Pedal Portugal’s Lockdown Quiz

Sadly, like so many of you, the Pedal Portugal team (me and Carolyn) is stuck at home, hoping to save lives by going nowhere. (Apart from a quick ride on our tandem or a walk to the beach when it’s not too busy.)

So, if you’ve had enough of Netflix binges, household chores, rereading the same old books and learning new recipes, here’s my contribution to boredom relief.

Below are 21 questions on a wide variety of topics. Some are easy, some are a bit more obscure – and there might be more than one answer to some of them.

There’s no prize other than the satisfaction of how many you can get right. And a brief bit of distraction.

21 Portugal-related questions

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1. What record does Lisbon's Vasco da Gama bridge hold?

2. Which famous engineer designed the 1878 Maria Pia bridge in Porto- then the longest single-arch span in the world?

3. What drinking habit did a Portuguese queen introduce to England in the 17th century?

4. Portugal is the world's largest producer of what environmentally-friendly product?

5. What two villages are connected by the shortest international bridge crossing in the world?

6. Lisbon is home to which world's oldest business?

7. What famous vehicle flew crossed the Portuguese coast in April 1936 at the start of a record-breaking transatlantic crossing?

8. Name the famous explorer who some claim was a Portuguese spy and named a Caribbean island after his Alentejo hometown?

9. What's the name of the Portuguese water dog owned by a former US president?

10. What invention did Portuguese-Brazilian priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão try to pioneer at the start of the 18th century?

11. What is a Lusophone?

12. What is the main ingredient of the dish with a name often translated as Bacon from Heaven?

13. Why was the Catholic church hugely embarrassed by the 1755 earthquake that flattened Lisbon?

14. Lagos is famous (or infamous) for holding the first of what type of market in Europe?

15. In 1761 Portugal became the first colonial power to do what?

16. What drinking crime is the Bishop of Norwich alleged to have committed in 1685?

17. In 2008, Portugal led the world by opening the first what near Povoa de Varzim?

18. Porto holds the record for the world's largest parade of what - all 14,963 of them?

19. What bird features on Lisbon's coat of arms?

20. Portugal and the UK jointly hold what?

21. Portugal is famous for what 'polished stones'?

Use the form to submit answers if you want to and I’ll put your name on a Facebook post if you’ve got them right. Otherwise, I’ll publish the answers and explanations next week.

Have fun!

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