Lisbon: If you really loved her, you'd buy her...

No, not a diamond ring, not a bouquet of flowers , not even a box of chocolates...

You would, if you were a true Portuguese, buy her a beautiful tin of sardines:

Surviving Fascism with Fatima, Football and Fado

Antonio Salazar, Portugal's ruler from 1932 to 1968, relied on a secret police force and all the other tools of authoritarian regimes, in order to stay in power.  However, compared to fascist rulers like Hitler and Franco, his rule was relatively benign - for instance he opposed anti semitism.  Nevertheless his rule marked a period of dreadful poverty and intellectual suppression.

The Portuguese turned to Fatima, Football and Fado to help them get through his long rule.

Fatima 

The small town of Fatima rose to fame in 1917 when three shepherd children witnessed visions of the Virgin Mary.

During Salazar's rule, works on a monumental scale, were commissioned to commemorate the apparitions:

 

Football

Today there is Christiano Ronaldo.  When I was growing up it was Eusebio.  Born in the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique, he grew up playing football barefooted.  One of the greatest players of all time, he was Portugal's equivalent to his Brazilian contemporary, Pele.  In his fifteen years with Benfica he scored 317 goals in 301 appearances.

After England winning the World Cup in 1966, one of the happiest days of my childhood was in 1968, when Manchester United (starring George Best and Bobby Charlton) beat Eusebio's Benfica team to win the European Championship.

Fado

Like Flamenco, Fado features mournful tunes about hardship and loss.  Unlike flamenco, there are no beautiful dancers or zippy guitar music, to lighten the mood.  Michele and I went to a well reviewed Fado restaurant in Porto.  The main difference between this experience, and a trip to a dental hygienist, is that with a hygienist, you know it will soon be over.  Note to self:  do not always rely on Trip Advisor.

The real reason why the IMF keeps visiting Portugal

I always thought that the reason for the International Monetary Fund's ("IMF") frequent visits to Portugal, was either the level of unemployment:

or the fragile state of the country's finances:

Turns out I was wrong:

Cascais: Europe's 2018 Youth Capital

Cascais is an elegant seaside resort, half an hour outside Lisbon, that is full of rich tourists and retirees.  For some reason it was declared the 2018 Youth Capital.




This award is accompanied by an official poster showing what young people do, when they go wild and crazy:

Lisbon: The world's largest tram museum

If, as I do,  you like old trains and trams, you will love Lisbon. The transit authority continues to rely on prewar "remodelados" to clank you round Lisbon's ancient, narrow streets.

Photos: Porto's Street Art

Portugal: Terrible timing in Porto

Lent in Porto

Growing up as a Catholic in the UK, I combined an early appreciation of the joys of the local pub, with a respect for people like my parents, who had the willpower to abstain completely during Lent.

Now that I have retired and reached the age of 60, I thought it a good time to finally emulate them.  Initially the timing was great - not many inviting pubs in the Rwenzori Mountains, and Zanzibar is a Muslim country.  But we are now in Portugal and the temptations are multiplying.

Vinho Verde:  Portugal's "session wine"

A good Vinho Verde is fresh, fruity, slightly effervescent, and absolutely delicious.  It is also relatively light in alcohol (8.5% to 11%), so you can guzzle more of it before you start to regret it.

Jealousy is not an emotion that I am proud of, but I have to confess a certain envy, as I watched Michele enjoying suitable refreshment as we admired the view over the river Douro

The "Red Nectar"

Porto is of course named after the delicious fortified wine invented by the English (Editor: are you sure it's not the other way around?).

In this city there are a million ways to enjoy the stuff, but I cannot take advantage of any.

The bookshop that charges admission

All over North America book stores are being forced to close their doors.  Maybe they need to take a page out of this store's book and charge admission.  People line up for the privilege of buying a ticket just to go and see the store.

Mind you it's easier to charge admission, when you helped to inspire JK Rowling's vision of Hogwarts, and the interior looks like this:

Paris it ain't

Porto fully deserves its Unesco World Heritage designation:

But if you are looking for the sort of picture postcard perfection that you associate with places like York and the centre of Paris, then you might be disappointed.  This place definitely has a comfortable, lived in feel, that I happen to find appealing.