Simply
FR E
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April 2018 Issue 24
Loulé, Almancil, Vale do Lobo,
Quarteira, Quinta do Lago, Vilamoura, S. Brás
Welcome... ...Welcome to your April issue and to the official start of Spring... the return of the glorious longer and warmer days. We are very proud of this, our 24th issue and May will see the start of our third year, publishing every month. Never failing to bring you interesting and up-to-date features, a must visit is the up and coming Faro by night, as well as the impressive Restaurant, A Estatua, in LoulĂŠ. Corte Real Gallery introduces the fine, hand-made metal works created by Mickey Craig and as the party and visitor season approaches Susi Rogol-Goodkind has the glitz for the guys in evening and day wear. Sam Remus and Anthony Martin bring us their regular features, together with Sports, Finance, Property, Gardening, Currency news and more, including a Golf Tip from the professionals at the prestigious Vila Sol. Remember if you are a business owner, reserve your space for future issues as the season begins. As ever we look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions. Have a great month. Richard Bassett, Publisher PUBLISHER Richard Bassett
EDITOR Richard Bassett
ART DIRECTOR Jake Bassett
WRITERS
DISTRIBUTION
6,000 copies printed. All advertisers are issued copies for distribution, along with retail outlets.
COVER PHOTO Richard Bassett
Susi Rogal-Goodkind Anthony Martin
ADVERTISING
Call Jake on 966 044 143 or email design@simplyalgarvemag.com
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All rights reserved. Except for normal review purposes, no part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the contents are only meant as a guide to readers. The proprietors of this magazine are publishers not agents or sub agents of those who advertise therein. The publisher cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication.
Unipessoal Lda
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Contents NEWS 4
MAP 26
SAM 5
PROPERTY 28
PHOTOGRAPHY 6
PROPERTY 30
Your local news.
Sam’s views and reviews. Photo of the month.
BOOKS 10
The Aloe family.
Property of the month.
The latest sports news from Chris Wright.
A property update from experts Yellow Homes.
6 book worms review their favourites!
FASHION 32
Metal man at Corte Real gallery.
FINANCE 36
ART 14 COLUMN 16
GARDENING 44
Almancil and surrounding areas.
Guys and glitz.
Tales of an Expat in Portugal.
Currency news from experts Currencies Direct!
Food with thought.
An update from experts at AFM.
Salt cod cakes from Lisboeta.
Faro by night.
PLACES 18
FINANCE 38
RECIPE 22
PLACES 40
SPORT 46 SPORT 47
British army vs portuguese champions.
GOLF 48
Pro tips from PGA professionals Eddie and Richard.
CLASSIFIEDS 50
Classified ads!
Susi RogolGoodkind is a freelance journalist/ editor who works between the UK and the Algarve where she and her husband have had a home for 30 years. She is also a member of the ACCA children’s charity committee. susi@rogol-goodkind.com
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News
Local news
Keep up to date with this months news. AOFF-SEASON ALGARVE BUSIER THAN EVER
T
he latest Algarve transport report shows that traffic on the Via do Infante motorway increased by 16.7% in the last quarter of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016, but offers no indication of how many of these additional journeys were due to the appalling state of the eastern section of the EN125. Faro airport passenger numbers were up too, by 5.5% as the tourism boom continued into the low season. In numbers, the Via do Infante saw 10,575 vehicles per day choosing to pay tolls rather than use the EN125. The Algarve CCDR regional development commission said that for motorway use and airport traffic, this was "the 18th consecutive quarterly rise," which began in 2013. At the Guadiana International Bridge, growth was only up by 3.2% to 6,128 vehicles per day.
PM LEADS NATIONAL FOREST CLEAN-UP OPERATION
Sources: www.algarvedailynews.com
P
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ortugal’s Prime Minster led a land clearance assault force of about two dozen members of his Government. A major forest clean-up campaign was launched that covers districts from the north to south of the country, Costa chose the Algarve for his photo opportunity, with Loulé mayor, Vitor Aleixo. Costa was accompanied by gentlemen of the media and local politicians as he strode across land in Vermelhos in the parish of Ameixial, Loulé, to help alert the nation to the need to clean up forests and scrubland. António Costa wanted to highlight the importance of "identifying the risk to be able to reduce it in order to increase the safety of all." The Prime Minister said that for the first time there is a great awareness of what needs to be done to clean up the land, saying it is essential that everyone focus on what is "essential." As long as the risk does not discourage cleanup, he said the priority should continue to be this prevention work because "the more we do now, the less risk there will be tomorrow." “We have a battle to tame the forest and we will fight this battle without fear, with courage, with determination," said Costa, quoting the words of the former socialist minister, Jorge Coelho.
Faro’s International Airport, in October, November and December 2017, handled 9,911 flights carrying 1.44 million people. This is a 3.1% increase in the number of flights and a 5.5% increase in passenger numbers. Even the railway passenger numbers were up, with a 4.3% increase in passengers on the Algarve’s railway, to 438,000 passengers. The somewhat smoother line between Faro and Lisbon was used by 10% more people, 179,000 of them. These positive figures have been achieved despite the lack of investment in the Algarve’s road and rail system, with the exception of the completion of the eastern section of the EN125 which officially was completed last summer after many years of delays and unexplained downtime.
OLIVE OIL PRODUCERS IN BOOMING MARKET
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he extent of Portugal’s resurgence in agriculture is evident when looking at the figures announced today by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food, Luís Medeiros Vieira. Exports of olive oil reached €496 million last year, creating a surplus of €150 million as production has quadrupled in the past decade. Vieira was mingling with producers at the Valpaços Cooperative in Tras-os-Montes, where he said that the production of Portuguese olive oil increased a remarkable 80% in the 2017/18 season, compared to the one before." The Secretary of State noted what he considers to be an "exemplary development of olive growing" a sector that has tripled exports in a decade and has seen a sector deficit, turn into a healthy export surplus. Prices have also increased in the past ten years, by 35% in the average price per kilo of exported olive oil. Luís Vieira urged producers to diversify their export markets and to "explore new geographies and continue the investment and innovation." The Government "has made a commitment to continue working hard to open new markets and take Portuguese olive oil to other destinations, since 80% of olive oil exports go to Spain and Brazil," said the bringer of good news.
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Sam
Blossom legend from Sam.
W
ith the arrival of Spring, one of the pretties seasons in Portugal in my opinion, comes the blossoming of the almond trees. I thought of writing about a well known fable this month that every Portuguese person who grew up here knows but some of you (hopefully) might not. It’s a short but sweet love story. "According to a well known local legend, when the Algarve was ruled by the Moors it was known as Al Garb (Yes that was the original name, interesting to see how it evolved).
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The region’s young prince, known as Ibn-Almundim, fell madly in love with a beautiful young Nordic princess, Gilda, they married almost immediately. As time went on the young prince noticed that his wife was slowing growing sadder with each passing day. Determined to change it the prince found out that Gilda missed the snow covered fields of her homeland. The young prince tried everything to change that but with no luck, one day out of the blue, the idea struck him. He ordered thousands of almond trees to be planted outside the palace as far as the eye could see.
Native German and living in Portugal since 1995, Sam is a partner at Management Works! and of Blue Sky Villas, with over 8 years of experience and knowledge of the local area.
When Spring arrived the prince who was now the new king took Gilda’s hand and led her to the terrace, that is when she noticed the fields completely covered in white, in what looked like snow, within an instance she was smiling from ear to ear and was never homesick again. From here onwards the couple lived happily ever after.” See you next month for something a bit more exciting. Do you know of any local legends? I would love to hear them. contact@blue-sky-villas.com
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Photography
Photo of the month Jim Carroll
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Courtesy of Algarve photography walks' Dave Sheldrake and ChloĂŠ Ophelia.
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he February Algarve Photography Walk saw a group of over 30 keen photographers of all ages and abilities visit the picturesque village of Ferragudo. Miraculously the rain held off, and although the sky was stormy, the group enjoyed a tour of the village and enjoyed sharing their work afterwards on their dedicated Facebook group page www.facebook.com/groups/ AlgarvePhotographyWalks/. Next month's walk has been planned for Monday 9th April from 10.30am - 12 noon and will be held at the Pina Garden centre on the N125 at Lagoa, where the group will learn how to photograph plants and flowers close-up. A tripod will be very useful. All enquiries re the walks can be directed to Dave Sheldrake via his email dave@davesheldrakephotography.com and all are welcome.
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Guided road bike & mountain bike tours! Easy , Intermediate & Challenging rides available www.algarvebikeholidays.com e.mail: paul@algarvebikeholidays.com
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Art For Art For Everyone Everyone Find us in front of Hotel Vila 4 de FindGale us inTavira. front Rua of Hotel 24, Tavira VilaOutubro, Gale Tavira. Rua 4 de Outobro, 24, Tavira
Telephone 96 201 2111 www.taviradartes.com Telephone 96 201 2111 taviradartes@gmail.com www.taviradartes.com taviradartes@gmail.com
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Books
FULLY BOOKED Whether you’re an avid E-reader, or prefer the look and feel of the real thing, there are books that delight, impress and enthral. We asked around for favourite reads The White Road
By Edmund de Waal Edmund de Waal is an internationally-renowned potter. This book (his first was the acclaimed The Hare with the Amber Eyes) represents a personal pilgrimage to find the origins of porcelain; written in succession of short chapters, it begins in Jingdezhen in China, a city that had produced fine porcelain with hard labour, bringing the pure clay from mount Kao-Lin to the potters and the smoking kilns. De Waal’s fascination with the discarded rejects is central to his theme. His journey continues to France where the Sun King was so enchanted with pottery imported from China, that he even built a porcelain palace at Versailles. He moves on to Germany and the tragic origins of the Dresden factory, and to a Quaker, William Cookworthy, in Cornwall, who found pure clay. Josiah Wedgwood, meanwhile, was producing fine wares and, discovering that the clay needed could be found in the Appalachian Mountains, sent his emissary to acquire it from the local Cherokees. De Waal went on to learn that that the 3rd Reich in Germany were also obsessed with the 'White Gold' and built a factory in Dachau prison camp. The theme of hardship and exploitation runs through this compelling book, but above all the author's love of the purity of the medium transcending the travails of the artisans. It is appropriately written in short chapters – shards – denoting the number of failures at every turn.
La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One
by Philip Pullman Some of my most treasured books are The Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman which amazingly were first published over 20 years ago. It has been a long wait for a new series by this fabulously compelling author; and when the press releases came out it turned out to be a 'prequel' that was being released. The first in a new trilogy called The Book of Dust series. My order was in for the day of release, and I clutched the new hardback book that arrived in the post with a sense of delight and anticipation. The blurb on the internet was enticing: "Without this child, we shall all die." Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world..." We are taken back to when Lyra – star of The Dark Materials – was a child. And that is the basic premise for the book. And, if I am honest, it didn't take me long to scamper through all 560 pages, and I was left feeling a bit short-changed at the end. I wanted more storyline, more depth, more of the rich descriptions that Pullman is famous for painting in his novels. Sadly, I was left wanting more… not of the new trilogy, but the 'old' Pullman. So I pulled out my Northern Lights and started to read The Dark Materials trilogy again. And within a few pages I sighed with relief as the magic and mystery of Pullman returned.
Alyson Sheldrake
Ruth Gale
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Eat Sweat Play
by Anna Kessel I was handed Eat Sweat Play, a review of how one of the most lucrative industries in the world is slow off the mark to welcome half its race, by a publishing friend who picked up on my rather feminist rants one dinner. This book goes far beyond the manifesto for sporting equality. Anna Kessel, who has championed things like the gender pay gap, sexism in sport advertising and sponsorship, gets her readers (sporty or not) to really think about the world we live in – take the #Timesup movement as one example. Kessel highlights – and does so wonderfully – how
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we exist in a time where we grimace at the thought of a sporting physic than that of a Victoria Secret model, and the way she writes is frank and ever-so-funny that it really makes you question your outlook on what a media-driven world is telling you is acceptable. Muscle isn’t sexy right? She touches on a fair amount of accuracy that women aren’t that interested in sport, but then again not all men are either, so why the big surprise when a woman says she likes football? Not only would I hand this book out to any females in my life but also any males; the narrative is light and uplifting leaving space for debate and new prospective on subjective matters. It will instill greater confidence and motivate just when you may feel you are lacking in it.
Pippa O’Keefe
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People Sheila, The Australian Ingenue Who Bewitched British Society
by Robert Wainwright Sheila is a highly readable biography of the Australian, Sheila Chisholm, born in 1895 on her parents’ cattle station in New South Wales. It offers a pleasantly voyeuristic insight into the lives, attitudes and environment of the hedonistic set surrounding the future Edward VIII, in the years between the Wars. The book offers a good depiction of this period, characterised by social upheaval on an unprecedented scale. In post war Britain, the aristocracy became increasingly accessible by those who would hitherto have been spurned as commoners or social climbers. Wealthy American women and in this case someone from the Commonwealth were now marrying into the old families that made up the British peerage. The author, while criticised for relying too much on the gossip press of the day, has nevertheless managed to lay his hands on some solid historic source material, including letters to Sheila from Prince Albert, the future King George VI. Much of the book is based on Sheila’s own unpublished memoir, Waltzing Matilda. In March 1914, 18 year old Sheila and her mother sailed from Sydney to London for ‘the Season’. She met her first husband, Lord Loughborough, in Egypt during the war and was thereby introduced into London high society where she became a social success and trendsetter. The marriage did not last as ‘Loughie’ turned out be disastrously addicted to gambling. Sheila later married and divorced Sir John Milbanke and finally Prince Dmitri Alexandrovich, a great grandson of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. During her marriage to Loughie, she formed a close friendship with the Prince of Wales and his mistress Freda Dudley Ward and had a relationship with Prince Albert, the future George VI. Sheila lived life at a dizzying pace but the book makes clear that despite the luxury and privilege that surrounded her, her life was also filled with a great deal of sadness. This gives the biography its balance and helps keep the reader sympathetic. Her story is well worth reading.
Ann Giles
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Gaudy Night
by Dorothy L. Sayers One of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, Gaudy Night is set in the days of PJ Woodhouse, when everyone had manners (and butlers) and took insult from words spoken, not texts. The setting is an allwomen’s college at Oxford, where old colleagues come to meet up for Gaudy night, to relax and enjoy themselves. These women have each made their way in life independently and the main character, crime writer Harriet, doesn’t think that love will fit into her life. She has been pursued by Lord Wimsey and calls him in to help her solve the case; they discover it was carried out by the housekeeper who lost her husband and is raising a child alone, and feels the need to take revenge on these academic women. Even today it raises the great question that so many women have to deal with – family or work. The era is so beautifully written about, making you remember when letters were sent and life was slower. Obviously, we are talking about high society here, but it makes you feel happy to have British Heritage behind you.
Gwenda Daud
A Little Life
by Hanya Yanagihara This is probably one of the most beautifully-written books that I have had the pleasure to read. It tracks the lives of four American boys who meet in college – their lives, their loves and their childhoods. Whilst it is riveting it is also traumatic, and the reader becomes embroiled in their tragedies, and it is sometimes necessary to step back and take a breather. The characterisations are so powerful that these four boys become your friends and you live through their turbulent lives, and rejoice in their happiness along with them. Whilst this book may be difficult to get into, it is also difficult to put down once you have done so.
Philippa Newman
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Art
Metal man..
Now in the Corte Real gallery
C
orte Real Gallery. The place to find beautiful hand made artisan crafts now brings us Mickey Craig. Mickey is using his retirement in the Algarve to indulge his love of metal work. Having spent much of his professional life in the Middle East, he has found his own personal utopia in the Algarvian countryside where he spends his days creating fantastic pieces as a metal artist. Born in Texas, USA, Mickey trained as an art student but didn't want the life of a starving artist, so he served in the US Navy for four years during the Vietnam conflict. On leaving he took an apprenticeship in the sheet metal business. He went on to enjoy 40 years in the trade, working on projects including the roof of The Astrodome in Houston, the world’s first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium. When the building trade hit a lull in the late eighties he went to Qatar to find work and eventually ended up in Abu Dhabi, building ships for the navy. After 10 years he
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was managing the 1,200 people working on Baynunah, a new class of multipurpose missile corvette. But his real love was metal artwork, and he would work on commissions for people’s homes and businesses in his spare time. He also displayed some of his work in Dubai and Connecticut. Having retired three years ago, he is now free to pursue his love for metal craft full-time. He does not use a mould or heat the metal but works from a flat sheet which is handhammered with an anvil, so each work is totally unique. I visited Mickey and his wife Mary at their idyllic stoneclad cottage set in the beautiful countryside near Odiáxere, where nature is providing him with the inspiration he needs for his artwork. A keen angler, he enjoys being close to the ocean and much of his work is inspired by the sea and marine life. He showed me his workshop in the garden; unsurprisingly for a man who has spent his life working in the building trade, he has constructed a make-shift building out of recycled materials that he found around the property.
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Incredible hand made metal works from Mickey Craig. Written by Sophie Sadle He adopts a similar approach with his art, telling me: “I take what's available and work with it.” He showed me some examples of creations, which range from incredibly realistic depictions of sardines (currently selling very successfully through Loulé art shop Martina) to abstract statues. His work demonstrates artistic flair, with each individual piece reflecting nature in a different way - from a table he was commissioned to make with legs expertly crafted to look like coral to a shoal of fish he created for the walls of a restaurant in Muscat, Oman. His favourite working metal is currently aluminium, as he can use it to create large artworks that are light enough to hang on a wall without support. He would like to work more with copper but is yet to find a supplier locally. Mickey now wants to expand his commercial enterprise, but he is not looking to make big financial gains; he merely wants to fund his art, which he does for the love of working with metal. It was by no means a foregone conclusion that Mickey
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and Mary would stay in Portugal, but she tells me it has been almost serendipitous how everything fell into place since they came here, from finding their quirky cottage on Facebook to discovering a scrapyard from which Mickey is now sourcing recycled metal. They have found the Portuguese to be particularly welcoming and feel that Europe is a happy medium between the US and the Middle East. They expect their children and grandchildren to be regular visitors, and Mickey's sister already has a house in Loulé. Before I leave, I asked which piece he thinks is his best work. “The next one,” is his reply, which seems an apt response from this thoughtful artist who is truly the epitome of a craftsman. Article supplied by Tomorrow magazine To See Mickey's work in person or other amazing art work and artisan crafts visit the Corte Real Gallery in Paderne. Call Michael on 912 737 726 or visit www.corterealarte.com.
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Expats
Tales from an expat in Portugal
T
Friends want to be with you because you share so much; summer visitors only want the sunshine, the sangria, and a cheap holiday at your place. Anthony Martin needs to start saying NO!
he months have yet again passed quickly, spring is around the corner (not that you would know it – at the time of writing, there’s a storm outside) but, as the rains end and the days get longer, we know that our peaceful autumn/ winter has drawn to an end and that a new season is upon us. For many of us it’s time to unlearn all that we knew about the seasons, particularly the rule that they consist of Spring, Summer, Autumn "It is a parallel and Winter – for they don’t. season recognised At least not here. For exby many of us pats there is a fifth one which spans two and a world-wide as the half of the originals. is a parallel season ‘Visitor Season’ Itrecognised by many of us which runs from world-wide as the ‘Visitor Season’ which runs from end March until the end March until the last last of the buggars of the buggars go home. I use the term buggars go home." hesitantly as it does not include my immediate family (well, perhaps some of them). It always starts the same way, with a phone call which might go like this: “Hi Tony, how are you?” “Fine thank you, who’s that?” “How’s the family? Weather good out there, bloody awful here.” “Yes, the weather is wonderful. Who’s that?” “It’s me, don’t you recognise my voice? We were chatting at Diana’s wedding, she has a little baby girl now, doesn’t time fly. You remember old boy, you invited us out to visit?”. Hells bells, I’ve done it again. A couple of glasses of the bubbly stuff and I become Mr Congeniality. I can’t believe it. Normally, I’d run a mile from someone who addresses me as ‘old boy’ but could I have invited them to visit and who the hell are they? I need to find out, fast. “Oh yes, of course. Tell me, how is… how is… how’s your wife? Sorry, I’ve forgotten her name.” “Isabel. Yes, thank you, Izzy’s well, sends her love to you both”. At this point I mouth to my wife, who has her ear pressed
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up against the phone: “Who’s Izzy’s husband?” She shrugs her shoulders and the phone practically dislodges a tooth. “Of course, give her our love. Tell you what, give me your phone number, we’ll have a look in the diary and work out a possible date.” Yet again I’ve backed myself into a corner. I don’t like having house guests unless they are people we know well and enjoy mutual likes and dislikes. Others, I feel, are intruders into my private life who can be categorised in various ways. The following examples have been our guests at one time or another… but only one time. The no-car brigade – will not rent a car but expect you to drive around and show them the ‘sights’. The sun worshippers – lie by the pool all day while you bring them drinks. The parsimonious – you feed and water them for two weeks and they magnanimously give you €25 at the end of their stay to go towards their breakfasts, lunches, dinners, midmorning coffee, afternoon tea, and pre-dinner cocktails.. The morons – insist on having the TV on all day whether they are in the room or not. And always tuned in to a sports channel, quiz show, or re-run of the original NCIS. The thoughtless – leave the air-con on and open the windows – also known to sit on sofas when covered in sun cream. The sanctimonious – tell me I’m drinking too much wine with dinner. The demanding – spend an hour having breakfast and want freshly squeezed orange juice, cold meats, cheeses, toast and both scrambled and boiled eggs and bring their own coffee. And finally – one couple who, when we were about to split a dinner bill, complained that they only ordered one dish to be shared between them. The problem is that you only find out that they are like this after they have arrived and by then it’s too late. This year’s contingent will start arriving later this month and there is no going back. I/we must greet them with smiles and bonhomie because if it doesn’t work it’s not their fault – it’s mine. After all I am the idiot who invited them!
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Places
FOOD with
THOUGHT
When you have a real passion, you read, you research, and you rejoice in your findings in order feed it. If you are in the restaurant business, that results in a constantly-invigorated reportoire and fast-growing reputation. Susi Rogol-Goodkind went into the kitchens of Loule’s A Estatua. 18
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J
ust over a year ago a young couple, Cidália Maria Costa Domingos and Anthony Rosado Neto realised their dream when they opened A Estatua restaurant in Loulé in a one-time chicken takeaway. Cidália, the chef, learnt her skills at the Cookery School in Faro and went on to work in the kitchens at a number of golf clubs, including Vila Sol, Pinheiros Altos and the Old Course, and restaurants such as La Place, and Sabores da Industria; Anthony, front of house, waiter, and helper in the kitchen, had his very first job at Churrasqueira Leonel, before his round of popular golden triangle eateries. A Estatua is busy at lunch time and dinner, the first playing host in main to local business people and offering four different dishes of the day in addition to the main menu, the second a choice destination for both the English and the Portuguese. The restaurant seats 40; pick the wrong night and you’ll have a long wait because once settled in diners are not in a rush to go anywhere. It could simply be because the seating is comfortable and the atmosphere
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calm, but more than likely it’s because the food is top notch, the presentation is attractive, the staff are a delight, and the bill is never outrageous. Oh yes, and because the puddings are quite special. Ask for a wine recommendation, and you won’t be quoted the most expensive… what goes best with your food choice is what is recommended. Attention to detail The previous owners had gutted the old takeaway to create a salad bar, so the extreme makeover had been done when Anthony and Cidália took over the lease. They then went the DIY route and threw themselves into creating a look and ambiance that would make the right impression without blowing the budget. They did the decoration, handmade the lamps, worked on a colour scheme, sorted the seating, photographed back drops for wall decoration. And all the while, throughout the revamp process, they concentrated on the food choice and style that they would eventually offer.
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Places
Back to the passion, and research, and reading. The couple devours thousands of cook books, scours the internet for inspiration, constantly re-evaluates its offerings and originates new dishes and exceptional tastes. They are adventurous in their approach, and that shows in the dishes they serve. Theirs is not typically French cuisine, nor Italian, nor particularly Portuguese. Rather, it is a blend of the flavours that appeal to the senses. Cornbread stuffed with duck; medallions of pork served with prawns with coriander and mint; little rolls of bacalhau dressed with sublime oil and garlic sauce; curried prawns in a crispy papadum that’s raised round the edges to form a dish. The thread across the several dozen dishes is not born of a nationality, but simply an appreciation, and that means there is something to meet every diner’s taste. And unlike so many restaurants, the vegetables here are al dente created to work with each individual dish itself, rather than be dolloped out for one and all. Home grown, home made Everything at A Estatua is made on the premises, in the 50sqm kitchen, Cidália’s domain, that she governs with an assistant chef and a dishwasher. Everything, bar two dishes, is made to order: the Octopus flower that is baked with a special sauce and is part prepared in advance because it demands over an hour’s cooking time; the duck in cornbread, too, is made ready for the oven. Did I mention the divine puddings? Almond cream aux gratin with raspberries and vanilla ice cream will have you beaming
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contentedly – little caring about the calories. You are worth it, and so is that particular dessert. The idea of owning a restaurant is hugely appealing to every keen cook who has been complimented by his or her dinner guests. Sadly, many who try, fail. Dedication and commitment are just a small part of the equation. The ability to listen to good advice from respected sources makes a big difference, too – in Anthony’s case it was Joaquim Coelho of 2 Passos. Being able to deliver is a central ingredient. Energy is another: Anthony and Cidália go from school run to shopping and by 9.30 in the morning are in the kitchen starting to prepare for lunchtime business. Usually, they will finish the day at 1am, having satisfied their clients who, hopefully, will return soon. And they do, which has to be the measuring spoon of success. A Estatua Rua Ascensao Guimaraes 84 Loule 8100-542 +351 289 413 171 For the menu aestatua.wixsite.com Opening hours Time: 12.00-15.00 and 19.00-22.00 Closed Wednesday evening and Sunday all day
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Recipe
SAVOUR FLAVOUR
Pastéis de bacalhau is a treat for the taste buds but, says Lisbon-born chef Nuno Mendes, who has taken the delights of Portuguese cuisine to London, the home-made version is a very different kettle of fish. Here’s the recipe from his new book, Lisboeta
SALT COD CAKES Makes about 18 ◆ 400ml extra-virgin olive oil ◆ 1 bay leaf ◆ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ◆ ½ long red chilli, cut into chunks ◆ 2 x 150g salt cod fillets (soaked in cold water for at least 2–3 days and picked apart carefully) ◆ 300g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or similar ◆ 1 onion, finely chopped ◆ 2 eggs ◆ A small handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped ◆ Vegetable oil, for frying ◆ Lemon wedges, to serve ◆ Sea salt flakes and ground white pepper
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Put the olive oil, bay leaf, one garlic clove and the chilli in a pan over a low heat and heat until the oil just starts to bubble. Take care that it does not boil. Remove from the heat, wait a few minutes, then slide in the fish. After 15 minutes, the cod should be cooked and flaking nicely. Carefully transfer the fish to a plate, then gently flake it into bite-sized chunks. Cook the potatoes with their skins on in boiling salted water until they start falling
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apart. Drain and leave them to cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash it with a potato ricer or masher. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the onion and remaining garlic and cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper, increase the heat and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the onions caramelise. In a bowl, combine the flaked cod, mashed potato, onion and garlic, eggs and parsley to make a thick paste and season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture: the traditional shape is a quenelle, which is made using two identical tablespoons, but you can also scoop out tablespoons or make little balls. Chill for 30 minutes on a tray lined with baking parchment. One-third fill a large heavybased pan with vegetable oil and heat it to 180°C, or until a cube of bread sizzles and turn golden brown almost immediately. Fry the cakes in small batches for 2–3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. I love to eat them straight away with a squeeze of lemon.
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Enjoy!
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Property of the month Unique luxury 3 bed penthouse apartment with sea views and huge private terraces in Vilamoura
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Property
PROPERTY DETAILS • 250m2 brand new property; • 3 bedroom south facing penthouse apartment; • Huge open terrace of over 100 m2; • Large rear terrace; • Small condominium of just 35 apartments; • Located within walking distance of the Marina and Falesia beach; • The latest in building and materials for a sustainable and reduced impact on the environment; • Energy Certificate A+; • ECO friendly property; • Hidden Daikin central air conditioning throughout; • Security doors; • Elevator service; • Modern kitchen with latest technology and Siemens appliances; • Solar panels on the roof for domestic hot water; • Ceilings with LED lighting; • Solid oak wood parquet flooring throughout; • Laundry room; • Storage room; • Extensive lawn garden areas, with natural shrubs and plantation; • Large adult & child swimming pool with wooden deck surround; • Playground; • Multi-function room; • Private underground parking
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Property
Spring cleaning!
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Property expert Robert Bijker advises us on the current property market.
he month of March was the wettest for almost 20 years and brought us lots of rain, stormy weather and tornados. Most of us are looking forward to better weather conditions in April. Spring time is probably one of the best seasons of the year to be in the Algarve with blossoming wild flowers everywhere. From cliff tops along the coast line to the rolling hills in the countryside;
they are carpeted by a wide variety of wild and often rare flowers. This is also the time for the annual spring clean, which is especially important for those who want to sell their property. A well presented and maintained house sells quicker and is more likely to achieve a higher price. If you are not living here or are unable to do this yourself, there are companies who can assist you with this. In addition to the spring clean and
GOLF PROPERTIES - VILLAS - APARTMENTS - TOWNHOUSES - PLOTS
BEAUTIFUL MODERN 4 BEDROOM VILLA WITH POOL IN VILAMOURA. Located in quiet residential area within Vilamoura is this 4 bed / 5 bath detached villa. The villa has excellent quality finishes including electric security shutters, airconditioning, central music system and under floor heating in all the bathrooms. AMI: 6232 60 m2 large garage. Must be seen! Price: â‚Ź860.000 Ref: JPT EC class B. Contact us! Our email is info@yellowhomes.com or call us on (+351) 289 301 294 Find out more info on our website www.yellowhomes.com
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the removal of all clutter, take a good, hard look at the outside of your property. We all know curb appeal is important. Tidy up the gardens where needed, paint/repair the fence, remove old building materials and clutter. The outside wood work should be in good condition and if this is not the case, I’m afraid you should get it repaired and repainted. Try to spruce up the garden the day prior to the viewing. The market is buoyant, so this can be the year that you succeed in selling your property. If you own a property in the countryside you should pay particular attention on the cleaning of land in order to reduce the risk of fire. Following last years devastating wild fires the government has made changes in law and added new regulations to help to prevent and deal with fires in the future. Owners are obliged to clean the land within 50 meters from their house, meaning they need to clean up the bushes and trees. You should apply a healthy dose of common sense, especially if you have a landscaped garden with ornamental scrubs and trees surrounding your home, as a well irrigated and maintained garden has less change of becoming a fire hazard. Creating a firebreak between
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the landscaped garden and the rest of the land is important. In general, trees should be pruned up to 50% of the height with a maximum of 4 meters from the ground; shrubs need to be no higher than 50 centimeters. When you have ornamental trees in your garden you may not want to prune some trees along the government guidelines. Just make sure that dead wood and debris is removed and no dry scrubs are underneath the tree.
In the countryside you find many, protected by law, carob trees which if left to themselves grow long sprawling branches reaching the ground. These branches should be pruned as part of the fire prevention. The initial deadline to comply with the new law and regulation was the 15th of March but was extended to the 31st of May 2018. As usual, there is the threat of heavy fines for noncompliance. With spring time just around the
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corner, you can feel the pent-up energy. A prelude to a wonderful summer. If you have a property for sale or are considering putting your property on the market, chances are that you will sell rather sooner than later. Our consultants at Yellow Homes - Land & Houses Algarve are looking to add quality properties all across the Algarve for both our Portuguese and International buyers. Help us to help you find prospective buyers of your property. Contact us today... Robert Bijker Yellow Homes Land & Houses Algarve www.algarvepropertysearch.com www.algarve-portugal-immobilien de Vilamoura Office EN 125, Benfarras Boliqueime 8100 - 068 Boliqueime Tel: 289 301294, Fax: 289 301439
HIGH QUALITY 4 BED VILLA WITH GUEST ANNEX ON A LARGE PLOT. An idyllic 3 + 1 bedroomed property in the Central Algarve designed to create harmony with nature whilst using modern design embracing both high quality construction and finishes with complete comfort. A rare gem. The villa is set in an absolutely idyllic location with stunning views towards the coast and the Atlantic Ocean. Ref: SMP AMI: 6232 Price €1.250.000 EC class B. Contact us! Our email is info@yellowhomes.com or call us on (+351) 289 301 294 Find out more info on our website www.yellowhomes.com
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Fashion
GUYS AND GLITZ
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till got that elderly tux in its zipped-round bag lurking at the back of your wardrobe? And that pleat-front shirt complete with wing collar? Hmmm. You won’t score any points in the bestdressed stakes, and nor will that narrow bow tie – even if is a do-it-yourself job rather than clip-roundthe-back. Chaps, today’s special occasionwear is a whole different ballgame with men competing against women to get noticed. What do you need to know? Well for starters, the new wave cut. Sorry to tell those who have over-indulged, that cut is now narrow. Body-skimming actually. And jackets are cropped short, and often cut-away, single-buttoned and slender-lapelled. Let’s just talk lapels for a minute.
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The season is starting. Weddings, charity events… occasions aplenty to get togged up in the latest gear and accelerate your way to sartorial elegance. Many of the cool new formalwear collections come from big design houses in Portugal who reckon anything goes, so long as it is not plain and simple Why have them plain when they could shine, or be heavily patterned, or contrast edged; why have them straight when they could be curved? Now on to trousers. They are shortish (that means just tipping the shoes), sharp, and tight. Great if you’ve got narrow hips and a flat tum, unforgiving if you’ve been studiously avoiding the treadmill. And it is belts, rather than yesteryear’s cummerbunds that highlight the middle, often on show below a shortie waistcoat. The latter comes into its own for the new season, giving every man the chance to become a show man. Boldly patterned, neatly nipped in, or scoop-fronted and double breasted, they are the focal point now, rather than the accessory as in the past. When it comes to colour, blue is still the new black, but rich
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nutty browns and burgundy are firmly in the arena, often with a hint of sheen, or a sparkle of lurex or, better still, a two-colour brocade. Shirts, meanwhile are white, or an exact tone of the jacket, and ties vary from straightforward to amazingly complex, with twists and turns of fabric, often pulled tgether with a bit of metallic decoration. Names to look out for The Portuguese brigade include Lucciano Rivieri, Arax Gazzo and Torre (who – breathe out now – actually stay more with classic tailoring and traditional quality fabrics). It is always worth checking out what’s in stock in the classy Pedro de Hierro department in Cortefiel, and for socks, you won’t do better than Pedemeia in Faro’s Rua de Santo Antonio, the main walking street. There are shirts and shoes by the score in Giovanni Galli ‘s
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good-looking shop in Mar Shopping, as well as belts and some natty scarves. Arax Gazzo offers fabulous footwear, including a shiny blue patent option, and creamy snakeskintextures. From Italy comes Impero Uomo… great-looking and brilliant blues. Overall, menswear – certainly formalwear– is entering a bold new era where staying in the background is not a choice. If you have the requisite small waist and flat rump, you could get away with it, and become a red-carpet fashion contender. If you haven’t, give up the pastéis de nata and invest in a pair of trainers.
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Simply Algarve Full page APR2018.indd 1
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Finanace
The latest currency news. Keep up to date with our currency expert Chantelle, Client Account Executive at Currencies Direct. "After hitting its highest level since June, the GBP/ EUR exchange rate returned to a rather softer footing."
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he pound has been on a bullish run in the last couple of weeks thanks to mounting bets that the Bank of England (BoE) will vote to raise interest rates at its May meeting. However, while BoE policymakers took a generally hawkish tone at their March policy meeting GBP exchange rates soon hit resistance and lost momentum once again. As a result, after hitting its highest level since June, the GBP/EUR exchange rate returned to a rather softer footing. What’s been happening? Markets reacted positively to a breakthrough in Brexit talks as the EU and UK published a joint draft treaty, highlighting agreement on a number of key issues. Although there was no sign of progress with regards to the Irish border this was not enough to stop the Pound surging higher in the wake of the announcement. This encouraged hopes that the two sides could agree a deal ahead of the UK’s departure date of March 2019, limiting the odds of a cliff-edge exit. With just over a year now left before the Brexit deadline, though, concerns remain over the possibility of another breakdown in negotiations. A combination of weaker UK inflation and higher wage growth helped to improve the case for the BoE to raise interest rates again in the near future. As two policymakers voted in favour of an immediate interest rate hike at the BoE policy meeting the chances of a May move appeared to increase further. This has limited the weakness of the pound, even though profit taking and lingering political worries have kept demand somewhat in check. The US dollar, meanwhile, has seen some sharp moves in response to the Trump administration’s more protectionist policy approach.
With markets unsettled by the prospect of a trade war between the US and China the GBP/USD exchange rate found additional support. What do you need to look out for? Demand for the euro could pick up significantly in the near term if the latest German consumer price index data shows an improvement. Higher inflationary pressure would give the European Central Bank (ECB) additional incentive to consider returning to a monetary tightening bias in the coming months. This may weigh heavily on the GBP/EUR exchange rate, especially if March’s German unemployment rate falls to a fresh multiyear low as forecast. Any weakness in the latest raft of UK PMIs may diminish the appeal of the pound, meanwhile, as the economy remains under pressure thanks to the uncertainty of Brexit. Even if US data continues to print positively in the coming weeks, though, the US dollar may struggle to find particular support. Unless the US and China back away from a full-blown trade war, confidence in the future of the US economy could sour rather sharply, with growth having already shown signs of softening. For more information, please contact Chantelle at the Almancil office of Currencies Direct on 289 395 739 or alternatively visit their website on www. currenciesdirect.com/portugal and register to get regular updates on the currency markets, (please mention Simply Algarve magazine as a referral point).
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Finance
12 things you should know about the IMI
Keep up to date with our Finance expert, chartered accountant Ricardo Chaves from All Finance Matters.
"In this article we will try to clarify some of the questions you may have concerning this property tax."
T
he first installment of the IMI 2017, which is due in April 2018 should have arrived in your post box already. This year the good news is that 15 out of 16 Algarvian municipalities, have maintained or lowered the tax and just Vila do Bispo has decided to increase it. In this article we will try to clarify some of the questions you may have concerning this property tax. What is the IMI? IMI (Imposto Municipal sobre Imóveis - Municipal Property Tax) is a tax on the taxable value of immovable property in Portugal. This tax came into force in 2003, replacing the Council Tax, and reverts to the respective municipalities. Who pays IMI? The taxpayer is the property owner as of 31st December of the previous year. This means that if you bought your property at the end of 2016, you will pay the IMI for the full year. Likewise, if you sold your property at the beginning of 2017, you will still need to pay the IMI this year, as it’s always related to the previous year. How to calculate the IMI? IMI is calculated based on the Tax Asset Value (VPT) attributed to the property to which is applied a rate set annually by the municipality (VPT x IMI rate). The way the VPT is calculated varies. The VPT is calculated on the basis of various factors such as the construction value per square meter gross f loor area, location, quality and comfort and property age, updated every three years. What is the taxable value? The taxable value of buildings is its value determined by assessment according to the rules of the IMI Code. This value is registered in the land register. Who determines the IMI rates? The municipalities decide each year, which tax to apply in their council. This needs to be between 0.3 and 0.45% for buildings and 0.8% for plots (rustic property). Properties with tax domicile in "offshore"; are taxed at 7.5%,
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regardless of the type of property. What are the deadlines for the payment of the IMI? IMI is paid annually through a single billing document in April, if the tax is up to 250 euros. If the value is between 250 and 500 euros, you pay in two installments, 1st in April and 2nd in November. If the amount exceeds 500 euros, you pay in three installments (April, July and November). Please note that if you wish, you can pay the full amount in April, ask us how. What are the consequences of not paying the IMI on time? If you do not pay within the period specified in the collection document, you will pay interest on arrears. If the non-payment persists your property can be seized. Where can the IMI be paid? IMI can be paid at the Tax Office, Post Office, at any ATM machine or through internet banking. If you wish, you can pay it in our office, using a Portuguese debit or credit card. Who is entitled to an IMI exemption? Owners whose annual income on IRS in the previous year does not exceed 15 295 euros are exempt from property tax, provided that the book value of the property does not exceed 66,500 euros. Also, if you bought your main residence and if the tax value of the property does not exceed 125.000€ and your yearly income does not exceed 153k, you can apply for a 3 year IMI exemption. These exemptions are recognized by the head of the local tax office for a period of three years. Since last year, the fact that the tax payer may have tax debts does not imply the loss of the right to this exemption. Am I entitled to a discount in the IMI due the number of children? Since 2016 the law considers the possibility of each municipality to offer a family discount based on the number of children in the household. It’s determined by each council and the maximum discounts are: 10%, 15% and 20%, for one, two or three (or more) children.
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I am paying too much IMI, can I reduce my IMI bill? It may be possible to re-evaluate your property and reduce your tax liability. We have successfully submitted requests to the local tax departments to reduce the tax values of our clients’ properties, thereby saving many on their IMI property tax bills. However please note that any reassessment only takes effects on the following year, as you will only pay IMI for 2018, in 2019. IMI Rates in the Algarve to pay in 2018, from the lowest to the highest: 0.30% Alcoutim, Albufeira, Castro Marim, Loulé, Monchique and Silves 0.35% Aljezur and Lagos 0.36% Lagoa 0.375% Tavira 0.40% Faro, Olhão and Vila do Bispo 0.42% São Brás de Alportel 0.45% Portimão and Vila Real Sto Antonio
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Please note that if you did not receive your IMI bill, this could be because you have not submitted the tax return in 2016. In this case, please contact us to rectify the situation, avoiding interest or fines. Please feel free to visit us, if you need assistance with the payment: you can pay this and other taxes in our office, providing you have a Portuguese debit or credit card.
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FARO BY
Enjoy a cocktail on a roof-top bar, a meal in a world-class restaurant, appreciate amazing architecture then dance the night away at a nightclub, Faro really has something for everyone
F
aro is the capital and best known city of our breathtaking Algarve region. The city’s neoclassical Arco da Vila is on the site of a gate that was part of the original Moorish wall and the monumental archway leads to the old town, with its narrow, cobbled streets. Nearby you will find Faro Cathedral which was built in the 13th century as well as The Municipal Museum, in a 16th-century convent which displays prehistoric and medieval artifacts, plus religious art. The impressive Renaissance cathedral was bombed
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during World War II and is know as Bishops Palace. The city is on the edge of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, an important wetland with lagoons and mudflats. The park’s shores are protected from the sea by several barrier islands, among them, the uninhabited Barreta Island with its fine sandy, undeveloped beaches and to the east, the salt pans of Tavira Island attract flamingos, spoonbills and other birds. With a population of 64,560 inhabitants in 2011 (with 50,000 inhabitants in the city proper), the municipality covers an area of approximately 202.57 square kilometres
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Places
NIGHT
(78.21 square miles) Since Faro Airport is the unique airport in the Algarve, and tourism in this area is growing very quickly, the authorities are working to improve the service in the airport, and increase the airport capacity from 6 million to 8 million passengers per year; incredibly 55 per cent of these passengers will come from the UK. A visit at night now finds chic hotels, with impressive roof top bars and restaurants where you can take in the stunning views over the harbor and watch the incoming
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and outgoing aircraft, maybe with a cocktail or two. The breathtaking dusk skyline can be seen as the sun sets and within just a short walk of the coastal square you will find the main entrance to the impressive medieval castle walls. The square, inside the castle walls now combines traditional restaurants and bars as well as the refurbished contemporary, and is a perfect place to wander. The beautiful ornate cobbled streets, now have unique and boutique shops to visit as well as the traditional and it is fast becoming a trendy and elegant place to eat and drink.
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Places
There is an array of new night spots and independent atelier coffee shops, restaurants, cafes and bars and in particular the Columbus Bar, with its harbour view and international feel. Columbus was named after Christopher Columbus, who passed by Faro on his maiden voyage on the afternoon of the 14th March 1493, after he had left Lisbon the day before. Faro really does have a cosmopolitan feel and it’s clear that like a lot of other areas in the hidden gem of the East Algarve there will no doubt be more to come. A great place to spend time relaxing and taking in the scenery, architecture and people watching.
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Gardening
PLANT PORTRAITS:
ALOE
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lthough all varieties of this family of plants share a basic structure of a rosette of long, narrow, succulent leaves and an erect inflorescence of orange – red flowers, aloes display an amazing diversity. At least 500 species exist, and they range in size from large multibranched trees to tiny rosettes not more than 5 to 8cms in diameter. Species may grow tall and form shrubby bushes, remain small and solitary or provide so many offsets that that can dominate a landscape. Originally natives of Southern Africa, Madagascar, Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula, and some islands in the Indian Ocean, a few species have become naturalized in other regions, and certain varieties are now well established in our Mediterranean gardens. The succulent drought-tolerant Aloe is one of the least demanding plants grown in our climate. Their offspring strike very easily, and as a plant variety they are particularly maintenance-free. They easily cover difficult areas and also do well in pots and large containers. They will grow in any well drained soil, and will flourish in the hottest, sunniest, spot in your garden. They do flower best with an occasional summer watering,
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but can also manage without. Over a period of time, a group of aloe plants will form and dense, interlocking mass that is impenetrable to all weeds, forming a sculptural, imposing focal point amongst the other garden plants. The members of this very large group of succulents flower mainly during winter and early spring, when their tall spikes or branched candelabra of glowing orange-red or old-gold flowers are the first blooms of the New Year in our Algarve gardens. EASILY-GROWN VARIETIES Aloe arborescens: Tall heads of scarlet-orange flowers shoot up in late winter from this large Aloes dense mass of long, curved, grey-green leaves. In frost-free places it can become very tall and wide-spreading, even reaching a height of 4 meters. Aloe Cilaris: The climbing aloe pushes its delicate stems up to 2 meters high through trees and branched shrubs. Its candle spikes of bright scarlet flowers edged with lemonyellow and flash of viridian, shine against a background of green leaves in early spring. Aloe vera: The intercontinental distribution of this aloe variety means that it has wide tolerances for covering
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Taking a closer look into the amazingly diverse Aloe family! difficult areas. An added plus is the fact that the juice from this aloes leaf is a miraculous healer for bad cases of sunburn! Aloe ferox: This is a large, fierce aloe, its large greygreen leaves have serrated sharp edges, ending in a long, pointed thorn. Its flower spikes are scarlet, but there is also an unusual white-coloured variety. An imposing plant, it can grow up to 3 meters in height, a “statement� plant by its very nature. And finally, for something completely different: Aloe variegate: This delicate little Aloe has white striped green leaves growing in a rosette which measures only
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200mm across. It is pink flowered, and is very suitable for growing in a rockery, or in pots. Remember that most aloes grow quite easily, and enthusiastic growers are increasingly producing surprising Aloe hybrids that generally only require ordinary care. Aloes are one of the mainstays of any outdoor succulent garden, and the small and medium varieties make fine decorative container plants, suitable for verandas and terraces. Credit: www.cape-gardens.com info@cape-gardens.com
CAPE GARDENS
DESIGN |CONSTRUCTION | MAINTENANCE www.cape-gardens.com
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info@cape-gardens.com
289 397 165
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Sports
SPORTS NEWS T
PORTIMONENSE CONSOLIDATE
heir first season back in the Primeira Liga as proved exciting for the Portimão based club who have gradually established themselves in mid-table with a recent 2-1 home win over V.Guimarães and a 1-1 draw at V.Setúbal, the birthplace of José Mourinho. The only blip on the radar was the 5-1 home defeat by league leaders FC Porto. Two players who have been attracting attention of the bigger clubs are Shoya Nakajima and Fabrício. Japanese midfielder Shoya Nakajima, on-loan from FC Tokyo, was called-up to the full national squad for their
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FARENSE TAKE THE TITLE
C Farense wrapped up the Campeonato Portugal Division E title, with five games to spare, when they beat local rivals Olhanense 2-1 in Olhão recently. The top teams from the five national divisions plus the three best runners-up will meet in the May play-offs to decide which two teams will gain promotion to the Segunda Liga. Farense have had a magnificent season losing only once and conceding just eight goals in twenty-five games. 36 year-old Jorge Ribeiro, former Benfica and Portugal international, has been the pivotal influence in midfield whilst upfront Fabio Gomes, Tavinho, Irobiso and Jorginho have scored 32 of the clubs 51 goals. Farense have an illustrious history and twenty-two years ago played in the UEFA Cup. Among their former managers was Malcolm Allison and former England international Peter Barnes played for the club thirty years ago.
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Brought to you by Chris Wright.
recent games against Mali and Ukraine and the 23-yearold is attracting attention from the likes of Manchester United, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid. Attacking midfielder Fabrício has blossomed of late with seven goals in six games, including a hat-trick against Rio Ave, to bring his tally for the season to twelve. Four of Portimonense’s last six games are against teams below them in the league but most fans will be looking forward to the weekend of the 28th/29th April when Sporting Lisbon are the visitors to the municipal stadium..
SHEFFIELD UNITED LIFT TROPHY
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he third annual Albufeira Walking Football Tournament, for players over the age of fifty years of age, was won by Sheffield United in an enthralling final against reigning champions EAWF Olhão ‘A’. After the first day of wind and rain the thirteen teams - including Oxford United, Brackley Saints (Northamptonshire) and TGA 18 Select UK - competed for the final places in the main competition and Plate Trophy. The Blades, reflecting Sheffield’s historic past, were in sharp form and on occasions their goal tally reached double figures but they only edged through 2-1 in their ultimate game against EAWF Olhão ‘A’! The Plate Trophy was won by EAWF Tavira ‘A’, without conceding a goal, following a disciplined 2-0 final performance against Silver Coast ’B’ (north Portugal).
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Sports
British Army battle with Portuguese champions Highlighting a great Rugby event from last month where British Army and CDUL (Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa) battled it out at Browns Sports & Leisure Resort.
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he highlight of the 8th annual Algarve Rugby Festival at Browns Sports & Leisure Resort, Vilamoura was the game between the British Army and CDUL (Desportivo Universitário de Lisboa) national champions of Portugal last season. The Army had originally been due to play Russia’s top professional rugby side Krasny Yar Krasnoyarsk but owing to recent developments between the two countries CDUL stepped into the breach. In an entertaining game full of passion and commitment it was the British Army who ran out victorious. The training camp at Browns was in preparation for the British Army versus the Royal Navy at Twickenham on the 5th May. The annual event is sold out with a crowd of 80,000 attracted by the unique atmosphere of inter-service rivalry for the Babcock Trophy. by Chris Wright.
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Golf PRO TIPS :
Richard Hudson and Eddie Charnock, Algarve Golf Guru, PGA Golf Professionals share their top tips on playing the signature 6th hole at Vila Sol.
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Golf
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he 6th hole is a super Par 5 at Vila Sol along with being the only hole with a fairway bunker. Your tee shot is from an elevated tee onto a downhill fairway towards a beautiful lake. You need to keep your drive down the left side as the fairway falls from left to right, with a fairway bunker at about 200mtrs down the right side. Once you have positioned your drive you are then faced with a major choice! Do I or don't I go for the carry? Unless you feel sure you can carry the lake you will have to take the safe option of hitting your second shot to the right side of the lake. This is what makes the 6th hole at Vila Sol a great matchplay and stroke play hole! When playing to the right be sure not to use too much Club as your next shot will be impeded by Pine Trees. Should you have hit your tee shot far enough, past the
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bunker and short of the lake then now is the time to trust your swing and take on the carry, a perfect shot should leave approx 80mtrs from the green. The 6th green slopes from back to front, is small with a bunker positioned front right. It is important to remember the green is below you, making your Club selection much more difficult. Two putts on this green is not as easy as it sounds being the green is small. Never underestimate a Par 5 on this hole as you will make shots up on the rest of the field and at least get a half if not a win more times than not! If you would like to contact the duo for lessons or any other golf needs, find them on their website: www. algarvegolfguru.com Email sales@algarvegolfguru.com and make sure to mention Simply Algarve as a point of refferal.
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Classifieds
CLASSIFIED ADS! The Simply Algarve magazine now has a free classifieds section for our readers. Please send your small free ads to Design@simplyalgarvemag.com before the 16th to be included in the next issue! FOR SALE TOYOTA Land Cruiser 2.5 Turbo Diesel, 3 Door, Left Hand Drive 293,000 Km Portuguese Registered Price 8,600 euro Contact: 926 747967 email: greenrivercompany@gmail.com
IRON DOG HOTEL AND SCHOOL Fully equipped dog school with a big grass training area. Swimming classes also available during summer. Services: socialization, basic obedience, behavioral problems resolutions, security dogs training and dog sports competition trainings. The hotel for dogs is located in the countryside, with permanent surveillance 24/7 in a family environment. Outdoor area with 200 square meters with grass and individual spacious boxes of 9 square meters each. www.irondog.pt / 966092964
Buganvilia Plaza, Quinta do Lago 35m2 shop / office for rent. Ground floor, front row, middle unit with large display windows. Directly facing the main VDL to QDL road. Available. Call: 962 115 133
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FOR SALE: Mens Golf Clubs Ping G5 4-LW great condition with matching bag. 966 044 143
Art by Alyson Sheldrake. Original Acrylic Paintings for sale, Pet and House Portraits all at affordable prices. Alyson is an Algarve-based artist available for Commissions. alyson@artbyalysonsheldrake. com PT mobile: 912027256 www.artbyalysonsheldrake.com
ENTERTAINMENT FOR RESTAURANTS, BARS AND HOTELS. We specialize in Sixties Music but we offer Karaoke as an option. Please contact Richy on 966 006 436 or see www.richybassett.com. HOUSE FOR LONG TERM RENT (min 2 years) Beautiful 3 bed Villa + Guest Apartment in Benfarras / Vilamoura. Own large pool, nice garden, partly furnished, 1900 Euros plus bills, photos available. Phone 967612665
ART CLASS Every Thursday morning 10 – 12.30pm at ASCA Almancil. Complete beginners welcome. All mediums covered. 12 Euros. Contact Tracy 289489174.
Europe's Best Golf Venue *Membership prices for anual subscriptions.