Maybe it was an opportunity that I missed out on (according to the people that were with me) but at that moment I didn't feel comfortable doing it... Playing on an organ, on an elevated stage, while there were so many people around. I can't go back in time and make it differently, the experience will stay as an evening when I refused to shine as a musician. Or be embarrassed. Maybe my cheeks were shining though, the wine was so sweet, literally.
That evening, the sixth day of the year 2023 we were staying in Porto. We arrived well, already visited so many places and had a great time in Lisbon. It was now this city in the north of Portugal that we wanted to explore, its architecture, the bridges, the river, the cuisine and the people. The lady who worked in the reception of the apartment that we rented out was very kind, she was very friendly and recommended what to visit, and where to go. She even marked on a map with different colours the routes and the streets where we could go and meet the city in the best way. So great that she did it for us. But she added that rain will come the very next morning. That's life, not everything can be perfect, but what we could do is take at least one evening stroll, passing the river with a beautiful pedestrian bridge. We found ourselves on the other side of the city, went down to the river bank and saw several wine cellars.
These two houses were illuminated in a way nobody could miss them. One had a pompous name - The Fantastic World of Portuguese Can. I entered for a moment. Of course, it was full of cans with fish. The other one, Casa Portuguesa Pastel de Bacalhau seemed modest, looking at it from the street. But the interior was different.
To be honest, I didn't know why there were so many books all around. It seemed like an old library or a place where a movie could be shot. The red colour of the bookshelves (the books were real, not fake books) and the columns, the red seats, the stairs and the huge chandelier gave a glamorous touch to the place. But I was still not aware of what this place was.
A library where cod fish and wine can be bought?
A store with displayed books, in case you are bored while waiting for your order?
And why there was an organ on the stage? Is this a concert hall?
But what the cod cake (pastel de bacalhau) is doing here then?
I still don't have the answers to these questions hahaha. But the thing is that we already had our wine and then a show was announced. An organ player and a singer lady took the stage and started performing several ABBA songs.
We took a seat on the corner red couch and enjoyed the moment. Then my friend who travelled with us from Lisbon got the idea: You should play there.
No, I am a bit shy to ask the guy to let me play.
But, this is a unique opportunity. You, in Porto, playing there the organ, c'mon!
No, I am afraid I would get embarrassed, and I would stop or make errors.
But we would shout you some bravos and would be proud of you. We are proud of you anyway.
I am not comfortable asking him, and maybe he wouldn't let me anyway. And the Casa de Bacalhau would lose clients if I play there š...
You guess, I had a bunch of other excuses, so in the end, my friend and family gave up. I had my relaxing moment and I was on vacation, not on a work trip.
From this spot, I listened to their performance which lasted for about half an hour. I understood that they had a break and would have again a show a bit later. Not sure though how many shows they have every day but I suppose maybe every hour during the afternoon and evening. The people there actually come in and out of the house, buy the fish pastry and wine, talk, listen, stroll around... I clapped after every song and tried to be a good audience :) I know that it feels well when you receive this encouraging gesture from the listeners.
Maybe I could also receive applause that day... or just the opposite, maybe nobody would like my playing. It was the time just to be there and not think a lot about what and how to play. I had to be the audience that evening in this strange place I still don't really get what actually was lol.
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