About PORTUGAL

Tactical Gloves

2008-05-24T21:13:00.009+01:00

On winter we like to use them sometimes only because it's fashion, or because they keep our hands warm, we find several types of gloves in the market, different materials at different prices.
But if you need resistant gloves for military services and good prices visit www.lapolicegear.com and you can buy tactical gloves .

As you can see this is High Quality material provides even after considerable effort a comfort to your Hands .

YOU only have these HANDS in Your Life
You MUST Take Care of Them

Our Lady of FATIMA

2008-05-20T09:53:00.010+01:00

I'm sorry for these days. I have been out, but I had to make a surgery at my nose to correct it. I've been in Hospital dos Covôes in Coimbra for four days and now I am resting at home. Now that I am back let's continue visiting our curiosities.

On 13th May went Nossa Senhora de Fátima's day,

Fatima belongs to municipality of Ourem, in center of Portugal.

Fátima's claim to fame is the shrine called the Basilica built to
commemorate the events of 1917 when three peasant children claimed to have seen the "Virgin of the Rosary", Our Lady of Fatima. When the children asked for her name, she said "I am The Lady of The Rosary". The children experienced the purported Marian Apparitions in a pasture called the Cova da Iria near the village of Aljustrel, about a mile from Fátima.

Pilgrimms on foot :
Every years approachig 13th May men and women leave they'r lifes and from all country walk to Fatima, 1,2, 3 days other spend a week, sleeping in tents, only a strong religious spirit to face it.

In the night of 12th there is international rosary and the candlelight procession.

On 13 May all day we can assist to several mass, an international rosary and at last , final ceremonies, concelebrations, Blessing of the sick, Consecrations and " Adeus" procession.

City of TOMAR

2008-05-08T00:23:00.011+01:00

This red point indicates where TOMAR is situated, with 43.007 inhabitants, from Santarem district, have the most significant Templar monuments in Europe.

Agriculture is important on it's economy, olive, pine and fig, wine,weath and nuts are the predominant products they produce.

Castle of Tomar

Municipallity building and central square where you can see a bronze statue from Gualdim Pais founder of the town

Church of João Batista

Roud Templar church of the Convent of Christ - 12th century
In Manueline renaissance style,

General view of Tomar
and Nabão River

Tourism is now one of the live source of town , considered one of it's monuments Unesco world heritage site. Wood products, paper, foodstuffs, ceramics and some other light industries

There is an important festival every four years, the Festival of the Tabuleiros. The last festival was on June and July 2007.

The "Tray Festival" is an ancient tradition of the city. It originally begun in a little village of the city, called Carregueiros. The population parades in pairs with the girl carrying a tray in its head. The tray is made of 30 bread, either 6 rows of 5 or 5 rows of 6 and its decorated with flowers. At the top of each one we can find a crown which normally contains either the white fowl, meaning the holly spirit or the armilar sphere, a symbol revaluing the Portuguese maritime expansion.

I invite you to come and enjoy what we offer to you, but please don't wait

untill 2011.

VISIT US!

FADO - Portuguese Traditional Music

2008-04-29T21:23:00.005+01:00

One of our treasures it´s our traditional musics like FADO, one of them. By all country we can hear someone singing Fado. Many are professional other's don't but what is important is the feeling.

Fado as the word indicates is destiny in english and also for us it's the same, we use an expression that is: our life is a "FADO" ( destiny).

Through all this years was "seen" as a sad song usually about tragedy or even death, nowadays are coming up new ways of sing FADO, a new generation are discovering new ritms and other themes, with it they are getting new people hearing them.

Appeared around the 2nd part of century XIX, and we have two different styles of Fado here :
Fado of coimbra and Fado of Lisboa.

In Lisboa we find the traditional one, if you visit Lisboa you can't avoid to listen a Fado's night in small Restaurant's in city there are many.

In Coimbra is more refined, city of students many of them (veterans) sing Fado .

Fado doesn't exist without portuguese guitar, this picture show us one of the bestguitarrists: António Chainho.

Unforgetable is our Amália Rodrigues the most important figure in Fado development.

Try to hear some Fado and express your opinion, I'm waiting

Bye

National Anthem - A PORTUGUESA

2008-04-28T21:49:00.004+01:00

Hello my friends, today I let you know about our National Anthem, wrote by Henrique Lopes de Mendonça.

On 1910 Portuguese Republic replaced the Constitutional Monarchy.

You can listen the music

www.aportuguesa.com

I hope you enjoy it

Bye

	Approximate translation
First stanza (Portuguese National Anthem)
Heróis do mar, nobre povo, Nação valente, imortal, Levantai hoje de novo O esplendor de Portugal! Entre as brumas da memória, Ó Pátria, sente-se a voz Dos teus egrégios avós, Que há-de guiar-te à vitória!	Heroes of the sea, noble people, Brave and immortal nation, Give rise today, once more To the splendour of Portugal! Amidst the mists of memory, Oh Fatherland, the voice is felt Of your noble forefathers, That shall lead you to victory!
Chorus
Às armas, às armas! Sobre a terra, sobre o mar, Às armas, às armas! Pela Pátria lutar! Contra os canhões marchar, marchar!(*)	To arms, to arms! Over the land, over the sea, To arms, to arms! To fight for the Fatherland! Against the cannons, we march, we march!(*)
Second stanza
Desfralda a invicta Bandeira, À luz viva do teu céu! Brade a Europa à terra inteira: Portugal não pereceu Beija o solo teu jucundo O Oceano, a rugir d'amor, E teu braço vencedor Deu mundos novos ao Mundo!	Hoist the unconquerable Flag, In the living light of your sky! Europe cries out to the world entire: Portugal has not perished Kiss the soil jolly of yours The Ocean, roaring of love, And your winning arm Gave new worlds to the World!
Chorus
Third stanza
Saudai o Sol que desponta Sobre um ridente porvir; Seja o eco de uma afronta O sinal do ressurgir. Raios dessa aurora forte São como beijos de mãe, Que nos guardam, nos sustêm, Contra as injúrias da sorte.	Salute the Sun that rises Over a smiling future; Let the echo of an offense Be the sign for resurrection. Rays of that strong dawn Are as mother kisses, That keep us, sustain us, Against the injuries of fate.

How to get Money

2008-04-28T20:04:00.000+01:00

Once I heard from a neighbour something related with make money writing on blogs, I didn't understand and went home try to explore a little about it.

Some days later my curiosity grew and maked me ask more information and details about it, so she told me about Payperpost blog marketing

She worked with it and profit some good money, so I decided to start something, but write about what?? Well Portugal was my target and a few months ago I started describing my country and exploring Payperpost.
Suddenly I found a new world full of new chances of know people, how they write, what they do, what they think, it's amazing. About my profits I intend to buy a new computer, maybe a portable one.

I hope I can make new friends, and learn more about other cultures too, at least, writing in a foreign language make me study and give the best of me, I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks

"Pauliteiros de Miranda"

2008-04-23T23:03:00.004+01:00

A group of men typical dressed and with small wood sticks, dance an oldest tradition from Miranda ( northeast of Portugal)

Only composed by men ( 8), this group dance beating the wood sticks against the other ones.

this dance is representative of historical moments

NAZARÉ ( Beach of Nazaré)

2008-04-17T22:25:00.010+01:00

Situated in the center of Portugal, in the coast west we have fantastic beaches with clean sands but the water is very cold.

Nazaré , founded arroud 1514, has a legend that on 1182 D. Fuas Roupinho was hunting mounted on it's horse, so involved was with a deer that he didn't noticed he was almost fall for the mountain below.

Happily Nossa tr aditions, festivities and typical food ( Sardines).

NSenhora da Nazaré ( Catholic Saint) appeared and stopped his horse and saved them of deadth. Later a chapel was raised and it's on the rock the place where the horse stopped.

Nazaré is visited by people from all Portugal and foreigns. Had to it's azaré is divided in two parts, the beach and it's narrow streets, in low, but going up by an elevator or by car you can visit "sítio da Nazaré" and appreciate a fantastic sight of the beach.

To finish I leave a curiosity, knew traditionally dressed women use 7 skirts ??

Bye

Where to camp in Portugal ( beach or the field?)

2008-04-16T22:10:00.016+01:00

Spring time allows us to think about camping and we have the ideal places to make it come true.
Arrange a tent and the necessary equipment and goes to camp. From North to south we've got many camping parks, with all good conditions , there's many ways of camp, with a tent or caravanism or even in a bungalow.

And I bet if you look well and decide spent a few days in the interior of Portugal you won't be disappointed instead of Algarve full of people and confusion.

ttp://tinyurl.com/3sq93r"

And there's a better way to know people? No, I agree, this already happened with me, so visitjoin 3gb community www.3gb.biz and find so many ways of knowing people.

Education and technologies

2008-04-11T23:44:00.010+01:00

Hi people who read all this and travel under this lines knowing a little more about us. Can i still surprise you?? I don´t know but i'll try.

Let's make a stop on this course and find out what's going on with our education and school problems. Before Easter hollidays there was a situation in a classroom between a teacher and a student and all this caused by a mobile phone, allowed in classroom by this teacher, when suddenly they began fighting, teacher wants to take the mobile phone from a student, of course this "movie" was taped by other student and everyone could watch it on youtube.

And about 15 days was currently subject for newspapers and TV, and the result was: 2 students had been transferred to another school and teacher is at home incapable to came back to school. NowI ask are these new technologies, like mobile phones, computers, psp, nintendo's.... changing our behaviour in their function? Visit http://www.chadwsmith.com/
and read more about new technologies.
I decided to expose this story and i'd like to receive some opinions from you.

Resuming

2008-04-05T19:17:00.009+01:00

I'm sorry to left my last themes unfinished, but was late and i was out of time. After present you my excuses, i'm ready to tell you more about this country full of sun( or may be not), these last few days our temperatures were 30º but today ( saturday) weather changed and it will may rain tomorrow, we use an afirmation ( it's weekend) because there are always changes on rest days.

I told you some of the most important traditions and delicious gastronomic plates, than i show about algarve, you might know it, it's the most visited beaches from foreign tourists.

Than I brought Marinha Grande to my Blog, and their great glass art. Situated in Center of Portugal near Nazaré , São Pedro de Moel and Vieira de Leiria, three pleasant beaches, belows at Leiria District.

why glass?? On 1758, was founded the 1st glass company, as you might know glass is made from a thin sand mixed with other components involved in high temperatures, and to get firewood to ovens feed, they had an advantage here, Marinha Grande was surrounded by forests.

On this years technics were developed and machines were invented to replace manual work, and Marinha Grande lives nowadays a problem of unemployment.

This picture shows Glass museum

And the results are :

Marinha Grande

2008-03-31T23:51:00.004+01:00

Marinha Grande is the capital of the glass, in this little town you can find the most wonderfull glass pieces.

these are just some of them,

many companies have been closed, but some earth people restart a new era.

I'll continue talking about Marinha Grande next time. wait for me....

Easter

2008-03-31T23:46:00.003+01:00

South of Portugal

2008-03-31T23:35:00.005+01:00

About our South region, it's the hotest one and I think you've heard about Algarve wich is all south part of our country. Many foreign people came to spent their hollidays , later even buy a house and living here.

Other parts of this "section" are our Lisboa than we have alentejo " our Saara" than algarve

Portugal - Center

2008-03-31T23:06:00.008+01:00

Hello, I live here in center of Portugal, in Coastal near beach, all ourCoastalCost is provided with amazing beaches, but water temperature in my zone is not very pleasant, only in the summer we can take bath.

On this region usually in summer we eat on weekends the famous sardine

salad and tomatoe.

Serra Cheese is another product we export a lot from Serra da Estrela, we love it. But it´s very expensive for us.

to end i'll let you a peacefull view:

Portuguese Curiosities

2008-03-31T22:17:00.014+01:00

Tonight i decided to describe you some of the most typical traditions about us, in different seasons of the year.

Portugal is divided in 3 parts 1- North / 2 - Center/3 - South

1 - Districts ( Viana do Castelo, Braga, Porto, Vila Real e Bragança)

There are prehistoric Rock-art in Coa Valley

There are also natural Parks to visit: Peneda Gerês Park , Montesinho Park

About food:
Typical plates: Green broth ( without meat) it´s a soup, bacalhau ( fish), duck rice

In Oporto there is a plate called francesinha (little french)

this is the most delicious plate we can find in Oporto city all time any day .

I can't go without remember you our oporto wine, delicious, finest, famous...

In a group of friends or alone, independent of the situation, you can taste a tawny, a ruby or a white wine.

Douro River is the base for Douro Hills were the wine is collected, from extensions of grapes.

It's delicious, try it...

Castelo Branco

2008-03-30T22:33:00.018+01:00

Castelo Branco is a city of Portugal located in middle of the country.

As you can see by attached photos is a peacefull and quiet city. Portugal has been unfortunated in economy, many of our companies had closed their doors and many people is unemployed, but in Castelo Branco are placed two big companies who give jobs at this population. Besides that women´s make great and wonderful embroiderings with silk, that´s a precious souvenir you can buy on your visit. there´s a general view:

Jardim do Paço is a green space to spent some free time with family.

All this Monuments are waiting for you visits, you will be amazing with design and structre of some of them.

City park, Paço Episcopal garden, Template _Castle, places containing little museums inside referring to : old paints, old embroiderings traditional clothes and pieces used many years ago.

This city has 2 secondary schools and one university ( Instituti Politécnico de Castelo Branco)

There are two fairs a year and some other religious traditions related to Easter time. Only regarding all this beauty to understand the meaning of all this.... Bye..

Viseu

2008-03-24T22:40:00.020Z

Hi adventurers, besides existing thousand of wonderful cities in north of Portugal it´s time to talk about center, this is time to know a little of Viseu
Viseu was elected the best city to live in Portugal, by a research made in 2007.

There are several legends about queens and kings in wars and battles , but there is a person conected always with Viseu called VIRIATO, who deserved some figures we can find arround this city, where we believe he has born.

Envolved for some mountains Viseu has high temperatures in Summer, but hard winter´s.

There are 4 rivers passing by Viseu: Paiva, Pavia, Dão and Vouga

About religion, Portugal has the most religious traditions in North cities but Viseu trough all battles in such years that many churches and monuments have been built.
two examples of great monuments

City wall

Carmo Church

as we can see Viseu as increased as city giving to population some interesting places to spend free times

So , green open spaces or futurist shoppings are just a little of the diverse atractions you have to visit Viseu.

Come on!!!!

Viana do Castelo

2008-03-19T23:10:00.002Z

Hello, dear friends , today i decided to show Viana do Castelo, as you can see this little red point indicates where is it situated, have this name since 1848.

General view of the center

Viana do Castelo was like the most part of portuguese cities a "home" for many religious orders who built wonderful churchs and magnific monuments , some of them are Santa Luzia Church,

images of S. Francisco Convent

1878 the Eiffel bridge began it´s work, designed by Gustave Eiffel, cross Lima River and conect Viana do Castelo toSanta Maria Maior

Besides all this funtastics photos i must remenber you if you look good places to rest and good food you will choose the right place . i let you some more great photos ENJOY IT!!!

City of Guimarães

2008-03-17T22:43:00.007Z

Hi, here i am once another to write about special cities of Portugal. I hope you enjoyed the last ones, today i will write about Guimaraes, the Birthplace of Portugal, situated in north of Portugal belongs to Braga district

This is a general view of Guimarães Castle, as historical city was very important in Portugal building .
It´s streets and each monument are symbols breathing history, giving nice touristic places to visit.

1128, the year that D. Afonso Henriques won several battles and returned the independence of Portugal that´s why it has been called Birth place

During the summer, than November and December you can participate in some festivities with excellent food, wine and traditional desserts

You can also visit a lot of museums and churchs

TheHistoric Center of Guimarães was declared a world Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001, due to his Middle Age Historical Monuments.

There was much more to find out about Guimarães but you have to find it visiting us...

Tell me about any other city you´d like to know better, i may help you. Bye

City of BRAGA

2008-03-01T23:59:00.003Z

Braga is one of the oldest portuguese cities, founded at more than 2000 years in roman domain as "Bracara Augusta", situated in the north of Portugal, capital of district and a large number of habitants.
It´s a city fulled by history and religion. There are many churchs, chapels and religious monuments to visit.

This is Sé of Braga a very important church.

This is a general view of Bom Jesus de Braga, it´s a sanctuary builted in 1776

Situated on top of 116 meters of a baroque stairways climb. it is an important tourist attraction

If you like football you can visit Braga Futeball stadium

Braga have university, and in these last years had an increasing comercial development bringing more economic benefits to their habitants

these are small guitars made by hand. these are some of the "souvenirs" you can take.

During the year there are some religious celebrations, city is envolved with light and we feel in peace. You must try.

About Coimbra

2008-02-27T23:29:00.000Z

About Coimbra

February 27, 2008 · No Comments

Coimbra is a city in Portugal and home to the University of Coimbra, . It is the seat of the Centro region, as well as of the District of Coimbra and the Baixo Mondego subregion which are both located within it. Like most university cities, it comprises a large number of dislocated students from outside Coimbra among its residents.

Aspect of the Botanical Garden of the University of Coimbra.

Coimbra is one of the most important urban centers of Portugal after the much larger Lisbon Metropolitan and Porto Metropolitan areas, . The city contains important archeological remains of structures dating from the time when it was the Roman town of Aeminium, such as its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus, as well as from the period when it served as the capital of Portugal (from 1139 to about 1260). In the Late Middle-Ages, declining as the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre with the foundation of the University of Coimbra in 1290. The university, one of the oldest in Europe, attracts visitors from around the world due to its monumental buildings and history, making the city an important touristic destination.

Coimbra fado

Cover from Guitarra Portuguesa by Carlos Paredes.

Fado de Coimbra (Coimbra Fado) is a highly stylized genre of fado born in the city of Coimbra. Guitar player Carlos Paredes and singer Zeca Afonso, are among its most renowned and historical figures.

Orfeon Académico de Coimbra, the oldest and most famous academic choir in Portugal, an autonomous organization of the students’ union Associação Académica de Coimbra, established in 1880 by a law student, and the fado section of Associação Académica de Coimbra itself, are important organizations in Coimbra fado promotion and preservation.

According to tradition, to applaud fado in Lisbon you clap your hands, while in Coimbra you cough as if clearing your throat.

Mondego river.

This is not enough to show you Coimbra, so you have to come and visit it.

Porto - North of Portugal

2008-02-21T21:41:00.008Z

Oporto is the 2nd most important city of Portugal, builded near Douro River in north of Portugal . Porto becames from Portus that mean "a way to get in"in the year of 417 many boats passed there and commercial relations were importants for the city development. For several times Porto have neen destroyed by wars, always rebuilted .

This is the House of Music, built on 2006, here happens some of the most important music shows in Portugal.

Oporto developed his wine culture a long time ago, founding cellars were they steel make and keep wine. You can visit them and taste some oporto wine.

This is a general view of Douro river and a part of city.

There are 7 bridges acrossing this river and conecting Porto with Vili Nova de Gaia.
This is bridge D.Luis I

On this river are the Rabelo boats wich transport the wine barrils to cellars.
To end i invite you to visit this town and taste our wine, than eat "francesinhas", i won´t teel you what is it, you must try. in my next blog i'll tell you some more from portugal...

Serra da Estrela

2008-02-18T21:07:00.009Z

This are some photos from our highest moutain, Serra da Estrela,
with 1991 meters. This is the only mountain explored for snow tourism, and the place we (portuguese) wait by winter to try some snow pleasures. Peolple from all Portugal visit Serra da Estrela between December and April. In there we find the wonderful butter cheese and others gastronomic delicious.
There is also a special dog tipycal it looks like a wolf, they are very expensive.

This lake we see in pictures is were born one of the most important river of Portugal " Rio Mondego". When you came to Portugal don´t forget, try to visit Serra da Estrela you will find a wonderful place of fresh air and explendorous views.

Saturday, 16 February 2008

2008-02-16T21:28:00.002Z

this is my favourite day of the week, besides clean and clean my house i love to do it. i have nowone helping me unfortunatly i can´t afford it and i do my house keeping. Following my latest thought, this is another "job" that portuguese women latelly have taken. A few years ago many houses had someone usually african women to do our house keeping and now the most of unemployers (women) do that. They receive aprox. 5 euros/hour but recently women from Ukrania "stoled" many of their jobs, because they ask for less money. This is really dificult, our families are whithout ressources and many of them trying to find a better life outside of Portugal.

2008-02-16T00:03:00.004Z

Hi all, here i am in my first adventure writing a blog. I heard from a neighbour and i tryed. Let´s see what i can do. First of all i´d like to introduce myself, my name is Angela i´m 35 years old, married with Jorge and our son´s name is Daniel and he is 9 years old. We live in Marinha Grande, near Leiria about 170Km from Lisbon capital of Portugal.
I born and studied here in Marinha Grande, than i got married with 21 Years and continue living and working in the same town. I worked in the mould industry and now i have my own business ( Marigoma) - It´s a small laundry. We will talk about this later because it´s my first topic i´d like to discuss. Here in Portugal we´re having serious problems with unemployment, women are the principal victims because with 35 or 40 years old nowone "want their services", too old for the job is the answer heard by the most women looking for work. I´d like to know what you think about this and what is going on your countries?? thank you for spending your time reading this.