THE PORTUGUESE WAY OF LIFE
Travellers in Portugal will find a mild-mannered, easy going people. At the same time they have an innate sense of politeness, a quality they respect in others. The Portuguese also tend to dress well, if rather conservatively, and to use formal modes of address: for example only the young will call new acquantainces by their Christian names.
In spite of this they are a gregarious folk, often to be seen eating, drinking and making merry in large groups – at a festa, or in a restaurant celebrating a birthday or a first communion. There is a special weakness for children who are cherished, indulged and welcomed everywhere. Visitors to the country who bring their youngsters with them will discover an immediate point of contact with their hosts. Nevertheless, behind the smiles and the good humour is a deep rooted aspect of national psyche which the Portuguese themselves call saudade, a sort of etheral, aching melancholy which seems to yearn from something lost or unattainable.
In so far as these generalisations hold true, so too do a couple of Portuguese characteristics which can prove irritating. The first is a relaxed attitude to time: no visitor should interpret lack of punctuality as a personal slight. The second is the fact that many Portuguese men tend to discard their native courtesy completely when they are behind the wheel of a car. Reckless driving, particularly high-speed tailgating is a national passtime.
The family is the bossom of Portuguese daily life. Although old customs are gradually changing, especially in the cities, it is quite common for three generations to live under one roof, and it is normal for both men and women to stay living in the family home until they marry. Family size has changed dramatically, nowadays one or two children constitute an average-sized family, often looked after by a grandmother while both parents go out to work.
Catholicism is at the heart of Portuguese life, especially in the north, where you will see a crucifix or the image of a saint watching over most homes, cafés and barbers’ shops. Weddings and first communion services are deeply religious occasions, Although church attendance is in decline, particularly in the cities, national devotion to Our Lady of Fátima remains steadfast, as does delight in festivals (romarias) honouring local saints, another tradition which is strongest in the north.