211.
Three attempts. Three. Not two. Three. That's how many times I had to take this photo before the Portuguese contingent managed to smile. The one Spaniard had no problem smiling. She smiled in all three. One of the Portuguese gave an enigmatic, Mona Lisa, is he, isn't he, smile in one of the photos. I don't know if they just couldn't be bothered with the camera: perhaps they weren't aware that it was going to be put on the internet for all the world to see. I imagine that if they had known the destiny of this photograph, then they would not have been so taciturn - afterall, they wouldn't want to promote a national stereotype, would they!?! Miserable Portuguese aside, let me introduce you to some of my friends. The one who is contorted is Alexandre, and directly above him is Sílvia; next to Sílvia is Marta, the Galega (who had just had a telephone argument with her sister, but still managed a smile in all three photos); then there is Ricardo, with Claudia rounding the group off. The only person missing from this image is me, but then you all know what I look like - from top to bottom, and front to arse - so I hardly need to be in front of the camera. Anyway, these are my friends, and we are all at Sílvia's house enjoying a lovely meal of chicken curry (faltou o caril) and the required glasses of delicious Alentejan red wine. Must go, because I have more wine to drink. Até amanhã.