Amália Rodrigues: Casa Museu & Fado no Jardim (d’ Amália)

*No photos or videos can be taken while doing the tour of her home

It was a journey to get to her home that day,, and we ended up making it late to our scheduled tour ~ but it all worked out, since they started late that session. The tour begins in her living room, which was an absolute SURREAL feeling within Amália’s home’s walls. What a legend and what love I have for her. I was pretty much instantly emotional and tried to keep my composure as everyone else on the tour. That was a difficult task! A few minutes into it, my mind starts playing tricks on me, and it feels like someone tapping their 3 fingers on my shoulder, near the piano. I turn around, and no one is there. Did that just happen? Unsure, but definitely shook me up! I could hear “Chico” already in the kitchen nearby. I look at my husband, with big bright, excited eyes, “Chico!”. Confused, he stared, and then I whispered, “her pet parrot!” That was literally one of my favorite parts, to go into the kitchen and have that animal study me from head to toe. He could not get his eyes off me, as if he saw the shawl, or the fringes of the shawl, and knew instantly, “what’s up” ~ Ah, Fadista ~ It was remarkable to see her hand-painted dining room (cherries and blossoms), as well as her beautiful kitchen full of different teas and tea cups (yup! Heaven for me!) Another part of the tour that I really enjoyed was her bathroom in the hallway, full of her perfumes (what a collection) and the lipsticks and nail polish she would use. I just wanted the tour to abandon me, alone in there, for a few hours… I wanted to try on all her perfumes and makeup… of course, I loved seeing her bedroom and “walk-in closet”! Loved her jewelry, sunglasses, shoes, dresses… I just wanted to be left alone in there to try on all her outfits and explore all her drawers… what a fantasy I was playing in my mind! I enjoyed seeing a case full of awards and trophies at the entrance of her room, “and much more you deserved” (I thought to myself). She was the Queen of Fado and forever will be! After the tour, we stayed for Fado in the Jardim. That was a cool experience, where they asked people to read from her book of poetry (fado). To my surprise, lots of people stood up with courage to read her Portuguese poems, some of which were from other countries and did not speak the language but it was beautiful to see them try! Trying for Amália, it was very beautiful actually.

There was Fado in the jardim by Fadista Celia Leiria, her husband Pedro Amendoeira (Fadista Joana Amendoeira’s brother) on the Guitarra Portuguesa and Flavio Cardoso on the viola de Fado. It was an honor to be able to sing “Alfama” , especially on Amália’s birthday (104 years). I didn’t even remember it was her birthday until a few minutes into the tour when the guide mentioned it! It was a magical day full of surprises! While walking from Amália’s home back to our AirBnB apartment in Alfama, I ran into a Portuguese singer-song writer (of whom I admire); Carolina Deslandes (good friends with my favorite Fadista, Sara Correia). Even got to drink some fresh Ginjinha in chocolate shot cups on the streets of Alfama.