14 Curious facts about Portugal, a country where Harry Potter is considered a compatriot

Portugal is one of the oldest countries in Europe. When mentioned, we immediately associate it with majestic works of architecture and the sea. The culture of the local population, formed over the centuries, also inspires the desire to get to know them better. For example, find out what that feeling really is — nostalgia — and why gem sweets are so popular in the country.

We, from awesome.clubwe discovered new facts about colorful Portugal and even managed to visit it in our heads while preparing this article.

The word saudade has no exact translation into any language. However, it plays an important role in the culture and allows us to understand the melancholy soul of the Portuguese. This term is often associated with the word “nostalgia”, but it is far from the same thing. Saudade is the feeling of missing something that does not exist in the present or even if it does not exist.

This concept emerged in the Age of Discovery when sailors set off into the unknown and their families were left behind, overwhelmed by this feeling. The people of Portugal named “saudade” as the word of the year 2020, which implies that they have never indulged in so much saudade as they have lately.

The typical kitchen of a Portuguese house is an elongated space without comfortable chairs or a table. This area is intended only for preparing meals. But eating them should be either in a dining room, which is separately equipped for this, or in the living room. Even if the dimensions of the house or apartment are small, the Portuguese will find a way to place a large dining table there.

Many Portuguese like to eat at night. The last meal usually takes place between 20:00 and 22:00. Even the restaurants only open at this time, around 19:00. Even so, in the first hour after opening, they remain practically empty. The locals have breakfast (breakfast for the Portuguese) at 8:00 am and have lunch around 1:00 pm. During the day, they only serve snacks.

In Portugal there is a huge number of desserts based on egg yolks, added to dough, stuffing or even sweetened as an independent dish. This has been the practice since the Age of Discovery. At the time, egg white was widely used for domestic purposes, for example, for filtering: the whites were added to drinks, it collected impurities, which settled at the bottom of containers. Throwing away the leftover gems would be a waste for the Portuguese, so they invented many recipes with them.

Locals might be offended to see someone walking around and munching. Eating for the Portuguese is a sacred ritual; meals should be taken at the table and without haste. Of course, no one has banned street food establishments, but it is common to find a convenient place to consume products purchased there. In Portugal, it is considered bad taste to eat while walking.

According to travellers, the most beautiful restaurant of the popular fast-food chain in the world is located in Porto. It is located in an old building, whose interior retains the elements of the Art Deco style: crystal chandeliers, bas-reliefs and colorful stained glass windows made by talented artists. The entrance to the establishment is decorated with a huge bronze eagle. Locals call the restaurant “McDonald’s Imperial”.

On the 24th of December, in the Portuguese city of Braga, thousands of people gather in the streets for the tradition called “Bananeiro”. A few hours before the family Christmas dinner, residents and visitors to the city celebrate the beginning of the holiday together, eating a banana, accompanied by a glass of muscat.

In the country, lists of permitted and prohibited names were adopted at the legislative level. The first includes Portuguese names, as they allow the country to maintain its identity. On the banned list, we can find several names from popular culture, for example, Ben-Hur, Nirvana, Hendrix.

If first-time parents decide to give their child a name that is not on the permitted list, the state registration authority usually disapproves. The reasons for refusal can be, among others, such formulations: the name does not sound good in Portuguese, does not correspond to the gender, puts the person in an inconvenient situation.

In Portugal, as well as maternity leave, there is also a “paternity leave” of 20 days, mandatory for the father. It must be used in the first six weeks of the baby’s life, immediately or in parts. At the same time, the father, according to the law, must take five days of vacation immediately after the birth of the baby.

School graduates are in no hurry to apply for admission to a higher educational institution, but take a year off to discover their vocation. Even boys have no problem with this: there is no compulsory military service in the country. The Portuguese call these holidays in the English way — gap year or sabbatical year. Young people take the money they saved from school lunches or the money they got from their grandparents and go on a trip.

In Portugal, a gift to a colleague or partner is not considered a bribe, but a sign of respect. They are usually done at the beginning of a business meeting. Drinks, books, ties and scarves are given away. Refusing is a sign of inelegance and bad manners. Gifting something in return is also not recommended. You just need to send a thank you letter after the meeting. In addition, Portuguese companies send Christmas greetings to their customers by sending them small surprises.

Many people in Portugal do not use toilet paper at home. Apparently, it is considered an unwarranted waste compared to a bidet. The installation of this small bathtub with a fountain in the bathroom (bathroom in European Portuguese) has been mandatory since 1975 and, according to the local population, it meets all hygiene requirements. And this despite the fact that the country has a popular company called Renova, which produces toilet paper in bright colors for export.

In Portugal, there is an official prohibition that often ends up mentioned in all the “lists of the strangest laws in Europe”. You can’t do even “number one” in the ocean, otherwise you can get arrested. Of course, such an action is unlikely to pass in some other country, but the question inevitably arises: how are violators caught?

These rumors are based on the fact that JK Rowling lived and worked as an English teacher in Porto from 1991 to 1993. At that time, she already had ideas about the adventures of the “boy who survived” and, according to the author herself, one of his favorite chapters from the first book appeared in the country. Thus, tourist guides proudly declare that Harry Potter was “born” in Porto, and take tourists to colorful places, which, according to guarantee, have become prototypes of many places in the universe of the saga.

What new things have you learned about this enchanting land? Or maybe you are lucky enough to live in the country and can tell us some more Portuguese curiosities?