SIMPLY
ALGARVE ISSUE NO. 49 AUGUST 2020
Contents
4 WORTH KNOWING News, views, and some very good ideas
6 WALKING ON WATER Our first time Stand up paddleboarding
12 MOON LIZARDS Jake Cleaver sets the record straight on our friendly neighbourhood dragonettes
14 THE LOGIC BEHIND GLUTEN FREE Janet Shook explains the reasons behind going Gluten free
16 ROCHA DA PENA Breathtaking views of the Algarvean Serra
20 GRILLED SARDINES Get stuck into this classic Portuguese dish
22 NATURES MOSQUITO REPELLENTS Urban legend or truth?
24 A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER An update on the property market.
26 PROPERTY OF THE MONTH Could this be your dream property?
28 DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE A look at the Algarve from the eyes of a drone
32 ARTFUL ANNETTE Getting to know local artist Annette Baptista
36 A DRAUGHT FROM THE HIGHLANDS Neil Caird brings us the story behind Beer, giving us a tour of Afters Brewing Company
40 RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH Mouthwatering Sushi from chef Juanito
42 FINANCE Your questions, answered by our expert
44 SPORTS NEWS The latest in sport from Chris Wright
46 GOLF
PUBLISHER Richard Bassett ART DIRECTOR Jake Bassett +351 966 044 143 simplyalgarvemag@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS Chris Wright Ricardo Chaves Richard Hudson Robert Bijker Janet Shook Jake Cleaver Portugal News AlgarveDailyNews Portugal Resident Jake Bassett ADVERTISING 966 044 143 simplyalgarvemag@gmail.com 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.
Get it right and things are swinging
47 PARTING WORDS Jake Cleavers salute to the sun
Unipessoal Lda
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News
NEED TO KNOW We bring you more news, local happenings, shop openings, bright ideas as well as helpful hints and charity updates, so you know what to look out for where. Send us your news too, we’ll always include anything of special interest
FOUR ORCAS SPOTTED OFF ALGARVE COAST, BETWEEN CARVOEIRO AND FERRAGUDO
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pod of four orcas, commonly known as killer whales, were spotted five kilometres out at sea between Carvoeiro and Ferragudo on Saturday July 25.
Mediterranean. While they have colloquially become known as killer whales, they are actually part of the dolphin family.
“It was one of the most spectacular sightings we have ever witnessed because the orcas were right beside our boat and even looked at us,” André Dias from dolphin watching company Wildwatch told Correio da Manhã tabloid.
“Spanish fishermen began calling them killer whales because some of them would prey on smaller whales,” explained André Dias, adding that the orcas that visited the Algarve mostly feed on tuna and are not dangerous to humans.
The group included one adult male, one adult female and two young calves.
According to National Geographic, orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world’s most powerful predators.
“The male orca must have been between eight and nine metres long and swam underneath our boat,” said Júlio Lourenço from Allboat.
“They’re at the top of the food chain and have very diverse diets, feasting on fish, penguins, and marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches long.” source: theportugalresident.com
Orcas often travel along the Algarve coast as they follow the annual tuna migration between the Atlantic and the
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SALEMA BEACH BOASTS NEW ALL-TERRAIN BEACH CHAIR FOR DISABLED BEACHGOERS An all-terrain beach chair which allows people with disabilities to enjoy a safer and more comfortable beachgoing experience has been purchased by Vila do Bispo Council for Salema beach. The chair will be managed by the beach’s Atlântico restaurant and will help transport disabled beachgoers when they go swimming. Salema beach received an award this year for being an “accessible beach”. Source: www.portugalresident.com
PRAIA DA LUZ’S ROMAN SPA ATTRACTION RENOVATION
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he Lagos council is to invest around ¤312,000 in reconstructing and refurbishing Praia da Luz’s Roman Spa attraction. The construction of a Welcome Centre for the Balneário Romano da Praia da Luz will take 240 days, this agreement will help in the conservation, enhancement and dissemination of this archaeological site.
The intervention programme joins works of study of the ruined architectural structure, as well as its reconstruction, communicated in several ways, namely through: information panels, placed next to the monument; an integral model that will be exposed in the exhibition space of the support building; and a three-dimensional virtual simulation, with 3D animation, where the bathers’ path in the Balneário Romano will be reconstructed.
The purpose of the intervention is to create conditions for the reopening of the monument for the public to enjoy, including access for citizens with reduced mobility.
The purpose of the proposed building and tour is to highlight the archaeological location and return it to the people, now accompanied by a scientific contextualization that unveils the history of this thermal building and its integration into an important Roman industrial centre.
The project programme, designed by Pedro Alarcão Arquitetos, contemplates: the creation of a building to welcome visitors; the implementation of defined visitor routes; conservation and consolidation actions for the ruins; punctual reconstruction actions that allow the visitor to better understand the former structure, as well as the sharing of the results obtained and the architectural intervention implemented.
The works are part of the project “Route of the Archaeological Stations of Lagos” and the application of the municipality of Lagos with the same designation that was approved under the CRESC Algarve 2020. Source: theportugalnews.com
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Get Active
WALKING ON WATER
Well, sort of... Welcome to Praia de Benagil where we met with I LOVE SUP to experience stand up paddleboarding and the Benagil caves!
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tand up paddleboarding (or, SUP), has become huge in popularity over the last couple of years in the Algarve. Stand up paddleboarding as a water sport originated in Hawaii, though variations of SUP have been around for thousands of years. The modern version mixes surfing with kayaking to create a fun way to enjoy the water whether it be in calm lakes, in the middle of breaking waves in the sea or as we did this month, calmly making your way from one incredible sea cave to another along the Algarve’s magnificent coastline.
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Having lived in the Algarve for over 10 years now, we have always wanted to visit the caves, as social media has become more and more present in everyone’s lives, it is hard to go a day in summer without someone sharing their experience at the Benagil cave. And so, we reached out to I LOVE SUP who agreed to take us out to experience the caves for ourselves. We met Márcio and Filomena at Praia de Benagil at 9:15 to get all of our safety equipment on, disinfect our hands and then have a quick lesson on how to get around with the board. Once we all had our bearings we marched down to
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Get Active
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the water and hopped on our boards. Amazingly, it took a good 15 minutes before anyone fell in, however once one went we all shortly followed but I can’t say it wasn’t enjoyable, it was around 35 degrees and boy were we feeling it! We quickly made our way to the first cave and immediately fell in love with the experience, the crystal clear water was absolutely stunning. Marcio and Filomena took us on a 2 hour tour of the caves along the coast, past Praia do Carvalho and all the way to Cabo Carvoeiro where we went through the cave that has a resemblance of a skull on the ceiling. After this we made our way back to the Benagil cave where we spent some time taking pictures and admiring just how amazing nature is. Most of the Algarve is made up of Miocene Limestone which sits on top of much older rock created in the Mesozoic era (back when the Dinosaurs were around!). The Algarve Basin was part of a region caught in the epicentre when the supercontinent Pangea split. During this process, warm, shallow seas slowly made their way in and overtime limestone built up, with the layers that make up the Benagil Caves being formed around 20 million years ago.
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Get Active Like other karst formations around the world, the cliffs surrounding Benagil have been subjected to natural weathering processes such as running rainwater to waves crashing which forms these caves and pillars, eventually these weathering processes will lead to the caves completely collapsing so before they do make sure you visit them! We would like to thank Marcio and Filomena at I LOVE SUP for taking us on this amazing tour, if you are interested in learning how to Stand up Paddle or would like to go on a tour for yourself please contact them and mention Simply Algarve. Their equipment is professional and easy to use and their guidance makes for a very enjoyable experience that we couldn’t recommend any higher. T: +351 936 190 126 E: booking@ilovesup.pt W: ilovesup.pt
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House 2House We buy and sell high quality furniture.
An enjoyable shopping experience with amazing choices at affordable prices. Why go anywhere else? Bedroom - Dining room - Lounge - Garden - Office - Kitchenware - Lighting - Soft Furnishings - Pictures - Mirrors - Objets d’art
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Wildlife
MOON LIZARDS Jake Cleaver sets the record straight on our friendly neighbourhood dragonettes, the Common Wall Gecko
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just love the beautiful moving dragon decorations that adorn our walls here in the Algarve. These roaming exhibits, known by many names, including the Mediterranean house Gecko, the Moorish Gecko, common wall Gecko, Osgas (as they are called in Portuguese), or even baby crocodiles, keep the walls of our houses interesting as they constantly reshuffle themselves leaving their silhouettes on display. Unbelievably though, these brilliant little reptiles get a bad rap. Lots of Portuguese people don’t like them, and I’ve known many a Portuguese maid (who ironically spend more time around them than anyone) that are scared of them. This is mainly due to rumours started centuries ago, and passed down through the generations. They tell tales of their tails falling into a teapot and poisoning the whole family. Or, of them crawling over people while they sleep and causing a rash. None of these things are true, at all. They aren’t poisonous. In fact, Geckos are good friends of humans. I mean they catch mosquitoes! How can you possibly not like anybody who does that? But it just shows you how stigmas can stick. Almost as well as Geckos can to walls. Almost. And that’s a good segue into the first of the
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Geckos incredible powers. Geckos can cling to walls, and even ceilings. This amazing gravity defying feat is thanks largely, to yes, their feet. They have lots (and lots) of tiny hairs called setae on their toes. These hairs allow them to get so close to the contours of the walls that as far as I can understand - a magic force, called the “van der Waals” effect kicks in. (Although, I think we can all agree it should be called the “on der Waals” effect.) And allows them, as long as they get the angle right, to create a bond with the surface they are on. So there you go. They aren’t sticky like you might have thought. They literally hang there by their toe hairs. (That’s a whole lot more useful than my toe hairs are.) It’s quite a unique ability. There’s no other lizard that can do it. The Gecko family are the largest animals capable of this trick. In fact, that’s my theory about why they are really disliked so much. We are all just jealous. And their powers don’t stop there. Say they are being chased by a cat, dog, snake, owl, rat, bat, or even chicken. (See, they’ve already got enough problems without us not liking them.) They simply deploy their tail. Which will twitch and flit around as a distraction, while they (hopefully) make their getaway. And then, and here’s the really impressive part - they can grow it back. A process that takes a couple
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of months, and seeing as they also use their tails as a sort of larder to store fat and water - they don’t take kindly to being spooked unnecessarily. I can just imagine them getting in a right strop because a friend of theirs came around unannounced. “Damn! Gordon, you didn’t tell me you were going to be back from WALL street this early!”. So remember, always knock first, and don’t even think about throwing a Gecko a surprise birthday party.
female Gecko will lay two eggs in a secluded location. But then, like most lizards, she has a rather lazy, laissez faire approach to parenting - she leaves them there and never comes back.
My mum asked me if anybody has looked into what makes some lizards able to regrow their appendages, as maybe we could learn a thing or two about how to regrow our own limbs? I told her they had. Or at least that it was the plot of a Spiderman comic. Doctor Curtis Conners, a genetic biologist and amputee, tried injecting himself with lizard DNA to see if he could get his arm to grow back. And it worked! Only trouble is that it didn’t stop there. He soon had a tail, some scales, a long sticky tongue and became the - spider, and Spiderman eating - villain known as “The Lizard”.
As you can see, these incredible little acrobats are really quite magical, with some truly amazing powers. They are like little superheroes, and they are here to help you. Be proud to have them on display in your home exhibition. They are your very own moving picture dragons emblazoning your walls.
Long live the Gecko is what I say! And they really do. Up to a ripe old age of 15 years old. (If they get over their abandonment issues, and their tails work, of course.)
But I did wonder if we are actually looking into it in real life? Or if we took Stan Lee’s word as sufficient warning. Of course, we didn’t. And scientists have been looking into how it could help regrowth in spinal cord injuries. After all, how bad would it really be if we turned into Geckos? Let’s look at the advantages: Stick to walls. Don’t need to go to the dentist (I’ll explain later). Mosquitoes keep their distance, and with our new powers of regeneration we wouldn’t have to be so careful when chopping onions either.. A few scales doesn’t sound like a bad trade off. They are also, I was surprised to discover, nocturnal creatures, and another of their many nicknames (and quite a cool one) is “Moon Lizards”. They could have fooled me as I see plenty during the day. But I suppose being cold blooded they need to lounge in the sun and try to warm up, and get a tan? (They do turn darker in the daytime.) But even at night they are still attracted to the lights, or shall we say, attracted to the insects, that are attracted to the lights. Geckos eat moths, mosquitoes, cockroaches, worms, spiders and all kinds of bugs. They catch them with their sticky tongues. And even though they have up to 100 tiny teeth, and are constantly regrowing new ones (hence no dental bills), they don’t rip their prey to threads. Like all other lizards - they swallow them in one gulp, and crush. Word of warning. Don’t ever try to have a staring competition with a Gecko. You will almost certainly blink first. You see, Geckos don’t have eyelids. Instead they have little protective scales that cover their eyes, and their tongues act as a sort of windscreen wiper to keep them clean. And before you think jeez, imagine not being able to close your eyes, ever! They have vertical pupils that can almost entirely overlap, and they block out the world that way. But when they are open (or at least underlapped?) they rely heavily on their eyesight. They have full colour vision and are actually capable of seeing a much larger spectrum of colours than us, especially in dim light. Ideal for long nights on the prowl. Another way Geckos are different from other lizards is that they can be proper little chatterboxes. Most lizards don’t say very much, and if they do it’s just some hissy little comment. Geckos bark and click, and squeak and chirp and make all sorts of noises. But their go-to noise seems to be a sort of chuckle. At least it is when they are chatting up potential mates (and it’s going well). When you hear a growl you know somebody’s boyfriend has turned up. However, if they aren’t interrupted. Once a year the
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Body & Mind
THE LOGIC BEHIND GLUTEN-FREE Janet Shook is here to guide you on your journey and make sure you are always working towards a healthier body and mind
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o, you moved to the Algarve for the good weather, great wine, fresh fish, and of course, the delicious bread.
We all love bread, and over thousands of years, we have naturally selected the plumpest grains of wheat to make our softest bread. These chubby wheat grains just happen to be exceptionally high in gluten. And this gluten is not doing us any good. I am sorry to have to tell you this, but does it help that you can keep the good weather, wine, and fish? Gluten is a general name for the proteins in many grains in the wheat family; wheat, barley, rye and triticale. These proteins naturally irritate the colon. You don’t need to have Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity for gluten to create the chemical reaction that causes permeability in the intestines. Once your intestines are perforated, chronic illness and discomfort will set in. I have a cousin who is a successful diagnostician in the U.S. He admitted to me that if he ever had a client with “unexplainable body pain or mysterious inflammation” he would take away gluten and dairy. “Janet”, He said in a hushed tone, “It works nearly all the time”! As a doctor, he figured out that gluten and dairy create an inflammatory response in many people, and it can show up anywhere in the body. Why? Because the proteins from the gluten and dairy enter the bloodstream, and blood goes everywhere. This means migraine headaches, joint inflammation, skin rashes,
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cellulite.. the list goes on… all could be linked to gluten (or other inflammatory foods). Something as simple (Simple does not mean easy!) as giving up gluten will almost certainly lead to decreased body pain, the weight loss you’ve always wanted, increased focus, and elevated mood amongst other possible benefits. Feeling the full benefits of giving up gluten might take several weeks to months, as the inflammation can stay long after the spaghetti has gone. I would not go back to eating gluten for anything. I feel the difference in the way I look, think, and feel, and although it was difficult at first, it is absolutely worth it. Here are my top tips for cutting gluten out of your diet; Substitute bread for something similar (Gluten free bread, rice crackers, etc.), always have a back-up plan for when the cravings hit, and don’t walk into the bakery when you’re hungry. If you have more questions about diet and lifestyle or would like to talk to me more, just be in touch. Helping people through these lifestyle changes is my passion and profession! You can reach her through the following channels: www.janetshook.com Janet_shook@yahoo.com Instagram: Janet Shook Facebook: Janet Shook Wellness and Yoga Linked In: Janet Shook +(351) 927 393 217
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E legance
ALGARVE
Love of furniture and interior design by Donna Algarve Elegance is the beauty within your home with a taste of difference and style. Find us here: Av. Duarte Pacheco 143, Almancil or contact us on T: 960 116 396 E: donna@algarveelegance.com W: algarveelegance.com
Outdoors
ROCHA DA PENA
There’s no better time to get outside and go for a hike, whilst we don’t recommend doing it in the middle of the day, it is definitely worth taking advantage of an early morning or cool evening to see the breathtaking views from Rocha da Pena
Trail details: Distance: 6.7km Direction: Counter - clockwise Duration: Approx. 2 hours Altitude: Min 310m / Max 479m Altitude variation: 285m Difficulty level: Easy (level 2)
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he pedestrian trail of Rocha da Pena starts on a dirt road with a steep incline that really gets the heart rate up, this incline flattens out on your way to the top giving you a chance to catch your breath before reaching the stunning views it has to offer.
The Flora Rocha da Pena has a high floristic diversity with more than 500 species identified in the area, several of which correspond to the Lusitania and Iberic endemic species
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which are of special scientific interest as they offer an important refuge for many species unique to the Algerian Barrocal.
Mediterranean buckthorns (Rhombus oleoides) and Mediterranean smilaxes (Smilax aspera var. aspera) among others.
On the southern slopes you’ll find an abundance of Holm oaks (Quercus Rotundifalia), accompanied by Juniper (Juniperus turbinata), traditional drylands orchids with carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua), European olive trees (Olea europaea var. europaea), almond trees (Prunus dulcis), Fig trees (Ficus carica) and extensive scrublands dominated by kermes oaks (Quercus coccifera), dioecious evergreen shrubs (Pistacia lentiscus),
In the northern slopes, on the deep loamy limestone substrates, the Portuguese oak (Quercus broteroi) and the Quercus gaditana stand out. The Fauna There is a rich diversity of birds living in and around Rocha da Pena with more than 80 species identified. In the autumnal migration you might get the opportunity
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Outdoors
to observe the booted eagle, the short-toed snake eagle, the Eurasian sparrow hard and the griffon vulture, which usually appear in large flocks. With some luck, you might see the Egyptian vulture, a rare but regular migrant. The great limestone massif provides perfect breeding conditions for the blue rock thrush, the Eurasian eagle owl and the Bonelli’s eagle. In the ascent to the top of the trail, you’ll find the Dartford warbler, the Sardinian warbler and the winter, the alpine accentor and the ring ouzel. There aren’t many mammals in the area, though you will find the bent-wing bat, the lesser mouse-eared bat and the Mehley’s
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horseshoe bat which occupy the caves and the common Genet, the European rabbit, wild boar and the red fox. It’s worth mentioning the protected species of amphibians, such as the Mediterranean tree frog, the Iberian midwife toad, the southern marbled newt and for the reptiles the horseshoe whip snake, the southern smooth snake and the spanish psammodromus. There’s also rare species of butterflies such as the Spanish festoon, the Portuguese dappled white butterfly, the southern scarce swallowtail and the Old World swallowtail. The Geology Rocha da Pena is a cliff faced mountain made of very hard limestone rock, its tabletop is approximately 2 km in length and has a 50m cliff face and slope. The maximum altitude
of the tabletop is 479m. The structure has a number of different characteristics such as karrenfields, dollies, poljes, sink holes and vertical caves. The main erosive agent involved in this process is water. Water affects the limestone rock above ground as well as below ground, over the years it moulds the rock into specific karst formations. Throughout the years, this chemical action corrodes the limestone causing cracks and cavities that are accelerated by the mechanical action of water. When it rains, the water brings dissolved atmospheric carbon dioxide that makes the water slightly acidic, when the water touches the ground, it infiltrates the soil and making contact with organic acids that then react with the limestone transforming the calcium carbonate into bicarbonate of calcium.
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Simply delicious
GRILLED SARDINES
Check out these sweet and peppery crispy sardines, ready in 20 minutes. These are great on a griddle, but will also work on the BBQ when the weather warms up. Serve with a big green salad and plenty of bread! Ingredients Extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp, plus extra to serve Garlic 3 cloves, sliced Smoked sweet paprika 1 tbsp, plus extra to serve Lemon, zested and wedged to serve Rosemary 4 sprigs, leaves stripped and bruised Red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped Sardines 8, gutted
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Method Put all of the ingredients, except the sardines, into a bowl and mix together with some seasoning. Pour into a baking dish, add the sardines and toss really well. Cover and chill for a few hours.
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Heat a BBQ or griddle pan until hot. Cook the sardines for 4-5 minutes on each side or until really caramelised and charred. Put onto a serving plate, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with a little more paprika and squeeze over the lemon wedges.
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Hea;th
NATURES MOSQUITO REPELLENTS
Urban legend or truth? Are there really plants that repel insects that can be planted in your garden or around the patio to prevent mosquitoes from hanging around where you wish they didn’t?
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nfortunately, the answer is no. Simply planting juniper shrubs, rosemary, or citronella grass or any other plant at the back door won’t stop mosquitoes from buzzing around the patio during the dinner hour. What will keep insects like mosquitoes and gnats away are the essential oils contained in the plant’s leaves, which are obtained by crushing the leaves. There are a variety of both wild and cultivated plants that repel mosquitoes. Almost anywhere you go, it is reasonable
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to find several plant species that you can use to ward off these pesky critters. Plant-based mosquito repellents are especially useful for people who spend a great deal of time outdoors. It is important to note that it is compounds found within the plants that do the repelling. These compounds need to be released from the plant to unlock the mosquitorepelling qualities. Depending on the species of plant, they can be released by, either crushing, drying, or infusing the plant into an oil or alcohol base that can be applied to skin, clothing, or living spaces. Others are best used as a smudge, which releases the compounds in a smoke. Just
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standing near living plants that repel mosquitoes is often not effective. Below are separate lists of wild and cultivated plants that are known to repel mosquitoes: Cultivated Plants That Repel Mosquitoes Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus) is the most popular cultivated plant used for repelling mosquitoes. Its oil, citronella oil, is the primary ingredient in most natural insect repellents sold in stores. Products applied to the skin are most effective. It grows in tropical regions. Pelargonium citrosum also known as the Mosquito Plant is a genetically engineered geranium hybrid with a unique characteristic: it repels mosquitoes! It is easily grown as a potted patio plant, and easily enjoyed for its attractive foliage and sweet lemony scent, as well as for its mosquito repelling powers. It produces a leafy, attractive, foot-tall plant during its first season. The Mosquito Plant was created by a Dutch botanist, who genetically incorporated traits of the Chinese citronella grass into a scented African geranium. The resulting cultivar still had the growth and habit of the geranium, and its sweet lemony citronella scent. Citronella is the substance in citronella candles, which have long been used to deter mosquitoes. It doesn’t harm them, but they don’t like citronella and avoid it. It is most effective as a repellent if you crush a few leaves and rub them on your skin. This releases the citronella and a sweet perfume. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is a common garden plant that can be used to repel mosquitoes. The crushed plant can be applied directly to the skin or the dried plant can be infused in an oil, such as olive oil.
Snowbrush (Ceonothus velutinus) Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) Cedars (Thuja spp.) It’s important to note that insect repellents applied to the skin generally only last one to two hours. Frequent reapplication is necessary. Also, when utilizing wild plants, internally or externally, always be sure to correctly identify the plant you are going to use. It is best to utilize field guides and work with someone who knows the plant well to avoid accidentally using a poisonous look-alike. Additional Tips on Repelling Mosquitoes In addition to using mosquito repelling plants, you may want to consider some other factors that can help keep mosquitoes away. Mosquitoes find their prey by following carbon dioxide and other components that animals breathe out. Many outdoors-people have noticed that mosquitoes have a greater attraction to people that have been eating processed, sugary foods, and less attracted to people eating more of a natural diet such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The processed food diet may make your odour and blood chemistry more attractive to mosquitoes. You can choose to eat less processed foods and sugars during the mosquito season. Additionally, diets high in garlic and onions have been noted to help reduce the attraction of mosquitoes. And finally we must remember that although many people swear by these natural remedies to keep insects away, they are not always guaranteed to work and in many occasion have no scientific facts to back up the claims made. I can only suggest that you try them for yourselves and see if you like many others find a more natural cure to the irritating seasons that we endure living in our warmer climate
Additional cultivated plants that repel mosquitoes: Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) Garlic (Allium sativum) Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Wild Plants That Repel Mosquitoes Vanilla Leaf (Achlys triphylla) is a plant native to the northwest and Japan. Indigenous peoples were known to hang bundles of the dried plants in and around their dwellings to keep mosquitoes and flies away. The plant can be rubbed on the skin fresh or dried to deter mosquitoes. Sagebrush, Wormwood, and Mugwort (Artemisia spp.) are in the same genus (plant grouping). All of these species can be used as an aromatic smudge that is known to be a very effective mosquito repellent. The crushed leaves can also be applied directly to the skin. These species grow in the drier habitats of the west, including the plains, deserts, and mountainous regions. Pineapple weed (Matricaria matricarioides) is a common weedy species that grows all over North America. It can be found growing in lawns, edges of roads, and other disturbed areas. The aromatic crushed plant can be applied to the skin to help repel mosquitoes. Additional wild plants known to repel mosquitoes: Nodding onion (Allium cernuum) Wild bergamot (Mondarda fistulosa)
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The basic recipe is as follows Take 2 cups of catnip leaves or 1 cup of rosemary leaves, stems removed and crush in a mortar and pestle. Alternatively you can use a rolling pin to crush the leaves. Place the leaves in a clean jar. Fill the jar with 3/4 cup of rice vinegar or vodka, or if you use oil, 3/4 cup of jojoba or almond oil. Let the mixture sit for a couple of weeks, gently stirring at least once a day. Strain mixture into another clean jar and your homemade bug spray is ready to make its debut!
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Property Update
A SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER Robert Bijker, managing director of Yellow Homes - Land & Houses Algarve, discusses the current situation in the property market
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he Algarve is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. Every summer the beaches are packed with a peak in August, but walk a few miles in both directions and you almost have the beach to yourself. This year was off to a great start for property sales and lettings. The holiday rental
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calendars were filling up quickly until COVID-19 came along and changed everything. Lockdowns, mandatory quarantine measures and Portugal’s exclusion on the UK safe destinations list all made it anything but business as usual. Except for a few cities, the Algarve predominantly consists of low density residential areas. As such, and with a population
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eager to follow and obey safety measures, the number of people affected by Covid-19 as well as the number of casualties are low in comparison with other countries.
Yellow Homes – Land & Houses Algarve www.algarvepropertysearch.com www.algarve-portugal-immobilien.de
It is going to be a summer like no other. For those lucky holidaymakers who are in the Algarve, they will get a glimpse of what the Algarve used to be like in the sixties and seventies when the number of tourists was much lower. No over crowed beaches, no waiting time to get a table at a restaurant and in general less people and cars in the streets. However, social distancing measures make it less enjoyable to have a drink at your favourite waterhole and mix with other people. On the other hand it offers families a great opportunity for quality time as home cooking with your loved ones has never been so popular.
Vilamoura Office EN 125, Benfarras Boliqueime 8100 - 068 Boliqueime Tel: 289 301 294 Tavira Office Rua Dr. José Pires Padinha 178 8800 - 354 Tavira Tel: 281 320 281 (AMI - 6232)
The happy hour for people who successfully applied for the NHR program has just become a tad less exuberant, call it a minor hangover. Under the NHR program foreigners GOLF PROPERTIES - VILLAS - APARTMENTS - TOWNHOUSES - PLOTS who become a resident in Portugal have the benefit for a period of 10 years of paying zero tax on pension income in Portugal, a big saving versus the 50-60% tax rates in their home country. Happy hour every hour of the day and not limited to beverages. However, after years of pressure from countries like Sweden, Finland, UK and France, Portugal will implement a flat 10% tax rate on pensions for those who apply for residence after the 1st of April 2020. Income such as interest, certain capital gains, dividends and rental income will stay under the previous NHR regime and often incur zero tax. For British citizens AMI: 6232 there is the additional benefit to travel freely in the EU and to UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY: BEACH FRONTED 3 BED TOWNHOUSE NEAR OLHOS DE AGUA / ACOTEIAS The immaculate presented, fully furnished property is part of a small, private condominium with communal pool. It is amazingly set just the UK by becoming Portuguese a stone throw away from the beach and with beautiful sea views. The light drenched and private corner house consists residents, but arrival in Portugal of 3 levels, 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. An internal staircase leads to the basement which consist of a very spacious needs to be before the 31st of and private garage with automatic doors. Truly unique property 100 meters from one of the best beaches in the Algarve. December 2020 and registration Ref R-BTO / Price: € 625.000 Euro, EC - C must be made before the 30th of Contact us! Our email is info@yellowhomes.com or call us on (+351) 289 301 294 June 2021. Find out more info on our website www.yellowhomes.com It is no surprise then that holidaymakers leave wishing to return, some on a permanent basis despite the pandemic. Those who experienced video conferencing while working from home during lockdowns may actually prefer to go less often to the office, if needed at all. This opens the prospect of moving to a different country such as Portugal, while being employed in your home country. Favourable tax incentives in addition to endless sunshine, beautiful blue flag beaches, good food and the friendly Portuguese people make for a magical potion which makes people want to come back for more. Many people dream of moving to Southern Europe but few actually do. Maybe you are one of them. Our consultants have been living in the Algarve for a long time and would be pleased to answer your questions and offer advice. Stay safe, stay healthy.
GOLF PROPERTIES - VILLAS - APARTMENTS - TOWNHOUSES - PLOTS
AMI: 6232
BEAUTIFUL VILLA WITH 4 BEDROOMS, POOL AND SEA VIEWS NEAR VILAMOURA Located close to Vilamoura in an elevated position and therefore offering fantastic views over the countryside and the sea is this 4 bedroom detached villa. The property is close to many amenities as well as the beach and Vilamoura Marina, making this the perfect holiday property or permanent residence. Ref: P-SIP / Price: €750.000 Euro, EC - C
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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Property
Exclusive Listing
PROPERTY YELLOW HOMES Land & Houses Algarve Real Estate Agent since 1995 T: +351 289 301 294 E: info@yellowhomes.com www.yellowhomes.com EN 125, Benfarras Boliqueime (opposite DHL)
AMI: 6232
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OF THE MONTH PROPERTY DETAILS
Modern light drenched 4-bed villa in peaceful and private setting yet positioned within a very short walk of Almancil centre
• 4 bedrooms • 5 bathrooms ( 3x en-suite ) • Large entrance hall • Living and dining room • Extensive terracing • Air conditioning • Fully furnished and equipped kitchen with breakfast area • Pantry • Utility room • Large basement : Bar / garage / entertainment area / bathroom • Fully fenced plot • Electric entrance gates
• L-shaped salt water swimming pool ( approx. 10x6m) • External summer kitchen • BBQ • Double glazed windows • Aluminium shutters • Wood and granite flooring • CCTV (video intercom) • Wireless alarm system • Central vacuum system • Construction size 455 m2 • Fully walled plot with 627 m2 land size • EC: B-
¤795,000 Ref: TNH August 2020
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From the sky
A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
We have taken a dive into the world of drones, take a look at some of our favourite shots we have taken so far around the Algarve along with some tips on choosing a drone for yourself!
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ever has it been so easy to capture aerial images of some of the world’s most stunning (and sometimes hard to reach) places. The drone, a sky-high flying, unmanned camera, is undoubtedly the wildest photography development in recent memory.
issue), so here is a selection of shots we have taken around the Algarve so far along with some tips on getting into drone photography yourself!
Essentially a remote-controlled toy for the photo obsessed, drones are as much fun as they are revolutionary and as the desire for drones has risen, the price has dropped, making it easier than ever to get a camera in the air. One search of “drone” in Google will shock you, the number of drones available out there these days is amazing, but it’s not as simple as clicking buy it now and flying off to capture the world around you, there is much to learn before becoming a drone pilot.
Let’s start with step one, which drone you should buy? This depends on a few factors, your budget, your experience and your goals. There are two types of drones to consider, ones with a built-in camera or an on-board camera. You can find both expensive and less expensive cameras for either types however on-board camera drones tend to be a little cheaper than built-in as they don’t include the camera. They are also lighter and as you are already used to your camera, you’ll only need to learn how to fly. If you’re a complete beginner then there are cheap, light and durable options available but they normally come with less features.
We recently took the step into the world of Drone photography (which you will see throughout this months
Now you’ve decided on which type of drone, what next? Get to know their features and what they can do, for
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August 2020
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From the sky
example, some drones are designed to be flown indoors only, some have longer range, or have lighting equipment for flying and taking pictures at night. Once you’ve decided on your goals you can choose which drone fits you. Now you’ve decided on your drone, its time to learn everything about it. The best way of course is to read the manual (yes, we know it’s boring but it is worth it!), the manual will tell you everything about its features and what you can do to achieve the best results. Some of the features commonly found are: Smartphone feed so you can see what your drone sees; Smart mode, this innovation is put in place to essentially help newbies get the most out of their shots; Tracking, this allows you to put your phone away and let the drone follow you or a vehicle to get the perfect shot; Geofence, which limits your drone’s distance from you These features vary depending on the manufacturer so make sure you check before testing it out in the air! Make sure you’ve checked legalities Most laws and regulations are quite obvious and easy to understand, however a lot are still quite messy, especially surrounding fines. The laws surrounding registration also vary for every country. The best thing to do is to take the time to check the legality of drones (which you can do online) before you launch your camera. Lastly, before lift-off, make a preflight checklist Go through this list before you send your new toy kilometers away at 50km/h: Fly Zone: Where are you going to fly? Is it private or public domain?
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Weather: Are flying conditions good? Will you need to utilize anti-stabilization because of the wind? Surroundings: Will there be people around at this time of day? Will it be safe to fly low/high? Will they mind a drone hovering around them? Battery: Have you charged up all your batteries? How long can you stay in the air? Settings: What resolution do you need? How bright do you need to set your camera? What frame rate, shutter speed, and ISO are best for what you want to achieve in your photo? Propellers: How are your propellers looking? Are they nice and straight, or do they need replacing? Motor: is the motor and mounts in tact? Are the motors rotating freely? Is it making any unrecognisable sounds? Are the screws tight? Controls: If you’re using a smartphone or tablet, is it ready to go for your flight? Are other apps turned off? Is the fully charged? If you’re using a remote control, does it have batteries? Is it responding to your drone? We hope you enjoy the amazing angles now available to us as much as we do, the Algarve is an amazing place from the ground and taking a look from the sky is only making us fall deeper in love with it! If you are in need of aerial photography, give us a call on 961 700 200 for more details.
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Art
ARTFUL ANNETTE
After nosying around the art fair in Loule, we stumbled upon a vibrant display of ceramics and Azuleijos, after seeing the brilliant work we had to visit Annette at her workshop and find out more about her!
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What is your name? Annette Kalle Baptista, you’ll find my work signed as “Annette”. Where are you from? I was born in Germany What made you come to Portugal and more specifically, the Algarve? I have come to hate that question, I feel like I’ve been asked that question every day for the last 38 years! To be honest, It was by accident.. I came from Morocco and stopped at the Camping in Monte Gordo and I haven’t left since. I loved the Serra do Caldeirão, the herbs, the simplicity etc... I bought a piece of land and started to live here. I also appreciated how people treated handicrafters, they have much more respect for it, plus I wanted children and here people love children.
materials such as making Marionettes, jewelry using Silver, producing Cloth and more. In 1999 I started a course in tile painting and got hooked on it and bought a kiln but I also like to work with clay, It’s more physical whereas tile painting needs an incredible amount of concentration, especially because you don’t see the colours while you are painting as they change when they are fired. For example, in the photo where I am painting, the painting looks violet but after firing it will be cobalt blue. How did you find your style of art? Style is always a process and personally I like to change my style frequently, though when working with ceramics sticking to one style is much easier because trying anything new is a battle especialy when it comes to glazes,
How long have you been producing your art? I’ve been crafting all my life, working with different
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Art This is the reason why most ceramic workers have one style they stick to their whole life. In my tile painting I often do portraits of birds and plants because that’s what I like the most or the classic style of Azuleijos, For my private work I lean more towards abstract and expressionist pieces. What has your involvement in art brought you? My involvement in art mainly brought me an income and an identity. It’s a lifestyle, sometimes a very solitary one, that’s why I also like to sell at fairs because that’s where we meet each other and exchange ideas. What is the hardest part of your art making process? The hardest part in ceramic work is to accept that around 30 percent of the time, something goes wrong in the firing. That means you can do something for hours and then it is ruined.(That’s why most stick to one process to diminish the loss.) Where is your favourite place? I love being in the Serra, near the Guadiana, or in the middle of my herbs! What is your perfect day? My perfect day is when I’m in perfect peace of mind! Or being with my friends in the countryside or on the beach or dancing Finally, where can people find you? Tel 960021377 Facebook Azulejoannette Shop of my handicraft association Asta, in Tavira in front of the Palacio da Galeria and I also do workshops in tile painting or clay modelling.
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FARO | TAVIRA
Worth a visit
A DRAUGHT FROM THE ‘HIGHLANDS’
Neil Caird brings us the story behind Beer, giving us a tour of Afters Brewing Company in Sao Bras
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fters is all about family; a Father, Son and Grandpa who started brewing as a hobby in a small village in the hills of Scotland 10 years ago. The feedback he got from friends and family gave him no choice but to start selling his beer and his hobby quickly became a growing business.
Neil spent some time working with a friend who had a brewery in Peebles called the Ale House Rock. Neil was considering early retirement when his friend offered the brewery up for sale. Neil loved the idea of having a brewery, but not in Scotland, Neil had spent years holidaying in the Algarve and decided that was where his future resided.
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He sent 4,000 bottles here to the Algarve to test the market and the feedback was very encouraging, so they started their pilot brewery in Vilamoura three years ago to put the theory to the test and based on the success of it, towards the end of last year Neil decided to take it to the next level by buying a 10 barrel system and settling in S.Bras. Now on to the beer, having produced beer in Scotland, they had a head start on balancing flavours and strengths and so they set on 5 core beers, each perfected through the years. “Bounce, “Havoc”, “Helix”, “Rogue” and “Ruby” and they all have unique stories behind them. Due to the mix of people here in the Algarve, they have worked hard to produce beers to suit the locals, the expats and the tourists
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Worth a visit
who each have different wants and needs when it comes to enjoying a nice cold beer. The final products can be found in bars throughout the Algarve, The Brewery is soon to be open to the public with a tap room for tours so you can sample the range of beers and learn how its made and a brew kitchen where you can design your own beer in 4 hours! This is the real experience for Beer enthusiasts, to taste the grains and choose your favourite aromatic hops, your choice of beer ranges from a dark stout to a light larger. As some of you may know, Hops give the beer its distinctive flavours, these can vary from pine to herbs and tropical or citrus fruits; there are hundreds of different hops to choose from to adjust profiles. You can also use different types of Yeast to make adjustments, the yeast consumes the sugar and produces CO2 (the bubbles) and of course, the alcohol. Neil solely uses natural ingredients and even donates the used hops to local farmers to use to augment animal feed. The prices are also kept low to give as many people as possible the chance to try and enjoy other great beers. If you are interested in getting some beer in stock or perhaps a tour of the brewery, please contact Neil at the following outlets: Email: info@afters.pt Facebook: Afters Brewing Co.
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by Dora Guerreiro
Buy with Confidence, Sell with Success! Your home, your lifestyle...It´s our purpose.
DG Algarve Properties | (+351) 289 355 336 | (+351) 912 391 925 | dora@dgalgarveproperties.com Estrada de Vale do Lobo, Rua Manuel Teixeira Gomes 947 1Âş Dto, 8135 - 016 Almancil, Portugal
www.dgalgarveproperties.com
AMI 14557
Dining out
RESTAURANTE SUSHI KAPPA
“SUSHI KAPPA IS FANTASTIC! FRESH PRODUCTS, THEY HAVE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION, A HUGE VARIETY OF TASTE AND EXCELLENT SERVICE. RECOMMEND TO ALL SUSHI LOVERS!” 40
August 2020
F
irst arriving in Portugal in 2002, Chef Juanito Alves brought a wealth of experience to the Algarve and has since left a trail of work in the central Algarve. Chef Juanito first started his journey into the art of Sushi in Brazil and shortly before arriving in the Algarve he took his work to another level by completing courses in Japan to further develop his skills. In 2016 Chef Juan opened Sushi Kappa and has continued creating amazing Sushi with his co-workers and providing great experiences for his customers.
created and refined by Chef Juanito.
Sushi Kappa offers a variety of Sushi, with their biggest draw being the “Festival”, an all you can eat style of dining which includes two starters. After the starters, a beautiful Japanese style boat full of mouthwatering Sushi is delivered to your table with a mix of special creations
Open Monday to Friday: 11h30 - 15h00 | 19h00 - 23h00 Saturday: 19h00 - 23h00 Avenida José dos Santos Farias, Lote 95 , Loja 02 8135-167 Almancil
The ingredients used are the finest and freshest available and the quality is second to none, Chef Juanito takes the time to speak to every table towards the end of the meal to make sure everything was up to standard and to take a minute to get to know the customers, you can tell he loves his craft and loves providing great dining experiences for his customers. If you are a Sushi lover or someone new to Sushi, we highly recommend Sushi Kappa and know that you won’t be disappointed!
August 2020
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Finance
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
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Each month, Ricardo Chaves of All Finance Matters gives an insight into the legalities governing tax and general financial matters
ach month we receive different questions from our readers, although some of these questions are related to specific situations, sometimes the answer may help you to better understand the tax system in Portugal and answer the queries from other readers. If you also have some questions regarding tax in Portugal, please feel free to send it to us. Q I am a French citizen with a Portuguese NIF (Tax number) and I currently live in Switzerland. I own a property in Tavira, which I rent for tourists. What are the tax implications? I heard that I only pay tax after a certain level of income, is this correct? What about the VAT? If you rent your property to tourists, you need to have a rental license. For this, is necessary that you are registered at the tax office as a sole trader. The effective tax rate as sole trader, in the simplified regime, for a non-resident Property Owner will be 8.75%, for apartments and villas and 3.75% for hostels, etc. As a non-resident there is no threshold for this tax (IRS), so you will pay 8.75% of your gross income, even if you only have 1.000¤ of rentals. The only threshold that exists is for VAT. If you are registered as a sole trader, the threshold for VAT for 2020 is 11.000¤ and this will increase to 12.500¤ in 2021. See below how the VAT threshold works: - If you were a sole trader registered before 01-01-2020 and VAT exempt in January 2020, you will have a VAT threshold of 12.500 in 2020 - If however you are registering now you will have a threshold in 2020 of 11.000¤, which will be calculated pro-rata considering the number of months (if registered in July, the threshold will be 11.000/12 months X 6 months = 5.500). Q I am a Non-Habitual Resident since 2017 and recently I read that the NHR pensions will start to be taxed since 01-04-2020. Does this mean that my pension will start to be taxed in Portugal from now on? No, your pension will carry on being tax exempt. There was a change in the Non-Habitual Residency scheme, but this only affects the pensions of those that obtained residency after the 1st of April 2020. Please note that if you are reading this and became resident prior to 01-04-2020, you can still apply for the NHR scheme, under the old rules. The same applies to those that bought or rented a property in Portugal before the 1st of April and are not yet Residents, as it may be possible to backdate your NHR application, to avoid the new 10% tax on pension. Q I am 67 years old and just sold my property in
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Portugal. This was my primary habitation and I sold it for the value of 300,000 euros. This house was purchased in 2014 for 220,000 euros and I had a mortgage to buy it. The debt to the bank at time of sale was 30,000 euros. How much do I need to reinvest, to avoid paying taxes in Portugal. First in order to make sure that this was your primary habitation, you need to check if the address of the house is the address registered at the Portuguese tax office. If this is not the case, you should change it at least 6 months prior to the sale. If you noticed this to late, please be aware that the change of address in some cases can be done retrospectively. In terms of the amount to reinvest, it works like this: 300.000¤ - 30.000¤ = 270.000¤ So, it’s the proceedings of the sale, minus the mortgage redeemed at the time of deed. The mortgage is only considered if taken prior to 2015 and for the purpose of purchasing the asset. Q I am currently moving from Sweden to Portugal and would like to become Non-Habitual Resident. Can you please let me know what will be the taxation on my salary, as I will need continue working in Sweden as a public teacher? Salaries and other income arising from governmental employment shall be taxed only in the country of origin. This means that as a Non-Habitual Resident, you will have to declare this income in Portugal, but will not be liable for any tax; the tax should only be paid in Sweden. Q For many years I rented my property in Albufeira for tourists. Last year I decided to move to Portugal and sold that property to buy a bigger one. My accountant has informed me that because the property was on Local Lodging, I cannot use the new property as reinvestment. Can you help? In fact, when the activity is registered at the tax office, the property is assumed to have been transferred to your Alojamento Local Business. This is a rule and means that although the property is still in your name, it is not on the personal sphere, but on the business sphere. So, if the sale occurs when the property is in the business, there is no possibility of reinvestment, as this is only allowed if the property is the permanent address of the taxpayer. However, there are two issues to be considered in this case: Provided that the assumptions referred to in article 34 of the VAT Code are met, a taxpayer may cease his activity retrospectively, by submitting a declaration of termination which, due to being delivered after the deadline provided for in article 33 of the same code, will be subject to the respective fine. The IRS Code does not (yet) determine the number of
August 2020
months / years in which a taxpayer must hold a dwelling as permanent, for the purpose of reinvestment. In effect, what determines is that, on the date of the sale, the property whose realization value is intended to be reinvested, is the taxpayer’s own and permanent address. In view of the above one of the options to consider is to stop the activity with a retrospective date, change the previous year IRS declaration and treat the sale that occurred in 2019 as the sale of the permanent habitation,
allowing the reinvestment. Please note that this situation may require further study as it also depends on the value considered on the virtual transaction from the personal sphere to the business sphere. Please feel free to send us the questions you may have to ricardo@allfinance.pt. We will select some of these to be published.
DRONE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHY AND 4K VIDEO T: +351 961 700 200 E: RICHIBASS@HOTMAIL.CO.UK August 2020
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SPORTS NEWS
Brought to you by Chris Wright
THE ‘LE MANS’ SPIRIT ON TOUR One of the main endurance motor racing competitions, European Le Mans Series (ELMS) returns once again to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, from 30th October to 1st November. The ELMS calendar features 4-hour races, inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans classics, which got under way at Le Castellet (France) on the 19th July with the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve hosting the fifth and final stage after Barcelona (29thAugust) and Monza (11th October). JACK CHARLTON; AN IRISH LEGEND WHO WON THE WORLD CUP Jack Charlton, a central part of the England team that lifted the World Cup and who would later go on to transform Ireland’s national team, died last month, he was 85, at his home in Northumberland. Three days after my 21st birthday I was at Wembley as England played France in the group stages of the 1966 World Cup Final. France was the better side in the early stages but seven minutes before the interval, following a corner-kick, Nobby Stiles crossed deep towards the far post, where an unmarked Jack Charlton saw his header rebound off the woodwork only for Roger Hunt to fire home from point-blank range. Being a defensive player myself I was in awe of the ‘Big Man’ and ecstatic as England went on to win 2-0. Incidentally centre-half Jack was encouraged to make forays into the opponents penalty areas as can be witnessed by the 96 goals he scored in 773 games for Leeds United, his only professional club. In the World Cup semi-final, against Portugal, it was Jack’s brother Bobby who gave England a 2-0 lead before the big centre-half handled on the line and Eusébio despatched the
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spot-kick to make it 2-1. These days Jack Charlton would have been sent-off, would have missed the final and who knows what might have happened in the final eight minutes. He was Republic of Ireland manager for ten years (19861996) during which time he led the country to the European Championship finals 1988, the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990 and became a national treasure. Many years later I met Jack at a business lunch at Old Trafford where he was the guest speaker. It is widely believed that he regularly bought ‘rounds of drinks’ and always paid by cheque; most of which were never cashed but framed to hang proudly behind the pub bar. On this occasion he had just returned from a fishing trip in Ireland and on his way back to Dublin airport had stopped at a garage in a small town to get petrol. On seeing Jack Charlton the garage owner remarked that his brother worshipped the ground Jack walked on and would the ‘Big Man’ be able to spare a few minutes to say hello as he was only over the road in the local pub. Jack, always willing to oblige, duly accompanied the garage owner to the pub where they found his brother in a coffin – it was his wake. Jack remarked that he left two days later! The jovial giant always said that he wasn’t much good at playing football but was pretty good at stopping others playing the game. Jack Charlton was appointed an OBE by the Queen in 1974 and across the Irish Sea he was made a Freeman of the City of Dublin in 1994. Two years later he was awarded honorary Irish citizenship which is the highest honour the Irish state gives and is rarely granted. Jack will be sadly missed and Leeds United promotion to the Premier League is a fitting tribute to a great man who spent his entire playing career at the club.
August 2020
BACK AT BENFICA! After weeks of speculation, including an attempt to lure former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino to the Estadío da Luz, the man charged with resurrecting Benfica’s fortunes is former boss Jorge Jesus. He had recently signed a new contract with Brazilian club Flamengo where he had won five major trophies in an incredible season. The 66 year-old manager, much to the consternation of the Benfica fans, moved across Lisbon five years ago when he left the Eagles to take on the mantle at Sporting. Will those fans now welcome him back? It all depends as to whether he can bring instant success to a club that is suffering the pain of losing their Primeira Liga crown to bitter rivals FC Porto. The Eagles have had disastrous season, six points clear at the start of the year but ending the campaign some eight points behind the Dragons. To add to the club’s troubles 71 year-old Luís Filipe Vieira, whose presidency is up for election in October, club administrator Domingos Soares de Oliveira and two companies that manage the club and own the stadium are suspected of having defrauded the taxman of 600,000 euros in 2016-17. The ongoing enquiries continue to plaque the club.
F1 fans in the Algarve is that it is hoped that the Portimão race will be open to spectators. RONALDO MAKES IT THREE HALF-CENTURIES Is there no stopping the 34 year-old goal-scoring machine? Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score fifty goals in three major leagues - Serie A (Italy), La Liga (Spain) and the Premier League (England) - with his double strike against Lazio in mid-July. Ronaldo’s goal scoring record reads:- Premier League (Manchester United) 84 goals in 196 appearances; La Liga (Real Madrid) 311 goals in 292 apps; Serie A (Juventus) 51 goals in 61 apps (as of 22nd July). Ronaldo is only the third Juve player ever to score thirty goals in a season and the fastest to score fifty goals in Serie A this century, in just 61 appearances.
ALGARVE TO STAGE F1 GRAND PRIX The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve will host its first ever F1 Grand Prix on 25th October. It will be the first Portuguese Grand Prix held in the country since Estoril in 1996. The Portimão circuit was awarded an FIA Grade 1 license earlier this year. Due to COVID-19 races have been cancelled in Brazil, USA, Canada and Mexico alternate venues in safe locations were the order of the day. Germany’s Nürburgring stages its first Grand Prix since 2013 on the 11th October whilst the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, which is synonymous with the death of triple world champion Ayrton Senna in 1994, will stage its first F1 race since 2006 on the 1st November. Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO of Formula 1, said: ‘We are pleased that we continue to make strong progress in finalising our plans for the 2020 season and are excited to welcome Nürburgring, Portimão and Imola to the revised calendar. We want to thank the promoters, the teams, and the FIA for their full support in our efforts to bring our fans exciting racing this season during an unprecedented time.’ Initially, at least, spectators won’t be allowed into circuits but a big boost for
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Golf
THE KEY TO MAKING ONE METRE PUTTS Richard Hudson and Eddie Charnock, Algarve Golf Guru, PGA Professionals discuss taking on those nerve-racking short putts!
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hen you read the PGA Tour Stats for Putts holed from 1m and in, you then realise the importance of practicing the 1m putt! 1m putt and closer, 97% holed during the season. 1.2m putt, 90% holed during the season. 1.5m putt, 75% holed during the season and when you are 1.8m away, which still seems to be close, the putts holed drops dramatically to only 55%! What is key to holing a 1m putt? If you were to ask one of the great clutch putters of the modern era, Phil Mickleson, he would say rhythm along with plenty of self belief! The drill we are going to suggest you do, not only gives you the self belief needed to hole the very important 1m putt but also to add rhythm to your stroke. As you can see from the picture, this drill requires you to circle a hole on the practice green with 8 tees 1m from the hole. All 8 balls you use for this drill must be the same, don’t mix makes or types of golf ball as feel of the
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ball leaving the club face is very important! During the drill you will work your way around the circle, holing each ball without stopping or making a practice stroke. Very important, you will count as you go, one, two, three, four, five etc as this is introducing rhythm to the drill! On completion of holing the eight balls you can then start again, but when you count this time start at nine, then ten, eleven, twelve etc till you have holed number 16. It is important to add pressure to the drill, so set a target of holing either 8, 16 or 24 balls without a single miss before you can either go home or move on to practice a different part of the game. If you do miss you must start again at 1! Your chance to WIN! Win a 30 minute golf lesson with The Gurus! Which famous Professional Golfer is nicknamed “Lefty”? Please email your answer to sales@algarvegolfguru.com To discuss any of the areas covered above or to book a golf lesson, please contact Richard or Eddie and please mention Simply Algarve as the referral. E: sales@algarvegolfguru.com W: algarvegolfguru.com
August 2020
Last word
Parting words...
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Jake Cleaver shares some thoughts on the power of God... No... Sorry, the Sun!
oes anybody else feel like they are at least partially Solar Powered? I have far more energy on days when the sky is blue and everything is lit up by the sun’s rays. Surely I’m not the only one? In fact, if you are reading this magazine that means you’ve followed it to the Algarve (or at least, like me, you haven’t been able to turn away), and I’d be willing to wager that you too, are a fellow Sunflower. I wrote that last paragraph a few months ago, on a cool crisp morning no doubt. Now it’s August I’d like to revise my theory, and say that past a certain temperature my battery starts to melt. Somebody do a rain dance, please! Nevertheless, in moderation I still think it makes sense. Seeing as all the energy in the world comes from the sun. Photosynthesis, which is it weird to say is my favourite thing? I love when plants are lit up and highlighted a light green in the sun. Without it none of us would be here. They are catching the sun’s energy, and I feel like I catch it a little too. If I was to worship anything as a God, I’d say that our closest star is the proper candidate. Without it there would be no life on this earth. It’s the source of all our energy. Every night it sinks below the horizon to do battle with the darkness, and never fails to emerge victorious in the morning and light up our world. But you have to respect it, as anybody who falls asleep on the sunbed can attest to its red raw power. Our mighty God looking down at us from on high. We are all its subjects. We instinctively know not to look directly at it in the eye. “Look at the King and you’re dead”, as they say.
And, if the Sun is the God of the day, then the Moon is clearly the Goddess of the night. Sharing the Sun’s light as she dances in her many forms across the sky.
I’d like to revise my theory, and say that past a certain temperature my battery starts to melt. Somebody do a rain dance, please!
Of course, when we did get a bit more scientific about it and actually started to admit we didn’t know things. That’s the real secret to this incredible modern world of ours. There’s real power in being able to admit you don’t know. That way you can actually try and find out, and you don’t have to spend your time burning the people who differ from the status quo. Which is actually what we did to the first person who dared to suggest the Earth went around the Sun. The reality might take the wings out of Apollos sails (a little), but it doesn’t hurt my worship of our golden sky lamp, at all. In fact, it just makes it clear about who our lives truly revolve around.
And maybe there is something to my Solar Powered idea. Sunlight is one of the few ways we get our Vitamin D. (It’s certainly one of the most pleasant ways. Who wants to eat cod liver oil? Ick.) Without which we get rickets and our bones get weak. Vitamin D allows us to get our body to produce the calcium we need to make us strong, not to mention being great for our immune system too.
The ancient Greeks worshiped the Sun God Apollo, who drove his chariot across the sky every day. I always enjoyed the way the Greeks would look at the world. Before science you had to come up with your own explanations for things. And if you don’t know any better, then a thunderstorm, for example, could very well be Zeus having a temper tantrum. I also like the idea that there’s not just one God, but lots. All with their own dominion. Poseidon the God of the ocean can, as we all know, be truly magnificent and kind on a day at the beach, but also turn dangerous and unforgiving in the blink of an eye. And that’s true of all the elemental Gods. They are majestic and awe inspiring. But you don’t want to catch them on a bad day.
So maybe it is partly that. But I also think us humans are highly visual creatures. We have a strong need for beauty. And I would argue strongly that nothing makes the world as beautiful as sunlight. The way it literally lights up the world, casting shadows everywhere. Maybe it’s my strong affinity towards Peter Pan, but I feel quite lost without my shadow to show me the way. So worship that fireball of ours is what I say. Do your sun salutations. Absorb that sunlight. Wake up early so you can see the amazing colours sparking off Apollo’s chariot as he sets off in the morning, and watch with awe as he crash lands at the end of the day. Because, if the sun is God, I think the Algarve could very well be its Mecca
August 2020
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