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What's Next: Portugal's Alentejo Has a Banner Year for Travel Awards

October 28, 2022

Christopher Elliot, travel columnist for several national publications including the Washington Post, USA Today and Forbes has included the Alentejo region as on his 23 Places to Travel to in 2023. This comes a few weeks after  the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Portugal  the best country to travel to specifically citing the "charming village of Marvão with its 13th century walls," set in the Alentejo.  Read more →

Posted at 05:21 AM in Current Affairs | | Comments (0)

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Never kill the Mandarin: Choosing between wealth and life - A powerful tale for our times

March 26, 2020

Eça de Queiroz was the master of social cirticism, painting the weakness and failure of society with a vivid brush.  In his 1880 dark comedy, O Mandarim, he offers an allegory of a greedy society, exploring the balance between wealth and the value of a human life. It is a story that remains relevant. Read more →

Posted at 07:49 AM in Current Affairs | | Comments (0)

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The last Portuguese election: 1958

February 11, 2020

For Portugal, 1958 was a year that would finally see the last remnants of democracy crumble. The “Estado Novo” had held regular elections since coming to power in the 1920s, but the 58 Presidential elections where the first were the opposition was able to really challenge the power of Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar. Read more →

Posted at 05:16 AM in Current Affairs | | Comments (0)

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So, you think you know Portugal? II!

January 24, 2020

Portugal has no entrance exam.  But it is sneaking up on 900 years of existence.  Like a good glass of wine there are many flavors, and hues Last year we offered our tongue-in-cheek Portuguese citizenship exam. It gained a few comments, and stumped a few people. As a result, here is the 2nd round of “So you think you know Portugal.” And the questions just got a tad harder. Read more →

Posted at 10:29 AM in Books, Current Affairs, Film, Food and Drink, Music, Religion | | Comments (0)

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Camões’ tomb is empty. The myth of “the Age of Discovery.”

December 24, 2019

This happened with other European nations as well. But, in Portugal – once the dark night of fascism ended, the dictatorship was gone – but its propaganda remains. In fact, I often have to pause and explain to colleagues that calling Portugal’s golden age an “Age of Discovery” can come off as colonialism and racist. Read more →

Posted at 05:18 AM in Current Affairs, Religion, Travel | | Comments (0)

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