the salty coast

...I'm sure everyone has received this in the inbox. Today, for kicks, I thought I'd put the list on my blog, only because it makes me laugh: Your mother or grandmother has Maria in her name. You have a rooster napkin holder. Your father or grandfather is called Manuel, José, Antonio, or João You have crocheted doilies on your kitchen counters, dining room, living room, bedroom--on all your tables. You decorate your walls with plates. Your house is a mini church with just as may statues of saints and Jesus as your church itself. You're 25 and still living with your parents. (Extra points if you're married and living with your spouse in your parents house) You warn other drivers of police on the highway by flashing your lights, even though one of the drivers might have just robbed a bank. You baptize your child and send him to catechism even though you might never go to church except for weddings and funerals. You think all university graduates should be called "Do...

I have to admit it, I avoid watching most Portuguese shows (radio or TV), only because, in Canada, they're not that many and the quality is, well, not that great. There is one show, that is created by mandala , that is part of rtp's lineup, that is hilarious. Sometimes, you have to know what's going on in Portugal to get it, but it's still hilarious, and award-winning as well. The show is Contra Informação . The good thing is, that you can watch it on the net. Click here to watch some new stuff. Older, classic stuff here . The best part is that Wikipedia, my favorite site of the moment, has a list of memorable quotes - in Portuguese. Click here to view.

Portugal, more specifically, Lisbon was host to the MTV Europe Awards earlier this month. I watched it, and enjoyed it. I liked that they tried to bring in some Portuguese flavour in it, like MTV normally does for every city they host in. My favorite presenters were Nuno Gomes and Luis F igo though. Check out the MTV Europe Awards site here . Check out the MTV Portugal site here . My favorite performance was Coldplay. Somehow, they've managed that I like them once again. There was a moment there...and Nelly Furtado was there was well but not performing - just being her Portuguese self presenting an award. Each country has its own award, and for Best Portuguese, the following were nominated: Blasted Mechanism Da Weasel Boss AC Humanos The Gift Upon reading that list, I would give the prize to Humanos, only because I heard their music when I was on vacation there earlier this year, and they've got an excellent CD. If you've heard Maria Albertina, then you know what I...

Did you know how the Portuguese language started? Portuguese developed in the Western Iberian Peninsula from the spoken Latin language brought there by Roman soldiers and colonists starting in the 3rd century BC. The language began to differentiate itself from other Romance languages after the fall of the Roman Empire and the barbarian invasions in the 5th century. It started to be used in written documents around the 9th century, and by the 15th century it had become a mature language with a rich literature. Read the rest of the article here . The language now spoken in Portugal, and in various countries around the world has changed and evolved. I found this great site by the Camoes Institute that show the different way people speak Portuguese in Portugal. Check it out here . When writing Portuguese, I find it interesting that some people throughout the world write it differently then I do - here's a an example which I borrowed from Wikipedia: The most interesting tidbid I found...

Here's a great list of famous Portuguese people from Answers.com! I don't think it's a very complete list, but it's a great list nonetheless.