Thanks for the thanks. Portugal is a great place for independent travellers!
Next time, can I recommend, in addition to Ginja Obidos "oppidum", you try Beirão, Brandymel and if you can find it, Algarve/Alentejo produced Portuguese Air Force jet fuel, a/k/a Medronho!!!
As you have learned to appreciate fado, here are some links to renditions of some of my favorite Portuguese traditional songs for you:
Mariza - Barca Negra - http://goo.gl/ZSUcf
I saw Mariza sing this in the auditorium here in Lagos last August!
Amalia Rodrigues - "Casa Portuguesa" - http://goo.gl/i5dfX
An extract from an old rendition by Amalia from the '60/70's on France 3.
This is how it should be sung!
Amalia Rodrigues - "Lisboa Antiga" - http://goo.gl/P919E
Amalia singing to a b/w video of Lisbon made by the EPCI, a multimedia school in Lisbon. Brings back many memories from Lisbon years ago when I first new it as the capital city of an empire.
Amalia Rodrigues - "Coimbra" - http://goo.gl/OfGB1
This song is about the famous university town, Coimbra.
For me all of these describe the term "alma", which is really unexplainable to non-Portuguese but which is absolutely central to the character of the Portuguese, be they from the Trás-os-Montes or the Algarve.
Enjoy.
