Portugal experience

[Dewey Benson]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

In my Country we like pretty much everyone..even the French and the Spanish we're a quiet bunch...I guess...

Italy seemed much like that to me. The Italians want to make sure you have some good wine and and food and make sure your enjoying yourself. Funny thing though, they don't seem to like each other much. Each city has these little rivalries that project themselves into demeaning cliche's. Florentines vs Sieneese vs Pisians etc. An interesting little thingy..yes?

Politics schmolitics....buncha crap...sucks the brains outa folks. I was speaking of the yin and yang of the American persona. Aint so much of left and right, as of stupid reaction vs stupid reaction. When our knees stop jerking we will figure out the right thing to do. We always have.

Dinner in Portugal will seem quite forien to most of my countrymen. First of all it is late in the evening, often later than some of our bedtimes. Strict protocol is followed in the pairing of wines...fish course with a white...meat with a red whilst here in the golden state the courses are served willy nilly with the local chef or the guest calling the tune to somtimes good and somtimes erratic results. I rather like the fact that different places have different charicteristics, it gives the world flavor. The flavor I found in Portugal was very good indeed. I'd go back in a nanosecond.

Dewey

[Loewe]

I am ever amazed when foreigners attempt to "educate" natives regarding any aspect of a country. Offer an opinion as such and that is perfectly acceptable. Pontificate and allow an incredibly egocentristic diatribe regarding one's opinion presented as an authoritative fact...simply not quite the thing. Thank you Benson and Giu for the relevant observations regarding Portugal as We expect to visit soon. As to the rest, rather a waste of time better spent in another pursuit. In my opinion of course.
Regards,
Red

[sailingdog]

Giu-

Thanks for the pocket cruising guide...

[goose327]

Thanks Dewey, for starting this thread.
Alex, your country is beautiful, and that float plan sounds like alot of fun. Someday I'd love to go.
I was stationed in Sicily in '75, and always wanted to go back and see it again(through older, sober eyes). It would be cool to run your course, then head to Palermo, Messina, and Catania.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by RickBowman

Liking? Has there been a spiritual revival in Toronto?

Not here...I'm the same old blaspheming Captain Crankypants I've always been...but surely Americans are familiar with the concept of "hate the sin, love the sinner"?

Excuse me, please, I must run and duck for cover...

[Mickster]

Originally Posted by Valiente

Combine that with the fact that foreigners frequently have, shall we say, a more comprehensive and balanced knowledge of American affairs than do many Americans, and it tends to make you poor buggers easy targets of frustration or dissent.

Nah, you just think you do. Most of you are pretty ignorant.

[Dewey Benson]

Originally Posted by Loewe

I am ever amazed when foreigners attempt to "educate" natives regarding any aspect of a country. Offer an opinion as such and that is perfectly acceptable. Pontificate and allow an incredibly egocentristic diatribe regarding one's opinion presented as an authoritative fact...simply not quite the thing.
Regards,
Red

LOL! You might not like my wine pairings either! LOL!

Dewey

[tdw]

At the top of my list of European countries not yet visited. I tried to get in once but they wouldn't let me cross the border. The place went way up in my estimation after that. They obviously have (or had) impeccable tatse. Now they tell me i can come and go as i please so I guess it must have gone downhill.

As I'm sure I've said somewhere else, one of my ambitions is to to cruise from the Basque Country , along the Biscay Coast of Spain and down along the Portuguese coast and into the Med. Rock hop all the way, spend plenty of time in each port and eat and drink myself into a stupour. Don't think I'd bother much with the Med coast of Spain or France other than to visit friends in Valencia and Barcelona but I would spend time in the Balearic Islands especially Menorca and Formentera.

[Giulietta]

TD...spending some time in Portugal, then going to Spain, its like calling your ex-girlfriend's name after sex with the wife......

[tdw]

Originally Posted by Giulietta

TD...spending some time in Portugal, then going to Spain, its like calling your ex-girlfriend's name after sex with the wife......

Now now Bluebottle. If I want to sail the Balearics and/or the Basque Country, at some time I have to leave Portugal and go to Spain. You are in the bloody middle my son. Guess the wife will have to get used to hearing the girlfriends name.