The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

Tomorrow, we catch a flight back to Madrid for an overnight stay and then travel to Greece (Athens). We have had a great time in Portugal. It's one of the poorest countries in the EU and will probably remain so for a while. There isn't much sign of poverty... the fact they are borrowed up to the hilt doesn't show on the faces of people. They look happy and positive. The proportion of youth is noticeably low... probably a proportion are seeking employment in other EU countries. The prices off the main tourist drags are low and there are always lots of people to provide service. This probably means wages are very low.

Portugal has invested much of its recent borrowings into a 'first class' road system. The whole coastal strip has deep gorges running right down to the sea. Without hundreds of million dollar bridges, the country would certainly remain stuck in poverty. Nearly all express-ways have tolls that are too expensive for the typical Portuguese citizen to use. We would drive for miles without having to share these magnificent structures. Arguably, they over spent on some junctions with minor roads... no doubt local politics played a role there. Also its worth mentioning the high priority Portuguese have given to tertiary education. For a country with little agriculture or mining, their future path seems to lie along having a highly skilled workforce. (Many other countries are being forced to follow similar strategies, so they will need a lot of luck.)

Portuguese melancholia comes from missed opportunities during the 'Victorian' period. In its days of empire, Portugal was awash with money. Brazil was digging up gold faster than any other nation... and all this gold went straight to Portugal. And how did Portugal spend its wealth? Basically, they went long on investments in churches and palaces. With the benefit of hindsight, you could question if this was the best choice. This is where Bob Dylan adds some relevant philosophy. How many churches do you need to make your people pious? How much gold leaf do you need on an altar to keep God on your side. How many crucifixes are needed to provide miracle cures and protection against hunger? How many palaces do you need to show that you are rich? (I think you've got the drift.) If Portugal had invested as much into education as they did in theology, they could have remained a world power. Alternatively, they could have continued to invest in shipping. (Their first big bonanza resulted from inventing sails that allowed their ships to tack into the breeze better than any other nation. Simultaneously, they invested in espionage that gave them the best maps in the world.)

So, we say farewell to Portugal having enjoyed its hospitality, but learning only enough to realise how little we understand about the place. They are lovely warm people... seeing men kiss each other on the lips as a form of greeting sort of clarified the warmth aspect. We hope we can return in the not too distant future.