PORTUGAL is a tourism-induced country because of its proximity to the Mediterranean and because it is located in a peninsula unlike the rest of mainland Europe. Also, the climate here is very temperate almost having that tropical feel of being in Phuket or in any other place near the equator. Most of the visitors come here during summer in such resorts as Praia da Luz. The food here is fresh because Mediterranean catch immediately go to the kitchen to be cooked literally. Actually, you can see some restaurants which display fish such as grouper and other Mediterranean catch such as redfish and lobsters where you can tell a waiter to pluck one out so it can be cooked according to what you have chosen from the menu.

Restaurants in beach resorts here all have that distinctive blue flag accreditation – meaning they are checked periodically by the European Union for quality of service they provide. Beach resorts here likewise double as dive resorts and here, one can find certified diving instructors who will accompany you if ever you’re off to a diving tour. Then there are also golf courses in certain beach resorts and once again, these are staffed with PGA-certified instructors and caddies. Some high-end beach resorts also have casinos. There are also a few nudist beaches here which you will encounter but these are only for nudists. If you want some adventure yet a little bit conscious to be naked in front of other naked people too, then go out swimming at night. Moonless nights are especially cool ones since the glow of the planktons under the water will illuminate your whole body. Or else, go out into the remote beaches if you want to get some naked tanning by yourself but have someone accompany you because the Guardia Civil do not usually patrol these beaches.

Most of the tourists here are either British or Scandinavian in origin. But during winter, the beaches are a little bit deserted though because it’s a little bit cold. You can’t expect yourself to have some naked swimming during this time. You need to don layers and layers of clothing but don’t use cottony fiber though since cotton tends to absorb moisture. The result: you will get even colder. But have yourself the hassle anymore of bringing lots of clothes from your country of origin. Shopping for clothes is a bargain here especially in urban cities such as Lisbon, the nation’s capital. You will find that lots of boutique attendants speak English because that is how they make the country’s tourism develop – adjusting themselves to the language of their foreign guests.

But learning Portuguese too can be one of the fun things to do here too. Portuguese is a cousin of the Spanish language and like English, it is a Romance language because it derived from Rome. Some Portuguese language schools here offer two-week crash courses and one of the features is to let you immerse in a Portuguese household. Now isn’t that cool?

PORTUGAL is a devout Catholic country that is why Christmas here is celebrated in a very traditional, conservative and religious kind of way. Christmas here usually starts four Sundays before Christmas in a rite called the first Sunday of Advent. During this time, each Roman Catholic parish in Portugal will have a prominent family light a candle in a wreath strategically located near the altar of the church so that the whole congregation will see it. The candle remains lit while a mass is going on and of course, it will be extinguished once each mass is finished. The height of the candle is made in such a way that it can be fully consumed during the Christmas Eve mass. Then nine days before Christmas, dawn masses called vigil masses are celebrated each dawn. During Advent, Roman Catholics all over Portugal have their sacrament of confession. For some, this may be the only confession they have with a priest for the entire year. The whole celebration ends in Epiphany or the first Sunday of January after which the Roman Catholic goes back to ordinary days as according to their liturgical calendar.

Yet there are Christmas traditions in Portugal which are not religious but which still persist. Every January 5, children place boxes in the windows of their homes because they believe the spirits of the Three Wise Men will give them tangible gifts. On the other hand, adults in the country will also place boxes in the windows of their homes alongside with their children’s because they believe the Three Wise Men – Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar – will give them good blessings the whole new year through.

But greeting merry Christmas in Portugal means just greeting them happy holidays. Not all people and Caucasians like you whom you’ll encounter on the streets of Lisbon and Praia da Luz are Roman Catholics just like you. Some are atheists. These are the Dutch expatriates who are living in holiday homes close to the nudist beaches in the country’s Mediterranean coastline. These Dutch expatriates, especially the women, enjoy a little bit of skinny dipping during Christmas Eve especially if it is a moonless night and especially if the Geminids are appearing its once-a-year glory above. While the Geminids are showering above, illumination in the Mediterranean waters are provided by the planktons.

On the other hand, there are also a few Jews living in Portugal because this country is a land of expatriates. The Jews have their own Hannukah celebration at this time of the year and Portugal Jews have a jolly time in concocting kosher menus. Besides, there’s an abundance of lamb and olive oil in the country and a combination of the two will mean a yummy feast during that day. By the way, Hannukah is a rite commemorating the Maccabees’ victory from King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. On the other hand, the Muslims in Portugal also have their own celebration at this time of the year – the Eid ul-Adha.