― 688, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:05 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tuomas, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― blueski, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― Beth Parker, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:31 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:31 (seventeen years ago) link
― Drew Daniel, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:54 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:57 (seventeen years ago) link
― Maria, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― gershy, Thursday, 1 March 2007 05:23 (seventeen years ago) link
― strgn, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:00 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbaer, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbaer, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbaer, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:38 (seventeen years ago) link
― Eisbaer, Thursday, 1 March 2007 09:42 (seventeen years ago) link
― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 1 March 2007 14:24 (seventeen years ago) link
anyone ever been here - article makes me want to go http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/travel/24next.html
― gershy, Friday, 6 July 2007 06:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Anyone know the origin of Portugal's name? Is it 'Port du/de Gall'? or something similar?
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:37 (fifteen years ago) link
"Portugal's name derives from the Roman name Portus Cale..."
― Tom D., Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:40 (fifteen years ago) link
It comes from this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portus_Cale
Portugal's name derives from the Roman name Portus Cale, as well as the city of Porto. Portucale evolved into Portugale during the 7th and 8th centuries, and by the 9th century, that term was used extensively to refer to the region between the rivers Douro and Minho, the Minho flowing along what would become the northern border between Portugal and Spain.
― onimo, Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:42 (fifteen years ago) link
There are a lot of Portugese in London, I hear it spoken all the time on the bus - could be Brazilians of course. Come the World Cups + Euros the Portugese flag is one of the ones you see most often.
― Tom D., Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:45 (fifteen years ago) link
Ah right so Port of Cale.
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:45 (fifteen years ago) link
"Some historians have argued that Greeks were the first to settle Cale and that the name derives from the Greek word kallis, 'beautiful', referring to the beauty of the Douro valley."
I like this but i suspect it's bollocks.
― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 10 June 2008 12:46 (fifteen years ago) link
LISBON, July 2 (Reuters) - Portuguese Economy Minister Manuel Pinho resigned after making an offensive gesture at an opposition MP during the state of the nation debate in parliament on Thursday. Pinho placed his two index fingers above his head, a sign representing two horns which in Portugal means calling someone a cuckold, while looking at the leader of the communist parliamentary group, Bernandino Soares. Soares said he had made a remark about Pinho's handling of the troubled Aljustrel mine in southern Portugal, but added the comment did not merit such a reaction. Prime Minister Jose Socrates said: "Nothing justifies this gesture and it's not admissable. This should not have happened. The minister is conscious of how this affects the image of the government. So during the debate he communicated his desire to resign and I accepted it."
Pinho placed his two index fingers above his head, a sign representing two horns which in Portugal means calling someone a cuckold, while looking at the leader of the communist parliamentary group, Bernandino Soares.
Soares said he had made a remark about Pinho's handling of the troubled Aljustrel mine in southern Portugal, but added the comment did not merit such a reaction.
Prime Minister Jose Socrates said: "Nothing justifies this gesture and it's not admissable. This should not have happened. The minister is conscious of how this affects the image of the government. So during the debate he communicated his desire to resign and I accepted it."
― Tracer Hand, Friday, 3 July 2009 09:49 (fourteen years ago) link
I trust Portugal 'cause that Panda Bear dude lives there.
― banjoboy, Saturday, 4 July 2009 00:01 (fourteen years ago) link
Even better than Lisbon: Cintra, particularly the Regaleira (a Brazilian sugar baron's palace whose interior is crammed with architectural references to Freemasonry and whose exterior has gardens and secret caves- seriously- designed by Wagner's set designer). Also it has the ruins of the palace that William Beckford lived in. Cintra was Byron's favorite spot on the continent too, apparently.
In short, Portugal is aweseome. It's cheap compared to the rest of Europe, and the food is great. Recommended.
― Drew Daniel, Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:54 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark
This is all OTM, but it's spelled Sintra. And it's under an hour's train ride from Lisbon. Highly recommended. Heard that a film version of Alice in Wonderland was filmed here (IMDB says it's not the upcoming Tim Burton one) and I could totally see it - towers, unlit caves and tunnels, prehistoric-looking flora.
A half hour in the other direction from Lisbon takes you to Cascais, a totally different world - chilled out beach town. But I really loved Lisbon and Porto both. I didn't get so much of an abandoned vibe from Lisbon-could be seasonal- more so with Porto.
Best Porto story: My friend and I wandered out after dinner one night to try and find some nightlife, but the only thing we came across were drab cafeteria-looking bars filled with just men watching football. Kept walking till we got toward the river and decided to stop into one decent-looking bar and get a beer, maybe ask around to find out what else was cracking. We're sitting at the bar and I see a guy at another table rolling a spliff. Then I glance at another table - same thing. This girl walks up and pays the bartender, doesn't get a drink, but he puts something into her hand. My friend and I are thinking WTF is going on here? So I ask the bartender, Do you know where I could get some hashish? He looks left and right, then replies, How much you want? He returns a few minutes later with two long bars of hash for 20 Euros. We go outside and a couple of totally straight-looking, 50-year-old Portuguese guys are rolling spliff after spliff, they have a whole cigarette pack loaded with bars of hash, and everyone is basically smoking openly. They're friendly as hell, share their stuff and chat in English and Spanish and just get high as shit. None of this is official or legal AFAIK, just a happy coincidence we stumbled upon.
― DJ Mr. Face Stabba, M.D. (Whitey on the Moon), Saturday, 4 July 2009 04:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Weird coincidnece: I just finally busted through the 4 Euro pair of Portuguese flag-emblazoned (weird hyphenating there?)flip flops that I bought 15 months ago in Cascais.
NB: I ain't one them cats that be wearing flip flops on the regular.
― DJ Mr. Face Stabba, M.D. (Whitey on the Moon), Saturday, 4 July 2009 04:50 (fourteen years ago) link
Years ago I spent a summer in Carcavelos just outside of Lisbon. Terrific place - very inexpensive, tremendous food, Seconding Drew's "neutron bomb" depopulated feeling.
Also, Livraria Lello in Porto is the most amazing looking bookstore in the world.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/51/150009587_838680fbd8.jpg
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 4 July 2009 06:07 (fourteen years ago) link
UH. I think I could lose myself in there.
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 4 July 2009 06:15 (fourteen years ago) link
None of this is official or legal AFAIK
There was a piece on BBC News the other day about Portugal decriminalising all drugs a couple of years ago, and how this hasn't led to Lisbon getting an Amsterdam-type reputation, instead consumption has actually fallen and how no-one can really explain why. The piece ran with footage of a girl openly smoking heroin in some abandoned scrubland, which made the whole thing seem very unattractive.
― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 4 July 2009 07:37 (fourteen years ago) link
lol wait, what? That's not true! It's legal to own small amounts of hash/weed for consumption, but it's illegal to smoke in public, and certainly illegal to sell! So technically what this boils down to is if the police searches your house and finds some hash they can't arrest you for that. Which is hardly Amsterdam-level appealing. I was under the impression that harder drugs are still 100% illegal, but might have to check up on that.
But yeah, it's pretty normal for people to be smoking up more or less in public over here, especially at the Ribeira district (which is where Whitey went, I'm guessing.) Most pubs and clubs will let you do that if you're reasonably discreet about it. The thing is if you get caught basically all you have to do is hand the stuff over to the police, there's no jail terms or fines, so it's a controlled risk. Still not a nice experience when it happens, though.
― Daniel_Rf, Saturday, 4 July 2009 12:50 (fourteen years ago) link
I realise that this is after-the-fact, but if anyone's planning to visit Porto next year I reccomend going in May and checking out when Serralves (the local modern art museum) is doing their "Serralves Em Festa" weekend. Basically they open the place to the public for 40 straight hours - and the thing is, the museum is sorrounded by these absolutley huge and gorgeous gardens. So you get to lounge about in these beautiful spots o forest, grass, etc. and catch random performance art, dance, music, etc. They also more high profile concerts at one place, this year we had Dan Deacon, A Certain Ratio, Gravy Train and Metro Area DJs. It's like a really friendly, laid back festival, basically. Oh, and you get to visit the museum, free of charge. I reccomend going on Saturday at like three in the morning, when the place is just full of people who are drunk/high/wasted as shit. It's an experience.
Gorgeous, but not actually a good bookstore. They know that they're on every tour guide's plan and coast on that, very unfriendly service and the selection's for shit. A friend of mine enjoys browsing their technology section, though, because it's full of early 90's "omg virtual reality!" type books.
― Daniel_Rf, Saturday, 4 July 2009 13:02 (fourteen years ago) link
Just want to say something kind about the Gulbenkian in Lisbon.
― Le présent se dégrade, d'abord en histoire, puis en (Michael White), Saturday, 4 July 2009 14:44 (fourteen years ago) link
Simão, alongside Lampard, is also on the cover of the Portuguese edition of FIFA 10's cover (it is the 18th title in Electronic Arts' FIFA series of football video games, available for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and Wii). He said: "It's an honor to be part of the EA Sports FIFA. Being on the cover of this fantastic video game with such a rich history it's truly a great achievement for me".[26]
― Salted gnocchimole (admrl), Friday, 2 July 2010 19:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Happy 25th of April everyone!
http://i.imgur.com/eApG736.jpg
― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 25 April 2019 13:10 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBrp6b2th4Q
Folk, marching band music, Funk, Chanson, Rock and a cover of "Maiden Voyage" - pretty much all you could ask for from a Portuguese protest singer record.
― Daniel_Rf, Thursday, 25 April 2019 13:17 (five years ago) link
✌️
― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 25 April 2019 16:00 (five years ago) link
Portuguese government has decreed that ALL asylum seekers and ALL undocumented migrants with pending applications for residence are AUTOMATICALLY granted and may access ALL STATE PROVISION including healthcare and benefits. I'm going to faint. https://t.co/EU4bP75eis— Zoe Gardner (@ZoeJardiniere) March 28, 2020
All current residence and asylum requests automatically granted so immigrants can access health services!
― Daniel_Rf, Saturday, 28 March 2020 13:21 (four years ago) link
dope
― nashwan, Saturday, 28 March 2020 14:16 (four years ago) link
Just about every single Portuguese film I've seen in recent years has a very explicit pro-immigration stance. Very heartening to see culture bleed into policy
― ban laggy jazzer (imago), Saturday, 28 March 2020 14:39 (four years ago) link
<3 <3 <3 <3
― There's more Italy than necessary. (in orbit), Saturday, 28 March 2020 14:58 (four years ago) link
Haha, imago, don't think the niche that is Portuguese cinema had anything to do with this, audiences for that (like myself) tend to be leftist and pro-immigrant by default. The fact that Portugal's current PM is the son of immigrants perhaps more so, but also right now it's a total win-win measure - ppl who might have the virus not getting access to healthcare helps the virus spreading in general, even most racists understand that.
We are (were?) currently in the middle of a culture war regarding racism nonetheless, coinciding with a huge influx of ppl coming in from Brazil due to the terrible situation there.
― Daniel_Rf, Saturday, 28 March 2020 19:09 (four years ago) link
to add to what Daniel_Rf said on the Latin thread about young Portuguese speaking English, the government has now put UK passport holders into the fast track queue
I know UK's oldest ally and everything but the scale of the Anglophilia is quite something
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:34 (two years ago) link
you whippersnappers need to remember Eusebio and all that etc etc
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:35 (two years ago) link
will add that said Anglophilia was very much in evidence when I visited last in 2019. either that or I'm an uncommonly charismatic kinda guy
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:37 (two years ago) link
lol sorry to disappoint but it's not anglophilia it's wanting $$$$ from tourists, the national economy now being entirely reliant on this
Portuguese kids speaking English is entirely to do with the yanks.
― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:37 (two years ago) link
b...but we fwends?
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:38 (two years ago) link
Most of their footballers play for Wolves these days.
― Was Hitler a Hobbit? (Tom D.), Friday, 29 April 2022 10:38 (two years ago) link
My Airbnb host in Faro had taken to supporting Wolves! He was watching them on telly when I arrived
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:40 (two years ago) link
'entirely to do with the Yanks' is EPL erasure surely
― imago, Friday, 29 April 2022 10:42 (two years ago) link
I really loved my mere week in Northern Portugal, want to go back and see Lisbon, Evora, etc.
― Are you addicted to struggling with your horse? (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 25 April 2024 16:48 (one week ago) link
Where did you go in the north besides Porto?
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 25 April 2024 16:53 (one week ago) link
The Douro valley, Vila Real, and Coimbra (which isn’t really that north)
― Are you addicted to struggling with your horse? (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 25 April 2024 18:21 (one week ago) link
Oh nice, we're definitely planning on Douro and I want to go to Coimbra too.
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 25 April 2024 18:39 (one week ago) link
We only stopped in Coimbra for lunch (and unluckily it was graduation day or something and packed with berobed students & their families), but it seemed really nice. I'd recommend this place if veg/an appeals: https://veg.fangas.pt/home-en/
― rob, Thursday, 25 April 2024 19:44 (one week ago) link
My wife is vegetarian, thanks!
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 25 April 2024 19:46 (one week ago) link
I have Lisbon vegetarian recommendations too...just give me a sec
― rob, Thursday, 25 April 2024 19:49 (one week ago) link
I'm having trouble figuring out the names of some places we went, but I can say:
Ao 26 was the best strictly vegan place I went to, and what's cool about it is they do vegan versions of some of the trad Portuguese stuff you otherwise can't eat (e.g., francesinha).
Senhor Uva is good too (both of these are on the fancy side though), though it's tapas & wine and we were all still a little hungry at the end of the meal -- in contrast, Ao 26 was very filling.
But mostly I'd just say that it's easier to be vegetarian, even vegan, there than people who haven't been recently will tell you. Even down in Faro I got by okay
― rob, Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:14 (one week ago) link
Excellent, tysm!
― Jordan s/t (Jordan), Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:19 (one week ago) link
my pleasure! we were there last May, which is a great time to visit
― rob, Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:23 (one week ago) link
rob, I went to Fangas Veg too! It's great, and the people are really nice!
― Are you addicted to struggling with your horse? (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:34 (one week ago) link
that's true, they were nice! there were also beautiful lace scarves hung up all over town the day we were there
― rob, Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:49 (one week ago) link
I went to Portugal in 2005, a friend was involved in a garage rock festival in a place called Barreiro, I stayed in Lisbon and took the ferry across there each day. On the last day we had dinner with one of the bands playing, which meant I ate fish pie with Billy Childish, not a lifelong dream, but still very cool times. After the bands had all played I hung out with them until the sun was coming up, then made my way back to the ferry, there was literally one every 15 minutes but for some reason I decided to drunkenly run to catch the one that was leaving, tripped over a bit of pavement and landed straight on my face. Somebody helped me up and I said "am I ok?" and they looked at me grimly and shook their head. The ferry people called an ambulance and half an hour later they had taken the stones out of my face and sewn me up, I still have a scar on my chin but thankfully that's all - though for the next two weeks a few people asked me if I'd been in a motorbike accident and I had to say "no I just fell on my face." Anyway it's still a good memory overall and I think about it any time I see the (not disfiguring) scar in the mirror.
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:57 (one week ago) link
Just found out Nuno Espírito Santo is from Barreiro, nice!
― This is Dance Anthems, have some respect (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Thursday, 25 April 2024 20:59 (one week ago) link
xp That sounds like something I would've done in 2005
― Andy the Grasshopper, Thursday, 25 April 2024 21:35 (one week ago) link
https://keithfullertonwhitman.bandcamp.com/album/lisbon
― Marten Broadcloak, mild-mannered GOP congressman (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 25 April 2024 21:54 (one week ago) link
people have had more lethal encounters with billy the kid tbf
― close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac), Thursday, 25 April 2024 22:35 (one week ago) link
Fwiw it's my dream to emigrate to Portugal one day for some reason. I have been three times since 2018, falling in love with the country on my first visit. Can't wait to go back again
― your mom goes to limgrave (dog latin), Friday, 26 April 2024 00:05 (six days ago) link
huh.. I've been to Spain but never Portugal, maybe I should go check it out
but I drink more sherry than port
― Andy the Grasshopper, Friday, 26 April 2024 00:07 (six days ago) link
Enjoyed this piece, and I don't read Jacobin that often.
https://jacobin.com/2024/04/portugal-revolution-military-coup-anticolonialism
― xyzzzz__, Friday, 26 April 2024 09:52 (six days ago) link
There's a bust of Willy Brandt in Porto, somewhere near Serralves, whose presence is explained by the SPD intervention that article mentions.
― Daniel_Rf, Friday, 26 April 2024 11:00 (six days ago) link