We all know that every country/region has its own culture and tradition. We all value our ancestors and the marks we have left after them. Some of us appreciate it more, other less but we all admire their hard work. In my case, the differences pique my curiosity and encourage me to discover more. Unsurprisingly, having a fresh eye allows me to notice a lot of interesting differences in the everyday life in Laranjeiro as well as in the center of Lisbon.
Architecture
One of the first differences I had a chance to see is the architecture. Old, beautiful, unique-just different from what I am used to. Different parts of Portugal show us a timeline of long existence of this amazing land. The Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (unfortunately ruined by earthquake in 1755) is the most memorable landmark so far for me, probably because of the history and the Gothic style. The Rossio Railway Station is the second place I was able to see and even though it was just a quick look on the run in a cold evening I could notice those amazing details.
Cuisine
Portuguese cuisine is very diverse but mostly connected to the access to Atlantic Ocean, a lot of different kind of fish, shrimps etc. On my first day in Portugal the other volunteers welcomed me with Pastel de Nata (one of the best sweets here), very tasty! Coffee-Portuguese coffee… the most popular shot of an espresso is very common after meals. I drank more coffees in this last week here than in the last 2 months in Poland!
Culture
Portuguese culture is very multicultural compared to Polish because of many influences. I don’t feel like I experienced the ‘cultural shock’ but I did notice a lot of differences. Portugal has very colorful traditions connected with festivals, dance and music called ‘fado’. Also, The UNESCO list is quite impressive, especially that Portugal is a small country. Each of these 16 places is stunning in its own way.
