"Where the land ends and the sea begins " a Portugal Travel Page by magor65

"Your happy land is kissed
By the Ocean that murmurs with love
And your conquering arm
has given new worlds to the world."
from Portugal national anthem

Portugal would not be itself without the ocean. In the remote past natives used to believe that people were born during the high tide and died during the low tide. The ocean determined the history of the Portugese as the nation of overseas explorers, which resulted in creating the powerful country. The basic occupation for men has always been fishing and it is still an important branch of economy. Now tourism is taking over and beautiful beaches attract more and more visitors. The mild Atlantic climate makes it possible to enjoy sunbathing and swimming for a bigger part of a year, especially in the Algarve region. The climate is also a decisive factor for vineyards and growing of olives, oranges or lemons.
Even art and architecture wouldn't be the same deprived of 'ocean influence'. Look at the unique manueline style and its decorative elements of ship ropes or mariner's astrolabe. And the Fado music? Doesn't it express the longing for someting that is far away, over the seas?
And last but not least - Portugese cuisine. The national dish is bacalhau - salted cod served in many different ways. Restaurant menus are dominated by sea-food and gourmets claim that here in Portugal it is at its best.
The location of Portugal at the edge of Europe makes it different from other European countries, and that is why it is even more worth visiting.