Spain. Portugal

Author: Jin Liangjun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Portugal can be considered the sister country of Spain. From the 15th to 16th centuries, Portugal also expanded overseas, establishing colonies that were over 110 times larger than its homeland. Portugal also has a tradition of bullfighting, but compared to the brutality of Spanish bullfighting, it does not kill the bulls, making it seem more gentle. Due to its world-renowned wine and special wood cork, Portugal is also known as the "Kingdom of Wine" and the "Kingdom of Cork." In Europe, whether from a geographical, folkloric, historical, or artistic perspective, Spain is a unique country, exuding a rich and vibrant charm. Five hundred years ago, the Spanish Kingdom sent Columbus to lead a fleet on a voyage, discovering the New World for the first time, and in the following centuries, it claimed most of Latin America, making Spanish one of the most widely spoken languages in the world today. Literary classics like Don Quixote, modern abstract art master Pablo Picasso, the fierce and unrestrained art of bullfighting, and the passionate and exhilarating dance of flamenco all originated from this rich and deeply rooted cultural and historical land in southwestern Europe. Because it is bordered by the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it is hailed as the "country that exports sunshine and beaches," making it a destination of longing for people in the gloomy regions of Western Europe, who flock there every year for vacation. Due to its large exports of shoes and olive oil, Spain is also known as the "Kingdom of Shoes" and the "Kingdom of Olive Oil."