Pictured is a painted tile representing Fado on an outside wall of the small fado restaurant Baiuca in Alfama. The words on the tile interpreted to English are, `The singer is as much a singer as someone who knows how to listen`. Family run, this tiny restaurant with just seven tables has been open for 40 years and the décor has not changed in that time. The food is basic and unpretentious with dishes like monkfish stew and char grilled fish but the real draw is the fado. Fado is a music genre that can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon port districts Alfama, Mouraira and Bairro Alto. 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 sentiment of resignation, fate and melancholia. Alfama is known for its abundance of Fado bars and restaurants.
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