Mental Meanderings: Lisbon, Portugal

Meanderings

Dec 11

MENTAL MEANDERINGS IS OUR ONGOING SERIES FOR ALL OF US WHO PROBABLY CAN’T HOP ON A PROPELLER PLANE TO BORNEO THIS WEEKEND BUT STILL NEEDS TO SATISFY OUR CHRONIC WANDERLUST.

We highlight a city somewhere around the world and give you all of the pieces you need to close your eyes and have a little 10-minute vacation. We hope you’ll be inspired to watch a movie, listen to a new song, pick up a book by a new author, or try cooking a new dish for dinner that brings a far-off corner of the world into your living room for a bit.

Happy daydreams!

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN GET A TASTE OF THE CITY, AND BRING IT INTO YOUR HOME…

LISTEN

Some countries have a particular form of music that is so intrinsically tied to their history and cultural identity that it’s almost impossible to think of one without the other. This is definitively the case for Portugal, which brought into the world the Fado, which is a style of music instantly recognizable but sort of difficult to describe. One of the most beloved fado artists was Amália Rodrigues, also known as the “Queen of Fado”. Her beautiful, powerful voice portrayed the essence of fado, melancholic and sad at times and hopeful at others. When she died in 1999, the country went into three days of mourning. Here is one of her most famous songs, Uma Casa Portuguesa (A Portuguese House) which describes the simplicity and love felt within a Portuguese home.

READ

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WATCH

A few years ago I was scrolling a streaming service trolling for something new to watch, like a good Millenial. I stumbled into a somewhat mysterious-looking trailer for a 2013 movie called Night Train To Lisbon. As a fan of Jeremy Irons, I watched it on a whim. What I found was a truly captivating story, jumping back and forth through time as an erstwhile professor pieces together the story of a group of young revolutionaries in 1970s Lisbon under the authoritarian rule of António Salazar. It was a stirring and beautiful telling of two stories in time, and very much worth a cozy afternoon viewing.

EAT
Arguably the greatest Portuguese export since they gave the world port, Pasteis De Nata are beautifully creamy little egg custards, just small enough to trick you into not feeling too guilty for immediately devouring one. They’re surprisingly fun to make at home, and will transport you straight to the winding cobblestones of Lisbon on the first bite. Give it a go!