SAUDADE

A term of great elegance and beauty.
To give you a short definition of Saudade: “a Portuguese word that has no direct translation in English. It describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing will never return. A stronger form of saudade may be felt towards people and things whose whereabouts are unknown, such as a lost lover, or a family member who has gone missing.”
It is Portuguese through and through. It perfectly expresses what sailors in the old days must have felt, when leaving their country for unknown shores, maybe never to return. It can also be found in the music. Fado is so full of melancholy and longing, it perfectly illustrates the meaning of the word. For further listening I recommend Carlos Paredes and Amalia and a visit to the Museu do Fado.
I was lucky enough to have my friend Gil show me some wonderful places. Lisbon has such a rich history and in spite of the devastating earthquake of 1755, so many artifacts from the old times remain. On a walk through town I stumbled upon the Museu de São Roque,  if you are interested in Portugal’s history it is definitely worth a visit.  Don’t miss Café Tati, it is a lovely little place doing great food and hosting weekly live music events, right behind the main market hall of Lisbon.  If you fancy a little trip to the suburbs, check out Govindaji, a Vegetarian slow food restaurant in Oeiras, it’s really worth a visit.