Portugal, 1950

[Music] Silver wings above the blue Atlantic with the modern navigator reversing that first westward route of the gallon caravls of Columbus, Cabaral, and Vasco Deama. For today's landfall is Portugal itself, where the storied river Teas still carries its ancient traffic down to the sea. where the fabulous tower of Berlin still stands sentinel on the bright river shore. Long ago from the sight of this historic landmark, Vasco Dama sailed on his epical voyage to India. The harbor of Lisbon could tell a thousand stories. Tales of glittering Roman gs of the intrepid gators of Prince Henry's day. Of that golden age when Portugal ruled over half of the known world. Those glories are gone now, but Lisbon's beautiful Avanita de Ledad symbolizes the eternal city of the Teis. Combining the atmosphere of yesterday with the spirit of tomorrow, Lisbon today is a metropolis of some 800,000. [Music] In the National Assembly are promulgated the principles that have made Portugal with its 8 million people an orderly and exceptionally clean nation. Having raised health and living standards to an important degree. Lisbon is a city of landmarks. The famous Rosio known as Rolling Motion Square because of its undulating mosaic pattern that creates in one the feeling of rolling over the ocean waves. [Music] This towering outdoor municipal elevator is another highly unusual spectacle, but one which the Lisbon literally take in their stride. Designed by Gustav Eiffel of Paris Tower fame. It has long conveyed the busy citizen from one level of his hilly city to another. Cable cars also are a necessary part of the civic scene in a city where hill climbing adds to the ups and downs of everyday [Music] life. Modernization sets the theme here with this new building project typifying the progressive planning embodied in Portugal's thriving capital. Here it's modern housing for the working man. Homes which can be purchased on a time payment plan. further proof that today's Portugal is in step with the future. But time and tradition also survive, and the age-old ways of the Portuguese fishermen have changed but little. Down through the centuries, Lisbon Harbor has been one of his chief ports of call. The riches of the teeming sea, his eternal quests, with sardines the principal catch. Fishing remains a major Portuguese industry, supplying much of the daily diet. And as always, the traditional verinas or fishwives still hawk their wares through Lisbon's thronging streets. On now to Nazire, ancient fishing village on Portugal central coast. For centuries, the people of Nazareth have lived by the singing sea, reaping of its bounty. Village children display the bright and lively plaids that make their costumes as colorful as their traditional customs. Home is the sailor and these happy youngsters take advantage of the circumstance by getting into the swing of things. The Village Fish Market presents a picture of activity as verinas and housewives bargain for the catch. To the highest bidder goes the prize. but not without plenty of sales talk. Fish is the mainstay of the Portuguese diet. Meat is not only scarce, but strictly reserved for special occasions. The size of fishing operations at Nazare may be judged by the immensity of this huge net, which requires the combined efforts of men and oxmen to prepare it for another day's hunting in the Atlantic. [Music] Putting the nets aboard is another laborious procedure, but these hardy fishermen faithfully follow the ways of past. Now it's down to the sea and ships. This ancient Phoenician craft with its grotesqually peaked prowls is particularly suited to Nazare's harborless coast where since time immemorial her fearless fishermen have braved the long rolling tide. [Music] What's wrong with this picture? Nothing. Not when that strongman act is done with Portuguese cork. In the central and southern provinces, the country's great cork forests cover some million and a half acres. The law decrees that cork oaks may be stripped only once in 9 years. Yet annually, these same forests provide more than 150,000 tons, the vast majority of which is exported to the markets of the world. Weighing but 1/4 as much as water, cork bark, with its compressibility and its insulating qualities, has long been used in the manufacturer of innumerable products. And Portugal is the leader in the growth and processing of this valuable commodity. When it comes to windmills, Portugal has them by the hundreds. Don Kiote himself might well have tried his trusty lands on this creaking grain grinder. These clay pots whistle as the blades turn. If they cease whistling, the farmer knows his mill has stopped. It's still another part of Portugal, the paradox, ancient land of constant contrast. From the plains of the south to the Doro River country's northern mountains, is a trip of only a few hours on Portugal's very efficient railway transportation system. Porto, city of the north, once the Portis Kala of the Romans, gave its name to Portugal and Port Wine. Second city of the nation, Porto truly portrays the contrasts of the centuries, combining a strictly modern outlook with the fascinating color of a decidedly historic atmosphere. But Porto's chief claim to distinction is wine, the famous port, which has made it the wine capital of the country. In the rich mountain terrain of the Doro Valley lies the terrace vineyards which for centuries have fostered the wine of Portugal. Fort is the name of a wine made solely from the grapes grown in the Doro Valley. Today, oddly enough, these healthy grapes owe their existence to American rootstock imported in 1862 to replace the Portuguese vineyards which were destroyed by a ravaging parasite. [Music] Long ago, men of the wine country learned that music helps relieve the monotony of the backbreaking task of carrying the 130lb baskets up the steep [Music] slopes. Following the bountiful harvest, the workers of the vineyards and other seasons picking over staged their traditional grape festival. Country music and country dancing out of long remembered folklore. A quaint and picturesque bit of Pantoime from the days of long ago. [Music] Such is Portugal, historic homeland of the world's great discoverers. Proud in her history, proud in her people, taking her place today in that family of free nations upon which so much depends in this world of ours. [Music]