Tag Archives: portugal

Isolated Somewhere in Portugal

The family upstairs lives in Switzerland. The other family upstairs, their car has French license plates. Apparently the other apartment that’s for sale in this modest little building, that guy is Canadian.

We’re all Portuguese, mind you. But this is the reality of Portugal, especially in the summer. A population that probably has more people living outside its borders than the 9 million+ living within those borders. Where every town has its emmigrants, who are like clockwork when it comes to being present in the summer time.

While the alarmist and often xenophobic governments of European nations scramble to adopt some tough policies against refugees. Following the alleged death of the proposed European Consitution. Despite all the hoopla about how Europe isn’t really one block and the dream is far from reality… many of the Portuguese are living the reality. Beyond Europe, they have long made the globe their menu of destinations, in search of a better quality of life, or… just better paying jobs.

Out of the criticisms one can have of Europe, and I’m aware of how long that list is. The one thing I see first hand, almost everyday whether I’m in Lisbon or Amsterdam, is that people are making it their business to be European. Politicians and Diplomats can and will continue to sit around pouting about things they won’t budge on. Disagreements regarding foreign policy or mobile phone roaming costs may go on indefinitely in parliaments. But outside, multiple generations, including my own, are exercising our freedom and ability to move country, learn languages, and then move again if we so choose. At some point we cease to be just Portuguese or French or Maltese, we gain a second if not third identity. It is not one of patriotism or nationalism or even supranationalism. It is the freedom from old borders or language barriers or cultural limits. We have become the living breathing myth that so many so-called important people denounce… European Citizens.

If I can find internet, tomorrow I’ll talk a bit about Raul Castro and how I like his baseball cap.

bm145 Reflections from Portugal Regarding Israel-Lebanon

Due to internet restraints, I don’t have the means with which to research and do full shows. In this program I pace around the apartment and discuss Israel-Palestine and media coverage of what is happening. Mostly about the bizarre and pathetic things going on.
Later this week I’ll have an interview or two. I wish Portugal would hurry up and modernize so that I could have better net access without having to trek all over town.

City Still Has Magic

I left Lisbon about 4 years ago for Amsterdam. I had only been working here for a year.. but the city and I had a love affair that stretches back to the first time my parents allowed me to stay here on my own back in 1997. I was seventeen and allowed to stay in this little apartment on my own, and enrolled in summer courses at the university of lisbon. Some organization called the Portuguese-American something funded my education here, which made things even better, making it so I could have some money to travel around the country with all the great friends from school. I think it was back then that I knew I wanted to leave the US and live in this city.

My how things change. The metro now has a fully automated turnstyle system, which seemed like a joke that would never work 4 years ago. The once compact metro system not stretches far beyond any area I’ve ever been to. Once abandoned and forgotten apartment buildings now look like luxury lofts with blindingly beautiful paint jobs. My beloved late night book shop has moved and shrunk in size, but remains a centerpiece in the night life world for those who like books more than overpriced cocktails.

And yet. Things are as they always were. That same cat still sits in the windowsil down my street. My dear Elsa is still serving lunch at my favorite english pub. And that same blind guy is still tapping his stick and he moves from metro car to metro car in search of spare change. With its occasional flashes of modernity, Lisbon still remains Lisbon. Old, gritty, delicious, and romantic. Yup… it still has its magic.

Tea, Corn, and the Colonial History of Food

Trying not to be troubled by the limited connectivety that Portugal offers. I’ve dealt with it for years.. but every trip I’m annoyed with the slow progress the nation makes.

The interesting conversation over dinner is my topic for today. This evening, as I had just wandered back to Lisbon for some relaxing. Got called to dinner with JP and his very worldly family. Both his parents are very well schooled in History, just as he is, so naturally everything has its historical context… even things I’d never considered.

At some point the topic of food came up and where certain foods come from. And considering the very long colonial period of Portugal in relation to the rest of the world, it is interesting to know that in fact- it was Portugal that introduced alot of foods to parts of the world that had never heard of it. Some examples?:

Tea. I’ve heard this story for years. Portugal had a special relationship with China long before any other nations, and one thing they shared was this thing called tea. At some point, a Portuguese princess was visiting Bombay around 1650, and she asks for tea. Their hosts have never heard of it. They go looking in the stock of different spice and herb sellers.. and they find tea, which to that point, was not thought of as a drink. I think from there it becomes a known drink in Europe, especially with the British.

Beyond tea, Rice is also a big deal in Portugal and has been for centuries. But of course, rice arrived in Portugal thanks to very early trade with Asia in the pre-colonial days.

And the list goes on… corn.. which can be found all over the north of Portugal.. came from the Americas. They had a different version of corn here, prior, and it was barely worth eating.. apparently.

I’ll mention one last one for tonight… potatoes. Originally from the Andes mountains, apparently for a long time even after being introduced in Portugal, people saw the practice of eating the potato of the plant as disgusting. JP’s dad remembers his grandparents scoffing at the idea of eating that part of a potato plant.

Interestingly one thing that sticks out in my head, which his mother mentioned, is that these types of transplantation and plant introductions might today be viewed as dangerous and crazy. Then again, considering the widespread use of genetically modified foods, maybe the tradition continues with a whole new twist and a new set of risks that maybe weren’t considered back then. It may seem like a story that ended happily, with the whole world having more choice of food, but being that we understand more about the risks now than we did then, we should proceed responsibly. Still, amazing to think food that is considered typical of a nation, often has orgins that are far far away.

Vlog from the fields containing fruit and veggies…. forthcoming this weekend.

Third World of Europe

I always wondered when my impoverished neighborhood of Lisbon would finally have some Wifi signals. And for the first time ever.. there’s one on the radar besides the one that I create with my airport express. Very exciting… even if somehow it doesn’t work for me.

There’s a show being uploaded right now… but its going to take 2 hours to upload. This is painful.

The good new is that I was on BBC Worldservice “World Have Your Say” again today. This time the subject was how I feel about my government’s policy regarding Lebanon-Israel. If you want to know what I said, you’ll have to find the audio.. somewhere in the BBC Radio website. I couldn’t find it and my internet is barely existant.

I will just add that it was exciting to get the call from the Beeb even here in Lisbon. Last week I was Mark in the Netherlands… today I was Mark in Portugal… I want to keep moving just to hear how it sounds when I speak on the radio.

I’m going to leave it at that until this show is posted. I think I’m on vacation right now.
In the meantime… go read THIS IS BEIRUT… written by some friends and friends of friends who grew up in or are tied to Beirut in some manner.

The Haves and the Have Boats

I’m going to save the discussion about the terrible war crime that the Israeli military committed today by bombing the UN observer post. Someone in charge has clearly lost their mind and must be arrested and face charges in the international criminal court. But again, thats for a future post, so save the comments on that issue.

ams070617Today’s issue starts with a story. A few hours ago, as I cruised in from a leisurely boat ride around the Jordaan and Prinseneiland, I noticed a boat-owner-neighbor parked a few spots up from me, standing in his boat waving to me. “Nice Lamp” he shouted in Dutch, referring to my pink colored lantern that gets alot of comments somehow. I thanked him and began to tie my ropes and chain to the usual places on land. The man’s smile changed when he saw this, and he gave out a warning “make sure you lock everything up and chain it properly, this guy who usually parks between us had his boat stolen last night”. Stolen? I stared at him in disbelief. Thoughts of what a nice neighborhood we live in, and why would anyone want to steal that boat which I remember being fairly unremarkable. Are you sure – I asked. A boat stolen, here? He started laughing and went on to talk about how easy it is and how our neighborhood is not immune to theft of anykind.

Which reminded me of larger issues at play in this beloved city. Amsterdam has tons of beautiful things. Whether you cruise down on bike or on boat, you’ll be able to see people sitting in their luxurious houses, or cruising by in their fancy boats. In terms of haves and have nots, this city’s haves like to flaunt what they’ve got.

Of course, this is what you see on the surface. If you go out to the far off neighborhoods.. things are somewhat different. People don’t have as much to flaunt, and thanks to a number of different issues and circumstances, many decide that stealing from the haves is a good way to acquire some quick cash if not thrills.

While I don’t like the idea of my stuff being stolen, especially my boat which spends many hours out there on the water, alone… after observing Dutch society over the years, I’m not so surprised. Matter of fact, it seems inevitable. With all the in-your-face luxury of this city, that a relatively small yet very visible population exhibit. Combined with lots of disaffected youth, with limited prospects for fullfilling or even just earning a higher standard of living then the one they’re born into. That my boat or my neighbors boat, regardless of weather he and I are fairly financially well of or not, might be targeted…. not that much of a surprise.

People talk alot of Europe’s safety nets. Some of it warranted. Much of it has been picked apart and made more difficult to attain. Quality of life remains high, and poverty is of course not as prevelant as it is in most other countries… but still… one thing is certain… if the political and social winds keep blowing the way they’re blowing.. the Red August is gonna need thicker chains and a bigger lock.

Leaving for Portugal in the morning.. see you on the other side!