Lonesome Hero: Once upon a Portugal

Once upon a time, Portugal was one the most powerful and the wealthiest nations in the world. Two thirds of the world were discovered by the Portuguese explorers and sailors, and so the first modern world empire was created.

The roots of that era stretch back to the 15th century when Portuguese explorers such as Vasco da Gama sailed through the sea in search of a route to India. By the 16th century these sailors helped building a huge empire, embracing Brazil as well as swathes of Africa and Asia. There are still some 200 million Portuguese speakers around the world today.

Portugal's history has had a lasting impact on the culture of the country with Moorish and Oriental influences in architecture and the arts. Traditional folk dance and music, particularly the melancholy fado, remain vibrant.

Portugal is my country and i hold it dearly in my heart everywhere i go. There are good and bad things about this small European country. It's a country with a wide array of beautiful beaches, breathtaking landscapes and majestical castles and palaces. But is a country that is still under-developed when compared to the other countries of the EU. Unemployment and an unstable economy are still a major reality to most Portuguese. It's not really a good place to make a life, unfortunately. It's a shame that WE ( young Portuguese generations ) have to seek for opportunities overseas.

Portugal is a nice place for tourism, as i'm going to show. Maybe by the end of this article, i might have captured someone's interest in coming to visit my country.

Portugal's 21 wonders: ( click under the names for a more detailed description )