Tomorrow Algarve Magazine - March 2024

Editor's note

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EDITORIAL

Sophie Sadler sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 912 176 588

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Tom Henshaw tom@tomorrowalgarve.com

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DESIGN

Phil Harding phil@tomorrowalgarve.com

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ON THE COVER:

Portuguese singer-songwriter

David Fonseca

© Élio Correia

AMI 6902

Contact us at our Lagos Marina O ce: +351 282 476 568

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Dear Readers,

Welcome to the Easter edition of Tomorrow magazine. You will be glad to hear the Easter bunny has been kind and delivered a trail of delicious morsels for you in the following pages, which can be devoured at leisure, along with your chocolaty treats.

This month also brings us International Women’s Day on 8 March - a holiday in many countries, but sadly not in Portugal. As well as being a great excuse to enjoy a girl’s night out, 8 March is also a good time to reflect on what it means to be a woman and focus the mind on issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

This edition recognises some inspiring women and their stories, starting in the 10th century with a Galician noblewoman and countess of Portugal, Mumadona Dias, arguably Portugal’s most powerful woman. The Lagos shop Mar d’Estorias has pointed us toward some visionary craftswomen who delight us with innovative ideas and products. We also have an interview with Dani, aka Choco Mama, who is one of Portugal’s first raw chocolate producers, providing our community with delicious, nutritious cacao bars (a healthy alternative to Easter eggs, maybe?).

During the Estado Novo, between 1933 and 1974, women’s rights were heavily restricted. Under the fascist, authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, women were forced to perpetuate social norms of “femininity” to maintain “family life”. Article number 5 of the Constitution of 1933 stated that citizens were equal “except for the woman”. While the

electoral law was amended, it only granted the right to vote to women who had secondary education, which was highly unusual in those times. In contrast, men only needed to be able to read and write.

The aftermath of 25 April and the end of the fascist regime meant the creation of the constitution of 1976, where women in Portugal received full legal equality with Portuguese men. But it was only on 10 April, 2007, that abortion was finally legalised after the Portuguese abortion referendum, with 59% of votes in support. Prior to 2007, those undergoing abortions faced up to three years in prison, except in cases of rape and danger to health. There were also improvements in the legislation around domestic violence.

While it might feel like Portugal has come a long way, alarmingly, in 2022, according to Stastica.com domestic violence cases reached the highest value recorded, with almost 30.5 thousand incidences. In Portugal, domestic violence is a public crime, meaning anyone can report it without the victim’s consent. Moreover, domestic abuse encompasses any behaviour that inflicts suffering, with or without intent, such as physical, sexual, emotional, financial, and verbal abuse, as well as social isolation.

#InspireInclusion

From Sophie, Tom, Phil and the Tomorrow team

If you are at risk of domestic abuse, contact the Portuguese Victim Support APAV at +351 116 006 for legal advice, as well as psychological support. For emergencies, call 112.

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Celebrating 25 years of

David Fonseca

Few artists have dominated the popular music charts and influenced popular culture quite like David Fonseca. Singer, composer, musician, performer, and photographer, David also happens to be one of the most charming people you could wish to meet.

WORDS Vaughan Willmore

“I was in love with music before I started playing music, but I never once thought of it as a career. When I started out with my first band (Silence 4), performing music felt very natural to me. I took to the stage and immediately felt at ease. I loved it. I thought this is fun, let’s do it again!”

Born in Leiria in central Portugal, David studied cinema at the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema (Lisbon Theatre and Film School) before going on to study at Escola Superior de Belas Artes de Lisboa (Lisbon Superior School of Fine Arts). David started his professional life as a fashion photographer and, in his spare time, he started singing, composing, and performing music with his friends under the name Silence 4. Before too long, they were winning competitions, performing at festivals and garnering attention from the music press and publishers.

With David as the lead singer and composer, Silence 4 transformed the music scene. Singing mainly in English and with a more acoustic sound than was the norm at that time, they recorded their own compositions along with covers of contemporary songs from the UK charts. Their first album, Silence

Becomes It, was released in 1998 and was a huge success, selling 250,000 copies, the equivalent to six platinum records. Sell-out concerts followed and two years later, a critically acclaimed second album Only Pain Is Real. In 2002, it came as a shock to their many fans when the band “froze” their activities, but it gave David the opportunity to pursue a solo career and the opportunity to work with different musicians and explore new sounds.

David performs the vast majority of his music in English. As I discovered, he speaks the language perfectly, with an American accent, something he credits to his love of cinema. “I’m really obsessed with movies,” he said. “Especially those you can watch more than once and continually reveal something different to what you experienced the first time. I also love their ability to unsettle and inspire us to read between the lines.” This is also true of David’s music videos, all of which he directs himself. They too push the boundaries of creativity, merging music and lyrics with storytelling and striking imagery, and no more so than on his most recent album Living Room Bohemian Apocalypse

Did you know?

As a teenager, David was an avid reader of the legendary British magazine Smash Hits. He credits it with helping him with his English and keeping him in touch with his favourite bands.

David once made it his mission to watch a different film every day, something which he did for three years running. He cites Vertigo, Blue Velvet, and Do The Right Thing as being among his favourite films.

Everywhere he goes, David takes a camera with him. “It helps keep me open to the world because I’m always looking – and listening – at what’s around me”.

If you’ve still to discover David’s music, then you’re in for a treat. Check out these highlights and many more on YouTube and David’s website:

Oh My Heart - www.youtube.com/watch?v=18n4udHd6oM U Know Who I Am - www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMa7JjPkMGw Rocket Man - www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7SOM5E9ci0 Live it Up - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlIKZDVX5Xo

It has been a phenomenal solo career. David’s released 10 albums all of which have reached the Top 10, with seven of them hitting the coveted number one spot, a fantastic achievement by any standards. It’s been a sustained level of success rarely seen in modern times, and there’s more to come. Indeed, the year ahead promises to be a special one. Concerts are currently being scheduled – including for here in the Algarve. In November, there will be shows at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon. The demand for tickets has been overwhelming, so much so that an extra date has been added. Tickets are available via the Bilheteria Online website (www.bol.pt). If this wasn’t exciting enough, a new album will be out in the last quarter of the year.

I asked David about the tour, celebrating his 25 years in the music business. “The live dates this year will be something different. They’ll be theatre shows where I use imagery, photography, video and music to tell the story of my songs and how they came about. I’m always looking to do something different because that’s what keeps me interested and the more interesting it is for me, the more interesting it tends to be for the audience. I’m really excited about what we’ve prepared and I can’t wait to share it.”

It was a delight to speak with David. He was engaging, interesting and good fun. And, despite all his success, he’s remained very down to earth. “Music is an important part of my life,” he told me, “But it doesn’t consume me, and I’m certainly not obsessed by it. I do so many other things: photography, watching movies, reading and travel are my other passions.”

With such an impressive back catalogue of work and a new album out soon, I asked David what he thought his legacy might be. “Oh My God”, he said, “I don’t think in those terms. I can think of nothing worse than living my life like that. My children are my legacy. I hope they’ve learned something from me as I did from my parents – how I’m living and how I view the world. I think the world is very divided just now into negatives and positives. The way I deal with that is, if I encounter something negative, I try to do something positive. I certainly don’t believe life owes me anything. If anything, I believe I owe life something. If I happen to influence someone to pick up a camera or an instrument, or sing or do something positive, that’s more than enough reward for me.”



More information about David’s new album and tour is available at www.davidfonseca.com

© Maria Rita

©

An Indecisive Election?

WORDS James Plaskitt

Portugal holds a general election on 10 March – the third in five years. The election follows the sudden resignation of the Socialist Prime Minister, António Costa, last November, when corruption charges were brought against some of his associates. But as polling day approaches, the outlook appears uncertain. There may be no winner in this election.

When President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa opted to dissolve the National Assembly following Costa’s resignation, he precipitated Portugal’s third general election in five years. Costa had been Prime Minister since 2015, initially heading a coalition of left-wing parties and eventually, after the last election in 2022, securing an overall majority for his Socialist Party. However, this election looks set to end that period of stability. According to polls, no party has managed to secure anything close to majority public support; the two main parties seem to be losing support, and minor parties are gaining.

Here are the main contenders, in order of their vote share at the last election:

The Socialist Party

Its new leader, Pedro Nuno Santos, is further to the left than his predecessor. The party is proposing intervention in the economy to boost selected sectors, an increase in the minimum wage from the current €820 a month to €1000 by 2028, protection for the purchasing power of the state pension, a cap on rent rises and increased salaries for doctors and teachers.

2022 vote: 41.4% | Current poll average: 29%

The Social Democrats

Its new leader, Luís Montenegro, has struggled to improve the party’s standing since its heavy defeat in 2022. The party is proposing to lower taxes, give first-time buyers an exemption from property taxes, amend immigration policy to attract talented migrants, reduce school testing, and ensure access to a family GP for all.

2022 vote: 29.1% | Current poll average: 26%

Chega

The right-wing populist ‘Enough’ party has boosted its support following the collapse of the last government. The party is proposing significantly lower taxes, controlled and reduced immigration, and strong anticorruption measures.

2022 vote: 7.2% | Current poll average: 17%

Liberal Initiative

The small right-wing party is proposing strong anti-corruption laws, lower taxes, decentralised power, zero-based budget reviews, improved government transparency, and greater competition in the provision of health services.

2022 vote: 4.9% | Current poll average: 6%

Left Bloc

The small grouping of hard left parties proposes higher public salaries, a large house-building programme, increased healthcare, more teachers, and fairer taxation.

2022 vote: 4.4% | Current polling average: 8%

Communist/Greens

The two parties contest elections in a pact, the Unity Democratic Coalition. The group is proposing higher public sector salaries and higher pensions, a freeze on rents, a cap on food price rises, more early retirement options and greater environmental protection.

2022 vote: 4.3% | Current poll average: 3%

People, Animals, Nature (PAN)

The party proposes a renewed emphasis on human rights, greater animal protection and welfare, and enhanced environmental protection.

2022 vote: 1.6% | Current poll average: 3%

Portugal uses a system of proportional representation. The assembly comprises 230 members and seats are allocated to regions according to population. Within each constituency, seats are allocated proportionally according to the number of votes won by each of the parties. This ties the number of seats won by each party closely – but not precisely – to its vote share. To win outright, a party generally needs to be significantly above 40% in the vote share. In this election, neither of the two main parties is close to that.

An inconclusive result on 10 March would trigger the start of coalition negotiations. If the Socialists are the largest group, they will be looking to recruit the smaller left-wing parties that supported their previous administrations. But if, as polls suggest, the Socialists lose a significant number of their own seats, there may not be sufficient numbers in the other left-wing parties to get them over the line.

If the conservative Social Democrats try to form a coalition, the obvious candidate is Chega, but so far Montenegro is ruling this out. Without them, there will probably not be enough numbers in the other small right-wing parties to get them over the line either.

The voting on 10 March may be the easy part in this election!

James Plaskitt is a retired politician who was a member of the British Parliament from 1997 until 2010. He now lives in the Algarve.

A Walk on the Wild Side

The village of Alferce in the Serra de Monchique region has benefited from an innovative piece of investment that aims to bring visitors to the area to appreciate the natural beauty, ancient history, and fantastic walking trails.

WORDS Sophie Sadler

Just over a year after work began, the Barranco do Demo walkway in the parish of Alferce was officially inaugurated on Saturday, 21 October. Intending to rejuvenate Alferce, the wooden walkway is part of a longer pedestrian route that connects the village of Alferce to Cerro do Castelo de Alferce, stretching for approximately one kilometre.

According to Paulo Alves, president of the municipality, the objective of the structure developed by the Alferce Parish Council, with the support of the Monchique City Council, is to offer visitors “access to unique sites, to raw nature, to sites which had been inaccessible until now”. The project has also received European funding.

The Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, was in Alferce to inaugurate this project, and, before setting off on the route, she explained: “We’re talking about an investment of around 400,000€, but I’m sure it will bring much more to the area: because it brings joy to those who live here, it makes the area more attractive to those who visit and, above all, it values and protects it, because an area that isn’t lived in is an area that isn’t protected.”

My family and I followed in the Minister’s footsteps one Sunday, hoping to appreciate the new 1000-metre passadiço (walkway) with the 50-metre suspension bridge, transforming our walk into an adventure. It is easy to find Alferce by taking the road to Monchique from the motorway junction at Silves. You then take the N267 to Alferce, which appears on the right and is signposted.

We parked in the sleepy village of Alferce, which is soon to be firmly on the map thanks to its new attraction. A caravan and campervan site is also being constructed here to create a scenic place for visitors to stay, explore the many walking trails and enjoy the spectacular scenery of this interior region. From the village, you will see the signs to the wooden walkway, which you access via a dirt path that is easy to walk on and has scenic views. We joined a herd of fellow walkers of all nationalities making their way to the suspension bridge.

Walking Routes

The PR8MCQ trail –Pelos Caminhos de Alferce is a 7.8 km trail that takes you on a beautiful route through the ruins of the old castle.

A Via Algarviana link route also passes through Alferce, a pedestrian route that runs throughout the Algarve. You can discover all the Via Algarviana routes on its official website.

You can find Rota Circular fo Passadiço do Barranco do Demo on the All Trials App.

The start of the boardwalk is exciting as you start your descent to the gorge and some picnic benches have been installed with many families stopping for a snack and enjoying the view. Once down the steps, there was a small queue to cross the bridge, with only five people allowed on at a time. The suspension bridge is unsupervised, but no one was arguing with this safety rule as we all surveyed the Barranco do Demo gorge far below. Thankfully, the bridge felt completely secure to walk across as we enjoyed an excellent view of the surrounding landscape.

On the other side of the bridge, there are a challenging number of steps taking you to the walkway’s other access point – definitely something to get your heart rate up. If you wish to start the walk from this side, you can follow an arrow indicating the Barranco do Demo walkways from the entrance to Alferce, and you can follow this dirt path until the end. There, you will find a small viewpoint and the long staircase to the bridge. Some fellow walkers told us that an entrepreneurial local had set up a stall selling beers and sausage at this point.

We then followed our track back the way we came, but anyone who wants to can always choose to start from the village, pass Cerro do Castelo, take the walkway and return to the village – a circular path of around six kilometres, which can then be integrated into various walking routes, both in the municipality and along the Via Algarviana.

The old ruins of Cerro do Castelo, currently the site of an archaeological dig, are also receiving investment to add to the new route. In addition to the construction of the viewpoint platform, the work also includes signs referring to the archaeological site, the walkway and the pedestrian connection to the village of Alferce.

Paulo Alves, the mayor of Monchique, told Sul Informação that he hopes this walkway will mean “a rejuvenation and a break in the cycle of people leaving the parish and the municipality”.

I am sure he is right. It is a hugely encouraging development in this area, which is plagued by de-population and, as a result, forest fires. I encourage anyone who believes that the Algarve ends within a 5 km distance of the coastline to go and appreciate the stunning countryside in the Serra de Monchique.

Reader’s Suggestions

Our reader's Top Tips for making the most of the Algarve. Send your suggestions for next month by getting in touch with our editor Sophie Sadler: sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

From: Claudia

Subject: Lagos Women Walks

I am Claudia, I moved to Lagos last October from the Netherlands, but I have been coming to Lagos for 30 years. I love living in Lagos and enjoy connecting with local people!

I made a group on Facebook: Lagos Women Walks. The walking group has grown to 750 women and we go on regular beach and city walks together. I just love to connect people and out of this group, other initiatives have developed, like a Sunday lady’s brunch group, so we all make new friends every day! I created an Instagram page, Local Lagos, where I post local small businesses, artists, charities and events to get them in the spotlight. On the city walks, we stop at small businesses to promote them, but the group is non-profit. Local Lagos is a great way to connect and promote all the local people and businesses, and I get to know a lot of nice people & places!

If you are looking to join a group of Lagos Ladies, please join us.

www.instagram.com/local.lagos

The 1922 Carnival in Olhão

WORDS Helena Vinagre and Pedro Bandarra

Did any of you experience the carnivals that happened in February? With the help of Arquivo Municipal de Olhão (Algarvian Archives Network), we are going back in time to discover how the carnival was celebrated in 1922.

The description of the 1922 carnival in Olhão can be found in the newspaper Correio Olhanense, dated 2 March.

The reporter writes, “For many years now, the old carnival has not shaken this peaceful and careless Olhão so strongly. It was delirious … dances and more dances, costume competitions [and] flower battles.”

On Saturday, the beginning of the “official festivities” took place at Grémio Olhanense Club with a “children’s soirée masquée” – a kind of masquerade ball for children.

On Sunday, the “first day of revelry” was reported with “people in the streets”. The animated description read: “carnival on the loose ... unrestrained carnival, the likes of which have not been seen in a long time”. At around 4 pm, “coming from Grémio, decorated floats began to parade in a procession” in a competition promoted by the social club.

The winner of the parade of “ornamented floats” was the “Harem” car, which was

decorated “with quilts, furs and oriental cloths”, “mademoiselles” dressed as odalisques and another “mademoiselle”, dressed as a sultan?

The reporter also tells us that the streets were full – “people flocking” – with many of those present, as expected, from Olhão, but also from Faro, Fuseta, Moncarapacho and São Brás. Later that day, throughout the night, there were balls at Grémio and Recreativa clubs.

On Tuesday, there was a “cross-dressing competition at Grémio”, which was followed by an “extraordinarily lively” ball which, in the words of the reporter, “was the ball that ended later in the entire carnival”.

If you experienced the 2024 carnival, was it as lively or even more lively than the 1922 one was?

Did you know? Cross-dressing is a fun element of many carnival processions in Portugal.

Santa Semana

Holy Week

WORDS Rob Kean

Have you given anything up for Lent? If so, how well are you doing at sticking to your decision? Well, thankfully, Easter is nearly upon us, and Holy Week, or Santa Semana as it’s known here in Portugal, begins on Palm Sunday (24 March). Each day of Holy Week has a different emphasis in the church liturgy, and you probably know the highlights of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Still, every day of the week has the title ‘Holy’ – so we have Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, etc. Holy Wednesday, for example, is associated with Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus to the religious authorities for 30 pieces of silver. In some church traditions, this day is marked by reflections on betrayal and forgiveness.

Maundy Thursday is probably one of the days that you do know about. This commemorates the Last Supper, where Jesus shared the Passover

meal with his disciples. It is also when Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and washed his disciples’ feet as an act of humility and service. Our Maundy Thursday service at the church in Praia da Luz will be at 10.30 am, and it re-enacts that washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus just before his crucifixion – and so, girded with a small towel, the priest will wash some of the feet of those attending the service as a symbolic way of showing that they are there to serve others.

On Good Friday, we have a ‘Stations of the Cross’ service (known as Via-Sacre or ‘sacred way’ in Portuguese) in the church at 11 am. This is a solemn and reflective service where those taking part spend a little time at each of the fourteen icons/images/plaques that are in Igreja Nossa Senhora da Luz, depicting what’s known as The Passion of Christ – Jesus’s last journey to the cross. Many of us will join the Via-Sacre walk in Lagos that evening.

And then, of course, we have Easter Sunday, which will be a joy-filled service (with an Easter Egg hunt for children at the end of the 11.30 am service). Please do get in touch for more details.

Have a wonderful Easter. God bless.

Fr Rob Kean

The Shapers of Portugal

Prester John

In this new series, we are going to investigate the key figures who have shaped Portugal over its long history. We will meet monarchs, explorers and politicians. But we begin with someone who never existed – Prester John. But the belief that he must exist and the powerful myth that surrounded him shaped Portugal.

WORDS James Plaskitt

To our contemporary minds, this is a very odd tale. But to understand it, we have to take our minds back to a different age – to a time when the surface of the earth and its lands and seas were barely understood, a time when religion, rather than nationhood, ideology or politics, was the principal means of identity. In Europe, this period came just after the end of the 400 years of Islamic domination. After a long struggle, Christianity had been re-established, but it still felt itself under threat from a combination of known infidels, and unknown lands and peoples.

The fragile rule of Christianity in Europe in the 12th century needed to believe there was something out there to secure its place and lead it to an ultimate victory over its Islamic enemies. Militant Christians dreamed that they could work their way to alliances with other powerful Christian forces in the east and, in a pincer movement, overcome the forces of Islam. It was the notion of Prester John that provided the belief and the hope they desired.

It was a dazzling myth. Prester John was believed to be a fabulously wealthy king who dwelt somewhere in the east – possibly India (although the notion of India at this time was so vague that it included much of modern Asia). He was king over many kings. He lived in a crystal palace with walls made of gold. He was surrounded by weird and wonderful animals, and he commanded a massive army, ranging from 100,000 to one million soldiers, all of fearsome strength and all of whom fought naked. Most importantly, he was Christian. If only he could be found, an unbeatable alliance against Islam could be formed, and the future of Christian rulers secured for eternity.

It is unclear how the myth originated. There are sketchy links going back to the myths surrounding the Holy Grail and other accounts claiming that the Prester was actually the father of Genghis Khan. But whatever the origins, by the

12th century, there were delegations to the Pope from rulers seeking help to ward off Saracen attacks and urging the Pope to reach out to Prester John. By this time, there was even a map purporting to show the scale of his vast kingdom. There was also a letter (forged, but by whom we don’t know) from him in wide circulation.

Prester John’s myth persisted and had a powerful hold over the Portuguese. Prince Henry ‘The Navigator’ was heavily influenced by the notion, and his passion for exploration was at least in part driven by the wish to be the one who found and linked up with Prester John. After his failed attempts to find the saviour king, King John II took up the task and, in 1487, sent spies off on a long mission to locate Prester John while also charged with establishing trade routes to India.

One of his spies thought he had finally found the elusive Prester when he met up with the king of what is now Ethiopia, only to find out that he was not fabulously wealthy, lacked a naked army, and did not possess the secrets of eternal youth.

Undeterred by the many unsuccessful efforts, his successor, King Manuel, committed vast resources to finding the elusive monarch. In commissioning Vasco da Gama to find routes to India, he emphasised the need to locate Prester John. Manuel’s dream was to join forces with the powerful king and press on, with his help, to recapture Jerusalem from Islamic forces.

When Vasco da Gama arrived in what is now Mozambique, hopes rose again as he was told about a fabled king who lived far into the interior. But again, he failed to find him. Africans, it turned out, also held to similar myths.

The Age of Discovery is understandably the most famous and most influential part of Portugal’s history. The process was driven by the curiosity of what lay beyond the horizon, the search for wealth, and the desire for conquest and domination of the seas and all the trade that crossed them. But the process was costly and dangerous and the outcome, at least initially, was highly uncertain. The monarchs who funded and inspired the discoverers may not have been as motivated had the process not been interwoven with the powerful desire to establish firm footings for Christianity and expel the forces of Islam. And that vaulting ambition may not have had such a hold had not so many people believed in the existence of Prester John.

The long, fruitless search for this mythical King shaped Portugal in medieval times.

Next month: Infante Dom Henrique – ‘Henry the Navigator’

"Preste" as the Emperor of Ethiopia, enthroned on a map of East Africa. From an atlas by the Portuguese cartographer Diogo Homem for Queen Mary, c. 1555–1559. British Library

Le Grand Negus (Prester John, Emperor of Abyssinia?), by P. Bertrand, Rue St. Jacques, Paris, via The Royal Collection Trust

Portugal’s Most Powerful Woman

Mumadona Dias

To celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March, it felt fitting to reflect on the life of one of Portugal’s most prominent women, who fought for Portugal’s freedom and created the country’s first capital. This is the life story of Countess Mumadona Dias.

The 10th-century Galician noblewoman and Countess of Portugal ruled the country alongside her husband, Count Hermenegildo Gonzalez, from c. 920 up until his death in 950. From then on, Mumadona continued to rule alone, single-handedly, until she died, in 968 AD.

Credited as one of the most powerful women on the northwestern Iberian peninsula, Mumadona Dias continues to be celebrated today by several Portuguese cities, including the birthplace of Portugal, Guimarães, Portugal’s first capital and the city that she protected from invading forces.

Born in c. 900 to Count Diogo Fernandes and Countess Onega, Mumadona Dias was one of three daughters. She grew up in Vila de Creximir near Guimarães, which was gifted to her parents by King Ramiro II. Count Diogo was a tutor to the future King Ramiro and accompanied him when he established his court in Viseu.

In 928, Mumadona Dias’ mother is said to have donated a considerable sum to the 6th century Monastery of Santa Maria de Lorvão for the soul of “Veremudo dive memorie”, where she mentions her four children, including Mumadona, which etched the family name in history.

A descendant of the Royal family of Léon, Mumadona fittingly married Count Hermenegildo Gonzalez, who was around 10 years her junior, sometime between 915 and 920, later having six children together. Her husband appeared in medieval charters in 926, but according to common belief, it is thought that he died at a relatively young age.

Upon her husband’s death, the Countess became one of the most powerful women of the time in the north west of the Iberian peninsula. Astutely refusing to marry again, she became the owner of lands that included a big chunk of what is today the north of Portugal and extended down to modern-day Coimbra.

During her widowhood, Mumadona would put her mark on Portugal’s history, founding the Monastery of Guimarães in c. 951 after divine inspiration.

Located on her property in Vimaranes, it was there she professed her vows and ordered the construction of the castle of Guimarães to protect its people against Viking invasions. As raids continued, the countess gave the castle to the monastery in a selfless act to protect the clergy from the advancing forces. In turn, Guimarães castle became the headquarters of the court, marking the birth of the modernday country Portugal.

In July 950, her domains were divided among her six children, giving her son and heir Gonçalo Mendes the county of Portugal. The monastery of São Mamede, which Countess Dias founded, eventually became the beneficiary of many of her possessions, inheriting cattle, incomes, and a host of religious objects and books which is documented in Mumadona Dias’ last will and testament, held in Guimarães’ Cenóbio monastery. After her death in 968, at the age of 68, presumably in Guimarães, a statue of Portugal’s most formidable ruler was erected in the city centre in the aptly named Largo Condessa Mumadona Dias in 1960.

Today the city of Guimarães is heavily revered in Portuguese culture. The epicentre of the development of Portugal, the city’s ancient architecture, protection, and legacy is all thanks to one woman, the mother of Portugal and the most famous countess in all of Galicia - Mumadona Dias.

WORDS Luka Alexander

Bebatut (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)

Guimarães Castle © Filipe Fortes (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Statue by Álvaro Brée (licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Renovation for Lagos’s Youth in Care

WORDS Tom Wilson

As I entered Casa de Acolhimento Nossa Senhora do Carmo, the children’s home in Lagos, memories flooded back to me of my old school in Scotland in the 1970s. Constructed in the 1950s, it was clean and functional, and slowly falling apart at the seams. I met with Ana Leal, the residential care director, and Susana Pales, the home’s psychologist, to discuss some of the challenges and needs facing this hidden gem of social care nestled right here in the centre of Lagos.

At the core of the mission of Casa de Acolhimento Nossa Senhora do Carmo is the desire to create a nurturing environment for children and young people facing adversity. With a dedicated support staff, the home empowers individuals to develop social, emotional, and functional skills, fostering independence and resilience for the future. Although Portugal has over 300 such homes, the absence of a co-ordinated foster system puts these facilities under constant pressure. The youth residing at Casa de Acolhimento Nossa Senhora do Carmo are there due to mistreatment, child neglect, or other challenging issues. In these modern times, these homes play a more vital role than ever.

The current state of community housing for young people in care reveals pressing issues needing

support. Challenges include a shortage of funds, resulting in budgets so tight that priorities such as healthcare, education and support must take precedence over aesthetics — the only budget for upkeep are mere band-aids, covering up the bigger issues. Additional funding through NGOs and private donors are vital for the continued functioning of institutions like CASLAS.

In an inspiring initiative, a husband and wife team volunteering at Casa de Acolhimento Nossa Senhora do Carmo have launched a transformative renovation project to rejuvenate three community spaces for Lagos’s young people in care. Mary and Mike Farmer say that community involvement is crucial. They are asking Tomorrow readers to contribute in any way they can through volunteering, donations or advocacy. The current state of the living areas requires significant improvements to ensure the well-being, safety and dignity of the children in care. The renovation project’s scope encompasses upgrading infrastructure, living spaces, and recreational areas, prioritising functionality and comfort, fostering a sense of community and home.

Improved living conditions significantly influence mental health. An enhanced environment reduces stress, and encourages

positive social interactions, contributing to holistic development and emotional well-being. Anybody entering a freshly painted room knows how just a lick of paint can transform how you feel. This fledgling project is already taking shape with the help of volunteers, donations and local tradesmen; a new floor has been laid in one room, but there is much more to do.

Your support can help to break the cycle of disadvantage. By supporting the renovation in any way, small or large, you can help empower young people to overcome adversity and develop skills for independent living. It goes beyond bricks and mortar. It creates a lasting impact on their lives.

As I left the meeting with Ana and Susana, as always, I left something behind: my phone. Susana joked as she handed it to me: “That’s a shame; we could do with another phone ...”

The community can do much to help, and there are not enough words in this article to go into all the good CASLAS does or all the ways we can help. That’s for another day. But even the smallest donations (like a phone) can change a life.

Young minds are eager to grow. With care, belief, and opportunities, they can flourish, enriching our shared tomorrow.

To contribute (the current goal is 15,000€), the bank details are below, or contact Mary directly at mfarmer_011@yahoo.com or +351 961 383 378

Stephen Farmer/CASLAS

Customer ID0896313

Account 181202551434

IBAN PT50026901810020255143429

BIC/SWIFT BKBKPTPL

If you wish to donate larger amounts and get a receipt for tax purposes, contact Susana Pales casadealcohimento@caslas.pt

Before After Before After

Meet the Author Audie

Lewis

Stay-at-home mum of two and new author Audie Lewis has recently moved with her family to the Algarve from Georgia in the US. Audie relayed her personal story from childhood to motherhood and budding writer to, in 2023, a published author.

WORDS Annie O’Dea

Being an avid and voracious reader from childhood, and with a passion for writing, Audie always dreamt of being an author. Her initial career as a kindergarten teacher allowed her creativity to flow as a storyteller. As a mother, she continued to invent bedtime stories for her son and daughter. “My life was filled with more stories than ever as I constantly created them to entertain the kids,” she explained.

Once her own two children were at school, Audie was inspired to write her own book. So she set to work, snatching odd times between the school run, cooking, housework and the general demands of raising a young family. She says this process of writing books was not ideal as they were “revised periodically, all in dribs and drabs”.

Determined to succeed as a published author, in 2021 Audie submitted her final manuscripts to various agents and played the long waiting game while they waded through their huge submissions piles. Fed up with “agent limbo”, Audie decided to explore self-publishing as she felt her “stories were good and would be successful”.

She published her first book Christmas Elvez on Amazon Kindle in January 2023. The romantic novel centres around Lucy

Weathers, a journalist who has lost her job, finds alternative work and completes a daily festive task that she selects from the post of a mysterious, handsome stranger. A journey of self-discovery is at the heart of this novella.

Audie released two further books on Amazon in 2023. Just Add Water and This Isn’t Working Out are also romantic novels. Her current novel, Love Letters, is being circulated to traditional publishers, after Audie was approached by an agent from Gold Dust Literary.

Audie and her family decided to move to Portugal after first buying a holiday home in Burgau, which they frequently visited. “We finally decided that life was short and we were ready for something new, so we sold our house and moved here permanently.”

Hopefully, Audie's story will inspire other mothers to find the headspace in their busy lives to pursue their dreams.

Poetry Press

If you have a poem you would like to share, please send it to the editor.

There is a Time

There’s a time for pleasure and a time for pain

Embrace them both, then play again

There is a time to go and a time to stay

A time to work and a time to play

A time to be happy and a time to be sad

A time to be sane and a time to be mad

There’s a time to question and a time to believe

A time to let go and a time to retrieve

One thing’s for sure, it needn’t be more

More can be less and less can be more

There’s a time to give and a time to receive

To give is triumphant, you better believe

There’s a time to take in and a time to let out

A time to absorb and a time to shout out

A time to be stoic, a time to endure

Then freedom tastes sweeter, that is for sure

There’s a time to love but no time for hate

If hate’s at the gate, you’ve arrived too late

There is a time to laugh and a time to cry

A time to live and a time to die

Time doesn’t stop, it rolls on forever

Yesterday’s gone, tomorrow’s not here

So the time is NOW. Never forget her.

Julian Putley

Loulé Design Lab Artist of the Month

Pedro is also a huge fan of Mike Scott and The Waterboys. So much so that he decided to name this range of nautical-inspired keyrings after their 1988 album Fisherman’s Blues

Made with polyethene sail rope, marine stainless steel and aluminium, these keyrings are designed for a life on the high seas, which means they will last a lifetime. Some models even come equipped with a cork – perfect if you are a motorboat owner, sailor or, like Pedro, a SUP paddler and you would prefer your keys to float.

Ramalhete Design

Ramalhete in Portuguese comes from ‘ramo de flores’ and means a bunch of flowers that are commonly tied together with a ‘ramo’ (branch). It’s also the family name of Pedro Ramalhete and his Ramalhete Design project.

WORDS Jake Cleaver

I found Pedro in the wood workshop in the Palaçio Gama Lobo (headquarters of the Loulé Criativo) working with a new material, an olive branch, given to him by a fellow artist from the Loulé area. He’s still dreaming about what it might become but thinks it might combine well with cork to make a series of key rings and their corresponding holders for the front door.

Pedro is originally from Lisbon. He studied design at the University of Aveiro, where he got his PhD, but he has lived in the Algarve for many years, where he teaches design. He loves being close to the ocean and likes to take his SUP paddleboard down to Faro beach and catch some waves whenever he has the chance. He told me how the sea humbles you and makes you realise you are just a drop in the mighty ocean.

I then discovered that his love for the nautical can be seen in a few of Pedro’s pieces. Let’s have a look…

METICULOSA

ROHR II

The Rohr II is a lamp that creates a warm light and cosy atmosphere. It’s made by interlacing wood laminates between pine slats.

Pedro told me he initially started weaving using Cana Algarvia, the plant traditionally used for weaving baskets, but after some setbacks, he decided to switch the materials. However, he still kept using the ancestral basket weaving technique that gives the Rohr II its beautiful and peculiar light effect.

This file, made with marine plywood and a sandpaper fabric with a grit of 100 or 150, allows you to be meticulous and precise while working with woods, metals and polymers, even in wet conditions. It can also be used to sharpen pencils and knives.

3 PLANOS

This bench or side table is made from three plywood pieces of the same size. Like a puzzle, the pieces fit together and form a useful and versatile piece of furniture that can be easily folded up and put away or taken with you.

GALO

Jogo do Galo – “Game of the Rooster” in English – is a noughts and crosses game. Made of marine plywood cork and with black and white clay glasses, it can be used not only to carry the shots to the table but is also a drinking game where the loser has to either drink (or pay for them).

GRAMMO

Made of glazed white clay and local cork, the Grammo is a desk organiser, as well as an amplifier – with a unique sound – for your smartphone.

To help him carry out his design, Pedro once again enlisted the help of a local artisan, a potter from Moncarapacho called Francisco Eugénio.

Corbis means basket in Latin and is a desk organiser but also a phone holder.

Pedro enlisted the help of an artisan from Alcoutim called Isabel Noya for the beautiful miniature Portuguese-style baskets used to hold your pens. The piece also uses local cork from São Brás and Pedro props it up with a piece of see-through PMMA polymer that he managed to source from a factory that was going out of business and saved it from going to waste.

That’s a wrap!

Even the packaging is a design piece. Pedro doesn’t buy boxes to package his pieces, he makes them himself. He uses recycled cardboard in original ways to keep waste to a minimum. He also reuses the paper from labels, chopsticks and even elastic bands.

Design the life you want to live

A designer by nature, Pedro told me a little about his process and how it all starts with pencil on paper. Before he gets hands-on with anything, he sketches out and plans his objects until he is sure they will work.

TERRACOTTA FLOW

Made with glazed white clay, the Terracotta Flow has two functions: it is a sound base for a smartphone and also an incense holder.

Available in white, blue stripes and black stripes the glazed ceramic allows the sound to be enhanced in a very particular way.

I enjoyed meeting Pedro and left the building feeling like Ramalhete is a very fitting name for both Pedro and his design project. Like a bouquet of flowers, Pedro collects beautiful local and new materials and delights in finding ever more innovative, durable and multifunctional ways to tie them all together.

His depth of inspiration for new designs and his love for the sea made me think of the second half of the famous Rumi quote: how we are not only a drop in the ocean – but the mighty ocean in a drop.

To find out more please follow him on Instagram @ramalhetedesign or visit his website www.ramalhetedesign.com

Unique apartment - CM119

Modern top oor - CM126

Within Old Town - CM110

Large Balcony - CM109

Easter Egg Hunt

St. Vincent’s Chaplaincy is having an Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday in the garden next to the Luz church (Nossa Senhora da Luz) after the 11.30 am service. All are welcome. Come and join in the fun!

 31 March Approx 12.45–13.15 pm

 St. Vincent’s Luz Church (Nossa Senhora da Luz)  horley.shirleen@gmail.com facebook.com/stvincentsalgarve

Loose Ends

This social group caters for people who, for a myriad of reasons, live alone and miss the company of others in similar circumstances.

Group and individual meetings are organised through a WhatsApp group. This could be a drink, a meal or an event to suit your wishes. Events currently in the planning stage are a train trip to Faro to visit the historical city and the Tomorrow Ball on 1 June. We are always looking for new ideas and members. Let us make a great year for loose enders!

 Lagos

 Tom +351 919 918 733 / Kiki +351 964 822 276

Arabic Music Festival

Experience the enchanting melodies of Arabic music with Monia Abdelali at the XXIII Al-Mutamid Music Festival in Silves. Monia Abdelali will beaccompanied by Amine Tailassane and Jaouad El Jadli. The three will captivate audiences with a repertoire spanning traditional tunes like Maluf and Tarab to modern Oriental melodies.

 11 March at 9.30 pm

 Teatro Mascarenhas Gregório, Silves  10€ cmsilves.bol.pt

The Western Algarve Community Choir

The WACC will be holding an open rehearsal for anyone interested in joining the group. Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience or skill – the only thing needed is an enjoyment of singing and some time to commit to rehearsing and practicing.

After the rehearsal there will be a social event at Bar 6 in the main square. The open rehearsal is an ideal way to experience a choir rehearsal if you are interested in joining a singing group, but maybe aren’t sure what being in one involves.

 5 March from 6 pm–8 pm

 Almádena Community Hall  elizabeth_roberts15@hotmail.com

Ultimate Frisby

An open call to create an informal team of ultimate frisbee in Lagos. Ultimate is a non-contact, self-refereed team sport played with a frisbee. Two teams of seven players compete on a playing field. At each end of the playing field, there is an end zone. Each team defends one end zone and a goal is scored when a player successfully passes the frisbee to a team member in the zone.

 Joana Rodrigues +351 968 438 168

Women’s Day Concert

This concert, organised by Orquestra Ligeira de Lagos, commemorates International Women's Day and honours the talent and influence of women in jazz and modern music.

 9 March at 9 pm

 Lagos Cultural Centre

 10€

www.cm-lagos.pt

Jazz in the Vineyards

Learn more about the wines, products and beautiful countryside of Silves at the seventh Vinhos de Silves cultural event.

During the sessions, the audience will enjoy a jazz concert plus three wine tastings from the host producer will be served. These will be accompanied by tapas made with regional products.

 8–9 March, The Pocket Band, Herdade Barranco do Vale, Silves

22–23 March, Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve, Quinta do Rogel, Silves

More events will be held in April and May

 Tickets: 20€ www.bol.pt

www.cm-silves.pt

Harmonise Your Home

It was Marie Kondo who originally suggested we keep only items which ‘spark joy’, but in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the benefits of decluttering. Professional Algarve declutterer Alma Bencomo explains how we can all gain satisfaction from creating order in our homes.

WORDS Tracy Burton

Few of us set out to live in chaotic, untidy properties which are bursting at the seams, however, our belongings have a tendency to build up over time, often without us noticing what’s happening.

There is plenty of evidence to link cluttered living spaces with increased stress and anxiety, a feeling of being overwhelmed, and an inability to relax or function in our own homes. We are not talking about serious hoarding here, just homes that are full of things we no longer want or need.

On the other hand, as Alma points out, “A decluttered home positively impacts mental well-being by reducing visual distractions and creating a sense of order. It promotes a feeling of accomplishment and control, which can boost self-esteem and confidence.”

So, with the benefits of owning less so clear, what makes us hang onto so much stuff?

Alma believes overly cluttered homes happen for a variety of reasons, including an emotional attachment to objects, a lack of time or motivation to organise, or

someone simply not knowing where to start.

“Often, when people are overwhelmed, the response is to avoid the circumstances that are overwhelming them. People will put off decluttering because they don’t know where to start and the idea of letting go feels too hard.”

my services to help others find harmony in their own homes,” she said, explaining that the change goes beyond just the physical space. “It’s about the overall impact on a person’s lifestyle and mindset.”

Alma says people decide to declutter for various reasons, including, ‘To reduce stress, improve mental clarity, make space for new things, prepare for a move, or simply to create a more pleasant living environment. Sometimes it’s about letting go of the past and making room for new opportunities.’

She enjoys seeing clients reconnect with their space and experience a sense of renewal. “Every project leaves a room – and a heart – a little lighter.”

In the same way as clutter builds up gradually, Alma believes decluttering should be treated as a process. “It doesn’t have to be an all-ornothing approach. Taking small steps makes it more manageable and sustainable, helping you integrate it into your routine without becoming overwhelmed. It’s about finding a balance that works for each individual.”

Alma debunks a commonly held view that decluttering and minimalism are one and the same. “Decluttering involves removing unnecessary items to create a more organised space, while minimalism is a lifestyle focused on intentional living with a deliberate reduction of possessions and distractions. Decluttering is a step toward minimalism, but minimalism involves a broader mindset shift towards simplicity.”

A natural organiser, Alma’s own journey to creating harmonious living spaces began small. She initially focused on decluttering her own home, before helping friends and family to do the same. “The sense of relief and calm that a decluttered space brought was truly transformative,” she says.

Setting up Algarve Harmony was a natural next step for Alma, who, before moving to Portugal three years ago with her husband and dog, worked as an orthodontic therapist in her native Ireland.

“After witnessing firsthand the positive effects of a well-organised space on mental and emotional well-being, I wanted to offer

algarveharmony.carrd.co

Facebook/Instagram: Algarve Harmony

Alma’s advice is to take one step at a time:

• Set small, achievable goals

• Start with one room – or even just a drawer

• Move progressively through the space

• Try to keep surfaces clear

• Donate items you haven’t used in a year

And if you need help, Algarve Harmony offers support with the decluttering, downsizing, home staging, unpacking and organising of your entire home or specific rooms/areas.

Step into spring with

Mint

Mint is a flavour and a colour I’ve always been in love with – there’s nothing more refreshing than a mint ice cream on a boiling hot day and nothing more soothing than coming home to fresh mint walls.

Don’t get me wrong, you can make mistakes with mint. Too much of it can be cloying or clinical, think mouthwash and operating theatres. I remember being so proud when my boyfriend put up mint tiles all over our first kitchen. They were from Habitat and cost a fortune, and I thought my mum would be very impressed because she was a bit of a snob. I poured her a large glass of Chablis with which to toast the tiles, but when she walked in she just sniffed and said, “Hmm, it looks like a public lavatory.”

My fingers were itching to throw the glass of wine at her, but I didn’t because it was too expensive. I downed it instead and laughed a very shrill laugh. Twenty years on and the memory still stings me. How very dare she insult my taste. She with her 1970s brown and orange carpeted bathroom!

The kitchen is a great place to start decorating with mint. Ikea in Loulé has some glossy kitchen units and cupboard doors in a beautiful pale peppermint. New Terracotta in Coimbra has a range of handmade Craquelé glaze wall tiles in a delicate aqua. I’ve never been a fan of air fryers (I banished my husband’s to the basement because it’s not only so enormous it takes up half the worktop, but it’s also black and makes a noise louder than an aeroplane). I’ve managed to find a pretty little mint one – along with a mint fridge that’s a lot cheaper than a Smeg – from Spanish online retailer sklum.com

Mint is a colour I go to time and again when I’m decorating and looking for something softer than blue or green. Often, a room is dying for a bit of personality but doesn’t want to be overbearing. That’s where mint comes in: it soothes and calms like a pastel but invigorates like an ocean breeze.

Reminiscent of springtime, sea-foam and pale succulents, mint is cool without looking cold, pretty without being girly and bold without screaming for attention. Never mind spring cleaning, March is the perfect time to turn your home minty fresh!

Mint has always been popular in the world of interior design. It’s one of the few colours that fits with almost any style of interior. Depending on your taste, you can either make mint looks regal with antiques and busy wallpaper, sombre with dark woods and industrial furnishings, or beachy with blonde wood and white. Mint is such a versatile and timeless colour I don’t think it will ever go out of fashion.

WORDS Flora Kouta

1. MINT DOORWAY taken by Flora in Lagos

2. MINT ABSTRACT WALL ART ABOVE SOFA www.florakouta.com

3. MINT CHEST OF DRAWERS bit.ly/3OEMyAV

4. MINT KITCHEN bit.ly/3UASQFA

5. MINT CUSHIONS bit.ly/49fm9ly

6. MINT GLAZED TILES bit.ly/3w8RM1k

7. MINT BOWL bit.ly/49luMuw

8. MINT AIR FRYER bit.ly/3urwwDy

Mint is not just for bedrooms and bathrooms, it works all over the house. It’s great with white and beige and grey. It can hang out with all the soft neutrals and retain a soothing vibe while at the same time making a living space feel cheerful and playful. Try mint in different textures – mint velvet feels luxurious, mint linen cool and crisp, and mint paired with rustic natural fibres like hessian and jute is perfect for a contemporary beach house look. Mint can’t help but make you feel fresh and creative – it’s the perfect colour to welcome spring.

A mint feature wall can really transform a white bedroom. If you can’t find the right shade of mint, you can always mix your own. Use a huge bucket or trough for your creation. You’ll need to make up a fair amount because, if you run out before you’ve finished the wall, you’ll never be able to make the exact same colour again.

So throw open all your windows and doors, make yourself a mojito with lots of muddled mint and get decorating!

Mix equal parts blue and green and then a good measure of white and a touch of grey. Then, adjust according to your taste. You might even need to add a tiny bit of black or yellow. You’ll need to do a lot of vigorous stirring with a big stick to make sure it’s perfectly blended, if you have a spare bucket, try pouring the mixture from one to the other so you can see the colour is mixed properly all the way to the bottom.

The wall above our bed (pictured) is the star of the show in our bedroom. I’ve added a bit of texture to my newly painted mint wall with a decorative carved wooden wall plaque I found at the pottery near Odiáxere. It doesn’t need much else, the bed itself I’ve kept white, but I dressed it with lots of velvet cushions in shades of mint and sand.

1. MINT BEDROOM WALL Flora’s bedroom

2. MINT & BEIGE PATTERNED RUG bit.ly/3uD3jFD

3. MINT CURTAINS bit.ly/3HUeUDi

4. MINT & WOOD CHAIR bit.ly/3SBPAHi

5. MINT CHAIR BED bit.ly/49uHSFO

6. MINT PATTERN WALL ART www.florakouta.com

7. MINT COASTAL ART SET OF 3 www.florakouta.com

SPORTS ROUND UP

WORDS David Lugg

Cycling

Remco Evenepoel has won the 50th edition of the Volta ao Algarve. The Belgian rider, who won the Vuelta a España Grand Tour in 2022, was the dominant force throughout much of the five-day race. After finishing safely in the peloton on day 1, Evenepoel took second place in stage 2, a day that saw 3495m of climbing with a summit finish at Fóia. Stage 3 was relatively trouble-free, but it was stage 4 where Evenepoel blew his rivals away with a scintillating time trial around Albufeira. The World Time Trial Champion finished 16 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. A fine second place on the final stage resulted in an overall victory by 43 seconds from 2023 winner Daniel Martinez. In winning, Evenepoel has become a three-time victor of the Algarve race. After the event, he said, “I really like it here: the country, the fans, the roads, everyone. And everything is so nice. So, I don’t know about next year, but I’m sure I’ll be back.” António Morgado finished as the top-ranked Portuguese rider. The twenty-year-old finished in 10th position and also collected the award for best young rider.

Touch Rugby

The Untouchaballs touch rugby team have finished in second place at the Open All Silver Championships in Lisbon. This is a remarkable achievement for the Lagos-based side, considering the long journey involved, as well as playing with only two substitutes throughout. The Untouchaballs are going from strength to strength as they ride the wave of the increasing popularity of rugby in the country. If you are interested in playing touch rugby in Lagos, contact Phil: p_soames@hotmail.com

Wrestling

Professional wrestling returns to the Algarve with ‘Sangue Frio’ (‘Cold Blood’). The event, which is organised by the Association of Portuguese Wrestling, will take place at the Centro de Treinos in Portimão on 17 March.

Rugby

The Portugal men’s team have reached the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe Championship. Despite a shock first-round loss to Belgium, they recovered to comfortably beat Poland and Romania to top ‘Pool A’. They will now face old foes Spain on the weekend of the 2–3 March, with the winners advancing to the Grand Final in Paris on 17 March.

Following last season’s promotion, the Portugal women’s team will play in the Rugby Europe Championship for the first time in their history. They face home matches against Netherlands (24 February) and Sweden (9 March) before an away match against current champions Spain (30 March). The championship is the 2nd tier of European rugby below the Six Nations.

Men’s football

The Portugal under-21 national side will play two European Championship qualifying games on 21 and 26 March at the São Luís Stadium in Faro (home of club side Farense). The matches against Faroe Islands and Croatia will start at 17:30 and will serve as the ideal setting for Portugal to bounce back from a surprise 2-1 defeat to Greece last time out.

Tennis

Nuno Borges has made history at the Australian Open tennis tournament by becoming the first Portuguese player to reach the last 16. Notable results included a straight-sets win over 23rd seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and a magnificent victory over world number 13 Gregor Dimitrov. Borges’s fine run came to an end against eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev, but he was understandably delighted with his efforts. “Now I have to use this as motivation to go even further,” he said following the conclusion of the match. The twenty-six-year-old, who is coached by Algarve tennis legend Rui Machado, has now entered the world’s top 50 for the first time.

Handball

Portugal has put in a strong performance at the 2024 European Men’s Handball Championship. After qualifying for the group stage, the team dispatched Slovenia and world number five Norway before losing out to eventual bronze medallist Sweden in a decisive battle to reach the semi-finals. Despite not making the last four, their results have seen them rise to number eleven in the world rankings.

Remco Evenepoel on the Volta Ao Algarve winner’s podium © Volta ao Algarve

Portugal Touch rugby tournament - Untouchaballs

RISING STAR

Aaron Thorpe

How long have you played rugby for CRUAl? Over three years. I turned 11 in October.

Why do you love playing rugby? There is a lot of energy in playing rugby. It’s exciting and it’s physical. And I’ve made a lot of friends here.

There are lots of kids from different countries playing rugby here. Yes, we have players from France and Ireland, and New Zealand. Training is done in English, but I can translate if the Portuguese players don’t really understand.

What is your favourite thing about playing for CRUAI? I like everything, especially trying to help others out when we play games.

Is there anything you don’t like about training? I don’t think there is anything. Everything here is really good. It would be good if we could play more games in the Algarve.

What’s the next step for you in your rugby life? I would 100% like to keep playing here. And then, one day, I’d like to get Irish citizenship and probably play for Ireland. Half of my family is Irish, actually.

So, do you support Ireland or Portugal? It depends. If Portugal plays against England, I would obviously support Portugal, but, overall, I would support Ireland. If Ireland played Portugal, I would still be happy if Portugal scored.

‘Converting’ Portugal to Rugby

Meet Dave Alger – lead trainer of CRUAI Kids Rugby Club in Lagoa

WORDS David Lugg

Clube de Rugby Universatário do Algarve (CRUAI) was established in Faro in 1992 by Ricardo Rafael and Miguel Eufrasio. The aim was to promote rugby through the university but also on a wider scale within the Algarve. CRUAI has gone from strength to strength and has set up a sister club in Lagoa. Now, with a strong emphasis on youth development, the club offers regular training sessions for children up to 18, a women’s under-18 side and touch rugby for adults. Dave Alger is the lead trainer in Lagoa and explains how the longterm plan is to establish a rugby club with its own pitch and facilities.

“Six years ago, I saw an advert in the paper and I thought I might be a bit old, but I’ll give it a try. Eighteen months later, I went and did a training course for kids and I’ve been involved with the kids ever since. I was 64 when I started doing it and now I’m seventy.” Not that you would know, as Dave’s athleticism and infectious enthusiasm mean he could pass for someone half his age.

“We’ve got about 16 kids here tonight, but we’ve had up to 27. We used to train the kids with just touch-rugby to get them used to ball-handling skills and being in the right place at the right time, but we’re now trying to build a little bit more proper rugby into it with crashes and tackles.”

Dave and his team (including fellow coach Wayne Aldred) are attempting to ride the recent wave of success of the Portugal national side at the World Cup. “Portugal qualified for the World Cup in 2007 and there was a massive interest in rugby and that enthusiasm is what provided the core of the team for last year’s Rugby World Cup success. What we’re trying to do is develop the players and build them into a bigger and better team.”

Despite the current passion for rugby in Portugal, Dave is acutely aware that running a successful team takes more than enthusiasm. “The president in Lagoa has indicated that he is looking favourably upon providing a rugby facility with two new pitches, posts and everything else that goes with it. But I’m a pragmatist, so I’ll believe it when I see the white lines and posts, but at least we have a pitch to train on and we can work with what we have.”

CRUAl children's rugby training is open for girls and boys of all ages and there are many nationalities who join in the fun. Dave is rightly proud of its inclusivity. “We don’t care where they are from or if they are big or small. We will teach them to catch the ball, kick the ball and run. And we teach them respect. If the referee has a whistle, there are two rules. Rule one, the referee is always right and rule two, if the referee is wrong, please see rule one.”

Every club, regardless of the sport, needs a Dave Alger behind the scenes to keep pushing development to the next level. In Dave’s case, he is the driving force of an excellent sporting project that not only teaches kids a sporting skill set but also instils important life skills –communication, teamwork and respect.

Training takes place in Lagoa each Tuesday and Thursday from 17:30 to 19:30.

www.crual.pt crualg@gmail.com

Lagoa (PT) +351 914 447 799 / (EN) +351 962 315 256

Faro (PT/EN) +351 965 519 309

World Surf Championship Tour

Supertubos Peniche

Early February saw the start of another Championship Tour (CT) season at Pipeline, Hawaii. The second stage of the competition also took place in Hawaii, this time at Sunset Beach. The third event of the 2024 series is about to start right here in Portugal! The MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal will welcome the world’s elite surfers to Peniche and see them surf the famous Supertubos, a spot known for barrel waves. The Portuguese session is scheduled for 6–16 March.

For those less familiar with the surfing world, the Championship Tour is a yearly competition of the best-ranked surfers, according to the World Surf League, which ultimately crowns the world champion at the end of the season. The tour has a separate male and female competition, competing in 10 different locations around the globe. The defending champion is Filipe Toledo from Brazil, who did not have a great start this year in Hawaii and had to quit the first stage due to health complications has recently announced his retirement from this year's competition. In the women’s competition, Caroline Marks from the US will fight to reach the world title for a consecutive year.

For most of its part, the tour is a point system race. Each location has a series of eliminating rounds or heats, culminating in a final heat between two surfers. Participating athletes will accrue points depending on how well they perform at each event. Obviously, winners take the most points for the next round with a stage trophy and prizes are awarded. The point system is in play until the very last event when the ’final five’ – those with the most points – compete to decide the world title. The champion will not be crowned until the final, which in 2024 is scheduled for September in Lower Trestles, San Clemente, California.

Five judges score each wave from zero to 10 points. The highest and lowest votes are discarded and the average of the remaining three votes is the score for the wave. Surfers can ride as many waves as they want in their heat, but only the two best waves will add up to make their heat score. Elements considered by the jury are speed, style, and power. The main things judges will look out for are the combination of manoeuvres, commitment, and how the competitor surfs each wave. Surprisingly, for some, the size of the wave is not in itself an element to judge, although it does have a massive effect on the other factors. The best ride will score the perfect 10 score but this is not easily done. Even harder is the dream 20-point heat score, when a surfer is awarded two 10-point waves during a single heat.

Amongst the competing athletes is Kelly Slater, arguably the surf GOAT (greatest of all time) and 11-time World Champion. Kelly is still competing at the highest level despite his tender age of 52! This is likely to be the last opportunity to see this amazing sportsman competing in Portugal. The 11 Brazilian athletes currently on tour will

bring a lot of support to Supertubos from the many Brazilians living in Portugal.

Frederico Morais, aka “Kikas”, is the Portuguese presence in this tournament and one of only two European athletes featured in a league dominated by Brazilians, Americans, Aussies and Hawaiians. The 32-year-old surfer from Cascais is currently ranked 30 on the WSL and will attract a lot of attention on the beach, where the local crowd will be cheering for him.

For now, let’s see what the Atlantic conditions bring to Supertubos and … GO KIKAS!!

By the way, you can watch the full CT live on YouTube and other streams www.worldsurfleague.com/ waystowatch

Championship Tour 2024 – Dates and Locations

Event 1: Pipeline, Hawaii Jan 29 – Feb 10

Event 2: Sunset Beach, Hawaii Feb 12 – 22

Event 3: Supertubos, Portugal Mar 6 – 16

Event 4: Bells Beach, Australia Mar 26 – Apr 5

Event 5: Margaret River, Australia Apr 11 – 21

Event 6: Teahupo’o, Tahiti May 22 – 31

Event 7: Punta Roca, El Salvador Jun 6 – 15

Event 8: Saquarema, Brazil Jun 22 – 30

Event 9: Cloudbreak, Fiji Aug 20 – 29

Event 10: Lower Trestles, US Sep 6 – 14

WORDS Luis Teves Costa

with our inviting fireplaces

Bio-Available Mineral Balancing

WORDS Nirali Shah-Jackson

In the February edition, Tomorrow featured an article about an oyster farm in Alvor. Oysters, as mentioned at the end of the article, have an abundance of minerals. But one of the main and most important bio-available minerals that they can provide you, without popping a pill, is zinc.

Zinc can help incredibly with recovery from viruses and adverse skin conditions. It can restore acid reflux, and is a building block for digestive enzymes and bile production. However, too much zinc (over 15 mg a day is considered too much!) can, for example, have a significant effect on sodium levels in our body as well as causing other mineral imbalances.

Obtaining zinc through foods like oysters not only helps replenish vital minerals that support our intracellular functions but also provides us with

the best form of minerals for our body to break down and utilise effectively. A synthetic and sometimes difficult-to-digest pill, on the other hand, can affect your gut, liver and kidneys while it is being processed in your body.

Eating just one oyster a week can give you a better mineral status for the entire week compared to popping different vitamins and minerals in pill form every day.

The best way to balance minerals is through food, as nature has always got our backs and cleverly given us the right bio-available balanced nutrients in all whole foods that we consume.

If you are interested in looking at balancing your minerals and want to explore this via a hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) test, I can help

support you to do this, mainly through food. As a Functional Medicine Nutrition Coach in training, I am looking for case studies and can offer HTMA sessions at a vastly reduced rate for a year starting this month.

Please get in touch with me on Instagram and look out for more interesting monthly insights about minerals, functional medicine and coaching right here.

Nirali Shah-Jackson is a certified HTMA and Shiatsu Practitioner.

 Instagram: @mineralmojo

Why Women Need Muscle!

WORDS Anne de Jongh

Research shows that those in late perimenopause (so still having periods) had 10% less muscle mass compared to early perimenopause, and postmenopausal women were also more likely to have sarcopenia (involuntary muscle loss).

Lifting weights and focusing on building muscle used to be a male-dominated area of the gym. Women would tend to be encouraged to do cardio and the weights area in the gyms could be intimidating to walk into.

Thankfully, this is changing as we realise the importance of muscle to our overall health and longevity. Women of all ages are starting to realise the benefits of lifting weights – and it does not need to be super heavy to have benefits. It is about stimulating the muscle and lifting a weight that you are comfortable with. We do not all need to lift huge weights.

For those in early perimenopause, which generally means women in the early to mid–40s, it is vitally important that we start to incorporate weights into our training, as this will have a massive impact on how we go through menopause.

For those of us in post-menopause, it is never too late to start to train. I have female clients who started training in their 70s. They find that getting stronger enables them to feel more confident, maintain their independence, have greater balance, and have the positive mental benefit that they can tackle anything they set their mind to.

Greater muscle mass can also help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and improve metabolic health and body composition. There is also evidence that links strength training with a reduced risk of heart disease or stroke. This is a risk that increases in postmenopause, as estrogen helps to protect against heart disease.

We do not need to hit the gym every day, but aiming for strength training twice a week and ensuring we eat plenty of protein at every meal will all go towards being fit and strong to live our lives.

Ann de Jongh is a health and wellbeing coach.

+351 913 202 621

The Elusive Meaning of Success

WORDS Becca Williams

What happens when you take money out of the equation?

I was having lunch at an open-air restaurant recently and a man in his 30s, at an adjacent table, was sporting a t-shirt boldly declaring: READY FOR SUCCESS. I thought how sad that wherever this chap is currently in his life’s journey, he’s still striving for success.

I bet you ten to one that his idea of success is based on money. In fact, I’d go further and suggest he’s been making money most of his life, but never reached an amount that meets his definition of “success”. In other words, he thinks of himself as “unsuccessful”.

A Different Kind of Rich

In this day of billionaires, sprawling mansions and exotic cars, if we took money as a measure of success out of the equation, what would that look like? It’s hard to imagine because our western minds are programmed to think in terms of material assets. Yet, at the heart of non-material success lies personal fulfilment. This form of

success is measured by reaching individual milestones, overcoming challenges, and personal growth and self-improvement.

Importantly, success is also defined by the quality of our relationships and the social connections we nurture, i.e. the love, support and shared joy that enriches our lives. Success, in this respect, is about being part of a community, contributing to it, and feeling connected to something larger than oneself.

what others say about them. What they envision hearing about themselves are things like: “They were always there for me”; “They made a difference in their community”; “They showed immense kindness and compassion”; “They were a loving parent, partner, and friend.”

Another dimension of success is the impact one has on society and the world. It's about making a difference, however big or small, and knowing that one's existence has added value to the world. This can be through acts of kindness, volunteering, mentoring, or any personal contribution that makes the world a better place.

In my retreats, I often lead participants through a moving practice that calls on them to visualise their memorial service, paying attention to

What never comes up when reflecting on what they've heard about themselves (even if it’s true) is their skill at making money, their prowess in wheeling and dealing or their knack for ensuring their personal needs are satisfied.

Becca Williams is an emotions therapist and clinician who helps people free themselves from emotional burdens, traumas, and limiting beliefs to live more fulfilling lives.

 Becca@emotionallib.com

Breast Reduction

WORDS Tiago Baptista-Fernandes

Breast reduction is a very common surgery, usually requested between 45 and 55 years of age. The main reason for having this surgery is due to an increase in breast size, either from post pregnancy changes, (like breast feeding), menopause or diminished physical workout, metabolism slowing down and a sedentary lifestyle. The impact on self-esteem caused by larger breasts may affect the woman in many ways, for example, conjugal, social, and professional.

Excess of volume, large areolas, ptotic breasts (sagging) and cervical column pain are the main reasons a woman decides to undergo breast reduction surgery. There are, however, young women, even teenagers, who, because of hormonal breast gland hypertrophy

or asymmetry, desire to reduce the breast size so that normal social and personal well-being is achieved.

The surgery is performed in two to three hours, depending on the complexity of the case, without the need to stay in the hospital. The scars can be circumvertical, around the areola (so that it is repositioned and reduced), vertical (necessary to correct the excess of tissues) or along the inframammary sulcus (below the breast). The most frequent, and with more consistent outcomes, are inverted T scars.

Manual lymphatic drainage is initiated the day after, and one to two weeks of rest is recommended. After this, the scars will begin to be treated with

silicon products, specific manual treatments, and eventually, if needed, plasma, lasers or corticoids are used. There can be altered temporary or permanent sensation to the nipples or skin and small areas of soreness for two to six months.

I recommend patients have their weight stabilised prior to the surgery in order for the best outcome in terms of longevity.

Tiago Baptista-Fernandes is a specialist in plastic surgery.

tiago.baptistafernandes@upclinic.pt www.upclinic.pt

I

Why Choose Hypnotherapy?

*Stress Relief

*Pain Management

*Boost Confidence

*Better Sleep

*Overcome Fears and Phobias

*Break Habits

*Goal

The Go-to-Girl

When Natascha Hunt moved to Portugal from the UK back in 2000, she left behind a successful career in the finance and banking sector. She felt it was time for a change!

She started her real estate career in Quinta do Lago but fell in love with Lagos and moved there four years later. Since then, Natascha has grown into the Lagos real estate specialist that she is today. She values transparency and has a handson and can-do attitude.

As a familiar face on the property scene over the last 20 years, and knowing the sort of regular enquiries she so often receives, Natascha decided that there is a real need for this focused and specialised support. Natascha saw an opportunity to offer her services to the wider Algarve public.

“Traditionally, those people who bought or rented here often need help to integrate, as often it is a

The Power of Women’s Craft

At Mar d’Estórias, we’re fortunate to know visionary women who delight us with innovative ideas and products. In the month celebrating International Women’s Day, we not only recall the strength and determination of women throughout history but also the inspiring influence of the entrepreneurs around us.

Until the 19th century, a woman’s role was mostly confined to the domestic sphere or religious life in convents. Few wielded influence in society, with notable exceptions like the Marquesa de Alorna, a distinguished Portuguese aristocrat and writer who gained prominence before 1900.

In Portugal, women were no longer obligated to obey men in 1910 and, by 1931, those with higher education could finally vote. The three Marias (Maria Isabel Barreno, Maria Teresa Horta and Maria Velho da Costa) stood out in Portugal for their advocacy of women’s rights. Together, they authored the controversial book, As Novas Cartas Portuguesas, which was banned after just three days. It was a response to Mariana Alcoforado’s

big wrench from their home elsewhere,” explains Natascha. “Very often, they have no idea which property agent, lawyer or accountant to guide them through the possible difficulties. These matters all add to the fairly complex process of rent or purchase and of course, the language barrier can seem insurmountable.”

Natascha can be with you to translate with the Tax Department (finanças) or Land Registry (conservatória), or at medical appointments. She can also advise on accurate valuations, preparing a property for the market, decluttering and reorganising, helping supervise building work, or negotiating with tradesmen.

Natascha is the go-to girl who knows the ropes and how to undo all the knots!

Call or WhatsApp Natascha +351 912488155 or email gotogirlportugal@gmail.com

famous Cartas Portuguesas and depicted women’s conditions during the Estado Novo.

Nowadays, the reality for Portuguese women is different, exemplified by the various partners of Mar d’Estórias. They manage their businesses with the courage of their ancestors and hope for a promising future.

Esperança, from Victoria Handmade, is one such partner, choosing to revive a family craft of over 70 years and breathing new life into traditional reed baskets. Initially led by her father, Esperança now intricately weaves this local herb herself. The work requires physical strength and a touch of sensitivity to turn this craft into something genuinely beautiful.

The reed bags produced by Victoria Handmade are now available in different corners of the globe. It’s remarkable to witness the success achieved by a woman in turning something that was once an obligation for her livelihood into a genuine passion.

Another notable craftswoman is Mizette Nielsen, who dedicated 45 years to the Fábrica de Mantas Alentejanas in Reguengos de Monsaraz. After rescuing this forgotten factory in the Alentejo in 1977, she preserved an old piece of Portuguese cultural history, including the looms and centuries-old blankets. She kept alive old regional weaver patterns (mantas), re-interpreting them in new colours and variations for textile manufacturing. She is known to be the keeper and godmother of the many original patterns and now supplies products to Japanese brand Kenzo. The New York Times listed her factory as one of the three original wool handcrafts still existing in Europe.

In the month dedicated to International Women’s Day, it’s meaningful to reflect from notable figures of the past to contemporary entrepreneurs like Esperança and Mizette. Today, we witness the resilience of Portuguese women and the legacy of courage and hope driving a promising future.

The products of these brands, led by women, can be found at Mar d’Estórias.

info@mardestorias.com

Rua Silva Lopes, Nº 30, 8600-623 Lagos

WORDS

WORDS Tom Henshaw

Go to page 33 to see Natascha's advert

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Tom's Tastebuds

As a non-golfer but dedicated foodie, Tom Henshaw experienced the 19th hole of Espiche Golf Club at their Gecko Bistro!

I think I am probably right in saying that nongolfers like me would not normally think about having lunch or dinner at a golf course, but we did just that at Espiche Golf Club. If you take my advice and try it out, I am confident you will be as impressed as we were with both their award-winning clubhouse, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in April and the amazing views all around the course. The peace and stillness bring a real sense of tranquillity to your dining experience.

You can start with a coffee and let the day drift by as you enjoy the extensive menus served by an attentive staff under their very professional food and beverages manager. André Silva has made very positive changes to the clubhouse and, at the same time, has moulded a team that is working in unison to give their visitors a warm and hearty welcome.

André´s enthusiasm made us feel very relaxed as we enjoyed lunch. We chose the mushroom risotto expertly prepared by Italian members

of their International chefs and paired it with a superb red wine from Lisbon, namely Chocapalha. Delicious.

Breakfast is also on offer every day until 11.30 am, and they all sound mouth-watering and reasonably priced. Their lunch and dinner choices are currently available until 6 pm every day but this will be extended once the summer timetable starts.

André has plans for monthly regional winetasting events with food and cheeses chosen to complement the regional wines.

All in all, it was an excellent lunch and well worth your consideration. Plans are already underway for a new spa hotel and new homes, which will surely make this restaurant an even bigger attraction!

+351 282 688 270

www.facebook.com/EspicheGolf

A taste of what’s to come

When I arrived at the press briefings for the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony for Portugal 2023, I was pleasantly surprised.

The reception area was full of very well-dressed and important-looking people and there was an array of drinks and tempting food provided to nibble at while being introduced to members of the câmara, chefs and organisers of the event. In short, this was an impressive publicity campaign by Michelin for an event announced in June last year.

The objective of the briefing was simply to update us on a few changes and additions to the main event that, at the time of writing, was to take place at NAU Salgados Palace & Congress Centre in Guia, Albufeira on 27 February. The two principal Michelin star chefs João Oliveira and Dieter Koschina will oversee the dinner, which will be prepared by a selection of Algarve chefs included in the guide. The other key announcement that drew excitement from the audience was that television presenter, actress and author Catarina Furtado had been appointed

WORDS Bob Tidy

as the host for the ceremony. So why all the fuss?

The first reason is that up until now, Portugal has always been included in a guide alongside Spain and so this event will mark the launch of the first MICHELIN Guide dedicated solely to Portuguese restaurants. And the second reason is that the Algarve was chosen to be the host, rather than the more obvious choice of Lisbon where some of the country’s top restaurants are found.

André Gomes, Presidente do Turismo do Algarve, made the best of the opportunity and spoke about the importance of this recognition for the region and how it would enhance the visibility of Portuguese gastronomy. Clearly, this ambition is important for Algarve tourism, because an open debate about the value of gastronomy to tourism was taking place at the Museu de Portimão on 6 February.

One of the restaurant owners from Quinta do Lago commented on whether the debate would include the possible adverse effect on restaurants that are equally deserving of

appreciation but have not been recognised for the guide.

But whether, like me, you are a lover of basic Algarvian fare or whether you are more of a fine diner, it was certainly a huge positive to see the Algarve included in an event intended to celebrate the gastronomy of Portugal.

The Flavours of Portugal

Chef Alexandre Silva

Sophie Sadler interviewed one of Portugal’s most famous chefs to discuss the elevation of traditional Portuguese cooking to MICHELIN star level.

WORDS Sophie Sadler

Alexandre Silva was born among the vineyards of Abrigada, 40 miles north of Lisbon, at the head of the Serra de Montejunto range. It was here that his culinary journey began. I asked him about his earliest memories of food. “I am Portuguese,” he smiles, “I learnt cooking in the school of Portugal. Food is in my DNA.”

Alexandre's childhood memories revolve around the family coming together to eat. He recollects wood fires, fresh products and delicious flavours. “Of course, now many 21st-century mothers don’t have the time to learn the skills of traditional Portuguese cooking, but in my grandparents’ day, every grandmother could cook and had their signature dish,” he reflects. And cooking was not just the women's domain. He paid tribute to his grandfather in his speech after winning Top Chef in 2012, a popular TV show which shot him to national stardom.

His culinary inspiration came from ingrained flavours from his childhood like cabidela (a rice dish traditionally made with rooster), roasted lamb and grilled fish. Coming from the area near Peniche, he tells me that his point

of reference is Atlantic cuisine. The area has one of the biggest fishing harbours in Portugal. In his kitchens, he uses only Portuguese products of controlled origin and respects environmental sustainability. “I think Portuguese cuisine is one of the best in the world,” he tells me, “but we don’t have good marketing. Portugal should be in the same discussion as Italian, French and Spanish cooking. We have great chefs, great products and some of the best seafood in the world.”

Alexandre advocates traditional Portuguese cuisine, from which he draws inspiration for his two restaurants, Loco and Fogo, both in Lisbon. He is determined to put his cooking and Portuguese cooking on the world map. Chef Silva tells me his cooking comes from his ancestors, whom he cites as his biggest teachers; however, he also acquired an impressive resumé to add to his DNA. He graduated in Kitchen/Pastry and F&B Management at the Hotel Management and Tourism School of Lisbon and in Molecular Gastronomy at the Higher Institute of Agronomy. As chef at the restaurant Bocca in Lisbon, he attracted much attention from local foodies. But it was his food that did the talking and food critics at Time Out Lisboa gave him six stars – the only chef ever to be awarded that honour. Sadly, in 2012, the economic crisis in Portugal forced Bocca to close and Alexandre accepted an offer to take over the kitchens at Alentejo Marmòris, a five-star hotel in Vila Viçosa.

He didn’t stay in the Alentejo for long; the capital city drew him back and he returned to Lisbon to accept the challenge of executive chef at one of the country’s most famous restaurants: Bica do Sapato. During this period, he was asked to participate in the Time Out Market project. His pop-up restaurant at this popular venue drew praise from customers from around the world. The positive feedback encouraged Alexandre to achieve his ambition in haute cuisine, opening Loco in the Estrela area of Lisbon. Loco first won a MICHELIN star in 2016.

Alexandre's second restaurant, Fogo, celebrates fire. The kitchen has a collection of open flames, on which he only burns wood. His concept is that this cooking method is a return to the ways of our ancestors. He explains, “For everyone that tastes the food, it should spark a remembered flavour that you recognise but don’t remember when you experienced it.” The warmth from the glowing fires fills the restaurant with a homely feel reminiscent of cooking over a traditional hearth. Alexandre tells me that he sees “smoke as an ingredient”, but it’s not easy to manipulate. He confirms that the kitchen pass is a hot place for his chefs to work. The ingredients must also be top quality and the technique must be precise. He emphasises that the smoky taste must be subtle and not overpowering.

I am keen to tap into Alexandre's years of acquired knowledge to understand when the best ingredients can be found in Portugal. He uses Alentejo pork, which he believes to be among the best in the world, vegetables from the Azores and beef from the north. He explains how the Age of Discoveries meant Portuguese culture spread and absorbed centuries of culinary traditions. Thanks to the spice trade initiated by the Portuguese, by the 1500s, Asia was introduced to chillies, while citrus fruits were sent from Asia to Europe. Potatoes that are native to South America became a food staple in Europe. It was also thanks to the Portuguese and the maritime route to India that Asian spices became more widely available in Europe and the Western world, lowering costs and thus normalising their use in everyday kitchens.

In 2021, Alexandre was distinguished by the International Academy of Gastronomy with the Chef of the Future award. At the time, he commented to Publico, “I hope that this award will also bring more [customers] and that it will also help to promote Lisbon and Portugal abroad. It’s always good to have an internationally recognised chef; it’s great for the country.” Alexandre confided how a MICHELIN star

LOCO Restaurant

elevated his business by 20–30% by attracting tourists. He believes the accolade of having its own MICHELIN guide will distinguish Portuguese cuisine as something unique and worth celebrating.

Alexandre’s passion for Portuguese cooking made him an ideal candidate for The Art Of Tasting Experience The Art of Tasting Portugal is an eight-episode television series on CNN, made in collaboration with MICHELIN Guide and the Portugal Tourism Board. Each episode is dedicated to a different Portuguese region, with eight of Portugal’s most renowned chefs as ambassadors. Alexandre Silva focuses on Berlengas, a Portuguese archipelago of small Atlantic islands 10 to 17 kilometres off the coast of Peniche. It is here Alexandre sources his seafood, with only line-caught fish. The Art of Tasting invites tourists to join the chefs for a tasting experience, meaning you could join Alexandre when he takes guests on a personal tour of the Berlengas. Here, you will enjoy a fishing trip, then join Alexandre in his kitchen while he rustles you up a delicious meal from the fresh ingredients you have sourced. Unsurprisingly this experience does not come cheap at 3,200€ per person but it would certainly be a completely unique gastronomic experience you would never forget.

Alexandre's episode on The Art of Tasting focuses on the challenging art of percebes fishing. Alexandre tells me that the Berlengas percebes are the best in Portugal and the islands are where he sources the goose barnacles for his restaurant. In Loco, he elevates this local speciality by simply boiling the crustaceans in sea water and serving the delicacy alongside cod and seafood with rice.

I am keen to delve further and wonder how he elevates other traditional concepts to MICHELIN level. Alexandre describes his bacalhau à brás recipe, which he has deconstructed, creating a recipe for each element of the dish. He then brings them all together in a bite-size morsel which tastes like the dish but which is fundamentally new and exciting. Despite his modest conviction that his talents come from his heritage, the Time Out website credits him with being “one of the first Portuguese chefs to think for himself. That is, being guided more by his own creativity than by inspiration from books and tradition.”

I ask Alexandre what his future ambitions are. Another couple of restaurants? He explains that, with two young daughters of eight and three years old, this is not on his wish list. He already works long hours, splitting his time between his two restaurants. Instead, his aim is to be an advocate of the small fisherman whom he so loves to spend time with in his beloved corner of the Atlantic coastline.

Alexandre is a true advocate of fishermen and Portugal, and a disciple of the country's traditional ways. From surf to turf Alexandre's ingenuity and DNA ensure Portuguese cooking is given the credit it deserves by MICHELIN guide and the rest of the culinary world.

www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa/en/alexandre-silva theartoftastingportugal.com/experiencias-michelin

LOCO Restaurant

Fogo Restaurant

Choco Mama

Dani Redmonds is one of Portugal’s first raw chocolate producers, providing our community with delicious, nutritious cacao bars and ceremonial-grade cacao blocks. She has a deep connection with this gentle yet powerful plant medicine. Dani is also the co-creator of the Facebook group New Earth and founder of Raw ChocoMama.

Dani was born in 1971 in Huddersfield, England. Never entirely fitting into the conventional education system and constantly feeling different from her peers, she realised she had an immense lust for travel. Leaving school at 16 without a backward glance, the courageous explorer set off on adventures. At 19, she left the UK, and her voyages became worldwide.

Always needing to find ways to fund her travels, Dani quickly developed resourcefulness, an asset that has always helped her thrive in her nomadic lifestyle. She grew adept at hair wrapping, busking and making juggling equipment. Travelling to India, South America and Thailand, among many other countries, she was unstoppable.

In 1997, Dani discovered Portugal by chance while hitchhiking with a partner. When they arrived in Lagos, she immediately felt at home, but when some friends introduced her to Barão de São João, she knew clearly that this was her place in the world.

“The village has a fantastic community. It is bursting with dynamic people who have incredible creative and spiritual energy. Still predominantly Portuguese, Barão also comprises a mix of transient and permanent foreign residents. I first arrived here 26 years ago, and I still love it as much as I did then,” Dani exclaims.

With few tourists in Lagos through the winter months, earning all year round was tough. During summer, Dani lived on the beaches in her camper van, wrapping hair, busking in the local markets and festivals, and occasionally working in bars. She travelled to other countries in the winter, using her survival skills. By now, these included designing and selling clothes and jewellery.

“I followed my instincts about where to go but returned to the southwest Algarve area every summer. At that time, camper van living was accepted and even welcomed by the locals, as we were all very tidy and respectful,” Dani remembers. “In 2007, I rented a run-down cottage in the forest near Barão, and after saving fastidiously, I bought a piece of land. The feeling of finally being grounded and having a base after all those years on the road was wonderful!”

Dani had always made ‘energy balls’ for herself, a mixture of nuts, dates and cacao. With her friends’ encouragement, she began selling them in the markets, and they were a success. She started to improve the recipe and moved on to making actual chocolate using raw cacao and cacao butter, lucuma (a type of fruit) and coconut sugar.

“The same bean is used for producing both cocoa and cacao. The process of roasting the beans creates cocoa. Raw cacao is unroasted, has a fuller taste and higher nutritional value,” she explains.

Cacao contains magnesium, manganese, protein, flavonoids and antioxidants. It has various health benefits, including improving cognitive function, supporting heart health, boosting the immune system and enhancing mood. Its scientific name is Theobroma cacao, which means ‘food of the gods’.

“The cacao plant is native to the Amazon basin, where for centuries the inhabitants used the beans to make a slightly bitter drink,” explains Dani. “It was European colonisers that first added sugar to it. When these colonisers started losing control of cocoa production, they pushed for it to be grown in Africa, where 64% is now cultivated. While 15% is still grown in South America, and 13% is produced in Asia, most of the beans are exported to big international companies for processing, packaging and retail. The farmer receives 6–11% of the revenue, often not covering production expenses. It’s commonplace for growers to resort to child labour and deforestation to decrease production costs.

“With all this in mind, I was determined to find an ethical supplier, and after intense research, I discovered a reputable Peruvian source of cacao.

“My ingredients must be organic, raw, vegan, with a quality taste and obtained sustainably. I infuse them with light codes and love,” Dani emphasises. Light codes can be thought of as energectic imprints or patterns. Dani writes words on a gold card that she wants to activate in the chocolate. Her methods seems to be popular, as Dani explains. “Recently, I proudly held a relaunching party at Roots cafe in Aljezur to celebrate the new upgraded paper packaging of the bars. The DJ'd event was so popular that people spilled onto the street!”

Raw ChocoMama’s bars and ceremonial cacao are available in 12 outlets in Portugal and online. “There are 10 different flavoured bars at the moment, but more are in the pipeline. I have also added bundles of exciting flavours for Easter treats this year. I work from my off-grid home in Barão, where half of my solar-panelled kitchen is dedicated to Raw ChocoMama. Surrounded by nature, I am happy that I am creating my healing chocolate delights!”

Dani has trained in multiple and diverse healing and dance modalities. She practises yoga, meditation, and enjoys singing, and as the Cacao Goddess, she is a valued member of the local community.

“I’m so appreciative to be working with cacao, a beautiful plant that brings joy and connection to the hearts of so many. It is said that in times of turbulence, Mama Cacao emerges from the forest and helps to restore balance in the world. I am forever grateful to be part of that more connected, loving jigsaw puzzle.”

WORDS Helen Daniel

Joe’s Cider

Having written about several of the region’s vineyards, I was delighted when asked to investigate an unlikely “cidery” (cider brewery) in the western Algarve. Owner/operator Joe Barfield met me on a sunny morning in December outside the gate of the small quinta near Almadena.

WORDS Julian Putley

As we walked down to the small converted barn where the applesto-cider operation takes place, he told me of his journey. “I was at university in the USA when I started home-brewing beer in the late 80s. I loved it so much I brewed myself out of a master’s degree programme in grad school,” he says with a wry smile. “I became so involved that I even started a small industry newspaper, Southwest Brewing News

With my home-brewing experience and industry contacts from my ‘brewspaper’, I was offered a job as the cellarmaster in a professional brewery in Denver, Colorado. That led to a head brewer’s appointment at a brewpub in Texas. However, a serious challenge emerged in the early 2000s – I was diagnosed with coeliac disease – goodbye beer brewing career, hello cider-making.”

Joe, fondly known as Cider Joe, moved to Portugal with his family in 2018. They found and loved the area known as Penamacor in the Castelo Branco. It’s a fertile farming region in mid-Portugal where apple orchards are abundant. “It was here that I started my Portuguese cider-making. The locals were so friendly and helpful. Portugal Dave helped me collect apples and transport them in his truck. I used Jose’s press and Pedro allowed me to use his adega for fermentation.”

After much research and experimentation, Joe found the best varieties, including Reineta, Golden and Pink Lady. Then, he developed a relationship with a cider maker in Spain who challenged him to attend the SISGA international cider competition. In September of 2018, he took part and made many like-minded friends.

Joe with various bottles of his home-brewed cider

Fully renovated properties available in Praia da Luz

3 Bedroom Townhouse

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouse in Montinhos da Luz is nearing the completion of a thorough high standard renovation. The property sits on a generous plot and features a pool and off-street parking.

The renovations include:

• New water pipes and drains

• New electrics

• Air-conditioning

• Underfloor heating

• New roof

• Tiled swimming pool and terrace

• New wardrobes and doors

• New windows with shutters

• Fully fitted kitchen with integrated appliances

Renovations will be completed in 3 months, the only thing left for you to do is make the purchase. The house is available for reservation at €550,000.

Old unrenovated properties always wanted to buy for cash, quick decision assured!

2 Bedroom Apartment

A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is available in Praia da Luz, just 70m from the sea next to the church. It offers spectacular ocean views and has been fully renovated to a high standard.

The renovations include:

• New water pipe

• New drains

• Air-conditioning

• Underfloor heating

• New wardrobes

• New doors

• New windows

• Electric shutters

• Fully fitted kitchen with integrated appliances

As the comprehensive restoration comes to an end, now is the perfect time to reserve this property for €495,000.

For personal reasons, Joe moved to the Algarve in 2019. Cider production was a non-starter in the Algarve because of the climate – apple trees need a certain amount of “chill hours”. However, Joe has discovered areas in the Serra de Monchique region that produce suitable cider apples. With the help of the co-op engineer Americo Telo, he now has a limited supply.

Once endangered, the fabled apple Pêro de Monchique is making a comeback due to careful tending by local agricultural engineer Rui Mateus and Joe believes it may be perfect for cider.

When we arrived at his small adega, Joe explained the cider-making process to me. The apples are thoroughly washed and then milled into small, mushy pieces. Then, they go into a revolving hydro-press crusher that strains the mush into juice. The juice from the crusher may be blended before it goes into the tank for fermentation. Apples can ferment naturally or yeast can be added. The process must be closely monitored by tasting on a regular basis. If too much air is left at the top of the barrel, the whole batch of fermenting cider can turn to vinegar.

Fermentation will take approximately three weeks before the cider is bottled, then another three weeks before it has reached potable quality. Alcoholic content depends on the sweetness of the crushed apple juice, which can be adjusted by adding more or less sweet apple juice.

Barfield’s traditional brut cider is named ‘the Monchique’, and 90% of the apples are sourced there. The alcoholic content is about 7.5%, so it can be quaffed rather than just sipped. I was

offered several tastings of other ciders but was ecstatic with one unique blend of cider with ginger and hibiscus. It was light and slightly effervescent, a little sweet and pink in colour.

Joe has maintained his label Castelo Branco Cider from the northern region where he began his Portuguese cider-making. Since 2020, his fledgling operation has garnered several awards: in 2020, he won three SIGMA awards for Dry Still Cider, Semi-Dry and Dry Sparkling Cider. In 2022, he won the silver Prata medal in Madeira.

Castelo Branco Cider is challenging to purchase. Barfield tells me he sells his product privately and at stalls during festivals and fairs. He has one retail outlet, a pub in Tavira, where they sell all he can give them. However, to achieve such a successful product in such a short time is a testament to the enthusiasm and ambition of one man: Cider Joe.

 joe@joebarfield.com

+351 925 618 086 www.CasteloBrancoCider.com

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1. Apple press

2. Apple washing

3. Cider stall at a farmers fair

4. Award-winning cider

THAT ASIAN HOME COOK

Steamed Whole Dourada with Chinese Black Beans

Lunar New Year is here again and the festivities last for weeks, often over copious amounts of food and drink with friends and family. Whole steamed fish is a must-have at a New Year’s dinner table.

So much of what we eat this time of the year is symbolic. Whole steamed fish symbolises prosperity and luck for the coming year. Keeping the head and tail intact is crucial to represent this concept of abundance. I have so many great memories of tucking into whole-cooked fish during Chinese New Year, and fighting over the fish eyes and the cheeks with my siblings. I would love for you to try this whole steamed fish version, especially because we have the most perfect type of fish to steam here –Dourada and Robalo.

This recipe is super easy and very yummy. Of course, there is always the option to resort to fish fillets if you must!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 whole dourada or robalo (each mediumsized, around 400-500gm)

• 5 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 2 tbsp black bean paste

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce

• 3 tbsp Shao Xing wine

• 6 cloves of garlic sliced thinly

• ¼ cup ginger sliced finely

• ¼ cup scallions chopped

• ¼ cup chopped coriander

• A few shreds of romaine or iceberg lettuce

INSTRUCTIONS:

I always trust my fishmonger to gut and clean my fish for me. So, if you have done the same, just quickly give your fish a wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Heat up your oven to 200º C.

Using a very sharp knife, you want to score the fish at an angle to create two to three stripes on both sides. Scoring the fish is important for the seasoning to penetrate deep into the flesh. Pour the oyster sauce, sesame oil, black bean sauce, and Shao Xing wine over the fish and coat it evenly.

Generously stuff the fish cavity with some sliced ginger and garlic, placing the remaining slices on the top of the fish or, if you like, inserting them between each score. You can do this a couple of hours beforehand and leave it in the fridge covered for when you want to steam.

When you are ready to steam, place the fish onto an oven tray and cover tightly with aluminium foil so the steam does not release while you are cooking. Oven steam for around 20-25 mins and then remove.

Lay the lettuce, scallions and coriander on top of the fish and pour soy sauce over.

Next, heat up your vegetable oil in a pot. When the oil is piping hot, pour it over the fish. You will hear a sizzle as this goes down. If you have crispy shallots or garlic, scatter some on top for texture. Serve with fragrant steamed rice immediately.

Wine Pairing

The perfect wine to balance out a fish dish like this with plenty of soy and umami is something dry and crisp. I recommend Cisma – a collaboration between Pormenor and Santiago Wines. This Loureiro variety from the northern region is my absolute new favourite to pair with Asian fish dishes.

Pick yours up at Mosto Wine in Lagos.

The lowdown on Chinese black beans

The key ingredient for this steamed fish is black bean paste. This unique paste is made from fermented mung beans or black beans that are pulverised with ginger, garlic, soy, and some other sauces and spices to make this intensely rich and umami flavour that is delightful in combination with fish or even chicken and beef. There is also a spicy version, loaded with chillies which you can opt for if you like a bit of kick in your dish. You can get this paste at most Asian grocery stores.

Joy Entry is a Malaysian home cook based in Lagos who is obsessed with the provocative, unapologetic flavours of South-East Asian cuisine

Birds do it, bees do it…

Birds do it, bees do it, even butterflies and bats do it ….No, not that! I’m talking about pollination. But why is it so important for the natural environment and the food we eat?

WORDS Sherry Fader

While some plants reproduce by self-pollination and even hand-pollination, experts agree that roughly 80% of flowering species require cross-pollination in order to reproduce (this includes cross-pollination by wind). So, what’s the difference between self-pollination, handpollination and cross-pollination?

Self-pollinators are plants that can reproduce on their own, often, the male and female parts are contained within the same flower – such is the case with the hibiscus flower. The male reproductive part of the flower is called the stamen. The ovary and other female parts of the flower lie in the main structure of the hibiscus, called the pistil. Will you ever be able to look at a hibiscus flower the same way again?

Hand-pollination (giving Mother Nature a helping hand) is done by gently touching the pollen with your finger or a brush and transferring it to the female blossom. According to experts in this field, this process does not need to be timeconsuming or difficult to achieve satisfactory fertilisation results.

Cross-pollinators are plants that require pollen from another plant in order to bear fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. This occurs when insects and other pollinators travel from one plant to another, spreading pollen from various plants. For example, bees have tiny hairs covering their body that attract pollen. When the pollen from one flower sticks to a bee, it travels with the bee to the next flower, and cross-pollination occurs, leading to fertilisation. Without this process, the earth’s ecosystem could not survive and a wide variety of foods that we enjoy would not exist.

So, what can you do to ensure a thriving population of pollinators?

• Create a habitat – big or small –from flowering gardens to a window box. Choose native plant species that attract bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other natural pollinators.

• Don’t cut the weeds. They can be a lifesaver for pollinators (especially the yellow dandelions).

• Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides that are harmful to the environment.

• Support local farmers who are committed to sustainable agriculture.

• Phone a friend and spread the word about National Pollinator Week taking place 17-23 June, and share why each and every one of us should show a little love to those hard-working pollinators.

Sherry Fader is a certified Nutrition Educator NE, Bauman College, Penngrove, California. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Los Angeles, California. Her passion for studying nutrition and health came about after her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer (a completely preventable disease). She currently lives with her husband and dog Zoe in Portugal.

Did you know

Portugal joined the international co-operative Promote Pollinators in 2020. The initiative recognises pollination as a vital regulation ecosystem service for nature, agriculture and human well-being. All members sign a declaration. In addition, members are required to develop their own national strategy for the protection of pollinators.

Pet's Mate

WORDS Lars Ramquist

Spey you bitch up! Sorry if this conveys any misogynistic sentiments. It is purely veterinary advice whilst referencing a popular Prodigy song.

Bitches tend to cycle in the springtime as well as the autumn. Others will already have had a season in the late winter in preparation for the booty of food available in the spring and summer. More fuel = more milk = more surviving pups.

If you don’t spay your bitch before she has a season, you will be unable to do so for about another two months. And you will have every dog in your neighbourhood barking at your door (almost a reference to ´Funky Cold Madina´).

There are many new statistics on the variable spaying ages of different breeds. One statistic that has stood the test of time is that: Bitches have an increased risk of mammary cancer with every season that they have. Bitches spayed before their first season have a 0.5% chance of developing mammary cancer later in their lives. A quarter of bitches not spayed before their 3rd heat will develop mammary cancer later on in life. If you are not planning to breed from your bitch, spay her early. Waiting more time increases these cancer risks, as well as pyometra, as well as plethoras of dogs howling in your front yard.

Castrating male dogs decreases their roaming and therefore reduces the chances of them getting lost, hit by cars or copulating with stray bitches, thus increasing the local stray population. Neutering of both sexes decreases aggression tendencies, too. If we choose to domesticate a species, it is then our responsibility to achieve control over its population, as it is not regulated by nature. Be a responsible pet owner and neuter your pet. Life is less stressful for them and for you. You can also feel smug about contributing to the solution of feral dog populations. Righteousness feels good. Just do it.

Happy Easter, everyone.

The Algarve's Desert Island

Ilha Deserta. Space to roam, time to think

Normally, when I write about a destination, I focus on the things it has to offer and the places of interest; I pump up the “must go there” feeling. However, sometimes it is what a place doesn’t have that makes it more interesting.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Bob Tidy

One such place lies to the south of Faro and takes 45 minutes to reach by ferry unless you take a faster taxi. Ilha Deserta is praised for its untouched nature and is one of the five islands that protect the Ria Formosa Natural Park from the ocean’s waves. As the name suggests, no one lives on the island apart from a lot of seagulls who breed and nest here.

The main beach on the south side is a stone’s throw away and is exposed to the ocean, which dictates the atmosphere of the season, the time of the month or even a particular day. A rising spring tide can mean a windswept walk with a jacket on and on another day, the gentle lapping of the waves encourages sitting down to watch and reflect in the sunshine. Depending on the day, there will be shells to pick up, huge jellyfish washed up on the beach, fish jumping through the shallow surf, groups of smaller sea birds pecking for food on the crystal clear waters’ edge and the sound of seagulls overhead. Crystal clear waters is not an exaggeration; this is the southernmost point of the country and it was the first beach in the municipality to be awarded the Blue Flag, Gold Quality Flag, and Zero Pollution Flag.

There are none of the crowds that can spoil a beach experience in the summer months on other beaches of the area or beach bars serving expensive food and drinks and pumping out music. Instead, there is a circuit of wooden boardwalks that takes around three hours to

walk, including a nature trail where you might get to see bird species such as Sardinian warblers, Eurasian spoonbills and Kentish plovers if bird watching is your thing. Ilha Deserta is also home to chameleons that I have never seen for myself and I guess this is why they are described as elusive.

Once you get around to the lagoon side of the island, the atmosphere changes with calmer and warmer water in the shallow bays. Here, the opportunity to de-stress and relax takes on another level and off come the clothes, if that is your thing. This is a designated beach for naturalism and being so far away from the main beach, no one else can possibly be offended.

There is nothing original in the Algarve about a wood-constructed beachfront restaurant serving amazing fish and seafood dishes. Being the only building surrounded by sand dunes and offering a view to the ocean are added attractions but they are not what makes the island’s only restaurant so special. Estaminé is not only an eatery but also a centre for solar energy and potable water production, which supply the building and ensure the energy sustainability of the entire infrastructure. Now, the pleasure fits the environment.

The island is actually rented by Animaris, the company that operates the ferry service. As well as carrying passengers, the ferry transports supplies to the restaurant. In the early evening,

themselves again.

Like other destinations in the group of islands like Culatra and Farol, the shallow bays allow for boats to sail in from the mainland or from the open sea to moor up. This adds a certain exclusive appeal to the restaurant where the rich and famous often slip in quietly to enjoy a special meal and then slip away quietly, as elusive as some of the sea life.

If you don’t have a yacht, one of the most popular ways of visiting Ilha Deserta is to take an islandhopping trip from Faro or Olhão. Or include a trip to the island on a day out in Faro. Catch the ferry from the arch in the stone walls at the back of the historical old town. This area has its own fascination and is well worth exploring. For those who know the main Faro beach, Ilha Deserta is a genuinely remote alternative and for those who are yet to discover the Ria Formosa, there is no better place to start. Take it from a local.

Sea Levels

The impact of sea level rises on our coast

WORDS Len Port

“Rising sea levels all along Portugal’s coast due to global warming will cause much destruction, certainly in the second half of this century, if not in the next few decades.”

This is the view of Professor Carlos Antunes, a specialist researcher at the University of Lisbon. “Since rising sea level rates are still low, in the order of three to six millimetres per year, a rise of no more than 10 to 20 centimetres is expected by 2050. The rise of a few tens of centimetres will affect only inland waters, estuaries and lagoon environments such as the Ria Formosa. But since levels are accelerating, the reality in the second half of the century will be quite different.”

Global warming is causing seas to rise at different rates in different parts of the world. Melting polar ice caps and glaciers are adding large quantities of water. At the same time, surface water temperatures are warming and thus expanding the seas.

Portuguese politicians have expressed some of the same concerns as scientists. The

Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro said that reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 was essential – “more than to save our planet, but ourselves as a species.”

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has said that the COVID pandemic and Ukraine war must not be used as an excuse for inaction. “We must recover the time we have lost and give hope a chance once again before it is too late.”

Scientists have criticised major world leaders for failing to agree on sufficient action to minimise ocean heating and radically cut greenhouse gas emissions. Speaking at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon last year, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Sadly, we have taken the ocean for granted,” adding that the world “is now in the middle of an ocean emergency”.

On the opening day of the UN World Climate Action Summit (COP28) in Dubai last month, Guterres, a Portuguese politician and diplomat, delivered a passionate appeal to delegates from more than 160 countries: “Humanity’s fate is hanging in the balance. This is a sickness only you, global leaders, can cure.” He pleaded for an end to dependence on fossil fuels and the fulfilment of a long overdue promise of justice in the shape of funds to pay for the most devastating impacts of climate change in the world’s less developed but most vulnerable communities and countries.

The then Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa attended the summit in Dubai, ironically one of the world’s biggest producers of fossil fuels. Portugal had its own pavilion to hold side events for the first time, having shared the European Union’s pavilion space at previous COP meetings.

Prof. Carlos Antunes

Photo ©

The world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). It has been confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with temperatures rising 1.4 ºC above pre-industrial levels, just short of the critical 1.5 ºC.

Portugal has an excellent record of dealing internally with climate change, particularly in phasing out fossil fuels and relying on renewables. However, the main greenhouse gas-polluting countries – the United States, China, India and Russia – have long indulged in rhetoric about global warming but hopelessly failed to deliver on promises of proper action to adequately curtail the dire situation.

Leaders at the COP28 summit made a number of important pledges. It remains to be seen if and when they keep them to stop the current existential crisis.

Rising sea levels in the Algarve

Professor Antunes expects that, over the next few decades, the region between Lagos and Portimão is likely to suffer an increase in the frequency and amplitude of extreme floods. Flooding is already happening in estuaries and salt marshes where the high water levels during the maximum spring tides enter the marginal roads. These occurrences have been witnessed in Ferragudo, Olhão and Tavira and through the Lagos sanitation network.

Some embedded beaches along the coast will be more affected by higher tides, causing higher erosion rates. “The erosion rates at some hotspots along the Portuguese coast are expected to rise and intensify, and there will be a reduction of the bathing areas,” says Professor Antunes. The monitoring the professor carries out every day at Cascais Tide Gauge, shows a response to the positive anomaly of the North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature (SST). Record sea temperatures in June 2023 resulted in a 3 cm rise. "It was something we were expecting due to the well known thermal expansion of the ocean," he observes.

Could this negatively affect the Algarve’s vital tourist sector? “Although not yet quantified, some impact on tourism is expected to happen due to increasing erosion and shrinking bathing areas.”

Asked about the likely overall impact on the town of Lagos, Professor Antunes replied: “Supported in our models (see footnote), some of the adjacent areas of the Ribeira de Bensafrim may be flooded during extreme meteorological events associated with southwest sub-tropical storms. It is also likely that the flooding occurring in Ferragudo every four to five years will start to happen in the marginal areas of Lagos town with more frequency and magnitude.

“The estuary upstream of the Ribeira will also see increased flooding, affecting some agricultural lands with the salt intrusion impact as expected with sea level rises.”

Professor Antunes and his university team have only worked closely in the Algarve with the Loulé municipality. They have made a flood cartography of future scenarios of sea level rises and a coastal vulnerability and risk assessment cartography with high spatial resolution. As far as they know, no other Algarve municipality has carried out detailed studies, only the collective work of the regional nature organisation AMAL (CIM Algarve-Comunidade Intermunicipal do Algarve).

“There is no doubt that coastal municipalities must work first on the risk assessment due to sea level rise and then an impact mitigation plan based on this assessment. There is time to prepare ourselves, but due to the high levels of complexity in the adaptation measures such as protection and relocation, we must start to plan now. Otherwise, the costs will rise above sustainable heights.

“My team have already done such studies for Lisbon, Loulé and Almada municipalities. And we are also participating with the National Roadmap for Adaptation 2100 of APA, the Portuguese Environment Agency, which in part will contribute to such assessments, but at the national rather than municipal scale.”

However, the future projections are scenariobased and created with physical-mathematical models with their own errors and uncertainties. “They are reality approximations,” says Professor Antunes. “What we know for sure is that sea levels will not stop rising in 2100. They will keep rising beyond the next several centuries as they did in the geological past in which climate conditions were similar. Sea level rise is not a matter of ‘if’ it will happen, but ‘when’ it will happen.”

While all this may somewhat console people who fear devastation by 2050, Professor Antunes points out that “We must prepare our coastal territories and minimise valuable exposed elements to minimise the damage, the costs and the risks.”

 www.snmportugal.pt/index_EN.html

Photo ©