#it's a good excuse to be a little half-drunk puddle on Port's lap anyway

[shachaai]

I need to know,,, one last thing. How do you think Engport would be around each other in the current times (not talking about c*vid since thats a mess everywhere); but you know, i read somewhere and just loved this line where a uk ambassador said "british tourists and holidaymakers have had a long standing love affair with portugal and the portuguese" lol. But propanganda and jokes aside, do you think they are able to put the whole 19th-20th century insanity past them and appreciate their good times once again? honestly I'm just pining for your lovely analysis / scenarios so pleaseee tell us more about them 👉👈. Taking a break my ass, i live for your blogs.

Taking a break can take whatever form you want it to.

I think, existing as Nations, all Nations have really got to take the ‘Forgive Thy Enemy’ approach sooner or later - sometimes very much later - or they’re going to spend an immortal life incredibly lonely. Nations canonically cannot spend too long around any mortal being without affecting the mortal’s lifespan - and in human cases, their sanity -, so all their long-lasting relationships can only really be with each other.

So I believe Nations always forgive each other their sins eventually - or at the very least, mutually agree to Not Discuss certain events in their histories. It would be incredibly hypocritical of them not to, as sins committed against them are often ones they themselves have committed against others, and a lot of their major dramas are international incidents where no-one is 100% blameless. (Obviously, there are always exceptions; I’m speaking in generalities here.)

That said, I don’t think England and Portugal really had the ‘Forgive Thy Enemy’ issue in the first place, as I don’t think they ever considered each other enemies. The Ultimatum wasn’t the end of a friendly rivalry with each other, but they certainly weren’t working towards each other’s downfalls? It’s sifting through levels of shittiness, but there is a difference between actively trying to cause someone harm because it will benefit you, and acting to benefit yourself even though it may or may not cause someone harm. The former is the act of an aggressor (and an enemy), whereas the latter is something all Nations have done at at least one point in history. All sovereign Nations must prioritise self-love over love towards another Nation, or they’re not going to last long as an independent power. And you can’t blame - for too long - a wolf for being a wolf.

Things just sucked for Portugal at the end of the 19th century because, prior to that, English/British interests usually aligned with Portuguese ones, rather than setting them at odds. (I mean, there’s a rather sweet tidbit of history I - vaguely, don’t make me hunt down the details because it was a long time ago - recall reading about how Victorian British steamers transported Portuguese mail at the same rates as British mail throughout the British Empire - a privilege afforded to no other nation.)

...I feel like I’ve wandered away on a little tangent a bit, but uh - yeah? England and Portugal have forgiven each other. Necessity prompted it even without the emotional drive for them to reconnect when time took the sting out of anger and betrayal. The Imperial Scramble for Africa is hardly an ongoing crisis that still puts the British and Portuguese at odds. British holidaymakers boost the Portuguese economy; there’s a transient and permanent Portuguese population in London of seasonal workers and Portuguese people who settled there to stay. The English are quite fond of Portuguese fruit and booze (especially in our fancy fruit Christmas/wedding cakes), and the Portuguese seem to like what we do with media, literature and chocolate.

Just plop these nerds in front of the telly after a day at the beach so they can watch terrible dramas and scoff a great deal of food that is terribly unhealthy, washing it all down with sweet wine. There’s no time for reminiscing over past sorrows when Port’s sniffling dramatically at the latest nonsensical instalment of a telenovela and England has just slid sideways in a heap on his lap because maybe the plot(? What plot? There’s a lot of yelling and dramatic close-ups and that’s it) will make more sense if he’s a) smashed and b) sideways.