PEOPLE Hank & Carina

THEN OLHÃO FOUND US...

... and we weren't even looking! Hank and Carina's story of how they came to love and live in Olhão

Welcome to our monthly column celebrating Olhão. After exploring Portugal top to bottom from Braga to Tavira enjoying so many coastal and inland locations in our RV, we decided Olhão was the place to buy our home to celebrate our “golden years”. Olhão was not on our radar at first. In fact, the discovery of Eastern Algarve was a pleasant surprise with the scale of development so much less than areas to the west. A chance winter rental introduced us to Olhão, a place we quickly found attractive for many reasons. “Walkability” is, above all, a main highlight and each month I will introduce you to places only steps away from our front door. We hope you will enjoy our column!

Can We Save Olhão’s Art Walls? An open letter to João Evaristo, Veneador da Cultura, Olhão Camera

Dear João, We are writing to you as a couple who appreciate and who have been deeply affected by your work. Carina and I first arrived here in Olhão in January of 2021. On our walking journeys through the back streets those first days, we discovered something special, the ArtWalls of Olhão! Support from the local Camera through your offices helped to create these giant works of art to be enjoyed by everyone. Here is the article that appeared in the March 2019 issue of this magazine: “A team of Algarve graffiti artists have brought new life into an old area of Olhão by turning the dilapidated walls of a former factory into works of art. Olhão council hired Loulé-based art association Satori to turn the rundown walls on Largo da Fábrica Velha into murals depicting the history and traditions of Olhão. The artists, who worked hard for several weeks, were Pedro ‘Mistik’, ‘Gnose’ and ‘Kaset’ from Quarteira, as well as a special guest from Albufeira, ‘Dgiphi’. The town’s old canning and fishing industry and markets are all represented with an accuracy that has left citizens feeling proud. Inspiration came mostly from old photos, and the artists even say some locals have either identified themselves or other family members in the paintings. Over 500 spray cans were used to bring the project to life on Rua da Fábrica Velha.” These fabulous murals haven’t just brought Olhão’s past to life, they have also turned what were once dilapidated buildings into a fabulous street gallery. João, we are writing you to ask for your help. I appreciated your recent email providing your phone number although we have yet to connect. Here is what I would say if we could speak to each other. I don’t know if these beautiful creations are slated for destruction, but there seems to be that possibility given the rumors suggesting a new hotel will replace the buildings hosting a good portion of the ArtWalls. Since the city has invested already to deliver these huge works of historical art, we are hoping your office will want to encourage the developers to preserve or perhaps re-create the ArtWalls that might be under threat. Carina and I are newcomers to Olhão, but the local people we’ve talked to seem to strongly believe that preserving these investments in public art is very important. We hope your municipal offices working with the investors might help to make them fully aware of just how much these art installations matter to people here. That might help create the context for creative solutions that could help protect this heritage.

Your office has already demonstrated creativity with the beautiful planters placed throughout the center. Perhaps “re-locating” some of the ArtWall depictions to local utility boxes can both preserve the public art, while improving what is now just random graffiti that too many utility boxes often display. Thank you for your past efforts. We hope this letter is received in the spirit we are hoping to deliver, that being to say thank you and to ask for your help and creativity if, indeed, the ArtWalls are threatened by the loss of the buildings that were the basis of their creation. Warm regards, Hank & Carina Ryan

LUNA

The streets of Olhão behind the waterfront often offer hidden gems that deliver great value. Nestled in a quiet courtyard next to the Olhão Municipal Museum and the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, there is Luna, a new cafe offering snacks and drinks delivered by local residents Sandra Cale and Lisa Watson. I am more than pleased to know this month’s column could share the happy news about Luna. Just opened April 8th, this small cafe is truly a labour of love for these two ladies. They enjoy serving their guests and making them feel comfortable and relaxed. New offerings from their compact kitchen like English Breakfast Wraps will likely be well received. I had the tasty Bruschetta which offered great value. We’ll be back there soon for other offerings. The owners hope to create some “event evenings” going forward. Closed Sunday and Monday. Cash only please!

For our full introduction, see our first column online in the December 2021 issue. ( https://www.eastalgarvemag. com/ ) Fine Print – Questions or Comments? Write us at hankryan2003@yahoo.com We choose to focus on businesses here in Olhao where we have actually been customers first. Any future advertising from these businesses that supports Eastern Algarve Magazine is purely coincidental :-)