Portugal vs. Brazil - How Similar Are They?

In 2018, I spent two amazing months in Rio de Janeiro, the marvellous city of Brazil with beaches, incredible landscapes and an obsession with football. I have also been to Foz do Iguaçu and Manaus which are some of the most amazing experiences of my life. This month I spent a week in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal which has postcard-worthy views and incredible food. Portugal and Brazil share a common culture and language. I was inspired to write this post when I was talking with a man on my flight to Lisbon in Portuguese and it turned out he was from Minas Gerais and talked to me about the differences between Brazil and Portugal.

First thing that I would say is that Brazil and Portugal are both lusophone countries. That means they both speak Portuguese, a language which I'd say I can speak fairly well. I can hold a conversation with a Brazilian, however, when it comes to Portuguese in Portugal, I found the accent harder to understand. The difference between Portuguese in Portugal and in Brazil is similar to that of Spanish in Spain and Spanish in Argentina. Portuguese people speak much faster, however they also speak very good English, while in Brazil, not everyone speaks English. Especially in Rio de Janeiro hardly anyone except for a few can speak good English. However, I have met Brazilians from Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais who can speak better English than most Scottish people. Another comparison of Portuguese in Portugal and Brazilian Portuguese is the difference between American English and British English. Brazilian Portuguese is very informal and uses a lot of slang words that would be alien to Portuguese people.

A massive difference that I noticed between Portugal and Brazil is that Portugal has much more history. Lisbon's Alfama is the oldest district in the city with architecture dating back to the 18th century. Portugal has castles such as the Castelo dos Mouros which was built in the 8th century, long before Portuguese explorers had set foot in Brazil. Brazil is a relatively new country compared to Portugal and architecture built before the 20th century isn't too common. Most of the buildings in Rio de Janeiro are modern and the ones that are older tend to sadly be neglected. In Manaus there are remnants of old-style buildings, however, much of it has been neglected. I have been told about Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais which was hugely influential when Brazil was a Portuguese colony and much of the colonial architecture has been restored today for the purpose of tourism. Definitely a place I want to visit in future.

A noticeable similarity between Portugal and Brazil is that they both have cobblestone pavements. The cobblestone pavements with the black pattern is mostly associated with Copacabana Beach, but in Lisbon there are pavements that would make you think you were in Brazil.

From the picture at the top, one of the pictures was taken at the Sanctuary of Christ in Almada, across the Tagus river in Portugal and the other is atop of Corcovado at the world famous Christ the Redeemer which is one of the seven wonders of the world. However, these two statues are fairly similar, even in size and you'd be surprised to know that there are statues like them all over the world. Catholicism is huge in Both of these countries, in Lisbon, there are a huge number of cathedrals and the one in Alfama is the most famous. In Rio de Janeiro, there are many cathedrals, but those in Lisbon are much more classical.

When it comes to safety, I would say that Lisbon is much safer than Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro is notorious for violent crime and even for Brazilians who don't live in Rio think of the city as dangerous. Rio de Janeiro is known for its favelas, more commonly known as comunidades in which gun crime and police corruption are commonplace. In Portugal I was told that there are areas you must avoid such as Amadora where there is gun violence, crime and police raids just like in Brazil. In Rio, there is danger if you look for it, but if you stay in safe areas and take care of your belongings you will be fine. The same goes for Lisbon.

In both Brazil and Portugal, the most popular sport is football. In Brazil, football is everywhere, it is on TV all of the time, football strips are sold in sports shops everywhere and if a football match is on, you will know by the noise. I have been to the Maracanã to see Flamengo and it was one of the greatest atmospheres I have witnessed. In Portugal, it is less extreme, but for a small country, football is massive, I missed the chance of going to a Benfica match, but got to visit the stadium and the support for both Lisbon clubs are very visible.

It is worth mentioning that Brazilian food is fairly different from Portuguese food, because Brazil is such a huge country with a vast population, there is a huge variety in food depending on the state. One of Brazil's main dishes is Feijoada, which consists of black beans, pork and is served with rice. It's an acquired taste, but I'd say I like it. Another Brazilian favourite of mine is coxinhas which is meat wrapped in fried dough and it is very good. I also have to say that my favourite soft drink is the Brazilian Guaraná, a fizzy drink made from the Amazonian Guaraná berry. This drink is incredibly hard to find in the UK, but in both Brazil and Portugal, you can buy it in shops.

Portuguese food is good, but it is an acquired taste, if you are not an avid meat eater, then I suggest steering clear of Portugal. Portuguese cod is one of the most common food you'll find in Portugal, many dishes are seafood with cod, shrimp and monkfish. Portugal also has decent beef, however, the most affordable dishes tend to be that of seafood. Without a doubt, one of the best things I had in Portugal was the pastel de nata, a custard tart which you can buy at a bakery for just a little over a euro.  

I have to see that there's a lot that makes these two countries similar, but also a lot that makes them different. I could spend a lot of time talking about the things I liked about both countries, especially the food.