Tomorrow Aljezur to Lagoa - March 2021

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MARCH 2021 | EDITION 112

In this edition Yes Minister Revelations from a former member of the British Government

Law of the Sea An interview with the Captain of the Port of Lagos

Speed Skating How an international champion is making a comeback

Saving the Planet!

The danger of plastic waste

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Editor's note They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb.

 TomorrowAlgarve

 www.tomorrowalgarve.com Sophie Sadler - Editor  sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

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Let's hope this is true in two respects. Despite being very grateful for a month of much-needed rain, I am sure we are all looking forward to some warmer weather and the famous Algarve sunshine once again.

Secondly, we are all longing to hear that lockdown's lion-like grip will loosen and allow us all to bounce around freely like little lambs once more!

This month, we have been alarmed by headlines announcing that Portugal’s COVID-19 infection rates were among the world’s highest. Thankfully these are now coming down, but I am sure no-one wants lockdown to end until we are confident we are safe.

Once again, I know everyone is anxious about their businesses and how being on the UK's red list will affect this year's tourist season. I urge you to read the update from Algarve Families in Need on the charity page. Their fantastic work to help those most affected is truly inspiring and there is information on how to support the most vulnerable.

Tomorrow is trying to do all we can to help local businesses, particularly the restaurant sector, with a free listing of local eateries offering takeout and delivery services. #EatLocalAlgarve is on our website and Facebook page.

As usual, we are trying to inject the feel-good factor into the magazine and we hope you will enjoy another fabulous selection of articles to help distract you from the more depressing stories of the day. If you want to be emailed the latest edition as soon as it comes out, head to the website and click on the blue 'subscribe' button.

I was sent this photo by a reader, which made me smile and reminds us there is always a funny side.

All the best from the socially distanced Tomorrow team.

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Yes Minister In the first of a two-part interview, Sophie Sadler talks to former British politician James Plaskitt and uncovers some fascinating revelations about Tony Blair's government.

James Plaskitt

No one sitting outside the innocuous cafe where I enjoyed a galão with James Plaskitt could have imagined my interviewee once walked the corridors of Westminster, stood at the House of Commons dispatch box and was at the heart of the Blair government.

When I meet James Plaskitt, he has just managed to get back to Lagos before lockdown, albeit after a complicated series of COVID-19 tests. Having sold his house in Leamington Spa, he has realised a long-held dream of moving permanently to Portugal, after owning an apartment here for many years, and already becoming a resident.

His journey into politics was accidental. After studying PPE at University College, Oxford he gained an MA, graduating in 1976. He subsequently took an MPhil in Politics before taking up a lectureship at University College until 1979.

“My first interest in politics was as a subject to study,” he tells me. “Then I taught American politics, but when I was in my twenties someone suggested I stood for the local council. I thought

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it sounded interesting and I said I would do it for a term just to help out. I did stand and got elected and ended up leading that council, and by then, I had the bug.”

As Labour was swept to power in the 1997 general election landslide, Plaskitt was elected MP for the previously Conservative constituency of Warwick and Leamington, beating the incumbent Dudley Smith into second place. He became a backbencher in the new Blair government. How did it feel?

“It was one of those moments I think I will always remember. I had been active in Labour politics for decades before, but for most of it we had been in opposition. I had been a council leader, for example, during the Thatcher years and it had frankly been a battle all that time.

It felt like an enormous relief to have a very different type of government with different priorities, voted in with such a convincing mandate. It was a time of great optimism as I think it always is when a country makes a big political change. I know Tony Blair was

worried that governments don't always achieve everything people want them to. The biggest hope from us was that we would do something to fix public services. Local government and the health service were struggling from underfunding, schools were just scraping by and didn't have enough money, social services were creaking. People didn't expect us to turn the taps on and spend, spend, spend, but we had a priority which said we would start investing sensibly.”

James fervently believes the government delivered on their election promise to fix the health service’s biggest problems. “We certainly reduced waiting times in the NHS. In my constituency, there were 40 schools and I visited every one on a regular cycle so that I could see the changes over the years. They had better programmes, better equipment, the buildings were revamped, they were palpably better.”

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Tony Blair

After the general election in May 2005, he was appointed a junior minister in the Department for Work and Pensions.

“Being a backbencher and being a minister are two radically different experiences. As a backbencher, you don't always get called to speak; often there is no time and you are limited to five minutes. You want to ask a question at Prime Minister’s Questions, but you don't always get called. On the other hand, as a minister, you are at the dispatch box, you have the whole of the House of Commons coming at you, sometimes your own side trying to ask you questions and catch you out and hold you to account, which they should do. You have to be on your toes, but I used to enjoy ministerial questions. I used to get briefed up to the eyeballs. I found it a good intellectual challenge.”

I am keen to know how well he knew Tony Blair and what secrets he can divulge! “After I was elected as an MP in 1997, I got to know Tony Blair very well. He came to do campaigns in my constituency where I had various meetings with him over issues in the constituency which he helped me resolve. Once he appointed me a minister, I was on committees that Tony chaired, so I worked with him a lot.”

“After I was elected as an MP in 1997, I got to know Tony Blair very well.

He came to do campaigns in my constituency where I had various meetings with him..."

An indication of Blair's leadership qualities is James's high praise of his former boss. He tells me he was brilliant at quickly identifying the core of the problem and what you have to do to fix it. “I remember being in cabinet committees, which he presided over, and his approach was always the same. 'Right guys, tell me what the problem is, spell it out, put it all on the table.'

Then he would reflect on it and say, 'OK, this is what we need to do. Do it in this order, off you go, do it and come back and tell me how you are getting on.' There was absolute clarity of analysis and I loved that. It was a great asset in a PM and certainly not what we have got at the moment.”

James feels that a testament to Blair's talents is the Blair Foundation. “If you look at his research documents and the policy recommendations, as far as I can see, they are all spot on. I understand that quietly the government has been talking to him about how to handle the COVID crisis.”

I ask him if he believes in the mythical 'deal of succession' between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

“Well, we never knew the truth about that. I lived with the drama between the two of them, but it's all speculation. I did witness the transition when there was a very uncomfortable period in 2007 when the pressure was mounting on Tony Blair to go and I didn't like that period at all. All sorts of silly manoeuvring

was going on and lots of 'briefing-offs'. I have always hated that side of politics and it wasn't pleasant. I could see the two camps manoeuvring: Tony still trying to run the government and keep things on track with Gordon desperate to take over. And it was an unpleasant atmosphere.”

James did not think so highly of Gordon Brown as he did of Tony Blair, “He was a very different character, not so easy to get on with. At least I found it that way, when did have to deal with him. Tony was very relaxed, approachable and laid back. Gordon was a very different sort of person. Very intelligent and able but not so easy to get on with.”

So did he see sparks fly between Number 10 and 11 in the dying moments of the Blair era? “As far as I could tell, there was still a perfectly functioning relationship between Number 10 and the chancellery. For example, they were dealing with issues such as whether to join the euro at the time and, from as far as I could see, they were working together. The government was functioning, but it was the people behind them in their camps who were trying to do briefings and I said to both of them, 'You should not be doing this.

The public expects us to behave better than this and you are better than this.' But there was a sense of expectation from those on the Brown side that it was now their turn, could you please get on with it. It was all unnecessary, the public didn’t like it and most of those in government didn’t like it.

“It was an uncomfortable episode in what was otherwise, as far as I could tell, I thought quite a good government in terms of domestic agenda. It was a government doing what it had promised to do.”

As Minister of the Department of Work and Pensions, James had responsibility for the Child Support Agency, which he describes as “a very troubled organisation”. On becoming an MP, he discovered that about a third of his caseload for his constituents involved child support. “So I found myself dealing with hundreds of cases which proved to me that this agency really wasn't working. Then, low and behold, I was made the minister in charge of it, so I thought 'right, I had better sort this out’. I tried to simplify all the rules for assessment. When I came in, I found about 100 variables for working out an assessment; I got that down to 12 in a big reform. I tightened the sanctions on parents that did not pay, meaning they could have their driving licence or passport taken away. I believed it was completely unacceptable that a parent could walk away from responsibility for a child.

I did those reforms 13 years ago and I think broadly they worked.” 

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material that the government has. It's sad looking back from 1500 miles away and observing it and talking to people about it in the UK. They are depressed about it as well.”

 James also had responsibility for two big pension reforms, which he was trying to get through parliament when all the “ridiculous conflict” between the Blair and Brown camps was playing out.

“I introduced stakeholder pensions, an example of a longterm reform which has paid off. There are now today tens of millions of Britons joined up to a pension scheme that otherwise would not have been. They are going to be better off in retirement in 10 or 20 years’ time than they would have been had we not made that change. While all that noise on the surface was going on, we were still doing really important things at ground level which have all stood the test of time, including that one.”

Slightly more controversially, James changed the qualification age at which people draw the state pension, but his motivation was just plain maths. “The Civil servants presented me with the budget forecast for the cost of paying state pension and if we made no changes it was clearly unaffordable. We had to bite the bullet and say, 'Well, what do we do? We don’t want the system to fall over.’

The only logical thing to do was defer the retirement age gradually, so that is what we did.” In doing this, he took one for the team! He also had to wait until he was almost 66 to receive the state pension.

Maybe it's not fair to ask a former Labour MP his opinion of the new Conservative government, but I am intrigued to get his take on Boris Johnson, who is arguably the first charismatic leader to occupy Number 10 since Tony Blair.

“I feel depressed. Party politics aside, I think the country has poor leadership at the moment. I don't see any proper analysis going on of the issues that the country faces. I don't see strategic thinking. I just see day-to-day crisis management and it's not how you should govern a country.

Yes, the health thing is an unprecedented crisis and a challenge to any government. But there are governments around the world that are coping with it. It doesn't have to be this constant chop and change impression of 'we don't know what we are doing'. It shows the poor quality of leadership

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In James's opinion, the current government has committed two cardinal political errors. One is over-promising and under-delivering as you rapidly lose public confidence and then nothing you say has any impact. “They have done that time and time again. It is a basic error and I am astonished that they keep making it.”

Secondly, he believes that government messaging has to be clear and consistent and the current government has made the mistake of constantly changing the message and confusing the public. “They have ended up in a situation where the public, on the whole, don’t really believe what the government says as they don’t deliver on it. And they don't understand what the government says as they keep changing the message.”

Well, I did ask! So given his condemnation of the current government did he expect Labour's crushing defeat in the last election?

“Yes, I did. One person I would include in the list of poor politicians not up to the scale of the challenge is Jeremy Corbyn. The party under his leadership monumentally failed, in my view, to be relevant to the country's challenges at the time. Labour was unelectable and Corbyn made it unelectable and that was a painful experience for me, having spent over 50 years as a member of the party. I had never seen it so irrelevant as during his time. At a time when the country was crying out for people who had a strong and intelligent grasp of the situation and foresight and vision about what could be done. He was just a politician from a completely different era, on a completely different page and was just making my party irrelevant and it was horrible.”

Does James feel the new opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer is electable? “Yes, I think he is. There is a huge amount of work to be done, but he is starting to do it. I am hopeful.

I don't know him but from what I see and hear I am much more hopeful that he will pull the party back to a point of relevance and we will be much more electable when the next election comes around.”

Make sure you don't miss Part 2 of this interview in the April edition when James describes his face-to-face meeting with Tony Blair when he tried to persuade the PM not to invade Iraq.

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Law of the Sea

On the sea and at the beach, it’s the Maritime Police that upholds the law and keeps us safe from harm. Vaughan Willmore takes a look at their work and speaks to the Captain of the Port of Lagos.

The Maritime Police is the police and criminal police body responsible for maintaining law and order on the seas, bathing areas, port areas, and inland waterways. It works under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Authority and is responsible to the Ministry of Defense.

The Maritime Police is structured into regional commands of which there are six in the Algarve, with the nearest being in Lagos. The man with overall responsibility is the Captain of the Port of Lagos, Lieutenant Captain Pedro Luis Fernandes da Palma.

Approximately 500 officers work for this unique organisation, responsible for patrolling nearly 3,000 kilometres of coastline and so very much more. Officers are typically involved in such activities as:

The Lieutenant Captain has been in his current role since September 2020 so a relatively short time. However, he is a lifelong man of the sea. In a 24-year career he has served with distinction in the Portuguese Navy and at the port of Vila Real de Santo Antonio, so he understands the land and the seas of the Algarve as well as anyone.

 Patrolling beaches  Visiting ships and vessels  Evaluating the dispatch of ships and boats  Surveillance and inspection of port areas, such as that in Lagos  Arresting anyone who illegally enters Portuguese territory  Investigating shipwrecks  Intervening to establish order onboard ships and vessels  Executing court orders in respect to seizures and foreclosures  Carrying out investigations in relation to marine pollution, theft of engines, crimes onboard vessels, and the destruction or capture of protected species of fauna and flora.

Working in collaboration with other police and security forces, officers are also responsible for guaranteeing the security and rights of citizens.

Local resident Mark Shreeve is the proud owner of a wonderful Levant 700 Sport Fishing Boat, and he said of the Maritime Police’s work, “I find the officers to be friendly and professional, and I speak to them frequently when passing their boats. In fact, I’ve just had the 5-year inspection of my boat and I encountered no issues at all, the officers were punctual and professional throughout. You respect them and they respect you.”

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The Lieutenant Captain is not only responsible for the operations of the Maritime Police but also for the whole Maritime Authority operation in this area. When talking of his new role, he describes it to me as being “fascinating, varied, and perfect for him”. Such enthusiasm was wonderful to hear.

I asked the Lieutenant Captain what advice he would offer to local residents? “It is always important to respect the natural environment, including the sea, because if you don’t respect it, it has a habit of letting you know!”

This is good advice and a timely reminder for us to take care so that once the current restrictions are lifted and the weather improves, we can make the best use of the wonderful natural environment available to us here in the Algarve.

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COMMUNITY Meia Praia

Anel Verde-Parque da Cidade (3.ª fase)

Barking Mad My tail is firmly between my legs at present.

Not only was our trip back from England in February cancelled, it turns out that, even if we had returned, we wouldn’t have been allowed on the beach. That’s no fun. What on earth can my furry friends be doing in these circumstances. Those crazy retrievers that like swimming in the sea (ugh!) must be particularly upset. And how can you catch a tennis ball and bury it if you’re on a lead in a street?

OK, I know we’re not very good at social distancing, but it’s not as if we’re likely to be super-spreaders of coronavirus. And our owners will be just as upset. As one of my owner’s friends remarked, it’s not as if keeping two metres apart is a problem on a beach where there is a lot of wide-open space. Maintaining social distance in the streets of Luz or Lagos could be altogether trickier. So, it beats me why the rules are as strict as they are.

As it happens, running on the beach would not have been as much fun recently. My Queen Anne legs are playing up again. I need the friendly Lars to sort me out. I don’t think the weather in England helps. It’s cold and damp and snow arrived at the weekend – not my idea of fun. At least the sun was shining in the Algarve, though I’m told it’s also been raining.

At least we have vaccinations taking place across the board in England. By all accounts, it’s a lot slower in the Algarve.

My namesake, the Prime Minister, does seem to have got something right at last by ordering all those vaccination supplies while Brussels procrastinated.

I’m often asked if I’m named after the PM. The answer is no. True, my owners did meet him, but long ago, before he was even Mayor of London. And I’ll be 13 later this year – well into retirement if I was a human. Apparently, I was first of my litter and bigger than all of my siblings (I am big for a Jack Russell, I know). I was nicknamed the Bruiser when I was born and Boris seemed to fit that description, though now all who know me realise I’m as gentle as could be. So, fingers crossed vaccinations will arrive, the beach will reopen and we can come back. Until then, keep your tails up.

Boris the Jack Russell continues his terrier’s eye view of the world.

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Lagos Landscape Improvements

BY SOPHIE SADLER Câmara Municipal de Lagos has several projects underway to improve urban public spaces while protecting the local landscape.

In the coastal strip between the city of Lagos and Vale da Lama, a new route is planned, which will allow pedestrians and bicycles to travel along this scenic route in safety.

The route is named Ecovia and will complement a municipal network of cycle paths giving access to schools, including Escola das Naus in the Meia Praia area. The purpose of this network is to encourage the school population to cycle to school, promoting more sustainable forms of mobility.

Another initiative is the rehabilitation and recovery of the dune area, with the creation of walkways giving pedestrians access to the beach and parking lots along the entire length of Meia Praia.

Another project integrated into the program Lagos Avança is already underway as part of the Meia Praia Urban Plan. It is aiming to improve accessibility for road users as well as the aesthetics of this beautiful seafront location overlooking Lagos Bay. The work started in October with the development of the shipyard and the preparation of diversions and will continue until May, meaning constraints on transit, with access to the route through a parallel road, controlled by traffic lights.

The works will transform 1300 metres into a continuous walkway for pedestrians unhindered by traffic, giving an improvement in road safety, lighting and bus stops.

A further improvement of Lagos' leisure areas will be the implementation of the third phase of Parque da Cidade, the green zone around the old walls, which connects the historic centre to the modern city.

Parque da Cidade currently has a green area of 5 ​​ ha (incorporating the first and second phases), the third phase has 3 ha and is bordered by Travessa do Cemitério and Bulwark of Jogo da Bola (to the North), Bairro 28 de Setembro and Rua das Escolas Primárias (to the West) and Rua Infante de Sagres and Baluarte Porta dos Quartos (to the South).

The City Hall launched a public tender for the project design with the criteria of creating a space promoting economic, ecological and social sustainability, with an emphasis on the relationship between the cost of work and maintenance costs. It should also provide pedestrian and cycling routes, enhance the historic heritage of the walls, create a space to hold events and provide additional parking. The estimated value for the overall cost of the new garden is four million euros (excluding VAT).

These three projects will undoubtedly make Lagos a cleaner, safer and more attractive city.

COMMUNITY

True Colours

BY DAVID LUGG

Colour is a myth. Well, that’s not exactly true, but certainly our general understanding of colour is. The accepted notion is that our eyes do not actually see colour. When a light particle hits the back of our eye, its detection depends upon what kind of cell it hits and upon the wavelength of the light.

Moreover, colour is actually an interpretation from our brain, based upon our past experiences.

An example of this is an optical illusion. Your brain is trained to see something based upon your memories, not necessarily upon what is presented before you. These memories create an individual perception of how we see the world. In effect, it is possible that no two people will perceive colour in quite the same way.

Someone who relies on colour enormously is Sandie Croft, an artist based in Almádena, near Praia da Luz. She is forever enthused by the light that emanates from this special region and her passion shines through when she describes her work.

“The Algarve is so bright and vibrant. If you make use of the three primary colours, it works really well. My inspiration comes from what is around me."

Indeed, when you appraise her art, it is easy to find yourself drawn into a scene of life’s simple pleasures – empty beaches, open seas, couples walking hand in hand, a buzzy local market. This elementary yearning of lucidity is something that has intensified during the past year.

“Because of lockdown, I wanted a sense of freedom and I find this freedom in painting."

It is not lost on Sandie that she only moved to Praia da Luz by means of a fortunate accident. In 1988, as she drove through Portugal with her husband on her way to Spain, her car broke down. The prognosis was that they were “stuck

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in Luz for about three months”, while they waited for parts for the car to be sent from the UK. They are still “stuck” here almost 33 years later.

As she settled to life in Luz, art was initially “just a hobby” whilst she concentrated on her career as a singer (which she still enjoys with her husband as part of the popular jazz group Sunshine Big Band). Before long, the kaleidoscopic diversity synonymous with this beautiful part of Portugal soon began to take effect.

“You couldn’t take a bad photo. You still can’t. I felt moved to get down and do some painting and I haven’t looked back since."

Cut to the present day and Sandie’s inspiration has long left its indelible mark on others. Outside of lockdown, she runs two popular art classes per week and regularly displays her work at exhibitions. She also commissions portraits for those looking for a take on Sandie’s own creative perspective.

And therein lies the key to her success – perspective, or more accurately, her perception. Art, like colour, has its foundations in perception. Though difficult to measure, without perception, we have no point of reference.

Perception is art in its simplest form. It begins to explain why people have a preference from one artist to another.

We can, of course, apply this notion further afield - music, food, wine, perhaps even love.

We live in a time when the world needs a little more love.

Sandie Croft is certainly doing her bit with her sanguine approach to art, to colour and to life. Let us all take solace and indulge in its positive candour.

 www.sandiecroftart.com

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Restoration Drama

BY TRACY BURTON

Art restoration tends only to hit the headlines when something goes badly wrong – the botched Ecce Homo fresco in Borja, Spain is a prime example.

However, many talented people are quietly, skilfully and painstakingly restoring centuries-old artworks, including in the Algarve.

Florbela Moreira is one such person. She is responsible for the restoration of the Mannerist altarpiece in the Igreja da Misericórdia de Silves, thought to be one of the oldest Holy House of Mercy churches in Portugal.

The ceiling-height altarpiece has been subject to various improvement works since it was painted in the early seventeenth century. Florbela was called in to restore the main framework of the Visitation and several surrounding panels, as well as taking down and reassembling the altarpiece.

“The church was built with local sandstone (grés de Silves) which absorbs a lot of water and is full of minerals,” she explains. “The humidity was coming through the walls.”

The altarpiece had been painted on wood and attached directly to the church wall. Florbela’s task was to remove the wood, treat it, clean and restore the artwork and eventually reconstruct the entire piece on a wooden frame to allow air to circulate freely.

There is a misconception that restoration is painting, but it can involve working with rotting wood, decaying canvas and crumbling plasterwork. The cleaning process is delicate and time-consuming; foul-smelling chemicals are often necessary and require maximum attention and safety. Maintaining a constant environment is important for any piece of art, especially in terms of humidity, direct light and dust.

“With restoring you do not repaint,” emphasises Florbela. “There are different filling techniques you can employ when there is no type of original painting – Tratteggio, Regatino, Pointillismo. The artwork can be seen as a whole from afar, but when you get closer, you can distinguish the restoration work.”

Florbela’s journey into art restoration is an unusual one and reveals her determination to work in the arts. Born in Congo, she worked for an airline for 15 years before coming to Portugal twenty years ago. Despite her lifelong passion for art, she had never studied the subject. When Albufeira câmara advertised a three-year course in art restoration to help people into work, she applied but had to work hard to convince the câmara she was indeed serious and committed to finishing her studies.

“I always liked painting, but I knew I was not good enough to make a living, so I decided to apply for something art-related which would provide paid work,” she recalls.

Since qualifying, Florbela has also completed church restoration work in Albufeira and Messines, while simultaneously restoring the Silves home and art studio she shares with husband Dimitrios Mantzavrakos.

Restoration is physically demanding work. Regrettably, Florbela is no longer able to work on heavier restoration projects; however, she still enjoys restoring smaller canvases and wood paintings.

Florbela now applies what she learned from restoration to her own artwork, relishing the opportunity to express herself in the bright colours she loves, including creating flamboyant collage creations.

Her work is influenced by Fauvism, Expressionism and Art Brut.  www.facebook.com/Conservacao.e.Restauro  Florbela-moreira@mail.com  +351 282 088 397

So how do disasters like the Ecce Homo fresco occur?

“People can’t see through to the old painting, so they paint on top,” she explains. “If you don’t know what the artist painted, then just keep what is preserved and nothing more.”

Florbela emphasises the importance of carefully evaluating every piece before starting work.

“Restoring brings a lot of surprises. Sometimes you think the canvas is strong enough and it is not, sometimes you think the colours are the original ones and they are not. Sometimes the artwork is cracking and when you touch it, it is falling apart. If you make a bad judgement at the beginning and it’s wrong, it’s going to cause trouble.”

The Silves altarpiece draws attention for its size and its many panels, which took a year to restore. In the second year, Florbela worked on the central canvas painting, around a huge table built for the purpose. The Church of São Francisco de Faro - another complex project - was equally demanding, with the original work of art in wood, cornices, nailed directly to the wall.

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The restored altarpiece at Igreja igreja da Misericórdia de Silves

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COMMUNITY

Lockdown Limericks

BY JULIAN PUTLEY

Limericks. What fun! They can be clever, naughty or topical and should give the listener or reader a smile or even a good belly laugh.

A limerick is a five-line poem that follows a definite pattern. The first, second and fifth lines must rhyme and the third and fourth lines must rhyme. Simply put it will read like this AABBA. Then there are the stressed syllables – three in each of the first two lines as well as the last line and two stressed syllables in each of the third and fourth. Phew! That’s all the technical stuff.

There are tricks to creating a good limerick. Don’t fall into the trap of writing the lines before you have the rhyming words in your mind. There are rhyming word dictionaries available, but I have never used one. My trick is to go through the alphabet, starting from ‘a’ and listing all the rhyming words. There are also words with two sister consonants, so if you are looking for a rhyming word for ash then you will arrive at cash, but also crash will work too.

OK, here’s an example:

So here we are in the middle of a long and tedious lockdown. I have wiled away some hours coming up with relevant (I hope) limericks.

Belafonte sang a song, ‘Yellow Bird’ A ditty that had to be heard A bananaquit That was ever so sweet Was the star of the song, how absurd!

There was a young lady from Luz Who would lie on the sand for a snooze The pandemic said ‘no’ To your house you must go So now she’s at home on the booze

Another, a little risqué: A young lady arrived from Colehill She sat down on top a mole hill The mole pokes his nose Up, as far as it goes Now the lady's quite well but the mole's ill It was Edward Lear who made limericks famous in his Book of Nonsense published in 1846.

I have written three books of limericks and there are some golden rules. Limericks must be fun. They can be naughty, even risqué but not vulgar – and there’s a fine line here. A good limerick will also tell a story.

While the word limerick refers to the city or County of Limerick, Ireland, historians believe limerick poems originated in England in the early eighteenth century. The rhyme and rhythm structure of limericks are thought to have originated from a parlour game that always included the refrain, “Won’t you come to Limerick?”

By the way, if you read the first line of a limerick that ends in Nantucket or even bucket, take a deep breath – it may become offensive.

Here's a limerick that is borderline but is accepted because of its clever use of nearly rhyming words: There was a young lady from Bude Who came down the stairs in the nude Her father said what- umm A bloody great bottom And smacked it as hard as he cude

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The Algarve is known for its beaches In summer eat some of its peaches Sitting out in the sun With juice that will run Down your chin and have you in stitches

Today he felt like a fool Left his mask out there by the pool He was taken to task For forgetting his mask Now he knows it just wasn't cool

Sometimes, in order to tell a complete story, more than one verse is necessary: At last, it’s time for a jab It’s a worry with the news from the lab Should I vaccinate or Procrastinate With Boris and his gift of the gab

Now I’ve just had my first injection There are signs of possible rejection The doubt still lingers Cos I’ve grown six fingers Not counting a raging infection OK, now it’s your turn. Send in your best creations to sophie@tomorrowalgarve.pt and we will post them online.

COMMUNITY

Legends of the Algarve

BY SÍLVIA CARVALHO D'ALMEIDA Over the centuries many legends have emerged from the Algarve.

Some date back from even before Portugal conquered the last city from the Moors and established its definite frontiers in 1297.

Those narratives that have been created were passed through the ages by oral tradition. Some combine real and historical facts with human imagination, but others are entirely true, which makes them particularly valuable for historians. They frequently express people’s fears, doubts, and incomprehension of phenomena that couldn’t be explained. They became part of Portuguese culture and heritage.

In the next editions of Tomorrow magazine, I will tell you some of these amazing stories.

THE LEGEND OF THE BLOSSOM ALMOND TREES Many centuries ago, the Al-Gharb (Arabic name for the Algarve) belonged to the Moors, and Chaves (named Chelb) was reigned by the young Ibn-Almundim, a brave king who had never lost a battle.

One day, amongst the prisoners of war, he met a beautiful young blue-eyed blond Scandinavian princess named Gilda. He immediately fell in love, but instead of making her his captive, he freed her. He decided to conquer her trust and dedicated himself to

her. With time, she too fell in love with him. They married, he made her his queen, and both lived happily.

The story could end just here, but the queen started to get ill. With no apparent reason, she became sad and depressed, not even being able to get out of bed. Worried, Ibn-Almundim did everything he could to cure her. He summoned the best doctors in the region and prayed to Allah every day. Nothing seemed to result in her getting better.

One day, a prisoner from the lands far north asked to be received by the king and explained to him that the queen was nostalgic for the snow in her country. Almost in despair, he suggested the king plant almond trees throughout the kingdom, and so he did. One beautiful spring morning, he asked Gilda to stand by him next to the window.

The white of the blossom trees looked like it had been snowing.

Delighted, the queen started to get better, and from then, they lived happily ever after.

This legend seems to be an explanation for the number of almond trees that exist specifically in the region of the Algarve, in comparison to the rest of the country.

Jacinta has gone full circle, from producing TV shows to producing mini yogis, with her company Little Brights.

Jacinta once worked on programmes like Deal or No Deal until recently life dealt her a different hand.

Little Brights

BY SOPHIE SADLER

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While working in her family business making films about mental health, she became interested in the subject. She produced training material for counsellors and so far the organisation has trained over 150,000 counsellors in the UK and further afield.

After practising yoga for 10 years, she was looking for a change in direction and decided to teach yoga because of how much it had benefited her own life.

Jacinta found a course “Children do Yoga” which she completed in England before lockdown. "At 36, I have lots of friends with kids and I love being around them and feel like I have a connection to children. I spent years casting people for TV shows and videos for counselling so I feel I have developed a sensitivity to emotions.”

She set up Little Brights to help children experience more joy, with increased mental and physical health.

She has found the practises that she teaches

can help children with depression, anger, anxiety, autism, ADHD, pain and life challenges such as COVID-19. “Private sessions are great for working with a specific need and helping your child to progress and flourish. I assess the child's needs and I can see and feel what works well. I’m constantly adapting this depending on what the child needs next.” She uses yoga, games, animal postures, child-friendly meditation and mindfulness to make sessions fun and to help them let go of anger and any other emotions they might need shifting.

Jacinta has been visiting her family's holiday home in Lagos for 20 years and came here last September on holiday with friends. They left - she didn't.

Currently coaching groups and individuals online while in lockdown, she intends to convert a space in her home into a studio and therapy room once she is allowed to. She is also hoping to help older people with gentle yoga classes to help them move, explore their bodies and feel safe during this challenging time.

So whether you are young or old, Jacinta is set to add a little brightness into your life in a difficult year.  www.facebook.com/Littlebrights  www.littlebrights.co.uk

CHARITY

Food Appeal

BY BERNADETTE ABBOTT

Food Appeal - One Year On In March 2020, Portugal faced its first lockdown of modern times. On Thursday the 12th of that memorable month, we were contacted by four families distraught at the news that they would not be returning to work.

These were seasonal workers who had not worked for six months and whose working pattern had meant that they had been unable to pay their rent or bills through the winter months and they would then would pay off arrears throughout the summer. They were now faced with a situation where they had no money to start paying arrears and nothing for the future either. One lady told us, "I have 2 kgs of potatoes and one tin of tuna, then nothing.”

A call was put out for donations of food and the phones didn't stop ringing or five hours. Messages came in continually from those in need and those wanting to help. It was both heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time.

The following day the first food collections were made in Lagos and Luz, followed on Wednesday the 18th at Carvoeiro and Lagoa. As the food poured in, so did the requests for help and it became clear that we were going to need more help in terms of volunteers and donations. People were quick to volunteer, collection points were increased to take in Ferragudo, Guia, Silves, Messines, Paderne, Boliqueime, Loulé, Quarteira and Faro and later, Portimão and Alvor.

Owing to the vast numbers of people affected by the lockdown, we agreed that we had to concentrate on those left with zero income. Even with this tight criteria, from March through to the end of June, we sent food out for up to 1500 people a week. We could not have done this without the generous donations from the Algarve community in food, toiletries, and cash. Donations also came from Germany, Netherlands, US and Sweden.

Morag Richardson is a volunteer who has supported the Network for seven years. “I met people who travelled to the Algarve expecting to find work for another busy tourist season, stranded with no money and no food, grateful for whatever we could

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supply. A young mum painfully thin because she gave all her food to her two-year-old child.”

Spring became summer and despite some of the travel restrictions and the subsequent effect on tourism, some of our families managed to find work.

Although donations reduced, we were able to meet the demand, due largely to the wonderful people who came out week after week either with a full trolley or with homemade food which the families always looked forward to.

As we came into autumn, we began to worry as donations were decreasing and demand was again increasing. Still, each time funds were low somehow they managed to get propped up due, in no small way, to the support given by various golf clubs and fundraising social activities carried out by restaurants, bars and clubs.

December saw many families distraught, wondering how they could possibly give their children any sort of Christmas. Help came in the form of over 250 Reverse Advent Calendars from the fabulous initiative set up and organised by Chantelle Kortekaas and the Fastighetsbyran Estate Agency’s toy collection. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of all those things that went out to our families and the difference it made to their Christmas.

Again, January saw our volunteers back out every week collecting food and now, here we are, one year later in another lockdown. The number of families needing help has almost doubled in the last few weeks to the extent that we have had to put out a call for additional volunteers.

Morag tells me, “There have been some happy endings: a young Indian desperate for work in Faro who now has an electric bike and can work with Uber. Another who has a computer to work at home, and someone else who persevered and has a job on a shipping line. They are all so grateful.”

We could not have asked for more. Yet we do! The situation is still dire, and we can't let our families down. Your donations are essential; please continue to support Algarve Families in Need.

How you can help Paypal - algarvefamilies in need Iban PT50 0007 0000 0051 4134 7272 3  familiesinneed@hotmail.com  www.facebook.com/groups/ algarvenetwork

Testimonials “I can't thank this group enough. Because of these volunteers, my family have been able to eat this year. I have no idea how we would have managed.”

“It's knowing that someone cares that makes the difference. We had very little before but when worked stopped what could we do. We had no food, nappies and no way of buying.”

ARTS AND LITERATURE Destino Mar

Art Critic

The harmony of colour and shape

BY AFONSO ALMEIDA BRANDÃO

Leonor Veiga was born in Lisbon, on the 28th of June in 1943, and lives in Cascais, where she keeps an Atelier.

her vigorous brush strokes harmonise with the style, the finish and the structure of each artistic element.

Her artistic career highlights were the exhibitions held at Galerias ARA, in Lisbon; Viragem, in Cascais; Galeria Arcada, in Sintra and the Art Gallery of Casino Estoril in 1989; followed by the two exhibitions held at Espaço Clube 50 in Lisbon, in 1991 and 1992.

The result is art which balances colour and shape in an orchestrated harmony of subtle shades. Inspired by reality, but transformed by feeling and good taste in the composition and synthesis of the execution, individual paintings are like prototypes.

That same year she would be included in the Dictionary of 200 notable Artists - Aspect of Plastic Arts in Portugal, by Fernando Infante do Carmo. In the following years, she would exhibit her work at the Museu Diogo Gonçalves, in Portimão and at Galeria 245, in Porto. She was invited to participate in the Biennial of Arts by the Council of Sabugal.

Her inclusion in these exhibitions testified to the quality of work that came from her intellect and creative strength.

Batalha Alfarrobeira, (the Battle of Alfarrobeira) is the work which speaks to us through symbolism. The artist presents us with a restrained foreground that contrasts with a dilute and luminous background. It depicts horses that structure geometric shapes full of hot colours, with a finishing detail in fine shades of red. It has the boldness of style of Cezanne.

She has sought to unravel and study, in detail, fantastic stories, many of them legends, occult and fantasy. It is not commercial painting, instead, mystical in its visual content. Her passion is revealed in the subtlety of colour, the variety of themes, the lightness of touch, and the joy of creation.

The paintings of Leonor Veiga are a successful interpretation of historical images. By using a spontaneous technique,

In Destino o Mar, the serpentine luminosity is balanced by the shadows and the rich chromatic shapes of the surrounding land.

The beauty of the colour loses itself in the depth of a finite range.

Leonor Veiga’s art has the realism of one who loves where she lives and reflects the luminosity of the Lusitanian sky. It is the poetry of her soul, revealing strong painting, full of harmony and colour, expressive and sincere in accordance with the personality of the artist.

Batalha de Alfarrobeira

The Battle of Alfarrobeira took place on 20 May 1449. It was a confrontation between the forces commanded by King Afonso V of Portugal and his uncle Afonso, Duke of Braganza, against the army of the rebellious Peter, Duke of Coimbra. The place was Vialonga, near Lisbon, at the margins of the creek of Alfarrobeira.

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BingeReading

The Seven Sisters,

by Lucinda Riley

BY ANNIE O’DEA

Many of you may be binge-watching TV boxsets at the moment, but why not try binge-reading with this series of seven books?

As she looked up at the frosty, cold night sky in North Norfolk, days after New Year 2013, Lucinda Riley found her inspiration in the Seven Sisters of Pleiades for her next book and ultimately her epic series. Although allegorically based on the mythological culture that surrounds this constellation, Riley wanted to bring the legend into the twenty-first century so her modern readers would relate and be engaged by the storylines and characters.

Each book is a stand-alone story and tells how each of the adopted sisters searches to find the truth about their past - who and where they come from. Pa Salt on his death left each of them an envelope with a letter and some coordinates; all clues to their origins.

Riley is keen to celebrate female achievement in the past as she believes their contributions have shaped our world today. She writes about women in the past and present, embracing their roles and accepting that they want and need love in their lives.

“I celebrate the fact that my ‘freedom’ to be who I am was won by thousands of generations of remarkable women, perhaps leading right back to The Seven Sisters themselves…” writes Lucinda Riley.

Merope is the final sister whose story is yet untold but will be available from May 2021.

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ARTS AND LITERATURE

Photo © Brandi Lynn Photography

Want to write a book?

Here are 6 lessons to guide you When I wrote my first book in 2012, I thought I knew what I was in for: hard work, mental anguish, self-doubt, . . . and hopefully a finished draft. I was a book editor and coach at the time and thought I understood the book-writing process. I planned to follow the steps I coached my clients through: clarify my idea and audience, outline my book, write the first draft, and engage in the editing process.

But actually writing a book turned out to be totally different than editing a book or coaching an author. By the time my book was published, I had a new perspective about the book-writing process.

Today, having worked for well over a decade in the publishing industry with more than 100 books, six truths continue to resonate with me.

LESSON #1: WRITING A BOOK WILL TRANSFORM YOU. This is perhaps the most meaningful lesson, and one I hope will stick with you when you’re at 20,000 words and feeling too spent to continue.

If you fully commit to writing the best book possible, you will change. The transformation may be subtle or profound, but I have yet to meet an author who would argue this point. The hours spent grappling with exactly how to express an idea or share a story—that self-dialogue leads to clarity and growth. It’s powerful.

LESSON #2: “NO TEARS IN THE WRITER, NO TEARS IN THE READER.” This quote by Robert Frost is one of my

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favourites. And it’s true. Writing—great writing— forces you to access parts of yourself you might typically push aside. I’ve experienced love, joy, pain, loss, and heartbreak on the page. Writing in the truest way means embracing emotion, and not just when writing memoir or fiction. A meaningful business or leadership book requires an emotional connection too.

LESSON #3: NEVER WRITE A BOOK WITHOUT A PLAN. New authors sometimes believe the writing process involves nothing more than a great idea, a blank page, and lots of coffee. But that’s not how writing works for most of us. Instead, a plan is your greatest tool for writing success: a solid book concept (a clear articulation of your idea, core book message, audience, and key takeaways) and a clear outline (a chapter-bychapter overview of what you plan to write).

LESSON #4: PRODUCTIVE WRITERS DON’T WAIT FOR INSPIRATION. The more I learn about brain science, the more I’m convinced that routine and energy management are the biggest predictors of writing productivity. Running a national magazine and meeting ultra-fast deadlines taught me that I could be predictably productive every day.

Now, I write at the same time daily, managing my energy well by stopping when my creative focus is used up. And I get more done in an hour than I used to get done in several days. And when I need a creative boost, I head to the cliffs near my home in the Algarve for nature’s inspiration!

LESSON #5: WRITING A BOOK IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER GOAL. I used to deify authorship. The idea of becoming an author was a far-off thing I’d maybe do . . . someday. If someone gave me a book deal. But even then, I wasn’t certain I could deliver. Now I understand that as with any big goal, getting expert help, breaking the big project into smaller pieces, and calendaring out the writing process help ensure success.

LESSON #6: THE SACRIFICE IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT. I deeply believe in the power of sharing one’s story, ideas, or expertise. I’ve seen clients grow their influence, impact, and income. I’ve also seen them grow internally with greater confidence around their ideas, deeper clarity around their thought leadership, and an immense sense of accomplishment over completing a lifelong goal.

I hope these lessons support your book-writing journey. And when you’ve hit a milestone— whether writing a chapter or publishing your book—drop me a note. I’d love to celebrate with you!

Stacy Ennis is an author, speaker, and the founder of Nonfiction Book School (www. nonfictionbookschool.com). Her latest book is Growing Influence: A Story of How to Lead with Character, Expertise, and Impact (Greenleaf, 2018), which she coauthored with Ron Price. Get a free book ideation guide at www.stacyennis.com/ bookidea.

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SPORTS Image courtesy of Martyn Dias

Speed Skater Rolls On

A Lagos-based international champion speed skater is aiming to make a successful comeback to the sport.

I only recently realised that Lagos is one of the best places to be for roller skating. At Escola Julio Dantes there is a purpose-built skating track, used by the local club Roller Lagos Clube De Patinagem. Roller Lagos is acknowledged to be one of the best, if not the best, roller skating club in Portugal. One of the forms is speed skating which originates from roller skating and has track, road and indoor races.

Rochford, Essex-born but now Lagos-based Martyn Dias has won medals in speed skating at both European and World levels. I asked him how he discovered speed skating?

“I came to Portugal at just a few months old and did all my schooling here. I was four years old when a cousin told my parents that a skating club was running in Lagos. Mum and dad took me to there and I had my first contact with skates.

My parents always encouraged me. They never stopped me from following my ultimate dream of being a pro-athlete, even if I came home injured! They supported me in other ways too. Skating isn’t the cheapest sport to practice, from gear, to travel expenses but they were always there.

I am forever grateful for all my parents put into my skating career.”

I wonder how much being in Lagos has helped his career, as it is well-known for speed skating and many national and international titles have been won by Roller Lagos athletes.

“Numerous high ranked international events have taken place in Lagos and everyone loves to visit us. From four years old, Roller Lagos was my club. Their training is very good and I have had several coaches from the club. Roller Lagos’s Paulo Batista was most the important coach in my skating evolution, the knowledge in that man is incredible."

Skating has been Martyn's life for over 20 years. He trained for national and international titles and at 14 was a European gold medalist. At 17 he won bronze at the World Championships in China. “I have some great memories from all the worldwide travel I shared with friend and teammate

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Diogo Marreiros. So becoming a professional came naturally. But I could not have done it without all the support my family, club and coaches gave.”

Despite achieving success, Martyn stopped skating at the age of 26.

So what prompted him to give up a sport he excelled in? “Everything is fun, but when you grow up, things change. I became a dad and skating was not paying the bills. I had to change my life and skating came to a stop. However, I am now able to organise things differently. Now is the time to get my skates on and prove that there is a fierce champion inside me! But I will need help too, so I am looking for sponsors who can help me with training, gear and travel. I also want to help promote their business and generate new opportunities for them.”

So what advice can he give to Lagos youngsters wishing to follow in his footsteps? “If you are looking for fun, speed and adrenaline, contact me and I’ll help you through your skating journey. Just be sure it’s something that makes you happy!”

By Phil Egginton, who is a journalist and photographer and now lives in the Algarve.

 www.facebook.com/martyn.dias  www.rollerlagos.pt

SPORTS Cascade Resort Ariel View (courtesy Cascade Resort) for 420 people. The overall concept now is a parallel between the Portuguese Discoveries and an inner journey of well-being.

The hotel comprises five individual wings. Four inspired by the Portuguese navigators’ expeditions across the Globe and the fifth dedicated to Portugal."

I asked what the special attraction is that brings sports teams and individuals to the resort? “Sports teams choose Cascade because they find all the required facilities in one place. Here, they find quality accommodation with close proximity to the sports fields.

We have two full-sized, FIFA approved, natural grass pitches and one half-sized natural grass pitch within a two-minute walk. We also have personalised sports menus, a spa, fully equipped state of the art Technogym, meeting rooms and training equipment. The resort also offers teams and individuals privacy combined with good weather all year round,” Leonor continued.

Cascade into Sport

Cascade Wellness Resort, located on the beautiful headland of Ponta da Piedade overlooking Lagos, is increasingly being used by international sports teams and individuals for training.

I have some friends who live near Cascade resort and I noticed on a couple of occasions the police holding traffic up whilst a large coach exits the resort. Big letters on the side of the coach revealed its passengers were members of leading Portuguese football club FC Porto. I spoke with Leonor Rodrigues, Sales and Marketing Executive at Cascade to find out more.

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I asked Leonor which teams and individuals have used Cascade.

She listed, “FC Bayern Munich, Sevilla FC, Sporting CP, SL Benfica, FC Porto, Leipzig, Hamburg SV, Ajax FC, Red Bull FC Salzburg, FC Zürich, the Welsh National Team to name but a few. Recently, we had Irish boxer Conor McGregor here and in the past, we’ve had footballer Max Taylor of Manchester United."

FC Bayern Munich, winners of the 2020 Champions League, trained at Cascade before they won the final in Lisbon. Their player Leon Goretzka said of Cascade, "I think we made the best decision. We have the perfect set-up here”.

It is not just recent success that Cascade has been honoured for.

Before the 2014 World Cup, the Dutch national football team trained there. Head coach Louis van Gall said, “Due to the excellent working conditions, great pitches, beautiful environment and professional staff, we have had a fantastic training camp and a great time."

In 2016 Sporting Club de Braga trained there before their Portugal Super Cup game with Benfica. Coach José Peseiro, said, “We would like to thank the Cascade Resort for the excellent conditions it offered us. The highlight goes, above all, to the high quality of the pitches."

I started by asking about the background of Cascade. “Cascade Wellness Resort opened in 2011. The original Cascade Resort, as well as 5-star hotel facilities, featured performance sports academies run by renowned personalities from the world of professional international sport. The resort underwent a two-year and €7 million expansion, completed in 2019 by current owners, Lisbon based, ECS Capital. This was partly funded by the Portugal 2020 joint initiative between the Portuguese government and the EU. The investment included the expansion of the hotel's accommodation from 86 to 108 rooms and included the building of a new wing. The resort's common areas, restaurants and bars benefited from an increased capacity, new gastronomy and decoration. In response to customer demand, a new multipurpose events room was added with the capacity

 www.cascaderesortalgarve.com

FC Bayern Munich Training at Cascade (Courtesy FC Bayern Twitter)

Conor McGregor Training in Lagos courtesy Conor McGregor Facebook)

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It's certainly encouraging for sports fans to know there is such a great facility in the western Algarve bringing world-class athletes to the area. It is not just major teams that can take advantage of the facilities. Individuals or groups can book as well. A range of packages are available including Spa treatments, 2-night and 7-night fitness packages. Good discounts are available for Algarve residents.

By Phil Egginton, who is a journalist and photographer and now lives in the Algarve.

LONDON TIGER COFFEE

Come in and see us for home baked cakes, snacks, soups, sandwiches, and seasonal treats; with the finest coffee, ground and brewed by expert baristas. We also have speciality lattes, ice cold frappes, milkshakes, smoothies, beers, wines, and cocktails.

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options We are open 7 days a week from 9.30am to 8pm at 14 Rua Marreiros Neto in the historic centre.

We look forward to seeing you soon

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Vaccination, Vaccination, Vaccination!

As we all know by now, the COVID-19 vaccination program will be handled exclusively by the Portuguese National Health Service, with distribution and administration strictly supervised by the Portuguese government. Therefore, the private health sector will not be allowed to stock, supply, or administer the vaccine.

Many of our clients living here in Portugal who have always used the private healthcare system are rightly confused about how, where and when they can receive this much-needed vaccine! This pandemic is “new” to us all, especially the healthcare sector which has had to make constant changes in procedures as we learn more and more about this very easily transmitted virus, therefore leading to a limitless updating of information.

Here in Portugal, the vaccination program has barely started. As such, we have only recently been able to collect enough information to furnish non-nationals with the knowledge they require to apply for the vaccine.

The first risk groups to be vaccinated were public health, front line, medical staff (not private, we are still waiting!) and care home residents. Currently, Phase 1 of the vaccination program is getting underway and the criteria for this is:  People aged 80 and over  People aged ≥50, with at least one of the following pathologies: - Heart failure - Coronary heart disease - Renal failure (Glomerular filtration rate <60ml / min) - Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Disease (COPD) under ventilatory support and/or long-term oxygen therapy The most important point is that all persons wishing to obtain a vaccine against COVID-19 must be registered with their local Health Centre, even if they do not receive healthcare from them. You will need to obtain a patient number (Numero de Utente) and be added to the program.

To apply for this, you need a residency certificate, fiscal number and social security number. If you are working, you have this automatically, if not or you are retired, check with either the social security office near you or your own government on what is required.

Those who are over 80 years of age are only required to be registered with their local Health Centre as the communication of medical information from the private to the public health sector is not necessary.

Those who are aged 50 to 79 with at least one of the Phase 1 risk criteria and already treated by a doctor at their Health Centre must wait to be contacted by the health service to schedule the vaccination. If treated by the private health sector, they must make an appointment with their own doctor, especially if they have not seen them for a while so that a current medical history can be taken.

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BY NIKI MEDLOCK

According to a communication from the Serviço Nacional de Saúde, the attending private sector physician must complete an electronic declaration for each individual, entering the correct medical information on an information-sharing computer platform (PEM - Electronic Medical Prescription). At this time, doctors are only authorised to introduce the clients who come under Phase 1 criteria onto the PEM. During the consultation, the doctor will collect updated medical information to complete the electronic declaration confirming that a client belongs to the risk groups of Phase 1. The electronic declaration can be completed at the time of consultation or later if the computer system does not allow it. A message will then be sent automatically to the client by the PEM system, confirming the electronic declaration has been issued.

From this point, the client must wait to be contacted by the authorities to schedule the vaccination. To date we still do not have concrete information on what the procedures will be for Phase 2 and 3. But we are aware that Phase 1 is expected to be completed by April although this estimate obviously relies on many factors, such as the supply chain for vaccines.

Remember this vaccination program is going to take a long time to reach effectiveness countrywide and until then we will have to heavily rely on the government measures for our safety; wearing masks, social distancing and disinfection.

STAY SAFE! NEXT MONTH: So, what does a vaccine do?  +351 282 780 700  www.luzdoc.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

The loneliness of the Lagos sculler

BY CHRIS FREER

The scourge of COVID-19 has brought sharp focus on the vulnerability of older people and, at the age of 77, I consider myself in that category.

Those with a healthier lifestyle appear to have a better chance of surviving a brush with this deadly enemy.

At the age of 24, I was a forty-a-day smoker and drank my excessive quota of Fosters like any card-carrying Australian.

This route to an early grave changed overnight when, in 1970, I got involved with Sir Frank Packer’s Americas Cup team, after which I never went back to my old ways.

Since then, I have trained three times a week as a matter of routine wherever I happened to be, chased by dogs jogging in Uruguay, cycling the polders of Holland or running the reservoirs around Hong Kong. In the ’'70s, this was considered disturbingly freaky, but now the idea of road and gym work has become the fashion, I’m no longer alone. I still have serious training books written in the '70s extolling the virtues of a ciggy or three with the added advice to cut out sex to maximise performance. A lifetime of dedicated research has proven the opposite!

I now thank my lucky stars for Mad Jack, my sporting quack.

When I was 48, he told me that my daily running was starting to destroy my knee joints. As a big guy, he advised exercise to lessen the load and impact. Cycling and rowing machines were his chosen options. My right knee confirmed that I should take his advice as X-rays showed the ‘cauliflower’ of emergent arthritis.

Jack’s advice about cycling was easy, but the gymnasium rowing machines caused brain death in minutes so, as a yacht designer, I simply built a sculling boat and took to the sea and rivers. It changed my life and indeed extended it.

In the '90s, I went a bit mad and sculled my way, source to sea, on the Thames, the Douro, Tagus, Loire and others. I simply wanted to enjoy this unique method of appreciating the world’s oldest motorways with their grand cities and the contrasting tranquillity of the unchanging pastoral life in between.

Retiring to Portugal in 2000, I naturally brought my boat.

For twenty years, I have amused the natives in Lagos by sculling alongside the walkers on the Avenida as I journey to Ponta da Piedade most days to maintain my healthy exercise routines. After 20 years, I remain the sole member of The Lagos Sculling Club; life chairman and president. I whizz past kayakers and paddle boarders without recognition; grotto boats and fishermen ignore my swift and elegant progress. The number of people inquiring about my excursions can be counted on one hand. As a sculler, I am

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outside the pale - my size, age and tatty rowing gear may not help.

It is never too late to take up a healthier lifestyle. The first key issue is your body mass index (BMI). Look it up. If you are outside the range for your age, height and body type, then get your diet right before you start. A typical daily intake for active men and women is about 2 to 2,500 calories. When I scull for an hour at 200 watts, I burn a mere 173 calories. On this basis, it takes me five hours of sculling to burn only one kilo of fat.

My diet controls my weight and exercise tunes my cardiovascular system. The two work in harmony as 400,000 years of evolution meant it to be for lean and hungry hunters. I am not in any way advocating a monastic regime just a healthy diet of non ‘fashion’, ordinary foods in moderation and a routine of exercise three times a week to burn some calories and keep the body in tune. I admit to being a serious carnivore and red wine lover with a passion for doughnuts.

Over my time on the water here, I have witnessed the exponential growth of tourist boats in Lagos. By the summer of 2019, we had more than 70 grotto boats, dolphin chasers and kayak carriers plying their trade with a considerable benefit to tourism and jobs. But, as in many cases around the world, aspects of tourism can cause concern. The boats each push the waste gasses of 50 horsepower into the water, which has an impact on the coastal environment in noise and cleanliness. It is significant that by the end of the ‘empty’ COVID year of 2020, the water around our famous grottos has returned to the crystal clarity I enjoyed when I first arrived here all those years ago. Even the fish seem more relaxed. Maybe it’s a timely opportunity to consider if tourist boats should be electric powered? A return to clean air and water and silence should have fashionable appeal to the tourists we depend upon.

So a healthy diet and exercise remain the key to a greater resistance to decay and disease for us veterans. You just have to pick the activity which suits your individual lifestyle to live longer and happier.Is there an extra space here?

Heaven forbid that you all join me on the water, because I enjoy my solitude and exclusivity.

"So a healthy diet and exercise remain the key to a greater resistance to decay and disease for us veterans."

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Shoulder Stress

1 Snow angels

Let’s keep moving with Pilates Room Lagos

2 Shoulder circles

Spending all day sitting at a desk or on a sofa? Starting to build up tension in your shoulders? Whether it is from stress, lack of movement, or bad posture, stiff shoulders are something which happens to all of us now and then. And especially during these lockdowns!

Pilates Room Lagos would like to share with you some exercises you can do at home with a foam roller (or a thick towel going from your bottom to your head).

We look forward to having you back in the studio soon, but in the meantime, you can find us on Zoom Monday - Friday at 9.30 am for mat classes and on Saturdays at 9.30 am for Barre class.

This exercise is to bring out your inner child. If you are reading from the UK, you and your children might have done some of these in the snow this month.

Lie on your towel or roller and slowly make angel wings shapes with your arms (in the snow or sand).

Place your hands on your shoulders. Circle the shoulders forward, up, down, and back for five repetitions. Reverse the circles the other way for five more repetitions.

The slower you go, the more tension you’ll release.

The Pilates Room Lagos appreciates your support.

3

See you soon, Lisa, Gail and Rebecca.

Openings

 info@pilatesroomlagos.com  +351 926 514 613

Open your arms in the shape of a cross with the palms of your hands facing the ceiling. Then slowly lift your hands up to the ceiling towards each other.

Remember to reach for the sky with your arms, while keeping your shoulders down.

4 Extensions 5 Breaststroke Put your arms straight behind your head and pretend you are swimming breaststroke. Imagine you are in an upside-down world, swimming in the warm sea above you.

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Alternating arms, bring one arm back behind your head, arms straight (near your ears and shoulders down), then switch for five repetitions.

6

Shoulder stretch Lay your arm by your side at a 45-degree angle and slowly try to slide your arms higher towards your ears. Not too much! Everyone has their limits. Once you have found a comfortable position where you feel a nice stretch in your shoulders, hold for 1 minute.

Movement

HEALTH & BEAUTY

BY FILIPA RODRIGUES

My Mind and Body Therapy

It’s not a sport nor a type of dancing … this is different. Two or three years ago, my brother sent me a couple of videos on YouTube of Ido Portal the guy behind Movement and told me that I should take a look and explore it. I was glued to the screen and I knew that that was my thing.

be a practice that I would not get bored of, because we are always exploring different moves. I call it “holistic physical practice” because it is based on the belief that all of our parts are intimately interconnected, physical and mental and explicable only by reference to the whole.

After a couple of months of practising it, I knew it was what I had been looking for, after getting bored of so many kinds of physical activities. After trying gymnastics, bodybuilding, Hiit and CrossFit, I wanted something that mixed everything I loved in physical activity, without being too static. I loved moving more, being more dynamic and being able to do my daily routines without having any kind of pain on my knees or back.

We learn to move our body with awareness, never forgetting to breathe properly, being here and now.

We focus on having fun but always with focus and commitment. We can feel the energy in our bodies, doing “animal moves”, jumping around, practising coordination, and squatting a lot, exploring different angles in our knees and one of my favourites, spinal waves. We are rarely still during our practice, and it’s magical.

In May 2020, I met my Movement teacher in a CrossFit class, he told me that I should give one of his classes a try.

My suggestion is: just try it and you will feel it.

On that special Friday, when the sun was shining on the sea, I finished class knowing this was going to

Online zoom classes contact:  filipasoulcoach@gmail.com

Watch the exercise video here: www.bit.ly/3qu6U1C

Improving your Golf at home

Lockdown started with the promise of still being able to play golf, but this was shortlived. The closure of golf courses does, however, give us the opportunity to work on the most important part of our golf swing - the body. No matter what we spend on clubs and balls, ultimately it is how our body moves that dictates our swing and so our contact with the ball.

There is a very good reason why golf pros will spend a lot of time in the gym working on their fitness - improving mobility and flexibility and increasing their strength and power. Here is a short sequence, which does not require any equipment that you can do at home, focusing on the key areas of the golf swing, to maintain mobility and flexibility.

LOW LUNGE AND ROTATION Start in a kneeling position and step your right foot forward. Place your left hand on the floor in line with the right foot. Feel the right hip dropping towards the ground and then raise your right arm up looking up to the hand. Then repeat on the other side. This stretch will open the hip flexors and allow some rotation in the spine.

KNEELING , ROTATION AND LATERAL LEAN With the right foot forward and both knees at 90 degrees, place the fingertips by the temples, elbows out to the side and turn

The Ido Portal method is a physical fitness practice utilising the practitioner's own bodyweight and movements, rather than external weights and machines, to develop strength, agility and flexibility.

Developed by Israeli trainer Ido Portal, it is a mixed technique drawing primarily from Capoeira and Afro-Brazilian martial art.

the upper body to the right. Hold it here and return. Repeat this three times, moving a little bit further each time and then on the final one allow a slight lean backwards, to add a lateral stretch. Repeat on the other side.

DEADBUG A great exercise to strengthen the core. Lying on your back, feel you are pulling your navel in towards the spine. Raise the knees so they are sitting above the hips and the shins are parallel to the floor. Arms are pointing up, and then keeping the centre engaged take opposite arm and leg away and then return.

Build up to 10/15 on each side.

STORK TO SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT Balance and stability is key in the golf swing.

So for this exercise we raise the right knee, pause and then take the leg out behind us, feeling that we are raising the back leg as we straighten it and then bring it back. Repeat this 10 times, and then do the left side. Try not to touch the ground in between each one.

SPINE TWIST AND ROTATION Lie down and bend both legs. Take the knees over to the right side, extending the left arm away, feel a stretch down the side of the body and across the chest - hold for one minute and repeat on the other side.  www.fit2lovelife.com/golffitness

www.tomorrowalgarve.com

35

BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Podcasts:

BY STEVEN DUNWELL

a beginner's guide WHAT IS A PODCAST? Put simply, a podcast is an audio programme, just like a radio programme, but you subscribe to it on your smartphone, tablet or computer (devices) and listen to it whenever you like. Many people are finding them a wonderful way to keep themselves informed or entertained during the lockdown.

A podcast can be a series of spoken word or audio episodes, all focused on one theme or topic. You can subscribe to a show with an app on your device and, once downloaded off the internet, you can listen to episodes whenever you like.

If you’re interested in the latest in politics, news, culture, interviews with your favourite celebrities, serial dramas, and comedy then there’s plenty to choose from, with all of the content available for free.

They can be any length, from a one-minute news snippet to a three-hour in-depth interview.

They can be any frequency, from daily to monthly.

They can be any format, from simple solo shows up to mammoth, multi-person audio dramas

HOW DO I LISTEN? First, you'll need to pick a podcast player.

Here are three suggestions that will get you up and running and straight into listening: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and BBC Sounds.

HOW DO I FIND THE BEST PODCASTS? There are countless topics available as podcasts, and of course, it’s all down to your personal taste. To help inspire you, here are some website links that suggest the best podcasts to listen to in 2021: GQ Magazine UK best podcasts to listen to in 2021 (www.gq-magazine.co.uk/gallery/ best-podcasts) Feedspot – Top 45 Podcasts to follow in 2021 (www.blog.feedspot.com/uk_ podcasts) Radio Times – Best podcasts to listen to in 2021 (www.radiotimes.com/audio/ podcasts/best-podcasts-2021) If you have any questions about this topic, suggestions for future subjects or require assistance with any IT challenges, I am always happy to help.

Have a great month, see you for another tip in the April issue.

They can cover ANY topic, many of which would never make it onto radio.

No matter what you’re into, you’ll find a show that suits the topics you love and the time you have.

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 info@stevendunwell.com  +351 936 387 512  www.stevendunwell.com

Cintra Real Estate Cintra Real Estate has been operating in the Algarve for 15 years. The dedication and support given by their team of professional agents make them an excellent choice to support you through the process of buying or selling.

Manager, Arménio Cintra, has over 20 years of experience and is an expert in the Western Algarve property market. Since graduating from the country’s specialised University, ESAI, he has participated in several property exhibitions in England and Ireland supported by the Câmara do Comercio e Indústria (Chamber of Commerce and Industry). He has also mediated property transactions with national and international investors, investment funds, and banks, including AXL António Xavier de Lima, Grupo Oceânico, Grupo HN, Finibanco, Montepio Geral, among others.

Also noteworthy is the support Cintra offers clients in obtaining your energy certifications and financing in addition to the property valuation (cost / comparative methods), indispensable for those who want to buy, sell or rent a house.

Its headquarters have been at the Rua Infante Sagres for two years, but now the real estate agent will move to Loja 2A Bloco A, at Rua D. Vasco da Gama / Rua Vítor Costa e Silva, in Lagos from 1 March.

You can visit them in their new, renovated space from Monday to Friday between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm.  www.cintrarealestate.com

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FOOD & DRINK

A Lazy Girl's Guide to March

BY THE LAZY TIGERS

There is no denying that it is spring in Lagos, possibly the most beautiful time of the year for lazy girls and visitors alike.

A lovely thing about this time of year is the superabundance of all things citrus.

If there is one thing a lazy girl loves it is not even having to go to the shops for her fruit: lemons, limes, oranges, and all things orange are literally falling from the trees. Even if you don’t have a fruit tree, the people next door have more lemons than they know what to do with. Plus, they are stuck in London or Düsseldorf!

Lemon is the ultimate flavouring, but each of these recipes can be made with any citrus fruit or even a combination. If you assume that the juice of one lemon equals 60ml of any citrus, you can have clementine curd (sunshine in a jar) or orange and lime drizzle cake. Just see what's good at the Saturday or the Wednesday market or check out what the neighbours have; they'll never miss them.

A jar of home-made lemon curd is so versatile, every fridge should have one.

If you would rather sit down with a nice gin and tonic or a vodka and orange, consider using your scrumpted citrus to pre-prepare your garnish.

Here at London Tiger Coffee, I can't tell you how much we are looking forward to seeing you all hail and hearty and serving up cake, coffee, and cocktails again. Come and see us in the Old Town.

If making lemon curd feels scary, how about lemon drizzle, the ultimate beginner's cake, the recipe can be found at www.tomorrowalgarve.com

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Lemon Curd ENOUGH FOR A 200G JAR:  2 lemons, zest, and juice  100 grams caster sugar  50 grams butter  2 eggs beaten Put the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and butter in a high-sided bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir till the butter is melted, then with a small whisk stir in the eggs. Do not leave the mixture and continue to stir until it takes on the consistency of custard (about 10mins).

Put the cooked curd through a sieve into a jug, then into a jar that you have sterilized by putting in a microwave wet on full power for one minute.

Frozen Citrus Garnish Make sure there is a flat surface in your freezer to hold your chosen baking tray.

Cut your lemons, limes, oranges etc. in thin slices and place on the tray.

Open freeze them till solid, then put them in a freezer bag. Use to garnish drinks

Eat Local Algarve If you are missing eating out and needing a break from cooking, then look no further than #EatLocalAlgarve.

Tomorrow has launched an initiative to help the struggling restaurant sector. We have created a takeaway and delivery section on our website as a 'go-to' for hungry readers.

We encourage any local restaurant that is open for takeaway to contact us and publicise your menu completely free of charge.

For our readers to have a full selection of dishes to tantalise your tastebuds and browse homemade goods, the #EatLocalAlgarve webpage is now live.

Please support local businesses during this difficult time.

If you are a local business and want to be listed, please send the following information to phil@tomorrowalgarve.com:  Business Name  Location  Take Away menu in digital format  Social media and website  At least one image  Contacts  Do you deliver?

Bon Appetit!

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PETS & WILDLIFE

Pet's Mate Normally at this time of year, we mention the processionary (hairy) caterpillar.

These spikey little blighters have started descending from their pine tree nests. If you want to know why you could call an entomologist. Or Google it. But if your dog (or cat/horse/hamster) picks them up, it causes INTENSE tissue inflammation and necrosis.

For information on this topic, there is an article on www.tomorrowalgarve.com and www.lagosvet.com. And have some antihistamine in the cupboard.

But this article is not about that...'

This month we is talkin' bout BITCHES, ya all!

Bitches and Queens is the topic this month, not bitches in Queens, which sounds like an awful reality TV show, doesn't it?!

Enough double entendres, then. The topic of the week is sterilisation. Most vets nowadays recommend sterilising at six months of age. MOST dogs and cats arrive at sexual maturity somewhere between 9-18 months of age. Rarely will she start at, or even before, six months of age.

Commonly, the sexual cycle (more grown-up than a BMX-cycle) often starts in the vernal or autumnal seasons. This is not written as dogma in the bitch handbook (!), as they will cycle in the depth of winter and the heights of summer, too, sometimes.

The sexual cycles are now about to spin! A spring-spin, if you will.

So, if you have attained a kitten or puppies over the lockdown period, look to have them sterilised ASAP. There are a few reasons for

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Pet Rescue

Dear readers of Tomorrow magazine.

this. The behaviour of the female around this time can be quite distressing for those around them (!). The queen, especially, starts to resemble something from The Exorcist as she flips herself inside-out, under the enchantment of her hormones.

I hope you are all doing well through these challenging times.

The next reason is you will have a cat or dog PARTY. The male can smell these pheromones from several kilometres away.

This sets them up for roaming and motor vehicle accidents, as they blindly follow a scent-on-the-air. Owners of on-heat bitches and queens sometimes wake to find that there is a fur-fest of suitors hanging about just to make the acquaintance of and, you know, it's a lockdown, so if you get busted hosting such parties, you will be in trouble with the GNR. Scary stuff, what with those shiny boots 'n all.

Benji is a wonderful dog that was rescued by a lovely couple from Almádena.

If you miss your window to have your pet sterilised, you may also be increasing the risk of various tumours, including breast cancer in the bitch and pyometra infections. This can occur after a season and the uterus fills with pus. A particularly fatal situation, you can image. For those who cannot imagine, send me your email address and I can send you a photo of a 5Kg uterus we took out surgically last week.

Normally they weigh about 300g, so you understand, it's not for the faint-hearted.

Sterilising male cats and dogs also help to decrease the stray animal population problem in your area too. So, you can see, neutering your pet is very much part of responsible pet ownership that extends well beyond your front door.

Stay safe out there. Keep your masks on and such. See you next month.

This month I will continue to tell you about some of my experiences with dogs and owners.

Benji came from a rescue centre at the time the first restrictions were put into place, which didn't give them the chance to socialise him and teach him about the outside world. As a puppy, he was full of energy, and with time became very strong!

It became impossible for Benji to be handled by the owners; the dog was frightened by everything. After a few sessions with him, I started to break down that insecurity.

Today the owners are happy that they can take Benji for group walks with more people and dogs, and that they already have him walking on a lead.

This situation, or similar, happens when people get a lovely puppy and see it turn into an awful dog that they cannot handle! That's why I insist that if you are getting a dog, be sure that you know how to communicate with it. I also encourage people to have a dog that is the right match, which makes it easier for both of you.

If you start to teach your dog from the first moment you have it, you will save yourself a lot of time, and stress.

Enjoy, and have fun with your dog during the lockdown.

Yours, Rodolfo Aço

 +351 282 782 282 (Lagos Vet Clinic)

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TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

Waters Run Deep

BY SUZANNE RADFORD

Thermal Waters Running Deep at Fonte Santa da Fornalha

Looking across rolling hills towards the Barragem de Odelouca, I can see a blanket of colour in greens and yellow from the fresh spring grass and a sea of Bermuda buttercups.

There is plenty to explore and enjoy in the Serra da Monchique with its vast open space and natural beauty. The area is known for its spring water decanted directly from the mountain via fonts at Foia and Caldas de Monchique. A spot that is perhaps lesser-known is Fonte Santa da Fornalha, hidden away and nestled in a valley on the southern side of Picota in the parish of Alferce.

Termas da Fonte Santa da Fornalha or The Holy Fountain of the Furnace dates back to the Middle Ages when Portuguese kings travelled the length of the country to bathe in the thermal waters. The warm sulphur springs run at a temperature of 27 °C, the curative effects of the water is meant to soothe skin conditions and ease joint pain and rheumatism.

The water sources remain, but the buildings that house the baths of water are in disrepair. A pleasant stroll in nature across an old stone footbridge leads you into the bathhouses, small and compact, connecting you to the past and to a natural source of water. There is an air of peacefulness and calm here.

Along with two pools in the buildings, there are natural springs from the mountain to douse the eyes and refresh the face. They are easy to miss in the hillside but follow your nose as one of them is high in hydrogen sulphide that you may be able to identify by the ‘eggy’ scent the natural gas can omit.

To access Termas da Fonte Santa da Fornalha you need to cross a stream of water, part of the

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Odelouca river, six times (three times on the way there and three times back). Along the water’s edge, there are wooden picnic benches inviting people to spend time among the trees and enjoy the wildlife, like kingfishers and bee-eaters, frogs and even terrapins depending on the time of year and the amount of rain. The streams run high after the winter rains and the currents are strong. Moving into spring and summer, the water levels lower and it makes crossing easier on foot.

From the picnic area, the Via Algarviana trail is marked by red and white stripes. Follow these posts to begin your walk to the fonts which should take around 15 minutes. A small pathway leads to the baths passing by dilapidated buildings, remnants of rural living. There is an outside oven and ruins once offering shelter and a place to stay for those making a pilgrimage to the healing waters. Burned out tea lights, a couple of formica chairs and a small effigy of the Virgin Mary hint at recent visitors, locals probably, and perhaps hikers who have strayed off course.

This area was bought by the Câmara de Monchique a few years back. You can see why they would want to protect the heritage and natural beauty, linking it to hiking trails and providing information on the fonts’ history and healing benefits. There is another source of sulphurous water further on, called Fonte das Chagas, but the access is difficult and masked by brambles.

A natural beauty spot, ideal for a picnic, and although it is a short drive from Portimão, Monchique and Silves, it feels secluded, a panacea perhaps from the outside world. Finding the fonts is an added bonus and experiencing the soft water on the skin makes the visit all the more special.

Tips to get there Take the N266 from Portimão towards Monchique. As you enter Rasmalho take a turning on the right and follow signs to Alferce and Barragem de Odelouca.

Location for Parking Car: 37° 17.310'N, 8° 29.130'W After parking the car, take a short walk to the stream.

Note, there isn’t any phone signal.

Good footwear recommended Take snacks.

We are respecting Government rules and restrictions at this time and are not advising people to travel whilst in lockdown. It is, however, one for the bucket list of quiet beauty spots to visit, when it is safe to do so.

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

March in the Garden Due to the inclement weather, I’m quite behind where I would normally be with my vegetable garden. I’m not worried though, as nature has an uncanny way of catching up. If you want to have a go at growing vegetables, here are some tips and ideas for you: 1. Consider where you’re going to plant your crops. Most crops are not deep-rooted, so you can build raised beds that only need to be about 30 centimetres tall. You can also use large pots or barrels to ensure they won’t dry out too fastIf you have some spare ground, dig it over to make the soil friable and add some organic matter and fertiliser. Some crops can also be planted in existing flower beds as plants such as beans were originally grown as ornamental flowers.

2. Light is important too, most crops like full sun or at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.

3. Water is the other important consideration as

crops need regular water and should never dry out.

grow most root vegetables, spring onions, chard, pak choi and salad leaves.

4. If you don’t know what to grow, the easiest way to start is to visit your local market or a shop where they sell vegetable plugs. Google the plant on the web to check out planting distances and plant when you get home.

7. Potatoes can also be planted out in March and are great for breaking up new areas of ground.

Courgettes and beans can also be planted now.

5. I adore home-grown tomatoes and like to grow quite a few different varieties. The best way to do that is from seed. Check out what you can buy locally, but you can also source seeds easily from the web. I’ve just bought my favourite “Sungold” tomato seeds from Amazon in Germany. I germinate tomato, chilli, pepper, aubergine and cucumber seeds indoors and once they’ve germinated put them outside in a sheltered spot so they get plenty of light.

6. It’s also possible to plant seeds directly into the soil and then thin out later. This is the best way to

8. Be aware of companion planting too. Some vegetables benefit from being grown together, but there are also some combinations that need to be avoided. For example, tomatoes should not be grown near potatoes or members of the cabbage family, but do well with cucumbers, peppers, basil and marigolds.

Tamsin Varley is a member of Clube Dos Bons Jardins, a small, friendly multi-national garden club that meets at different location around the Algarve on the 2nd Tuesday of month except over the summer with an optional lunch afterwards.  algarvecbj@gmail.com

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TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

Snakes head fritillary

The magic of Wildflowers

We are so lucky not having to wait for spring to admire our incredible wildflowers.

Yesterday I went out on a hike in the rain and then it happened - the first wild orchid of the year. I’d already put on my ‘flower glasses' – that’s what I call the sensor you activate when looking for certain flowers in the wild – but did not expect today would be the day. But magic was in the air and my prayers got answered.

It was a hanging naked man orchid (Orchis Italica) which I stumbled upon. Funny name right? When you look closer the flower looks like a tiny hanging naked man. In Italy, it is believed that the consumption of the plant is conducive to virility.

But there were more. Next in line was a snakes head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris). Some say it takes eight years for this plant to flower. This one always speaks to my imagination. It looks a bit like a little

BY KIKI

lantern from a fairy tale. Or it could even be a little elf house. Next, I found the friar’s cowl (Arisarum vulgare) along my path. It grows low to the ground and loves humidity.

Finally, the spectacular bee orchid (Ophrys) made my day. Pink petals and a tiny bee lookalike in the middle. This means the orchid season has officially opened in the Algarve. Brace yourselves for many more different wild orchids, for example, tong orchid, mirror bee orchid, pyramidal orchid and the green-winged orchid.

Bee orchid

It keeps amazing me how intelligent, funny and magical the universe really is.

If lockdown is over within orchid season, do come and join me on my Wild Orchid walks.

Friar’s cowl

 kikitripsportugal@gmail.com  +351 918 280 809

Herb Robert nice to meet you!

BY UROS IVKOVIC

Erva de são roberto / Geranium Robertianum Recently while doing some weeding in our large and chaotic garden, I saw a good mate of mine reappear - Herb Robert – of the Geraniaceae family.

Yes, this herb's actual official botanical name is Robert. He is easy to spot, with uniquely shaped leaves, red-painted stems and tiny, rose/pinky flowers and widely spread across Portugal, from late winter to early spring. In Portuguese, he is known as bico de grou, cegonha, gerânio, a erva-de-sãoroberto (most accurate).

Herb Robert contains essential oils such as geraniol, citronellol, linalool and terpineol, and has proven properties such as antiseptic, antiviral, anticancer and hormonal balancing. It is rich in tannins with regenerative and adstringent powers, as well as flavonoids (rutin: quercetin and kaempferol).

This plant's antioxidant properties can gently stimulate our immunity system – what a bargain, all of that in one tiny little, often forgotten plant. On entering your body's sacred temple, one of its bitter constituents, like geraniin, will help your digestive

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system, by flushing toxins out through the lymphatic system. Once gut and kidneys are feeling totally refreshed, our friend Robert will give your body an alkaline boost believed to have health benefits.

Rubbing it in your palm gives an unpleasant smell, reminding some people of wild foxes, which is where one of his names comes from – fox geranium.

It has been recorded that it can help to repel insect bites. To eat it the leaves are picked and lightly cooked, but not eaten raw. I would describe the taste as very close to cooked potato peal, scented with the sublime mild leftover of coffee.

The true benefit of these lymph moving plants such as Robert, or Plantain herb, shall become widely recognised and accepted.

The full version of this article can be found on our website www.tomorrowalgarve.com  www.instagram.com/paixao_pela_vida_selvagem  ilovenature360@gmail.com

I would recommend a tea-blend to maximise the healing potential.

For one 3dcl cup, prepare an equal ratio of: Plantain/ribwort (narrow-leafed variety easy to find, as it grows on most green meadows, Latin name Plantago lanceolata) Herb Robert (whole plant in flower, or only leaves) Wild mint or peppermint (new shoots/tops, or whole plant in flower) If plants are fresh, cut them into small pieces, then place them in hot water for a good ten minutes.

(90-100 ºC).

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

Love your Lemons

BY SOPHIE SADLER If you are lucky enough to have a lemon tree growing in your garden or nearby, you will now be enjoying seeing its boughs weighed down by glorious yellow fruit. Spiritually, lemon trees are an enduring symbol for cleansing, freshness and healing, just what we need at the moment!

Do you, like me, find it hard to think of any other use for its fresh tangy taste than plucking it straight from the tree and into your G&T? I was, therefore, surprised to learn that lemons have many uses, which will get you harvesting your lemon crop with renewed enthusiasm.

Lemon is a natural disinfectant and is great for cleaning. It cuts through grease, removes stains, and leaves behind a clean, fresh scent. Here are a few ideas for making cleaning products from lemons leaving your house spotless without any chemicals.

Once when my daughter was sick in the car I cut a lemon in half and left it in the car all night to rid the upholstery of that horrific smell! You can also keep nasty fridge odours at bay with a lemon deodoriser.

Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a bowl or cut a lemon in half and place both halves onto a plate. Place the bowl or plate onto the bottom shelf of your fridge. Leave it inside for around one week before replacing.

After handling strong-smelling foods (like onion and garlic,) you can use a lemon to make your hands smell nice and give them a moisturise at the same time. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey and the juice and zest from 1/2 a lemon.

Stir together and keep in a jar near your kitchen sink.

To use, add a small amount to hands, scrub, and rinse.

If you grew up in the eighties like me, it was all the rage to lighten your hair with lemon juice! Lemon juice and sun is a chemical-free way to add some natural highlights in the summer. You can put the lemon juice right on your hair or dilute it with a bit of water and then head out into the hot Algarve sun. Be careful not to leave pips in your hair as I did once, ruining my street cred!

Have fun loving your lemons!

All-Purpose Cleaner Wood Cleaner/Polisher

Oven Cleaner

Mix 1 part olive oil with 1 part vinegar and add a squeeze of lemon.

Shake well and use a cloth to rub into wood surfaces to clean and polish.

Cut two lemons in half. Squeeze the juice into an oven dish along with the lemon rinds. Add water until your dish is 1/3 full. Cook at 120ºC for a half hour.

Add lemon peels to a jar, cover with vinegar and wait for two weeks. Every couple of days give the jar a shake.

After two weeks, strain out the lemon peels and use your vinegar to clean bathrooms or kitchen surfaces.

Turn off the oven and allow to cool Wipe down the interior surface with a damp cloth or paper towel.

De-scaling Bathroom sink cleaner

Mirror Cleaner

Here’s how to clean an electric kettle with lemon:

Ensure your sink is fully dry. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda onto your sink.

Squeeze 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into a spray bottle and then add a cup of water. Shake the bottle and spray your mirror down. Wipe away using a clean microfibre cloth.

Mix 2 tbsp of lemon juice in 2 cups of cold water. Pour your mix into the kettle. Bring to a boil. Allow the water to cool. Empty the kettle, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water.

Using the fleshy side of half a cut lemon, rub the surface of the sink.

This process will polish the sink surface. Rinse with fresh water.

Use within a couple of weeks or the lemon will go rancid.

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ENVIRONMENT Photos from top to bottom: Father Reid singing 'Big Yellow Taxi'; Rev Dave Bookless

Saving the Planet!

BY BRIAN TORA At the end of January, St Vincent’s Chaplaincy held a seminar on the dangers of plastic waste in conjunction with the A Rocha charity, using Zoom to connect all the participants. Most enlightening it was, too, though a little scary at times. Starting with a video clip from Sir David Attenborough on the building crisis of plastic waste in our oceans, there were a variety of interesting speakers from around the world. And I counted nearly 120 people participating in this important event.

Following Sir David’s introduction, we were treated to a song from the Welsh singer and songwriter Steve Andrews, who has a strong interest in conservation and now lives in Sesimbra. From Florida, marine and coastal conservation scientist Dr Bob Sluka kicked off the session headlined The problem with plastic, chaired by our local congregational Chris Wells. It seems that, if we do nothing, by 2050 there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

Dr Bob’s contribution was followed by the Reverend David Bookless, director of Theology at A Rocha, and by the charity’s executive director in Portugal, Marcial Felgueiras. We learned that 80% of the plastic waste in the sea emanates from land and that much of this waste is not truly recyclable. Moreover, it is reckoned to be cheaper for manufacturers to make new plastic rather than trying to recycle, while burning this waste is probably even more harmful to the environment. Not a hopeful picture.

discussion on what to do next, the formal proceedings concluded with a contribution from Dame Ellen Macarthur, the long-distance yachtswoman who, 16 years ago, broke the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world. Her passion for the sea, conservation and recycling of plastics was evident.

This whole remarkable event was produced by Father Rob Kean, who presides over the congregation for the St Vincent’s Chaplaincy in the Western Algarve. He has the advantage of a background in IT before becoming ordained and the result was most impressive. The congregation in Luz have worked with A Rocha before; organising beach cleans on the attractive and popular bay in the village. It is to be fervently hoped that this initiative will change attitudes and practices for many.

Coincidentally, Rotary, of which I am a long-standing member and which has a strong presence in the Algarve, is also taking up the fight against plastic pollution. A recently published edition of the organisation’s magazine for Great Britain and Ireland, took “It’s time to tackle plastic pollution” as its main theme. The facts cited in articles that endorsed this approach were sobering. It seems that: Every year, we produce 1275 kilos of plastic per person in the world.

In 2019, we produced 1.2 million plastic bottles each minute.

An interval between the first and second halves allowed the Reverend Reid Hamilton, the priest in charge of the eastern end of the chaplaincy, to regale us with Joni Mitchell’s 'Big Yellow Taxi' accompanying himself on the guitar. Father Reid, who comes from Missouri in the United States, gave us a great rendition of a song that highlights conservation threats. The second half, chaired by Archdeacon David Waller, who has the responsibility of reducing carbon emissions in the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe, focussed on what we needed to do for the future.

More than one million plastic bags are used each minute, with 500 billion used worldwide. Each bag has a working life of just 15 minutes.

Speakers included Isobel Soares, who for the past twenty years has been A Rocha’s Environmental Education Officer, and the Reverend Elizabeth-Morton, Environment Officer for the Diocese in Europe, and a plastic-free February was agreed as a target. Before a broader

It was once the wonder product. Now it has become a scourge. We should all think hard about how we use plastic these days.

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World plastic production has risen from 2.1 million tonnes in 1950 to 147 million in 1993 and 406 million in 2015.

Estimates for how long plastic endures range from 450 years to forever.

Brian Tora is a broadcaster and financial journalist.

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