Tomorrow Lagos to Aljezur June 2018 Edition

5,500 FREE copies June 2018 | Edition 79

www.tomorrowalgarve.com |  TomorrowAlgarve

A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE COVERING LAGOS TO ALJEZUR

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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

Jumping into June At last we are all starting to feel like summer is here and we can start living the outdoor life.

Our summer ball on June 9th is around the corner and we have approximately three tables available, please email Steven at steven@tomorrowalgarve.com or call 919 918 733. We want to make it clear that your enjoyment is paramount at any of our social events so if you would feel more comfortable not dressing in the Hawaiian theme we are happy with that!

On the cover This is one of the Algarve's stunning beaches in Burgau.

We are campaigning for people to keep our beaches clean and pristine so if you see some rubbish, please don't just walk on by.

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

We are still working with Leonor on her speech therapy but unfortunately her therapist, Inês has broken her ankle and is not able to continue the therapy this month!

Sorry Leonor but we hope Inês is back on her feet soon!

Please make a note on August 12th of the Lagos Sunset Colour Party on Meia Praia. We are particularly happy to sponsor this youth initiative here in Lagos. We all expect this to be a whopping success for the organisers and the community. We will bring more details over the next two editions. It will be a similar event to the wonderful and colourful carnival which was held last month in Alvor with over 3000 visitors and participants.

Chris and Melanie, the owners of Moveison, held their second successful charity event with loads of wonderful prizes in order to provide much needed funds for the soup kitchen in Lagos. Truly one of the most worthwhile causes in the western Algarve and one we provide regular monies to pay their monthly rent. We'll tell you more in our July edition.

On this note we really do wish to encourage readers to let us know of any of their ‘pet’ projects to help good causes. We have just agreed to help, as you can read below, another good cause, so please make sure you email Amber, our editor – amber@tomorrowagarve.com.

It was most encouraging to see the Swedish community, which apparently exceeds 750 people here in the Lagos area, enjoying a carol service in May and all in great voice! We would like to include a space in the magazine each month for their events and activities to ensure those that wish to be included can be.

Please email any special events and dates etc to tom@tomorrowalgarve.com before the 17th of any month to be included in the next month’s issue.

We are very pleased to be able to promote fundraising for the Burgau Sports Centre which recently was forced to remove many trees due to recent regulations thus depriving the outside areas of much needed shade in the hot months. Please contact the sports centre and help them to raise at least €1000 to get started for decking and shade - they have a box in the entrance but also please call +351 282 697 350 if you have any questions.

Have a great month.

Best wishes, Tom, Amber and the whole team

Editor's note 3

The recycling revolution Most people who care about our precious environment will try to do their bit to recycle – even while ignoring the sceptical voice in their ear which tells them there’s no point: It will probably all end up in landfill anyway! But how true is this and what can we do about it? We sent Sophie Sadler to find out.

And as it turns out, when it comes to rubbish disposal, Portugal’s making big steps in the right direction. Part of that seems to be because there’s an economic incentive which makes recycling far more appealing than the landfill option.

British Waste Management expert Zoë Lenkiewicz from Wasteaid, the charity which shares waste management and recycling skills with communities in low and middleincome coutries, tells me: “Materials collected separately for recycling, such as glass, tins and plastic, have a value and can be sold to reprocessors. Conversely, mixed waste that needs to be disposed of represents a cost.

Provided people put the correct items in the recycling bins, the materials will be recycled rather than landfilled it makes economic sense.”

With this is mind I join forces with Mike Pease, who retired to the Algarve 30 years ago after a career working as an agricultural planner for the World Bank.

He’s now involved with setting up a Clean Up Lagos campaign in conjunction with Lagos Câmara (to be launched in Tomorrow magazine in the next couple of months).

In a bid to see for ourselves what really happens to our rubbish, Mike and I visit Algar – the company responsible for rubbish collection throughout the Algarve – at their main depot in Loulé. The plant at Loulé handles rubbish from the Sotavento region while a second plant at Porto de Lagos processes waste from Barlavento, including Lagos and Portimão.

Arriving at Algar I’m pleasantly surprised at the air of organisation and space. Neatly manicured lawns surround impressively contemporary offices with a huge pile of tyres reminding me more of a modern art installation than rubbish. In the distance a lorry off-loads

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old mattresses, but all seems ship-shape and there’s no bad smell.

As we’re met on the steps with press officer Maria João and mechanical engineer, Carlos Jucal to explain how it all works, a group of suited VIPs file past. We’re told these are the heads of the six Algarve Câmaras (which still have a 49% stake after the stateowned company went public in 2015).

So what happens once we’ve disposed of our household rubbish in our local lixo and recycling bins?

Currently 3000 containers throughout the Algarve are emptied by 26 trucks. The rubbish then goes to the main plants via transfer stations in Lagos, Albufeira, Aljezur, Vila do Bispo and Portimão. Working alongside are eco-centres where individuals can take larger plastic items that don’t fit in the bins. The nearest eco-centre for residents of the Western Algarve is located at Parque Industrial Coca Maravilhas in Portimão.

Glass goes to two sorting stations located in Chão Frio, Porto de Lagos and Barros, S. João da Venda in Almancil before being recycled into new products by private companies.

Garden waste is manually sorted into piles, shredded and sent on to another plant in São Brás de Alportel where it’s made into Nutriverde, certified organic compost used in biological agriculture and only available from Algar plants.

Moving on to plastics. In a large warehouse, stacked to the roof are clean, bales of

Photo captions L to R, top to bottom: Production of organic compost; Waste transfer station; Automated sorting; Sophie Sadler & Carlos Juncal

different materials, sorted for recycling; each comprising a different type of plastic: Crushed water bottles in one, milk cartons in another, crisp packets and margarine lids in yet another. Plastic bags tethered by binding strips. It’s both a revelation and incredibly motivating to see our everyday rubbish sorted into something so palatable and I vow never to put anything recyclable into a black bin bag again.

I ask Carlos if it’s necessary to wash the packaging thoroughly, often a requirement in the UK? Carlos tells me it doesn’t have to be spotless but contamination of the recycled material from food waste is one of their biggest problems, so there should be no food left inside and the container rinsed. You could do it at the end of washing up, before letting the water down the drain.

Guide to Recycling Yellow - Plastic and Metal Plastic packaging such as bags, jars, shampoos and detergents, water bottles, juices and oil bottles, styrofoam, yogurt packs, milk cartons, juice and wines, beverage cans and preserves, aluminum trays and aerosols.

Do not deposit Buckets, video cassettes, pens, cd and dvd, cork stoppers, plastic cutlery, non-packaging plastic, household appliances, batteries, pots and pans, metal tools and cutlery.

Algar sells the bales on to integrated packaging management companies Sociedade Ponto Verde, Novo Verde and Amb3E. The government sets the price and they’re subsidised by companies selling packaged products to consumers.

And the real benefit? Last year 1,295 tonnes of clear plastic bottles (PET) went into producing over 1.5 million fleece sweaters, 15,039 tonnes of glass contributed to over 37 million new glass bottles and 12,501 tonnes of paper/carton meant that nearly 200,000 trees were not felled.

But we’re not done yet. The largest building, the plastics-sorting “factory” houses ceiling-high piles of plastic containers of all kinds, shovelled first by dumper trucks, chugging up conveyor belts to the epicentre of the activity before being identified by laser and

blown into containers dependent on their type, shape or weight. Cans and metals are extracted by magnet and the plastics divided into the different types.

Finally, it’s to the hand-sorting cabin where two cheerful ladies sort a conveyor belt of different plastics, weeding out incorrect items like paper which can contaminate the recycling process. Once again, this highlights the necessity for everyone to put the right waste in the right bin. Another logistical problem for Algar is the huge disparity between the summer and winter population in the Algarve. In order to cope with the huge amounts of waste deposited in the eco bins during the summer means giving their 300 employees much longer shifts as well as subcontracting out to other companies.

But why do we have Eco bins rather than street collection? Carlos explains.

“This is a historical decision adopted in the Algarve due to cost and also the problems of getting trucks into narrow streets. Lisbon and the old centre of Lagos in comparison does have street collection so it is not a national policy.”

The one recyclable refuse not currently collected by the Câmara is organic kitchen waste. The best solution is for households to compost their own and use the resulting fertiliser on their garden plants but that’s clearly not possible for everyone. Carlos Juncal says they’re carrying out a feasibility study which may result in a street collection or an extra bin in the future.

I now must mention the “F-word” of rubbish collection; “Landfill.” We didn’t actually see the Algar landfill deposition 

Green: Glass Glass containers such as bottles of olive oil, jars of preserved and sweet, fresh perfume and cosmetics.

Do not deposit Silverware, cups, jars, crystals, glassware, windows, mirrors, lamps, building materials and drug packages.

Blue: Paper and Cardboard Cardboard packaging including cereal boxes, egg cartons, paper bags, pizza boxes (no fat), journals and magazines, writing paper, printing paper and envelopes.

Do not deposit Self-adhesive paper, cement bags, laminated paper, baby wipes and nappies, foil, dirty paper tissues, greasy cartons (such as pizza boxes), kitchen paper, dirty paper napkins and chemical packaging.

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Packaging Recovery Note system (PRNs): There are two recycling symbols on packaging, the first tells you what the material is: e.g. Plastic PET, LDPE plastic bags and bubble wrap HDPE high-density polyethene (like shampoo bottles) cartons, tetrapaks mixed plastics.

Means the company has paid to support recycling, per tonne of material they are putting onto the market.

Disposing of: Car batteries - they should be disposed of correctly by garage.

Photo captions L to R, top to bottom: Plastic to be sorted; Balistico automatic screening; Sophie Sadler at waste sorting conveyor belt

cells (consisting of around 4 hectares each) but they’re probably less exciting and rather more depressing.



The Câmara pays a gate fee to Algar for each tonne of waste delivered for treatment plus a landfill tax of €8,8 per tonne (in the UK it’s in excess of 10 times this which is passed on to the national environment agency, for each tonne of waste that ends up in landfill.

However it’s not all bad news: When biodegradable waste (food scraps or paper) is buried in landfill, its decomposition generates a global warming gas called methane.

To prevent methane being released into the atmosphere, the gas is collected within the waste disposal cells and sent by pipeline to an engine for burning as a fuel. This engine is connected to a generator that produces electricity (green energy) replacing the need for fossil fuels.

In a comparison by country of municipal waste recycled and composted, Portugal has improved from only 12% in 2004 to 35% in 2015. Incidentally, the Algarve recycles more packaging per capita than anywhere else in Continental Portugal.

Algar is also expected to meet their EU targets set for recycling under the Strategic Plan for Urban Waste 2020 (PERSU 2020).

Maria tells me she hates the sound of breaking glass echoing around the plant when the trucks unload unseparated waste from the lixo bins into the hoppers; reminding her just how often people still mix recyclable materials with

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Household and small batteries – look out for disposal bins at supermarkets, parish councils, health centres and fire stations.

general waste.

What of the Tyre Mountain and the stack of mattresses we saw being unloaded at the start – what will happen to them?

While the textiles end up in landfill, the metal springs are recycled; as are the tyres, processed in northern Portugal under international guidelines.

Our tour of Algar over, Mike and I agree that thanks to the time and patience of Carlos and Maria, it’s been an education.

But this is also part of the ethos of the company and Maria works a lot with schools and a large emphasis is given to educating the public and especially children.

I would urge any educational establishment to contact them and arrange a tour, it will leave a lasting impression.

Before leaving, I ask Carlos if we can all now relax and happily go on producing loads of rubbish as Algar are doing such a good job recycling it? “Of course not!” he tells me. The collection and industrial processing in itself produces waste materials and carbon emissions so cutting these or reducing them would of course help the environment. “So as well as recycling we should all be thinking about how to reduce the amount of rubbish we produce.”

Styrofoam (polystyrene packaging) – put in the yellow bins for recycling.

Clothes and textiles – textile recycling bins at petrol stations, supermarkets and in town centres.

Large household items such as furniture and large electrical goods (eg fridges) can be collected from your house by the municipal services, free of charge so there is no need to create an eyesore by dumping them by the bins. The cost of this is covered in your water bill and called Fatura Ambiental. You will only be charged extra if you have more than one collection a month and it is above standard size. (See the numbers at the end of the article.)

DO: Avoid single use disposable products Re-use plastic bottles and bags Choose to buy brands that support recycling (green dot symbol) Separate your waste carefully, including at work Also manage your cleaning staff; and if you own a holiday property, make sure guests or tenants are informed of how to recycle properly

DON’T: So let this be a call to action. We can all make positive changes. We can think about what we buy, what we use and how we can re-use packaging. Are we separating waste intelligently, not just at home but when we’re away, at the office, on holiday? Let’s all think again and do ourselves a favour!

Put car batteries in a normal lixo bin Don’t forget it’s your planet too.

 www.algar.com.pt  www.wasteaid.org.uk  +351 282 780 520 (Lagos)  808 282 260 (Portimão)

Lagos Maritime Police The maritime police are a familiar sight when you are on the beach in Lagos. In the run up to summer we wanted to find out more about what they do. Pedro Oliveira spoke to Commander Conceição Duarte, who is responsible for the maritime police along the Algarve coast.

The first organisation of the Maritime Services and Harbour Masters was created in 1892. After the First World War the need to better control the ports, harbour areas and navigation safety led to the creation of the CPM, Maritime Police Corps, in September 1919. In 1946 the Maritime Police was integrated in the Navy Ministry and by 1972 Maritime Police Posts were created in all areas under the Navy jurisdiction.

The area of responsibility includes policing, criminal investigation, vigilance and monitoring actions in ports, bathing areas in the sea and interior waters. These areas are under the full responsibility and authority of the Maritime Police. It collaborates actively with other police forces to ensure the safety of citizens.

The Maritime Police have a wide remit but here are a few of their responsibilities that are relevant to our readers.

They have to enforce beach regulations called Edital de Praia, this is posted at the entrance of every beach. They monitor the regulations on fishing as well as nautical sports and tourist activities ensuring that access to boats or water crafts are safe and that all safety equipment is available. They carry out inspections on visiting boats and water crafts etc. and they also monitor the cliffs and provide safety advice.

The Lagos Maritime Police is under the control of Commander Conceição Duarte who has a team of 15 officers. All the beaches, cliffs and land within 50 metres from the sea from Odeceixe to the end of Meia Praia are their responsibility. Their most active time is obviously the summer period.

Safety is one of their major concerns and I was invited to accompany a patrol led by Commander Duarte on an investigation of the safety of all cliffs from Lagos to Sagres. This is an important patrol where safety barriers are checked as well as danger signs warning visitors to be careful and not to pass the barriers. The officers also provide safety advice to visitors regarding dangerous

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walks on the cliffs. Unfortunately every year there are accidents. Buoys marking the aquaculture of mussels and oysters were also inspected to make sure they are in place. These aquaculture ‘sea farms’ extend for hundreds of meters.

In the run up to summer the Maritime Police wanted to give a few tips about beach safety to avoid any accidents this season.

Swimmers should bath in guarded beaches. These are signed and flags are displaying the conditions of the sea and these are also provided with a lifeguard and the necessary safety equipment. Lifeguards and equipment are mandatory on all beaches with active businesses from the May 1st to October 15th. Bathers should follow the safety instructions from lifeguards or maritime police officers on duty.

After the main season is over on October 15th no assistance from lifeguards is available and more care should be taken. Commander Duarte recommends that people avoid turning their back to the sea; avoid children playing in the water and keep them under constant surveillance; enter the sea carefully, gradients can form currents that are difficult to see and can be dangerous; sea water temperature can be low and lead to thermal shock.

The team also advises that people should be careful when they are walking on the cliffs and should not take extra risks near to the edge when taking photographs or selfies. When lying on the beach make sure you keep a safe distance from cliffs. They also advise that people should keep a close eye on their belongings on the beach and put any valuables in the boot of your car before parking on a remote beach.

We thank Commander C. Duarte and his team for the information provided.

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The Frigate of Liberty visits Portimão

BY EDGAR NEVADA After sailing its way through the Mediterranean, visiting cities like Barcelona, Monaco and Nice, the historical replica of the iconic frigate, L’Hermione, moored for three days at the Porto de Portimão, dazzling the public with its regal presence, remembering its achievements and commemorating the principles of democracy, friendship and liberty.

It was in 1780 when France sent the Marquis de La Fayette, an important military and political figure of the French Revolution, on board L’Hermione to the United States to support them in their Independence War against the British Empire, changing dramatically the history of the world.

On the morning of May 8th the landmark of Portimão port changed its usual scene of modern cruise liners for a more classic and, I have to say, more beautiful view.

The 56.5 meters high and 66 meters long nautical marvel and its 80 crewmembers were welcomed by hundreds of people and, in response, L’Hermione saluted with a salvo of cannon fire.

As part of the visit of the frigate to Algarvian coasts, the Village L’Hermione-La Fayette was opened on the dockside to provide the public with a selection of food, drinks, memorabilia and music by choirs, rock bands and folk groups, where many of the participants were dressed in period costumes to entertain the visitors.

Other activities took place around this event at the Museo and Teatro Municipal de Portimão, like seminars, conferences and exhibitions dedicated to the frigate’s wonder years and the importance of the relationship between the people of France and Portugal.

Students from local schools also had the opportunity to do guided visits and have an impression of how it felt to be part of the adventures those sailors lived in those

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days. All of this wouldn't have been possible without the initiative of Patrick Mangin, President of Union des Français de l’Etranger Algarve (Union of the French Abroad), who commited to bring L’Hermione to Portimão as soon as he found out she was going to be on route to the Mediterranean. “I am very proud, I had tears in my eyes, It is such an important symbol, not only for me but for the entire French community in the Algarve,” he said.

As expected, an event of this caliber requires a lot of logistics, coordination and preparation to make it happen. Security, police, firemen, electricity and public toilets were provided by the Câmara Municipal de Portimão with the support of other institutions and local businesses. “It was a very big event, we were all very tired but very happy,” Patrick added.

The stunning frigate, an idea conceived by the Centre Internacional de la Mer back in 1992, was built using the same materials and techniques as its original more than 200 years ago, which implies that it also has to be sailed as it was done back in the day, no electricity or modern equipment, proving a huge challenge for the crew and its Commander, Yann Carriou: “This must be the most difficult ship to command in the world, it’s got the maximum complexity of a frigate of the 18th century,” he said, “Let’s not forget this is a war ship, so it has to be fast and agile to maneuver in every weather condition, it was conceived that way and it performs accordingly”.

But far more than just a classic frigate, L’Hermione, it’s a symbol, not only of historical facts, it represents the vision, values and principles that shaped modern society, where we treasure and defend our human rights and our freedom as individuals.

Bringing some colour Tomorrow magazine is delighted to be in partnership with the local group that has set up the Lagos Sunset Color Party. It’s an event that marks International Youth Day in August. Last year was the first time the event was held and this year’s party promises to be even bigger and even better. We spoke to the organiser, 23-year-old Diogo José Viegas Rodrigues.

I started this project with the aim of working for youth and for the city. I graduated in Management of Tourist Animation at UALg and Production of Events, at the ETIC Algarve, Faro. I have already done some things like graduation parties for schools in the Algarve, theme parties and I have integrated projects like the Rota do Petisco. Now I have created one of the largest projects I have ever imagined…. A (A) Garra - Young Association of Lagos.

even more. In the future, we will see more youth party days.

We want to grow as a brand, making it known, from year to year and increase both quality and quantity with the goal of becoming mandatory every year.

At the moment, this is an event celebrating International Youth Day. It is a sunset with lots of music, exercise and a great social responsibility. This year is loaded with new things. New location, extended time, confirmed national artist and some news on social and environmental responsibility.

What's the purpose of it?

Please tell us about yourself?

I have a rare disability and lost my mother age 13. Despite this, I believe I had a happy childhood. I feel that I was born to triumph for causes and to do my best to make a difference. Every day I stand up for this purpose. I consider myself to be friend of the friend, playful, sincere and honest. I have a peculiar personality, not everything can be a sea of roses. I am quite ambitious and I believe in hard work and dedication as a formula to achieve success.

Parties are one of the great movers of masses and of being able to attract the public. For a youth festival, allied to this, we want to do it with a duration of 2/3 days in which apart from music, we are able to include in each day, a thematic day, as is the case of LSCP, as well such as vocational education, higher education, health, sport, professional qualifications, etc. Also having lectures and conferences on these subjects, always aimed at youth is a clear goal as well. With this, it is possible to have party, music and fun, as well as instill subjects and themes that are an asset to this sector.

Please tell us about your professional background.

I am currently working at Lagos Câmara, I have the association, I am responsible for the communication of the city's football club and I am involved with some other projects too.

At the Câmara I work in the Youth and Sports service and provide direct support to the Service Coordinator.

I’ve worked there for less than a year. I was very well received, I have no reason to complain and I have made many friendships. It has been extraordinary to work with people older than myself and at the end of the day I am the youngest member, with a total of about 700 workers.

Please can you tell us about the Sunset event that you set up.

Well, Lagos Sunset Color Party (LSCP) is an event that is part of a project that has to come back to the city. Our goal as an association is to incorporate it into the youth party. In fact, LSCP now goes into its second year after exceeding expectations in the first year. It is a party for youth but we also really want to build a brand that is the youth party in Lagos. In the future we hope to expand

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It ends up being a great project for the city and of great value, so we want to start little by little and it will be necessary to raise awareness of the importance of a project with these characteristics that will impact the municipality.

What are the barriers for young people in Portugal?

There are some barriers and they are very difficult. At the level of employment and housing. It is very difficult for young people to buy a house. In the Algarve, especially in Lagos it is a nightmare. Young people eventually go away in search of better working conditions. We must look at these matters with some seriousness.

You can read more details about the Lagos Sunset Color Party 2018 in our July edition.

After spending some time perfecting their tunes during May, nightingales are now singing along streams and valleys and spreading their complex love songs throughout the south west. Because they also perform after dusk, a quiet warm summer night with the song of of the mightingale is something not easily forgotten.

Photo ©: Sardinian Warbler José Manuel Armengod; Wrinkled Rockrose Nuno Barros; Small Copper Nuno Barros

Tits, stonechats, finches…most of the songbirds are now busy taking care of their offspring or hatching partner, and you can hear begging calls wherever you go. Sardinian warblers are now very active, and easier to spot.

Wildlife

BY NUNO BARROS

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN JUNE? The sun is shining and the days are long and warm. The landscape starts to turn from green to a soft golden brown. There is still plenty of interesting wildflowers out there, and butterflies are very active. All the birds are busy nurturing partners and young, but some early migrants are already on the move. Summer is finally here.

In the cliffs of the West Coast, swifts are busy catching insects. Three of the four species found in mainland Portugal breed here – alpine, pallid and common swifts – and can be seen crying up in the sky while they look for food. These are magnificent birds, shaped like ‘boomerangs’ and an inspiration to aeronautical engineers. Recent studies with GPS-loggers (one of which took place in Portugal) found that most of these birds don’t land at all while on their African wintering grounds. Some common swifts have been recorded to spend 8-10 months airborne.

 www.birdland.pt

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White storks nesting along the remote shores and stacks of the West Coast are now feeding their young and the song of the blue rock thrush echoes in the wind.

However urgent the need to find food, birds are now quieter during the hours of more intense heat, to avoid expending too much energy. Common quails can be heard nearby – their call sounds a bit like dripping water which makes you wonder how close they might be, although you seldom see them.

In some wetlands like Carrapateira or Aljezur river mouths, some non-breeding or failed breeding waders can make a stopover – small flocks of dunlin, grey plovers or black-tailed godwits are not uncommon. Some odd great-spotted cuckoos can sometimes be seen in Sagres because they don´t have to raise their young, cuckoos leave for Africa very soon.

Some of the most noticeable wildflowers in the dunes and cliffs are now stonecrops – a spirally succulent plant, wild carrot (subspecies halophilus – salt tolerant) – with its distinctive white flowers, or thistles like the beautiful cardoon. By the roadsides, the lovely pink common centaury is probably a highlight which leaves no space for indifference. The scent of the curry plant is also unmistakable, as well as the plant itself with its dense clusters of yellow flowers. Gum cistus are still flowering and their scent is still strong. Wrinkled and grey-leaved rockroses lend the landscape their pink colours, flashing amidst the white of their more abundant relatives.

As the sun warms the air, butterflies become more abundant. Small skippers, small coppers and Spanish marbled whites are just some of the most common ones.

With the heat, the reptiles also emerge from their refuges. It is not unusual to find an occelated lizard – a small giant that can measure more than 50cm – warming up on a boulder or even crossing the road. These are gorgeous animals, and the sight of one can easily be the highlight of your morning out admiring the local wildlife.

Nuno runs Birdland which offers tours around the west coast.

A day in the life... ... of a blueberry farmer. This month we feature Chris Wells. As well as being the vice president of the European Pain Federation he also finds time to grow blueberries.

I didn’t retire to the Algarve for a quiet life, I came for the sun. Lucky that, as having a blueberry farm is anything but quiet! However, now we have had the much needed rainfall in March and April, I can enjoy the sun, and also the many pleasures the blueberries bring.

Why blueberries? Well, they are a wonderful health food, and in Pincho I have ample water from a big lake, good acid soil and loads of land, so the decision to start a Blueberry farm was made in 2012, and the bushes were first planted in 2013.

Blueberries have important anti-aging and antiinflammatory properties, and improve brain health as well as being excellent anti-oxidants.

Today, a typical day for me early in the season. I get up early, this morning at 6.20am, as the sun climbs over the hills and bathes my land in its rich warmth. Much of the manual work needs to be done as early as possible, before it gets too hot for me, though I am glad to have the help of both locals and Brazilian workers who can stand the afternoon heat.

I walk over to the farm, with three dogs and two cats, from the house (1 kilometer away), to see which of my 3000 bushes are ripening, which need pruning and which need thinning out to promote bigger, juicier berries. The

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benefits to me are not only the walk but eating handfuls of freshly ripened berries, sweetened by the Algarve sun, right off the bushes. There is always some weeding or strimming to be done and I organise my team as they arrive at 8am for the morning shift.

The two Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, Hermione and Petunia, need feeding, and the Koi Carp appreciate something too, though the dogs are jealous, having forgotten they were fed just 60 minutes ago.

Morning is also a good time to pick, and that is the first task for us all, before the berries become too hot in the sun. They are best picked within two weeks of ripening to preserve their shelf life, and once that is done, we take them up to the warehouse in reusable crates to the cool room. There they are stored, cleaned and packed for distribution. Once they have been there a maximum of a further three weeks, any unsold ones are used for blueberry products: frozen, dried, making foods and delicious alcoholic concoctions from mirtillo mojitos to blueberry gin (see our website for recipes).

In the afternoon, I retreat inside the house for paperwork, orders, planning and sometimes a little siesta. There are always plenty of forms to fill in, this being Portugal, and also I need to keep the website updated, blog on the facebook page (please like us) and check for ‘pick-yourown’ customers.

In the evening, as it gets cooler, and especially at the weekends, we are delighted to welcome pick-your-own customers. This evening we have some English friends with their children, and a Portuguese teacher (who heard about the farm from her pupils) and her family. 

We meet them by the lake, and take them up to the bushes in our ATV. I chat about growing berries, farming, and they find out for themselves how good and how sweet the berries are here compared with the supermarket ones).

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Meeting so many people from many different countries, locals, immigrants and holidaymakers, has been a lovely feature of my time here. Last year we had over 300 visitors and we hope to have twice as many this year. Many people bring their children and I am delighted to have shown so many youngsters the berries and see then tasting them with delight. Purple tongues are the order of the day!

Times need to be arranged by using the FB page or ringing 915634215 as it is not easy to access the farm and we need to look out for you! This year we can offer light refreshments and also are happy to have people use the lake (at their own risk) for kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding or swimming if they get too hot!

Also tonight I have an export order to arrange. Last year we were pleased to export to UK, Ireland, Belgium, Holland and Germany. My working day finishes at 8 pm, but it hasn’t all been slog, as there has been plenty of opportunity for rest, chat and even a sly SUP hour (just to check that the boards are OK).

There are tremendous health advantages to eating blueberries, they are probably the best antioxidant super fruit due to their high concentration of anthocyanins. They are also a rich source of phytonutrients, and eating 2 cups of blueberries every day gives more benefit than all other types of berries combined.

Our organically grown blueberries are free from production chemicals, but it's best to give them a rinse before eating because of handling during transit and stocking.

They can usually be stored in the fridge for up to six weeks, but we’d rather you ate them within 2 weeks to enjoy them at their best! We hope to see many of you over the coming season.

 www.quintadopincho.com  Quinta do Pincho Blueberries

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Appeal for shade after tree cull

BY LUCY FOX Idling away the hours on the sidelines at Burgau Sports Centre watching our kids dash about with balls and rackets of all shapes and sizes, has become a regular part of the lives of countless generations of families over the past 34 years. For many of us, Burgau Sports Centre is our lives.

But recent legislation to protect houses and commercial buildings from deadly forest fires has meant the tall trees that shaded spectators have had to be culled, at huge expense, leaving everyone sweltering - and it’s only going to get hotter.

So the community is rallying. The Thursday night Burgau Barbarians (a group of rugby-playing Dads and friends) are calling for donations to help them build decking and shade for those sitting on the sidelines. As one Barbarian told me: “It’s something we’re all going to benefit from. The Robinsons have given us so much over the years, it’s time we all gave something back.”

And it’s true; for the past 34 years, the Robinson Family have welcomed thousands through their doors - not least some great young talents who’ve gone on to play with the Big Boys. Current England and Spurs player Eric Dier played footie here throughout his childhood, as did Craig Short (Blackurn and Everton), Diogo Viana (FC Porto & Sporting Lisbon) Dave Syers (Bradford City) and Jamie Gullan (Hibernian). These sporting legends continue to pop in whenever they’re in town.

Andy Robinson, who’s just turned 70, and his wife Judy took the brave plunge to set up the facility back in 1984 when their first-born son Dan was just a month

old. They realised Burgau was lacking a sporting community centre and the seed grew from there. Dan, now 34, Ben, 32 and Sam, 28 all still regularly work there.

BSC is a dedicated family affair.

Since it opened, the centre has become a lifeline for so many families, not just those living on the Western Algarve, but for countless families who come on holiday.

Whether it’s tennis, football, rugby, hockey, swimming, basketball, netball, fitness classes, yoga or just a bit of darts or snooker you’re after, the Robinsons will make it happen.

As Dan Robinson points out: "Over the years we've had so many families use the Burgau Sports Centre but what’s so rewarding is seeing them all now bringing their families back, the next generation.”

The building work will start as soon as enough money can be raised to buy the materials. The plan is for the team to build wooden decking where the trees once stood and cover the area with overhead sail shades.

Everyone’s giving their time for free, hoping to finish the work before the heat sets in. There’s no doubt about it, the community needs Burgau Sports Centre…and we need it to still be here for our children’s children. For all those volunteering, as much as anything else, it’s about letting the Robinson family know how much we value everything they’ve given us over the years. And as Andy celebrates his 70th birthday, what better way to say thank you!

To donate, you can give in person at Burgau Sports Centre or email.

 andyrobinson_burgau@hotmail.com

Meet the artist

This month we are introducing you to visual artist Cory Sea. He specialises in photography and abstract impressionism. He believes that art and music should uplift and inspire and hopes that his images and music offer inspiration. Here, he tells us more about what inspires him.

Please can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself.

I have a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico. I was also was given a scholarship to the Yale Summer School of Music and Art. I have exhibited, taught and performed in Australia, where I lived for many years. I currently live in Portimão, Portugal, with my wife, Maryanne.

Please tell us about your art.

I work in two forms of visual arts. One is photos taken in the Algarve, particularly details that give a sense of the light and the life of an Algarve village. The second form of art that I do is a kind of abstract impressionism, focusing on the natural world as well as more ethereal or transcendent subjects. My current work uses digital means to create these images.

What mediums do you work with?

I use the medium of photography and also a variety of digital means to create my images. My subject matter has two categories. Cenas de Aldeia are scenes of village life in the Algarve. These are photographs. The second category of subject matter is more broad, and includes explorations of light, nature, and space in a kind of abstract impressionism.

Can you tell us how you create your work?

While I have a Master’s degree in Fine Arts and have done paintings in the past, I am not currently working with the medium of paint. I use digital means to create my images. My ideas are inspired by my spiritual interests, my love of nature, and my love of the Algarve.

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How long does each piece take to create?

The photos are selected from the many that I take, and cropped and edited to the final image. It is somewhat difficult to estimate the exact time each photo takes as the overall process includes searching for the picture and motif. I also work on a number of images at the same time when I am focused on my images of the natural and more spiritual subject matter. These evolve over a number of weeks, such that, in four weeks, for example, I may develop five or six new images.

What do you want your work or your art to do?

I would like my work to inspire and uplift people, so that they feel more happiness for having seen it. I would also like my photos, in particular, to show people some of the beauty in the Algarve that they might not have noticed.

Do you have a funny story something unique or unusual - or quirky or even famous to share with us?

I and my wife Maryanne have had a very unusual life.

There are many stories that are of interest. In fact Maryanne was scheduled to go on Oprah Winfrey but then 9/11 happened and the programming was all changed. She, and to a lesser extent, I, are featured on two documentaries focused on environmental illness: one for the USA program 20/20, and the second for the BBC. We have done eight international moves and lived on four continents. Lots of interesting stories to tell. My wife is the better storyteller than I am.

Do you have a favourite painting?

There are many paintings that I love: the Impressionists, the works of Turner, and others. 

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What else are you working on or planning for the future - what can we look forward to from you?

My hope is that my images become more and more beautiful and inspiring.

Are you involved in any upcoming shows or events?

Not for the art. I do many music concerts, as I am a professional musician as well.

Is there anywhere else that we can buy your work - and are you available for commissions?

The work can be purchased from me.

The purchaser and I decide together on the size as well as how the image will be fabricated: vinyl on foamalite, dibond,

perspex, etc. Generally each image is part of a small edition, which makes each one less expensive. Yes I am available for commissions.

This article has been provided by the Algarve Society of Artists - a group formed to support and promote art and artists across the Algarve. They have a website www.algarve-art.com and publish a free quarterly online magazine entitled Algarve Art! Visit their website for more information.

 cory@brightarts.com  +351 936 463 729  www.coryseaartist.com  www.algarvepostcards.com

Send your answers to: info@coolchartersvilamoura.com with the subject “Competition Time” along with your full name and contact details.

(Prize available for six months from closing date, excluding public holidays)

It’s competition time!

How would you like to enjoy a luxurious Sunset Cruise Charter aboard a beautiful luxury 40ft Rib? Well, now you could be in with a chance! All you have to do is enter our competition!

The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced Friday June 29th 2018 on the Tomorrow Algarve Facebook page. The closing date for entries is Wednesday June 26th 2018.

How to enter: Like us, Cool Charters Lagos, on Facebook and answer the following question for a chance to WIN! Who was the famous Portuguese explorer that first circumnavigated the globe?

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Escape from the everyday and discover this amazing rib (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) located in Lagos Marina, Portugal.

More about the charter: After getting yourself comfortable we leave Lagos Marina to discover the amazing coastline, drop anchor and stop for swimming, use our on-board kayaks to explore the hidden gems, visit a deserted beach or simply relax and sunbathe in style with a glass of cool bubbly.

The entire team at Cool Charters Lagos are waiting to welcome you to our incredible natural coastline.

We can assist you with luxury boat charter from either Lagos with our rib or from Vilamoura where we have Kerry, a 58-foot luxury boat. We have canoes, jet-skis all manner of water sports available for you. If you’re ready to book, please use the links below.

 +351 926 412 165 (Lagos)  +351 934 228 116 (Vilamoura)  info@coolchartersvilamoura.com  www.coolchartersvilamoura.com

OVEISON

o u t d o o r

l i v i n g

Thirty years of the Pigs Head There’s no doubt that the Pigs Head in Burgau is a one off. It’s popular with locals and visitors alike and this summer the owners are celebrating three decades of starting the well-known bar.

Rebecca Simpson looks back across the years.

Over a drunken afternoon BBQ on the last Saturday of August 1987, three friends came up with the idea to establish a bar like no other on the Algarve. Pat and Rotten (Robert) Hurst were living in Brussels but had spent the previous few weeks travelling around Portugal.

The original presumption was to buy premises and go from there but why buy something when you could build exactly what you want.

Rotten and Pat decided that this was a venture not to be missed and decided to take the plunge along with their friend Tommy.

After returning to Brussels, a few months later Rotten embarked on another trip to the Algarve with the first instalment of cash to start the new venture. Rotten had clearly underestimated the sheer level of intoxication established during their momentous summertime BBQ as his good friend Tommy couldn’t remember a single thing about the discussion!

There followed another drunken evening together in the Burgau social club (the only place open) whereupon plans were once more set in motion. During the first week of March in 1988, Rotten and Pat made the move from Brussels to the Algarve in a bright orange van packed with furniture, a full size American pool table, two cats and two dogs.

The next three years saw Rotten, Pat, Tommy

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and old Ze and young Ze and a few other friends here and there, build from scratch what is now known as the Pigs Head. Pat would often be seen by the cement mixer grafting away to build their new pub, then rushing off as the final lot of cement churned away to rattle up supper. It’s true to say that the establishment of the pub has not gone without its fair share of nail biting moments.

that business today, now better known as the infamous Sardine Factory Shop in the village.

Although Pat and Rotten are now the names synonymous with the Pigs Head, the input of Tommy during those early years cannot be forgotten. To this day the three friends have stood by what they originally established as the field of dreams. “Build it and they will come”.

One of these included a bank transfer of £40,000 from Pat and Rotten’s bank account in Brussels to a Portuguese bank account.

These funds went missing for 40 days and at one point the manager in Lagos suggested that the couple ask around at other banks to make sure there hadn’t been a mistake! Luckily the funds appeared on day 41. This was in the June of 1988 and happened to be the week planning permission was granted.

Due to their sheer determination and what the Pigs Head has to offer from pie nights, to famous Sunday lunches and all the best sport in between, they have built it and they did come.

Whilst the pub was being established it took three years for a phone line to be properly installed which is slightly different to today’s modern technology where magic communications ping across the globe in seconds. In order to prop up their income before the pub was open, Rotten, Pat and Tommy started a T-Shirt printing company called ‘Rotten T-Shirts’ selling to shops, bars and in markets as Tommy already had a regular stall on Burgau Beach and licenses for most markets. Tommy met Sarah during this phase of the development and they still run

The Pigs Head will of course be showing the World Cup this summer and is a brilliant place to watch all sport. Another accolade for the pub is that when it was originally built the Pigs Head was the first sports bar in the Lagos area, as the nearest one was Praia da Rocha!

After many hurdles and potential breaking points it’s true to say that Rotten, Pat and Tommy through determination and extreme hard work created something rather special that continues to be a distinctive part of the western Algarve.

Over the past 30 years, The Pigs Head has been an integral feature of the community in Burgau and it’s also correct to assume that the village would quite certainly not be the same without it.

Meet the staff A bit further down the coast another community hub is the Holiday Inn in Armação de Pêra which holds a string of events throughout the year. We would like to introduce you to a few of the familiar faces that work there. We enlisted the help of the Holiday Inn’s sales manager, Vicki Good.

First of all we meet head waiter Fausto Prata who has a long history with the hotel.

I started working at the Hotel Garbe, now called the Holiday Inn Algarve, when I was 15. I used to carry the cases for the guests. Then at 16, I moved to the restaurant serving the guests at their table, I also worked as a wine waiter in the restaurant. When I was 19, I left the hotel and went on to work as a waiter in a small restaurant in town. Now almost 30 years later, I came back to work in a beach restaurant owned by the Holiday Inn Algarve called Palm Beach as the head waiter. It has been a good challenge.

Please tell us a bit about your family and where you grew up.

I was born in Lisbon, moved to South Africa at eight, went to primary school for five years, then came back to Portugal and moved to the Algarve 30 years ago. I have been married for 21 years and I have a daughter who is 15.

When and why did you come to the Algarve?

My dad decided to come to the Algarve to work, I was more or less 15, so me, my brother and my mom all came down with him from Lisbon, that is part of the reason I decided to stay, the other part is my wife, we started dating at 18 and she is a local girl from Silves.

What are the best things about your job?

The best things about my job are being able to meet people from all over the world, make them feel welcome and at home, serve them well, and get them to talk about us, about the restaurant, the hotel, the village and Portugal.

Can you tell us something about yourself that may surprise visitors?

I think that the surprise of our visitors will always be the place we are at, the setting, right on the beach, the welcoming atmosphere they will find, the food, the cocktails, all this provided by our great kitchen and restaurant staff led by our manager Paulo Matias.

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Alice Duarte is another familiar face. She has been at the hotel for more than three decades.

What is your job at the Holiday Inn and how long have you been there?

I am the Reception Manager, I have been working here at the Holiday Inn Algarve for 34 years.

Please tell us a bit about your family and where you grew up.

I was born in the Alentejo, and came to the Algarve to when I was 20-years-old.

Three years later I met my husband, we married and we had two daughters.

When and why did you come to the Algarve?

At the age of 20 I decided to come to the Tourism School in Faro and when I finished, two years later, I decided to stay in the Algarve, as there was not much work in the Alentejo. I started work in the same hotel that I had done my training, and have been here ever since!

What are the best things about your job?

One of the best things in my profession is the amount of different people that we can meet from all over the world, and the opportunity to provide them with pleasant stays at the hotel.

Relative newcomer is Vicky Taya who is a restaurant manager.

What is your job at the Holiday Inn and how long have you been there?

I am the manager of the Raj Indian Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Algarve. I have been working here since 2014.

Please tell us a bit about your family and where you grew up?

I grew up in the north of India in a stay called Haryana. This state is agriculture based, my family are farmers.

When and why did you come to the Algarve?

I came to the Algarve when this position was offered to me.

What are the best things about your job?

The best thing about my job is that each day is different. Different customers with different needs, with this I love dealing with the public, chatting, ensuring that they are enjoying their time in our Restaurant. This job has helped me to be more positive in attitude and improved my communication skills.

 +351 282 320 260  www.hialgarve.com

Artistic nomads Fleur and Angel found their way to Lagos at the end of last year with a passion for art and travel.

They are about to set sail on a new adventure but Laura Rodriguez Merino caught up with them ahead of their next adventure.

These past months I have had the opportunity to meet two great souls who travel around the world, enlightening people through their work and essence: Fleur and Angel. A short talk with them is enough to feel inspired into following one’s instincts, ambitions and fulfilling our deepest dreams. They teach us that fear is the biggest stone in our way and that only we have the key to unlock our own limitations.

Angel (artist’s name ©ViaoueElAngel) was born and raised in Salamanca, Spain, and from a very early age he was inclined to paint as a way to express himself. Those paintings were just fun to him; however he already felt that it was a clear path for him to follow. Sadly, his parents and society did not agree with the artistic path in life and he was encouraged to follow a more traditional lifestyle, taking away the idea that his art was something valuable.

Angel became a building engineer and worked for 15 years of his life in this profession, not enthusiastic about it, but it had to be that way…

Four years ago, and tired of his non-passionate engineering career, his arty soul knocked on the door once again; this time with fierce determination. He realised that painting was and had always been a part of him, only hibernating for over 30 years. Slowly, he began again: using his soft pastels and pencils, later acrylics, oils and mixed all kind of materials on different surfaces of varying sizes. He learnt the freedom of expression through his own art

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and decided to leave behind his structured life to give way to freedom and desire.

That path lead him to meet his best angel, Fleur, who pushed him to value his talent and enabled him to have the courage to move forward with his passion. Fleur and Angel decided to go all-in, becoming artistic nomads: traveling, creating, sharing smiles, and enjoying their own development as artists and human beings. They both realised that their mission in this life was to ‘unlearn’ the learnt patterns and to rebirth the killed child inside of us all Angel’s art is a clear expression of this.

Portugal was the first country to welcome in Angel’s art. It was first in Oporto where galleries and private buyers developed an interest for his paintings. Oporto became the jumping off point, next he gathered a following in Spain and at present his work is also exhibited in Asturias, Salamanca, Cáceres, and the Algarve.

In September 2017, Angel and Fleur arrived in the Algarve with the firm intention to continue their artistic adventure. It was in Lagos where LAC opened the doors to them and they could start a very personal artistic project that ©ViaoueElAngel named Viumanjo!

At that moment he was not sure why he chose that name, but later learnt that the name translated to 'I saw an angel', and he knew he had found one. The new angel he found

was indeed the most personal and had been abandoned for some time: his inner child, who was screaming to come out and express himself through art. The new limited edition of unique pieces created in Lagos amaze us through a powerful yet delicate personal vision of the world surrounding him. As always, his collections are created on recycled materials with very low economic investment - a way to teach us all that art can be done and found everywhere, and that nothing is rubbish, but a new opportunity to continue its life with new value.

Today Angel and Fleur are ready to leave the Algarve and start a new project somewhere else. The destination is not a worry for them, as long as they have their two backpacks and painting materials. Maybe the new city or town will open its arms to their art as Lagos did, and soon we will hear from them in a neighbouring city or a far away country. As for now, their goal is to continue creating art wherever they go.

Angel’s paintings are now in Lagos (private exhibition), at Mexhiloeira Grande (Restaurante A Curva) and Hotel Avenida in Lagos, which has acquired the largest work of VIUMANJO Lagos’18.

For more information or to purchase some art, please visit the website or call.

 +351 910 438 555  www.safecreative.org/user/Viaoue

reflecting Jaguar’s history of producing cars, like the E Type, with “grace, space and pace”.

Picking up the pace

BY PHIL EGGINTON In March 1961 Jaguar Cars launched the E Type sports car. The new car’s combination of beauty, innovative technology and stunning performance quickly established it as an icon of motoring. On its release in March 1961 Enzo Ferrari called it "the most beautiful car ever made". The E Types reputation still holds true to the present day, even being used by Prince Harry to transport his new bride Meghan on their Royal Wedding day. Original cars now attract very high values and turn heads wherever they are seen.

Fast forward to March 2018 and Jaguar unveils the all new I-PACE at the Geneva Motor Show. The world of automotive is rapidly changing. Technology dominates, with all manufacturers moving towards fully electric powered cars. Can these still offer the combination of looks, technology and performance so wonderfully demonstrated all those years ago by the E Type? Jaguar thinks so. In the I-PACE it has produced another world leader. It places Jaguar at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution.

Dr Ralf Speth, CEO Jaguar Land Rover says “Where other companies talk about the future, we build it. We have torn up the rule book to create the newest member of the PACE family, the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE. With zero tailpipe emissions, no CO2 and no particulates, it moves us dramatically closer to our vision of a clean, safe and sustainable future.” It’s electrifying performance, super car looks, 298 mile range and rapid charging, place the I-PACE at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution. All

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The I-PACE is a significant car not just for Jaguar but for the future of automotive vehicles. The launch to Jaguar’s worldwide dealers is therefore an important high profile event. The fact that Jaguar chose to hold this in the Algarve is great news for the region. The World Dealer Launch and Training event, titled “Electrifying the Pace”, was centred on the fabulous Autódromo do Algarve (AIA) near Portimão. Pine Cliffs Resort near Albufeira also played its part. Held over a 7 week period from early April until late May, the event used all the AIA facilities. Not just the race circuit, but also the kart track (replicating a normal road), off road track, fast straight, surrounding roads and hotel. A large auditorium theatre was specially built in the centre of the circuit paddock where all the main presentations took place.

Hosts for the event included Lee McKenzie, Channel 4 F1 presenter and Andy Jaye, another well know face on motoring TV in the UK. Ian Callum, Design Director for Jaguar, presented the design philosophy and features of the I-PACE. Jaguar’s dealers were given detailed training on a wide variety of subjects including customers needs, technology and performance. They also had the opportunity to view all the current Jaguar and Land Rover models. They had some glimpses of future models including the much awaited replacement for the original Land Rover, the Defender, due in 2 years.

The all electric converted E-Type Concept Zero, used just after the event by Prince Harry, was present, although few knew it was to shortly feature all over the world’s press. Other examples from Jaguar’s Special Vehicles division such as the F Type SVR, reproduced 1950’s XKSS, Jaguar’s Formula E race car and an all new racing version of the I-Pace to support Formula E were also present.

Finally, Jaguar’s competition pedigree was celebrated with cars from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust. These included 1950’s XK120, C Type, D Type, 1970’s USA E Type V12 race car, 1980’s Touring Car winning XJS V12 and the 1988 Le Mans winning XJR9. The sight of all these cars pulling away from the start line in a mock race start brought a tear to the eye of many of the assembled Jaguar people.

Phil is a motorsport and performance vehicle consultant who has worked professionally in motorsport and for major car manufacturers (including Jaguar). He has now retired to the Algarve.

 www.jaguar.com  www.aia.pt

toldos - awnings sun wind rain protection

toldolanda

info@toldolanda.com | www.toldolanda.com | 914 609 517

Spring Break Portugal

BY SIMON MOULSON At the beginning of April just over 200 partygoers descended on the Algarve for their annual Spring Break holiday; the origin of which is that it comes from the big old U S of A. The first Spring Break was back in 1938 and was one long beach party in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

It was a Swim Forum held at the Casino Pool (the first Olympic-sized pool in Florida) a meeting of more than 300 swimmers and coaches who all gathered in Florida to swim and socialise. The hedonistic Greeks and Romans are primarily to blame with the introduction of Spring, the season of fertility and awakening, was historically celebrated in tandem with the veneration of Dionysus or Bacchus – the Greek and Roman gods of wine.

The revellers come from far and wide, but primarily the UK, but also France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Brazil were also represented. Their primary focus was purely to enjoy themselves and let their hair down. They are a bunch of nocturnal creatures who tend to start their night at about 11.00pm and dance their little socks off until 6.00am.

Their place of choice for Spring Break is Albufeira and it’s a shame that these party-goers prior to their arrival have been tarnished with the same brush as a group of youths back in September which went by the name ‘Portugal Invasion’ therein lies the problem, the assumption that this lot of party-goers were going to act in the same way.

It was reported that anti-riot police had to be sent to break up a fight during the last Portugal Invasion in 2017.

In fact you have probably never even heard about Spring Break Portugal despite the fact that it has been going for three years. There is nothing adverse to report in either the social media circles or newspapers and so I think it only right to address the negativity we tend to hear about the so-called youth of today. I had the pleasure of being amongst the Spring Breakers for four out of their five-nights and it was a pleasure to see them thoroughly enjoying themselves, causing not one jot of a problem and helping them boost the economy of the Algarve in a quiet April.

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Spring Break is the brainchild of a smart cookie, Charles, who at the tender age of 29, is considered quite old now.

He dreamt of Spring Break Portugal back in 2014 whilst working at a construction company and wanted to create a music-led holiday in the Algarve. He chose the Algarve as he is fluent in Portuguese, his Mum is a Portuguese national from Angola and his Dad from Mozambique and even though he was born in Paris, he classes the Algarve as pretty much his second-home having holidayed many times.

His mantra was “Why can’t I manage something like Spring Break but in the Algarve!” he decided to stepup his research and in 2015 he booked a private villa in Alpouvar, a party villa, if you like for 20 of them, his friends and family. It was a tremendous success, even the weather was kind and so it seemed that the stars aligned themselves for this entrepreneur.

Infact, certain friends and family members stayed on a few more days to extend their holiday, I know myself and many others who live in the Algarve can fully relate with this!

The music of choice is primarily Hip Hop and R&B, Charles has forged good links with the local community in terms of hotels, bars and nightclubs and he brings with him many DJ’s wanting to be a part of Spring Break from London and Lisbon.

Charles and his guests have become ambassadors to Portugal and are spreading the word, which in turn is increasing guest numbers year-on-year. They have continually shown a high level of respect, harmony and love for Portugal and with an even greater interest from several countries, Spring Break 2019 (April 24th -28th) looks likely to break all records in terms of revellers.

 @springbreakportugal  www.springbreakportugal.com

MIM SA

PROPERTIES

Be-witched This month sees the Summer Solstice take place and for some people it’s a time to worship and celebrate. We spoke to Julia Brown who lives in Lagos about the event and other biggies in the pagan calendar.

I'm a witch, yes that's right, a witch,a pagan, happily out of the broom closet and living in Lagos near you.

You won't recognise me in the street as thankfully the green skin, hooked nose, and warts haven't made an appearance yet.

What is a witch then? A witch for me is part of the Pagan path but you can be a Pagan without being a witch and you can be a witch without being a Pagan, for me though the two are entwined. For your edification a Pagan is defined by the Pagan Federation as: “A follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion”.

It is an umbrella term that covers many religions, has evolved over millennia and pre-dates most mainstream religions.

In rather more simple terms this is a description of my brand of Paganism and Witchcraft and a description of my Pagan year and how I work.

Witchcraft is a nature based religion which works with the seasons, the Wheel of the Year and generally believes in the duality of deities, both male and female.

Some witches have an affinity with many Gods and Goddesses, others, like me, tend to worship one great Goddess, the embodiment of all other Goddesses and the same for the male God. There is a balance in the Pagan way, between the male and the female and between good and evil. A devil worshipper you ask?

No not I . He belongs to a different religion to mine. As a witch I try to harm no-one and believe that whatever I put out in the world will come back to me three fold.

For instance if I do a spell I very rarely ask for anything

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for myself, I ask for others, for the world, for healing and then lastly myself if I feel it is truly needed.

There was that word, wasn’t there? Spell! A spot of eye of toad and blood of bat? No not for me. I am a little too squeamish for things like that. I prefer my spells to be slightly more sanitised and can be found using crystals and herbs instead. A committed Christian friend of mine once asked what my spells were and my answer was that were the same as her prayers. We both go to our spiritual place to spell/pray it is just that mine is in a sacred circle that I have cast and not a bricks and mortar building. We both build up energy, in her case by singing hymns and being with like minded people, in mine by singing, drumming, chanting and then we release our intentions. Out into the world for the Gods to send on the right path. She concluded that it was not that different really.

In the Pagan year we have eight festivals to celebrate and work with and they follow the year.

October 31st: Our New Year. So the big New Years bash for us is Halloween, or Samhain as we call it. It is the time of year when we venerate our ancestors, our dead, when the veil between the worlds of life and death is at its thinnest and it is the perfect time for reflection and remembrance. It is a time to celebrate Summers end and look to the Winter months ahead.

December 21st , Yuletide, The Winter Solstice, the date can vary a day either side dependant on the calendar. 

Dog divas

BY GAIL SKINNER On April 15th we woke to grey skies and rain, the dogs in my house elected to stay in bed. But it was the morning of the annual Costa Vincente Fun Dog Show in aid of AEZA, so once they were dressed in their best raincoats and settled into the car they were rearing to go.

But we don't mind, who would argue with a party to celebrate the re-birth of the light? The Sun King is re-born, the giver of light and life.

î –

February 2nd : Imbolc, a gentle time when we celebrate the awakening of the land and the Sun's growing power, where seeds are beginning to stir and the Goddess is in her Maiden phase; preparing for growth and renewal.

March 21st: The Spring Equinox, sometimes called Ostara. She is a Northern Goddess who heralds in Spring, the awakening earth, rabbits and hares and the eggs that appear. Chocolate eggs anyone?

Night and day are in perfect balance and the sun grows stronger every day, the leaves are budding and flowers are starting to bloom. It is a time of promise.

And chocolate eggs. Have I mentioned that?

April 30th : Beltane. Feasts, fertility, fires and Maypoles. The Summer is coming, the sap is rising and energies are at their strongest, the world is full of potential and fertility is at it's peak. The Goddess and the God join to create new life. This was mirrored in reality as the young would have their Greenwood marriages and celebrate the passion, vitality and joy.

Often mirroring the Gods in the fertility stakes, June 21st : The Summer Solstice, the longest day, signifying that The God is at the height of his powers, he can be seen in the woods and the forests and appears as The Green Man in many a church and carving, It is a time of the year when light, life and vitality are abundant. A time of joy and yet more celebration. We Pagans do like to celebrate.

August 1st : Lammas, the time of the Corn Harvest where we reap what we have sown and celebrate the abundance of life and the wonder of Nature. The Goddess is the Queen of the land and we give thanks to her with gifts of home-made bread and fruits.

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September 21st : The Autumn Equinox, Mabon, day and night are standing equal again and we see the dark face of The God in the nights that are drawing in. We give thanks to the light at this time of year and for the harvest that is now done, the Goddess becomes The Crone and we look to the darkening days of the year, to finish what we have started, to look back, to reflect and to relax. We will offer our Gods cider and wine from our harvests.

The wheel has now turned a full year and that is my Pagan year. Throw in the odd full moon ritual and it is a busy time. Most years I have celebrated all the above with a proper ritual, this is where I cast a circle of protection, call forth the elements of earth, air, fire and water and ask The Goddess and God to join me and bless my circle. I am safe in my circle and I can work my magic, I like to call it magic, because to me it is. I will dwell on the season for a while, think about what it means to me and mine, when I have finished with this I will summon energy and direct it towards my spell-work or wishes. My prayers as they could be called. Then when the energy has been released and winging its way to where it is needed I have a small celebration, a seasonal offering of food and drink and that is that. I thank The Gods for blessing me and keeping me safe and I thank the elements for their presence and I open my circle, safe in the knowledge that it will be drawn again and the circle will continue.

Paganism is all about the balance, the good the bad, the male the female, it strives for this balance in all things, it sees the divinity in all things, we revere nature, it's cycles and seasons, all it has to offer and teach us. It is not the only path and we would never denigrate anyone for their religion or lack thereof. We will happily explain our path to those that ask but would never presume to push someone onto our path. It is a path that finds you.

Our path is but one on the road, there are many paths but I think when it comes down to it we all strive for the same end.

For me being a witch is a part of who I am, it is not just what I do.

This Fun Dog Show is an amazing event organised by the hard working committee members of AEZA, this year the team involved were Lynda Clarke, Paula Viera, Jackie Drew and Carla Rodrigues. These dedicated ladies did a fantastic job and were optimistic that the weather would be kind to us. Not sure who their contacts are but they were right!

The skies lightened and the crowds started to arrive, bringing with them an amazing array of pampered pooches.

These lucky dogs began to enter the show ring to strut their stuff before judge Paula Viera. The atmosphere was electric, the crowd hoping for their favorite pooch to be chosen, the owners nervously waiting to hear their number called and the judge having the hardest task of picking just one winner per class. All eyes were on the main arena and here were the judges' picks of the day: Best Rescue: Matti Best Pedigree: Zsa Veteran over 8-years: Patusca Best Puppy: Beau Pretty Bitch: Lula Handsome Dog: Pablo Agility: Fig Owner look alike: Fig Waggiest Tail: Murphy Best Trick: Key Sit and Stay: Atena Best in Show: Beau There was something for everyone, a pond for a naughty escapee called Jade to cool off in after her run around, an Agility demonstration and competition by Albertina Mol, and stalls by Onda Natural, Dog Emporium K9 Training Center, Natural Dog treats, Quiche and Cakes, FI Fashion, Jill and Sue's Art and Jewellery, AEZA and a Bric a Brac. A great fun day was had by all and hopefully lots of money and support raised for AEZA to continue helping unfortunate and abandoned animals.

• Prices from 25 Euros per person/per hour • Departing daily from Marine de Lagos from March to November.

• Maximum eight passengers • All drinks and nibbles included • Snorkelling kits provided • WiFi on board • Bluetooth music system

Nauti girl Lagos

Musical moments

BY TOM HENSHAW

Ian Carfrae is a well-known character in the Algarve. He and his wife Karen set up Linens-etc and both have been part of the theatre group, the Algarveans for many years. Here Ian, who was the musical director for Pollen, one of the groups big hits, explains that music has always been centre stage.

Ian Carfrae has spent his lifetime immersed in music.

His first memories are of listening to his mum’s 78s of Fats Waller and the like.

Influenced by his elder brother Ian started piano lessons at the age of five.

He then joined the local church choir and dutifully went to Sunday school. His parents were delighted as his Dad could now play football with the Petts Wood team, which he had formed and still exists today, and Mum could go to rifle practise with the Home Guard.

At Bromley Grammar School in the 1950s Ian became besotted by Trad Jazz and the emerging Skiffle music of Lonnie Donegan. He wanted a guitar and he got one!

A clarinet arrived on his 14th birthday and the life of music had really begun, the family realised he was serious.

In the following five years he also acquired a saxophone and a flute and was playing two or three nights a week in London jazz clubs while working in plastics research at the Marley Tile Company from which he was eventually sacked for ‘missing’ the odd day or two, wonder why?

In 1968 fortune and talent led to Ian being offered the chance to join the New Vaudeville Band and in February 1969 he emigrated with the band to Vancouver in Canada after their big hits including Winchester Cathedral.

Towards the end of 1970 the band was offered a starring role in a show at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas called Funny Farm, based loosely on The Muppet Show, headed up by American comic Rip Taylor and including seven topless dancers - life was good. The show opened New Years Day 1971 and ran three shows a night, six nights a week for 52 weeks, phew!

During Ian’s three years abroad he met many of his idols including people like Buddy Rich, Little Richard and Cannonball Adderley and saw many more performing.

At this point the band split amicably with three members wanting to pursue other ventures in the USA and the other three, including Ian, returned to the UK to continue as the New Vaudeville Band with some new members.

The band was soon working all the top cabaret clubs plus TV appearances and tours across Europe, the Middle East and even entertaining the British Troops in The Falkland Islands.

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By the early 1980s the cabaret clubs were struggling with the effects of the drink-driving laws and the advent of home videos plus a couple of financial recessions so in 1987, now with two young children, Ian decided to have more family time and try new ventures nearer home.

He returned to his first love jazz, playing with a local dixieland band and a 17-piece big band for which he also composed and did arrangements. He also appeared in minor roles for several episodes of the TV series Lovejoy and The Chief and in between time formed his own 10-piece band called Oo-Boop-I-Do. By 1991 his first marriage had ended and Ian met Karen in a jazz pub, where else? Soon they were a couple and it was time to get ‘a proper job’, as his mother used to say.

He joined the Bedfordshire Music Service as a peripatetic woodwind teacher and also became the director of the Bedfordshire Youth Jazz Orchestra. “I remember this time with great fondness,” said Ian “the students inspired me with their enthusiasm”. However the idea of writing a musical was becoming ever stronger so with some sadness he resigned from teaching and turned to a friend in the USA for help with the plot and dialogue.

Then Ian and Karen moved in 2003 to Portugal and they set up a villa management company which developed into Linen-etc, as you may have read in our March issue.

Ian immediately joined the Good Time Jazz band and after about a year persuaded Karen to be their vocalist.

In 2004 he also joined Hugo Alves’ Orchestra de Jazz de Lagos as lead sax and soon after reformed his 1920’s band Oo-Boop-I-Do. Then in 2008 this all suddenly stopped as Ian had a major operation on his jaw and was not sure if he would be able to continue playing. This coincided with the world financial crash which had an adverse effect on the number of venues for musicians and the amount they were paid.

Thankfully it was around this time Linen-etc took off and within a year Ian was playing again in the duo Nostalgia with Karen and in 2010 they both joined The Algarveans and performed in the musical Honk. It was at this time Ian happened to mention to director Chris Winstanley that he’d written a musical. So long story short, Pollen: The Musical was performed in 2016 receiving brilliant reviews.

Is there another musical being planned? Ian says “We’ll have to wait and see”.

Enjoy freshly prepared food in your holiday home

RICARDO

IN-VILLA-CHEF

Call: 960216070

A different perspective Harry Wallace moved to the Algarve about four years ago. First working at a bar in Burgau but now he’s setting up his own business bringing virtual reality to Lagos. We asked him to tell us all about it.

I grew up in the west of Scotland in a small town near Glasgow with my mum, dad and sister. When I was a kid we would go on holiday to Burgau almost every year.

I have many fond memories of childhood holidays in Burgau, and it holds a very special place in my heart.

I studied International Business at university in Glasgow and a short stint in southern California. After leaving university I found there weren't many job opportunities available for my chosen field and, like many graduates, I took up a job in my local bar. During my time working at the bar back home my mum suggested that I look for a summer season job in Burgau, the village I spent many enjoyable summer holidays in my youth, before really focusing on my career.

I was offered a job in a bar in Burgau, coincidentally it was the bar where I had my first ever pint. Not long into my summer in Burgau I met my now fiancée Hope. The end of the summer soon rolled past and after a short trip back to Scotland I returned to the Algarve to start my new life in the sun.

I first got the idea for Virtua after trying a similar experience in Glasgow at the end of 2016. I had already had an interest in virtual reality before trying this experience but I was totally blown away by what it could do. I was immediately hooked, dragging my fiancée back as many times as I could over our stay, much to her annoyance. After doing some research and not finding anyone offering the same services here in the Algarve, I decided to set up a virtual reality experience of my own.

For me, virtual reality is the next stage in entertainment - from books to radio, TV, internet and now VR. I would define virtual reality as a digital simulation so detailed and immersive that it can trick the mind into thinking it is somewhere different than it actually is. There have been countless times when I've been in a virtual reality

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experience when, for example, a fish would swim past my legs and I would actually feel it touch my leg. The immersive power of this technology is that great. I use an HTC Vive headset alongside a very high spec PC. This not only provides excellent clarity and screen definition as well as superb tracking speeds, but it also allows the user to move freely around a room-scale virtual space. The two "base stations" that combine with the Vive map a 3D space, up to 4m x 4m, that the user can physically move around in. This adds a whole new level of immersion.

At the moment I am offering my services on a mobile basis, focusing more on party bookings. So for example, if someone was planning a child's birthday party and wanted something really fun and different as entertainment, I could set up my equipment in their home or party venue. I would then line up a number of my experiences for the party, depending on age level etc.

There are a vast number of experiences to try for people of all ages and abilities, from deep sea exploration and 3D sculpture to battling stormtroopers on Tatooine or fighting off a zombie hoard. Although the equipment can only be used by one person at a time, the viewpoint from the user will be shown on a large screen, and it is almost as fun watching people attempt to navigate through a virtual world as it is doing so yourself.

My vision for the future is to invest in more equipment and to establish a VR arcade, allowing people to play with their friends in multiplayer games. Ultimately I would like to continue to expand and open up a warehouse scale experience, where large groups of people could play simultaneously.

 +351 913 095 900  www.virtuavr.org (under construction)  Virtua Algarve

could have bought his son entry into a team currently racing and let Sam learn from others. Shane though wanted to support his son's passion at a different level of commitment.

Approaching fellow countryman Sheridan Morais, one of the most experienced riders in the superbike paddock, Shane found that they both shared a vision of supporting a new young rider’s dreams, of one day competing at the highest international levels of motorcycle racing.

Sheridan agreed to back the idea from the start and to act as mentor to the young rookies.

Sheridan Morais's long, successful career has spanned World Endurance Championships races to track event in world super bike classes and moto2 in America. His wealth of experience is vast. Sheridan, a racer known for his friendly, gentlemanly nature making him the ideal candidate to teach the codes of bushido to the young samurai students.

Tomas Alonso

Enter the Samurai

BY JEFF MORGAN Lagos is now the home to Portugal's very first international motorcycle racing team.

Samurai Racing made its world debut in April at Spain's Motorland Aragon circuit competing in the World Superbike paddock where the team are challenging in the World Super Sport 300 Championship as well as competing in the Portuguese SSP300 Championships throughout a packed 2018 season.

The two young warriors currently signed with Samurai are both just 15 years of age.

Samuel Lochoff has less than two years experience in the saddle of competitive motorcycles. Sam's speed and passion though were instrumental in the forming of the team. With an extensive background from a young age of racing competition karts his jump to two wheels saw him take victory in his debut race weekend in his home city of Cape Town. Inspired by the recent success of Brad Binder in the Moto3 class 'Samurai Sam' is hoping to be one the next generation of South African riders to make waves on the world scene.

The home nation is represented by Tomas Alonso, the Portuguese rider began his career as a team member and protégée to Miguel Olivera, Portugal's current motorcycling hero.

Winning a number of races before a bad break to his leg slowed the young riders progress, his comeback saw him again victorious. Although Tomas missed the opportunity to join the Red Bull Rookies Cup by 6/100th of a second he is delighted with the opportunity to race in the Samurai colours for a Portuguese team to advance his learning and future career.

The team principal, and Samuel's father, Shane Lochoff

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Sheridan approached his previous employers, the YART Yamaha Team with whom he has had many a successful rides. Their enthusiasm garnered for the project, Samurai Racing would now have the backing of the Yamaha Europe and the supply of the latest machinery. One of only two teams to have the support of the European division of the Japanese manufacturer.

Launched in Lisbon earlier this year and racing officially as Samurai-YART Racing, the team now turned to Lagos businessman Paulo Pacheco, a man with a big reputation of getting things done.

Since moving to Lagos four years ago from South Africa, Paulo and his wife, Angela, have been running the beautifully stocked boutique furniture supply business GiiHome from their shop on Rua Infante Sagres 95-97.

Locating and evaluating potential new riders for the one remaining place on the team, running the logistics, making sure the mountain of paperwork is taken care all whilst talking with, and looking for potential sponsors are just some of the many hats Paulo is wearing right now.

“It is a great challenge. Proving to the sports governing bodies that we are serious was the first of many. Trying to raise €150,000 in sponsorship so that we can make this project a sustaining venture is one of my most important goals. Daily issues like Sam's visa taking a long time to process and the recent weather has made finding time for on track testing limited too. The team is still in the early period and this is a long term project which hopefully will become part of the Lagos community”.

After the first event in Spain Paulo is pleased. “The riders only had 20 minutes to learn the bike prior to the weekend, so for them to finish the race without incident while going quicker each session, this is a start in the right direction”.

Racing fans will have three opportunities to cheer the team on at the Autodrome do Algarve in 2018. The national series begins racing June 6 /7th and again over the weekend of July 21st while the tenth, and penultimate round on European soil of the World Super Bikes takes place September 14th – 16th.

Follow the team or find out more about Samurai-YART Racing.

 Samurai-YART-Racing

Diplomatic Ramblings

BY DOUG MCADAM I mentioned in recent Ramblings about my job as Consul General in Hamburg that there were around 5000 British nationals in Hamburg and that I found I was Honorary President of a large number of organisations – many of them British such as the British Club, English Speaking Union, and local branch of the British Legion to name but a very few. All expected my participation in their events and in many cases to chair their AGMs and they were very happy when I proposed that these should take place in our building (which housed our Residence and office). As the bulk of the British community was of working age these activities were confined to evenings or week-ends.

A major annual two-day event which took place at the Hamburg polo ground was “British Days”. This was organised by a semiprofessional committee with vast numbers of volunteers and included stands and stalls selling all manner of British goods from knickknacks to cars and with entertainment and activities to portray the British way of life from rugby to cricket to pipe band/Scottish dancing and the very popular sport of welly whanging!! My role was mainly to open the event and retire gracefully leaving everyone to enjoy themselves. The highlight of the event was the Saturday night “Last Night of the Proms” concert with a British orchestra and singers funded by a local private bank.

Hamburgers turned out in their hundreds to come to “British Days” and they were not at all shy about singing the usual array of songs like “Rule Britannia” at the top of their voices.

The event raised thousands of euros for local

charities with cheques being handed over at a later reception at our Residence when all the accounts had been settled.

For Queen’s Golden Jubilee day we decided with the British community that we would use our building and gardens for a large party open to all but with numbers controlled by tickets. My wife Sue chaired a committee whose work created an amazing event on Jubilee Day with our back yard, ground floor and gardens all being converted to replicate activities taking place that day at street and garden parties in the United Kingdom.

Every year we were delighted to welcome a pilgrimage visit by the Royal British Legion comprising veterans and family members of those who had lost their lives and were buried in a cemetery in my area. We held a buffet supper for them in our Residence and it was always amazing to hear the stories of veterans who had lost friends/colleagues in the War. The following day we would accompany them to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Becklingen where we would hold a short service and lay wreaths. Afterwards we would all be entertained at the nearby base of the 7th Armoured Brigade. I found the experience very moving - and humbling.

always an international partner which became the theme for that year. How could I refuse?

So we formed a joint committee with staff from my and the mayor’s office and got stuck in.

I had to raise support and sponsorship from British companies. When I called on the CEO of BP I said I would like BP to have a stand. He proposed a café based on a BP service station but I countered that I would like a major stand portraying BP’s environmental achievements.

He swore quietly under his breath but for the fair produced a massive stand which was crowded throughout the event. I managed to manufacture a visit to Hamburg by a British naval vessel (we had regular visits by these) and with our sponsorship money produced all sorts of goods with the logo “Britain in Hamburg” (illustrated). After the Mayor hosted a ceremony in the imposing neighbouring Town Hall we were led by a piper to the official opening on the square. It was all very manic, but great fun.

Doug retired to the Algarve 14 years ago after over 40 years in the Foreign Office

One day I was summoned by the Mayor whom I had befriended. He wished to propose that in 2001 Britain should be the partner country for the annual fair on the famous Hamburg town square! Most of the stall holders were Germans who turned up every year but there was

Orquestra Clássica do Sul A resounding success. It is always a great pleasure to be able to enjoy some classical ‘feasts’ and May 4th was one of those at the Cultural Centre in Lagos.

Orchestra Paulo Gaio Lima soloist

Originally founded in 2002 and renamed in 2013 Orquestra Clássica do Sul in order to enhance its mission of providing a high artistic quality programme for the Algarve and Alentejo regions as well as the Andalusia area in Southern Spain.

OCS is aiming in 2018 to maintain its investment in traditional projects such as

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the case of the Promenade concerts and the Pedagogic concerts alongside their normal orchestral programme.

The artistic team has RUI Pinheiro as principal conductor of the 2018 festival and Bruno Soerio as asscociate composer.

We do recommend a visit to one or more of the orchestra’s evenings.

 fimalgarve  www.365algarve.pt

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos; Mezquita

mosque. We were able to walk around with a very good tour guide.

The Mezquita might be Córdoba’s number one attraction but there are many other things to see and to explore in this beautiful city.

The Judería - The old medieval Jewish quarter, known as the Judería is a labyrinth of narrow winding streets, flower filled courtyards and impressive squares, it holds one of the last three remaining synagogues in Spain.

Córdoba – A city steeped in history

BY KEITH GOODFELLOW

One of the benefits of being a member of Afpop is that they arrange organised tours and events to interesting places, one such being Córdoba in the Andalusian region of Southern Spain. In early May we set off by coach with other like-minded Afpop members stopping off in Seville for a visit to the impressive cathedral then onto Córdoba. Here Keith Goodfellow tells us some of the best places to visit.

I don’t know of many places in the world that can boast of having been the capital of a Roman province, the capital of an Arab State and a Caliphate, such is the history of Córdoba – a designated World Heritage site.

Developed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC, Córdoba became a city of great importance, used for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome.

The Mezquita - Córdoba's time of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of Al-Andalus around 784 AD, this was when work began on the Great Mosque, or "Mezquita", which after several centuries of additions and enlargements became one of the greatest and most famous Islamic buildings in the world.

When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city apparently were so in awe of the Mosque’s beauty that they left it standing, building their own Catholic cathedral within its rows of colourful arches supported by over 850 granite and marble columns, creating the extraordinary and stunning church-

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The Alcázar - A short walk from the Mezquita is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Kings) and its beautiful gardens and Moorish bathhouse.

The castle features interesting 16th century frescos and the gardens are typically Moorish design although mainly built under Christian rule, with ponds, fountains, aromatic plants and flowers and some interesting topiary in the form of urns and castles.

La Fiesta De Los Patios - The Festival of the Patios is celebrated during the second week of May which is when we visited. Families open their houses for you to walk into their courtyard gardens (Patios) which are festooned in a sea of colourful flowers in pots and hanging baskets.

There is a competition in the city to see who has the best patio display and apparently there is fierce but friendly rivalry among the families taking part.

Caballerizas Reales - The Royal Stables are situated close to the Alcázar and is the home of the famous Andalusian horses. We went there to see a show of prancing horses and flamenco dancers who combined their skills with music and lights to put on a stunning event.

There is of course so much more to do and see in Córdoba, every street or square seems to be steeped in history, there are lots of bars and tapas restaurants for you to sample the local cuisine…which we took full advantage of(!) - or you can take a tour on one of the open topped ‘hop on /hop off’ buses – which is a great way to see the city.

Our trip ended with a visit enroute home to the Rio Tinto Copper and Sulphur mines in Huelva Province, reputed to be the oldest mines in the world and according to myth, the fabled mines of King Solomon. The old mined areas resemble lunar landscapes with the famous red river running through it. The mines are still in operation today.

Afpop is an organisation set up to provide a comprehensive range of information services and support to foreign residents of Portugal. www.afpop. com. A big thank you to Pat Allen who organised the trip and who made sure we all made it back home!

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

ACTIVITIES Golf Group Lesson with Trackman Wed 10am €20 p.p.

Women’s Group Lesson Fri 1pm | Men’s Group Lesson Fri 2.15pm €10 Espiche Golf, T: 282688250 Netball Wed 7pm | All ages & abilities, Behind Bombeiros Building | Lagos, E: charlie.milsom@gmail.com ROLL UP for experienced bowlers Mon & Fri 10am, Bowls for Beginners Tue 11am (1st lesson FREE), €10 (non mem.) | Floresta Bowls Club | Rua Direita | Praia da Luz, T: 919707635

Happy Dance Hour (Disco / Pop / RnB hits) | Fri 7pm Dancer & have fun, €10, Dancing in the Street Art 10am €15 LAC Lagos | Creative Dance on the Beach Sat 8pm Natural dance in interaction with nature €10, Batata Beach Alexandra T: 920290521 Tennis Doubles-Round Robin Thurs 3-5pm | €10, Golf Santo Antonio Budens, T: 282690008 Walking Football Wed 9.30-11am | +50yrs Welcome, €3 | Boavista Golf Resort, T: 282790930

EVENTS Jazz Lunch Sun 12.30pm, Fortaleza da Luz Restaurant, Luz, Reservations: 912511196 June 10th Walking in Tôr €10 Tôr, Loulé June 23rd Walking in Sagres + Boat Trip €35, Quimera Experience T: 962647741/ 969467275 Live Sax Music Tues 7pm Boutique Hotel Vivenda Miranda Lagos, T: 282763222 Fado Nights 8pm or Michael Jackson’s Tribute 9pm Wed, Carvi Hotel Praia Dona Ana T: 282760993 June 1st & 2nd Free Initial Consultation (Pediatric Osteopath, Acupuncture, Psychology) Booking required Casa Sakra Lagos T: 916060814 June 7th Solo Harpist (Through out dinner) 7pm Boutique Hotel Vivenda Miranda Lagos, T: 282763222

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FITNESS Pilates Mon & Tue 10am & Fri 6.30pm | Yoga Dance Flow Wed 6.30pm | Power Yoga Thur 10am, €5.50 - €8.50, Lalitana Yoga & Pilates Center, Lagos T: 914061143 Zumba Gold with Marion, €5, Lagos, T: 914731772 Pilates Mat Classes (All Levels) Mon - Fri 8:30, 9:30 & 10:30am & 6pm, €10 or €90 x10, AR Pilates Studio, Lagos, T: 966787280 Fitness Tue & Thurs 9.30am, Pilates Tues & Thurs 11am, €5 Golf Santo Antonio Budens, T: 282690086 Legs Bums & Tums Mon 1.30pm | Total Fitness Mon 7.30pm | HIIT Yoga Fri 9.30am, (€7) Burgau Sports Centre, Boxercise Tues 7pm Lagos nr. Skatepark, Buggy Fit Thurs 9.45 - 11am Wacky Lagos, €6 Soames Fitness (1-2-1 & Group Training available at your location or studio), T: 913425893

June 9th Global Wellness Day Open day dedicated to health & well-being FREE activities | Cascade Resort Lagos, Bookings: 282771500 June 9th & 15th Singing Workshops 4 - 6.30pm Llivre Vermell de Montserrat medieval pilgrim songs of the XIV century June16th Movment/Dance Workshop 10.30am - 1pm, dances of the Llivre Vermell, 16th June Concert 7pm pious songs of repentance & celebration Fruits & bread will be offered FREE Lady Guadalupe Temple, nr Raposeira Bookings: 914016037 June 16 Frozen Shoulder Seminar by Dr. Bock | For massage/bodyworkers & physical therapists fast & pain-free treatment from the Olympics. Max 20 people | Villa Prana Portimão | More info: 926372366

Pilates Mat Class Tue & Thur 6-7pm Clube da Raposeira, & Thur 10-11am Centro Cultural Barão S. João, €5 T: 911754890 Gymnastik for a fit back Mon 6.15am, €8, Belavista Luz, T: 965211996 Yoga (Ashtanga based) Tues & Thurs 10.30am Slow Flow & Yin Yoga Wed 9.15am €10 , €65 for 8 (residents) Yoga for Men Tues 6.30pm €20 for 4, Grupo Desportivo do Burgau fit2lovelife T: 913202621 Pilates Mat Classes Mon Wed & Fri 9.15 & 10.30am & Mon 6pm (1hr) | €10 or €90 for 10 Pilates Equipment Classes | Duet Reformer | Semi Private & 1-2-1, Pilates Room Lagos, T: 926514613 Hatha Yoga Mon Wed & Fri 9.45-11.15am | Yin Yoga Tues & Thurs 9.45am | Teen Yoga (11-16yrs) 9.30am Booking required, €10 Boavista Golf Resort T: 282790930

Yoga | Tue 10am, €9 / €7 for regulars, Monte Rosa | Barão de São João T: 962492607 Gentle Hatha Mon 6.30 8pm Old School, Burgau & Wed 12.15 - 2pm, Hotel Belavista | Luz | €8 T: 965201477 Tai Ji Quan Mon 10-11.30am (beginners) & Thurs 5.30 -7.00pm (advanced), €10 | Dojo Zen de Lagos | Barão S. João, T: 919718955 Healing Meditation with Sacred Geometry Mon 8 9.20pm Suggested donation €10 | Barre infused Yoga Tue 12.30 - 1.30pm | Hatha Yoga Wed 6pm | Yoga Flow Thur 6 - 7.15pm | Vinyasa Flow Sun 9.30 10.45am,€5.80 - 10, InLight Lagos, T: 913127421 Qi Gong (+50) Wed 10.30am €10 (x3 cl.) , Qi Gong (+17) Mon 6.30€10 (x2 cl.), Casa Sakra Lagos, T: 916060814

CLASSES Open Painting Atelier Thurs 10.30am - 1pm, €12.50 (+ materials),Colour Your Life - Healing painting classes Wed & Thurs 3pm| +/- 70yrs, no experience necessary, €10 | Barão S. João, T: 962039574 Dog Training Tue 11am (Rally-Obedience) | Fri 11am & Sat 4pm (Agility), €25 4 sess. | Espiche, T: 968086320

Walking Tour Portuguese Language Lessons | Once a month Mon, Wed, Fri mornings €15p/h (Private) or €50p/m (Group), Silves, T: 937207384 Drumming Classes Thurs 11am-1pm, AmoVate, Vale da Telha Aljezur, T: 960305141

Oriental Dance Class (beginners) Mon 6.30pm €6/class €20/m, LAC Lagos, T: 914851331 Swimming Lessons Mon & Thurs pm & Sat am, €12.50 (non-mem.) | €10 (mem.), Holiday Courses | 3x per Week | €25 (non-mem.) €20 (mem.), Boavista 917953914

Computer Classes Sat 10am All levels | Lagos, T: 918764613

Classical Guitar Classes (English Speaking ABRSM Certified) 1-2-1 for children, adults & seniors €20p/h (References available), Lagos, Paulo T: 962690582

The Sketch Sessions Creative drawing workshop (+18) Thurs, 6-8pm €10 (incl. materials & a drink), Lagos T: 914148373

Life Drawing Mon 11am - 1pm Beginners & Professionals, €10 p.sess Marina de Lagos, T: 916035308

Watercolour Lessons | Thur 10am - 12.30pm | (Beginners welcome) €10, Church Hall Praia Da Luz , T: 912149839

Afro Fusion Dance Classes Wed 6pm & Fri. 10.30am, €10, Amovate Aljezur T: 918047263

Useful Numbers GENERAL

FAITH Sunday Service 10.30am International Christian Community, Madness Restaurant Lagos Marina, T: 910640927 Meditation Thurs 5.15pm, Boavista Golf Resort | Luz, T: 282790930 / 963614499 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

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

CHARITY & SUPPORT

June 20th 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

LACOBRENSE NEVES CHEMIST RIBEIRO LOPES TELLO CHEMIST SILVA CHEMIST ODIAXERE 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 in June

© www.vivaportimao.pt

Popular parades This month sees a string of ‘popular marches’ taking place around Lagos and Portimão. In Lagos on June 13th and 14th there will be lots of entertainment with a party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. The event will start at 7.30pm both evenings until midnight.

There will be music, parades and street stalls selling traditional food and drinks.

There will be dance performances on June 13th at 7.30pm with Emanuel Martins and on June 14th with Rui Soares & Lau. The marching parades will take place at 9.30pm.

Please note there will be traffic restrictions in Praça Infante D. Henrique between 7pm. and 1am. (guaranteeing access to priority vehicles as well as to the Hospital).

Marches will take place in the Portimão area on June 8th, 15th, 25th and 29th. On June 8th at the river front of Portimão, on June 15th at Mexilhoeira Grande, on June 25th at Alvor's river and on June 29th at Praia da Rocha.

50 What's on

Sup up Lagos World Beer Fest takes place this year on June 29th and 30th. There’s free entry to the festival in Praça do Infante.

In total there will be a selection of beers and ciders from across the globe.

These will include Peroni (Italy), Brewdog (Scotland), Grolsch (Netherlands), Fuller's (England), Estrella Galicia (Spain), Magner's - cider (Ireland), Stowford Press

- Cider (England) ), Carling (Canada / UK), Coors (USA), Caffrey's (Ireland), super bock and Lynx (Portugal), Kopparberg (Sweden) and Guinness (Ireland).

The event starts on both days at 12 noon and finishes at midnight. For more details please go to the Facebook page.

 LagosWorldBeerFest

MED Festival One of the greatest World Music festivals, the MED, takes place in the historical centre of Loulé on June 28th, 29th and 30th. This is a festival that celebrates music as well as gastronomy, plastic arts, street entertainment, handicraft, dancing, workshops, and much more. One of the ideas behind the festival is to promote various cultures from around the world.

MED was started in 2004, under the program "Loulé, Host City" of Euro

2004 in an attempt to create a festival with ‘different and unique music’ that promoted the area.

In 2016, the MED Festival celebrated its 13th anniversary and, in this year, it will be even bigger and better than ever. It is now a key festival on the European scene.

 www.festivalmed.pt/en/

Kiko’s Tasca

Wine, food and friends.

Portuguese food. Tapas, lunch and dinner.

Come and try for yourself.

Open from 11am to 11pm. Closed on Tuesdays • Tel.: +351 282 046 037 • Email: one.destino@gmail.com Centro Naútico Sopromar - Estrada Sopromar (Meia-Praia) • LAGOS • GPS - N 37º 06.433' / W 08º 40.176' • f facebook.com/tascadokiko

Taking to the stage The Western Algarve Community Choir (WACC) is set to join The Algarveans Experimental Theatre group for its next play. The Vicar of Dibley is a stage play

by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter, adapted from the television series (and with kind permission of Tiger Aspect Productions). It will feature the choir singing live throughout the production to be staged at Lagoa Auditorium this month.

Liz Roberts Honey, the choir’s musical director, told us: “We were invited by the play's director Melanie Winstanley, who has sung previously with WACC, to perform during the play”.

She added: “It's an exciting project to be involved with and the choir was enthusiastic as soon as they heard about the opportunity. We'll have around 28 members singing at the performances, so more than half of the group.” The choir was started in 2013 after Liz moved to the Algarve. She placed an advert in a local publication asking if anyone would be interested in joining a new

singing group. The choir was formed shortly after and quickly expanded - now having around 50 members encompassing six nationalities.

Some of the numbers to be performed will be taken directly from the TV programme and others are taken from the choir’s own repertoire which fit well with the theme of the play. Liz has said there will be some surprises.

The choir is always open to new members with no auditions required to join. They rehearse every Tuesday in Almadena, western Algarve. Anyone interested should contact Liz at elizabeth_roberts15@hotmail.com for more details.

The Vicar of Dibley will be performed at the Lagoa Auditorium on June 28th, 29th and 30th starting at 7.45pm.

Tickets, priced €12, are already available from the Box Office via the website or you can telephone.

 www.thealgarveans.com  +351 966 211 634 / 913 723 611

Annual puppy party Save the date! The fourth annual Puppy Party is taking place this month and everyone is welcome along with their pooch.

The event is being organised and held at the Lagos Vet Clinic at 3pm on June 9th. The previous puppy parties have been great fun and this one looks set to be even bigger and better than ever.

It is a chance to bring your adolescent pooch along to the vet clinic for a social shindig, instead of a vaccination or a worming tablet!

Socialising is as important with young dogs as it is with young people. It fosters an ability in the young dog to understand it's place with other dogs and other people.

So get your youngster off their Puppy IPad and into our backyard for an afternoon of fun and learning. And there'll be cool drinks and snacks for parents too!

Contact the Lagos Vet Clinic to register your jovem!!

Lagos Vet Clinic is located on the western edge of Lagos on the N125. It is a purpose built clinic, with trained staff aimed at providing you and your animals the highest

52 What's on

level of care that we can. From advice on health and nutrition to the safest anaesthetics available and all things in between, come in and meet the team and see how they can help you.

The clinic is open between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings. Consults are done on an appointment based schedule to examine and treat outpatients.

Consultation times are between 9 and 11am and 4 and 6pm through the week and between 10:30 until noon on Saturdays. Surgeries, diagnostic procedures and horse visits are undertaken throughout the day.

Emergency cases are seen at any time as a matter of priority.

Lagos Vet Clinic also works with a number of animal charity organisations in the local region.

 +351 282 782 282

Grand Finale Concert

BY LENA STRANG

During the month of June, Lagos will host a series of workshops for international musicians, culminating in a Grand Finale Concert open to the general public.

Maestro Peter Fudge, director of Poole Symphonic Concert Band, is bringing together Portuguese and resident musicians from the foreign community along with musicians from the UK, who during the week of June 25th and 29th will take part in a number of workshops.

Peter is hoping to repeat the success of two years ago when a similar venture took place in Lagos with over 80 participants.

“Musicians of many nationalities and ages will participate but because reading music is generally one common language throughout the world, they will perform as one ensemble in the concert. We hope to show the emotion and passion of the music as well as the technical musical skills required in its production,” Peter says.

There will be music from the classical and contemporary greats such as Bizet, Elgar, Brahms, Morricone and John Williams. Some traditional Portuguese music will be included in the Concert as the week of the workshop coincides with the celebrations of Santos Populares (Popular Saints).

It is a unique opportunity for young musicians eager to gain experience in a large ensemble as well as for older ‘expats’ to dig out that trombone or violin gathering dust! There is still time to join the workshops, as the deadline is June 18th. The fee for the week is €25.

The Grand Finale Concert will take place on Friday June 29th at 8.30 pm at Lagos Cultural Centre. It is advisable to book early to avoid disappointment.

“We expect to welcome a large audience to showcase the hard work of the week and would encourage all music lovers whether resident or just visiting the Algarve to attend an evening of music to remember,” Peter says.

To reserve a place on the workshop or for further information, please contact Peter Fudge. Tickets for the concert at €8 are on sale at Lagos Cultural Centre.

 pdfudge@live.co.uk  +351 910 740 763/ 00447775725758

Guadalupe Chapel This month there will be a series of drawing, movement and singing workshops organised by the Regional Cultural Authority at the Guadalupe Chapel, near Raposeira. The theme will be its celebrated Black Madonna. © www.monumentosdoalgarve.pt

On June 9th and 15th there will be two singing workshops from 4pm to 6.30pm to to introduce the participants to the medieval pilgrim songs of the Llivre Vermell de Montserrat manuscript, one of the more emblematic musical manuscripts of the XIV century. The singing workshops will be led by Carme Juncadella, conductor of the Aljezur International Choir.

On June 16th from 10.30am to 1pm the last workshop will take place and will be dedicated to the movement around the dances of the Llivre Vermell, which were composed by the priests of this Monastery for the free

54 What's on

time of the pilgrims. The workshop will be led by Catarina Costa Silva, the lead Portuguese Artist in Early Dance and Historical Performance.

These workshops will allow participants to take part in the singing and dancing of the last event, the final concert will be on June 16th at 7pm. This concert is open to all public endeavors to offer a pilgrim’s experience to the audience. For this concert, the International Choir of Aljezur invites Daniela Tomaz (medieval flute and percussion), Joana Godinho (soprano) and Xavier Pages (bariton). Musical direction and organetto by Carme Juncadella.

The workshops are free and open to all public. No need to read music but is advisable that participants to the singing and dancing workshops have a minimum of musical ear. Some materials will be available for the drawing workshop, but participants are also allowed to bring their own if they wish.

 jolicao@ymail.com  crulinaria

Wine show in Lagoa The 2018 Lagoa Wine Show will take place in the height of summer, with wine tasting, tapas, music and more!

This year's Lagoa Wine Show will be held from June 29th to July 1st, right in the centre of Lagoa. If you're a wine lover, this is a great chance to taste wines from Lagoa, Algarve and the rest of Portugal, as well as enjoying tapas, cheeses, local sausages and sweets, and listening to traditional Fado music, performed on the street during the event.

Admission will be free although the purchase of a glass to taste the wines will cost €3. The event will run from 7pm to midnight.

Open air jazz An annual three-day jazz festival, set in the magical Sítio das Fontes in Estômbar takes place at the end of this month. It starts on June 22nd to Monday June 25th 2018.

The setting is truly magical - in a natural park by the estuary. The event attracts people from all over the globe.

In the past musicians from across the world have taken part in the festival.

 www.lagoajazzfest.com

56 What's on

Gertrude Bell on horse with ruins

An awe-inspiring woman

BY JANE ROBERTSON

‘I am not your correspondent.’ Archaeologist Gertrude Bell and the British intelligence network in the Middle East during the First World War. On Tuesday June 5th, the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) will be presenting two lectures, in English, by Dr Juliette Desplat. The first lecture will be at 2.30pm at the Museu do Traje in São Bras, the second lecture will be at 6pm at the Convento de São José in Lagoa.

agreed to provide the Foreign Office with a detailed account of her travels. Her experience became truly invaluable when the war broke out in June. In the Middle East, intelligence was gathered in a rather erratic manner, with a multitude of agents reporting to just as many departments.

In this lecture Dr Juliette Desplat will be talking about the work of Gertrude Bell an English archaeologist, writer, traveller, political officer and administrator.

From 1915, Bell was one of these very independent agents, reporting on the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire.

When an effort was made in 1916 to harmonise British intelligence in the region, Bell joined the Arab Bureau along with TE Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia') and, through her reports and correspondence, became one of these archaeologists and intellectuals who turned scholarship into a deadly weapon.

Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell CBE (1868-1926) was born into a wealthy family and was the first woman to graduate with a first-class degree in Modern History from Oxford University.

She travelled extensively, including two round-the-world trips in 1897-1898 and 1902-1903.

From the turn of the century, Gertrude developed a love of the Arab people: she learned their languages, investigated their archaeological sites and travelled deep into the desert. She wrote extensively about her travels and also catalogued, measured and sketched a multitude of archaeology along the way, from Syria to Mesopotamia.

When Gertrude Bell set out for Arabia in January 1914, to trace the frontier line of the Limes of the Later Roman Empire (a border fortification system), she also

Dr Juliette Desplat is Head of Modern Overseas, Intelligence and Security Records at The National Archives in the UK. She specialises in Middle Eastern history in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Non-members are welcome to attend the lectures for a €6 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.

 algarvearchass@gmail.com  Algarve Archaeological Association

© Jesus Renedo / GC32 Racing Tour; © Carlos Almeida / windsurfing

Lagos completes racing tour For its fifth season, the GC32 Racing Tour will feature seven teams from six nations and four continents fighting it out in their ultra-high performance one design foiling catamarans.

The final pieces of the 2018 GC32 Racing Tour jigsaw are now firmly in place, with the ultrahigh speed one design flying catamaran circuit again visiting five venues across southern Europe this season. Each venue has been picked with the aim of providing optimum foiling conditions to maximise the time the owner-driver and pro teams will spend racing in fully-airborne mode. Of the venues chosen for this fourth season of the GC32 Racing Tour, two are brand new to the circuit.

The final venue to be announced is Lagos in southern Portugal. Just 10km away from Cape St Vincent, the southwesternmost tip of Europe, Lagos has a long maritime tradition.

The Algarve port was once home to Henry the Navigator and during Portugal’s Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries was the favoured setting-off port for Portuguese sailors such as Vasco da Gama to explore the African continent and beyond.. Located so close to Cape St Vincent, the waters of Lagos have also seen numerous sea battles.

A sea battle of a different nature will be taking place off Lagos over June 27th to July 1st when the flying catamaran fleet will lock horns in the GC32 Lagos Cup. Come the end of June, temperatures will be high enough causing the local thermal breeze, the Nortada, to pipe up in the afternoons providing offshore wind and flat water – perfect foiling conditions.

This will enable PRO Stuart Childerley to run his full schedule of windward-leewards with reaching or upwind starts.

The GC32 Racing Tour is visiting Portugal for the first time thanks to the efforts of the town of Lagos, and with the support of Hugo Henriques from the local shipyard Sopromar and Martinho Fortunato from Marina de Lagos, where the GC32 fleet will be moored.

José Manuel Oliveira Dias, President of the Clube de Vela de Lagos said: “For the Clube de Vela de Lagos, the GC32 Racing Tour is the opportunity to bring a unique event to Lagos and to become one of the most important sailing destinations in Europe. With this event we will continue to bring the Club and the city closer together, involving the whole community.”

 www.gc32racingtour.com

Get dancing This month Alexandra Fadin who we featured recently is running a selection of Dance and Visual Arts classes in Lagos.

Alexandra will also run Creative Dance and Visual Arts on Saturdays from 3pm until 5pm at LAC Lagos. €20 (material included)

Happy Dance Hour will be on Fridays between 7pm and 8pm at LAC Lagos. It’s dance for everybody (discos, pop and R n’B) and costs €10. There will be Creative Dance on the Beach which is a natural dance in interaction with nature and the elements to develop well-being and creativity. Meet at Batata Beach on Saturdays at 8pm until 9pm. It also costs €10.

Dancing in the Street Art in the old town of Lagos on Sundays between 10am and 11.30am.

The cost is €15.

58 What's on

 alexandra.fadin@gmail.com  +351 920 290 521 / +00 33 6 78 91 17 51

Lagos here is your chance Life long dancer Archie Burnett will be teaching a masterclass on June 2nd at the Kapa Dois Center.

For more information please go to the Kapa Dois Facebook.

The Greatest Show Get support

This year’s end of school performance for the Associação Dança de Lagos will be The Greatest Show and will take place at the Cultural Centre of Lagos on June 15th at 7.30pm and on June 16th at 3pm and 9pm. The ticket price is €10 each, and will be available from the school office or at the Cultural Centre of Lagos.

For those that are interested in joining our classes, the new school year will start on the September 3rd.

 ass.danca.lagos@gmail.com  +351 912 376 595 - Prof.ª Ljiljana da Silva  +351 915 812 055 - Viola Nascimento

The Alzheimer's/Dementia Support Group is well established in Lagos. It’s now being running for around five years.

It gives those who attend the chance to learn from one another on how to deal with difficult situations which arise along their partner's, parent's , friend's journey with this illness. Very often those caring need more help than the sufferer, as they are often in their own world, which is so different to our logical one!

Calling all aspiring surfers! A new website has been set up to promote the local surf industry and to help surfers find the perfect surfing holiday in the Algarve. It is www.yoursurftrip.com Anyone who has ever thought about going on a surf trip knows how hard it is to be sure that they are booking the right holiday for their specific needs.

bookings manager for one of the leading surf schools in the area and thus knows all the hurdles surfers come across when booking a surf camp.

Through our shared experiences they can help UK citizens apply for Attendance and Carers Allowances if applicable; suggest where and how to get Power of Attorney, and a Living Will can be attained if desired.

Yoursurftrip will advise on the best accommodation, surf lessons, surf guiding and/or surf rentals; with the best local companies. The team has local knowledge and personal service.

The next meeting is on June 20th at Cafe Bom Dia, Rua Moinho do Azeite, Lagos at 11am and all are very welcome. (By the way some of us also speak German and Portuguese).

The business was founded by Dexter ten Hoopen and Emilie de Block who both have a passion for surfing, and who want to help others experience the surfing lifestyle.

After finishing her studies in Sports Marketing and International Business, Emilie travelled to Portugal to manage a surf hostel in Sagres, and with her thorough, first-hand experience with the surf school life, she completes the team and is the brains behind the daily operation of Your Surf Trip.

For more please contact Kirsteen.

Dexter grew up surfing and working with the local surf camps. He has worked as a surf instructor, hostel manager and

 info@yoursurftrip.com  @your.surf.trip  +351 910 245 798

 kirsteenlandert@sapo.pt

60 What's on

© www.rdphotography.co

They exchange experiences and strategies on how to deal with challenging behavior, continence issues, nutrition, carer's contacts, available appliances for the home and general tips which can help make life easier for all involved.

Surf’s up

Derelict properties Dear Editor, We live in Marina Village just up above the Marina area and adjacent to our apartment block is a derelict old Manor House, Quinta do Moliao.

Over the last few months a group of youngsters, we think from the local secondary school have gradually broken all the windows and damaged the fabric of the building during their lunchtime break. It is such a shame because it was obviously once an attractive and valuable building. We have reported this damage to the police, the Câmara, and the school, but have had little response although the Câmara, have replied two months later,

that they will archive my email report of vandalism!

It made me think that, since the lady Mayoress has made a big point in her election promotion, of renovating older traditional properties, that perhaps a feature in the magazine would be of interest. There are a number of decaying buildings around Lagos which could be featured perhaps as historical interest, with some research into them maybe?

Would like to know your thoughts.

Best wishes, Name and address supplied

Many thanks

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor, We just wanted to write again to express our gratitude to the magazine team and to all your readers for the support and help that is given to the Mustard Seed, the soup kitchen in Lagos.

We are very happy to see families with children without the minimal conditions of house living or cooking being helped.

Some of their situations are so difficult that we can hardly imagine.

The support we are providing is result of your ’backstage’ essential help, we do see you as part of this team of work to help the most needed families in Lagos and the work is moving on and progressing thanks to you as well.

We do hope that we can rely on your continued help and financial support. The payment of our rent over the last few months is very much appreciated.

Once again thank you so much for being there and for all your support, Yours sincerely, Daniel Saunite The Mustard Seed Association

62 Letters

Riding for the disabled

Travessa Santo Amaro 5 8600-767 Lagos/ Portugal Tel. +351 915 808 490 The Mustard Seed provides over 300 meals per week to those in need, including adults and giving the best possible assistance to children. The association supplies basic food bags for people to cook at home and pays for their gas when necessary and for prescribed medicines.

Along with the daily struggle to promote the quality of life of the homeless and families with children with severe financial problems, additionally expenses like rent, electricity, cleaning materials and running costs of two vans, one used to collect food donations and the other to collect people from surrounding areas without transport, increases the Mustard Seed expenses. All of this amounts to approximately €2000 per month of which the Mustard Seed – Soup Kitchen Lagos is entirely reliant on donations.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in this year’s Riding for the Disabled Easter Party. The slight difference this year was that for the first time the Algarve riders who took part are also those that will be competing in the Special Olympics later in the year.

Five of the riders from the local charity NECI, which looks after people with physical and learning difficulties, were representing Riding For The Disabled Barlavento and achieved the following results: C1 - Walk off lead rein: 2nd Place - Cristina Silva 5th Place - Lucelia Gloria C2 - Walk on lead rein: 2nd Place - Raquel Correia 5th Place - Vera Alves 6th Place - Ana Climaco If you would like to help at Riding For The Disabled Barlavento then please contact David Hibbert on 915090044 or e-mail him at djhibbo@live.co.uk.

Many thanks, David Hibbert

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Sports massage

BY ANN DE JONGH

Sports massage is a type of massage, but you do not need to be a sports person to benefit from it. We all use our muscles every day, whether it is for walking, lifting the shopping, or by doing exercise or sport.

Sports massage uses a combination of different techniques dependant on the area being treated. These techniques will increase circulation of blood and lymph fluids, help to break down knots in the muscles, to release tension in the fascia, and help to increase range of movement.

Typical reasons people come for a sports massage include: - Stiffness and pain in neck and shoulders - Lower back pain - Tennis elbow - Frozen Shoulder - Achilles / calf tightness - Sciatica - Muscle sprains & strains - Pulled Hamstring - Knee pain / stiffness due to tight Quads and IT Band - Repetitive strain injury - Arthritis

Sports massage can also help with injury prevention. If you do sports regularly and sometimes have the odd niggle or pain then a regular sports massage can help to keep the muscles flexible and pliable, reducing soreness and inflammation that can occur from overuse, and helping to spot potential issues before they arise.

It is also useful to help to stretch out the muscles, as often we do not stretch enough after exercise so a massage can help to do this for us.

Massage is also be a great way to relax and unwind.

Massage can lower the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting production of serotonin, which can improve mood. Additionally, massage can lower production of the neurotransmitter substance P, often linked to pain, and improve sleep as a result.

Ann has been working as a sports massage therapist and personal trainer for 14 years. To arrange an appointment contact Ann on:

 +351 913 202 621  ann@fit2lovelife.com

Is your back playing up again?

BY DR WEN OATES DC MCHIRO Have you, or your friends and family, ever said: "I can’t do it, I’ve got a bad back!"

This is often an indication of a long-standing injury or problem that was never detected or corrected when it first occurred. Usually, ‘bad back’ sufferers will experience repeated episodes.

The key to avoiding these episodes is to get to the source of the problem and not simply mask it with 'overthe-counter' medication.

Why is it happening?

The normal curves of the spine are essential for shock absorption and normal biomechanical movement of our bodies. Over time, these natural curves can be lost as a result of the major and minor traumas we endure on a daily basis. The resulting improper alignment places extra stress and pressure on the joints and discs in your spine.

The surrounding ligaments that support your spine's

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normal alignment are then affected, resulting in the surrounding muscles over-reacting because of the increased demand. These muscles are the ones that get stiff and sore during or after our favourite activities, such as golf, sailing, surfing or walking.

All of these physiological changes irritate the delicate nerve fibres located in and around the soft tissues of the spine, which then respond by sending messages of pain to our brain.

Thankfully, there’s a solution. As chiropractors have studied and trained for more than four years to become qualified doctors, we’re specialists in detecting and correcting vertebral misalignments and back pain. We are the real 'spine experts' and therefore have an excellent success rate in easing these problems, so you never again have to give that age-old excuse of having a ‘bad back’.

 +351 282 768 044  www.lagos-health.com

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Pets Mate

BY LARS RAHMQUIST Stretching myself up after finishing a two-hour laryngeal surgery this afternoon I had two thoughts. The first one was that I needed to book a massage for my back! The second thought centred on how much better the pug was breathing in post-op, but then, they always do.

In another article I will delve into upper respiratory tract surgeries and how they can help brachycephalic dogs live a happier life, by breathing better.

It was the thought of my stiff back and crick neck that spurned the idea for this month’s article.

Those of you familiar with back pain know that taking ibuprofen helps...but that's all.

This temporary effect is because when muscles are injured (acutely or chronically) they go into spasm.

Regional centres of locked muscles are what we feel as knots in our back and neck.

Muscle spasm can also affect distant parts of the body, causing a 'referred' pain. e.g. knee pain can be referred from a spasm around your foot/ankle.

At the Lagos Vet Clinic we integrate remedial therapy into the treatment of our musculoskeletal patients.

Needles are placed in traditional acupuncture points, and with these in place we do a deep tissue massage to help

‘work out’ these knots that have developed in the muscle. It is amazing how well dogs walk out after just one session.

Over the years we have used this with post-op orthopaedic patients, stiff old dogs, and those with acute lameness in one leg, referable to the back (or neck) muscles.

Older cats often go undiagnosed with back pain and/or arthritis. We have had great success in getting these old pussycats feeling better, with clients saying how much more active old Mogsy has been following treatment.

Left to become chronic, muscle injuries can go on to be a bug-bear for an animal’s life. If your pet has a muscle injury of sorts, consider adding a form of remedial therapy to help your pet recover faster and with a better long term outlook too!

I’m off to call Ann de Jongh to sort out my back and I’ll leave you to prod your pooch or pussy to see if you find any muscle soreness. Have fun and I’ll see you in July!

 www.lagosvet.com

The digestive system - immunity

BY NIKI MEDLOCK Before I write about immunity I would like to make a very necessary side-track – again!

My intention in delving more deeply into the role of the digestive system is to give you an idea of how important it is to have and maintain a healthy working GI tract (gut), so bear with me!

When we are born every gut is sterile! In humans the gut flora is established after one to two years. By this time the wall of the gut, as well as the mucosal barrier it secretes, has developed in a way that is tolerant to, and even supportive of, the gut flora, thus providing a barrier to pathogenic organisms.

Bacteria make up most of the flora in the colon and 60% of the dry mass of faeces. The flora develops into a diverse and distinct concoction of bacterial species (collectively known as the microbiome).

can imagine these 100 trillion microbes are fundamental to both our physical and mental health and basically work very closely with the Enteric Nervous System (the nerve tissue which makes up most of the GI tract) which in turn work with the Central Nervous System!

All together they help regulate digestion and metabolism, extract and make vitamins and nutrients from food, program the body’s immune system, build and maintain the gut wall and block harmful microbes from moving in.

Another function of these bacteria is to produce hundreds of neurochemicals that are used to regulate basic physiological and mental processes. An important example of this is called serotonin, 95% of which is produced by bacteria in the gut.

Next month: What is Serotonin?

Niki is head nurse at www.luzdoc.com

Cell for cell our inherent bacteria outnumber our own cells by 10 to 1 and most of them live in the gut! As you

66 Health

Cream-making workshop

BY POPPY BURR The cream-making workshops are back by popular demand and, after the success of the last one in May, I’m looking forward to doing it again with another great group of girls. Men are of course welcome, too!

What makes these workshops special are the wildcrafted herbal oils I made earlier this year, using seasonal spring herbs like chamomile, chickweed and rock rose (sticky bush or esteva in Portuguese). I also have a beautiful St John’s Wort oil made last year, and a calendula oil made from organic calendula grown in Aljezur.

Each have their own specific cosmetic and medicinal properties, and we’ll talk about how to make these oils so you can start making your own natural cosmetics from scratch. You’ll make and take away three products on the day - an all-purpose healing ointment, a delicious face

cream and a nourishing body butter - as well as a booklet of recipes and instructions.

I also sell ready-made creams so if you’d like to try my range of natural herbal cosmetics, just get in touch. There are only six spaces on these workshops so please book via the website if you’d like to reserve a space.

Saturday June 16th 2pm - 6pm, Praia da Luz Price: €40 Poppy is a degree-qualified medical herbalist practicing from two clinic spaces in Aljezur and Praia da Luz. She offers holistic consultations and personalised treatment plans using plant-based medicine.

 poppytheherbalist.com  +351 969 091 683

Hope for mental health patients

BY EDGAR NEVADA Living with a mental health illness can be challenging for anybody anywhere, here in the Algarve is no exception and can be even harder. Shortage of doctors and specialists in the area make it quite difficult to get proper help and the lack of a strong support network leaves patients and their relatives with very few options.

Depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder or manic depression are among the most common mental illnesses that could require quick and professional help. These psychiatric conditions, if not treated properly, may affect someone’s ability to live a normal life, have a job, a healthy relationship or interact with others. Without evident physical signs patients are exposed to society’s stigmas and do not get the same level of consideration as somebody who suffers a non mental disease.

Yes, it might be difficult to understand why someone with OCD can only get out of the house at odd hours and needs to perform a series of rituals before going to bed. It also seems quite irrational trying to start five business at the same time while having a manic episode. Or pretty extreme to think about suicide after an argument with a co-worker if you have severe depression. As someone who lives with a mental health patient I’m aware of the difficulties. To get an appointment with a

68 Health

psychiatrist in any of the Algarvian hospitals could take months with no guarantee you’ll get a doctor you feel comfortable with. A private specialist could charge up to €100 for a consultation and you might not get it as soon as you need it either.

So what can you do if you’re struggling with one of these problems? What kind of help can you get in between your doctor’s appointments? Apart from the medical system, who’s out there to give you some support?

Not much, but I had the opportunity to meet Cathy, a canadian expat with more than 30 years in the Algarve who leads a support group once a month in Portimão for people with mental health illness and their relatives.

Sometimes we just need someone to talk to, someone who would listen without any prejudice or judgement, someone who knows, first hand, what you’re going through.

So I went to see Cathy and the rest of the group, they get together at the Casa Inglesa restaurant in Portimão the first Monday of the month. I could share some of my experiences and my struggles living with a bipolar person, as I expected, I’m not alone. I heard their stories and found similar problems among the group. It is good to know how other people cope and manage their daily lives.

To talk about these kind of issues can be very daunting, even with family and friends; we just don’t want to worry them or upset them, or maybe we have the impression that they wouldn’t understand either. In my experience I’ve seen a constant aspect in mental illness, which is perception of reality, it can be distorted by mood. We can see the problems as being bigger than they are or just not see them at all. So that’s when speaking out talking about it comes into place, sharing experiences could balance our perception of the world I’m aware of the existence of other support groups in the area for people with dementia and maybe there are more I haven’t heard of, but I would love to see more support groups like this in every town, having the support of the churches, local authorities, charities, etc, and maybe having a volunteer specialist to assist.

The truth is that there’s hope and people out there, like Cathy and her support group, willing to listen and give you a hand. If you assist any support group in Western Algarve or know about one, please let us know. If you need help don’t hesitate to reach out. With a little bit of help we can make a huge difference for many.

Cathy  +351 914 878 927

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Buying and selling

BY SIMON MOULSON

Celebrating success Congratulations to property company, Abacoz, which became a victim of its own success and was forced to move offices earlier this year. More than 250 people attended the opening of their new plush offices on the Lagos Marina at the end of April.

The new office is just a few steps from its old offices but provides a bigger space for its ever expanding team.

Abacoz is now able to offer an even wider range of services and these include a full range of insurance options. The team has joined forces with Nuno Pintassilgo from the well-known and international companies Allianz and Tranquildade.

Abacoz has now been in business for four years and has gone from strengthto-strength. They offer property sales as well as rental and property management.

The Abacoz team is able to speak a wide range of languages including English, Portuguese, Dutch, German, French and Spanish.

The team offers clients its support from beginning to end. The staff will listen to what the buyer or seller wants for their property whether it’s a home or an investment for them. They offer a tailor-made service and advice about Portuguese law and real estate. They can even recommend lawyers to help you with the legal side of your purchase or sale. The after-sales service provided by Abacoz is also a real benefit.

Behind the scenes the team is very knowledgeable when it comes to marketing and digital marketing. They also have good professional networks and contacts.

For more details you can pop into the new office on Lagos Marina or you can go to their website.

 www.abacoz-properties.com

70 Business

Having recently been through a rather stressful time of selling and buying in Portugal, I wanted to highlight a couple of practices with which we were unaware of.

themselves until the eleventh-hour.

Having bought and sold a few times over the last 17-years in Portugal, my good lady and I thought we were fairly adept with the Portuguese system. However, our last house sale and purchase left us both feeling somewhat flabbergasted and shell-shocked in equal measure.

1. When booking your delivery company, always state that, whilst the date you have given them is what you are gearing to, it is not a definitive date and may be subject to change.

We naively thought that when an offer is placed on your property and all parties, in principal, are in agreement, then it was a matter of involving lawyers and signing the relevant paperwork and paying the agreed 10% of the property purchase price and agreeing a completion date.

Sounds normal right? But what then happens when the completion date is changed four (that’s right FOUR) times and you cannot do anything about it.

Well, that’s exactly what happened to us and I just want to detail to all readers the minute detail that purchasers can exercise the right a few days before the said completion date to send a registered letter from their prospective lawyer detailing an extension to the completion date of 30 days and unfortunately, you as the seller can do nothing to change this, apart from then have to implement the same strategy with your house purchase.

Also, please don’t be so naïve to think that one notary will be used in order to carry out the legalities for both the sale and purchase of your new house. If the lawyers involved refuse to do this, which happened in our case, then on your completion date you will have to physically be present at two notaries.

With this in mind, try and organise that your lawyer organises the earliest available appointment and a later appointment for your final notary.

Previously, in Portugal, we have never had any issue whatsoever in terms of either buying and selling, however, on this occasion, nearly everything which was meticulously in place to reduce disruption, create a harmony, was thrown out of the window and to frustrate you even more, none of these shenanigans manifested

A little list, if I may, to assist any purchasers or sellers:

2. Sometimes at a notary it can be a breeze, but when you add another dimension for example, English client selling their house, French client buying the English clients house and English client buying a Portuguese clients house, things can sometimes get fractious and lost in translation. Listen folks, we live in Portugal and so it’s only right that the notary is conducted in Portuguese! This was utter dismay to our French clients purchasing our property. As an example our first notary for our completion took just shy of two hours, whereas, our second notary meeting for the completion of our new house took a smidgen over 30-mins.

3. I would ALWAYS phone each notary to double-check that the correct date, correct time has been organised in terms of the completion for your sale and or purchase of your property. Do not assume that your lawyer, their lawyer, has organised this 100%. Even the most simple of mistakes can be made from competent and incompetent lawyers or real estate agents.

4. Be wary when you choose your lawyer to represent / assist you in the selling / purchase process. The outside of their offices may say Advogado ie Lawyer, but don’t think that they are all lawyers who are practicing, some might be solicitors and therein lies the difference.

The difference between a solicitor and a lawyer is quite vast, but getting the right person is essential if they are not up-todate with the ever-changing legal aspects of purchasing and selling properties.

5. And finally, always ensure that you have at-hand a VERY, VERY large glass of wine once you have gone through this process!

I.T. can be easy

BY STEVEN DUNWELL

Now that summer has finally arrived here are a couple of topics to consider during these hot and hectic months.

Keep cool!

And chill out!

Laptops have become more powerful than ever before. Increases in processor power, slimmer cases and bigger screens all comes at a cost: excess heat. If not kept in check It can cause hardware failure and sometimes permanent damage.

Internet data allowances

Here are a few tips on keeping your laptop cool:

One of my regular call outs is concerning data allowances and Wi-Fi ‘dongle’ devices. As of summer of last year many of the local internet suppliers imposed data limits of up to 100GB per month on these devices. So this means if you download a lot of movies from Netflix or Amazon for example you may find that you may be close to using up your monthly allowance very quickly.

Keep the vents clean Most laptops have air intake grills, these are small openings at the side or bottom of the machine which allows air to be sucked into the laptop by the internal fans. To clear these intake grills, spray them with canned air. Clean the air exhaust port by sucking out air with a vacuum cleaner. The exhaust port usually sits on the side of the laptop. It’s the opening that blows out the hot air.

This allowance can also be quickly swallowed up if you rent your property and all your guests are connecting to the Wi-Fi dongle at the same time. If this should occur, you may have to wait to the following month to restore your full allowance or purchase a costly top up. To give you an idea of how quickly your data allowance can be used up, here is a table showing the amount of data being used by everyday activities:

Keep the laptop on a hard & flat surface As mentioned above, the majority of laptops suck in cooling air through vents on the bottom of the device. Uneven surfaces like pillows, your lap or even table coverings can obstruct your laptop’s airflow. These can stop the flow of air, heat then builds up and the temperature of the air being sucked in increases and eventually the laptop can overheat. This can be avoided by keeping the laptop on a hard and flat surface. You can use something as simple as a tray or get a special laptop holder or lap stand.

For refence, 1000MB (Megabytes) = 1GB (Gigabyte)

Invest in a Laptop Cooler or Cooling Pad

If you have any questions about these topics, suggestions for future subjects or require assistance with any I.T. challenges, I am very happy help. Have a fantastic month, see you for another tip in the July issue.

Laptop coolers are great for providing additional cooling. If your laptop has intake grills on its bottom, purchase a cooler that blows cool air upwards, i.e. into the laptop. These sit beneath your laptop and draw their power from a spare USB port on your device. You can also buy passive coolers that do not consume power and merely absorbs the heat.

1h of web browsing: 10 - 25MB 1h of Facebook: 20MB Download a music track: 4MB Stream 30 min of YouTube: 175MB Download a non-HD film: 700MB - 1GB Download an HD film: 4GB Stream 1h non-HD video: 250MB - 500MB Stream 1h HD video: 2GB Stream 1h of music or radio: 150MB

 +351 936 387 512  sdunwell@sky.com

Free IT Support and help sessions for June 2018 The Tropical Café Nº. 33, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Lagos Tuesday 5th & 19th 11am until 1pm

Artesão Café Marina de Lagos Lojas 11/12, Lagos Tuesday 12th & 26th 11am until 1pm

No appointment necessary. Bring your device, purchase a drink 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.

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Oil Painting Restoration in the Algarve Susan Goodfellow and her husband Keith moved to Luz late last year having lived in South West France for over 10 years.

Susan has an unusual occupation, she is a fully qualified oil painting restorer with over 40 years’ restoration experience gained while living in the UK and France working for leading galleries and auction houses as well as undertaking private commissions.

She was the principle restorer for the Reading Museum in Berkshire for many years and also worked at the famous Natural History Museum in Oxford where she was involved in the restoration and archiving the museum’s collection of watercolours.

Susan says “I love restoration work, the reaction from clients when they see the true colour of their painting

after it has been cleaned or a hole or tear repaired is very satisfying” Susan also restores gilt frames and makes her own plaster moulds to replicate the original. Watercolours can also often be restored but with great care as the paper can be very fragile.

“I used to have my own studio in the UK, and in France we converted an old barn for me to work in. When we moved to Luz I fully intended to retire but I soon realised that I missed the buzz restoration work gave me. The joke about ‘touching up’ Old Masters for a living has a certain truth to it! “ Susan has already received several commissions and is happy to give advice on restoration for oil paintings and watercolours.

 susan@monte-lemos.com

Urban electric transport Starting now in Lagos with plans to spread widely across the Algarve - the new electric bike revolution has arrived!

SHONA, a three-wheel version and hot on the heels will be the futuristic and classic electric bicycle the ANGELIQUE.

over 17. Completely ecological, electric and protects the environment and certainly it is proving to be the future of transport.

The owners says: “It is a new franchise and all are welcome to apply to improve their future prospects with a sure-fire winning formula with two franchises opening soon in Morocco, North Africa.”

Have a look at their website to see the full and exciting range which can be read in five languages - French, English, Spanish, German and Italian! It really is a wonderful opportunity to sample a product that takes only just over two hours to charge and will last for up to three days, really amazing. They confirm completely to EU standards and you do not need a driving licence as you long as you are

Rent by the day, the week or month and available to buy. We recommend you get to visit their premises on the Avenida. It’s behind the Maritime police and very close to the Câmara building.

Created by Stefano Somma and Emiliano Cambiganu and initially offering two models, the LEA and LEO and coming soon is the

74 Business

 www.cocorent.pt  +351 282 788 038 / 965 106 905

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19/06/2017 10:52

The traditional flavour of the sea Here Megan, one of the chef’s at Mar d’ Estórias tells us about the eastern Algarve octopus roe tradition.

We set foot towards the other side of the Algarve to realise why there are traditional flavours that are worth keeping.

The smell and the taste of the sea continues to be present in the octopus eggs that are dried through a method that is becoming uncommon. In search of authenticity, we understand that the people of the Eastern Algarve continue to choose octopus roe to eat with their friends in the company of one or two beers. So we were trying to figure out how this product is made and how it is typically consumed.

The fishermen do not catch the octopus just for the eggs. These turn out to be a product that is not always available and, its production is sustainable, as it takes advantage of a part of

the octopus that would otherwise be wasted.

It was explained that each octopus has only one egg that is removed and placed in a bucket with salt for two to three hours. The roe is then laid out on a smooth surface and left in the sun throughout the day. At night, it is collected to avoid getting humid and the process is repeated the next day with the egg facing the other side.

It takes an average of two days in the sun to prepare this delicacy that can be eaten after being roasted in charcoal or placed directly in the toaster to get a little soft. Traditionally, thin slices are cut and seasoned with olive oil, garlic and parsley or, for the purists, eat au naturel sliced thinly.

At Mar d’ Estórias, we chose to use the roe

in the most simple manner - finely cut in thin slices and placed over our roasted octopus.

The perfect finish to remind us that the authenticity of the octopus can be combined with the sustainability of its use to complete this dish with an even more traditional flavour.

Mar d’Estórias in Lagos intends to be an innovative place that values everything Portuguese with special emphasis on the Algarve. It was planned to provide a balanced passage between the different areas of the shop, the restaurant, the homeware and crowned by the rooftop terrace bar with a sea view.

 www.mardestorias.com  mardestorias  mardestorias

Take a break Once you've landed in the Algarve, why not take away the hassle of shopping for food and cooking while on holiday.

Let Ricardo and his team of in-villa-chefs prepare and cook fresh local ingredients, from scratch, in the comfort of your holiday home.

 +351 960 216 070

76 Food & drink

The in-villa-chef team is personal and adaptable and can cater for just about anything, including vegan and other dietary needs. If you are looking to ensure that you do absolutely nothing but enjoy your holiday in the sun, call Ricardo your in-villa-chef.

Let the good times roll!

BY RAY GILLMAN

A meal at the Fortaleza is always special. Add Sunday sunshine and upbeat jazz and it’s a recipe for holiday heaven.

The Fortaleza Restaurant at Praia da Luz occupies a commanding position overlooking the sea, just down from the church. Dating from the seventeenth century, its large dining room has walls and floors of ancient stone and even a suit of armour at the door!

Dinner there always becomes a special occasion. At lunch times the special attraction is to sit overlooking the ocean on the covered terraces by the side of the old building and in the beautiful garden.

On Sundays, however, the gardens take on a festival atmosphere, with the Fortaleza’s Famous Jazz Lunch.

At 12.30 the band strikes up - and what a great group!

Ray on trumpet and vocals, Roger, trombone, Clive, saxes, Luis on double bass and João on drums and vocals. Charmingly ‘fronted’ by the versatile vocal talents of Sandie.

They play latin and swing, trad jazz, cool jazz and jazz standards - with occasional forays into the Jungle Book

and the Wizard of Oz! All of it great, good-time music, expertly performed. The food and drink is marvellous, too! Wines and beer and soft drinks from the menu are typically good value Portuguese-restaurant prices. The lunch is from a set menu offering tapas to share for starters: prawns with marie rose sauce, octopus salad, mussels, and wafer thin chorizo, for example.

A choice of main courses to suit carnivores, vegetarians or pescatarians: for example roast pork, or golden bream fillets, or spinach lasagne. And a choice of two desserts.

For €25 a person - which includes a large contribution to your feeling of well-being, thanks to the beautiful surroundings, the wonderful music and the lovely atmosphere. Thank you Luc and staff. Keep on keeping Sundays special!

Jazz lunch on Sundays, live music with dinner on Wednesdays.

 info@fortalezadaluz.com  +351 282 789 926

Chili con tofu and corn tortillas

BY LALITANA VEGETARIAN/VEGAN RESTAURANT Ingredients for 4 portions: 1 Bell pepper 100g soya granules (or smoked tofu) 250g cooked kidney beans 250 g cooked corn 1-2 fresh red chilli 1 onion 2 garlic 2 tablespoons of tomato paste Salt and pepper 300ml sieved tomatoes 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons vegetable stock 1 teaspoons of sugar 1- Soya granules or smoked tofu Soak the soya granules in 200ml of vegetable broth for 10 minutes, then pour off the liquid. Or cut the smoked tofu very small.

2 – Sauce Cut the onion, garlic, bell pepper and the chilli. Stir fry the onion and garlic in olive oil until golden brown. Then add

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chilli, sieved tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and cook for 10 minutes Then add the soya granules or smoked tofu and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the corn and kidney beans and cook for another 5 minutes.

Tortillas ingredients for 4: 150g Cornflower, 1 teaspoon salt, 200 - 300ml Water Put the cornflower, salt and water in a bowl, knead to a smooth dough which is firm, but should not tear.

Form the dough into a roll and cut into eight slices. Make the dough slices into balls and then press them flat, roll out about 4 mm thick on a floured work surface. Let the dough rest flatfor approx. 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the work surface.

Bake tortillas one after the other in a frying pan without any fat for about 2 minutes from each side.

 www.lalitana.com

Top three If you are looking for a typical Portuguese restaurant to try, here are Tripadvisor’s top three in and around Lagos.

Restaurant Vivendo Located at Vila Palmeira with views over the ocean and the city lights of Lagos. One customer said: “The food is an absolute delight.

Beautifully presented, expertly cooked, delicious, exquisite - can't find enough adjectives. The menu of the week, 4 courses including a bottle of wine for 2 is a great way to discover the menu. Have to mention that the service was impeccable too.”

Reservation recommended: +351 282 770 902

Real Portuguese Cuisine Located in Rua Infante de Sagres. “The food here is incredible.” according to one review, “The salmon tartare is a must have! The owner recommended the sea bass with passionfruit sauce and it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever had. The service was fantastic cannot fault the staff! If you eat here you won't be disappointed make sure you call and reserve.”

Bookings: +351 917 991 817

Casa do Prego This is also a top choice.

One reviewer said: “We went here twice in the space of a week, first time had a main meal, which was excellent, second visit we had the tapas. All the food was excellent.

Boris and his team make you very welcome, all staff extremely helpful and friendly.”

Bookings: +351 913 505 038

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Estudio Vegetariano RAY GILLMAN It looks good, it tastes good and, by golly, it does you good!

Now in its third year, Estudio Vegetariano is the on-trend place to go in Lagos for vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

Modern and stylish but also friendly and unpretentious it offers freshly made dishes trying to use mainly locally sourced ingredients.

Four of us went to dinner and decided to share each course. This is what we had: As well as delicious marinated olives and carrots ‘Algarve-style’ (delightfully ‘crimped’ on the edges), we started with some vegan garlic mayonnaise (aioli) with home-made bread along with a sensational Port wine-poached pear filled with goats’ cheese, walnuts, dates and honey, served with rocket and sundried tomatoes (from the ‘mains’ menu).

Falafel with red-cabbage coleslaw and a refreshing mint dip, completed our ‘starters’ menu.

To follow came a Lasagne - lifted from the mundane by being layered with vegan almond and basil ‘ricotta’ and spinach, olives, sundried tomatoes and smoked marinara sauce. At the same time came peppers stuffed with vegan bolognese, rice and ‘mojo-rojo’ sauce topped with fried rocket and capers - a lovely mix of plant-based protein and tastily sauced vegetables. And then (!) a plant-protein ‘Seitan’ steak (cut into triangles) served with baked-potato wedges and pumpkinpineapple chutney, vegan mayonnaise

and crispy coleslaw. And then (!) a spectacular-looking construction of spiralized seasonal vegetables served with an Asian spiced peanut sauce (quite hot) and mung beans sprouts.

You can imagine the delightfully contrasting - and complementary - taste sensations we were all able to enjoy.

To finish (by no means an anti-climax ) we shared the desserts of the day from the blackboard. A lip-smacking vegan chocolate mousse and a great confection of caramelised pineapple on top of chia seeds in a creamy coconut milk sauce.

The huge amount of care taken in selection of ingredients, preparation and cooking of everything was self-evident.

At first this was the sole work of the proprietor/chef Viktoria and Monika - a warmly-smiling young lady from Germany, but this year she has the help of another talented chef –Bhutto, which is a good thing, for, as well as conceiving marvellous new addition to the Lagos restaurant scene, Viktoria gave birth to a baby daughter last year!

If you would like to send us a restaurant review or two (like Ray) please email our editor: amber@tomorrowalgarve.com

 Rua da Oliveira 30, Lagos  +351 911 500 494  estudiovegetariano

Turning the tide on plastic

BY CLAIRE FRIEDLANDER

It is now just over a year since Tomorrow published my article on plastic pollution in our oceans, and the good news is that the tide is turning. Hard-hitting campaigns and publicity have heightened awareness and are influencing government policy and private initiatives. As mass production of plastic products only started in the 1950s the rapidity of growth and the scale of the catastrophe are alarming.

Plastic waste is like a gigantic iceberg: what we can see and clean up is just the tip of an insurmountable nightmare. It’s hard to know what hope there is for the plastics that have already sunk to the ocean floor or that are now fragments which are constantly dissipating to pollute earth’s most far-flung and pristine land and seascapes which are too small for any beach clean-up.

The longevity of plastics guarantees their existence for millennia to threaten the health and welfare of animals and humans alike. We have all seen shocking images of sea creatures tortured and bloated by plastic detritus, but the real worry is tiny microplastic particles and fibres, endemic now in most food chains where they leach carcinogenic chemicals.

At a point where humanity should be rejecting fossil fuels altogether in order to arrest spiralling climate change, around 4% of crude oil produced globally becomes feedstock for plastics and that doesn’t account for the significant energy required for manufacture.

How shocking, then, that 50% of what is produced is used once and discarded, with most of it ending up in the ocean.

82 Environment

It is deeply depressing but there are reasons for optimism. Creative technologies are cleaning up monstrous ‘islands’ of plastic rubbish floating in the open oceans. Efforts to prevent plastic entering the ocean are an even better idea. Guatemala has introduced simple floating ‘bio-fences’ (made from plastic bottles) at river mouths, reducing the rubbish that enters the sea by 60%. Over the last decade alone, efforts in Europe to reduce dumped plastics are already showing diminished quantities of plastics in the stomachs of seabirds.

As China increasingly declines Europe’s waste plastic, the felicitous discovery of plastic-eating bacteria has pioneered the development of enzymes that decompose various types of plastic. Whilst this could be tremendously helpful toward reducing some of the mountains of plastic waste, it would be sensible to find ways to reuse the plastic for long-lasting products that might otherwise demand the manufacture of new plastic.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and people are finding creative ways for reuse. There are numerous examples of biodegradable or edible packaging, ‘cutlery’ and drinking straws and even fashion textiles are now being produced from recycled plastic.

Nylon fishing nets become skateboards (“Bureo” Chile) and sunglasses (“Sea2See” Spain). Reusable ecobricks made from plastic bottles stuffed very tightly with non-biological waste can be used for building, and in Mexico waste plastic is being used to build roads.

These individual initiatives are exciting, but the real difference will be made by changes

in Government policies and commitments by corporations to shun the use of plastic. Nine months since banning plastic bags altogether, Kenya has proved that it really makes a difference, albeit the adjustment is not always easy. Furthermore, since the introduction of Britain’s plastic bag levy in 2015, there has been a reduction of over 30% of plastic bags in UK coastal waters. Policies initiating small changes like this work, but the onus remains on the public to recycle.

Big companies should be taking more responsibility. The ‘Iceland’ Supermarket chain has been the first to commit to eliminating plastic packaging altogether over the next five years. By putting pressure on other retailers as well as producers of packaged products, perhaps real change will happen. Holding big business to account will be the most effective way of forcing them to change.

At present, the telltale signs of the Anthropocene Age for archaeologists of future generations (should we survive the mess we are making of our planet) will be tacky fragments of plastic- testament to a lifestyle focused selfishly on convenience. It will require conscious effort from each one of us if we wish to hold back the plastic tidal wave that threatens to engulf us. The old adage: Reduce; Reuse; Recycle provides a reliable guideline and various other suggestions for reducing your personal plastic consumption are listed.

Claire Friedlander - Architecture, Design, Sustainability Consultancy

 www.friedlanderdesign.com

CONTEMPORARY PORTUGUESE RESTAURANTE & BAR

+351 913 505 038 | info@casadoprego.com | R. Lanรงarote de Freitas, 18 - 1ยบ - 8600-605 Lagos

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PORTUGUESE FOOD +351 282 792 165 | Rua Silva Lopes, nยบ30 - 8600-623 Lagos

Some ideas for reducing your use of plastic: Hold big companies to account

Avoid unhealthy non-stick cookware

Put pressure on governments to initiate deposit schemes for plastic bottles and cans- the UK is proposing to launch such a scheme in the wake of Norway’s success.

Put pressure on supermarkets and other industries to prevent excess plastic reaching our supermarket shelves in the first place.

Cookware coated with Teflon or other resins emit toxic perfluorochemicals when heated.

Avoid chewing gum Most of it is made of plastic.

Glass / steel over plastic Prioritise ‘nude food’ Bring your own containers and write to management demanding change if food is unnecessarily overpackaged.

Use glass rather than plastic food storage containers at home. They are healthier anyway- BPAs are a recognised endocrine disruptor. Use stainless steel ice moulds.

Eliminate plastic bin liners Avoid frozen convenience food Too much single-use plastic packaging.

Refuse bottled water altogether Plastic bottles, derived from crude oil, take thousands of years to break down in landfill and contaminate the water in them. Carry your own reusable stainless steel water bottle with you wherever you go.

Skip plastic bags altogether Take your own reusable bags (eg. calico or canvas) to supermarkets and markets. Encourage shopkeepers to stop providing plastic bags.

Avoid all disposable plastic ‘Cutlery’; razors; cling-wrap; plastic gloves; toothbrushes (not easy yet, but there are a growing number of alternatives such as bamboo). Take your own reusable containers to local ‘Takeaway’ restaurants, and carry reusable hot drinks cups. Refuse plastic drinking straws at restaurants, and let them know that they should stop using them. Ask for a cone for your ice-cream, rather than the cup. Buy wine with a real cork rather than plastic or metal tops.

Rinse your bin. Make it a less messy job by lining the bin with old newspapers, and keep food waste separate.

Much food waste can be composted, providing added benefit for your garden.

Refuse exfoliating cosmetics and toothpastes that contain plastic microbeads (These mainly comprise polyethylene, or PE). The internet is full of ideas for homemade household cosmetics and cleaning alternatives that have the added benefit of being healthier too.

Use bars of soap rather than bottles of liquid soap Streamline use of household cleaning products as most come in plastic packaging.

Avoid clothing made from synthetic fabric Plastic fibres find their way into waterways and oceans via household drains when washed.

Avoid all wet-wipes They are made with plastic fibres. If you have to have plastic items, second-hand is better than new.

Avoid any products that contain the following: Avoid canned foods Most cans are lined with some form of plastic (usually BPA) to prevent the can rusting. Opt for foods in glass jars instead. Better still - make your own foods.

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Polyethylene (PE) Polypropylene (PP) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and Nylon

L to R, top to bottom: Euphorbia milii; Close up of Euphorbia Black Pearl cyathia; Euphorbia dendroides (right) with Euphorbia rigida (left); Self sown Euphorbia myrsintes on steps to my pool room; Euphorbia Diamond Frost

Get euphoric with Euphorbias

BY TAMSIN VARLEY

The Euphorbia or Spurge family is one of the largest and most diverse of plant families with over 7500 species. It derives its name from Euphorbos who was the Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia and married the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. He discovered that the sap of one Euphorbia species had a strong laxative effect hence the common name of Spurge which derives from the old French ‘espurge’ meaning to purge.

Within the Euphorbia family is the genus Euphorbia which accounts for about 2100 species. There are many herbaceous spurges, especially in temperate zones worldwide, but the genus is best known for its many succulent species, some of which appear very similar to cacti, as they occupy the same ecological niche. Succulent Euphorbias are most diverse in southern and eastern Africa and Madagascar, but they also occur in tropical Asia and the Americas. A lot of Euphorbias are highly tolerant of both drought and heat, so are very useful in the Algarve garden.

The plants all share the same characteristics of exuding a very irritating and caustic milky white sap when damaged and unusual floral structures. If you get any of the sap on your skin, make sure you wash it off straight away or wear gloves when handling them. The unique flower head of the Euphorbia is called a cyathium. The male and female flowers are stripped down to the essential sexual parts,

86 Outdoor

so that there are no petals, sepals or nectar producing structures to attract pollinators.

Instead, the cyathium sits within a supporting cup which produces nectar and that is then supported by bract-like modified leaf structures which superficially look like petals and can be brightly coloured.

Most of you will be familiar with the Poinsettia at Christmas time which is in fact Euphorbia pulcherrima and originates from Mexico. Other commercial plants in the Euphorbia family include the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) and Cassava (Manihot esculenta). In Africa, Euphorbia tirucalli is used as a hedging plant and the fiery pink version of it, known as Sticks on Fire is often planted in succulent gardens to bring a splash of colour.

my garden. A single plant can have up to 20 flowering stems which really creates a ‘wow’ factor. Also highly recommended are Euphorbia rigida and Euphorbia myrsinites which both end up trailing and have bright yellow bracts from spring to summer. I also love the tree Euphorbias including E. lambii from Tenerife and E. dendroides native to the Mediterranean.

In pots, I have a small collection of Euphorbias with cacti-like characteristics including E. horrida, E. globosa, E. obesa, E. pentagona and E. enopla. I also recommend E. milii or Crown of Thorns which is common in local garden centres and easy to grow and E. Diamond Frost a little beauty with clouds of airy white bracts throughout the year.

Having just had a quick wander around my garden I counted 10 different Euphorbias planted in the ground and about 15 in pots. I find them ideal plants for my drought tolerant garden as they thrive in areas with little to no soil and require very little supplemental water in the summer. They’re at their peak right now and are in full flower, but in the heat of the summer can look straggly as the flower heads die and indeed, some such as Euphorbia dendroides lose their leaves to cope with the hot conditions.

If you’re looking for bullet proof plants that require little care and attention and will thrive in hot, dry conditions, then give Euphorbias a go!

One of my favourite Euphorbias is called Black Pearl which self seeds rampantly around

 algarvecbj@gmail.com  Clube Dos Bons Jardins

Tamsin is Chairman of Clube Dos Bons Jardins, a small, friendly multi-national garden club that meets at different locations around the Algarve on the second Tuesday every month except over the summer with an optional lunch afterwards.

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