Fado

On our last night in Porto, we walked to Guarany, a nice restaurant on the square, for Saturday dinner at 8:00 (a little on the early side by European standards). The food, wine and service were all excellent, and at 9:30 the music began:  Fado, a popular form of Portuguese music sung by a female (are they all beautiful, or only this one?) accompanied by two male instrumentalists.

Fado began centuries ago in Lisbon, sung by the wives of men who went to sea for lengthy and dangerous fishing trips, or men accompanying explorers to unknown worlds. The women sing of love for their man, and the sadness knowing they might never see him again, or for years if he did come back alive. The music was beautiful with a bit of a haunting tone to it. We stayed for two sets, then wandered back to our hotel.