Show portuguese possessions here is the worldwide world wide extent of portugal s empire four hundred years ago this tiny notion nation changed the map of the world by its achievements in in discovery and exploration modern portugal is now noto atte attempting m epting the comeback trail in the field of world prestige there in a tiny mariners marinero ma chapel that formerly occupied the site vasco da gama and his crew said prayers the night before they hoisted sail to beat around the cape of good hope and blaze the sea trail to india there beneath lofty arches in one of the transepts his body now rests another of gals heroes also shares that quiet luis de campens camoes whose epic poem the Lusi ads sang of the doughty vasco high on the opposite hills loomed the remains of old forts and bruni crumbling castles appearing lute like faded paintings through the morning haze at the end of a seven mile long corridor the tagus broadens into a wide marine anteroom greeks phoenicians Phoenicia ns romans moors and visionary crusaders as well as hardy portuguese navigators have anchored their ships along its shores here have come rich argo sies bearing spices silks and por celaina from the east and gold from brazil armadas port of call from these waters in 1588 when portugal was a vassal of spain sailed the invincible armada to suffer defeat by british force and raging storms some of the boats that ride there today like the craft that came to the tagus of old have upturned phoenician prows or the sloping lateen sail of arab dhows chows lisbon or lisboa as it is locally called is the nearest continental capital to washington D C it is we Z v R LEADER antonio de oliveira salazar is gals present premier mier ile he is leading the nation in its struggle to regain the prestige once possessed by the portuguese approximately the same size and lies at almost exactly the same parallel as our national capital instead of a city of magnificent distances however lisbon is a city of magnificent hills this five mile multihued panorama of cliff terraces rearing above the tagus invites comparison with naples and istanbul A As background it lacks a vesuvius or the spear points of minarets mina yet it still achieves the spectacular with its bright buildings sprawling palaces subtropical gardens and old fort between the somber battlements ot of st george once a morrish stronghold and the modern wharves more than eight centuries of visible history are spread in impressive array man many y other centuries dating back to phoenician and roman occupation cu have been covered by its growth |