Sept22 East Algarve Magazine

At Fine & Country we value all aspects of your investment in the Algarve. Whether you are a buyer or a vendor, we pride ourselves on offering you the highest levels of our service with a multi-lingual team covering the whole Algarve from our offices in Praia do Carvoeiro, Almancil and Tavira.

Tavira - Santo Estevão / €1,100,000 / TVR4467 / EPC:F / Quinta with a 3-bedroom house, cottage on an arable plot Just 10 minutes away from Tavira, this property is composed of two outbuildings that sit on a 20,000m 2 elevated plot. The main house is on one floor and is composed of a lounge, separated kitchen, two bedrooms and a family bathroom. This is a typical postal card quinta style house dating from the beginning of the century, but it has been refurbished with new double glazed windows, a fireplace and high ceilings. The second house on the side, is on one floor with five divisions, it has a brand-new roof but inside needs complete refurbishing. It has lovely terracotta floors and wooden doors. The land is a host to many local producing trees such as carobs, olives and almonds, along with a vineyard which is currently producing, so you could produce your own algarvian wine!

Award winning international estate agents in over 300 locations worldwide

East Algarve 281 023 AMI algarve.fineandcountry.com head office Park London UK telephone 0207 3180631 121 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 7AG, United Kingdom

Tavira

Vila

East Algarve

PUBLISHER & DESIGNER Richard Bassett

EDITOR Richard Bassett CO-FOUNDER

Richard Bassett Snr.

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3,500 copies printed. All advertisers are issued copies for distribution, along with retail outlets.

COVER PHOTO Aurora

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

Welcome...

... to your September issue. This month we cater for the foodies out there. We have everything from the finest steak from Aurora Steakhouse, where we meet owners Ashikur and wife Catia, to the vegetarian restaurant BiO.TEQUiM owned by Andreia and Marcelo. We also visit a beautiful coffee shop with a difference; Originato, another venture run by a couple, this time Renato and Vivian. Olhão has just opened the Marina Ria Center located on the edge of the Ria Formosa consisting of new bars, restaurants and shops, a must visit for those missing the high life. Hot off the press is the new book Tavira Through My Eyes, offering a historical look at Tavira. All this plus finance news, gardening, health news and much more. We welcome your comments, please email us on info@eastalgarvemag.com

Richard Bassett, Editor

Unipessoal Lda

East Algarve Magazine INTERNATIONAL MEET-UPS

We´re going back to the good old days, where you can shake hands with your friends, not just send a like or an emoji

We think it´s time to meet real people, real friends and talk in real life... old school style. This is why we´re introducing a monthly international meet-up, enabling you to meet people from all over the world, who have landed in the same boat as you... here in the East Algarve. Talk about anything from playing golf, to buying... boats. It´s a great chance for us to share information we´ve gained from our experiences, and also learn from others, a win-win for everybody. Each month we will meet at a designated venue in or around Tavira. There will be a second meet up towards the end of the month somewhere else in the East Algarve; Olhão, Fuseta, Monte Gordo or Vila Real.

´East Algarve Magazine International Meet-Ups´ facebook group has been set up and is where the latest updates will be posted. The group already has nearly 300 members.

The Meet-Ups are free of charge and any anyone is welcome to join the events. The first has been confirmed for September 15th at Maria Nova roof top bar ´NOMAD´. On the 29th of September we´ll be in Olhão, October 13th in Cabanas at Quasi on the roof top, October 27th in Vila Real, November 10th we return to Maria Nova and the 24th of November Fuseta. All events start at 6pm. If you have any questions or suggestions just join the facebook group, or email info@eastalgarvemag.com

Alfresco

The taste of home

Everyone is welcome, all nationalities, beginners and experienced, to play golf croquet on our lawns at Pedras da Rainha in Cabanas de Tavira. If you want to come and meet us you will be made very welcome any Wednesday or Sunday morning after 10:00 and your first time is free, or for more information contact us by email.

Email: contact@pinkflamingocroquet.com

A FUN PLACE TO MEET LIKE MINDED PEOPLE AND BY THE WAY, WE ALSO PLAY CROQUET!

Not just a coffee shop and not only for the coffee enthusiast. The beautifully decorated Originato serves breakfast, lunches, smoothies, juices, cakes, wine and cocktails. Located by the river in Tavira, close to the old market, it´s the perfect place to meet friends

Owners of the recently opened Originato, Renato D’Oliveira and Vivian Soares met in 2019 while working at a restaurant in Tavira.

Renato was born in Portugal and left for England to study.

During this time worked in a coffee shop and developed the love for making coffee. He trained as a barister in Leeds as well as learning from his mentor while working. Renato also helped his cousins open a coffee

shop in Leeds; the founders of Roland’s Leeds and the Domino Club.

After his studies, he decided to return to Tavira. It soon became apparent that there weren’t any coffee shops around that give that extra attention to detail when making coffee.

Renato says "coffee is a recipe, just as you’d make a cake with certain ingredients, not enough of any particular one and the cake will fail. When making coffee the measurements have to be precisely the correct dosages".

Partner Vivian has a vast amount of experience with people, business knowledge,

and customer service. She is seen to be the rock behind the business. Born in Brazil, her father is from Tavira. She moved here at the age of 11. Vivian has a lot of family here and is well known in the area. Her speciality is making the incredible cocktails and also Smoothies and frappés.

The couple´s original idea was to open a place that Tavira didn’t have. A unique, cosy place that felt like home. The interior design is spectacular and really does provide the ideal place for friends to meet. The walls are adorned by artwork from Renato´s mother

Karen from Tavira d´Artes, who also helped with the interior design and colours.

In Tavira everything is generally geared towards summer and outdoors. Originato is more all year focused, with seating for 10 outside and 32 inside.

Breakfast is a busy time with pancakes, croissants, bagels, smoothie bowls, yoghurt bowls and much more. The menu is always updated, there´s always something new to try. For example the Lemon and blueberry cake which was ´Invented´ by accident. Vivian says "The display unit was looking a little bare, so

I decided to make something to fill a gap. In the kitchen was the ingredients used to make Juices. I decided to make a vegan cake which is now a real favourite with our regular customers.

The lunch menu includes soup, nachos, fries with cheese sauce, quiche, salads, bagels and the best veggie burger you’ll ever taste. Apart from the coffees (with a large selection of flavours) Originato´s offer teas, hot chocolate, latte, smoothies, fresh lemonades, cocktails and wines.

Originato´s is a special place. It´s quite easy to

see that there has been a tremendous amount of work gone into creating it. Renato and Vivian are quick to acknowledge their friends and family who have helped them, especially his father Renato and the Marketing team Ruben Caeiro and Henrique Lopes from 'We are who we are'.

For opening times, see Google or Facebook. We wish this young couple huge success in the future, it´s sure to be a place I´ll be meeting my friends.

Address: Rua José Pires Padinha, Nº106, Tavira

Meet the owners of Tavira´s only restaurant totally dedicated to steak. Located close to the center of town (opposite the court house). Offering a huge selection of meats, and an even larger selection of wines this is the place to come for meat and wine lovers.

Catia and Ashikur Rahman first opened the doors of Aurora Steakhouse in Tavira at the end of November 2021.

Ashikur from Bangladesh, moved here to Portugal in 2015 and stayed in Lisbon for only a month before visiting Tavira. After only one visit, he decided that it was to be his new home and decided to stay. He met his wife Catia, from Tavira, in 2019 and the couple wasted no time in getting married in May 2022.

Ashikur has been a meat lover from a very young age. He wasn’t in Tavira for long before realising that there was no restaurant dedicated to serving only steaks. This being his unique selling point, and also something he had a real passion for, the couple started their search for a suitable premises.

The search was quick! In summer 2021 while passing the restaurant, a for sale a sign was being put up in the window. Catia says "they didn´t find the restaurant, the restaurant found them".

The task to prepare the restaurant began. Interior design was to be elegant and comfortable. Incredibly the place was ready for its grand opening by the end of November that year.

Fast forward to today, and things are still moving. Ashikur is a true perfectionist, nothing stands still for long. He is always looking to improve his restaurant and the menu has already been updated and now to includes Wagyu, an extremely tasty Japanese beef. Kangaroo is also on the menu and is a popular choice, however the

Dining

most popular dish is the tomahawk. Ashikur is inspired by his hero, Chef Salt Bae, who owns a chain of luxury steak houses. For example on the menu is the gold tomahawk, which is an edible 24k gold protein, a Salt Bae speciality. Wines are also a passion for Ashikur. None of his wines are available in supermarkets and the selection is huge. If you are looking for something special, this is the place to come. The house wine is a local wine from Quinta dos Santos in Carvoeiro, who also provide the beer. Whenever possible, the restaurant will

use local produce.

It was a real pleasure to meet Catia and Ashikur and we have no doubt that with their flair, high standards and desire for innovation, this restaurant will continue to be a huge success.

Address: R. Dr. Augusto Carlos Palma, 8, 8800-345 Tavira.

Telephone: +351 938 395 076

Email: reservas@aurorasteakhouse.pt

Facebook: Aurora Steakhouse

Open: 12.30-15.00 & 18.30-23.30, Tuesday to Sunday (Closed Mondays).

Customer review: "Exquisite... The service was incredible and the food was just… perfect. I would eat here a thousand times.10/10. The wine selection was excellent, catered to allergies extremely well. The cherry on top of the cake was the selection of knives we could choose from for our steaks!"

Ruy Barros Hairstyling & Beauty Salon Ladies & Gents

Welcome to our new space in the centre of Tavira! With a professional and friendly service. Cut, colouring, perming, hair extensions, hairstyling, hair treatments, massages, face/body treatments, make-up artist, epilation, laser, lash extensions, gel nails, nail art, gel polish and much more.

MON - SAT 09.00H - 19.00H

All year Travessa Zacarias Guerreiro No16, Tavira Tel +351 281 023 636 Mob +351 964 888 810 or 913 999 906

Email: rbcabeleireiros@gmail.com

Rui Barros Cabeleireiros e Estetica

Travessa Almirante Candido dos Reis 139, Tavira 8800-318 Telephone: +351 963 882 952 Facebook: Franganario Tavira

The family-run Amesbury Abbey Group offers an elegant retirement in country house style at Monte da Palhagueira.

For those who are looking for the reassurance of constant professional care, our nursing care may be the way forward. Alongside all the benefits of residential care, our nursing care adds the additional security of 24-hour care provision from qualified nursing professionals.

Our team spend a lot of time getting to know each resident as an individual, learning their preferences and understanding their concerns, working hand in hand with GPs and other associated care professionals to provide outstanding personalised nursing care. Our exceptional care team treat all our residents with respect, dignity and friendship, and our nursing home has a warm, family atmosphere. Each individual aspect of our nursing care is designed to give our residents the best possible quality of life and the highest standards of 24-hour care.

For further information, please contact Senior Sister Hazel Gordon at T: +351 289 990 900

E: mdpnursinghome@amesburyabbey.com Monte da Palhagueira, Gorjôes, 8005-488 Santa Barbara de Nexe, Algarve www.retirementvillageportugal.co.uk

ARTIST OF THE MONTH: ERNESTO

Ernst Kallenberger (Ernesto) started watercolour painting many years ago with a friend in Greece and was fascinated by the quality of light and the special colour BLUE. Since moving from Germany to Tavira, painting has become an important part of his life.

His favourite colour Blue appears his abstract Land-Seascapes in various moods, together with pure, bright and also cool colours. Ernesto says he is "not looking for perfection; they are a playful interpretation of colour and form".

He creates watercolour paintings which exhibit calmness and yet also drama. He says "I love the complete freedom to express myself and be guided by the moment of painting and trust my intuituion".

Ernesto´s work is available to see at ARTESIS Gallery in Tavira."

Tavira through

Meet Peter Bellchambers and wife Yvonne, who together have produced the most wonderful and unique book depicting the history of Tavira through the eyes of Pongo the Podengo dog. Peter will photograph an area or building, then re-create an historical event by drawing the scene but adding period features taking us back in time.

While living in France Peter held exhibitions about the local area using this special medium. He would find an old post card and take a new photo of the same place and recreate the scene mixing the old and the

current. One exhibition was solely on the war, and one display included an old war vehicle. The drawings are put together using a number of sources, including historical information, old photos, maps and post cards.

Drawings are done in pencil, traced and then details are added. All historical facts have been verified by various sources including Peter Booker from the Algarve History Association.

Peter was a landscape architect by trade, which is where this skill came about. He would edit photographs to give clients an idea of what plans would look like in the future once plants and shrubs have matured. The book is designed to be for quick reading, a fun way to learn about the history of Tavira. Yvonne wrote the book and added the fun element, the language of ‘doglish’ Yvonne used to write for the Algarve magazine and was also a food critic. Originally an interior architect she started writing for the industry, which soon became a passion.

"Tavira through my eyes" has been a labour of love. Any money made from sales will be donated to local charities.

We think this is a truly wonderful book; a great, fun way to learn about Tavira and very informative. It is the perfect way to introduce the City to guests, friends and family.

To purchase your copy, email bellchambersglock@gmail.com

You can also pick a copy up at Euclides Papelaria - Livraria, Rua Almirante Candido dos Reis, 177, Tavira

Tel: 00351 281 326 197 or 00351 920 039 424

Rua Dr. Jose Padinha, No126A, 8800-354, Tavira

Facebook: DAWAT

The Algarve Croquet Club with huge help of Benamor Golf have decided to raise money for the firefighters in Vila Real de Santo António. Two ACC players Stephanie and Dusan will play croquet for 24 hours nonstop on 2 new croquet lawns and they would like to encourage everybody interested to join them for a game of croquet and donate if possible. The event will start at 10:00 am, September 24 at Benamor Golf in Conceição, Tavira.100% of the money raised will go directly to heroic firefighters in VRSA. For those interested in joining the marathon action, a favourite time slot within 24 hours range is to be selected and reservations made via email to algarvecroquetclub@ gmail.com. Those willing to help firefighters and donate are more than welcome to do so via link: https://donorbox.org/24-hourscroquet-marathon-2 HOUR CROQUET MARATHON

by Algarve Croquet Club at Benamor Golf September 24th 10:00 AM

2 - €255,000

SUPERB WITH POOL - €997.500

Located in Conceição de Tavira, this property is in excellent condition and consists of: living room and dining room, equipped kitchen, two bedrooms and a large terrace. Can also be purchased furnished.

A classic villa fully refurbished to the highest standards, walking distance to the beach in Altura. Fully equipped with 3 spacious bedrooms all en-suite. A/C in all rooms as well as radiators. Heated pool with swimjet.

T1+1 IN COSTA CABANAS WITH COMMUNAL POOL - €235.000

Open plan living room / dining area and kitchen fully equipped and 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. From the kitchen there is access to a terrace with barbecue and a large dining area.

MODERN VILLA WITH VIEWS, - €650.000 Lounge overlooks the south facing garden & open countryside, offering dramatic views of both sea & mountains from the garden & also from the very large roof terrace.

TWO BED APARTMENT WITH PARKING SPACE, CONCEIÇÃO, TAVIRA - €255.000

MODERN contemporary Santa all the amenities. The spacious special feature of this house an incredible outdoor impressive the most of the outdoor a al

COZY - €235,000 Great property in the fishing village of Cabanas de Tavira. This 2 bedroom property in good condition, a living room / dining a fully equipped kitchen terrace SEARCH & TAKE A BREAKE, RELAX & ENJOY!

Excellent condition, consists of living room and dining room with air conditioning; equipped kitchen and two bedrooms one with en-suite. Large veranda. One parking space in the garage.

REAL ESTATE LAWYERS...

HOW IMPORTANT ARE THEY?

By Stefan Humpenöder, Managing Director Land & Houses Algarve – Yellow Homes

Whether you’re purchasing or selling property in Portugal, you should

appoint a real estate lawyer whose primary area of practice is real estate. The lawyer may work in other areas of law too, but the main focus is on residential or commercial real estate transactions. They will oversee the legal work involved and assures the interests and rights of the client are protected in order to avoid eventual major financial loss. The complexity of real estate law can make transactions confusing for non-professionals and especially first-time buyers. Some buyers try to get through the purchase process with a property agent by their side, but real estate agents are not licensed to provide legal advice. This means property agents should not answer complex legal questions, even if they know the answer. Hiring a lawyer for a real estate transaction in Portugal is optional and to reduce purchase costs you may rely on your own knowledge. You may get assurance from good friends who have purchased a property in Portugal before and without a lawyer. Yes …in theory, you can do everything yourself, however it’s probably not a good idea.

Using a lawyer who specializes in real estate will increase your total property purchasing cost, but it could save you headaches and money in the long run. Often purchasers think that a lawyer mainly does secretarial work like filling out a standard purchase agreement, but the law of real estate is unique and raises special issues of practice, and problems not present in other transactions. A lawyer takes care of the whole legal purchase process involving documentation and administrative work and will double check the legality of the property in fiscal terms, registrations and possible existence of liabilities on the property. A real estate lawyer is trained to deal with all kind of real estate matters and their assistance is also of importance if you wish to sell your property. As a vendor you

can face serious liability issues if your sale contract isn’t worded correctly. A lawyer will ensure that you are financially protected in case a buyer finds a major issue with the property after purchase or if a buyer wants to pull out of the agreement at the last minute. They also protect you from buyers who don’t meet their financial obligations in a timely manner. While you may be able to do everything yourself, there’s a good chance that you’ll make mistakes along the way that might end up being costly and time consuming.

Many questions arise when buying a property. E.g. what future development or construction is planned for the area? This is an important matter which a real estate agent is not obliged to tell you about when you buy a property and it is not something you can find out for yourself easily. Another matter to avoid is the possibility of outstanding liabilities such as claims, right of way, debt and unpaid condominium fees. You need a lawyer to alert you to this. The real estate may point this out, but it is better that an independent 3rd party does this for you. Environmental issues fall under the same banner, such as not being able to (re)build or renovate an annex or a deck on the property because your property is in a protected area. These are only some of examples to show you the importance of dealing with a professional. Your lawyer will guide and accompany you through the whole purchase process until the final completion on the purchase or sale. Note:

When purchasing or selling a Portuguese property a private or public notary must also be involved at the time of completion when the deed (escritura de compra e venda) is ready to be signed. Compared to a lawyer their role is to represent the truth and the state, rather than either party involved in a transaction. In Portugal, it is often necessary for documents to be signed in the presence of a notary for them to be legally binding.

Furthermore, a lawyer has a legal responsibility to his client and will make an effort to protect the client at all costs against unforeseen legal circumstances. They deal with mortgage fraud, negotiate on behalf of the parties they represent and oversee the transfer of deeds and titles. If there is a problem between parties they can mediate to resolve matters amicably and if that fails, they are capable to take legal action. When buying a new property in Portugal - although it is not really pleasant to plan for your departure from this world –a lawyer can avoid misunderstandings over the inheritance between your loved ones in case you pass away. Real estate lawyers are mostly specialised in creating wills and trusts to ensure that your assets go to the person(s) of your choice.

We think it is important to hire a real estate lawyer when purchasing or selling a property. Avoid unnecessary risk and secure your peace of mind. Without a real estate lawyer involved, consequences may be more fatal than purchasing a car that turns out to be a lemon.

Algarve roof & property renovations

From leaks to roofs and balconies, to complete renewals. Guttering supplied and fitted, flat roofs specialists and complete property renovations inside or out; All maintenance work, painting, jetwash service etc.

Call Jason Tel: 960 136 445 or 281 324 602 jasonash1970@gmail.com

If the agent is a professional you should be able to count on their recommendation for a good law office with a proven track record of being excellent. Normally agents do not refer a client to a law office unless they think they were exemplary. They should provide you with at least 2-3 choices. Speak to all of them personally and decide for the lawyer you feel most comfortable with to represent you. If you need any further advice about buying or selling a property, contact us. Our friendly conveyancing team is here to help you.

Stefan Humpenöder Managing Director

Land & Houses Algarve – Yellow Homes

Tavira Office

Rua Dr. José Pires Padinha 178 8800 - 354 Tavira

Tel: 281 320 281

Fax: 281 321 901 (AMI – 6232)

Vilamoura Office

EN 125, Benfarras Boliqueime

8100 - 068 Boliqueime

Tel: 289 301 294 Fax: 289 301 439

We and we can help you to choose a private health insurance policy that is right for you.

CLASSE ENERG É

Wearedelightedtobringtoyouanother exclusivelisting,asuper4orcouldbe5 bedroomvillainaquietcountrylocation withalargeplottoexplore,alovelypool areaandsplendidviews.

Agoodsizedfamilyhome,outinthe countryandenjoyinganelevatedlocation withexcellentviews.Quietandpeaceful settingwithalargenaturalplotwithina shortdistanceoftown.

Another exclusive listing, a spacious & comfortable family home in the mountains. Constructed in 2005, a 4 (could be 5) bedroom villa surrounded by the natural beauty of the East Algarve. Centrally heated, log burner, air conditioning, double glazing and private water supply from a borehole.

TheVillaiswelllocatedwithinthelargeplot, sittingtotherearandlookingdownovera lovelynaturallandscapedottedwithmature dryfruittreessuchasoliveandcarob.

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE MONTH

We love the vibrance in this photo. Although taken from a distance, you can feel the excitement and fun, I can almost hear the music and smell the food. Well done Anja, it´s a great photo.

As usual submitted to the Facebook page: ‘Algarve Amateur Photography group’

A wonderful addition to Olhão, these facilities make excellent use of previously unused space and is a real attraction to the area.

Mayor António Miguel Pina said "The riverfront of Olhão increases in quality and begins to rival any riverfront of the Algarve".

Located at the far end of the riverfront, past the Marina Hotel, ideally located to watch the sunset, this brand new complex is like nothing else in the East Algarve. Bars, restaurants and shops give the marina a very high class feel

obviously designed to bring in "people with greater purchasing power" as the Mayor stated. The feel is much more like Vale do Lobo or Quinta do Lago. It is however, far enough away from the old town not to interfere with the culture and History of Olhão.

The commercial building is a total of 2,500m², and the cost is currently at a whopping 8.5M Euros.

We are sure the response to this structure will be divided, however it´s here now for us to enjoy... if we wish to do so.

THEN OLHÃO FOUND US...

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

Welcome to our monthly column celebrating Olhão. After exploring Portugal top to bottom from Braga to Tavira enjoying so many coastal and inland locations in our RV, we decided Olhão was the place to buy our home to celebrate our “golden years”. Olhão was not on our radar at first. In fact, the discovery of Eastern Algarve was a pleasant surprise with the scale of development so much less than areas to the west. A chance winter rental introduced us to Olhão, a place we quickly found attractive for many reasons. “Walkability” is, above all, a main highlight and each month I will introduce you to places only steps away from our front door. Questions, Comments or Suggestions for new columns? Email us at hankryan2003@yahoo.com We hope you will enjoy our column!

SHADY INTENTIONS….

As was demonstrated so clearly these past few sweltering months, seeking cooler ways to enjoy local walking during the summer is a high priority.. Olhão fortunately figured out the best way to deliver that cool reward long ago when the early settlers here upgraded

their fishing huts to create what is now called the “Fishermans Village”. Olhão refers to itself as “the city of cubes”. This representative artwork hangs on the wall of the Olhão Municipal Auditorium. The square shaped whitewashed houses with Moorish terraces and mouldings are located just behind the main “Restaurant Row” fronting the Ria Formosa. They combine narrow walkways between buildings with

rooftop spaces that offer a night time escape from the heat. These shady streets offer more than just a respite from the summer sun.

History lives here. We cannot claim the expertise to offer original informed evidence demonstrating that. Fortunately others have done much of that work already.

Just google Caminho das Lendas, (The Path of Legends) and you will discover a wealth of information (provided by www.viajecomigo. com), about a pedestrian path that crosses Olhão. The historic path connects five squares where you will find statues or artistic installations – and all of them are linked to local legends. The map they provide helps show how to wander to each of these sites.

Here above is one of them. The “Little Boy’ is obviously enjoying his cool spot along the path, despite the youngster’s legendary less than pleased demeanor. Enjoy your walking journey along these quiet back street pathways.

Today new local developments seemed aimed to thrust Olhão into the fast paced tourist economy so characteristic of Algarve locations to the west. We’ve witnessed many of those high profile hot spots becoming ghost towns during the off season with empty apartment buildings and closed businesses awaiting the return of tourists. Not so here. In Olhão, local small businesses in these narrow streets serve as the beating heart of this place.

The proof of that premise is demonstrated by the continued lively activity in Olhão after the summer high season ends and cooler months carry into winter. While establishments along the Olhão waterfront offer fair prices, even better deals in the back streets behind the main strip means locals enjoy ways to combine meeting their needs while supporting local businesses year round.

Before we introduce you to one of those local favorites, I need to admit we are behind

learning the Portuguese language. My excuse is only to mention we travel a lot so buckling down seems always to be scheduled “as soon as we get back”. Sad but true. I do, however, enjoy one aspect of this ignorance. One of the back street establishments I love going to is a local barber. While there, the loud, non-stop rapid fire conversations among everyone in the shop prevail and I have not a clue what anyone is saying. Somehow this is a relaxing experience. I love it. To top that, neither my barber or I have ever uttered a word to each other. Not once. Yet Carina loves the result every time I return home. Go figure.

PADARIA ALGARVIA

One place almost always sporting a morning line outside is this small bakery just to the left around the bend looking north from the Olhão Mercado buildings. Don’t bother looking for the name outside.There is no other identification on the exterior unless the enticing aroma of fresh bread can be counted. I wish I could tell you the name of the friendly woman seemingly always behind the counter but I have yet to chance interrupting her busy customer service duties.

Suffice to say this small establishment is very popular, offering yet another reason why the

Go early!

community of Olhão remains vibrant for locals and visitors alike no matter what time of year it is.

Fine Print – For our full introduction, see our first column online in the December 2021 issue.

(https://www.eastalgarvemag.com/)

We choose to focus on businesses here in Olhao where we have actually been customers first. Any future advertising from these businesses that supports Eastern Algarve Magazine is purely coincidental :-)

Ask the Expat

Not all advice is good and not all people are as genuine as you may think. Enjoy our 'bad advice' column from the expert we have all met, know and love... the Expat.

This month shhhhhh! Don't speak! Stop that din! Are you having fun? You had better stop! And now, I had better not hear you even thinking, let alone muttering under your breath! We are watching, pressed against our net curtain our dialing digit raised.

This month we meet The Holy Algarve Expat Noise Abatement Society. Decibels must be kept at 20bd or under. For any amateur, that means quietly whisper if you have to make a sound at all!

Brockaert Weiner from Blue Ridge, Virginia has teamed up with Veronica Chaste from Giverny, Normandy. Both say they are representing the 'silent screams' of desperate NIMBY Expats choosing to move to central districts of Algarvian towns and cities. And they are not amused!

EAST ALGARVE MAGAZINE (EAM):

"Pleased to meet you! So you are basically a neighborhood association of"... BROCKAERT: Our hands were forced! We advise anyone, accept no noise especially when it is not my own fussin' or hollering! When I moved into the centre of Olhão, the estate agent didn't inform me that the bars and nightclubs would make so much noise!

VERONICA (BARELY AUDIBLY): I was told Tavira was a holy old town and had taken a vow of silence, perfect peace, and I have a silent habit.

BROCKAERT: Why, I do declare, my wife and I didn't spend hundreds of thousands on luxury property to be inundated by anti-social noise! Inundated! It rattles my rafters with their racket, robbing me of my retirement!

EAM: What neighborhood noises do you find most objectionable?

VERONICA: The voices! I had unholy experiences back at home so can't return. It is why I wanted to be near a central church. The lambs just won't stop crying. I must have silence! The first night I moved in, when the Cathedral bells rang, I awoke in such a fright, I thought I was having a heart attack! I thought the hunchback of Notre Dame had swung through the window to announce the apocalypse. Then the hellish howling began!

Monstrous beast barking that would chill even The Beast of Gévaudan!

I wept and wept and had to take five valiums with a large glass of red wine I had taken from Mass when I left the nunnery. The devil had my nerves, only soothed by fingering my rosary beads. All the noise gave me a flashback of 'that' exorcism, which…!

BROKEART: Now don't think about these noisy devils, these noisy devils I say, Veronica! I do say they better be damned tootin' that my say is final! I am a Yank, not a crank, I do declare! I want the Virginia summit to peak in this here town!

Like my wife said, soon we will be inundated by strip clubs, streetwalkers and driveby shootings by hoodlums! Well, I say, I be damned, be damned if I will let the shrieking succubi slither by! I be damned!

Coming from Blue Ridge Mountains, normal folks don't behave like that! Not even the buffalo! Wild by the liquor bent over like cattle! I didn't leave the States to find even worse! It's not what the Tribune said Portugal would be like! If I don't stop these bars, soon we will be living in the bedlam of Sodom and Gomorrah! Sodom and Gomorrah!

EAM: So any noise is about immorality?

VERONICA: And God saideth "And I shall stop the abundance of your singing, and the sound of your harps shall not be heard again"! And like the book of Ezakiel, take their voices and their guitars!

That is why I ran in to the bar playing acoustic rock n roll to the devil and implored God to stop their singing! They started throwing money at me! They thought I was something called a 'drag queen' dressed as a nun and told me to shave my hairy Mary! I screamed Hail Mary's and spoke in tongues to stop their noise, then the bar manager turned on me.

BROCKEART: And I can't believe you were forcibly committed Veronica and taken to the emergency room by those devil enablers!

EAM: Devil enablers?

BROKEART: Those there police! Our society calls them every day… Every day about those noisy devils! And we write emails, demand answers from the municipal council as to when they will shut those dens of sin and

squalor"... "And do they care? I'll make 'em, damn tootin' say I!

EAM: And have you and your members stopped any noise?

BROKEART: Sure did! That local fisherman's bar of washed-up wasters has gone now after fifty years because of me hounding the Municipality. Like my wife said, if they had wholesome relationships like us, they'd have nothing to talk about!

When we go out we expect couples and families to behave and barely whisper. We have measuring devices which sounds an alarm when their voices get too loud! And as for these tourists, well these touring terrorists, I say, how dare they visit? I was here first!

VERONICA: My praying vigil outside the techno club brought some release. I am glad God sent a plague but how that seems to be passing, more places emerge, as the holy masks are removed! Something of biblical proportions needs to happen to stop this (weep) noise!

EAM: Why don't you wear earplugs? Why don't you move out of town?

BROKEART: Why don't you shut your mouth, Sir!?

VERONICA: Earplugs? And risk missing the voice of the Lord?

BROKEART: People need to be more adaptable and obey, and you sir should (taps head) use that empty space between your ears!

EAM: We will try! How do people join your quest for silent streets?

BROKEART: You can email silentnightholynight@my-pickledweiner.net but no one is allowed to use caps! I won't have shouting'! I won't have shoutin' unless I am the one shoutin' fit to beat the holy ghost!

VERONICA: And please light a candle for the struggling Expats, for they are Martyrs, Martyrs against the sins of noise, soldiers struggling for divine peace as is the message of God.

May the streets be annointed with holy water, and not that dribbling from the Lord of the Flies! Beware these locusts…! (She cracks a pill bottle, wincing at the crack, and starts to swallow).

The perfect mix

Mixed media artist Andrea Bird now enjoys the slower pace of life here in the Algarve after leaving the hectic world of finance

After many years in the corporate world of finance, a degree in Business and Management and later a Masters in Psychology, Andrea finally made the break, moved to Portugal, became time rich, cash poor and opened her studio.

Married with one adult son, her passion has always been to escape the rat race and explore her artistic potential. Her original introduction to the creative world came via the ancient technique of lamp work, and glass still plays a large part in her creations.

Spending many hours bent over a propane oxygen flame, melting glass and watching the lustrous colours develop opened up the pathway to other mediums, including alcohol ink, resin and mosaics.

As a mixed media artist, Andrea now uses myriad elements in her work, developing unique pieces of artwork which continue to evolve. While studying at the Birmingham School of Jewellery, Andrea learnt the technique of electroforming. In the UK she studied lampwork and in Athens sculptural mosaics. However, essentially being selftaught, many of her methods are experimental whilst combining traditional lamp work

methods, mosaics, alcohol ink and resin producing both artwork and jewellery.

Andreas work has featured in galleries in Portugal, the UK and China.

Andrea says ´The luxury of being able to be introspective, take time to contemplate and focus on what really makes for a happy life is a gift - albeit one that’s been worked for. Each day is a new opportunity but not every day is productive. The ideas and inspiration can come at really inconvenient times, however the point is my mind is now open to so much more artistic opportunity.

There is beauty at everywhere you wish to look. I believe everyone has a creative soul

but most of us never have the freedom to truly explore this side of our nature. If we measured success in creative terms, rather than pure financial gain, just think how different the world could be.

My work with alcohol ink is mainly about the intense colours and the reaction of the ink with the alcohol, which leads to consistently original compositions. This is similar to melting glass and watching the developing patterns and colours either fuse together or repel leading to unique pieces of work.

My mosaics are contemporary and often include other elements including inks,

resin, acrylics, handmade lampwork and found objects. I try to recycle glass where possible including mirror and tempered glass. Various media is used to create one of a kind pieces that harness the beautiful light that’s abundant in Portugal. Shimmery, with a 3D quality you experience a different perspective from each piece from every angle and at different times of the day.

Email: andreambird@outlook.com Website: www.andrea-b-designs.com Insta: @andrea_b_designs

FB; Andrea B Designs

Restaurant

BiO.TEQUiM

Andreia and Marcelo first opened BiO.TEQUiM in 2018, but sadly were forced closed due to the covid pandemic. The restaurant re-opened under new ownership and it appeared that the couples dreams of making their restaurant work were over. Luckily for them, fate would have it that the restaurant would become available again. They seized their chance and were delighted to re-open earlier this year.

Andreia and Marcelo are both from Brazil and met when they were teenagers. Marcelo moved to Portugal and life went on for both. Years later, on a visit to Brazil the couple met again and soon Andreia moved to Portugal to be with Marcelo.

The name of the restaurant comes from the word ´botequim´, a bar or cafe in Brazilian. Andreia uses local produce to make the tastiest vegetarian and vegan meals. Their

most popular dish is the homemade burger made from quinoa and beans and served with vegan cheddar (made with creamed cashew nuts), coconut bacon, caramilsed onion, tortilla and humus.

Other popular dishes include portabelo mushrooms stuffed with sauteed vegetables, burrata with tomato and basil pesto, broccoli and chia polenta with tomato sauce and homemade Falafel with salad, hummus and tortilla chips.

They also serve a large selection of smoothie’s and juices. Give pet friendly BiO.TEQUiM a try, vegetarian or not, you´ll love it!

You will find the restaurant just a few minutes walk down from the train station in Tavira.

Address: Av.dr Mateus Teixeira Azevedo No. 86, 8800-379 Tavira.

Telephone: 964 348 856 or 969 302 710

Open for lunch and dinners, see Facebook for details, you can also find them on Instagram

bio.tequim

A story of second chances as this popular vegetarian restaurant in Tavira re-opens with a colourful future.

Expert currency advice

By Rachel Canales from GC Partners

REVEALING THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MYTHS

Hear from the experts at GC Partners as they debunk the top 4 foreign exchange myths

Ever changing and sometimes complex, it is no wonder why there are so many myths about foreign exchange and how it all works. That is why we have asked our friends at GC Partners to share the truth behind the top 4 foreign exchange myths and give us an insight on what it is really like to work with a foreign exchange specialist. MYTH NO. 1

Foreign exchange specialists buy money on a good day, stockpile it, and then only offer it to friends.

Not true. As markets can fluctuate, nobody really knows when the ‘best day’ is to buy or sell currency. Many travel money operators will buy currency in bulk so it is readily available, but they apply a wider spread to cover any adverse market movement. At GC Partners, when we receive an order from you, we buy the currency from the live market there and then; allowing us to offer you the best possible rate at that time.

MYTH NO. 2

Foreign exchange specialists ‘play’ with client's money overnight and invest in high interest accounts.

Not true. Legally we are not allowed to do this. At GC Partners all your money is held securely in your individual account, it is never

invested overnight or bought and sold to make a profit. We do not make any interest on the funds in our client accounts.

MYTH NO. 3

Never buy money on a Monday or a Friday, or any day after 3pm.

Not true. There is no right or wrong day, or time to buy or sell currency. Exchange rates are constantly moving depending on the latest economic or political changes. However, working with a foreign exchange specialist like us gives you access to experience and market insight that can help you make a more informed decision about when is the right time for you.

MYTH NO. 4

An exchange rate stays the same for the whole day and does not move.

Not true. Exchange rates move every second which is why they can have such an effect on the price of property or the value of any money you transfer abroad. However, if you use a foreign exchange specialist you can fix your exchange rate in advance – helping you minimise the effects of exchange fluctuations.

The GC Partners difference

Our dedicated currency specialists take the time to get to know you and understand your needs. They are here to make currency simple - letting you move your money in a way that works for you and in a way that your bank may not be able to offer.

We have had an office in Portugal since 2005 so understand the local market well, and our 4.9 out of 5 TrustPilot rating is one of the highest in our industry.

Simply open an account today – it is easy and only takes a few minutes. Visit us online at www.gcpartners.co/register or in person at one of our offices. Contact us on +351 282 768 136 & UK +44 (0) 203 974 4738 or email portugal@gcpartners.co

Global Currency Exchange Network Limited

T/A GC Partners is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2017, FRN 504346.

Registered as a Money Services Business, regulated by HM Revenue & Customs (“HMRC”) under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. Registration number is 12137189. Registered in England and Wales, Company number 04675786. Registered Office 3rd Floor, 20 Dering Street, London, England, W1S 1AJ

Mark Joseph Board Advisor

Each 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.

QWe recently moved to a Villa just outside Tavira, a property that we bought in March 2022. We are now selling our apartment in São Brás. When should we change our tax address and which address should we indicate on the promissory contract as our current home? Should we indicate Tavira, which is where we are living?

ATo be able to benefit from reinvestment to avoid paying capital gains tax, the address that needs to be registered as your fiscal address is the address of the property you are selling, which is São Brás. Therefore, this should also be the one mentioned in the promissory contract.

Only after the deed is signed and the sale completed, you should change your tax address to the new villa in Tavira. Don’t forget that you should also change the address on your Residency card, driving license and National Health System.

QI recently submitted my first tax return in Portugal, and I have been charged 10% tax on my pension, because I have the NHR status. However, the Portuguese tax authorities don’t seem to consider or credit the tax I already paid in the UK in my pension, which is higher that the tax paid in Portugal. Should I be paying tax over the same income in both countries? Shouldn’t Portugal credit the tax I paid at source?

A According to the Double Tax Agreement between Portugal and the UK, the private pensions should be taxed only in the country where the taxpayer is resident. If you are a tax resident in Portugal, you should declare your worldwide income in Portugal, as you did, and pay the tax on the pension here.

If the UK is still taxing your pension, it is because the HMRC still consider that you are tax resident there. To correct this, you should obtain a tax resident certificate from the Portuguese Tax Authorities and submit the Double Tax form to the HMRC. This way you will be able to claim the tax that was retained, since the first year you became tax resident in Portugal.

Q We recently moved from the US to Portugal and we currently rent a house in Altura. I work in IT and have just one client in the US. My wife is a journalist and writes as a contractor to different US and UK magazines. Can you let us know what the first steps we should take to be registered with the Portuguese tax authorities? How much tax will we pay on our income and what is the best tax structure? Should we set up our own company in Portugal?

A Once you have your Visa appointment, you should then receive your residency card. Only then we can change your tax address in order for you become a Portuguese tax resident. Following this we will then complete the application to the Non-Habitual Residency scheme (NHR).

As an NHR, you will be able to benefit from special taxes and several exemptions. As both your activities are eligible under the NHR, your tax rate will be 20%. But that doesn’t mean that you will pay 20% tax on your income, in fact you will pay a lot less, specially in 2022 and 2023. We will have to register your activity at the tax office, for which will be required to have a Portuguese bank account. You will also be obliged to issue invoices through the tax portal or through a certified invoicing software. These invoices need to be sent to the tax authorities each month and you will also need to appoint an accountant to submit your quarterly VAT returns.

Although your invoices do not include VAT (you are exempt on invoices issued to corporate clients outside Portugal), you still need to submit the VAT returns and include the VAT on the purchases made that are related with your activity (internet, computers, electricity, accountant, office material, etc). This means that you are likely to have a VAT credit and may apply for a VAT refund after 12 months.

In terms of tax, this will be assessed when you submit the first tax return, which will be during the period April to June 2023. The tax bill will be due in August 2023. The tax will be levied on 75% of your income and as it’s 20%, it means that effectively the tax rate can be as low as 15% (part of this also depends on your business expenses). But as in the first tax year you have a 50% discount, it means that you will only pay 7.5% tax on your gross income.

You will also benefit from an exemption on the first twelve months of activity, from social

security contributions.

So as both your activities are eligible for the NHR, in your case registering as a contractor would be the most efficient way of doing business in Portugal. However please make sure you meet all the rules related with the activity, concerning the invoicing and reporting. You don’t need to wait for the residency permit to register the business activity, as this can start as soon as you arrive in Portugal, but eventually you may be taxed as a non-resident until the Visa process is completed.

Please feel free to send us the questions you may have to info@allfinance.pt. We will select some of these to be published.

We’ll look after your tax a airs while you look after your lifestyle

by John Alden, Expert financial advice

HOW E-COMMERCE AND NEW PAYMENTS TRENDS ARE ALTERING CONSUMERISM

Recent years have shown that the shopping habits of consumers are changing as the e-commerce market continues to boom. This has proven to be an issue for some retailers. However, many are adapting to the shifting payments landscape and new trends like digital wallets, virtual cards, and mobile payments.

In many ways, the pandemic allowed the retail industry to undergo an extensive digital transformation. Even before the pandemic, e-commerce had been a driving force for a change in the way businesses operate and, consequently, the way customers shop. However, it was the Covid-19 crisis that acted as the impetus for many businesses to offer more online options.

Of course, lockdowns forced businesses to streamline their digital solutions. Without the ability to shop in-person, consumers shopped online at record levels. Lockdowns also made it so that contactless payments became more ubiquitous when shopping in stores. It is estimated that contactless payments rose by 20% from 2017 to 2020. Essentially, the pandemic catalysed seven years' worth of growth in about seven weeks.

It’s possible that if the pandemic hadn’t happened, new e-commerce developments wouldn’t have progressed as much as they did. Many individuals were uninterested in moving away from cash and toward the digital world.

A sizeable portion of the population perhaps would have never gotten used to online shopping, never mind ordering their groceries online. The pandemic made this necessary and has permanently changed the behaviour and habits of many.

When it comes to the airborne nature of the virus, it is obvious why the popularity of contactless payments soared during the

height of the pandemic. The ability to simply tap your card rather than touch the pin pad after numerous other people became not only preferred but expected. It gave customers a sense of peace knowing that businesses were taking the necessary steps to facilitate more hygienic interactions.

Contactless payments also speed up the purchasing process. On average, they are 7 seconds quicker than paying with a chip and pin and 15 seconds quicker than cash. This checkout speed is vital to the success of a business, as it impacts the shopper’s desire to return. Queues can build up, and no one wants to wait longer than necessary. Evidently, consumers value efficiency. To appease customers, retailers were allowed to offer a higher contactless payment limit of £100, replacing the previous limit of £45. This worked to ease the experience and reduce friction.

Another payment choice that customers and companies alike are gravitating toward is open banking. To put it simply, open banking is like a customer transferring money directly to the business from their account. This benefits both parties. Merchants save money by avoiding card processing fees, which in turn increases their profit margins. It provides customers with more protection and less hassle, as they are not required to manually exchange sort codes and account details.

Consumers are also paying via wearable tech, such as smart watches, and with digital wallets, like Apple Pay and Google Pay. Established digital wallets are no more expensive for businesses than accepting card payments. They allow for a positive customer experience and are becoming more widely offered.

As of now, digital wallets are one of the most preferred methods of payment within the e-commerce space. Digital wallets are projected to make up more than 50% of all e-commerce

payments in two years. The global e-commerce market itself is expected to surpass £5 trillion by 2024. This is partly due to the growing number of consumers looking to spend after being restricted during the pandemic. This will massively drive e-commerce and encourage the economy’s bounce-back. Overall, more payment choices mean more business.

Cash is clearly losing its status as king. It is becoming more apparent as to how new payments innovations are shaping the retail landscape. Apart from shifting to contactless transactions and wearable tech as the preferred methods of payment, the general outlook on financial technology is improving. These kinds of payments have made transactions easier and more convenient for customers. It has also made transactions more secure, as more sensitive information is stored digitally. This all contributes to the general trust the consumer has with the company they are choosing to buy from. Forming a sense of trust with their customers allows businesses to thrive because it establishes them as a competitor.

In fact, in many cases, retailers will not be able to compete if they do not offer flawless digital experiences. Frictionless payments are required now, whether the customer is shopping in person or online. Online shopping baskets worth billions of pounds are often abandoned if the payment process involves hiccups. Namely, if the shipping includes delivery fees, the customer’s chosen payment method is unavailable, or there are cybersecurity concerns. Therefore, if brands want an advantage in the customer payments experience, experts say they must innovate and implement frictionless payments.

The structural change digital payment innovations have had on e-commerce and consumerism in general has irrevocably altered the way people shop. It has also made them both more digitally savvy and more aware of all the options available to them. This will have lasting effects on markets around the world and will provide exciting new opportunities for investors.

If you are interested in how Private Client Consultancy can help you diversify your portfolio, contact Managing Partner John Alden at john.alden@pccwealth.com.

"As of now, digital wallets are one of the most preferred methods of payment within the e-commerce space. Digital wallets are projected to make up more than 50% of all e-commerce payments in two years"

Sara de Melo Castanheira is an expert in Occupational Therapy and Quality of Life. She is also the Technical Director of SER Igual, an Association of special rehabilitation services in Tavira

THE PLAYGROUND

Tavira has a lot of playgrounds but few are inclusive, or adapted to all children!

The playground is the perfect place to practice different skills and experiences, from learning social skills to learning to manage sensory input. Though therapy and educational programs can play a central role in helping kids with, for example, autism, to learn essential skills, the playground can also contribute to their learning and a fun space for them to express themselves. Play, as I already mentioned in previous articles, matters for everyone. Small playground design decisions can mean the difference between including or excluding those children. This article is an alert to our community for the importance of playground considerations for kids with specific needs, so we can effectively support and celebrate all kids in our community through playground design. Kids with specific needs enjoy and learn through play, just as typically developing children do, but the play behavior of these children is qualitatively and quantitatively different than their typically developing peers.

It’s crucial that playground designers and other community stakeholders understand both the commonalities and differences that kids with specific needs bring with them to the playground, compared to their developing peers. First, these kids share many of the same desires as other kids. They want to have fun, to learn and to feel like they belong. Though the avenue for experiencing these things may differ from child to child, those base needs are universal. Each child is unique, and a special need can present itself in different ways. For example, some kids may be nonverbal, some may have poor coordination and others may have risky games for themselves. So, thinking about a playground, what considerations we should have in order to make it an inclusive place?

• Challenges with social interactions: Interacting with peers may not come easily;

• Difficulty with new experiences: kids with specific needs may avoid change or experiencing anything new;

• Sensory processing differences: A high percentage of kids also exhibit sensory processing issues;

• Elopement behaviors: many kids, especially with autism exhibit elopement behaviors;

• Impaired gross motor skills: this tends to include challenges with balance and coordination.

A playground designed with all kids in mind, should promote sensory features, social interaction, self-regulation, motor skills and different play levels. I´ll present below some tips to have in mind:

Easy navigation: a great way to promote a positive experience is by making the playground easy to navigate. Ensuring there is a logical arrangement for equipment. For example, creating areas where the playground groups similar activities together.

Fence the playground: elopement is a common behavior, so for kids’ safety, the playground needs to have a fence with low visual stimulation (single color or pale primary colors) and not easily climbable. Sensory experiences: include opportunities for kids to use their tactile, auditory and visual sensory systems by adding a variety of sensory experiences. Don’t forget that proprioception is the main sensory system that can contribute to self-regulation, better coordination and promote positive affect among children. Proprioception is an important bodily neuromuscular sense, and is guided by receptors in the body (skin, muscles, joints) that connect with the brain through the nervous system so that even without sight, a person knows what his or her body is doing. Vision plays a key role in the ability to sense one’s body in space. However, vision is not necessary for a person to understand body ownership. Only proprioception is necessary for the development of body awareness and may already be present in newborns. In a playground there should always be, without any doubt, equipment that enables kids to use their vestibular system too. The vestibular system is an important part of a child's body. It's a system of tiny organs in the inner ear that provides the brain with information about where they are in space — up or down, sideways, etc. Understanding this allows us to keep our balance and move smoothly. Providing a variety of balancing equipment with different difficulty levels activates the stimulation of the vestibular system, promoting self-esteem and more confidence when they go out of playground to

another daily activity.

Quiet corner: When a child starts to feel overwhelmed by all the sights and sounds on the playground, they may need a break to recenter themselves. A tunnel is a good example of a quiet and cozy space for children to organize their nervous system and self-regulate in order to stop the sensory-overload sensation.

Social interaction opportunities: Cooperative play is the most social form of play, but there are many stages of play that bridge the gap between solitary play and cooperative play. Children may observe other kids as they play or play alongside others without much interaction. The playground can be the perfect place for a child to make a new friend or learn valuable social skills they can take with them into other settings.

Nature theme: Nature can have a calming effect that is helpful for anyone who experiences anxiety, including kids with development disorders like autism. This is one reason why outdoor play can be a wonderful outlet. Playgrounds could be designed in order to include natural materials like grass and rocks or a feature like a bubbling water fountain or stream.

Skillsets: including equipment that kids can use in various ways according to their ability level and their creativity help them nourish friendship and imitate positive situations.

Many children with development disorders like autism, have a strong desire for friends. Inclusive playgrounds can be a way to nourish friendship. Playgrounds help kids develop social skills and make friends by promoting peer interaction.

How can you help Associação SER Igual?

Associação SER Igual is a non-profit association for handicap people and with Public Utility that is helping children, teenagers and their caregivers to get better life quality and helping change the paradigm of inclusion in east Algarve. By sharing this article, you help spreading the name of SER Igual, so more people can contact us. You can sponsor one of our social projects or sponsor a child from our Association and help him/her to carry out their therapies. Please visit us on our FB page (@SerIgualPT) and IG (@igual.ser) and make an appointment to geral@seronline.pt or by phone 918180020.

Thanks once more for your attention. Stay tuned for next article.

Farah Naz

It`s harvest time for Portuguese farmers, and like many, my family and I are collecting the sweet Carob to sell in coming weeks. We, usually are bent over, under the trees picking the shiny, brown bean, in the early and late hours of the day, to avoid the hot temperatures. In previous years, it was easy to get the children to join in the activity purely for the sake of being together, it was idyllic and wholesome. But this season, as they are full-grown, teenagers, exposed to values beyond our own, we took the easy route and used cash as bait. And, it was at this point that as parents we stood back and reflected upon how our evolving relationship with our teens, was in fact in serious danger of becoming transactional.

A transactional relationship is a relationship at its crudest - ´you give to me and I give to you´. Such a reciprocal bond will last only as long as both parties continue to meet the other´s needs. These kinds of relationships are indeed, necessary, and were reserved for business, it’s how we get food in our fridge and clothes on our backs, but now such relationships extend beyond this and have invaded our private lives.

If our relationships are transactional, they will have the following qualities:

Functional and economic - The focus is on the outcome and as soon as the outcome is achieved, the relationship ends.

Everything is based on exchange. Everything is tracked and measured.

The relationship is based upon expectations.

Self-serving and self-focused and…

DOING IT TOGETHER

What type of relationships do you have?

interpersonal styles rooted in competition, a strong desire for financial success, high levels of consumption, and belief in the necessity of economic growth have led to a breakdown of meaningful relationships and an increase in such transactional relationships. This, in turn, has resulted in an increase in mental illness, poor attachments in families, divorce, and overall dissatisfaction with life.

Neuroscientists, psychologists, philosophers, poets, all agree, that our brains are wired for meaningful, social interaction.

´…it is hardly surprising that most of our happiness arises in the context of our relationships with others.´

Dalai Llama

Transformational relationships build trust, they are about giving the most we possibly can to help others. They are about working towards a win-win, because clearly, we can do far more together, than alone, and a transformational relationship changes us too.

In a transformational relationship there is a willingness to collaborate, to hear, an urge to grow, a curiosity about the other´s internal world, a desire for the other to grow, and a view that the other has positive intent.

´

Win-win is a belief in the Third Alternative. It's not your way or my way; it's a better way, a higher way. ´

Stephen Covey

The pandemic has interestingly, like many other world crises in history, jolted people into reviewing their lives and outlook. Early in 2021, Reuters reported that people, worldwide, have focused more on their immediate networks and those close to them, wanting to contribute and are more interested in social improvement.

positive change?

3 Ask yourself, if your relationships reflect a commitment to core values, such as, the good, the honest, kindness, charitable, - values that give your life meaning and purpose?

4 Is there an acceptance of people´s mistakes and failures? Or is there an emphasis on perfection and judgement?

5 Ask if you can be your best and most true self in your relationships? And do you bring out the best in others?

6 Do you seek out challenging and honest conversations, welcome them, and invite both constructive and appreciative feedback? Do you take risks and ask: ´How do I make you feel about you?´ or ‘What are your reservations about me?´ ´Are there things about me that you find difficult? ´

7 Can you be honest, be yourself, and get out of your comfort zone?

8 How do you create protection in your relationships? Is it through a tacit agreement of no challenge? Or is it through a relationship built with honest, and meaningful conversations?

5

A lack of connection and therefore a lack of trust leading to feeling unsafe in the relationship – no real, honest or meaningful conversation. When a person feels unsafe in a relationship, they are not honest, they don’t speak up, they don’t take risks.

6

There is often a competitive or oneupmanship edge to these relationships

7 People are frequently labelled or judged in these relationships and there is a lack of positive intent.

Researchers argue, that the fruits of capitalism - a set of values based in self- interest,

So, how can we continue to cultivate the win-win of transformational relationships and have less transactional relationships, in our lives? How can we ultimately build stronger relationships with our partners, within our families, with our friends and communities?

1Ask yourself what is the level of mutuality in your relationships? Do you give and receive gratefully, without expectation, and without presenting reminders, about what you contributed? Check your intentions.

2 Review your relationships and check if you are committed to each other’s growth and

These are big questions and as I wrote them, I too, wondered about the evolving needs of my family and how as a parent it´s important to rise up to the challenge and not give in to the easy route. I also thought about, and reflected upon every relationship I have, and that each of these requires me to keep on growing. If we desire transformational relationships, we have to be willing to constantly evolve. And, it is only then, that we operate with the most evolved part of our brains, and only then can we change, can we grow, can we become better, become more loving, become more our ideal selves, and then we transform each other, and then, we transform the world.

Farah Naz is a UK trained Psychotherapist of more than 30 years, and is a Clinical Hypnotherapist. She has worked with thousands of people globally for a range of issues. Farah has trained national organisations, international corporate companies, doctors, teachers and health workers on psychological-related issues. Currently, she has an online global practice and a private practice in the Algarve. www. iamfarah.com email: info@iamfarah.com

WHAT'S YOUR STORY? AND HOW DOES IT RELATE TO YOUR HEALTH?

Expert advice from Elaine Godley founder of the Perfect health HUB a self-help repository with hundreds of health resources, videos, podcasts and weekly group support

Iwas asked recently ' what's my story?'

My story goes something like this...

...married too young the first time aged 19 just 6 months after my father died from a rare bone cancer, tried twice more, been raped, abducted, bankrupt, strangled and left for dead.

Also been very successful with a nearly £2M turnover company I built from scratch then lost 7 years later when I woke up to my then husband being an alcoholic. Inconvenienced by 4 different cancers including stage IV which I beat in 3 months back in 2015.

Been CEO of a law firm, COO of a team with over 200 staff, mother of a son with Asperger's Syndrome and now sh*t hot at guiding others how to reverse serious health and wellbeing challenges and how to overcome adversity. Gained an MBA and health qualifications along the way.

Oh and I beat a rare kidney condition I was born with and told I would be on medication for life.

After 23 years on medication I was introduced to natural wellbeing through my chiropractor (I have a twisted and curved spine and a bit of spina bifida) and his girlfriend who was a natural therapist and nutrition expert. My kidneys work better than the average person according to medics who conned me into being on antibiotics for life.

Loving my life and how I inspire others. Running retreats in Portugal where I now live in the beautiful Algarve.

Retreats are about health and leadershiptwo different events.

Why ask the question how does your story relate to your health?

It’s very simple really. Our body is made up of vibrational energy. Everything on the planet resonates at different levels of vibrational frequency. You know immediately when you are resonating with someone who is on your ‘wavelength’. I liken it to tuning in to different

radio frequencies. When you are tuned in to a station that you enjoy and can hear well, you are in full flow.

To function at its best, the body needs to resonate in a positive frequency. As life progresses, stuff happens to us whether personally or indirectly which affects our whole vibration and the essence of who we are.

We are made up of around 70% water. Water retains memory (Dr Masaru Emoto on Youtube). So if you are in a negative frequency, your body can and will retain the negativity and be held within your body for years.

Older readers will recall that men returning from the first and second world wars rarely spoke of their experiences. As a result, we’d see many examples of arthritis and rheumatism – these are ‘internal’ conditions which are impacted by negativity and holding on to emotions (impacted also by diet and nutrition and lifestyle factors).

What can you do to minimise your risk of poor health?

Dealing with emotional trauma is a huge topic which impairs healing if not dealt with at a deep level. For clients who I support with my 6-week Kick-start to Healing mentoring programme, I go through this area and refer some on to specialist practitioners who can help. None of us has all the answers however, in collaboration, we provide stunning results for those ready to heal….and are prepared to put in the work.

In the meantime, you could join my Perfect Health HUB where you will find some answers if you are ready to begin your healing journey on a DIY basis. You will find hundreds of resources to guide you towards improved health and wellbeing. https:// perfecthealthhub.kartra.com/page/JoinHub Make a start by writing down the traumatic events that have happened to you in life. Then take a step back and realise how well you’ve managed over the years and ask yourself how do you feel now you are

revisiting these events? Do you look back and thank the universe for your lessons, or do you feel emotional? If you are emotional, then perhaps you need to do some internal work on yourself.

So many of us learn to take things in our stride, make some adjustments which enable us to carry on and function at a superficial level, then one day a serious illness knocks at our door. Don’t let this be your story!

Now what?

During the past 25+ years, I’ve become a specialist in the DISC model of behavioural profiling and can tell from looking at a person’s behaviour pattern, the likelihood of them being ill and from what type of conditions, without even meeting them. I have developed an online tool from which your own situation can easily be assessed.

If you’d like to know how to reverse poor health, or better still minimise your risk of an horrendous diagnosis, then please get in touch. I’m happy to chat with anyone and also host you on my podcast if you have an interesting story to share calendly.com/ elainegodley

Elaine Godley MBA O.A. Dip (Psych) was voted Best Health and Wellbeing Mentor 2022-UK by the Business Excellence Awards. Elaine supports clients online and with home testing assessments to identify the root cause of their health challenges and creates a wellbeing plan with them for recovery elaine@ discplus.health

Alegriathe the is a method used to relieve pain and prevent a number of ailments by correcting the toe position

An orthosis is used to reduce or eliminate friction between the toes or between the shoe and the toes. This way painful pressure spots, chafing spots, wounds or corns prevent or reduce rubbing and can relieve pain when wearing shoes.

An orthosis can be a solution for your complaints in the case of a deviating toe position. It can have different functions: support, stabilization, correction, immobilization or relief. When to use an orthosis?

Orthoses are used for claw toes, hammer toes and toes growing over or under each other.

Due to the clawed position of the toes, the friction with the shoe often causes complaints on the top of the toes.

In this case, the tips of the toes are also pressed into the ground, which can make them feel painful.

In addition, calluses and painful corns often develop.

We correct the toe position with an orthosis. This reduces the pressure and your foot complaints often even disappear completely. An orthosis also has a pressurereducing effect on corns and calluses.

WHAT IS A TOE ORTHOSIS? 961 818 625

The carob tree has been grown since antiquity in most countries of the Mediterranean basin, usually in mild and dry places with poor soils. Its value was recognized by the ancient Greeks, who brought it from its native Middle East to Greece and Italy, and by the Arabs, who disseminated it along the North African coast and north into Spain and Portugal. It was spread in recent times to other Mediterraneanlike regions such as California, Arizona, Mexico, Chile and Argentina by Spaniards, to parts of Australia by Mediterranean emigrants and to South Africa and India by the English.

The carob tree is an important component of the Mediterranean vegetation and its cultivation in marginal and prevailing calcareous soils of the Mediterranean region is important environmentally and economically. Traditionally, grafted carob trees have been inter planted with olives, grapes, almonds and barley in low intensity farming systems in most producing countries. Carob pods with their sugary pulp are a staple in the diet of farm animals and are eaten by children as snacks or by people in times of famine. However, currently the main interest is seed production for gum extraction. Kibbled pods have been shipped from producing countries to all over Europe. Because of low orchard management requirements the carob tree is suitable for part-time farming and shows potential for planting in semi-arid Mediterranean or subtropical regions. The

All about Carobs

We´ve just passed the harvesting time for Carobs... the back breaking work has been done, but what do we know about this peculiar looking fruit? Well here´s everything you need to know about Carobs

trees are also useful as ornamentals and for landscaping, windbreaks and afforestation. Cattle can browse on leaves and the wood is suitable for fuel.

World production is estimated at about 310 000 t/year produced from some 200 000 ha with very variable yields depending on cultivar, region and farming practice. Spain is the leading carob producer, producing on average 135 000 t/year (MAPA 1994), followed by Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Algeria and some other countries. The scientific name of carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) derives from Greek keras, horn, and Latin siliqua, alluding to the hardness and shape of the pod. The common name originates from the Hebrew kharuv, from which are derived the Arabic kharrub and later algarrobo or garrofero in Spanish, carrubo in Italian, caroubier in French, Karubenbaum in German, alfarrobeira in Portuguese, charaoupi in Greek, charnup in Turkish, and garrofer or garrover in Catalan. The carob is also known as St. John’s bread or locust bean in reference to the presumed use of its ‘locusts’ as food by St. John the Baptist and, from that derives Johannisbrotbaum in German. Jewellers used its uniform seeds as a unit of weight (200 mg), the carat. The carob tree grows as a sclerophyllous evergreen shrub or tree up to 10 m high, with a broad semispherical crown and a thick trunk with brown rough bark and sturdy branches. Leaves are 10-20 cm long, alternate, pinnate, with or without a terminal leaflet. Leaflets are 3-7 cm long, ovate to elliptic, in 4-10 normally

opposite pairs, coriaceous, dark green and shiny above, pale green beneath and finely veined with margins slightly ondulate, and tiny stipules. The leaves are sclerophyllous and have a very thick single-layered upper epidermis, the cells of which contain phenolic compounds in the large vacuoles, and stomata are present only in the lower epidermis and arranged in clusters. Carob does not shed its leaves in the autumn but only in July every second year, and it only partially renews leaves in spring (April and May).

The original distribution of C. siliqua is not clear as it has undergone extensive cultivation since ancient times. It is suggested that its range in the wild included Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, southern Jordan, Egypt, Arabia, Tunisia and Libya and that it moved westward at an early stage.

Carob is believed to have been spread by the Greeks to Greece and Italy and then by the Arabs along the coast of northern Africa into the south and east of Spain, from where it migrated to the south of Portugal and the southeast of France. Its wild occurrence in the western Mediterranean is doubtful. Spontaneous carobs occur in many places around the western Mediterranean basin but they are regarded as feral derivatives of the fruit crop which probably evolved under domestication.

As a food source, carob pods could be stored and transported long distances. In most of the Mediterranean region wild and naturalized carobs are distributed in more or

less the same geographic and climatic belt as the cultivated. Forms of spontaneous carobs are particularly common at low altitudes along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, southwest Spain, southern Portugal, the Balearic Islands, southeast France, the shores of southern Italy including Sicily, the Adriatic coast of Croatia, the Aegean region in Greece and Turkey, along the northern and southern ranges of the isle of Cyprus, in the islands of Malta, in the maritime belt of Lebanon and Israel, the north and south of Morocco and the coastline in Tunisia. The carob is one of the most useful native Mediterranean trees. In producing countries, carob pods have traditionally been used as animal and human food and currently the main use is the seed for gum extraction. Carob pods provide fodder for ruminants and nonruminants. In the wild, carob shelter, foliage and beans attract browsing animals. The pods contain indigestible and valuable seeds. Carob timber is hard and close-grained, and has been used to make utensils as well as fuel. Carob wood also was traditionally used to make slowburning charcoal. Ceratonia oreothauma is extensively used for goat fodder in its native ranges.

The pulp can be ground into a fine powder for use in human nutrition. Carob powder consists of 46% sugar, 7% protein and small amounts of numerous minerals and vitamins and is thus quite nutritious. After oven-drying, the powder can be added to cakes, bread, sweets, ice creams or drinks as a flavouring. Carob powder ‘cocoa’ has advantages over

chocolate in that has fewer calories and neither caffeine nor theobromine. Its flavour is not as rich as dark chocolate but resembles milk chocolate.

Owing to the high sugar content of the pod and its relatively low cost, carob pulp was among the first horticultural crops used for the production of industrial alcohol by fermentation in several Mediterranean countries. In some countries, e.g. Egypt, carob syrup is a popular drink obtained by extracting carob kibbles with water. Harvesting is the major cost in carob production owing to the expensive and scarce labour in most developed countries. Manual harvesting of the pods represents 30-35% of the total production cost for an orchard. This cost can be divided between knocking (or shaking) and collecting operations. Knocking is a traditional operation performed with thin long poles to knock down ripe pods. Manual or mechanical harvesting by trunk shakers and manpower shakers is affected by size and growth habit of the trees, pod distribution in the branches and pod abscission. Collecting operations depend on yield, size and shape of pod, and orchard density. The main aim for new carob orchard establishment should be mechanical harvesting. Some agronomical features of the tree are important to improve mechanical harvesting of carob. In Portugal the future of the carob

production is being protected by an interesting initiative to promote carob growing with the establishment of the Associaçao Interprofissional para o Desenvolvimento da Produção e Valorização da Alfarroba (AIDA) in 1985 in the Algarve, Portugal. This independent association brings together efforts of interested people and institutions involved in carob production, processing and marketing.

V i s t a s R u i S i l v e s t r e r e s t a u r a n t a t M o n t e R e i G o l f & C o u n t r y C l u b , h e a d e d b y C h e f R u i S i l v e s t r e , o f f e r s a c o m p l e t e g o u r m e t e x p e r i e n c e f r e s h , l o c a l l y s o u r c e d i n g r e d i e n t s u s e d t o c r e a t e t h e f i n e s t g a s t r o n o m i c d e l i g h t s , a w e l c o m i n g a m b i e n c e , u n c o m p r o m i s i n g l e v e l s o f s e r v i c e a n d s t u n n i n g v i e w s o v e r r o l l i n g h i l l s , t o t h e A t l a n t i c O c e a n

R u i ’ s s t y l e o f c o o k i n g r e p r e s e n t s a r e t u r n t o c u l i n a r y e s s e n t i a l s A r e s p e c t f o r n a t u r e , p u r e t a s t e s , g e n u i n e a r o m a s a n d s u p e r b f l a v o u r s .

R e c o g n i s e d w i t h a M i c h e l i n s t a r i n t h e M i c h e l i n G u i d e s i n c e 2 0 2 0 , V i s t a s R u i S i l v e s t r e b e c a m e t h e f i r s t s t a r r e d r e s t a u r a n t i n t h e E a s t A l g a r v e r e g i o n , e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e l o c a l a r e a a s a d e s t i n a t i o n f o r g a s t r o n o m y l o v e r s 281 950 950

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