Why don't we try and compile a list of interesting/unusual stats/things about Portugal, Algarve in particular.

- Japanese word for thank you comes from portuguese 'Obrigado'.
- Portuguese intriduced chillies to India
- Catherine de Braganca introduced afternoon tea and cakes to British society
- Portuguese introduced firearms to japan
- The elephants used on Hannibals extraordinary expedition across the Alps to Rome landed from Africa at Portimao.
- Julius Caesar made his wealth primarily from the area known today as Portugal before returning to Rome to become Emperor. And, no , he couldn't defeat the Lusitanios.
- Oldest alliance is that between Portugal and England.

Hi Guest,
Yes a nice idea and Bruxy only a day or so ago mentioned Catherine and her introducing Tea to the English Court and I believe others from time to time have done likewise...but yes again a list is a nice idea and I sincerely hope that I will not spoil it by my following entry:-

Portugal & England slavery.

- In 1357 a dead woman was crowned Queen of Portugal.

Explanation:
King Alfonso had ordered the death of Ines de Castro with whom his son, Pedro, was in love. When Pedro became King he ordered that Ines be exhumed and crowned. He also executed those who had killed her, earning the name Pedro the Cruel. Well, you did ask for the unusual.

- Between 1580 and 1640 Spain and Portugal were actually united as one empire. Who would have believed that today ?

new words to enter the pt dictionary include: “Carjacking” & “Hooligan”

well, they are used by the pt newspapers anyway. It seems there are no pt words to describe such behaviour

Portugal has a higher proportion of two-home-owning and three-car-owning families than any other EU country