Portugal - Fact file

Portugal

Ø  Location: southwestern Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula.

Being the westernmost country of mainland Europe, Portugal is bordered
by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east.

The Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira are also part of Portugal.

Ø  Anthem: "A Portuguesa"

Ø  Capital (and largest city): Lisbon

Ø  Official languages: Portuguese

                                     Recognised regional languages: Mirandese

Ø  Government : Parliamentary republic
                            President: Aníbal Cavaco Silva
                            Prime Minister: Pedro Passos Coelho

Ø  Formation: June 24,1128

Founding of the first County of Portugal – 868

Battle of São Mamede – June 24, 1128

Kingdom – 25^th July 1139

Recognized – 5^th October 1143

Republic – 5^th October 1910

Carnation Revolution – 25^th April 1974

Ø  European Union Accession: 1^st January 1996

Ø  Currency: euro

Ø  Climate: Oceanic in the north and Mediterranean in the south. Spring and
Summer are sunny, whereas Autumn and Winter are rainy and windy.
Snow falls occasionally (on some cold winter days) in the northern interior of
 the country.

          Annual temperature averages: in mainland Portugal are 13 °C (55 °F) in
the north and 18 °C (64 °F) in the south.

Ø Geography: The northern landscape: mountainous in the interior
 areas, with plateaus indented by river valleys. The south - between
the Tagus and the Algarve (the Alentejo)- mostly rolling plains.
 The Algarve is separated from the Alentejo by mountains.

     Main river: Tagus

Ø  Economy: based on industries such as textiles, clothing, footwear,
cork and wood products, beverages (wine), porcelain and earthenware,
and glass and glassware. Tourism is also important, especially
in mainland Portugal's southernmost region of the Algarve
and in the Atlantic Madeira archipelago.

Ø  Religion: Portuguese society is mainly Roman Catholic. 84% of the
population are nominally Roman Catholic, but only about 19% attend mass
and take the sacraments regularly. A larger number wish to be baptized,
married in the church, and receive last rites.

Ø  Famous people: Figo ( a football player), Amália Rodrigues (a Fado singer),
 Blasted Mechanism and The Gift (bands nominated for a MTV Music Award),
José Saramago, (winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for literature),
Joaquim de Almeida (actor), Maria de Medeiros (actress) and many others.

New Year's eve in Portugal

Several hotels, clubs and restaurants have countless events where everybody seems happy. The basic purpose of the New Year's eve celebration in Portugal is to enjoy every moment of the festival and forget all worries. There are lots of music, dancing, drinking and fireworks.

It is a tradition in Portugal to eat twelve grapes from bunch as hitting of clock at twelve on the eve night. Such tradition is believed to turn happy the twelve months for next year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR :)

As minhas tradições familiares de Natal

As minhas tradições familiares de Natal

No dia 7 de dezembro, eu e a minha irmã fazemos a árvore de Natal e o presépio. Nós enfeitamos a árvore de Natal com bolas, luzes, fitas e bonecos de Natal. Fazemos o presépio em cima de uma mesa e ao lado da árvore de natal porque os gatos gostam muito de andar a brincar com os bonecos e andar em cima do musgo.

No dia 24 de dezembro jantámos bacalhau e à meia-noite abrimos as prendas.

No dia seguinte os meus avós vêm almoçar a nossa casa e comemos sempre cabrito. Depois pomos o menino Jesus no presépio para simbolizar o seu nascimento.

No dia 7 de janeiro pomos os reis magos em frente do menino Jesus e também comemos bolo-rei. Estas são as minhas tradições familiares e já duraram há algum tempo.

nº15, 7ºA

As tradições natalícias na minha casa

No dia 24 de Dezembro acordo de manhã, normalmente às 10h:30min. Depois vou tomar banho, lavar os dentes e tomar o pequeno-almoço.

De seguida, visto-me e vou almoçar com os meus amigos a um restaurante. Acabamos o almoço às 15horas e depois vamos passear.

Quando chegamos a casa por volta das 18horas, começamos a preparar o jantar para a nossa família.

Às 20horas chega a minha família e começamos a jantar às 21horas. Conversamos e divertimo-nos durante um bocado e só às 24horas é que abrimos as prendas. O meu pai veste-se de Pai Natal para a minha irmã acreditar que ele existe.

 Depois a minha família vai-se embora, nós acabamos de arrumar a cozinha e o salão e vamos dormir.

 nº17, 7ºA

New Year's Eve in UK

Clocks symbolize the transition that occurs at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, with the celebration in London focusing on the clock housed in the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster, recognised worldwide as "Big Ben". The celebrations are televised from London by the BBC in the English regions, Wales and Northern Ireland. Parties are held up and down the country, in pubs, clubs and private houses. At the stroke of midnight people gather in a ring with hands joined as they sing Auld Lang Syne.

On New Year's Eve 2010, an estimated 250,000 people gathered to view an eight-minute fireworks display around and above the London Eye which, on that occasion, was set for the first time to a musical soundtrack, including some of the greatest songs by British artists such as Blur, The Beatles and Queen. The celebrations in London continued into January 1, with the New Year's Day Parade, which has been held annually since 1987 and in 2011 marked its 25th year, involving more than 10,000 musicians, cheerleaders and performers.

Other major New Year events are held in the cities of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle.

Bideford in north Devon is also renowned for its New Year's Eve celebrations, featuring a carnival and fancy dress. The celebration centers on Bideford's quayside and around its Old Bridge, with a lone piper playing Auld Lang Syne at midnight, followed by a fireworks display.

^Wikipedia

Happy New Year 2012

I wish you a veeeeeeeeeeery Happy  New Year, full of hope and joy....

May YoU feel peace, happiness and warmth.

 

C.E. Infante D. Pedro

Happy New Year and may all wishes come true

I wish you a veeeeeeeeeeery Happy Christmas and a New Year full of hope and joy....

May YoU feel peace, happiness and warmth.

Christmas traditions

* Early Christmas trees were often decorated with apples, nuts and candles.

* In 1834, Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert brought the first Christmas tree to Windsor Castle for the Royal family.

* The tradition of a holiday tree has been around since ancient times and has played an important part in winter      celebrations for many centuries.

* That old Christmas favourite Jingle Bells, much loved by children at Christmas parties, wasn’t actually written for Christmas at all. Originally titled One Horse Open Sleigh, it was written in 1857 by James Pierpoint for the US celebration of Thanksgiving.

* The tradition of the UK monarch delivering a speech to the nation on Christmas Day began in 1932.

* Poinsettia, a flower with close associations to Christmas, originated in Mexico where it is known as Flower of the Holy Night.

* The fifth Sunday before Christmas is known as stir-up Sunday. It is considered lucky on this day for everyone in a household to help stir the Christmas pudding.

Christmas message

Have an ideal Christmas;
an occasion that is celebrated as a reflection of your values,
desires,
affections,
& traditions...

Mensagem de Natal

Que a compreensão, a amizade e a solidariedade preencham o vosso coração neste Natal e no Ano Novo que se aproxima.