Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Portuguese contribution to engineering history
(OP)
I am Portuguese. Portuguese will be today 16 million people, 10 million resident in Portugal and the remains spread all over the world (mainly in US and Brazil). Culturally we suffer successively influence from Romans, Muslims, French, Spanish and English. Great part of our territorial independence will be due to the old alliance with the English (the oldest in Europe). Like the Spanish, Portuguese navigators were those who discovered which is today modern world. Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Cabo Verde, St. Tomé and Principe and East Timor are today independent nations whose national language is the Portuguese. We have done good things and bad things.
We have had a great deal on navigation instruments naval construction and “portulhanos” maps design in XV century.
What is the forum opinion about Portugal and the Portuguese?
luis





RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Many years ago we took in a Brasilian exchange student who fit in very nicely. The first night she made me a cup of coffee that put me on a coffee high for 8 hrs. We enrolled her at the local catholic private school. They were happy to have her without the burden of paying tuition. She made many special friends at the school.
I would like to hear more about engineering and historical museums in Portugal. Thank you. As usual, we have limited knowledge of our neighbors across the sea.
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
The other museum I really liked was a Roman town about 3 hours drive North of Lisboa. It is massive, and the mosaic floors were in excellent condition.
http://www.uc.pt/conimbriga/CONIMBR.HTM
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
When I first moved to the Gulf Coast there were several of the old Snapper Smack, boat, captains first and second generation Portuguese still around and all had many tales from their fishing days on the Grand Banks or in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
It always caused me a lot consternation in reading and talking about the Portuguese Cod Fishermen that after spending the majority of the year at sea fishing that when he returned home he didn't share out enough money to buy his family some of the salted cod he had caught.
All the captains that I was acquainted with were very good fishermen and excellent navigators.
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
There are famous portuguese, whom almost everybody has heard of, who had a strong impact on humanity:
Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Amalia Rodrigues, Carmen Miranda, Eusébio, Figo, and, of course, Pedro Alvares Cabral; many more can be found in:
http
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Recent most visible eCommerce success stories in Portugal
Between others are related to:
Via Verde – RFID implementation (apparently pioneered in Portugal) that allows toll automation for cars. It is now being used also to automate gas pump payments and other applications (such as fleet control)
MULTIBANCO – an ATM network shared by the banking community – similar to the Danish (PBS) – has achieved very large penetration (almost all citizens have a card and use it) and it has helped launch other kiosk-based technologies to the public
Sapo – a Portuguese-language web browser engine developed in Portugal That has had wide acceptance by the public (due to removing the language barrier) and has allowed the creation of virtual communities
· RuralNet
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
They do more than make corks for wine bottles, although that is very important.
http://
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Many wineries are going to plastic corks, most people believe a plastic cork means cheap wine, but the fact is they dont fail like a cork can. I was suprised to hear this on my last Napa tour.
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
On the other hand, did you know that the highest TB incidence rates in Western Europe are in Portugal - 42 per 100,000, compared with 113 per 100,000 in China, and 64 per 100,000 in Brazil ? The city of Porto has the highest rates of TB positive cases -53 in 100,000 (2004).
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
you are being too generous...Portuguese bureaucracy is much more than annoying!
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Why not stop in at Pat's Pub and answer my non-engineering questions about Portugal?
thread1088-178101
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
MintJulep
Once In Portugal Stay the weekend in Lisbon Points to visit
Monuments:
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and Belém Tower.
Near the mosteiro there is a famous pastry shop were you can eat the famous cake called “Pastel de Belém”.
Church of Madre de Deus,
Church Sé de Lisboa,
St.Jorge Castle,
A casa dos Bicos,
Museums;
Janelas Verdes.
Museum Berardo in Centro Cultural de Belem near Jerónimos here you can see also cultural spectacles,
Foundation Caloust Golbenkian here you can see also cultural spectacles,
Culturgest here you can see also cultural spectacles,
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga to see the famous paintings Painéis de S.Vicente from Nuno Gonçalves and the temptations of St.Antão fro Jeronimus Boch,
Lisbon Sites:
Bairro Alto with narrow mourish style streets
Down town Rua do Carmo and Chiado with the famous café Brasileira where Fernando Pessoa used to stay
Praça do Comércio and the Restaurant Martinho da Arcada also where Fernando Pessoa used to stay
Praça da Nações where EXPO98 took place with examples of modern architecture of Alvaro Siza Vieira
Towns around Lisbon:
Cascais, Estoril, Sintra
After the the Lisbon weekend, rent a car and drive trough the hole Portugal to see;
On south of Portugal 150 Km west Atlantic coast try Costa Vicentina and Visit city of Sines where Vasco da Gama has lived and go down till the Algarve at Sagres
On the North Visit Porto City and travel along Douro River to seen the famous vines of Oport wine
Also in the North visit O Minho which is called Portuguese Suiss
Other cities to visit in Portugal are:
Coimbra in the centre of Portugal with the old university
City of Tomar also in the centre of Portugal with great influence of the Christian order of the Templários
In the south visit the Alentejo province and taste the good red wines don’t forget to see the city of Évora.
I have tried to give you an overview of my country which is obvious superficial
Regards
Luis marques
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
A spectacular type of hotel to stay in in Portugal are the pousadas- converted castles, palaces and abbeys- they may be expensive, but it's not often you get to sleep in a genuine 15th century castle!
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
corus
RE: Portuguese contribution to engineering history
Aye, lad, M. Eiffel created an edifice most would recognise.
Not to mention (so I will) the Chrysler Building, Tower Bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, et cetera.
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.