An earthquake struck the country in 1755 further causing destruction to its already weakened economy. In 1910, a revolution deposed the monarchy. In 1926, there was a military coup d'etat that established dictatorship until 1974. Another coup established reforms and instituted democracy in the country. Portugal is member of NATO, OECD, EFTA and recently European Union. During World War II Portugal remained neutral.

Social Stratification

Classes and Castes. At the end of World War II, a small number of the population in Portugal comprises the upper class, middle class and urban working class. Majority of Portugese were rural peasants.

The upper class included industry leaders, financiers, high-ranking military personnel, the Catholic episcopate, the Alentejo large landholders, some professionals, and some government officials. The middle class is comprised of smaller rural landowners, some military officers, small business owners, civil servants, and schoolteachers. The lower class (o povo) consisted of the urban and rural working poor.

Social mobility is not observable and the distinction was between those who worked with their hands and those who did not. Social status was maintained by marrying of same class. Before 1974, the State was made up of corporative bodies comprised of different groups such as the military, the Church, landholders, workers' syndicates, etc. The Corporate State intends to promote class interests but in reality the intention is often influenced by personal contacts.

The rural south comprised of huge numbers of landless laborers was more hierarchical than the rural north. This is the reason why the Communist Party and class consciousness are more predominant in the south after the 1974 "revolution." Social stratification in the villages of the north was not as pronounced as in the south. Very wealthy elites were also limited.

The 1976 constitution desired to make Portugal a republic made up of a classless society. The Marxist ideologies no longer made up a huge part of their constitution. Portugal is not as socially rigid as in the past and education becomes more accessible as the country gears toward a more service-oriented economy. Education is also a way to gain social mobility. The number of people comprising the middle class has increased and the peasant population has decreased but the distance separating the social, economic, and political elites from the majority of the population remains.

Portugal - Social Classes

Before 1974, the Portugal's elite were be divided into five groups: the nobility, the large landowners, the heads of large businesses, the members of learned professions, and high-ranking military officers.

The Portugal's social structure had been known to be remarkably stable for centuries. The society was patterned after premodern, quasifeudal mold. Rank, place and class were given much consideration. The system was composed of small elite at the top, majority of peasants at the bottom and nobody in between. Industrialization in Portugal came so late that it was only in the late nineteenth century that the country experienced class changes. When the country became industrialized, the dictatorship under Salazar prevented sociopolitical effects to be felt until the 1974 Revolution transpired.

Portuguese historically has two classes - those who work with their hands and those who do not. Land ownership comes with prestige, power and prosperity. The small middle class comprised of soldiers, merchants, artisans and bureaucrats did not have the unity needed to give recognition to their class or gain political power. Ninety percent of the population comprised the underprivileged who worked as farmers, serfs and peasants. The opportunity to up one's status in life was nil. The poor often accepted their fate as part of God's laws. This social structure continued through generations for centuries.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a "new rich" class emerged due to commerce and investment. The members of this class bought land, intermarried with the old elite preserving the two-class system. The new middle class that emerged followed the upper-class ways such as dislike for manual labor, being refined and staying away from the lower classes. In the era of industrialization, Salazar dictatorship effectively quelled the working class bargaining power which further maintained the two-class system.

Salazar regime knew that the continuous existence of his government relied on the preservation of conservative elements such as low literacy rate and deteriorating road system in order to prevent increase of mobility, urbanization and threats to his power. He isolated Portugal from Europe. The corporative system he established benefited workers but also put them under his tight control. During Salazar's rule, Portugal suffered in terms of housing, education and health care.

Despite the obstacles, changes to the class system are showing due to modernization of the economy. Some groups particularly the elite were losing their traditional status and social power and were being displaced by growing number of middle class which are better able to function in the evolving economy.

Portugal Development

Economic development for Portugal was steady from the 16th centurty until the Carnation Revolution in1974. Economy collapsed in Portugal after the coup. It just recently recovered after it was granted membership to the European Union in 1983.

Britain used to be a colonial power with vast colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The same goes for Portugal which used to be a superpower with expanded colonies in Asia, Africa and South America. Their influence though decline through the years particularly in Portugal when it lost its final overseas empire in 1975.

The 1974-75 revolution in Portugal that led to the current Second Republic and the its succeeding withdrawal from its territories in Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Angola, and soon after, followed by Portugal's membership to the CEE/European Union (l986), showed dramatic duality of imperialism, under-development, and decadence that, under Salazar's regime (1932-74), made small Portugal looked like an European “backwater”.

Portugal for more than 200 years was actually a British protectorate. The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance was based on financial and diplomatic dependence with political independence. The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance dates back to 1373 when both England and Portugal were feudal monarchies of equal stature but facing similar enemies particularly France and Spain.

Portugal's economy recovered after its entry to the EU. After experiencing recession in 1993, the economy saw an average of 3.3% increase, hugher than EU averages. In 2006, it's GDP growth was pegged at 1.3% the lowest in all of Europe.

GuGong, China

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - $1,497; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $1,356; from London (LHR) - $1,071
• Nearest Hotel: Shangri-la China World Hotel; Cost per night (avg.) - $314
  

Imperial Palace or GuGong (Forbidden City, Zijincheng) in China was a Royal Administrative site for royal use and public access during the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Chinese history. It was recorded that the third emperor of dynasty Ming built this palace before he successfully took over the politic and crowned himself emperor. There have been a total of 24 emperors of Ming and Qing who dwelt in this palace. The palace has 9,000 rooms to accommodate imperial families, administrators, eunuchs, maids and soldiers. It has also served as a major location for discussing internal administrative affairs. Now, this palace has been turned into a national museum for tourists to visit and preserves many classical Chinese architectural structures of imperial splendor.

Located in the heart of Beijing, it has easy access to Tiananmen Square while the city of Wangfujing is located to the east. In 1961, this ancient palace was approved by the State Council as the National Palace Museum displaying protected heritages. By 1987, the palace was listed by UNESCO as a “World Heritage”, reflecting the cultural dimension of historical value which has gained international recognition.

The White House, United States of America

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - $136; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $226; from London (LHR) - $684
• Nearest Hotel: The Captial Hilton; Cost per night (avg.) - $399

The White House is one of the more well known symbols of America and is obviously home to the president of the United States and his family. This "palace" is a two-story building and is located in Washington, DC. It was initially established in 1792 and officially became the US President’s official residence in 1800. President Roosevelt first used the phrase “White House” in 1902, referring the to white color of the Presidential residence.

Buckingham Palace, England

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - ; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $614
• Nearest Hotel: Crown Plaza London St. James; Cost per night (avg.) - $296

Buckingham Palace was a palace originally established for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. In 1761, George III used this palace as his private residence and it was then known as “The Queen’s House”. It became the royal palace of Queen Victoria in 1837 and includes 19 state rooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, 78 bathrooms and 52 principal bedrooms as reported in a 1999 book published by the Royal Collection Department. There is a well known statue of Queen Victoria created by the sculptor Sir Thomas Brock in 1911 in front of the main gate.

Grand Kremlin Palace, Russia

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - $972; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $1207; from London (LHR) - $520
• Nearest Hotel: Swissotel Krasnye Holmy; Cost per night (avg.) - $438

Grand Kremlin Palace or Great Kremlin Palace was built between 1837 to 1851 on Borovitsky Hill in Moscow, Russia. The exterior building portrays medieval Russian and Byzantine architecture and includes nine churches from the 14th, 16th and 17th centuries, and more than 700 rooms. It was reported that the former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the former Soviet General Secretary Mikhael Gorbachev signed the INF Treaty at the Grand Kremlin Palace during the Moscow Summit on June 1, 1988.

Palace of Versailles, France

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - $629; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $759; from London (LHR) - $214
• Nearest Hotel: Pullman Versailles Château; Cost per night (avg.) - $237

Palace of Versailles or Versailles was built in the 16th century under Louis XVI. It is located in the city of Versailles, 16 km west-southwest of Paris, France. It includes a 70 meter long hall of mirrors, luxurious apartments built for the king and the queen and the famous Le Norte French park. Before the 1789 revolution, it served as the center of the French monarchy which housed 20,000 nobles and was finally turned into a museum by Louis-Philippe in 1837.

The Potala Palace, Tibet

Due to the present unrest in Tibet, travel anywhere near the palace is currently highly restricted.

The Potala Palace was established at an altitude of 3,700 meters on the side of the Marpo Ri in the center of Lhasa Valley in China. The palace was built by King Songtsen Gambo to greet his bride, Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty of China. This palace has been recently named one of the “New Seven Wonders” by the American television show “Good Morning America” and the newspaper “USA Today”. The palace occupies an area of 41 hectares, is 115 meters in height and has a 13-storey main residence. It is divided into the “red palace” for religious affairs and the "white palace" for political affairs. The palace is richly decorated with paintings, jewels and ornaments.

The Topkapi Palace, Turkey

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - $1,262; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $1,239; from London (LHR) - $375
• Nearest Hotel: 7 Hills Hotel; Cost per night (avg.) - $322

The Topkapi Palace is a glorious building located on the Seraglio Point overlooking the Sea of Marmara and Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey. Its initial construction commenced in 1459 and it was built under the orders of Sultan Mehmed II who was a conqueror of Byzantine Constantinople. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, this palace was the official and primary residence of Ottoman Sultans until the reign of Abdulmecid I (1839-1860). The palace portrays classic Ottoman architecture and also contains huge collections of Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, robes, porcelain, shields, armor, and a large display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry as well.

Blenheim Palace, England

• Airfare from New York (JFK) - ; from Los Angeles (LAX) - $614
• Nearest Hotel: Macdonald Bear Hotel; Lowest per night (avg.) - $183

Blenheim Palace is one of England’s largest houses and was constructed between 1705 and 1722 in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. This palace was originally a gift to John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, in the military triumph against the Bavarians and French. The palace is surrounded by a magnificent lake, sweeping lawns and formal gardens. Inside the palace, the highlights of particular interest are the beautiful carvings and paintings, as well as the monumental Great Hall with its painted ceiling depicting the battle of Blenheim. The state rooms are decorated with numerous hanging tapestries and includes a room commemorating Sir Winston Churchill with elegant pieces of furniture and large collections of portraits by Van Dyck, Laguerre, Reynolds and Kneller. In 1987, this palace claimed its place on a list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Note: All prices are in US Dollars and are approximate/average prices from a general search. Airfares given are round-trip fares and do not necessarily include all taxes.

I have searched and surveyed about moving to Sweden so far.I've asked Swedish people about Sweden,life in Sweden and life conditions in Sweden.These are the results of my quick survey:

1. There is no war or possibility of war in Sweden.All Swedish people live in peace in their land.
2. There is a big opportunity for taking good education especially in engineering and natural sciences. Uppsala University,Lund University and Chalmers University of Technology are popular universities in Sweden and Europe.They all give good education.
   
   
   
   
3. There is a big opportunity for finding good job.Technology and Science is developed in Sweden.Sweden needs youth population.Rate of youth population in Sweden is very low.
   
   
   
4. There are very beautiful places to see in Sweden like Stan Island,famous war ship Vasa,Royal Palace,Theatre Building,Kunqsrad Park,Fjallgatan Hill,Residance Museum,Masthugget Church,Amelienborg Palace,Statue of Little Mermaid,Statue of Poseidon,Karl Johans Street and National Theatre Building.
   
   
   
5. Beautiful blonde girls of Sweden with blue eyes.
   
   
   

Top 10 Sights

The Duomo

Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo or Cathedral, is the very heart of Florence, dominating the city with its massive dome. The dome, designed by Brunelleschi was the largest of its time, completed in 1436 without the use of scaffolding. The Duomo is clad in Multi-coloured marble and is visible all over the city - towering over the neighbouring buildings, or glimpsed looming at the end of a narrow medieval street. If you have the energy, climb the 463 steps to the top and enjoy magnificent views.

Baptistry Doors

There are 3 sets of beautiful and artistically important baptistery doors, the most significant being the east doors commissioned by Ghiberti in 1401, and depicting scenes from the New Testament. Seven leading artists of the time entered a competition to create the doors, and some of these examples are regarded as the first products of the Renaissance. Michelangelo named these doors "The Gate of Paradise". However, the ones in place are copies; the originals can be seen in Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (just behind the Duomo).

Ponte Vecchio

This famous bridge, literally the "Old Bridge", was built in 1345, and is the oldest in Florence. It has always accommodated workshops of one kind or another, though by 1600, the butchers, tanners and blacksmiths, who polluted the river with their offal and waste and caused a choking stench over the city, were evicted. The shops were renovated and rebuilt, and leased to the inoffensive jewellery trade. To this day, the bridge is lined with pretty shops selling modern, classic and antique jewellery to suit every budget. The bridge escaped the bombs of WW2, some say as a direct result of an order from Hitler, while others say the bomber pilot approached the bridge at sunset and could not bear to destroy such an ancient and beautiful structure. So he dropped his bombs elsewhere, out of harms way.

Galleria dell'Accademia

This is the Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1563, and the first European school to teach the techniques of drawing, painting and sculpture. Many of Michaelangelo's important works can be found in the Accademia, including a statue of St Matthew and the "Four Prisoners", dramatically depicting muscular figures struggling to escape from blocks

of stone. The most dominant work is the "David", Michaelangelo's magnificent, massive, nude classical statue of David, the biblical hero who killed Goliath. David, sculpted in marble in 1504, has recently been beautifully restored.

Palazzo Pitti

Started in 1457 for the banker Luca Pitti, this enormous building was intended to show the powerful Medici banking family that it had a worthy rival. Ironically, ongoing building costs bankrupted the Pitti heirs and the palace was bought by the Medicis who made it their main residence. The rooms are lavishly decorated and, today, exhibit many treasures from the Medici collections. The Renaissance style Boboli Gardens, are laid out behind the palace.

Uffizi Gallery

Originally a suite of offices for Duke Cosimo1, this is probably the oldest art gallery in the world. From about 1580, Cosimo's heirs began to use the building to exhibit art treasures belonging to the Medici family. Today, the gallery is laid out in such a way to guide the visitor through the development of Florentine art from the Gothic period to the High Renaissance, and beyond. A number of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures are also displayed.

Church of Sante Croce

Legend tells us that St Francis founded this church himself. The current building, started around 1294 to replace an older construction, is the biggest Franciscan church in the world. The beautiful, austere Gothic structure contains the tombs of several famous Florentines, including Michaelangelo and Galileo. There are also sixteen chapels, many of them decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his pupils.

Piazza della Signoria

This unique, spacious square is enhanced by the majestic Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's town hall (1322), and the Loggia dei Lanzi (1382), a graceful, airy loggia, housing famous statues by Cellini and Giambologna and ancient Roman statues of priestesses. Further sculptures in this unique square include an heraldic lion by Donatello, the spectacular Neptune Fountain by Ammannanti, Giambologna's statue of Cosimo 1 on horseback and a copy of Michaelangelo's David, all dating from the 1500's..

Piazza Michelangelo

The piazza is situated on a hill slightly south east of the city centre. It dates from 1860 and is home to copies of Michaelangelo's famous statues. There are far reaching views over the rooftops, spires, towers and domes of Florence, the largest being the rich, red dome of the Duomo itself. Beyond, lie the misty purple hills of Fiesole.

San Lorenzo Market

This outdoor market has an excellent selection of good quality and reasonably priced goods, such as leather gloves, jackets, belts and bags of all descriptions; scarves, pashminas and ties; painted trays; costume jewellery and Florentine souvenirs of every type.

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Bargello

Superb collection of beautiful Renaissance sculpture, including works by Michaelangelo, Donatello, Giambologna, Cellini and others.

Medici Tombs

 Adorned with some of Michaelangelo's finest works.

Casa Buonarotti

Michaelangelo's house for a short time, housing some of his personal belongings and works.

Palazzo Davanzati

Typical home of a wealthy Florentine family of the 1500's.

Church of Santo Spirito

 Augustinian church dating from 1250, with beautiful colonnaded aisles.

Church of San Lorenzo

 Parish church of the Medici family.

Church of Santa Maria Novella

 Gothic church housing important artworks.

Convent of San Marco

Beautiful, simple setting for a superb collection of devotional frescoes by Fra Angelico.

Brancacci Chapel

Frescoes depicting the life of St Peter, commissioned around 1424.

Mercato Centrale

Big, covered food market tucked away in the depths of the San Lorenzo market.

Be alert of a giant dancing squid while swimming!

Please do not poop on the tree!

Cool, what type of burger is termed “Yo baby burger?”

Actually reads: “Watch for children...they could be yours.” What is the purpose of this sign? Do kids in Quebec usually go to the road and then become unconscious?

An emergency brake found in a Dutch train. Nevertheless, someone purposely wrote “room service” on it, which means pull here for room service!

Be careful; do not let the sea claim your car!

Coffee and what?! Some snack of SNAKE...

If your dog has a giant hair on his neck, he will be the next king.

Wait! The ducklings and their mother are crossing the road.

The poop is in an odd shape, it looks like charcoal ice cream.

...the latest design of a toilet ball?

Hmmm ... lost the faith in GOD?

It is Ok you do not speak Dutch, as “urinoir” means...

The sign says “Warning! Trying to climb the bin is dangerous.” Someone may change his mind at the last minute by climbing into this old clothes collection bin and be mistaken for donation.

Do not use your laptop while...

The sign means, “Take your dog's poop home!” Oops, poop has feelings, too! The poop has an angry face, how funny is that?!

Hey, kid, you do not hit your target!

...have people really locked and suffocated their toddlers in the plastic bin that call for a warning sign???

Awesome! Monkeys or coworkers...

Hmmm ... an emergency meeting area...

The sign in Japanese reads: “Smoking in a clump of people is bad. People's coats are mostly expensive.”

Wow, UFO ...an alien abduction area?!

Naked men with hats not allowed entering the church.

Oh no...Is this “modern” corpse transportation? Why is this stiff dead man still smiling?

What kind of bin is this? Do not put fish or a bag in the bin or it will bite you. ...oh no, dwarves and children cannot use it too...hmmm...anyway do not stick your head in it.

Danger! You will be chased by possessed construction machinery"....

No passing gas here, please!

An explosive car should not be here!

Do not flush baby bottle, fork, syringe, bottle, cup and underwear down the toilet!

Attention! Mr. Superman, do not cross here!

Mr. Elk: “Hey you alien baby, do not touch my antler velvet!”

Do not laser your hand! It will turn black!

Japan Tobacco made a series of these posters to encourage smokers to be more polite about litter and smoking in public places. Some of them are indeed very poetic.

Do not smoke here or a man in a top black hat will break one of your legs with a smile.

Shut up! Let us go! (A comedy group called "Eure Muetter" means “Your mother” is coming around to present their new program "Nix da "Leck mich!" Auf geht's!" that means "Shut up! Let us go!")

Mr. Pooper, do not poop here, please!

In the name of love, STOP!!!

If you let wheels and turtles roll into the bowl, you are not going to rocket away by the power of your bowel!

Oops, upside down ducks like swimming in the garbage ponds?!

Hmmm……..toilet for two headed female?!

For those who aim the best………probably this is the right place.

Wow, what kind of coffee is this?

Confused…….Non? Oui?

“WRONG WAY” or “GNORW YAW” ……???

The sign says in Spanish, “Jesus Christ is the remedy...?”

Oops … A tree with a BRA. Awesome though!

Hmmm… Does the sign that is located upside down means that one can queue across the intersection?

Perhaps this is not a good place to buy foods.

Female may feel nervous of using this restroom.

Ideal place for one stop shopping: buy some real estates, get a haircut and a divorce for $99.

There is something special about Painswick. The scenery and views are typical of this part of Gloucestershire, yes, but there is definitely something different about that particular village. Well, I say village but actually it is a town. Yes, it is definitely a town, just a very small one. There aren't many shops in Painswick. Just a few essential places, like a convenience store, a post office, a tea shop, a chemist, and some antique shops. However, Painswick's close proximity to the somewhat larger town of Stroud somehow makes this unimportant.

Why Painswick?

Years ago, when I was a teenager, I had a college friend who lived in Painswick, in a lovely big old terraced house built from Cotswold Stone; and also my ex-girlfriend lived nearby in another nearby village; to me, this made it romantic somehow, and ever since then I've always loved the area.

Old Buildings

Painswick has a very old feel to it. It lays spread up a hillside, with its church spire pointing upwards; you can see it for many miles away, and it has a great character. I've often thought that the houses there must cost a lot, as the buildings are made of Cotswold stone. There has been some more building work going on lately, in keeping with the style of the other buildings. After a while, when they are more weather-beaten they will certainly look good and fit in very well with the overall Cotswold stone appearance of Painswick. However, apart from this latest development, Painswick hasn't grown much over the years.

The Scenery

The scenery surrounding Painswick is very beautiful, and is part of what I consider Gloucestershire scenery at its best. Famous author Laurie Lee lived nearby in the village of Slad, which is down another nearby valley. By the way: the town of Stroud is surrounded by five valleys; these are: Painswick Valley, Slad Valley, Toadsmoor Valley, Nailsworth Valley and last but definitely not least, the Golden Valley.

From various hilltops around the nearby (and much larger) town of Stroud, Painswick stands out due to its tall church spire.

Painswick Beacon

If you walk out of Painswick in a northerly direction, you come to Painswick Hill, upon which there is a golf course. Once you reach Painswick Beacon on the top, which contains a triangulation point and a very clear view of the City of Gloucester. This is quite a high point, and you can see for miles around. On a windy day it really does get quite windy up there, and I once stood right up on top of the triangulation point on a very windy day.

There is something very atmospheric up on Painswick Beacon, whether it is on a sunny day or on a cloudy, windy day. Whatever the weather, Painswick Beacon is a very nice place to go. I have been on several walks up there with my walking groups, and also with friends and family, and by myself. It is a very peaceful place to be. Well, it would be if it wasn't for all the golfers, but live and let live is what I say. After all, who am I to go starting arguments with people who carry metal bars around as part of their leisure time?!

Fr. Diego Cera is not only the builder of the organ but also the builder of the church where the bamboo organ was placed. He is a native of Spain and served as a priest in so many years. Historians known him as a gifted man because of many talents.

It took him years to build this bamboo organ instrument. He started from 1816 and finished in 1824. In 1880, there was a strong typhoon and an earthquake that lead to the destruction of the instrument.

After the calamity, nobody had ever played the instrument again until Johannes Klais Orgalbau in 1973 came and brought it to Germany to fix. It took him two years to finish the restoration which includes the tuning, cleaning.and other materials that was damaged.

Finally, in 1975, the bamboo organ was brought back to its original place. Until then, the organ plays a very beautiful music and a lively sound that makes Filipino communities and foreigners as well visit the place. They use the bamboo organ for the church of Las Pinas where they sing songs of praise to God.