Tomorrow Algarve January 2019 Edition by Tomorrow Algarve Magazine

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Editor's note  TomorrowAlgarve www.tomorrowalgarve.com EDITOR Amber Henshaw amber@tomorrowalgarve.com

SALES Tom Henshaw tom@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 919 918 733

DESIGN Creation Media phil@tomorrowalgarve.com

ON THE COVER

Tom Henshaw, Phil Harding and Amber Henshaw We have had a very fulfilling and active 2018 which ended with the wonderful, successful winter ball at the Tivoli Hotel and a night that raised over €3,600 for the CASLAS car. Many thanks to all those people who made it such a success especially Steven Sutton and Julie Battersby. You can read all about the event later in the magazine. In 2019 we aim to raise €30,000 to support a selection of local good causes. We also aim to bolster the Bombeiros by providing a contingency fund which will be available in any forthcoming emergencies. 2019 looks like it is going to be another exciting year for us. We are pleased to announce that we will be working with Simon Moulson to launch a second Tomorrow Magazine which will focus on the stretch from Vilamoura to Faro. You can read more about it in the business section.

that level of commitment. Nothing seems too much trouble to help us to offer a better and more interesting newsletter. December saw the launch of the western Algarve golf trophy which involves Espiche, Palmares and Boavista golf resorts which is another great initiative from enterprising clubs all aiming to improve the sporting activities in this area of the Algarve. We would also like to mention Lena Strang who yet again has provided another great book highlighting the tapestry of life in Southern Portugal, namely Crossing Cultures In The Western Algarve. You can read more about Lena’s book launch in our February edition. Please do keep telling us about events and stories that interest you or if you have ideas for good causes we should support. Our ears are always open to suggestions. Wishing you all a great January.

We especially would like to thank Phil and Rebeca of Creation Media for their continuing and growing involvement in the magazines high standards and improvements and this year the new calendar for both 2019 and 2020 shows

Best wishes, Amber, Tom and the team

CONTENTS Our main feature this month is about the Iberian lynx which has clawed its way back from extinction. See more on page 4.

SEDE: 86, MILBOROUGH CRESCENT, LONDON, UK , SE12 ORW. UK . PERIODICIDADE: MENSAL . TIRAGEN: 4,000 | TIPOGRAFIA: C/ AL MEDITERRÁNEO, 29, POLÍGONO DE SAN RAFAEL, 04230, HUÉRCAL DE ALMERÍA CIF: B04250056

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4 - 31

BUSINESS

54 - 59

WHAT’S ON

32 - 43

FOOD & DRINK

60 - 65

SPORTS

44 - 47

ENVIRONMENT

66 - 67

LETTERS

48 - 49

OUTDOOR

68 - 71

HEALTH

50 - 53 3

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PAWING BACK FROM EXTINCTION After receiving special permission from the government to visit the Lynx captive breeding programme, approximately 14 km north of the city of Silves, Tomorrow Magazine sent Sophie Sadler to investigate how the Iberian Lynx has come back from the brink. Driving into the countryside behind Silves with its rolling hills you soon start to feel like you are travelling away from civilisation into a barren land of Eucalyptus topped peaks and rocky valleys. Exactly the sort of place you could imagine wild animals thriving. Located near the village of Vale Fuzeiros on a hillside above the Arade River close to the Funcho Dam, live a population of 29 lynxes, which have a vital role in the reintroduction of their species back into the wild. They are not, however, roaming free but living in enclosures, guarded within an enclosed compound in the hope that their descendants will once more successfully inhabit the Iberian peninsula. The Iberian Lynx National Breeding Center was inaugurated in May 2009 and received its first animals in October. Cubs (Lynx Pardinus) are bred in captivity then when they are ready to become independent, released into the wild. Of the 108 born in the facility, 63 have been released to the wild, 11 are kept in captivity as breeders and 28 have died. 6 Juveniles born in 2018 are awaiting release in February 2019. Such has been the success of the programme that the species was recently downgraded from criticallyendangered to endangered and thanks to captive breeding and release efforts, there is an expanding, albeit small community of around 60 cats living in the wild around Mértola in Portugal. I meet Rodrigo Serra, the wild cat's answer to Steve Irwin. The animal action-man lives in a humble villa on top of the mountain overlooking the enclosures while his family reside in his home-town, Lisbon. A veterinary doctor, his impressive resumé includes a Masters degree in wild-animal health which he gained at the Institute of Zoology in London Zoo and working with lions in Botswana. He tells me he has just returned from hunting wild lynx in Mértola, to which I raise an eyebrow, but of course, this is now done as part of the research project. The new juveniles born in the wild are captured to analyse their health, DNA and in order to microchip them.

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The barren environment of the site and the guarded entry gate does give the place an air of area 51 about it. Rodrigo tours me around the main office where a dedicated group of 17 scientists, vets and keepers, work 365 days a year 24-hours-a-day, eating, drinking and as a bedroom shows evidence, even sleeping on site. The Lynx has The Odelouca Dam to thank for the establishment of the breeding programme in Silves. In order to compensate for the negative impacts associated with building the dam, Águas de Portugal implemented environmental overcompensation in the dam’s area of influence. As such, they jointly fund the breeding centre along with the ICNF. (Institute of conservation, nature and forests.) Rodrigo tells me why he believes this project has been so successful: “The expansion of the wild populations, prey management, conservation and captive breeding.” “The lynx programme has been the most successful reintroduction of a mammal species on a vortex towards extinction anywhere in the world. To be part of this experiment has been the pinnacle of my career.” In 2002 there were 94 lynxes living in the wild and after a 15-year programme, this has increased to 547 in the whole of Iberia. “Their release into the wild is not random but decided by genetic analysis. We manage the scarce existing genetic diversity and provide healthy Iberian lynxes suitable for reintroduction projects.” The centre pair the animals which are more distantly related to each other, so as to prevent high levels of inbreeding in the resulting litters.

The project for the release of the Iberian Lynx, LIFE is co-funded by the European Commission and involves 22 partners of which five are Portuguese. This is an entirely separate project to the Silves breeding programme but they help each other and work in conjunction. Zoos also participate in the ex situ conservation programme by using surplus animals for exhibition and education purposes, which are expected to breed in the future. The only Portuguese release site is near Mértola in the Vale do Guadiana, where, in 2016, the first Iberian lynx was born into the wild in decades. Rodrigo believes one of the contributing factors to the success of the project is habitat protection and restoration. “In Portugal, so far, we can confirm at least 44 cubs born in 3 years in the wild,” says Rodrigo. There are 5 more release sites in Spain. These animals are monitored by a team on the ground through radio and GSM tracking and photo traps. In fact, Mértola is a huge success story for the project, having worked with the community to re-introduce the predator and gathering social support for the species. Where they encountered opposition, the programme worked with farmers, building fences to protect livestock and persuaded hunting groups and landowners that reintroducing the lynx will not inhibit their use of their land or prove a threat. 

In order to try to make more genetic diversity avaliable for the conservation program, some of the captive lynxes are now being artificially inseminated at the facility with the sperm of captive specimens. Once the technique is established, the frozen sperm of other founders and wild lynxes can be used to introduce more genetic diversity to the captive breeding programme.

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Emergency wildfire evacuation at lynx project When I visited the complex in October, there was one crucial thing missing and that was the lynxes! The project was badly hit by the summer’s fires. This is what happened:

Compare this to the attempt to re-introduce the Eurasian lynx in Alpine communities where there is a lowacceptance of the species. In these areas, many are poisoned and after a successful reintroduction, they have almost been wiped out again.

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“The lynx is the people of Mertola's panda! It brings in the crowds. The town has already re-branded the popular Portuguese biscuit cats-tongue to Lynxtongue which are sold as souvenirs;” laughs Rodrigo. The Iberian lynx is undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing addition to the countryside with its tawny spotted coat, tufted ears and handsome whiskers, is it just being brought back because it looks cute? “The Iberian lynx has an important role in Mediterranean ecosystems as a flagship species, helping to control the numbers of smaller mammals. If we can establish the lynx population the ecosystem will remain healthy. It’s also a unique element of Portugal and Spain’s natural heritage, creating jobs for biologists, ecotourism and nature tours;” explains Rodrigo. The Iberian lynx population is heavily reliant on the rabbit as its source of food and when its population dropped by 90% in two decades due to myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease, it effectively drove the lynx population out of Portugal. The success of reintroducing the lynx into the wild depends on teaching them to hunt, so live rabbits are released into a series of tunnels which have outlets in each lynx enclosure which imitates burrows in the wild. The lynxes to be reintroduced, receive absolutely no friendly contact from their

human attendants. Occasionally keepers will enter the enclosures and exhibit threatening behaviour and loud noise, teaching the animals to be frightened of man and means when they return to the wild they will not be tempted to migrate into populated areas. Instead, their behaviour is monitored by CCTV fed to a bank of monitors in the main office where they analyse their behaviour to assess their capability to be released into the wild. This includes an assessment of their success in socialising with the other animals, the ability to hunt, a healthy fear of humans and good genetics. So what of the future? The Iberian Lynx reproduction centre in Silves is to be extended with the project granted a €551,000 budget. From our viewpoint, Rodrigo points out the as yet undeveloped plateau where the new enclosures will be located. He tells me; “The expansion aims to allow for better training for the release of cubs born at the breeding centre and providing each litter with 2000 m2 and naturalised settings in two new enclosures. It also releases space for breeders in the original enclosures, increasing their well-being.” “We need to stabilise the Mértola population in 2020 and the next LIFE project will be to find another release area.” It is believed the Mértola area can support a population of 30 breeding pairs and there are now over 60 animals believed to be in Portugal. It is fantastic to see that Portugal and Spain are world leaders in this fascinating story, where science, conservation and the dedication of individuals like Rodrigo, have combined to rescue a species that would otherwise be almost extinct.

The wildfires in the Monchique area on August 3rd burnt 27,000 hectares and started to take hold near the centre. Firefighters were unable to halt the flames which spread with alarming speed. Rodrigo said: “The flames reached that pylon, when we made the decision to evacuate;” he tells me pointing at the neighbouring hillside, which is alarmingly close by. “Of course attempts were made to stop the fire and we have sprinklers but nothing can stop a fire moving that fast. We had an emergency procedure in place for this eventuality which we put into action.” On Wednesday August 8th the experienced keepers were able to capture most of the lynxes naturally, with three having to be sedated. As military vehicles moved into the centre, a special marine corps were involved along with over 70 personnel including military, nature rangers, fire specialists and veterinarians. All helped secure the successful evacuation of the precious cargo which was loaded in crates into military trucks. The army and a specialist marine force from the navy attempted to keep the fire away from the centre for a long as possible to allow the 29 endangered animals to be transported away from the danger zone. Rodrigo confirmed that some of the enclosures caught fire 30 minutes after the lynxes left the centre. Before being transported across the border the lynxes spent a night in a pavilion at a school in the neighbouring municipality of Lagoa. They were there for 24 hours inside animal carriers with access to water. The lynxes were distributed to centres in Spain - mothers and cubs and couples were kept together. 12 were moved to Olivilla in Jáen, nine to Zarza de Granadilla in Cáceres and the final eight to El Ecebuche in Huelva. All were confirmed to be in good condition on their arrival. Rodrigo has confirmed that 25 lynx were returned to the centre between December 5th and 14th. The Secretary of State also visited the breeding centre last month.

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THE POWER OF LOVE BY STEPHANIE GINGER If you find yourself near the little church of Nossa Senhora da Luz, a stone’s throw from the ocean, do yourself a favour and step through those large, invariably open doors into its shady interior. At first glance, the little church of our Lady of Light, a delightful mix of Algarvian simplicity and Catholic gold leaf which houses regular services for both its Catholic and Anglican congregations looks the same as always. But once inside you’ll see something new; to the right of those doors, above the font, a stunning contemporary carving in Portuguese limestone depicting the moment of Christ’s resurrection; a powerful and yet peaceful sculpture which exemplifies the message of love and hope. Last September, in ‘A tap on the shoulder’ we told the story of English artist and Algarvian resident Mary Porter and how, with the help of her tutor German Sculptor Søren Ernst, she came to create Resurrection. When she moved to Portugal in 2006, Mary began regularly attending the 8am Sunday morning St. Vincent’s Anglican service in Luz. It was reassuring to find a welcoming little bit of England inside the pretty Portuguese church of Nossa Senhora da Luz. Mary was impressed with the gracious way that the Catholic community allowed the Anglicans use of their church for their weekly services, including an ecumenical service to encourage the two congregations to come together in worship. It was at one such service some years ago that Mary experienced her ‘tap on the shoulder’ and decided that

she wanted to create a sculpture for the church that would bring hope to people’s hearts.” But it wasn’t until this time last year that Mary took the plunge and started work on a beautiful piece of Portuguese limestone given to her by Søren. Over the months I watched her work on Resurrection; face almost concealed by a headscarf, pneumatic chisel aimed like a weapon at the limestone slab. Gradually, the figure of Jesus, surrounded by a sweep of cloth, moving dynamically in the figure-of-eight symbol of eternity emerged. It was definitely a labour of love but even after it was completed just before Easter 2018, there was no guarantee that Resurrection would find its home in the place of its inspiration. But Mary never lost faith and as she says “God moves in mysterious ways”. Due, in part to the article in Tomorrow, Resurrection was unveiled on a bright December morning just before Christmas in a fittingly inclusive special service slotted between the regular Sunday services for the Catholic congregation led by Padré Zé and the Anglican service led by Father Robert Kean. After blessings in both Portuguese and English and a rousing rendition of Hallelulah sung by every nationality present, Padré Zé described the experience as “a truly ecumenical moment”. Father Rob pointed out that the sculpture had found its natural home, positioned perfectly for departing members of the congregation to “take Jesus out into the World.” For Mary, she describes simply her joy and pride that that Resurrection has finally found a home in Nossa Senhora da Luz, the place in which it was created to be. “It is my prayer that it will bring comfort and hope to all who enter the church, regardless of denomination, creed, religion or belief.”

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THE SPIRIT OF MEDRONHO

BY HENRY C SHAW

The Scottish have Whiskey; the French have Cognac; the Russians Vodka and the Portuguese have Medronho. This potent spirit is drawn from the Medronheriro Arbutus Unedo, sometimes called the Strawberry Tree, an evergreen that grows throughout the Iberian Peninsula all the way to Turkey and can be found in abundance flourishing in the poor acidic soils of the hills and mountains of Tojeiro and course, the Algarve. Growing to a height of between six and 10 metres its erect branches and evergreen crown are dressed in waxy green leaves with a serrated edge. The beautiful white flowers, sometimes touched with delicate pinks, hang in bunches amongst the fruits that are variously coloured, green, yellow and deep blood red. These berries are a particular favourite of birds and wild boars, the latter of which help spread the seeds across the steep mountainous forests. Like many red fruits the medronho berries have attracted attention due to its curative properties, according to the university of Aveiro: “The fruits can help prevent cancer, control cholesterol levels and improve the health of skin and bones.” Medronheriro prefers to grow in remote places, shying from woodland paths in favour of unreachable steep slopes and whilst her delicate looks and innocent appearance may beguile some, she has a reputation for being a potent mix of fire and water, called by the locals ‘Aquardente de Medronhos’, or ‘burning water of Medronho’. At one point the hills of Monchique would have been a hive of activity this time of year as medronho pickers gathered their precious fruits and this would have been done with much secrecy and mystery for Medronho picking, its fermentation and distillation are jealously guarded affairs. In the past small distilleries would have scattered the hills, invisible and hidden where medronho hunters would gather and ferment their harvests away from the prying eyes of neighbours.

With the advent of European law comes the requirement for distillers to legally register their wares before they can distribute them, which has had a dramatic affect on Medronho production. Those who continue the arduous task of gathering these wild fruits and fermenting them, do so for friends and family, in the hope they continue this ancient tradition passed to them by their forebearers. Luckily Tomorrow Magazine, with a certain degree of string pulling, has been kindly invited by Senhor José Fernando a farmer and land owner, considered to be a pioneer in the commercial planting of Medronho, to his farm in the Algarve. “I can only tell you somethings,” said Senhor José Fernando before our appointment, “the rest I cannot.” It is not often a Medronho expert is willing to share his knowledge, gathered from years of hard work and experience and I was up early to meet my friend and professional photographer Emma Dakin, who had kindly orchestrated the visit to Senhor José Fernando’s registered Medronho farm and whose passion for Medronho and skill behind a camera were a perfect combination. Senhor José Fernando proved to be an excellent host and as he graciously showed us around his orchards he soon warmed to his subject, sharing with me both his passion and knowledge. “My dear friend Leonardo was my greatest critic,” he says, remembering his friend fondly. “He would say ‘it cannot be done’ only the best Medronho comes from the hills. You will not be able to farm it here. It hadn’t been done you see, Medronho is a wild bush; it grows in inaccessible places, a few here, a few there. No one had tried to grow it commercially before.” Maybe this is why Senhor José Fernando bought a second farm, much larger, in the hills, in the hope his good friends words were true. Unfortunately, to allow the young seedlings to grow, every few years this land needs to be spaced so other species that are fast growing 

"Medronho is a wild bush; it grows in inaccessible places, a few here, a few there. No one had tried to grow it commercially before"

COMMUNITY do not overshadow the young saplings. In this respect, to grow natural Medronho commercially means crippling overheads for a small producer, no matter how passionate and dedicated they maybe, and I can see his sadness when he tells me that out of his original experiment of 6,000 trees grown in the valley, only 4,500 survived. Perhaps Medronho cannot be tamed after all.

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What makes it harder for a commercial grower is that unlike grapes or bananas, which can be harvested simultaneously, Medronho berries ripen at different times. Although this means a longer picking season and increase in labour costs, here Senhor José Fernando, lies the first secret. “It is very important you pick the ripest fruit,” confides Senhor José Fernando. “It must be the ripest

fruit, the darkest red and it goes without saying you cannot pick from the ground. They must be the most red and ripe and this is the first important thing.” It will take three months before the fruit is ready, for now we must let the medronho sleep. The distillation process is normally performed in early January, whereupon we will endeavour to take up this story, in the hope that we capture the medronho genii as she awakes from her slumber. Next month we will feature the second piece about Medronho. For further information on Emma Dakin’s photography, private commissions, cards and events, contact her directly via her email.

+INFO:  dakinemma2@gmail.com

FRESH BEGINNINGS In late November, Madrugada, the charitable association which provides care and support for people affected by life limiting illness, hosted a large number of members, volunteers and dignitaries, at the official inauguration of its new Support Centre in Luz. Dr.ª Maria Joaquina de Matos, Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Lagos unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion. She described the centre as a wonderful ‘cosy space’ that will be a significant addition to palliative provision in the region. It is obvious, she commented, that the hard work and generosity of all involved in making the centre a reality is testament to the commitment of the association to the well-being of the whole community. Long-term supporter British Vice-Consul, Clive Jewell attended the opening and said he was delighted that after many years, Madrugada now has a permanent base from which it could grow and reach more individuals with its wonderful work. The Madrugada Support Centre is located at 44 Rua Direita, Praia da Luz and is at ground floor level with ample parking and only a short walk from the Madrugada charity clothes shop, Encore. Counselling, therapeutic and creative activities, complementary therapies, advice and education are available. These complement

Madrugada’s free home based ‘end of life’ palliative nursing care service.

British Vice-Consul Clive Jewell with Madrugada President Carol Spires

On December 5th Madrugada’s Luz Homestore relocated to a marvellous, new premises in Urb. Pedra Alçada, Lagos just opposite Lagos Veterinary Clinic. This large retail space, with parking and easy access, gives shoppers a great opportunity to pick up some amazing bargains in second-hand furniture, bric-a-brac and household items. All donations in saleable condition can now be made to the charity at the new store. Encore, the super Madrugada clothing shop in Luz, remains open as usual. The charity is hugely grateful to everyone who has supported its efforts in Luz over the past 10 years, in particular, landlord Barry Sadler at the original support centre. With increasing numbers of people calling upon Madrugada for support as they come to terms with a life limiting illness, the charity needs to grow its income from more retail and fund-raising activities. The new retail outlet in Lagos will deliver an even bigger and more varied offering to the public and hopefully generate more funds for its vital work.

+INFO:  +351 282 761 375

Madrugada Support Centre Inauguration Day

Madrugada President Carol Spires with Sr.ª Presidente Dr.ª Maria Joaquina de Matos, Presidente da Câmara Municipal de Lagos

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IS RYAN A RECORD BREAKER? Lagos-based Ryan Smith set himself the unbelievable goal of breaking the Guinness World Record (4545) for the number of burpees he could do in one go to raise money for local boy Louie Watson. Simon Moulson was on hand for support and to see whether Ryan was up to the challenge.

It’s 6am when we arrive to see Ryan closing the door of his van and heading towards the gym. It’s the first time I’ve seen Ryan in a different light - he usually exudes confidence but today he’s nervous. As he gets on with his warm-up exercises I’m amazed to see him do a few trial burpees! A small entourage, a ‘band of brothers’ if you like, soon arrive to aid and support Ryan in equal measure. Ryan lies down on the mat as we take the tape measure to accurately measure out the distance between the two lines which are then marked with white duck tape. Small pep-talks are said, motivation is high and with that this World Record Attempt is underway. There are two scorers who are destined to remain beady-eyed and to record each and every burpee carried out. No mean feat, as they are each scheduled for a four-hour stint. The room is filled with nervous energy but everyone tries to mask their concerns and worries. I hear people say that an outstanding athlete can go beyond the pain threshold and take their body and mind to a place where most cannot even contemplate, well, this is exactly what Ryan needs to muster from somewhere in his mind. I think it’s only fair to say that if there is anybody who can come anywhere close to achieving this crazy world record it is Ryan.

Ryan sets out to achieve 3,000 burpees within seven hours which means the first few hours are utterly relentless. Ryan zones out and becomes a bit like a robot. Burpees are duly recorded in sets and prior to each set Ryan says whether he will do 50 or 100 in one go. The nonchalant manner he takes, almost as if they are nothing, is dismissive of the fact that each burpee is physically quite tough. The pace is averaging 5-minutes to complete 50 Burpees! This average pace continues not for minutes, but for hours, landmark stages of 1,000 are reached, the rudimentary cork-board is scribbled upon each and every 100 are ticked-off. The visual simplicity of the scribbled numbering at each interval is met with rapturous noise and clapping. Ryan’s wife, Faye, is constantly offering highly motivational comments which are not for the faint-hearted. Music is constantly played and throughout the morning people arrive to offer their support to Ryan who appears oblivious to newcomers. He has to be ‘in the zone’ to blinker himself to the shenanigans around him. The day before the event and the previous 10-weeks of intensive training has seen a dramatic change on the way Ryan’s torso looks, he is a lot lighter, as he has had to add a lot more cardio to his workout regimes to build-up his stamina.

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His muscular build is a degree or so less as he conditions his body to try and withstand the rigours of this brutal attack on his body.

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On the day of the challenge in the gym there are no fancy gadgets, or gizmos. There is a table with chocolate bars, energy packs, salt, protein powders and a lot of bananas. He needs to make sure that he gets enough nutrients, salts, and liquids to prevent his muscles from cramping or suffering from dehydration. Whilst training he suffered a shoulder injury which, on occation, prevented him from keeping to his strict training routine. The darkest place within his training was probably about four weeks prior to the attempt when his shoulder problems made him contemplate quittting. However, with the constant support and nagging from his right-hand lady Faye, and with the goal of raising money for Louie he managed to pick himself up and carry one. Some Ryan food facts Ryan ordinarily has 3,000 calories daily, this was more or less maintained through his extensive 10-week training, with the exception of really intensive training days where this calorific intake would exponentially increase to 6,000! However, the penultimate day to the event, Ryan somehow managed to consume a biblical amount of 13,500 calories. Here’s what he ate: - 2 full boxes of Muesli - Pizza - Lasagna (6 people portion) - Chocolate brownies - Plenty of bananas - Plenty of fruit - 7/8 Litres of water - Vitamin C - Magnesium (to prevent/reduce muscle cramps)

During the competition day he managed eightlitres of water within the 12-hour period, only went to the bathroom once and hardly sweated – how on earth is this humanly possible? The man is clearly not human! The pivotal and defining occasion was definitely when he achieved 4,000 burpees and then throughout the room was a sense of real hope that he was going to be able to do it! If anything the pace sped up. When the extraordinary moment was upon us and he finally achieved the impossible dream every man, woman and dog (several in fact) raised the roof with an incredible array of cheers, clapping and whistling. Was it a time for celebration? Yes and no, Ryan celebrated at 4545 (the actual record) when there was an incredibly poignant embrace between Faye and him - there was hardly a dry eye in the house. Louie was watching on Facetime with his mate, who was filming the event on his ‘phone. The final confetti cannon was discharged on 4777, why the 7s? Quite simply ‘7’ is their lucky number! The whole event was captured By @Chilli Pepper Productions for verification to be submitted to the Guinness World Records, also captured for prosperity and as a reminder from Ryan and in his own words: “I want to encourage people and the burpee is probably the hardest bodyweight exercise you can do in throwing yourself to the lowest point on the floor, your face is also on the floor and then you’ve got to jump back up. This might help some people - we’ve all had times when we’ve been down on our face but remember there is always some inner strength and that’s what I realised during the day. You are more capable than you think to achieve stuff. No matter how low or how hard get back up! Cometh the hour, Cometh the man!” At the time of going to print Ryan had raised €5,381 for Louie. Congratulations Ryan!

+INFO:  forevereventsportugal

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LOOKING LOCALLY BY JEFF MORGAN

It is that time of year when many people set personal goals about their eating and health habits. Attaining those achievements can be difficult if you don't change your habits too, and many people fall back to their old self quickly. The easiest way to change your habits is to change where and how you shop. Buying your primary supplies direct from local producers not only is a pleasant way to do your shopping but also puts you right in front of the people who are responsible for the produce, those who are able to share with you their unique knowledge about the goods that you cannot glean from a supermarket shelf.

Toebben-medical Dr. Bianca Toebben specialises in anti-ageing, preventative medicine and nutrition, having a good understanding of what we eat and how it affects our physical and mental health, she is the ideal person for those needing assistance in understanding our personal consumptions and sticking to a plan to achieve those goals. A graduate of the University of Essen where she received her medical degree, Bianca has been running her private practice on the Algarve since 2009 and is the Clinical Director at Longevity Wellness Worldwide, Vilalara Thalassa Resort. Bianca is available in the practice, you can request a home visit or communicate via phone or Skype.

+INFO:  www.toebben-medical.com/en

No international shipping, cross country hauling or sitting in distribution points, the furthest these products will travel is the distance to your home, and after a pleasant few hours shopping you can feel happy that spending your money in the local community ensures that it isn't sent abroad via international supermarkets.

Monte Casteleja Two minutes from the Lagos Aerodrome sits the small vineyard of Monte da Casteleja, producers of high quality white, red, and rosê wines that are certified organic. Proprietor Guillaume Leroux, a son of a French father and Algarvian mother, inherited the long since abandoned land, who along with his wife Innes, set about revitalising the property with the intention of making and bottling his own single estate organic wines. Planting the first grapes in 2000, by 2004 Monte da Casteleja was producing its first wines combining modern technologies alongside ancient

techniques such as feet treading the harvested grapes, macerating with stems and ageing the wine in wooden vats. This year the estate won a highly acclaimed silver medal in Paris for their wine, the only Portuguese producer to win such an award. While you can find the wine in some local supermarkets, buying direct from the vineyard not only are you supporting the farm, the health benefits of drinking organic wine, in moderation of course, have been published in numerous studies.

+INFO:  montecasteleja.com/en

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Mercearia Bio Pedro Gonçalves is the driving force behind Mercearia Bio, starting his grocery business from a warehouse in Portimão in 2007 and offering an online shopping service which includes delivery across the whole of Portugal. The multilingual website is easy to use with a mobile friendly website launch due imminently. Mercearia Bio offers a wide variety of goods, from locally produced organic meats as well as a wide range of other biological products including pet foods, hygiene products, food and non food items. Supplied mostly by local growers Pedro likes to pay more for the product than the supermarkets who squeeze growers into poverty. With products now labelled

SWEDISH SUPPORT either EU or non EU, finding their origin can be difficult. Pedro is able to tell you exactly which farms have supplied his produce while his staff pride themselves on knowing the growers and producers personally. Five years ago Pedro opened a grocery store, incorporating a cafe with homemade foods. The shop is located opposite the maritime police station in Portimão.

Two minutes drive from the vineyard, right by Sargacal you will find Quinta Seis Marias, covering six acres, the fully certified organic farm grows more than eighty different varieties of healthy, pesticide free seasonal fruits and vegetables. The family farm of over 50 years is cultivated by six women all called Maria, a mother and her

Janne, a former firefighter in Sweden, saw the devastation caused by the Monchique fires in 2016 and realised that that bombeiros needed equipment. This was transported from Stockholm to Lagos by Djuvfelt Transport free of charge (many thanks to Niclas Djuvfeldt and Peter Ågren). The donations were handed over at the end of November.

+INFO:  www.merceariabio.pt

Quinta Seismarias

About 45 fire uniforms and first aid kits were recently donated to the Bombeiros in Lagos from the Stockholm Fire Department. The donations were organised by Janne Gennert (a member of the Swedish community in Lagos).

five daughters give love to their produce which shines through in the taste. Pop by to pick up a prepared box full of organic mixed fruit and vegetables, or choose what you want by picking it and digging it up yourself which adds an interesting dynamic to shopping while the beauty of the rural landscapes beats queuing at any supermarket checkout anytime. The farm shop is open on Monday, Thursday and Friday, all day long or you can find the ladies serving at the Lagos bus station market on Saturday morning.

+INFO:  www.quintaseismarias.com

SUPER SANTAS At the beginning of December nearly 200 Santas took part in the seventh Armação de Pêra Santa Parade, organised by the Junta de Freguesia de Armação de Pêra, BTT Algarve Maniacs, Urban Gym and the Holiday Inn Algarve. The event was in aid of the Espaço Amigos Armação de Pêra who provide food for local families in need. Urban Gym provided warm up excercises The Santa Parade then began through the streets of Armação de Pêra and it was quite a sight to see so many Santas setting off on their walk together.

COMMUNITY

DYNAMIC NEW DIRECTOR The Algarveans Experimental Theatre group is going from strength-to strength. Its regular plays are attracting wider audiences and getting better and better reviews. Recently the excellent amateur dramatic company was joined by Paul Kloegman, who had a long acting career in Canada. Sophie Sadler went to meet him to discuss his directing debut with the Algarveans. John Santos (Rui Louzeiro), Nurse Sandler (Maxine Costa) & Claire Harrison (Deborah Kloegman); Paul

When I meet Paul Kloegman for a coffee, he had just finished the run of the latest Algarveans production of Whose Life is it Anyway? The stage play was adapted from the 1972 television play of the same title, the stage version premiered in 1978, winning an Olivier Award for the best new play. The subsequent Broadway adaptation in 1979 won The Tony Award.

"It is very difficult to make a living from acting."

Paul is an actor whose film credits include Along Came a Spider (2001) starring Morgan Freeman and TV drama Once Upon a Time (2011). He also has a long list of theatre acting and directing credits to his name. Originally from Shepherds Bush, Paul trained at the Acting for Theatre and Television Drama Guild in Isleworth, London. He emigrated to Canada in 1974 and became a professional actor in the 1980s after a stint in telecommunications. As time went on Paul diversified and built a successful directing career. Paul’s latest production featured his wife, Deborah Kloegman, in the lead role of Claire but he’s keen to point out that there was no nepotism involved. He said: “I didn't cast Deborah in the role. She had already been given the part when the original director had to withdraw due to personal reasons. We met each other in an amateur dramatics group in Canada and she is very talented, so I enjoy working with her.” Born in South Africa, Deborah grew up in Canada and was involved in community theatre from a young age. But she dropped the drama of the stage for the drama of the courtroom and first became a lawyer, then a supreme court judge before returning to acting! She never lost her love for acting though and appeared on stage in numerous productions in Canada, Israel, Spain and Mexico. Paul admits that the weighty subject matter of Whose life is

it anyway? which deals with euthanasia meant that the show was not a sell out as generally, people prefer more lightweight themes. He says though that in many ways it is very humorous and the audiences really enjoyed watching it. I am keen to get to the bottom of what the glamorous life of an actor is really like; Paul tells me; “It is very difficult to make a living from acting and apart from a very short period I have always supplemented my income with other work. Of course, every actor dreams of having their big break but most film and TV castings are like a cattle market! It is all about your look and you are auditioned before you even open your mouth.” Deborah and her husband, Paul, recently moved to Portugal from Mexico where they had retired. They found the lifestyle there did not suit them and were drawn to the Costa del Sol before they discovered Portugal and have just bought a property near Silves. They researched and contacted theatre groups before they moved and joined the Algarveans on their arrival. The experimental theatre group was founded in September 1991 and is a not-for-profit making organisation, run by a committee which decides what productions should be put on. The next production will be, Ladies’ Day by Amanda Whittington and that will take place in March. If you are keen to see Paul in action he takes the part of Barry, a bookie. He will also be directing Quartet in March 2020. If you fancy treading the boards yourself the Algarveans is always looking for new talent, front and back of stage and you can become a member by going to their website.

+INFO:  www.thealgarveans.com

COMMUNITY

to a larger premises which has opened up much more opportunity in terms of the number of classes I can offer.

GETTING THE BALANCE From time-to-time we do a feature about people who have upped sticks and moved to the Algarve in search of a better quality of life. This month we spoke to Lisa Longhurst who moved to Burgau seven years ago and runs the popular Pilates Room in Lagos. Here she tells us about her globe-trotting past. Please tell us about your family background. I was born in Birmingham in 1975 and have one younger brother. We never lived in one place for more than a few years as my Dad was in the army. We lived all over the UK, Germany and Ireland. This definitely gave me the thirst for travel and new experiences. Please tell about your professional background. After leaving university I was in the telecommunications industry in sales and marketing! Pilates was always a passion of mine which I discovered in California in 2002. When we returned to the UK in 2005 I did my teacher training qualification and taught as a hobby and during my maternity leave. It was always the plan that I would become a full time teacher when we had a family! When and why did you move to Lagos? My career was one of the big reasons to move to Lagos. I was finding myself traveling more and more with work and I knew that I would not have have family/life balance. We came to Burgau during my maternity leave with Lily (now aged nine) and decided that this was the place that we would like to make our home. It allowed me to make my dream a reality and to set up the first Pilates Equipment Studio that Lagos had seen. We moved here when Noah was just 12 weeks old and he is now aged seven. Please tell us about your business here? I opened the Pilates Room just short of seven years ago just behind the Marina in Lagos. The location is perfect as it is accessible via foot from Lagos and there is unlimited free and easy parking. I have always specialised in both Matwork and Equipment classes. Recently I have moved two blocks down the same road

What do you offer? I offer both matwork and equipment classes. Mat classes are floor based and you work with your own body resistance. Sometimes I also work (client and mood dependent) with Magic Circles, Rollers, Therabands and small hand weights. Equipment classes are done on specialised Pilates equipment. I have a Cadillac, three Reformers, two Wunda chairs, a tower and a Ladder Barrel Arm chair combo. The equipment is incredible in that it allows you to work with top athletes or elderly/ disabled clients alike. The equipment and variety of exercises is so versatile it allows for a program to be designed to suit any need. Can you explain a bit more about the type of Pilates you do? My Pilates background is with an organisation called BASI Pilates. All the exercises originate from the Classical Repertoire designed by Joseph Pilates all those years ago but may have been changed along the way to suit the way our bodies have developed. I have also studied classical pilates and I appreciate all that is good in all the disciplines. The importance for me is the precision of the work and working with each body as an individual. There is absolutely no rule to suit all and if it feels good we should be doing it. BASI Pilates has a BLOCK system and for me this makes a lot of sense as it means during any session, be it matwork or equipment, the entire body is worked. This is important as even with a specific issue, for example a knee problem, the entire body will be affected and will need rebalancing. I have also spent time studying pilates for neuromuscular disorders, the elderly and pregnancy. How many classes/personal sessions for you do a week? At the new studio we are now doing two Mat classes every morning and one class on a Monday evening. Two days a week we have semi private sessions where up to four clients are working on equipment at the same time under the guidance of myself. The rest of the time is set aside for private clients. I have a lot of clients that come as a couple or as a family as well as individuals. î &#x2013;

COMMUNITY Are you working alone or do you have other teachers? There are now two other teachers that are at the studio. One is a dedicated matwork teacher and the other is qualified in both disciplines. It is important to me that we have continuity and provide a friendly and fun atmosphere for all our clients.



Where do you see the business going from here? The truth is I haven’t thought about that just yet! I have always changed the business according to clients wishes and levels of demand. The room and space has given me the opportunity to think about doing workshops or perhaps attracting an evening crowd which to date I’ve stayed away from, or even perhaps having a Portuguese teacher who can service the Portuguese clientele better than I personally can. What have been the ups and down of starting a business here? The ups are easy! Seeing so many people move better and get stronger has been the biggest up! I’ve also enjoyed becoming a big part of the Lagos and wider community and getting involved in events. The biggest challenge is always the language here and although I try I’m still far from fluent! It’s a big minus when you are dealing with setting up licenses and utility companies. My biggest fear was setting up a business when we

Opening of Exhibition with Joaquina Matos, Presidentof the Câmara

moved here - seven years ago there were a lot of people leaving and businesses closing. So I remain forever faithful and grateful to those clients who have stuck with me (and they know who they are!). Without the amazing community that we have here there would be no business and I was extremely lucky to get such a wonderful following at a time when there was not prosperity! What are you ambitions for the future? The future is to keep doing what I do and do it well and to see how it evolves. I do have a couple of plans this year. On a recent training course I was honored to be asked by the Head of BASI Pilates to become teacher/trainer so I will embark on that journey. The other is to do my first ever retreat at Monte Velho in Carrapateira. I always try to do something new and also keep up the level of training I have. The formal training is so important but every day is a day to learn as the body is an unpredictable thing!

Words in Creative Hands

Tiles for sale

Creativity in aid of charity A group of highly creative ladies in Lagos has spent all year working on decorative tiles offered for sale in aid of the charity CASLAS. The exhibition opened on the 20th November at the Old Tourist Office in the old town of Lagos in the presence of Joaquina Matos, the President of Lagos Câmara, local press and many of the ladies themselves.

The group Word in Creative Hands based at Gil Eanes Secondary School was formed ten years ago. The aim was to promote friendship and togetherness but also develop skills and competencies. They firmly believe that learning is a life long process and that individuals beyond the official working age can make a valuable contribution.

The exquisite pieces of artwork were for sale during the month of December and will have made recipients of these special Christmas presents very happy.

Currently the group consists of ten retired ladies who on a voluntary basis get together to produce artwork and no doubt, have a lot of fun. Each year they work on a particular

theme, this year being Recreated Tiles. All proceeds went to CASLAS, the Home for Young People and Children that Tomorrow is also supporting. In the December edition the work of the group was featured on page 10 but unfortunately the photo of the group was mistakenly placed on page 5 as part of the main feature of the month. We apologise sincerely for any confusion it may have caused.

COMMUNITY

Charity update Soup kitchen celebrates More than 150 people were at the Mustard Seed Christmas lunch last month. Scores of volunteers were also on hand to help. The Western Algarve Choir sang carols to create a really Christmassy atmosphere.

Plans for the future Over the past two years, we as a charity have done some amazing things and helped some very deserving causes. Between the existing team, we have done the best we possibly could in a voluntarily capacity - essentially alongside doing all of our normal ‘day jobs’.

The one thing that stood out on this amazing night was the spirit of charity from everyone who participated. The work that Daniel and Elisabete Saunite and their team provide is truly wonderful. Thank you to everyone who donated food for the event. Daniel asked me not to mention individual givers as it would automatically ‘overlook’ some others! So

let it be said that all of you donors, supporters and helpers have made the difference once again to so many people who struggle. If you can help Daniel and his team with donations, food or clothing please contact Elisabete to help provide future help.

 +351 932 082 813

As the charity grows and expands we decided that we needed to bring in a part-time member of staff who can take care of the charity admin. With this in mind, we are pleased to be able to announce that Graham Jones will be joining us to assist us with the everyday running of TACT. Graham comes to us from Madrugada where he was company secretary and helped them with all their compliance and legalities. I am sure you will all welcome Graham and make him feel part of our amazing team. He brings with him a wealth of experience in organisational skills and we believe he will be a great asset to TACT. We are very lucky to have Graham and all he brings. Here is to 2019 being our best year!

+INFO:  www.tomorrowalgarve.com/tact  tact@tomorrowalgarve.com

CASLAS CAR CAMPAIGN

CASLAS CAR CAMPAIGN 28

CASLAS Christmas party Another wonderful and very uplifting Christmas party for all the young people who live at the children’s home in Lagos. Thanks to the many generous Tomorrow readers who once again came up ‘trumps’ with the money for the party itself and also for the gifts for each child at the

€10,550 €15,000

home and also everyone has had a €25 voucher to spend at Aqua shopping. Thanks to all of you and also we thank Tiago and all the staff at Os Lambertos for the 50% discount on the overall cost of the lovely lunch.

Millenium BCP Account Name: ASSOC TOMORROW ALGARVE CHARITY TRUST IBAN: PT50 0033 0000 45513973438 05 BIC / SWIFT: BCOMPTPL REFERENCE: CASLAS Car

MIM SA

PROPERTIES

WHAT’S ON

KING’S WALK The 8300 Wild Sports Association is pleased to present its first event for the year 2019 which take place on January 6th at 9am. The aim of this association is to promote sports activity in the communities, the Walk of the Kings will be a medium difficulty hike of 8km that will cover the mountain range of Silves and the historical zone on dirt tracks and road. The price is €2 and you can register until January 4th. The price includes participation, King Cake at the end and sports insurance.

+INFO:  8300wildsports@gmail.com  +351 967 233 095  events/319121882028131

What's on in Janaury EUROVISION WINNER IN LAGOS The 2017 Eurovision winner Salvador Sobral will be performing live in Lagos on January 25th and 26th at 9.30pm. Salvador Sobral, who won the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest for Portugal, with Amar Pelos Dois, written by his sister Luisa, is appearing in concert in Lagos for two nights only at Centro Cultural de Lagos.

Salvador is a Portuguese singer and songwriter who has been acclaimed by some of the most distinguished artists in the world: from Caetano Veloso to Jamie Cullum.

+INFO:  ticketline.sapo.pt  CentroCulturaldeLagos

Piano Festival The Chinese soloist Xi Zhai and Conductor Jan Wierzba from Poland will be performing in Portimão on January 19th.

The concert marks the beginning of the third Algarve International Piano Festival. The performance takes place at 9.30pm

at TEMPO - Teatro Municipal de Portimão and tickets cost 15 euros each.

+INFO:  +351 968 741 664  www.artedosul.pt  batutamota@gmail.com

WHAT’S ON

TAVIRA CITY OF CHURCHES

BURNS IS UPON US BY DOUG MCADAM

The Saint Andrew’s Society of the Algarve held its annual Saint Andrew’s Ball at the Penina Hotel on Saturday November 24th. This was highly successful with around 100 participants. Our piper Malcolm MacGillivray greeted guests into the hotel and then led the parade into the ball after the champagne reception. As usual the Hotel Penina produced a superb buffet – including preparing a cake with the Saint Andrew’s cross – and the friendly and attentive staff ensured that everything ran smoothly. For the twentieth year running the Scottish ceilidh band “The Sound of Islay” entertained guests warmly. They, along with contributions from piper Malcolm, ensured that the dancing was both energetic and enthusiastic leaving just enough strength for a lusty ‘Auld Lang Syne’ on the stroke of midnight. The society was very grateful to its sponsors EuroFinesco for once again contributing to the costs of transporting the band from Scotland and to Medal Insurance for covering the costs of the flower arrangements. Blevins Franks

kindly sponsored a table and supplied the whisky. Janette Owenson very kindly made up the magnificent heather arrangements with her usual flair, as well as arranging the magnificent hamper. The society hopes that the ball will have whetted appetites for their next event – the Burns’ Supper at the Ponte Romana restaurant in Silves on Saturday January 26th 2019. So please put this event in your diaries now and watch this space for further details later. And if in the meantime you would like to practise your Scottish country dancing skills give Mardie Cunningham a call about the sessions at the Nobel International School in Porches on Monday evenings. If you would like to know more about the Society – no need to be Scots – give Chieftain Doug McAdam or Treasurer Kathy Prentice a call.

+INFO:  +351 282 356 029 (Mardie)  +351 935 577362 (Doug) / 919 635246 (Kathy)

Tavira is an old town, and received its charter as cidade from D Manuel I in 1520. At that time, it was the most important town in the Algarve, and at the centre of Portugal's efforts at conquest in Africa. And so it is easy to appreciate that its Christian citizens would prove their faith by building more churches. But how many are there? It is often said that Tavira has over thirty churches. The booklet produced by the Câmara shows only twenty-one. This is all very well, but nowhere have I found a definition of what they mean first, by Tavira, and second, by the word churches. In this presentation, Peter Booker makes his own definitions, and does a proper count and comes up with some surprising answers. The first talk will be on January 25th at 11am the Municipal Library Tavira and January 29th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Lagoa.

Audiovisual art On January 12th Moda Vestra - a collective of three Algarve-born artists: João Frade (accordionist), Sickonce (electronic) and Ana Perfeito (visual artist) - will perform in Albufeira. The creative team has united to form an audiovisual project that is based on the region's traditional music. It aims to explore the differences between the traditional Algarve, its past, present, and visions of its future, from an experimental perspective of contemporary reinterpretation. The fusion of different styles and mediums will create a unique

performance. This principle gave origin to the name "Fashion Vestra": Fashion, from "current" and "traditional song"; Vestra , from the Latin "your". The show at Albufeira Auditorium will start at 9.30pm and will last approximately 75 minutes and anyone over the age of 12 can attend. Tickets cost €5 and are available by calling the number listed.

+INFO:  +351 289 599 645  www.cm-albufeira.pt/content/audit-rio-municipal  aaraujo1046@cm-albufeira.pt

WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM

WHAT’S ON

Photo ©  @hgloriaphotography

Time to tango The 2019 Tango Festival - which is a three day celebration of the Argentinean Tango - will take place in Faro this month.

The festival starts on January 18th at 7pm with a ‘first steps’ workshop (all levels) which is free.

The three day event includes 10 Argentine Tango workshops, four Milongas and one show at Teatro das Figuras.

The guest DJs for the Milongas are Gastón Godoy and Enrique Berraquero. The teachers will be Carlos David and Mirella David, Gastón Godoy and Laura Atienza, Fábio Henriques and Rita Ramires and Rob van der Woude. The event ends on January 20th.

There will be multi-level classes, opportunities for joint learning, sessions of dance and socialising with people from various parts of the country and the world. Plus, a great show honoring Argentine Tango.

+INFO:  www.altangofestival.com

JAZZ IN THE WINE CELLARS The third edition of Jazz in the Wine Cellars started last October and will run until May 2019. There will be a total of 24 jazz concerts, hosted by producers of Silves wines.

Price is €12 per ticket (includes, in addition to the concert, wine tasting, tapas, voucher to visit Silves Castle and Municipal Museum of Archeology and a bottle of wine).

Each concert is accompanied by a tasting of wines produced by the host wineries, and also a tasting of tapas created from local produce.

Tickets are available from BOL or from one of the following locations: FNAC, Worten, CTT Post Offices. Over 18s only.

January’s concert will be on January 18th at 9pm and January 19th at 5pm featuring Zeus Faber at Quinta João Clara, Alcantarilha.

+INFO:  +351 282 440 800  turismo@cm-silves.pt

URBAN ART TOURS Fantastic Moments with Heritage is the name of the tours with urban art and stencil experience being offered in Lagos on January 26th, February 23rd and April 6th. The tours will be from 10am until 12pm and 3pm until 5pm. The tours will start at the old Lagos prison, an emblematic building once used to restrict the inmates’ freedom, which is now used as a space for culture and artistic experimentation. From there, you can set off on a journey to discover the urban art in the city of Lagos. A guided tour of the works of some of the most representative artists on the contemporary urban art scene will let us unveil possible messages implicit in the city’s murals. At the same time, you will be looking for other revealing particularities of the town’s cultural, historical and artistic importance. After the guided tour there will be an activity session – Stencil Experience – Learn by Doing, led by a guest artist. The activity includes all of the necessary materials and you will be able to take your creation home with you afterwards. Meeting Point: LAC – Laboratório de Actividades Criativas (Lagos old jail) Adress: Largo Convento Senhora da Glória, Lagos Co-production : VICENTINA e LAC Laboratório de Actividades Criativas Prices are €10 for the general public and €5 for up to 18 years old.

+INFO:  ticketline.sapo.pt  +351 282 680 120 / 967 451 386

WHAT’S ON

CHOCOLATE IN LISBON The most delicious event in the capital, O Chocolate In Lisbon, returns to Campo Pequeno on January 31st to February 3rd. Campo Pequeno Lisbon is an event that has about 80 exhibitors, where you can find chocolates of the world, choco cooking stages, and you can also participate in workshops.

CELEBRATE KING’S DAY On January 5th at 9pm there will be Cantares de Reis at Igreja de São Sebastião to mark O Dia de Reis (King’s Day) which celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings at the stable where Jesus was born, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. During the period between New Year’s Day and King’s Day it is common to find groups of people in rural areas singing traditional New Year carols known as Janeiras and Cantares dos Reis, accompanied by traditional instruments.

(The Cantares dos Reis are similar to the Janeiras, but they relate to the story of the Three Kings and are only sung on January 5th and 6th). It is reminiscent of the British tradition of carol singing, with the groups going from house to house in the village singing songs announcing the birth of Jesus and wishing the residents a happy new year, or even sometimes making fun of them. In return they are given food, drink, sweets or money.

Tickets will be on sale from January 7th.

INFO:  www.campopequeno.com/espetaculoseeventos/  events/251029845630843/  www.ochocolateemlisboa.com

Quintinha concert On Sunday January 27th at 4pm there will be a concert featuring Nicola Meeuwsen on the piano with music by Schubert, Scriabin and Chopin.

To book the event at Quintinha da Música please contact Lynne. Tickets cost €25.

INFO:  lynne.algarvehistory@gmail.com

BALLET AND OPERA WHILE YOU SHOP This month you will be able to enjoy the best of ballet and opera performances in the Algarve! Thanks to the live broadcasts of favourite works from London and Moscow at the NOS Cinemas at MAR Shopping. Live broadcasts of superb performances from the Bolshoi, the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera House can be enjoyed at the cinemas at MAR Shopping. On the programme are performances of ballets The Nutcracker, Dom Quixote and Romeo and Juliet and the operas Faust, La Traviata and La Forza del Destino among others. See the full programme below.

On January 22nd you’ll be able to watch: The Queen of Spades Opera ROH Tickets are €12 each and are available from the NOS cinemas at MAR Shopping. You can book tickets by email.

+INFO:  cinema.maralgarve@nos.pt

CALENDAR

January Calendar FITNESS

Promote your events and activities here it’s FREE! Email your listings to us: for.tomorrow@hotmail.com

ACTIVITIES Open Mic Night | Thurs 9pm ’til midnight | All artists musicians poets & fun people welcome | Free Admission Junction 17 Luz | T: 964201904/ 911568625 Circus VagabunT Classes for children Tues 2.45pm (6-7yrs) & 4.45pm (8-12yrs) €25 p/m | Barranco Da Vaca School, Aljezur T: 968296503 ROLL UP for experienced bowlers Mon & Fri 10am, Bowls for Beginners Tue 11am (1st lesson FREE), €10 (non mem.) Rua Direita Luz, T: 919707635

Lagos Walking Football Wed 9.30am +50yrs Welcome, €3 Boavista T: 282790930

Qigong | Donations, Kultivate Barão São João T: 967698813

Tennis Doubles-Round Robin Thurs 3pm €10, Golf Santo António Budens, T: 282690008

Vijnana Yoga Tue & Fri 10am €9 / €7 for regulars, Monte Rosa, Barão de São João T: 282687002

Medieval Sword/Stick Fighting Thurs 5pm, €8, Sargaçal/Lagos (contact for info) E: s.bieg@posteo.de T:004917678678743

Pilates Wed 11am, Yoga & De-stress Fri 11am, Zumba Dance Wed & Fri 10am, Step! & Tone (pre-booking) Thurs 10am, €7.50 | Hotel Belavista Luz, T: 968288258

Aljezur International Choir Singers from the South-west Algarve Thurs 2pm Sing in various languages, Music Room Aljezur Bombeiros, T: 914285640

Netball Wed 7pm | All ages & abilities, Tennis Courts Boavista Golf Resort E: charlie.milsom@gmail.com

Golf lessons with PGA Pro on request Golf Santo António T: 282690054

EVENTS Quiz Night Mon 9pm | Rodizio of Tapas (Call for dates) 7pm BBQ Meat Feast Sun 2pm 9pm €7.50 The Courtyard Bistro & Bar, Alvor, T: 912441143 January 19th Beginners Yoga Course 11am - 12.15, €45 (6 weeks), February 3rd Nourishing Stillness Restorative Workshop 4pm-6pm, Reserve by February 1st €15, Inlight Lagos T: 912176914

Legs Bums & Tums Mon 1.30pm | Total Fitness Mon 7.30pm, €6 | HIIT Yoga Fri 9.30am, €7 Burgau Sports Centre, Boxercise Tues 9.30am | Pool Fit (or LB&T depending on weather) Wed 2pm, €6 Ocean Club Praia de Luz | Surf Fit Tues 7pm (pre-book only) Physiotherapy Lagos, Soames Fitness T: 913425893

January 19th (Monthly 3rd Saturday) The Sound of Soul | 3.30 - 4.30 pm | Join to sing HU songs & brief discussion on reincarnation, dreams & soul travel, FREE, Reserva da Luz, Main Entrance, 1st on right (Papoila Clinic building) T: 968641314 Fado Nights (Ana Marques) 8pm alternating with Michael Jackson’s Tribute (Delfim Miranda) 9pm Wed, Carvi Hotel Praia Dona Ana, T: 282760993

Fitness Tue & Thurs 9.30am, Pilates Tues & Thurs 11am, €5 | Golf Santo Antonio Budens, T: 282690086 Qi Gong Mon 6.30pm & Wed 10.30am, €8 | Ninjutsu/ Budo Tajutsu Tues 6.30pm & Fri 7.30pm, €10 | Yoga Nidra Thurs 6.30pm, €7 | Pre-Natal Yoga Thurs 4pm, €10 | Casa Sakra Lagos, T: 916060814 Yoga (Ashtanga based) Tues & Thurs 10.30am | Yoga for Men Tues 6.30pm | Yin Yang Flow Tues 7.45pm Yin Yoga | Wed 9.15am, €5€10, Grupo Desportivo do Burgau T: 913202621 Pilates Mat Classes | Daily 9.15 & 10.30am & Mon 6pm €10 or €90 for 10 Pilates Equipment Classes | Duet Reformer. Semi Private & 1-2-1, Pilates Room Lagos T: 926514613

Hatha Yoga (Beg.) Mon Wed & Fri 9.45am, Yin Yoga Tues & Thurs 9.45am €10, Boavista Yin Yoga Mon 4pm | Hatha yoga (Beg.) Fri 3.30pm €12 or €60x6, Alma Verde T: 963614499 Tai Ji Quan Mon 10am (Beg.) & Thurs 5.30pm (Adv.), €10 Dojo Zen de Lagos Barão S. João, T: 919718955 Pilates Mat Classes MonFri 8:30, 9:30, 10:30am & 6pm, €10 or €90x10, AR Pilates Studio Chinicato Lagos, T: 966787280 Gentle Hatha Mon 6.30pm Old School Burgau & Wed 12.15pm Hotel Belavista Luz €8, T: 965201477

CLASSES Dog Training Tue 11am (Rally-Obedience) | Fri 11am & Sat 4pm (Agility), €25 4 sess. Espiche, T: 968086320 Watercolour Classes Thurs (Jan 10th) 10am, €11, Sala Paroquial (Church Hall) Praia da Luz, T: 912149839 Music Lessons (Piano, Guitar, Keyboard & Voice) Beginners & Intermediate €25p.h Salema T:964201904 Afro Fusion Dance Classes Wed 6pm & Fri. 10.30am, €10, Amovate Aljezur T: 918047263 Open Painting Studio Wed & Thurs 10.30am €12.50, Healing Painting For 70+- Thurs 3 | €10, Barão S. João, T: 962039574

Latin & Ballroom Tues 10am (interm) 11.30 (Improv.) & 12.15pm (Begin.), Alvor Community Centre,Wed 7pm (New Begin.) 7.45pm (Improv.) Carvoeiro Clube de Tenis €5 T: 961916821 Photography Advice Mon 11am, Art Academy Marina de Lagos T: 917271789 Life Drawing Mon 11am (Beg & Pro) €10 p.sess Marina de Lagos, T: 916035308 Computer Classes Sat 10am Lagos, T: 918764613 Swimming Lessons Mon & Thurs pm & Sat am, €12.50 €10 (mem.), Holiday Courses 3x per Week €25 €20 (mem.), Boavista T: 917953914

Classical Guitar Classes (English Speaking ABRSM Certified) 1-2-1 for children, adults & seniors €20p/h (References available), Lagos, Paulo T: 962690582 Junior Academy - PGA Golf Professional Alfredo Cunha Sat 11am | Equipment provided, €25p., Espiche Golf Espiche, m.acunha@espichegolf.pt T: 282688250 Private Hip Hop Dance Class | 1.5hr, €20, Budens, T: 916022719 Oriental Dance Class (beginners/interm.) Mon 6.30 - 8pm €8.50/class €30/ month, LAC Lagos T: 914851331

USEFUL NUMBERS GENERAL

FAITH Sunday Service 10.30am International Christian Community, Madness Restaurant Lagos Marina, T: 910640927 Communion Services Said Holy Communion Thurs 10am & Sun 8am, Sung Holy Communion (with hymns) 11.30am, CoE | St Vincent’s Anglican Church | Praia da Luz (church by the sea), Chaplain: T: 282789660 Zazen Zen Meditation Tue & Thurs 7.30am & Wed 7.30pm, €3 | Dojo Zen de Lagos | Barão S. João, T: 919718955

CHARITY & SUPPORT January 23rd Alzheimer's/ Dementia Support Group 11am, Cafe Bom Dia, Rua Moinho do Azeite | Lagos, Carol T: 926297527 or Kirsteen T: 968084946 Riding for Disabled | Mon, Wed, Fri 10am | Volunteers welcome, weather permitting, Bensafrim, T: 915090044 Cadela Carlota Animal Charity Extra hands needed to help | Three hour shifts am or pm, Almadena Shop, E: cadelacarlota.comp@ gmail.com AA International English Speaking Meeting Wed 7.30 - 9pm, Rua Da Freguesia Lote 12c, Lagos, T: 964201904 / 282760506, AA hotline: 917005590 AA Meeting Sunday 7.30 - 9pm | An OPEN meeting in the basement, Igreja De Nossa Senhora Soccoro Burgau (Rua Principal 10)

INFO: WWW.CM-LAGOS.PT EMERGENCY 112 HOSPITAL 282 770 100 RED CROSS 282 760 611 FIRE SERVICE 282 770 790 POLICE SERVICE (PSP) 282 780 240 NATIONAL GUARD (GNR) 282 770 010 TELECOM NAT. INFO 118 CITY COUNCIL 282 780 900 TOURIST OFFICE 282 763 031 TOWN INFO 282 764 111 TOURIST SUPPORT 808 781 212 TAXI SERVICE 282 460 610 BUS STATION 282 762 944 TRAIN STATION 282 762 987 TAXI : PEDRO COSTA 917 617 675 LAGOS CINEMA 282 799 138 CULTURAL CENTRE 282 770 450 HEALTH CENTRE 282 780 000 LUZ DOC (LUZ) 282 780 700 PRIVATE HOSPITAL 282 790 700 CHIROPRACTOR 282 768 044 DENTAL CLINIC 918 366 646 LAGOS VET 282 782 282 FUNERAL SERVICES 282 769 827 MOBILITY VEHICLES 964 230 225 ALL MOBILITY AIDS 282 760 611

PHARMACIES/CHEMIST LACOBRENSE NEVES CHEMIST RIBEIRO LOPES TELLO CHEMIST SILVA CHEMIST ODIÁXERE CHEMIST

282 762 901 282 769 966 282 762 830 282 760 556 282 762 859 282 798 491

CONSULATES/EMBASSIES BRITISH FRANCE (FARO) GERMAN (LAGOS) NETHERLANDS (FARO) CANADA (FARO) SWEDISH (FARO) IRISH

282 490 750 281 380 660 282 799 668 213 914 900 289 803 757 213 942 260 213 308 200

NO JOB TOO SMALL PORTUGUESE LESSON 912 417 994 TRANSLATIONS 916 618 527 ALICE (PORTUGUESE) 914 269 118 GAVIN COX (BUILDER) 916 430 132 HELIO (ELECTRICIAN) 917 288 966 LUIS (LOCKSMITH) 964 605 213 CHIM. & WIN. CLEANER 926 860 123 RUSSELL (MECHANIC) 282 639 778 ANA (SEWING) 919 747 591 STEVEN (COMPUTERS) 936 387 512 PEDRO (COMPUTERS) 917 165 238 XELI (FLORIST) 282 768 129 UK DELIVERIES 0044 208 123 1966 DESIGN 916 606 226 ALISON HAIRDRESSER 918 663 352 PAINTING - INT / EXT 925 374 624 CARPET CLEANING 915 532 850 PAUL (POOL REPAIR) 965 641 898

WHAT’S ON

THE ROYAL ALCÁZAR OF SEVILLE BY JANE ROBERTSON On Tuesday January 8th, the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) will be presenting two lectures, in English, by Mervyn Samuel. The first lecture will be at 2.30pm at the Museu do Traje in São Brás, the second lecture will be at 6pm at the Convento de São José in Lagoa. In this lecture Mervyn Samuel will be taking us on a photographic promenade through the history of the Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain. The talk will be structured around a series of photographs of the buildings and gardens of the Alcázar, mostly taken by the speaker over a period of years, through which it will be possible to evoke the millenium of history since the first moments of the palace. From the Caliphate of Córdoba, advancing to the independent Kingdom of Seville during the 11th century, the Almoravid and Almohad invasions from North Africa, and the Christian reconquest by Saint Ferdinand (King Ferdinand III of Castile and León) in 1248. Many monarchs have lived or stayed in the palace and the Alcázar continued to be the personal possession of successive Spanish monarchs up to and including the reign of King Alfonso XIII. When he went into exile in 1931 the palace was expropriated and assigned to the Ayuntamiento (City Council) of Seville. However, it is still a royal residence and when the King or Queen is present, administration of the complex is taken over by Patrimonio Nacional, a state institution charged with maintaining Spain's royal palaces and monasteries.

Lion Gate at Alcázar, Seville Mervyn Samuel studied at Bristol Cathedral School and the University of Oxford. He lived and worked in Argentina and Peru before taking up residence in Seville and then Madrid. He has translated books on Spanish royal palaces and museums and has written one on the Royal Alcázar of Seville, as well as two others on Peruvian themes. He collaborates with cultural and heritage defence organisations in the United Kingdom and Spain and has travelled extensively in Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas. At present he divides his time between Spain and England. Non-members are welcome to attend AAA lectures for a €5 admission, with all money raised by the AAA being spent on archaeological grants and speakers. Please check the website or facebook page for any last minute changes.

+INFO:  algarvearchass@gmail.com  arquealgarve.weebly.com  Algarve Archaeological Association

FOCUS ON FADO

Fado, which is one of the most characteristic sounds in Portugal, will be the subject of two talks this month by Peter Kingdon Booker. The often mournful and sad singing, coupled with the plangent twanging of the Portuguese guitar, and accompanied by the rhythmic beat on the acoustic guitar, is a hallmark of Portuguese culture.

from? Why does it have a particular format? Is it always sad, and does it always have the same format? Why can foreigners not understand it?

To watch a rapt audience of Portuguese wrapped in the sound of fado, and often singing along to the words they know, is to reach into the very soul of the nation. But where did the fado come

The talks will be on January 14th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Tavira and the second on January 15th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Lagoa.

Peter gave two presentations on Fado some five years ago, and this presentation is in essence a recapitulation, and is an aid to the foreigner in coming to terms with fado.

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WHAT’S ON

SMASHING SUCCESS

BY STEVEN SUTTON

The Tomorrow Winter Masquerade Ball which was held at the Tivoli Hotel at the end of November was the biggest and best yet. More than 180 people were welcomed with a champagne reception and carols by the Western Algarve Choir. The evening’s main purpose was to have fun and to raise money for the new car for the children’s home. With ticket sales, a raffle and a special one off auction we managed to collect an outstanding sum of €3,500. A special mention has to go to Matthew Renire and Beverly Eggington who between them pledged over €1,000 for prize donated by the Autódromo for a driving experience. We understand that Matthew and Beverly are going to go ‘head to head’ on the day and you will be able to read all about it here! The Tivoli pulled out all the stops to make the evening a great success. Great food and superb

A large part of the success of an evening like this is the level of staff commitment to ensuring the evening goes smoothly and one that is remembered for everything about the event. Tomorrow say a big thank you to all the staff at the Tivoli.

service from the entire team and great surroundings. As soon as the food finished the dance floor filled up and the evening really got underway. Thanks to ABC Sound and Light for keeping the party going to the early hours with the nonstop floor fillers. If you want to see more photos then please go to the Tomorrow website. As always, thank you to everyone who attended and supported this event and our charities. The summer ball will be on June 14th with a theme of carnival and Mardi Gras. As always, email Steven if you wish to book your tickets.

+INFO:  steven@tomorrowalgarve.com  www.tomorrowalgarve.com

Photo © www.arnoldivideo.com

WHAT’S ON

WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM

SPORTS

SHARE THE ‘STOKE’

For the first time this month we are launching a regular surfing column which will be written by Niels from Surf Guide Algarve. He will be giving us some top tips and hopefuly share some surfing secrets. Many people have told me that I must be the most stoked surfer they ever met. Stoked. It is one of those words that us surfers like to casually throw around. Until we are stoked even about last night’s leftover lasagna. According to dictionary, ‘to be stoked’ is to be completely and intensely enthusiastic, exhilarated. Experiencing ‘stoke’ is one of the best feelings in the world. You want to know how great it is? Just go to a surf beach on a random summer day and check out the faces of the surf students, getting up on their big floaty board for the first time. Or read the body language of the world’s greatest after they’ve just come down a big blue barreling wave. The skills are different, the feeling is the same. Some say that stoke is like a natural drug and you will need more and more of it reach that feeling. But I don’t

agree. Because every day I surf, I am amazed again by this crazy thing: being pushed forward by water that often has traveled thousands of kilometers around the globe so I can ride the last little bit of its energy. Being stoked with a good wave or with a good beating by it. Stoked to be out there all by yourself, stoked to be with friends. Stoked to be in the middle of nature, one with your thoughts. Whatever gives you that feeling, embrace it and share it. Surfing is not about doing a sick trick, it’s all about that stoke.

+INFO:  +351 938 135 557  info@surfguidealgarve.com  www.surfguidealgarve.com

centimeters off the centre towards to your front foot (picture 2). The longest club in the bag, the driver, should be played just inside the front foot. This allows you to hit the ball while your swing path is going up and not hitting it down towards the ground (right handed golfer) (picture 3).

BALL POSITION

BY ALFREDO CUNHA

The chances of making a good swing increase significantly if you take extra care to make sure that ball is in the correct position in relation to your stance. Ball position is one of the key ingredients of a good set up. Starting with short irons, from SW to 8 iron, place the ball in centre of your stance (picture 1). Then with middle sized clubs, from 5 to 8 iron, place the ball a couple of

Ball flight and ball position are directly related. The ball flight that is achieved when the ball leaves the club face is a direct result of the ball position that you used for the shot, in addition to a number of other factors. The further to the front foot you position the ball the higher the ball is expected to travel. Now, try this at the driving range, place the ball in different positions and see what effect that has on the ball flight. Alfredo is the resident Professional at Espiche Golf and is available to help you with your game

SPORTS

THE RED ARROWS John Wheeler’s interest in planes started at a young age when he became a design engineer working on Concorde and the Harrier Jump Jet amongst others. He then joined the Royal Navy before moving into corporate life. He started working with the Red Arrows 20 years ago and here he tells us why they are the ‘Best of British’. Based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, previously home of the famous Dam Busters, the Red Arrows have been delivering the most exciting aerobatic displays in the world since their formation in 1965. In May 1965 the Red Arrows consisted of seven Folland Gnat advanced training aircraft and their first public display was at the Biggin Hill International Fair. Following their success at this and subsequent airshows the team were expanded in 1968 to what is now recognised as the famous ‘nine ship’ display. Comprising now of nine Hawk fast jet aircraft The Red Arrows logo, ‘Eclat’ means Excellence and that is exactly what they deliver. When the Gnat came to the end of its life the team took delivery of the British Aerospace Hawk T1 fast jet trainer in the winter of 1979 and some of the original aircraft are still in use with the team today. The British Aerospace Hawk is a dual control advanced fast jet trainer aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce engines and with a maximum speed of Mach 1.2 (913 mph). The Hawk has a maximum altitude of 48,000 feet and a range of 1000 nautical miles and can pull over 8 ‘G’s in a turn. To provide the famous ‘smoke’ trails, the Red Arrows’ are fitted with smoke canisters below the main fuselage and the smoke is created by the passing of coloured dye into the hot exhaust of the engine. Dye carried during a display provides 5 minutes of white smoke and 1 minute each of red and blue smoke. The Red Arrows display around 80 – 85 displays and 60 fly pasts per year to an estimated annual UK audience of 10 million. The display year starts in May and ends in September including major events such as the British Formula One Grand Prix and the Royal International Air Tattoo. The Team and Recruitment Red 1, the team leader will have served three years as a team member prior to returning to operational duties and before being invited to lead the team. The new Red Arrows display pilots, of which there are three per year

will join the team after an intensive selection process. The successful pilots serve three years in the team moving from the front positions of the formation to the rear during their tenure. Selection criteria includes a minimum of 1500 flying hours, at least one operational frontline tour and assessed with the ability to learn new flying techniques quickly. Significant to the team is the personality of the new team member and their social skills. Consequently, the final selection for the new members is made by the existing team, they can best assess who will integrate into what becomes a closely knit ‘family’. The Red Arrows are not only the nine display pilots but a professional team of engineers, an administration team and Red Ten who flies the spare aircraft and provides commentary at the airshows. The Red Arrows Contribution The Red Arrows are well recognised as being the world’s best at delivering aerobatic displays to large audiences not only in the UK but in many countries around the world. The other important contributions they make are towards the growth of the UK aerospace industry, Her Majesty’s Government and the local economies of the numerous towns and cities around Great Britain where they perform during the year. Additionally, the Red Arrows Hawk trainer aircraft has been an outstanding success for BAESystems. Over 900 of this aircraft have been sold around the world with an estimated value to the British aerospace industry of £800m. In a report I produced for the Chief of the Air Staff, it was discovered that when the Red Arrows display at an event, audiences increase by up to 60%. Additionally, the large air festivals around the UK contribute up to £25million to their local economy, largely due to the Red Arrows performing. Needless to say that I am a staunch supporter of the Red Arrows as I suspect are most of the British people wherever they may live. Long may they remain as ‘The Best of British’. John and his wife now spend most of their time under the Algarve sun.

Top to bottom: Red Arrow Trainer; JW and Justin Hughes; Three Gladiators; Gypo Four; 2018 AOC 22Gp and Red Arrows

MOVEMBER SUCCESS Dear Editor, We just wanted to say many thanks to everyone who took part in Espiche Golf’s Movember event. Movember is an annual global event where men grow beards and moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. The goal of Movember is to change the face of men's health. The rule is that you shave your facial hair off at the end of

the month. Espiche Golf decided to join the cause and organised a Espiche Golf Movember Day on November 30th. In total €2,000 was raised and donated to Associação Oncológica Do Algarve. Thank you to all sponsors and participants for joining this cause! Many thanks, Espiche Golf

END OF AN ERA? Dear Editor, It is with great sorrow and much indignation that we hear of the plans to close the Post Office in Praia da Luz. This Post Office has served the community not only of Luz for many years, but since the mobile Post Office van ceased bring the service to the surrounding areas, it has become the main hub for the villages of Budens, Espiche, Almádena, Alma Verde and other outlying hamlets. I would imagine that up to 10,000 people might be affected by this ludicrous decision. Does this mean that the Apartado boxes will all move to Lagos? There are two CTT offices in Lagos – one is permanently packed and being seen to can take well over an hour at times and the other involves either a bus ride (the bus service is very poor in my area, with the one-way journey taking 40 minutes) or a round trip of 30km with relevant costs involved. Edite, our local Post mistress, is the friendliest and helpful lady to all and to not even tell her that CTT intend to close this building is a shameful way to treat a loyal and conscientious employee of long standing. If this closure does go ahead, I for one will be sending parcels by courier

We are always really pleased to get letters from our readers. If you would like to send us your views on anything that’s going on in the western Algarve or if you have any suggestions to make about the newsletter please email: amber@tomorrowalgarve.com

(though not GLS which is so poor in this area) so I am sure there will be even less revenue for a company who chooses profit over the good of the community. It would be very interesting to see the running costs versus the revenue of the Post Office in Luz as I am very doubtful that it runs at a loss. But I guess that with no rental to pay on the building and no wages for a (valued) member of staff, they would hope to be able to increase their profit margins even more. And it is the people in this catchment area who will suffer for their actions. If you feel as strongly about this as I do can I urge you to write as soon as possible stating your views to: Apoio a Clientes e Negocio, Av d João II 13, 1999-970 Lisboa. There is also an online form to email (you can read it in English too) or telephone.

PRAISE INDEED Dear Amber, Tom and the Tomorrow team, Many thanks to you all for a excellent 2018, 12 months of very informative imaginative and well presented magazines.

Yours sincerely, Pat Allen

+INFO:  +351 211 949 182  www.ctt.pt

Interesting articles and reading, keep up the great work. Best regards, Michael

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ann made me feel completely at ease, from day one I enjoyed it and would look forward to my sessions. I also started to go to Ann’s Yin Yoga class, which has been the biggest surprise of all. I didn’t think I was a Yoga person at all, but now I love my Yin sessions. After class I feel really calm and also exhilarated at the same time. I have a feeling I can do anything after the yoga When we are training, Ann makes me feel relaxed, we have a lot of laughs. The advice Ann gives me as she is not just a yoga teacher or a trainer she approaches things from a more holistic approach and so that has helped, and makes me feel comfortable and welcome.

TURNING A CORNER WITH TRAINING After Morag had breast cancer she turned to personal training and yoga with Ann de Jongh to help her feel better. Here she tells us about her journey to well-being.

"It was the best thing I ever did, having never ever done anything like this before"

What were your reasons to start personal training and yoga? In February 2017, I went to visit the doctor because of a problem with my legs and at the same time had a routine mammogram. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was a complete shock. I had treatment, which included chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The day after my first chemotherapy treatment my partner Ian, sadly died following a massive heart attack without any warning. To say it was a difficult time would be a massive understatement. The following few months getting through my chemotherapy treatment was incredibly tough especially now that I was suddenly having to do it alone. My treatment all finished in September 2017, and I had booked a skiing holiday with friends for March 2018, to give me something to look forward to. I decided that I needed to do something about my fitness and to build up strength before the holiday, as I was much weaker following all the treatment. I made an appointment with Ann in December, to talk about what I wanted to do and to come up with a plan for me , as I was a bit nervous about starting something. I pre-booked two sessions a week for the first eight weeks of the year. It was the best thing I ever did, having never ever done anything like this before. The only exercise I did before would be walking and swimming so it was something very new for me to go to a gym. I knew it was something I had to do so I could go skiing.

How do you feel they have benefited you both physically and mentally? Physically I am more supple, much stronger, and mentally I feel much more focused and it helps me to feel that I can achieve what I want to do. It has put what I have gone through into the past . That is why I want to tell others that you can get through it and you can get out the other side. Of course I have my bad days but now they are very few and far between. And I now see it that life is for living, and I now enjoy things more as you appreciate my friends family and life, and just enjoy life and what you have. What advice would you give to anyone else who is going through a similar journey? Keep positive, keep strong, make time for yourself, laugh, eat and sleep well . Over time it gets easier and you can come out the other side stronger fitter and enjoying life. Ann is a Trainer, Yoga Teacher, Sports Massage Therapist

+INFO:  +351 913 202 621  www.fit2lovelife.com  ann@fit2lovelife.com  fit2lovelife  anndejongh

HEALTH & BEAUTY

PETS MATE

BY LARS RAHMQUIST

Wow... it's 2019 !!! So, next year it's the start of another roaring 20s. Maybe we will all move on from our whinging teenage years. Now, on a veterinary theme, I want to remind you all that the hairy caterpillar is back, ya'all.

general unease, anxiety. If you are worried your dog has 'mouthed' the caterpillars, then call your vet straight away and make your way there for some injections.

The recessionary caterpillar appears sometime in winter, depending on the weather. Left to themselves, the caterpillars pupate and fly away happily ever after as brown moths… But, if your doggie gets too nosey with one of them, the hairs dislodge and imbed into the dog’s mouth, causing intense inflammation.

Two things you can do straight away:

From this reaction the tongue and cheeks can swell incredibly. With enormous swelling we get a decrease in the blood supply to the extremities of the tongue and bits will slough off (fall away, dead). It's nasty. Worse still we very occasionally see dogs which have run through a low hanging nest of these caterpillars and got a full load into the lungs. Even with immediate medical intervention, these dogs will die of respiratory failure. I hope no-one has soiled their undies yet, it's not very nice. Initial signs of distress in the dog include increased saliva/drooling, pawing at the mouth and

1) Give some antihistamine tablets. The ones from the farmácia are fine. Your vet can advise you of the right dose over the phone. 2) Use a wet towel/cloth to thoroughly wipe the inside of your dog’s mouth. Clean off the tongue (underside as well) and the inside of the cheeks and the roof of the mouth.

This dog will lose a lot of its tongue from the hairy caterpillar

So, stock up on antihistamines (we use ceterizine) and avoid the caterpillars near the pine trees. Happy new year, by the way. We hope all your new year’s resolutions come true!

+INFO:  www.lagosvet.com

HOW TO MAKE OUR FRIENDLY TENANTS HAPPY BY NIKI MEDLOCK

Most of us will have changed our eating and drinking habits over the holiday period - and our friendly gut flora will most certainly have been affected by this and may also be suffering from a ‘Christmas hangover’. We have seen that the richer and more diverse community of friendly microbes in your gut leads to a lower risk of disease and allergic reaction from unfriendly bacteria, viruses and parasites. What we eat and drink, depending on whether it is a predominantly plant or animal based diet, has the most effect on determining what type of bacteria will thrive in each individual community and if we do not provide the right fuel and conditions for them certain essential bacteria may not colonise! There are two ways to maintain a healthy balance — helping the microbes already in residence to grow by giving them the foods they like (prebiotic) and adding living microbes directly to your system (probiotic). Prebiotics are basically non-digestible plant fibres (complex carbohydrates), found in such things as fruit and

vegetables, resistant to stomach acidity and digestive enzymes which are then fermented by the gut microbial acting like fertilizer that stimulate their growth. Probiotics are different in that they contain live organisms which are naturally created by the process of fermentation in food, usually specific strains of bacteria that directly add to the population of healthy microbes in your gut. The most common probiotic is yogurt made by fermenting milk with different bacteria which are left in the final product. Other influences that are directly beneficial to microbial health include: reducing stress, increasing exercise, getting a good night’s sleep, avoid smoking and excessive amounts of alcohol (in small quantities it has been shown to increase gut diversity). So basically the New Year’s resolutions we make, well I do, every year to change some of our “bad habits” can actually make a far bigger impact on our health than we realise!!! Next month: Varicose Veins (by special request!) Niki Medlock is head nurse at Luzdoc

+INFO:  www.luzdoc.com

BUSINESS

GOOD NEWS TRAVELS Tomorrow is delighted to announce that a new magazine, which will cover the area between Vilamoura and Faro, will be opening in early 2019. The magazine will be run by Simon Moulson who has been writing for the Lagos edition for the past 18 months or so. Simon previously lived in Disley in Cheshire where he ran a successful psychiatric medical agency, repatriating and employing consultants from overseas into the UK. Simon and his family moved to Portugal 15 years ago and and were running a property and condominium management company until fairly recently. Simon has also been busy lately working with his son, Lewis, who runs Chilli Pepper Productions. Simon said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed writing articles as a contributor for the Lagos edition of the Tomorrow Magazine. Now I am combining my business skills, love of writing and photography by taking on this new franchise. “I am looking forward to working with the existing Tomorrow team to create another successful magazine.,” he added. The aim is to start the new magazine in March or April. Please get in touch if you want to talk about advertising. We will also be looking for new contributors.

+INFO:  +351 963 807 162  simon@tomorrowalgarve.com

THE EVOLUTION OF LAGOS BY DAVID WESTMORELAND Having lived in Lagos for nearly 20 years now, I have witnessed a great evolution. I remember spending my first winter here after the Millennium New Year. On one particular January weekday evening, I thought I would go out to for a bite to eat and ended up spending over an hour looking to find a restaurant that I wanted to go to that was open for business! In short, Lagos was a very quiet sleepy town over the winter months. The town hosted fewer than 20.000 year-round residents, blossoming to over four times that number in the summer, but with very little winter trade. This is most definitely not the case today! Over the last 18 years, Lagos and the surrounding areas have evolved immensely, growing from a summer tourist town to a popular year-round destination with a quickly growing winter population. The town has done this fantastically and this is a credit to city planning department as well as the local residents and business owners. Lagos has still kept its wonderful character and charm, yet has evolved nicely to accommodate the needs of its growing population and growing number of winter residents. The town centre has undergone a fantastic upgrade, offering two underground car parks and controlling traffic which allows for more restaurants and cafes to provide outdoor seating. The Lagos Marina has developed and grown with a thriving restaurant and bar trade with several venues offering international menu choices, yet the fishing dock just next door shows the

traditional fisherman’s wharf and host typical restaurants with beautifully fresh caught fish and seafood. Local beach bars have all been refurbished, many from ramshackle cabanas with limited facilities, to upmarket modern wooden structures set on stilts to allow the natural sand dune scape to flow along the coast. Lagos had one single supermarket in 2000, and now there is a plentiful selection. One can still visit the local market for farm-fresh produce, yet one can also visit an upmarket supermarket carrying international goods to find that one specialty item they miss from home. Lagos town, its residents and business owners have recognised the need to retain the authenticity of the local culture and food, yet have allowed for and accommodated for the tastes of their growing base of clients. And as Lagos has grown, we have worked hard at B&P to be ready to provide a needed service to Lagos’ growing population. We had already developed Resort Rentals Algarve into a successful short-term holiday rental and management business, yet we saw the demand for longer term rentals and thus created Lagos Long Lets, specifically to service this. The rental market will continue to develop and we are here if you need any advice on the renting of your property or indeed are looking to let a property contact me for a personal consultation.

+INFO:  david@bpaproperty.com

QPA HORSE RIDING CENTRE

Come horse riding at QPA this winter and enjoy the beauty of the countryside on well-schooled horses and ponies. _________________________________________________ For more information or to book, please call: Â Stables: 282 687 596 | Office: 282 789 801 After 18h: 282 687 263 www.qpahorseriding.com | qpahorseriding@gmail.com

special winter deal for residents

Weddings

Commercial

Tourism

BUSINESS

I.T. CAN BE EASY BY STEVEN DUNWELL

Three of the of the most common printer problems…. solved

Free IT Support - January Artesão Café, Marina de Lagos Tuesday 8th & 22nd from 11am until 1pm Bring your device, purchase something from the Cafe and I will give you 10 minutes free IT support. If the issue cannot be resolved an appointment can be booked at a later date at your convenience.

Printer problems always appear at the worst time. When they work, they are great, however when they don't it can be extremely frustrating. We’ve all had trouble trying to print those last-minute airline boarding passes! Here's a quick guide on how to solve three of the most common problems. My printer won’t print First of all check the basics such as seeing whether there is an error message or flashing warning light on the printer. Make sure there is paper in the tray, check the ink or toner cartridges levels, ensure the USB cable is plugged in securely or that the printer is connected to your Wi-Fi. If your printer is connected to Wi-Fi and won’t print, try using a USB cable instead. In my experience, some Wi-Fi printers are unreliable in terms of their connection. It is a cliché but turning the printer off and then back on again seems to solve so many issues. Do I need to replace the cartridges? Many printers warn that the ink is running out before it actually does. If you only print occasionally the remaining ink may still last you a few weeks. Order new cartridges as soon as the message appears, but don’t install them until it either stops printing or the colours fade. If your colour ink has run out, but you must keep printing, try to set your printer to print in black and white only, click this option when you go to print via any application you want to print from. If you have a laser printer and

the toner cartridge running low, take it out and shake it gently from side to side. This sometimes allows the rest of the toner to be used. Why is the print quality poor? The nozzles on inkjet printer heads can become blocked causing horizontal streaks on prints and poor or wrong colours. Also, under use of an inkjet printer can often lead to problems with dried-up ink blocking the ink nozzles. Cleaning the print heads can sometimes solve the problem. As there are countless different printers on the market you may need to check how to do this from the manufacturer’s manual, or if available, follow the instructions on the maintenance section on the printer’s screen. The type of paper you use can also affect the print quality, photocopying paper can be too absorbent and the inkjet ink soaks into it like blotting paper. Buy good quality paper for the best prints, specifically designed for inkjet printing. Printers can be the most frustrating pieces of equipment, one day working fine and the next refusing to play ball! If you require assistance with any printer issue, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always happy to help.

+INFO:  sdunwell@sky.com  +351 936 387 512  www.sdunwell.co.uk  StevenLagosIT

NEW TRANSPORT SERVICE A new company has opened in Lagos which specialises in transporting children to and from school, college or sports clubs. The company is based in Lagos but will also cover Praia da luz, Espiche, Odiáxere, Chinicato and Bensafrim. All Aboard said: “We believe this service will provide a huge benefit to families and busy parents.

We transport all children safely, according to the law required for the transport of children,” the company told us in a press release.

+INFO:  www.allabordo.pt   allabordolagos  allabordolagos@gmail.com  +351 967 789 066

GLO adverts x3 designs v2.qxp_Layout 1 19/05/2017 16:42 Page 2

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BUSINESS

SOUND PRINCIPLES AND GREAT VISION BY TOM HENSHAW

It is now 15 years since Luis Ledo the founder of Casas do Barlavento opened his doors after spending many years as director of operations with the Vigia group, better known by many as Parque de Floresta outside Budens in the western Algarve.

"A22 brought new life and great tourism growth to the western Algarve"

He was offered many interesting overseas challenges but he felt that his extensive management experience afforded him this new start working for himself in his local community. Luis tells me that this opportunity really arose as the controversial A22 brought new life and great tourism growth to the western Algarve where previously it was a difficult area to reach for the majority of visitors. This beginning 15 years ago has meant he has been able to open offices in Alvor, Lagos, and Vale da Telha and along the way he has added to his property offerings with the acquisition of established businesses such as Lloyds property and others. At the same time he has taken on a condominium management division to probably make Casas de Barlavento the largest management company in the region and includes, amongst others the prestigious Estrella and Bahia in Luz. As we all remember very vividly the world recession hit almost everyone in 2008 however Luis confirms that his business came though it stronger and more streamlined and able to handle the ever growing tourist market in the west Algarve. So much so that he was offered all sorts of incentives in other areas but decide to ensure that Casas do Barlavento became recognised as one of the leading real estate and management companies in the area. Many things have developed for Luis in these 15 years. One of those being Mar D’Estória which is housed in an amazing building in the city centre which was previously the fire service headquarters. This lovely building has been restored lovingly and is now a ‘must visit’ centre for tourists and residents alike as it offers wonderful local quality products which Luis has passionately brought together in this delightful old building setting

very high standards and great kudos for the area and aimed at raising the image and awareness of Portuguese products. He is very passionate and driven by working with a great team of people who all strive to improve the perception of local business and allow Luis to follow his other great motivator namely travel. However also to mark his 15 years in his own business he tells me that he is soon to open another new development namely a 25 bedroom boutique hotel in the heart of Faro intending to bring to the Algarve capital the same rigorous quality and vision that is pursued at Mar d’Estorias, allowing visitors to explore the Ria Formosa islands and the city. Luis definitely has a vision for seeing the western Algarve moving to the higher end market sector and is disappointed to see the main Avenida in Lagos filled with market stalls, all selling very much the same products and would like to be able to return the promenade to a real visitor attraction. As a last thought Luis tells me to look out for more exciting projects in 2019 and 2020 from his group. Obviously his vision for the Algarve is not yet complete but I am convinced it will all be based on the same high principles he has set so far.

+INFO:  www.casasdobarlavento.com  info@casasdobarlavento.com

TOM-7-14-engl-2_Jens-ESA 16.07.15 16:39 Seite 1

We solve such problems permanently

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BUSINESS

A SALON WITH A SOUL

When you set foot into Ana Mamič’s hairdressing salon you quickly realise that you are in for far more than a haircut. It’s a holistic hub as Lena Strang discovered. How can having a haircut be a holistic experience in a soothing environment, leaving the client feeling refreshed and relaxed? This is exactly what hairstylist Ana Mamič is trying to achieve in her salon, A-line Studio, in Lagos. In her airy, spacious studio she is also creating space for artists to display their work and for regular yoga sessions and dance workshops. When I first set foot in her studio a year ago, I realised it’s much more than a hairdressing salon; it’s a space where people can have a very professional hair cut but also come together for various community activities. Who is Ana Mamič and why is she offering something that seems rather unique in Lagos? She tells me she was born in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, where she studied and built up her career as hairstylist. “I am Vidal Sassoon trained and worked in many eminent salons, gaining lots of experience. I attended fashion and beauty shows and was also fortunate enough to be able to work backstage with Tony & Guy,” she says. Her track record is undeniably impressive. As always, fate has different things in store. After living and working in the UK for a few years and with a disastrous marriage behind her, Ana and her young son, Jyoti, moved to Lagos. “I’d visited the city before on holiday and liked it very much. I wanted a small, safe town with a good climate for my son to grow up in. We moved here four years ago and have integrated well. Jyoti who is now six years old attends a local school and speaks fluent Portuguese,” she explains. She first opened a salon in the old town of Lagos but moved into her present premises a year ago with a totally new concept in mind. So what does this entail? “I see hairdressing as being very personal and want the clients to feel comfortable and relaxed. I always give 100% of myself to do a good haircut or colouring treatment. It’s important to me that the clients leave the studio feeling happy with the result and with themselves,” she says.

Ariane, a regular client, bears this out in a recent comment: “Ana is well trained in holistic care of hair and scalp. She knows how to treat different types of hair and how to deal with problems using natural remedies. Her relaxing head massage is very calming and soothing.” This is why A-line Studio has also become my own port of call and my hair thanks me for it. Her clientele is varied. Many are from the UK, Germany and the Nordic countries although she has several regular Portuguese clients too. The large space is also perfect for hosting arts and craft events, which Ana is keen to promote. Resident artist Thomas Florent (www.thomasflorent.com) displays his artwork in the studio, with many of his prints on sale. Last month a weeklong yoga retreat held by qualified yoga teacher, Constanza, attracted a number of participants. Regular Monday morning yoga session will be organised starting on January 7th at 8.30am. On Friday afternoons at 4pm the studio will swing to the tunes of Afro-Latin dance classes, again with the opportunity for anyone interested to join in! In Ana’s words the concept of the studio is promoting “beauty, art and wellbeing”. I believe she has brought something new and invigorating to Lagos that many will find appealing. A-line Studio is worth a visit.

+INFO:  +351 913 396 671  A-line studio  Loja V, Urb. Portas da Vila, Lagos, crossroad Estr. Ponta da PIedade/ R. José Afonso, Near ProPutting Mini Golf, 8600-642 Lagos

A-line studio; Yoga session at the studio; Ana at work

Tomorrow 90x65 06-17.indd 2

19/06/2017 10:52

FOOD & DRINK

Thai’d and tested BY THE YUM YUM BOYS AND SOME CHUMS

New to Lagos, Thai food is usually always good and this is no exception. So, Yum Yum and some chums decided to give Gorilla in Lagos a go and are glad we did. I love Thai food and have been for some Thai cooking classes so you could say that I am a bit choosy so if they get it wrong, I would be able to tell but for me, this was spot on. The restaurant seems to cater for most eating tastes (veggie and vegan) so that will please all in a crowd.

usual ingredients you expect in a good Pad Thai. All the ingredients were fresh, presented well and the staff were cheery and smiley and happy to have a laugh with you. We were treated to some biscuit nibbles as a sweet which was a nice Christmas touch. All complimentary.

We were a party of four and had the pork bites to start and the tempura veggies. Loved them both. You could easily upgrade these to a main and be well satisfied. On recommendation, I went for the red curry for mains. It was a tad on the stingy side of heat, which I like, but not to everyone's taste. It may vary I suppose but I loved it.

The restaurant itself was bright and airy and the tables are not on top of one another and there is outdoor seating too. Price wise, with beers, €60 for four so not too bad. Take a trip. It’s easy to find, just off the main strip and is fun, the food is good, service excellent and you will have a great night. (Check that they are not closed as you know what it can be like with restaurants here). Here’s hoping to a great success for Gorilla! (never ever used that sentence before in my life!).

The Pad Thai noodles had a generous portion of either soy or fish sauce in them so bear in mind this is a dish where no two will be the same. These are individually cooked per restaurant. Still tasty though and with all the

+INFO:  Travessa dos Tanoeiros, 7, Lagos 8600-624  +351 915 956 357

Ingredients (6pax): - 12 sponge fingers - 3 large eggs - 140g granulated sugar - 250g mascarpone - 4 Lakeland lemons - 10ml Limoncello (liqueur) - Cocoa

LEMON LAKELAND TIRAMISU 60

Preparation: Whisk the egg yolks with 60g of sugar to blanch them and double their volume. Add the mascarpone in several parts continuing to whisk. Take off the zest of two Lakeland lemons, blanch them (10 sec) in boiling water. Make a juice with 4 lemons (80g). Incorporate the zests and 20g of the Lakeland lemons juice into the

mascarpone preparation. Whisk the egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice and gently incorporate 50g of sugar. Add the egg whites in the Lakeland lemon mascarpone cream. Prepare the syrup by mixing the Limoncello with 60g of the lemon juice and 30g the remaining sugar. Soak up the biscuits with the lemon syrup and place them in "Verrines" (little glasses). Cover with the mascarpone cream. Refrigerate (min. 4h). Sprinkle with cocoa to serve. Thanks to Citrina for this recipe.

+INFO:  www.citrina-plants.com

FOOD & DRINK

Those of us from the colder countries of northern Europe often avoid cooking octopus (polvo) fearing that it will turn out tough and chewy. In reality it is easy to cook tender octopus and to prepare a range of dishes such as this one for Octopus Salad. Use frozen octopus as the freezing process helps to tenderise it. Médio size are available from local supermarkets such as LiDL. Ingredients: Before dipping

After dipping

OCTOPUS SALAD BY DAVID FOOT

- 1kg of frozen octopus defrosted (médio size) - 1 stock cube - 1 onion (peeled, sliced and soaked for 10 minutes then finely chopped) - 1/2 red pepper chopped - 1/2 cucumber chopped - 2 cloves of garlic - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar - Flat leaved parsley (finely chopped) - Salt and pepper Method: Dissolve the stock cube in a large pan of boiling water. Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tentacles 3 times into the

GECKO GETS A NEW HEAD CHEF Espiche Golf has a new head chef at its Gecko Restaurant. João Militão is proud to be a local - born and raised in Lagos - but was trained in Lisbon at the Estoril’s Hospitality and Tourism School. João brings with him 20 years of experience in 4 and 5 star hotels, traditional restaurants, bistros, vegetarian restaurants and Michelin star restaurants. Cooking has been a central part of João’s life since the age of 12, when his parents opened a restaurant in Lagos. After they closed their restaurant four years later, he started helping out in his uncle’s restaurant in Troia after school and during the summer holidays. João traces his passion for his work as a chef to those formative years – a passion that is clearly evident when he talks about his love for all things culinary. He

said: “Just the smells and the sounds of a kitchen make it feel like home to me. After just a few days of any time away, I am itching to get back to my natural element!” João describes himself as a creative spirit, who likes being guided by the seasons and inventing new recipes. His Mediterranean cuisine is based on using fresh, seasonal and organic products sourced from local markets, an approach that is completely aligned with the Gecko farm to table ethos. Since joining Espiche, João has already started to establish a herb garden and has been busy picking olives to offer in the restaurant. He is very excited to share his passion for food with the Espiche Golf community!

stock to curl them. Bring water back to the boil, add the octopus and simmer for 20 minutes. Then leave it in the cooling stock for a further 20 minutes. Remove from stock, drain then put in a bowl to cool. Using a damp cloth remove any purple glutinous "skin", especially where the tentacles meet the head. Cut into bite sized pieces. All of the tentacles and the tender parts of the head can go into the salad. Add the red pepper, cucumber and onion to the octopus. Add crushed garlic, the oil and white wine vinegar plus salt and pepper to taste. Allow to marinate for about an hour before serving. Sprinkle with parsley to serve. Delicious with a glass of cold white as a starter or as a main course (increasing the quantities of red pepper and cucumber as required). Thanks very much to David Foot for this recipe. If you would like to submit a recipe please email our editor amber@tomorrowalgarve.com

FOOD & DRINK

A NIGHT OUT IN BARÃO

Caramba  +351 282 688 521  Caramba Barão São João  Open: 11am – 2 am (Tuesday to Sunday). Monday’s half day open during the winter.

BY HENRY C. SHAW

For a small village Barão de São João likes to do things in a big way. Situated 8km west of Lagos this rural Portuguese village is a thriving community of artists, musicians, restaurateurs, herbalists and hippies, whether its hosting the annual and highly competitive bike polo tournament, African tribal dance evenings, concerts, surrealist sculptures and beautiful woodland walks Barão is a community with a great heart. Food lovers will be delighted with the variety of restaurants and bars that can be found among the neat cobbled streets and therefore we invite you to join us as we explore some of the most exciting and vibrant restaurants and watering holes of Barão São João. First stop as you enter the village is the very popular Caramba bar and restaurant that offers a wide range of Portuguese traditional dishes, drinks and desserts with a modern twist. Very popular for traditional Portuguese dishes, the specials of the day are not to be missed and include a selection of fish, meat and vegetarian home cooked meals. As a family-business established over eight years the Caramba bar has become a must eat for the local community. The Caramba offers a warm hearted welcome and we thank Marco and his team as we follow the cobbles. Our next culinary stop-off is the Barão Bistro, which offers a wide range of freshly cooked seasonal food including locally produced vegetables, cheeses and wine. Homecooked Sunday lunches are a favourite, as is ‘Fish and Chip’ Friday

and Monday burger night. With its cosy fire, sunny terrace and quirky interior it attracts both holiday makers, families and locals and offers an exquisite selection of hand baked cakes and desserts, lovingly prepared by Annwen Jones, who having worked at the Bistro for many years is now managing its on ongoing success. Wednesday’s should also not be missed when Annwen offers the bistro as a ‘pop up’ venue for local culinary talents who prepare a wide selection of dishes including Indonesian, Greek, Israeli and Caribbean to name just a few. Having said our farewells our next and final stop is the Atabai, named after the city in Temor which Senhor Zé Manuel, the original proprietor who established this secret little bar, restaurant and live music venue back in 1986.

Barão Bistro  +351 282 688 207  Barão’s Bistro  Open: 10am – 11pm (Monday to Saturday). Sunday 12-9pm

“He was born in Atabai,” smiles Sóni Silva the manager Atabai and daughter to Senhor Zé Manuel as she shows me the place where the bar now stands. “He served in Timor and his time there changed his life, but when he came back he wanted to bring something of his travels to the very place where he was born.” The Atabai was the first live music venue in Barão and over the years has become a thriving pizzeria, meeting place and live music venue, which boasts a colourful array of local musicians and well known Portuguese bands. Friendly and welcoming the Atabai is a must stop if you’re traveling to Barão and the Thursday night set menu is something not to be missed.

Atabai  +351 282 687 071  Atabai Barão  atabai.bar@gmail.com (best contact for reservations)  Open: 6.30pm-2am. Closed all day Tuesday

ENVIRONMENT

ATTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE BY LISA LOFTHOUSE AND ZOË LENKIEWICZ Suggestions on how to shop and eat well, without costing the earth. With all the news of climate change, mass extinctions and plastic pollution, it’s easy to feel helpless. The good news is there are plenty of things we can all do that help make a positive difference. To protect the living environment, a great place to start is our shopping. How we choose to spend our money, the businesses we support and what we feed our families has a big impact on the world around us. Just switching from the supermarket to one of the many amazing local vegetable and fish markets makes a huge difference. Here’s how… Your money goes to real people It’s always a privilege to meet the people that have grown our food. It’s a crazy to live surrounded by almond trees and local pickers and sellers (often the elderly in markets) and then see supermarket shelves filled with almonds from California. Your money goes further When we shop locally, our money tends to stay in the local community. A key study found that every €1 spent with a local supplier is worth €1.76 to the local economy, and only 36 cents if it is spent out of the local area. That makes €1 spent locally worth almost 400% more to the local economy. Your food is fresher Vegetables, fruit, fish and other food sold in local markets is almost exclusively local. That means very few food miles (transport is one of the biggest climate change culprits), less use of preservative chemicals, and seasonal crops that don’t require energy-intensive production. A wide choice of organic Markets usually have a great organic selection, which is so much better for our fragile planet. If you can afford it, try exchanging a few items for organic and start from there. If a product is “organic” it has been grown without the use of chemical pesticides (which can be harmful to farmers and wildlife, including bees, insects and birds).

Good eggs Fresh free range eggs are a delight. It’s easy to see the difference from large scale battery-farmed eggs – the quality is superb, they don’t spread all over the pan and they have a great colour. What’s more, there are almost no food miles involved so they are likely to be much fresher – direct from farm to table. Just remember to bring your own egg box! Less rubbish We all know how frustrating it can be to unpack shopping and be left with a huge pile of unnecessary plastic packaging. Let’s face it – two apples in a polystyrene tray wrapped in cling film is more than a little excessive. When you shop locally, the chances are you won’t pick up half the amount of plastic packaging – if any at all. Remember to take your own shopping bag, and maybe a few paper bags for loose berries, mushrooms and tomatoes. Reduce and re-use Local market stalls will often take back plastic berry cartons and egg cartons for re-use. Some also offer environmentally-friendly laundry detergent refills, so you don’t need to buy any new packaging at all. Our local market in Vila do Bispo even sells shampoo bars with zero plastic. Writing a meal plan and a shopping list also helps prevent waste A good tip is to plan one fewer day than you have – the missing day can be a “use up meal”. Vegetable curry is great for this, or a quiche hides a multitude of wilting vegetables. Throw in anything that isn’t going to last and cook it all up. What doesn’t get eaten can become packed lunch the next day, or popped in the freezer for those 'no time' evenings. Next month we’ll be focusing on the benefits of cooking from scratch and dipping your toe into vegetarianism – good for your wallet, your taste buds, and the planet. Lisa and Zoë are writing this series to support WasteAid. If you care about plastic pollution and want to help make a difference, please donate at wasteaid.org

OUTDOOR

pot bursting with rosettes, however, I have one in my collection that is much larger than the average plant but is just confined to the one rosette.

HAWORTHIAS TAMSIN VARLEY I have come to love succulents quite late in life, but as they say, “better late than never”. Living in a hot, dry country has spurred on my interest in this large group of plants. Some of my favourite succulents are the Haworthias, which are closely related to Aloes. They are named after Adrian Haworth a noted botanist and entomologist who lived in the early part of the 19th century.

Haworthia cuspidata; Haworthia attenuata 'striata'; Haworthia venosa 'tessellata'

There are about 60 named species and 150 recognised varieties. They originate from South Africa and in the wild are often found under shrubs, in grass or squeezed between rocks in order to avoid direct sunlight and being eaten. They are deservedly very popular plants due to their small size, their ease of cultivation, their tolerance of low light levels and their tendency to grow many offsets so they can be shared amongst friends. The crowning glory though are their leaves which can be green, red or brown; the leaf form can vary between short , fat and swollen to thin and bristly; some have smooth leaves but often they are ridged or have lumps and bumps or striping on them. They flower regularly too, but the white flowers are quite insignificant and grow on a long dangling flower stalk, which I think makes the plants look untidy. Haworthias tend to grow in a rosette, but Haworthia truncata grows in a fan shape. Some offset prolifically so quite quickly, you can end up with a

Haworthias cannot take a frost which makes them more suitable for pots than can be moved around. I grow all of mine outside and almost all in terracotta pots. However, after several years, I have had to re-pot them as they had so many offsets that were getting crowded and the pots didn’t look so attractive. I’ve decided to try some in the garden and have just planted a selection of all of them in shady areas under trees or nestled at the base of a rock. I have grown one Haworthia outside for about eight years in various parts of the garden and they have thrived, so I see no reason why the others won’t do well too. So, based on my experience, here’s my guide to successfully growing Haworthias: • Do not grow in direct sunlight. I would grow them in an area facing either east or west. If you do grow them in a south facing area, ensure they have some form of screening to protect them from direct sunlight. However, be aware that deep shade could result in pale, elongated plants. • The soil should be well draining, so either buy a succulent mix from the garden centre or add perlite or fine aquarium gravel to a peat based compost. • Do not over water as it will rot the plants. The soil should be allowed to dry out in between watering. As a rough guide, I water my pots about once a week to fortnight in the summer and not at all in the winter. • Almost any type of container can be used – terracotta, plastic or even ceramic. I tend to use quite deep pots and when repotting recently, discovered that the roots had filled the pot completely. Ensure there is a drainage hole in the bottom of the pot. • They do well in mixed plantings and bring a lot of interest and texture due to their wide variety of leaf form. Tamsin Varley is chairman of Clube Dos Bons Jardins, a small, friendly multi-national garden club that meets at different location around the Algarve on the 2nd Tuesday every month except over the summer with an optional lunch afterwards.

+INFO:  Clube Dos Bons Jardins  algarvecbj@gmail.com

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OUTDOOR

WILDLIFE IN JANUARY

BY NUNO BARROS

The weather continues to swing from cold, dry and sunny to wet and overcast. Sometimes we pray for rain, sometimes we curse it. But meanwhile everything is green, and a timid scent of Spring occasionally creeps through the harsh winter feeling. There are not many wildflowers around, but the tall Asphodels present in pastures and roadsides are noticed even by the most unlikely of botanists. But perhaps the main change in the landscape is the long awaited Almond blossom. These trees are reminiscent from old Moorish orchards, and are now naturalised across Algarve. Their beautiful delicate flowers are a prelude to an early Spring, and more than that – a symbol of hope and inheritance. Some obvious hillside shrubs are also starting to flower like the Spanish Heath and Rosemary. By mid-month, some wildflowers easy to spot are the Iberian Milk-vetch, the Purple Viper's Bugloss or the wonderfully dedicated yellow Hoop-petticoat Daffodils. Attracted to some of these early blooms, some butterflies are still on the wing – Clouded Yellow, Greenstripped White, Red Admiral or Painted Ladies can be occasionally spotted. In the cliffs, look out for pairs of soaring Ravens, and Peregrine Falcons. Inland, Spotless Starlings, Skylarks, Woodlarks and Corn Buntings move in flocks, and Thrushes patrol the scrubland, elusively. Also look out for the mixed feeding parties of finches. Usually Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Serins are easy to make out and tend to be seen together in a number of habitats, while Linnets prefer open country, and Chaffinches tend not to mix at all, keeping to woodlands and forested areas. As Common Buzzards and Kestrels are widespread, it is not surprising to find an Osprey in wetlands like

Amoreira in Aljezur, or the unmistakable soaring of the Black-winged Kite over a field. These magnificent red-eyed raptors tend to disperse in the winter, showing up more frequently in the Southwest. In Sagres there are some scarce and elusive birds to look out for - very small numbers or Alpine Accentors (essentially a mountain bird) winter in the cliffs around Cape Saint Vincent; Richard's Pipit (an odd Siberian migrant) can sometimes been detected in the fields; and a visit to Baleeira fishing harbour can produce sights of Purple Sandpiper (a visitor from far shores) and Rock Pipit (a rare bird for Portugal). Razorbills can also sometimes take shelter in the harbor. Not to mention the resident specialties like Chough or Blue Rock-Thrush. Paúl de Lagos is also an interesting and usually forgotten destination at this time of year. Although largely disturbed and not taken care of, it can reveal a surprisingly long list of birds after a couple of hours, including the always appreciated Bluethroat, but also Flamingos, Spoonbills, Snipes, Lapwings and a good selection of other waders. As the month lingers towards February, the House Martins and Barn Swallows start to return in larger numbers in a prelude of a Spring to come. Nuno runs birdwatch and nature tours.

+INFO:  birdland.pt

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