I am going to Lisbon, Portugal in August from the 1st to the 21st of the month. My second cousins and their family live there so accomodations are DONE pretty much. My questions are, having never been to the country before, what do Padrinophiles think I need to know, living in Europe, in Lisbon and Portugal for three weeks? What sites are hot what places should I avoid like the bubonic plague?! What is fun in Portugal and what is buttfuck boring?! Where do I er...uh...delicate here...how should I put this?...GET LAID in Lisbon and how are Portuguese women generally?

Are there any Portuguese-Canadians or Portuguese-Americans or just any one with 25% or more Portuguese blood who either know very much about the country and it's people and culture or have family in the old country and would like to share? Toronto has a lot of Portuguese-Canadians but I am sorry to say other than business associates and acquaintances here and there and girls I want to do...er...uh..."meet," I don't have tooo many Portuguese friends. Any one have any thoughts or feelings about the country, it's people and culture and whatnot whatsoever? Thanks guys!

First of all let me start off by telling you I'm a chick and have no tips for you in the getting laid department.

If you are going to be staying around the Lisbon area, you should have a blast. It's a really modernized city. Plenty to do and see. Beaches are great. The nightlife it great. Excellent clubs. It's easy to get around on either a bus or taxi. The food is excellent and cheap. Beer is cheap. A great place for a beer and lunch is Trindad. It's pretty well known, so you should have no trouble getting there. If you have been walking around in the hot weather for a while and you're really thirsty, you can go in and get a very large glass of beer. It's great! Another place to eat, especially at night is the Docks. They turned old warehouses by the docks into restaurants. A little more pricey but definitely worth it. You can eat outside on the boardwalk by the water. They have tables set up. Lisbon is a great city. You should have a great time.

As far as the people and culture, for someone going for the first time it can be a culture shock. Do you speak Portuguese? You shouldn't have a problem because most younger people speak English, this includes the restaurants and bars and cabs. Now if you are going out of Lisbon into more of an "old country" area thats where it might be a problem for you and it can get boring. From my own experiences older people don't speak as much English. If you are going around with your cousins you shouldn't have a problem. But if you are going around exploring, you might hit a snag or two.
Not sure what else to tell you, except have fun.

Thanks, C.C.! Very much! Will add more as I learn more...

If you speak Spanish and Engish you won't have any problems.

Portugal is a great country, with a great culture, definitely worth visiting. I went there once, and it was nice.
If you're going to visit cities, then Lisboa and Porto are pretty much inevitable.

It's very hot over there in the summer, Portugal is very much known for it's burning woods.

Hablo un poquitisimo d'espanol pero mi grammar y "spelling" es malo. Puedo conversar, asi no mira problemas.

However, I heard that The Portuguese and Spanish have some sort of beef or something?! Kinda like Italians and Greeks and whatnot.

I'm gonna be staying on the Avenue Ruy Luis Gomes, in Alfornelos, Amadora. And will be landing at the Portela airport in Lisbon.

Qué?

You mean beef as in meat of a cow?

No, beef as in like problems and issues and stuff. I don't know how serious it is or anything if at all.

You shouldn't have too much of a problem understanding then. Portuguese is similar to Spanish. In the major cities menus are in English as well.

Porto is a great city if you get up there. Coimbra is another popular place to visit.

Well Spain is right next door and the two have always had beef. LOL

Amadora is basically the suburbs of Lisboa. So you are really close to the city.

Hi Don Jasni, i'm portuguese, so anything you fancy asking me about my country, feel free. and i also live near Lisboa (Lisbon) too. Amadora is a surburb. Not the prettiest place on Earth, but there's cool stuff nearby, like the Serra de Sintra (Sintra Range), which is full of beautiful natural landscape and cool ancient castles.

Lisboa is both an ancient place and a modern one. The portuguese people are lovers of new tecnologies, so you will find it easy to get a weblink and find cybercafés.

Anything youw ant to ask, please do, i'll be too happy to help ya.

P.S.: Yes, the portuguese and the spanish do have a bit of a beef. My advice, speak english in here if you want to get understood. No use with the spanish, you will only insult the people here.

Hola Senor Saraiva y otras. Is Lisbon for the most part and Amadora in particular safe and secure? I mean how is it in comparison to say Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, New York, L.A. or Chicago? The Serra de Sintra is now on my places to do list for Portugal.

I have absolutely no intention of getting into any arguments regarding the virtues of Spanish and Portuguese people. I belong to neither culture specifically although my cousins are Portuguese girls. I appreciate, respect and would love to learn more about both cultures and traditions and women and so on and so forth. However if the Spanish language is for the most part frowned upon but understood in Portugal I will use English as it is my Mothertongue and most familiar language. Having said that, I will speak my limited Spanish in circumstances where it is either helpful, expedient or just plain easier to do so. I hope to learn at least some Portuguese during my stay and who knows, maybe the basics and fundamentals of the language and culture. IMPORTANT -> How's the food? What are the Portuguese dishes, specialties, and delicacies that I must try and must avoid at all costs? Is Western (American/Canadian/whatever) food available. What language will the McDonald's menu be in?! :p

Perhaps we should get together for some cervezas during my time in the country and whatever. If you do want to get together do get in touch. Muchas gracias, Molto obrigado, Thanks a lot! Adios! Ciao!

Beer = cerveja
Many thanks = Muito obrigado


Really, if in Portugal, you will do better to speak in english. Really, we don't find too much amusing here to see foreigners talk to us in spanish. most of portugueses have learend engligh in school and we are quite familiar with it (though we speak it with a thick accent), specially because we never dub the movies.... we subtitle them. so, in that regard, you can see the movies you normally see in your country without a problem, as they are in their original language. Cool news for you, i guess.

The sumemr is the ebst time to visit here. The shellfish food is great... the whole food is great, and so is the beers and wines. in that regard, you will have a blast.

Lisboa itself is pretty safe, but Amadora does have some problematic places, so i bit of cuation would not be too unwise... though compared to the crime rates of LA and NYC, this is pretty peaceful and almost uneventful.

And yeah, it would be cool to be in contact with you. Truly, anything you want to know, just ask away.

Senor Saraiva, muito obrigado for your offer and yes we will get together in Lisbon! As long as your buying the cervejas than I have absolutely no problem! :p No offense at all, but when you come to Toronto, the beer's on me! :p Great, I like seafood and as long as there is meat, potatotes, rice/pasta/bread or whatever, and maybe some sauce on the plate, than I shouldn't have too many prolems. So, on the whole than, Lisbon is safe? Safer than Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver? Or Ottawa Calgary or Edmonton or Victoria, B.C. or whatever? What do I need to know about Amadora in particular to er...uh...STAY ALIVE and healthy pretty much if you catch my drift?
Muito Obrigado mi hermano, y asi tu quieres anything de Canada, de Ontario, de Toronto, let me know. Thanks again and do stay in touch amigo. Adios!Ciao!

Mister = Senhor
Good-Bye = Adeus or Tchau

So, when will you came to this parts, mate?
Oh, and by the way, unlike in UK, the pubs here close very late, normally 3 or 4 in the morning, and nightclubs can close at 7 am. If you are after the nightlife, you cannot get too wrong here. So, don't do the typical stuff that it's done in so many anglo-saxon countrie,s which is, get drunk fast in fear the joint will close. Relax and take your time.

Senhor Saraiva,

I am not a "club" person at all so unless it's a strip club, peeler bar or some sort of mp or whore house I'm not really interested...Pubs and restaurants maybe of course. Depends on the lugar. It is very bem to know though and obrigado senhor.

Tchau!

K.J.

Hey enjoy your visit mate. I don't particularly know much about Portugal (other than it's in the same time zone as the UK) except for any western European and Mediterranean generalisations. You know, very laid back, cafe/bar and very social cultures. Meals are important and often quite late.

I know you like your footy. I can't remember which stadium it is, maybe C.A. Saraiva will, that's actually built from a mountainside.

Enjoy the weather and stay away from drunken English holiday-makers!
Thats my advice!

By the way, Jasani, i also have family living in Amadora as well. But i live on the other side of the river, in a city called Almada. It's the place that has the giant Christ statue, the Cristo-Rei.

Yh the english (were i come from) are like that !

Well, I don't know what you guys are doing in Aug. but I'll tell you what I'm gonna be doing...you know what?! ABSOLUTELY FUCKALL! I've already got one of my best friends, let's just call him I.J. from England coming down to Portugal hopefully, and most if not all my other friends are too drunk, stoned, always gambling, and always er..uh....HAVING FUN and contributing greatly to the betterment of MANfreakinKIND, most of them anyways... Oh yeah, and let's see here, most of them live in er...uh...frikkkin TORONTO so yeah...but there's also another European gentleman who lives in Denmark who may come down. Of course all the good people on this site are welcome to come if you pay your own way and promise to get drunk and ladies take your tops off and fellas just FIGHT, every body fight club Portuguessse style. OK!!! Now, that i've reloaded, both metaphorically and literally I'm gonna go whatever, nevermind...!

:p :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

If you would like, we could hang out some, janesi. I would show some places, go to some bars, etc, as August is my vacation month. Just do this: play your canadian card,a nd never pretend to me american, ok? Not that americans would be harrased or anything, but let us say, thanks to Bush they are not the most popular people on the face of the planet, if you know what i mean. But canadians are cool.

A taste of Portugal

Isn't it a stupid thing to do? Blaming a whole people for its politicians' (supposed) faults? What we Italians should do, then?

Americans, come to Italy, then. We love you!

Hey Lavi, just people its illogical doesn't mean people won't do it.

Actually, I thought Europe always hated American tourists. "Ugly Americans" anyone?

"Hey, why isn't my soda cold? Where's the fucking ice?"
"Anyone speak English?"

so true. True and sad.

"ugly Americans"? IFAIC, Americans are one of the most beautiful peoples in the world and not just because of movie stars!
Besides, for what at least Italy is concerned, I'm rather positive Americans are liked a lot here. American tourists are usually considered nice, friendly and rich (which means a lot as tourism is concerned!). Not to mention the huge tribute Americans payed to free Italy in WWII. Italians will never forget it. Never. Americans will be always considered special here. Our two peoples got special links. So I really don't think Italians changed their minds because of President Bush and his choices towards Iraq and generally towards terror. Personally I feel proud of the alliance we got with the USA. We Italians know that anytime anywhere we need our US friends'help, they would be there for us.

But then again, I'm a total Americanophile, so maybe I'm too rosy-eyed....

I usually get the roll of the eyes "ughh, another American" when they see my passport at the airport. Then when they realize I have a Portuguese last name and I speak Portuguese, they suddenly cheer up.
I'm going to take my dad's advice and get a Portuguese passport as well, it's just easier and good to have.

I hope you Americans are developing a sort of persecution complex, otherwise I'm speechless.

That about sums it up. I'm not going to blow it out of proportion, it's not that big a deal. But it does happen.

Connie, you speak portuguese and has a portuguese last name? Are you a luso-american or a luso-canadian? And yes, if you pull the portuguese card, let us say, you will be pretty much more conspicous, if you know what i mean.

And yes, all people being meaured by the same yardstick is wrong, but then again, every people on Earth suffers that, for good or ill.

But i have to say, american tourists are mostly to blame for their bad reputation abroad. I mean, what can one say and think of people that when they travel abroa,d the first think they do is to look for the first local MacDonalds?

And yes, not all americans are like that, the same way not all arabs are religious fanatic nutjobs, if you know what i mean.

Janasi, you say there's pals from other european countries that will hang out with you in here? That's cool. I say, hanging out with people from other countries is ace and a great way to have fun and learn stuff. By the way, i think you wil love the local beer, as portugal as some of the top best beer, and wines, in the world. Sadly, they are just not too well known, but we are working on it, we are working on it!

Oh, and by the way, there's tonnes of hot looking portuguese women. Portugal is one of the most mixed people in the world, and i'm talking of the locals, not even mentioning the emigrants from Africa, India, Brasil and Eastern Europe (Ukrania, Russia, Romenia, Moldavia and Bulgaria). So, yeah, in the girl department, you will have a eyefull of them.

My dad was born in Portugal. My mom was born here in New YOrk but her parents were born in Portugal. I was born here. I've been going there since I was little.

So, connie, that means you are a luso-american. Luso-american means an american of portuguese descendency. By the way, where is your dad's and mom's parent native places?