PORTUGAL AND THE PORTUGUESE

WORDS THAT DEFINE THE PEOPLE AND THE NATION

THE SEA/WATER

- “Our backs are turned to the land, and we are always looking at the sea. We have that kind of impulse to see what is after that“;

- The sea invited our sailors to explore the world and permitted a very small nation to become one of the most powerful during the XV and XVI centuries;

- It surrounds half of the country, making it the entrance and exit point of Europe;

- A significant part of the income comes from fishing and coastal and river tourism.

DISCOVERIES/EXPLORATION

- Portugal was the pioneer to the world exploration, “giving new worlds to the world”;

- We discovered Brazil, the eastern route to India, several atlantic islands (Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde);

- Explored all the continents.

GLOBAL- The 1st European country in part of Asia, Africa and America; we

transplanted our culture to every corner of the world;- The largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites spread by any country

throughout the world: churches, forts, and other monuments from China to Iran, Morocco, India, Malaysia, Kenya, Brazil … the desserts in Thailand are of Portuguese influence; many Japanese words originate from Portuguese;

- Our language is spoken in all continents; - It has never been limited to its borders; still there are Portuguese

spread all over the world (1/3 of the population lives abroad).

INDIVIDUALITY

- Our country is Mediterranean, but on the Atlantic; it’s Iberian, but not Spanish; it’s European, but focus more on the ocean; it’s Latin but with a more reserved Nordic-like temperament.

- It’s a soulful place with a rare individuality and with the consciousness of it’s unique character and with little treasures that make it so enigmatic.

BLUE

- It’s the colour that covers the country: it’s the colour of the Atlantic Ocean, the colour of the skies (The Algarve is the region with more hours of sun per year in the whole Europe and Lisbon is the sunniest capital), the colour of the Azores stunning lagoons, the colour of churches, train stations and palaces tiles, and the colour of the edges of white houses in many small villages mainly in the South of the country.

GOLDEN

- That’s the colour of the cliffs and sand in the Algarve and many other beaches in the country; - That’s the colour of the jewellery used in Minho’s folklore and

traditional costumes;- And that’s the colour of the gilding in churches and palaces.

STONE

- Stone is used all over the country. There are countless medieval castles and villages entirely made of stone; and everywhere there are “pelourinhos”, carved stone columns or pillories, which used to be religious or power symbols.

TIME- Living the present and enjoying the moments, mainly at the

table over a long lunch or dinner or at a terrace by the seaside, eating fresh fish and drinking a glass of wine, where a meal is less about being fed and more about a social ritual, is a feature of every Portuguese.

- Shorts breaks in Alentejo or in any other region of the country makes you feel the clocks tickling slower and invite you to feel the moment.

FOOD AND DRINK

- Diversified;- Mediterranean style;- 2 hot dishes a day (lunch and dinner);- “Bacalhau” or salted codfish (the most traditional fish) more

than 101 different dishes;- Pastry based on monastery recipes and mainly made with eggs;- Douro and Alentejo are the main two main wine regions;- Porto Wine and Madeira wine are one of our main ambassadors

abroad.

RESILIENCE- Our country survived nine centuries of battles, wars,

earthquakes, revolutions, the CREATION and LOSS of the FIRST GLOBAL EMPIRE;

- The country with the oldest borders in Europe, settled in 1139;

- The first to adopt its local language as the official language;- Although a very welcoming country with a huge diversity in

sites and landscapes and very nice people who are always ready to host newcomers, we underestimate ourselves and are too humble as to our qualities as a people and as a nation.

“SAUDADE”- The word that really defines Portugal and the Portuguese;- Defines a mixture of feelings: loss, absence, distance and love;- “Fado”, our national song, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage,

expresses all those feelings;- It is said to have appeared during the Discoveries Age to define

the solitude of the sailors and the consequent sadness and melancholy when thinking of their beloved ones.

Used Sources:http://www.lisbonlux.com/magazine/what-is-portugal-10-words-that-define-an-indefinable-country