"Speaking the language of the place you travel to is the first channel to bring a smile to people's faces"

Comedian Víctor Parrado loves to travel and one of the best summer nights he remembers was during a getaway last year to the city of Porto with his partner. “I like small cities more and more, walking through the alleys of the old town, going into shops… In Porto I was amazed by the Ribeira neighborhood and all the cellars next to the Douro. I remember a moment of having a delicious Porto wine, with background music, as dusk fell. You know those moments of… ‘Oh, how calm I am, how good I feel, I don't need anything else right now.’ Well, that’s how I was,” recalls the comedian.

He will also always remember the kindness of the people and the discovery of Francesinha, a typical Portuguese dish that “leaves you full for four days”. It’s a sandwich with egg and several layers of meat, all bathed in cheese and a sauce with tomato and beer. “A bomb”.

Regarding the character of the locals, Parrado highlights that he felt “very welcome”. “Now, when you travel there are many people everywhere, everything has become very touristy and the thing about being a good host, someone who receives you well and you feel welcome, is being lost. In Porto I rediscovered that feeling of being welcomed with joy,” explains Parrado, who admits that it probably has something to do with him always making an effort to speak the language of the place he travels to. “Speaking the language of the place you travel to is the first way to get a smile from people. I even make an effort to put on an accent,” assures the comedian. 

In his case, he says he has a knack for Portuguese because many years ago he fell in love with a Brazilian woman and to seduce her he joined an association of Brazilians. “It didn’t help me to date her, but I stayed as a member for sixteen years. I love their culture and by listening to them speak so much, something stuck with me,” explains Parrado.

The humorist assures that he has always had a love-hate relationship with summer. “I’m very sensitive to the cold and I have a bad time in winter”. For him, summer is enjoying the endless hours of daylight, the streets full of life, and people in a good mood. “I even notice it in theaters. In summer, people arrive with a different vibe and they laugh more,” he assures. 

From childhood summers, he greatly remembers the moments of playing with siblings and quality time with parents. “At home there was a sacred moment: nap time, we all took one.” Since then, whenever he can, he takes a short nap after lunch: “What is wrong with people who schedule meetings at 3 p.m.? I hate them!” jokes the comedian.