ABC WEDNESDAY - # 22 (U)

(All images downloaded from the internet)

«U» is for «U-HU!!!!!!», because today is PORTUGAL DAY («Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities»)!!!!

Portugal, a beautiful country right at the centre of the World Map, with lots of Sea but with almost no ships to sail in it.

«U» is also for «UÍGE», one of the hundreds of Portuguese Ships already gone and built on a time when Portugal really cared for its Ships and was aware of their importance both for the economy and also for the leisure of the people. This one in particular was named after a beautiful city in Angola and was deadly scrapped by [Batistas S.A.]. I hope they earned a lot of money doing it and that the IRS charged them a fortune!

Another fabulous, extraordinary and, some will even say, UNIQUE contribution to ABC Wednesday!...

DIA DE PORTUGAL

This is one of my favourite photos from the lot I've posted today!! Like some of the others, it was downloaded from the oficial site of the [Presidency]! Click on the photo to better view it!

DAY OF PORTUGAL

DAY OF PORTUGAL

Photos downloaded from the site of the Presidency, taken yesterday to the Portuguese Navy Ships «Álvares Cabral» (F331) and «João Roby» (F487) at Viana do Castelo, during the trainings for today’s ceremony of the WINGS OF PORTUGAL!!! (please view the next post for more information regarding the link to the live performance).

A Fragata NRP «Álvares Cabral» (F331), da classe «Vasco da Gama», e a Corveta NRP «João Roby» (F487), da classe «Baptista de Andrade», durante os treinos de ontem dos ASAS DE PORTUGAL em Viana do Castelo!... Vejam por favor o post seguinte.

ASAS DE PORTUGAL * WINGS OF PORTUGAL

(Photo downloaded from the site of the Presidency, taken yesterday at Viana do Castelo, during the trainings of the Wings of Portugal for today's ceremony)

As [cocabixinhos] kindly informed us, you may watch the live performance of the WINGS OF PORTUGAL at 3 p.m. (Lisbon and Greenwich Time) at the following TV site: [http://www.rtp.pt/rtpi/images/site/emissao/]. Não deixem de ver a exibição em directo a partir das 15:00 na RTP 1 e na RTP Internacional das ASAS DE PORTUGAL no site acima identificado!

TV ATLÂNTICO AZUL (QUASE) EM DIRECTO!!!

THE PARASHOOTERS WILL JUMP IN ABOUT A FEW MINUTES, ALL CARRYING FLAGS OF PORTUGAL AND WILL FLY THROUGHOUT THE SKIES FOR ABOUT FOUR MINUTES!!! COCA BIXINHOS, ARE YOU WATCHING RTP 1???? AGORA ESTÃO A PASSAR OS COMANDOS DA SERRA DA CARREGUEIRA COM SEIS CÃES. MAIS DE 120 PARAQUEDISTAS DE SÃO JACINTO E AVEIRO A CANTAR «Ó PÁTRIA MÃE!! POR TI DOU A VIDA!!!», E AS OPERAÇÕES ESPECIAIS!!! PATRIOTISMO PURO!!!... Está a agora a passar um Jeep Willis matrícula ME-00-01, com mais de quarenta anos, que já saltou de um avião!!! Liiiindo!!! Ena!!! Obuses light gun, seguidos de mais 6 viaturas com obuses de 155 mm!!! Ohh... Os carros de combate este ano não vieram (por causa do local escolhiso - o Campo da Agonia - ter um parque subterrâneo que poderia ceder com o peso)... Bateria de 155 mm sedeada em Vendas Novas. Viaturas da Guerra Nuclear Biológica e Química. 12 VIATURAS BLINDADAS PANDUR DO EXÉRCITO! LINDAS!!!... Agora (11:35) vai desfilar a Força Aérea!!!... Às 15h00 vai haver uma demonstração das ASAS DE PORTUGAL!!! THE WINGS OF PORTUGAL WILL MAKE A SHOW AT 3 P.M.!!! YOU MAY WATCH IT AT RTP INTERNACIONAL!!!...

HEY!!! PORTUGUESE LIVING AND WORKING IN NEWARK AND NEW JERSEY AND OTHER PORTUGUESE COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ARE ALSO CELLEBRATING!!!

DAY OF PORTUGAL

(Photo downloaded from the page of the Presidency)

Right now, at the Military Parade, the President, The Prime-Minister, the Armed Forces, other Offical entities and the people present are rendering an homage to all the Portuguese People who died for the Country. They will start reading all the names of the Portuguese Heroes, one of them my Mother's Friend, Francisco Palma, who died to save his colleagues at war, at Guiné. They will also pray for them, so that their brave sacrifice will never be in vain. Another Heroe I like to recall is Captain Carvalho de Araújo, who threw his ship towards a submarine to save a Portuguese passengership at Azores full of people which was being attacked!

Francisco Palma era natural do Torrão (Alentejo), estudou no Liceu de Torres Vedras (terra da Mãe dele) e em Setúbal. O Pai era funcionário das Finanças. Era Comandante na Guerra da Guiné. O inimigo atirou uma granada e ele, para salvar os soldados dele e camaradas, atirou-se de propósito para cima dela. No momento do funeral, o meu Avô ligou aos meus pais, que estavam em Serpa Pinto (Sul de Angola) e disse que nunca na Vida tinha assistido a um enterro tão dramático.

DAY OF PORTUGAL

THE MILITARY PARADE HAS JUST STARTED!!! IT'S AWSOME!!!

(photo downloaded from the official webpage of the Presidency, referring to last year's ceremony at Setúbal, with SAGRES behind)

TODAY IS DAY OF PORTUGAL

Our President yesterday aboard the Hospital Ship «Gil Eannes», at Viana do Castelo, the city hosting this year's ceremonies, and also cellebrating its 750th Anniversary as a city.

(Photos downloaded from the official webpage of the Presidency of the Republic)

THE CERIMONY IS STARTING (IT'S 10 AM)! AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE JUST SEEN THE PRESIDENCIAL CAR PASSING BY THE HOSPITAL SHIP «GIL EANNES»!!! HOURRAY!!!

DIA DE PORTUGAL, DE CAMÕES E DAS COMUNIDADES PORTUGUESAS

Imagem retirada da página electrónica da [Escola Secundária 2/3 Lima de Freitas - Setúbal]. Image downloaded from the webpage of the referred «Lima de Freitas School», at Setúbal, Portugal.

Celebra-se hoje pelo Mundo inteiro o Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas. É o dia em que se assinala a morte de Luís Vaz de Camões a 10 de Junho de 1580 e é também o Dia Nacional de Portugal. Today we are cellebrating Portugal Day throughout the whole World («Day of Camões, Portugal and the Portuguese Communities»).

Today's image, while being also Take 8 for Anna Carson's [PROJECT BLUE], depicts Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1517 or 1524–June 10, 1580), considered Portugal's and one of the World's greatest poets. His mastery of verse has been compared to Homer, Virgil, Dante and Shakespeare, the best example being «The Lusíadas». The poem is mainly about the 16th century Portuguese explorations, which brought fame and fortune to Portugal. Camões' poem, considered one of the finest and most important works in Portuguese literature, became a symbol for the greatness of the Portuguese Nation. Camões was an adventurer, lost one eye fighting in Ceuta, wrote the Portuguese epic poem Os Lusíadas while travelling, and survived a shipwreck in Cochinchina (present-day Vietnam). According to popular lore, Camões saved his epic poem by swimming with one arm while keeping the other arm above water. Camões became a national symbol. Yet, in the year of his death, Portugal lost its independence to Spain. Sixty years later, in December 1, 1640, the country regained its independence. Since then, because Camões' date of birth is not known, the date of his death is celebrated as Portugal's national day.

Text by Sailor Girl, with a little help from Wikipedia.