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Portugal’s national day, Dia de Camões is celebrated on June 10th.
Portuguese people celebrate their National Day in remembrance of gaining independence from Spain in 1640.
Also, known as Dia de Camões, it takes its name after the death of a Portugal’s national poet Luís Vaz de Camões’ in 1580.
We spoke about the day with Edgar Peneda Telecom Field Engineer, Rigger, Team Lead for KTL.
We asked Edgar what are the three things about Portugal that most people wouldn’t know?
1. Portugal owned half of the "New World".
In 1494, Portugal and Spain divided the world in two by signing the treaty of Tordesillas, which essentially gave Portugal the eastern half of the "New World" (Brazil, Africa and Asia).
2. The biggest wave ever surfed was in Portugal.
In February 2011, Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara surfed the highest recorded wave measuring a whopping 24 meters (80 feet) tall off the coast of Nazare in Portugal. A new world record.
3. Portugal and Britain are very old friends.
The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance was signed in 1373 and is still in force until this day. Both countries entered wars to defend the other, including the UK entering the Iberian Peninsula War and Portugal entering World War I. “It seems like the Portuguese and British have had each other’s back for a long time!”
To read the full article: http://ow.ly/t06y50JtU3h