# Famous stuff in Portugal
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 13, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408 "2000-07-13T06:02:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quadzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quadzilla)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2000, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/1 "2000-07-13T06:02:28Z")
This is a poll of sorts. I confess my ignorance on Portugal and all things Portuguese, except for the fact that it’s the official language of Brazil, the capital is Lisbon, and the nation itself is bordered by Spain and the Atlantic. This poses a slight problem for me this semester.
I’m what is called a peer advisor for the Romance Languages Freshman Interest Group (FIG) at the University of Missouri. Great. I’m majoring in French, Spanish has its own FIG, and I can slide through Italy because of the whole Rome/Florence/Venice thing. I know nothing about Portugal. In this FIG of mine, I really want to discuss stuff about this nation. So can anyone enlighten me slightly on something further than the fact that “boa vinda” means “welcome”? Books you’d recommend? Any and all help appreciated!!!
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### Author:  [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2000, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/2 "2000-07-13T08:49:27Z")
I’ll be in Lisbon in 2 and a half weeks.
You can always talk about me.
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### Author:  [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2000, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/3 "2000-07-13T08:51:05Z")
England failed to take Portugal seriously in Euro 2000 and paid for it.
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### Author:  [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2000, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/4 "2000-07-13T09:41:41Z")
A friend of mine lives in Portugal and he always complains about the inefficiency in daily life, but he always complains whereever he is.
Anyway, this might be stating the obvious, but there is plenty of information on the net concerning Portugal or any other country if you are only looking for a superficial overview anyway.
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### Author:  [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/5 "2000-07-14T02:56:20Z")
I know that one of the most well known Magician competitions was recently held in Lisbon. It is called FISM (Fédération Internationale des Sociétes Magiques). Here is a link to the Fism2000 web site. I hope it gives you more info you are looking for:
[http://www.fism2000.com/no-shock-newsletter-uk.html](http://www.fism2000.com/no-shock-newsletter-uk.html)
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### Author:  [@Quadzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quadzilla)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/6 "2000-07-14T03:59:16Z")
Mmmkay. Thanks for the suggestions; I am actively looking on the internet and in the local library, but wanted to know more if anyone knew of anything greatly captivating from experience, etc. Dragwyr - that link is great! I might use it in one of my bulletin boards 🙂 Muchos gracias. Or whatever they say in Portuguese.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/7 "2000-07-14T06:17:24Z")
Portugal is a small, but we are sure, proud nation located somewhere in Europe and boasting a history. During the age of exploration, Portugal produced many great navigators, men such as Vasco de Gama (literally, “Vasco the gama”) who set out across the vast, stormy Atlantic Ocean in tiny ships, which of course immediately sank like stones, thus paving the way for the Age of Remaining on Land. Today the main industry in Portugal is manufacturing the Portuguese man-of-war, which is a type of jelly fish that can sting you to death if provoked, so tipping is strongly recommended.
Portugal facts at a glance:
Unit of currency: The arriba
Language: none
(I am assuming such a short excerpt is fair use but the book says © by Dave Barry so I suggest that, just to be on the safe side, we all send him some money. Just send it to me and I’ll take care of forwarding it to him.)
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### Author:  [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/8 "2000-07-14T07:34:46Z")
If you have the chance, travel to the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal. Azores is one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
sailor, I know all that was a joke, but the real main export of Portugal is cork. I’m not kidding.
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### Author:  [@Mustapha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mustapha)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/9 "2000-07-14T09:00:34Z")
Portugal does have a proud maritime heritage, and its modern population has an equally strong sense of wanderlust.
Many young Portuguese men make a living aboard a ship. But when they come home during the summer months, it’s a mixed blessing. A large number of them choose to “liquify their assets” and subsequently get killed in traffic accidents.
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### Author:  [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/10 "2000-07-14T09:52:31Z")
Oh yes, they have that nice new long bridge in Lisbon. I don’t know if it set any records, but they are very proud of it!
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### Author:  [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/11 "2000-07-14T17:08:47Z")
You might try the fine local beverage, port.
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### Author:  [@Sands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sands)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/12 "2000-07-14T18:06:03Z")
you might look into the beeeeauuutiful island off the coast of Portugal, Madeira…amazing ocean views…portugese posadas (intimate, old world resorts) are making quite a name for themselves too, and there’s always the cork.
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### Author:  [@Quadzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quadzilla)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/13 "2000-07-14T18:47:25Z")
_anxiously scribbling notes_
Spiffy. Thanks for the quotation, Sailor; I will share that at the same time as the CIA travelers’ report on France, which states that the French are arrogant, rude, and smelly people whose preoccupations are getting drunk, watching soccer, and driving insanely 🙂 (Not that absolutely none of that is true, though…) I now have several good starting points of interest for my FIGlets - thanks to everyone!
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [July 14, 2000, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/14 "2000-07-14T22:28:40Z")
I think that you can buy Absinthe in Portugal.
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### Author:  [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-stuff-in-portugal/25408/15 "2000-07-15T04:12:14Z")
If you stay in Lisbon, I highly recommend the Hotel Altis on Rua Castiliho (sp), which is apretty close to Marriott quality at a good price. When I was there, it was less than $100 a night for a 5 star hotel. The restaurant on the 12th floor is very reasonable, and has a great fondue. It also had a good-ol American-style breakfast buffet. 🙂
The staff there is great and all speak English very well. In fact, I found people in Lisbon speak English better than any other non-English speaking city in Europe.
You can take a short walk down to the bay from the hotel, passing through an upscale shopping area and by several monuments. There is a castle of St. George in town, but it’s kinda lame - very old and run down, not much to see, but a nice walk if want to get out and about.
Make sure you hear some good Fado music while you’re there, and get some duty-free Port wine.