling the stories of loneliness, of worries connected to leaving the native land, family and beloved. The one I remembered very well was "Beijo de Amora", telling about love as sweet as raspberry.
The next singer was Yola Dinis - a real Portugues siren. Unfortunately she was sick and couldn't manage to finish her program properly. However she said she was singing from her heart, and the guests could hear it for sure.
Filipe Acacio - one of those men who even in his age is able to charm a younger girls and he's not ashamed of it. I would gladly go out with him, even if I have to admit he's not my kind of men. What does it mean when he sings? He reminded rather a chansonnier, and associated in the Russian minds with Charles Aznavour, however his part was very special and emotional. The funny thing was as a Portuguese TV-channel caught me kissing Segnor Acacio on a cheek and saying he's stolen my heart.
I don't want to write about all the bad feelings I had there. Moscow is Moscow, even if you try to bring Lisbon in this town. The organizers as well as the public, are Russians and it doesn't matter how much they love Portugal and fado - living in the reality of this country they just can't escape its influence. However there was nothing surprising. And all I really need to say - wanna hear Lisbon fado - go to Lisbon. This kind of shows is just a little key to the best memories you brought from Lisbon. If you want - you'll be pleased by that drop of the ocean's breeze the Portuguese have in their hair, that beauty in their voices and that melancholy in their eyes. All you can do is just close your own eyes, look deep inside of you and find that tiny tile with a Lisbon-motif in your soul.
And a little cute P.S.: At the entry all the girls had a present - a piece of a tile from Lisbon and a tiny rosebud. There is a legend about a girl, who lived in a legendary Lisbon region called Mouraria. She was living on the fourth floor, and she was in love with a guy who everyday was passing by her house, but he never watched up and so had never have a chance to see the girl. One day though the piece of tile fell down as he was as usual passing by the house. So he finally looked up and saw and fell in love with the girl. So that pieces of tiles are kind wish of luck in finding your true love.