Editor's note TomorrowAlgarve www.tomorrowalgarve.com EDITOR Amber Henshaw amber@tomorrowalgarve.com
SALES Tom Henshaw tom@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 919 918 733
DESIGN Creation Media phil@tomorrowalgarve.com
ON THE COVER
Thanks to Guy Dodwell and Roseanna Clare Asher-Relf for taking this photo of the Tomorrow teddy on his holidays in Ecuador
If we could sum it up - our aim locally is to ‘improve today for a better tomorrow.’ We are always thrilled when we get so much support for our charity, T.A.C.T, which we did once again in September. The John Aldridge 2018 Golf Classic proved to be a great and very successful couple of days with just over €12,500 raised for our local needy causes including the Lagos soup kitchen (the Mustard Seed), CASLAS, the home for disadvantaged children, the Bombeiros, the fire service and the palliative care charity Madrugada. The same applied with the Tomorrow Magazine annual golf day which took place on September 14th at Espiche Golf Club and raised a few thousand more for the same good causes. As you will have seen in the September issue we have now started our charity news page and this will enable us and our readers to focus on what we are doing for local good causes. Your input is vital for us to seek out those in need and for us to then be able to support them. These can be charities or people who need a
We hope you like this beautiful photograph of a Kingfisher. It was one of the many species that was spotted at last year’s Sagres Bird Watching Festival (read more on page 40). Perhaps you will spot one this year?
SEDE: 86, MILBOROUGH CRESCENT, LONDON, UK , SE12 ORW. UK . PERIODICIDADE: MENSAL . TIRAGEN: 4,000 | TIPOGRAFIA: C/ AL MEDITERRÁNEO, 29, POLÍGONO DE SAN RAFAEL, 04230, HUÉRCAL DE ALMERÍA CIF: B04250056
little of our time, a trip to the local supermarket or a coffee at their favourite coffee bar. We have another glittering night of fun and mystery at our winter Black and White Masquerade Ball at the Tivoli Hotel on Saturday November 24th. The Tivoli provides a great venue and is ideally placed for a memorable evening. Please make sure you email Steven to book your table or places on steven@tomorrowalgarve.com. Please look in this issue for more details. We are also having a Tomorrow event at the well-respected Delhi Darbar Indian restaurant on Friday November 16th; again please take a look later in this edition to book your places. We look forward to hearing from any of you with your forthcoming events, activities and needy causes. Have a great month. Best wishes, Amber, Tom and the whole Tomorrow team
CONTENTS COMMUNITY
4 - 39
BUSINESS
70 - 77
WHAT’S ON
40-59
FOOD & DRINK
78 - 83
LETTERS
60-61
ENVIRONMENT 84 - 85
HEALTH 62-69
OUTDOOR
86 - 91
3
COMMUNITY
TALES OF A COLOURFUL LIFE Odete Marreiros Nobre
BY LENA STRANG When I first saw Odete, I was charmed by her elegant appearance and energetic, seemingly effortless moves on the dance floor. At the regular Sunday afternoon Tea Dance at Clube Artístico Lacobrigense (Artistic Club of Lagos) she and her female friend certainly left the rest of us standing. First impressions didn’t deceive. When I was able to talk to her at the end of the evening, she proved to be a vivacious, engaging person with some remarkable reminiscences: stories of her childhood in Lagos, career as a highly skilled seamstress, enforced exile in Sweden during the dictatorship and much more. My appetite whetted, I later visit her in her small terraced house in Lagos. She greets me warmly at the door and leads me into the living room. I note the glass fronted glass cabinets lining the walls, full of glassware, figurines and photographs. On the walls hang more images, many set in decorated frames. I have a feeling I will soon know more about their significance. Odete with her slight build, immaculately coiffured grey hair and this time casually dressed
4
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
in a purple sweater and tracksuit bottoms, defies age. Her boundless energy and vivacity give her an almost timeless demeanour. However, life hasn’t always treated her kindly. Born in 1931 she has lived through much hardship and change. She will have felt the repercussions of the tumultuous 16-year long period of the First Republic, which in 1910 ended the rule of the decaying monarchy. The coup d’état of the May 28th 1926 put in place a dictatorship headed by Oliveira Salazaar who through his repressive Estado Novo (New State) regime would rule the country for over 40 years. Odete came to experience the repression first hand. “Life was very hard,” she says, “When I was a child we had to try to survive as best we could.” Her father was a blacksmith and very good at his job. Next time I go to the upper end of Lagos she advises me to have a look at the iron railing that her father made, which surrounds the Philharmonic Orchestra building. “But unfortunately he took to drink after the birth of my elder sister. My mother divorced him when I was seven and brought us up on her own,” she adds wistfully.
“My mother didn’t want me to work in a factory so the only alternative for girls at this time was dressmaking,”
COMMUNITY
Life for young Odete, her sister and mother was not easy. In the spring and summer, like many women in the region, her mother worked in one of the fish-canning factories in the city. At this time Lagos was dominated by the fishing industry, having a plentiful supply of fish and access to a large, mainly female, labour force. At its heyday in 1920 Lagos had up to 32 factories. Odete remembers the sirens that used to sound to signify that fish had arrived and that the employees had to present themselves for work – at whatever time of day or night. “I was looked after by my grandmother when my mother was at work. But often women had no alternative but to bring their children along. They played on the floor where their mothers worked although a few factories did provide crèches,” she explains. As employment was seasonal, Odete’s mother supplemented her income in the winter by doing some crochet work. And what were their living conditions like? “Curiously enough my childhood home is very close to where I now live. It was a very small house with limestone walls. There were three rooms – a bedroom where we all slept, a small living room and a kitchen,” she says. Water had to be fetched in buckets from a water seller in the street. As there was no electricity, paraffin lamps were used for lighting. What did you do in the winter when it was cold, I wondered? “We just put on more clothes,” was the simple answer. The rent of 14 escudos had to be paid every month. There were good times too. The children picked mulberries off the trees and played hopscotch in the street with no danger of being run over by cars. Odete loved going to the outdoor cinema in the summer, which later became Cine Teatro Ideal. The building was demolished and now houses Hotel Riomar opposite the present cinema. And yes, history repeats itself. Clube Artístico Lacobrigense where I first met Odete was a hub of cultural activities. “We went to theatre performances, concerts and dances there,” she notes. “At carnival time everyone in Lagos turned up in their costumes. It was the only time we had a chance to talk to someone from a different social background.” Like many of her contemporaries, Odete left school at 11 to start to earn a living. “My mother didn’t want me to work in a factory so the only alternative for girls at this time was dressmaking,” she says. She worked as an apprentice at a local atelier and was quick to learn, “although the mistress told my mother I wouldn’t make a seamstress as I was too active and couldn’t sit still!” Odete laughs.
Luckily she was proven wrong. Odete did make it to the top in her career. When the family moved to Lisbon when she was 15, she continued her work at a distinguished atelier making bespoke clothing. It wasn’t all plain sailing. Living in Almada, on the opposite side of the river Tagus, she had to catch a ferry and then continue on foot, as there was no transport, making her days long and tiring. What was it about her work that appealed the most? Odete ponders for a while. “I’m a perfectionist and always want to do my best. Creating something beautiful gives me immense satisfaction,” she smiles.
From left to right: Odete; Fernando and Odete; Odete and Fernando; Picture made by Fernando. Bottom: Odete showing her clothes
Can she remember anything that went wrong? Yes, one incident stands out, she tells me. She was making a dress for a wedding out of a beautiful pink silk material bought in France by the client. As she was about to iron the voluminous dress with an old-fashioned iron heated by coal, sparks landed on the material making pinprick holes. “My heart stopped. What was I to do? We couldn’t possibly replace the material,” she says. Instead of firing her on the spot, the mistress assured her she was sure the lady wouldn’t notice anything amongst all the layers. “That was a close shave!” Odete adds, chuckling. During the time of the dictatorship there were very strict codes of behaviour. The motto of the regime Deus, Pátria and Família (God, Fatherland and Family) inculcated unquestioning obedience and a clear moral code. Secondary education was only available to the privileged few with 68% of the population being classed as illiterate by the 1930 census. Women were expected to fulfil their expected roles as daughters, wives and mothers. I expect Odete to have railed against the imposed limitations of her situation and I’m not surprised when she tells me another anecdote. She wanted to go to the cinema during a particularly cold winter’s evening and decided to make herself a pair of trousers. The only problem was of course, that women at this time weren’t allowed to wear trousers. “When I arrived at the atelier the day after, I told the mistress, who was absolutely appalled and thought I lacked shame,” she says, ”I think I had the distinction of being the first woman in Lisbon to wear trousers!”
WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM
5
COMMUNITY From top to bottom: Odete in her back yard; Wedding dress
was peacefully overthrown. “It was the happiest day of my life. In Sweden we had colour TV and saw it on the screen. The image of this little boy putting a red carnation in the barrel of a gun of a soldier still affects me profoundly.” Odete composes herself, wiping a tear from her eye. “Oh, my God, what an emotion! Portugal was free at last!” It took another three years before the couple could return to Portugal to assume their new lives. Yes, they had more freedom but the economic problems of the country still persisted, she tells me. For Odete her personal circumstances were also to change. Mário, suffered health problems and died 11 years after their return. “It was a difficult time for me. I really missed the companionship of Mário but later got to know Fernando who lived nearby. He was 24 years younger than me but the age difference wasn’t apparent. We lived together for 22 years which raised a few eyebrows at the time,” Odete says. As with many things in her life I don’t think she was unduly concerned with public opinion. In 1993 they moved to Lagos where they lived until his death five years ago.
She met Mário Nobre, a shipyard worker, whom she married. He was active in the anti fascist movement. Life for opponents of the regime was perilous as PIDE, the repressive secret police, kept close tabs.
Anyone under suspicion was likely to be interrogated, arrested or simply ‘disappeared’. Mário along with many of his colleagues were on the infamous blacklist. A friend organised the necessary work permits for him in Malmö, Sweden and the couple found themselves in exile for 10 years. Initially, Odete worked in a garment factory in Malmö but found the work very stressful because of the relentless nature of the production line. “I became very anxious as I was at the same time trying to learn Swedish in order to cope with everyday life,” she says. Gradually her language skills improved, she found new employment in an atelier making wedding dresses and also became more involved with social activities. “I was part of a Syförening, a knitting group, that got together to drink coffee, eat buns, chat and of course, do some knitting. It was great fun!” she remembers. Life in Sweden had its ups and downs. She liked the long summer evenings and trips to the beach but could never get used to the severity of the winter months. She becomes emotional when she tells me about April 25th 1974 when the fascist regime
6
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Odete points to the numerous photos displayed in the cabinets and on the walls showing the smiling couple obviously at ease with each other. “That’s me and Fernando. We were very happy together,” she says, “He was also very artistic and decorated all the frames.” A picture occupying prime place on the wall depicts a white dove in flight over cliffs by the sea with the wording ‘A liberdade é uma conquista de cada dia’ (Freedom is an achievement made every day). The shells around the frame are Fernando’s handiwork. Her wardrobes are full of the clothes she has made. She proudly shows me several suits she has designed, including a beautiful pink suit with embroidery that she wore to their private wedding ceremony. These days she doesn’t do any dressmaking but enjoys music and dance. “Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night and just move to the music!” she laughs. And she likes nothing better than immersing herself in a good book. I’d already noticed a pile of books on her living room table dealing with subjects such as neuroscience and emotional intelligence. “I may not have had much formal schooling but I love learning and finding out about different things,” she confirms. I finally ask her if she has now achieved everything she wanted, having lived such a varied and eventful life. “No, not really,” she ponders, “I still have many dreams and so much I’d like to do in life. I like mixing with people and enjoy the company of the young.” With her outgoing nature, Odete thrives when she can share her experiences with others. I wish her the very best and hope she can fulfil her dreams. I don’t think there is a person more deserving.
COMMUNITY
CORK HARVESTING Cork is a traditional, raw material found here in the Algarve with unique characteristics. A team from Mar d’Estórias in Lagos, which sells cork in many of its design products, went to Reguengo, near Rogil to learn more. Cork harvesting takes place between May and the end of August, which is a more active time for cork growth. When we got to Reguengo we spoke with the specialist António Campos, known as António da Espantadiça.
2. Separation - the plank is then separated from the tree.
António explained that it takes 25 years for a tree to start to produce cork, and the first harvest is known as ‘desbóia’. This so called ‘virgin cork’ has little commercial value because it is irregular and too hard to be easily handled.
4. Extracting - the plank is removed from the tree with care so that it does not split. The larger the planks extracted, the higher their commercial value.
Nine years later, the second harvest (secondary cork) produces material with a regular structure, less hard, but still not suitable for cork stoppers. At the age of 43 the ‘cork amadi’ (third harvest) is extracted and has the ideal properties for the production of quality corks (regular and smooth). From then on, every nine years, the cork will supply good quality cork for more than 150 years (18-20 harvests throughout the tree’s life). António da Espantadiça told us that he began to load cork about 40 years ago and only after two years did he start to take the raw material from the cork tree: “I started by loading the cork. After some time, the harvester told me to take the ‘wedges’ of the cork tree (the base of the trunk - also known as the ‘shoe’). He saw that I was good at it and, because they needed more people, he then told me to start harvesting as well.” Usually, they work with a group of three or four people. At the very least, a harvester and a loader are required, however, ideally, six or seven men are needed to make the eight-hour work effective. António explains that “the day starts at 8am – the work day is for 8h – 9h, but there are also men who work for 10 hours.” The harvester needs an axe and the loader ‘a rope and an enxerga’ (a kind of cushion so that the cork doesn’t hurt his back).
3. Dividing - a horizontal cut defines the size of the cork plank to be removed and what is to remain on the tree.
5. Removing - fragments of cork are removed from the base of the trunk. 6. Marking - the tree is marked, with the last number of the year in which it was harvested. The harvester has to realise if the cork is thick enough to be removed and not to damage the tree with the extraction. Also, the specialist has to attest to the cork tree’s health: “There are trees that are ‘crying’ - they begin to produce water in the cork. When this happens, the cork is attached to the inner bark. And if we force and the cork is removed, the inner bark goes off with the cork, and the tree is damaged. If we realise that, we don’t take the cork out of that place so as not to kill the cork tree,” says the master. After the harvesting, the cork planks are stacked and rest for a month before going to the market, to mature and stabilize the cork. Mar d’Estórias is an innovative place that values everything Portuguese. The shop currently sells Likecork which combines cork with ceramics, or As Portuguesas, the first flipflops in the world to use cork as the primary raw material.
The harvesting has six phases: 1. Open – a vertical cut is made in the cork, and the edge of the axe is twisted so as to separate the outer from the inner bark.
8
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
+INFO: mardestorias mardestorias www.mardestorias.com
PRIME RESIDENCE NEW LUXURY DEVELOPMENT IN LAGOS
The best of the Algarve is now launched in the form of a brand-new development in Lagos. This private condominium has 24 luxury, modernly designed two and three-bedroom apartments with high quality finishings. This exceptional condominium is located in Torraltinha, a privileged position close to the town centre and local beaches, with amenities on the doorstep. This gated complex was designed by the renowned Architect Mário Martins who tailors an elegant and contemporary design with a combination and selection of materials that ensure quality and comfort. Lagos Prime Residence has a large central pool and a solarium, which are both surrounded by landscaped gardens that ensures privacy, a gymnasium and private underground parking in the basement. All apartments range from 170sqm to 428sqm and have spacious outdoor areas with living room balconies. The ground-floor apartments have private gardens and the first-floor apartments have private roof terraces with sea views. These modernly designed apartments offer large living room areas and open plan kitchens with floor to ceiling windows. All bedrooms are en-suite and all units also have an additional toilet for guests. Standard features include air conditioning, underfloor heating in the bathrooms, solar panels for hot water, and a central vacuum system, with private Jacuzzi as an optional extra. With estimated completion for the summer/autumn of 2019, this is undoubtedly an investment not to be missed! Fully equipped apartments with prices from € 375,000. Contact us now for further details. E: info@casasdobarlavento.com | T: +351 282 780 870
www.casasdobarlavento.com
COMMUNITY
OUR MAN IN PORTIMÃO BY JEFF MORGAN
Life in the Foreign Office seems to have changed! The days when linen-suited gentlemen spent their afternoons frequenting the most exclusive hotel bars sipping gin slings, Panama hat in hand, whilst doing business for the country are long gone. One of the oldest diplomatic relationship in the world is between Britain and Portugal, although life as a British Vice-Consul in the 21st century has evolved to deal with the ever changing, faster paced work environment. Clive Jewell’s feet haven’t stopped running since taking the helm of the Portimão British Vice Consulate office in July 2010. “I can’t believe where the time has gone” says Clive, though with one look at some of the statistics it would be easy to assume the staff don’t get time to dwell on that question. Portuguese Government figures show that just over 22,000 British citizens are officially registered in Portugal, but the Embassy believes that there may be the same number again without official resident status. “We are keenly aware that the UK leaving the EU has caused a lot of anxiety, with the lengthy period of negotiation adding to people’s concerns”. Like so many other topics, the Foreign Office is the best place to source actual information. In the previous twelve months, the dedicated web page has attracted 34000 page views, and also has a link to up to date information on Brexit, where you can sign up to receive automatic alerts. Locally, outgoing Ambassador Kirsty Hayes (now replaced by Chris Sainty) and the consular team have held 10 surgeries and roadshows in the last year, answering questions on consequences of the Brexit referendum, with Clive’s number one tip being to “integrate within your community and ensure you are legally registered as a resident”. The increase of Britons holidaying overseas also places a constant stream of needs on consular staff that see their numbers increased by 1 during the summer months
10
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Vice Consul Clive Jewell and staff to cope with the extra demands that are added to the regular business of the office. In the last 12 months, over 670 emergency travel documents have been issued by the consular team in Portugal. Losing your passport on holiday, or having it stolen, can be a very stressful and expensive experience, as it can also be for residents having to make a quick trip home, only to find their passports have expired. Clive’s advice here is to be aware of your passport expiry date. You can renew it up to nine months ahead, and remember to complete the next-of-kin details on the back page. To further assist with the needs of British citizens overseas the multi-lingual Consular Contact Centre based in the British Consulate in Malaga is operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and fielded just under 3500 calls to the Consulates in Portugal for the previous twelve months. 75% of these calls were resolved immediately by the Contact Centre team, 105 calls were resolved with advice from consular staff and 381 enquiries were escalated for consular assistance on the ground. “What the figures demonstrate is that our Contact Centre colleagues successfully filter the situations that they can answer quickly from the cases where people need urgent and immediate consular assistance themselves, or are notifying us of a vulnerable person who needs our assistance”. With 125 deaths registered last year, the consular team find themselves assisting in some difficult and tragic circumstances from helping relatives navigate the process of repatriation to working with the FCO’s Coroner Liaison Officer. Add over 100 Brits who were admitted to hospital and the 15 people reported missing, some of whom have still not been located, parental child abductions and helping victims of crime, Clive and the consular team in Portugal have to deal with some incredibly traumatic situations.
“Every situation has individual circumstances, which is how we consider them in assisting our customers. It can be very challenging and emotionally difficult at times, so I am glad to be part of a great team who support each other too.” Positive outcomes from a bad situation have been greatly helped by social media. A post on the Consulate’s dedicated Facebook page, Brits in Portugal, was shared by thousands, and helped locate a missing young man within two hours. The Facebook page was also very active during the recent devastating fires. “This was an intense period during which we were in direct contact with the Civil Protection deputy Commander in the field, as well as the various evacuation centres, and we liaised closely with Safe Communities Portugal. Our Facebook posts reached over 81,000 people during the week. We were contacted directly by around 25 people for help in locating family members, or who had been evacuated, and we were able to assist them in cooperation with the GNR and other authorities”. December sees the 10th anniversary of the opening of the current Vice Consulate office in Portimão, where the knowledgeable and helpful staff continue to provide consular services to the British community. It is open to the public Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.30am until 2pm. Staff are available by telephone at other times during the week. “We are here to help British people living in or visiting Portugal who find themselves in difficult situations, or to give advice. If we can’t help directly, we always know somebody who can. Personally it gives me great satisfaction and I really love my job and living in this wonderful region of Portugal”.
+INFO +351 282 490 750 BritsInPortugal www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal Edificio A Fabrica, Av. Guanaré, 8501-915 Portimão
COMMUNITY
Hannah Edy Photographer | Artist @hannahedyphoto Hannah Edy Photography hannahedy.com
PROTEST FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS IN FARO BY AMBER HENSHAW
Over 100 people took part in a peaceful protest in Faro last month to raise awareness and to fight for animal welfare and rescue rights. Scores of people – including members of PAN (the party for People, Animals and Nature) and representatives of various animal rescue associations - walked 2.5km through Faro. The march was organised by Luísa Power Canário, who is an animal welfare activist from Faro and now studying veterinary medicine at Évora University. Ms Canário explained the march was staged “to draw attention to the lack of sterilisation programmes, lack of or little government support, lack of municipal facilities and resources to help the animals, lack of implementation of laws to protect animals, lack of punishment for those inflicting animal cruelty, and delays in the implementation of laws including non-kill municipal kennels”. A minute’s silence was also held in memory of all animals that have been mistreated. The idea for a march was sparked when an Olhão-based shelter was given two months to close following a noise complaint. The shelter has appealed the instruction in court but when we went to print a final decision still hadn’t been made. Ms Canário: “This situation showed me that no shelter is safe, no matter how much work it does for the animals or the community”.
12
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Ms Canário made a speech at the end of the march which was passed on to Tomorrow Magazine. In the speech she highlighted the plight of Portugal’s stray and abandoned animals, saying “every day is a never-ending battle for animal welfare groups, rescue shelters and individuals”. She also mentioned that there were escalating numbers of unwanted animals in Portugal. She said that many municipal and charity shelters were cash-strapped and overcrowded – some even to breaking point. She added that many of these facilities were heavily relied on by the likes of Portugal’s GNR police force to ‘deposit the abandoned and stray animals they are called upon to collect’.
Animal welfare in the Algarve With the approach of World Animal Day on October 4th local voluntary charities, together with local authorities would like to draw readers’ attention to the work done on a daily basis to improve conditions for the many abandoned animals found on the streets. All this work to house animals, give them veterinary attention and get them sterilised is dependent on volunteers and bequests and donations. If you want to help you can: 1. Make a donation: These can be made to local charities.
“The government has long been aware of the escalating problem and has passed various legislations which, if adequately enforced, would be an important step towards protecting all animals from human abuse, ill treatment and abandonment.
2. Offer to do some voluntary work: Helpers in charity shops and kennels who sort out donated goods and walk dogs.
“Sadly, without the enforcement of these laws, nothing changes except that the statistics of animals rescued and collected grows every year, as does the number of those put to sleep”, the organiser stressed. Campaigners are appealing for “extensive government sterilisation programmes, not token ones”, education programmes in schools, and support “to seek meaningful and enforceable improvements to the law, for the sake of animals and for the sake of Portugal”.
If any readers feel they can help, in any way, to achieve these aims please contact cadelacarlota.comp@gmail. com for more information.
3. Provide foster homes: Animals need security of a safe loving home.
The municipal kennel in Lagos and the kennel from the charity Cadela Carlota have organised a second dog walk on October 7th to raise awareness about the many dogs in care and to try to encourage more people to adopt. Find out more at Cadela Carlota’s FB page.
COMMUNITY
FIRST RENOVATION STAGE COMPLETED Campaigners say that major changes are being introduced to the way the country its state-run shelters operate. From this month council kennels will no longer be allowed to euthanise animals as a means of population control, a move that is of concern to veterinary professionals and activists, due to the consequences the impending growth in care will entail. It has emerged that, to date, over 90 percent of government funding made available for council kennels to invest in an approved sterilisation campaign ahead of the abolishment of euthanasia is still available.
By the start of this week, just €40,365 of the €500,000 budget freed up for kennels to implement the campaign had been allocated. According to figures from Portugal’s Veterinary Directorate General, in 2017, 40,674 stray and abandoned animals were taken in by Portugal’s state-run kennels. Of those, 11,819 were euthanised and 16,144 were re-homed. The speech said: “The Government passed legislation to become effective on September 23rd to prohibit the slaughter of healthy dogs as a means of population control. However, with no alternative provision in place to house and care for thousands more dogs, an even more serious crisis, including the outbreak of rabies, is facing us here in the Algarve and the rest of the country.” Campaigners are calling for extensive government sterilisation programmes, not token gestures and more education in schools. Anyone interested in joining this cause or upcoming initiatives can join the Facebook group Animal Welfare and Rescue Rights Protest Algarve.
14
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Work to repair the Albarrã tower at Paderne Castle has been completed. The Minister of Culture paid a visit to mark the completion of the specialised reconstruction of the degraded tower made of taipa militar.* The work was to cost €132,000, supported by the local council, the regional cultural directorate and the Millennium BCP Foundation, but came in under budget as a late decision was made to not repair with the highest course of taipa. This first stage of the Paderne Castle conservation programme will be followed by extensive repairs to the eastern wall which will cost a further €460,000. The start date is sometime in 2019 after quotes have been received and a contractor chosen. Minister Castro Mendes, said his visit was: “to show support and highlight the cultural interest that this project has in our historical heritage,” adding that sun and sand tourism is all very well but many also come to the region for its history and culture, a growing area.” António Monteiro, president of the Millennium BCP Foundation, said it had been: “a pleasure to collaborate in the restoration of this important monument”. The mayor of Albufeira, whose council had co-funded this first stage with the Millennium BCP Foundation, said the municipality wants to encourage culture tourism, especially when it is in an inland area. The original building material for the tower and castle walls was ‘taipa militar’ a compressed mud and gravel mix which was plastered and painted. For the technically minded, the ‘taipa,’ or mud, that Paderne is made from varies between 30-42% aggregate limestone, 12-17% fine cohesive materials and 41-58% of sand. Paderne castle was built more than 800 years ago. In 2016 a protocol for the ‘Recovery, Restoration and Conservation
of the Albarrã tower of Paderne Castle’ was signed to save the tower before it crumbled away. The erosion of the castle tower was such that an intervention was urgently needed. The fear was that the focal point of the castle may well deteriorate beyond the point of repair. Damage to ‘taipa’ walls occurs from driving rain, rising damp through crumbling stone foundations, bird and animal damage and human damage. Paderne Castle is said to be one of the most emblematic ‘taipa’ castles of the Iberian Peninsula and the restoration was seen as an opportunity to enhance a unique heritage structure. Other castles in the south of the country made in part from ‘taipa militar’ include Alcácer do Sal, Juromenha, Moura, Paderne and Silves. Paderne Castle lies 100 metres above sea level and protected the Ribeira Quarteira below and nearby fertile valleys in a strategic area between the coast and the hills between Loulé and Silves castles. The structure was built in the 12th Century during the Almohad rule, a period in which the Arabs held a strong defensive system to deter the expansionist policy of the Christians. The first written reference for the castle dates to 1189 and the archaeological work that has been carried out show human occupation dating to the mid-twelfth century. In the year 1506 the population transferred from inside the castle to the current parish of Paderne when a new church, Nossa Senhora da Esperança, was ready. Parts of the castle wall have already been repaired using traditional ‘taipa’ construction techniques which show the new sections against the old. Many thanks to Algarve Daily News for this story. www.algarvedailynews.com
+INFO www.historiadeportugal.info/castelo-de-paderne/
COMMUNITY
MILES OF ACHIEVEMENT In our August edition we featured 50-year-old architect James Kemp who was due to cycle across Europe to raise money for Luz-based palliative care charity, Madrugada. Since then James and five friends have cycled almost 1600 miles and climbed around 70,000ft. Rebecca Simpson caught up with him at the end of the journey. Since August James has cycled from Dronfield in Derbyshire to Praia da Luz which is no mean feat and this is not the first time for James either. He also undertook the challenge in 2010 too. This year he was joined by five friends: Jed, Michelle, Gene, Jane and Laura - two of whom flew in from the States to take part. At the beginning of August the six friends left Dronfield in the UK and embarked on the first part of their trip to Southam the following days saw them reach, Hungerford and Poole before crossing the channel to Lessay on day four. Across France the group stopped in Fougeres; Angers; Niort; Bordeaux; Parentis-en-Born before reaching Biarritz on day 10. The group coped incredibly well whilst averaging around 85 miles per day and cycling through four days of solid rain across France. On day 12 the group cycled from Biarritz to Elgoibar and through Spain. During their time in Spain they stopped in:; Miranda de Ebro, Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca, Plasencia, Caceres and Badajoz before finally crossing into Portugal on day 20 and stopping at Evora. The group then went on to Santiago do Cacém. On day 22 after an emotionally and physically demanding cycle across four countries the group reached the finish at Praia da Luz where they were greeted by volunteers from the Madrugada. James said; “The journey went very smoothly and we worked really well as a group.” “The rain in France was certainly not part of the plan but again we all rallied and got through it,” he added. “When we were going through parts of Spain, the enormity of the challenge really hit home and there were so empowering but emotional moments, James said. “We all had such a great sense of achievement when we reached Praia da Luz, I’d really recommend this challenge to anyone.” The group cycled 1,585 miles in total and climbed approximately 70,000 ft during the 22 days. Funds have been raised for Madrugada and if anyone would like to donate further please contact them directly.
16
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
James would also like to thank Jesse, Jed’s son, for driving alongside the group for the entire journey and transporting all luggage and equipment. James is planning to do this challenge from the UK to Portugal every year and anyone is welcome to join him. If anyone is interested on embarking on this epic journey with James, please get in touch with him directly. James moved to Praia da Luz in 2016. When he’s not cycling James has a private consultancy business which takes up a lot of his time along with his Golden Retriever, Lola. Graham Jones from Madrugada who was there to meet the team when they arrived in Luz said: “We were there when James and his team finished their epic bicycle ride from the UK to Luz on Saturday August 25th. Throughout their journey, James very kindly offered that any monies raised should go to Madrugada. “The team, which included friends from upstate New York, arrived on a very sunny and warm day after the gruelling final leg of their journey which was 130km (82 miles) and a cool drink was welcomed by all. They certainly deserved it,” he added. Graham said: “A big thank you to James and team for raising awareness of Madrugada.”
Tomorrow Magazine would also like to congratulate James, Jed, Michelle, Gene, Jane and Laura on such a fantastic achievement and we look forward to next year’s cycling challenge.
+INFO +351 282 761 375 (Madrugada) www.madrugada-portugal.com jamesmichaelkemp@me.com
COMMUNITY thinking that I wanted to be a part of this industry. I am a resolute professional who is constantly analyzing every aspect of my performances. My mind is mystified by music and it totally consumes both my life and the way I look at life. I am very happy playing on my own time and yet I also adore the thrill of performing for crowds. My wife and daughter are the ones that see what others don’t, they see my tireless dedication to my passion, they are subjected to my constant practicing of songs and see the long hours in ensuring that I continue to hone my skills. I realise I am also my own worst critic, I watch every video that I perform, I both berate and praise in equal measure to try and gain a balance of my work.
A day in the life... of a professional singer and pianist. Thirty-five-year-old Leandro Russo is a very talented musician and performs across the Algarve in some of the most amazing venues either as a soloist or with his band. I was born in Faro, both my parents have their own jewelry business and I have a brother who is 14 years younger. My love of music comes from my father. He had an extensive collection of his favourite artists on vinyl. When I was nine he allowed me to listen to his private collection with artists such as Queen, Pink Floyd, Duran Duran to name a few. I started to play the piano at five. I used to visit my Nana’s often as a child and I recall that a neighbour was always playing his piano and I would listen and watch intensely. The neighbour loved the fact a 15-year-old boy was so engrossed with music that I became became his prodigy and he pushed me into a world of all things piano. I attended piano lessons thereafter and did so for many years. I remember being pushed into learning classical music but it wasn’t for me - I preferred a different style of music from rock to ballads. One of my biggest influences was Freddie Mercury and Queen, arguably the best band of all time, in my eyes anyway! The introduction of music videos made a massive impact on my direction in music. I watched them over and over again. In 1991 I watched an incredible performance by Pink Floyd and was mesmerised by the whole theatre of the band, from the drama of the singing to the stage and lighting production. I remember
18
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
I became a full time professional musician four years ago after having performed for many years whilst also having my other life in the form of a bank account manager. The birth of my daughter, Leonor, was also pivotal in this decision. I quickly realised I needed to sing as well as play the piano to get work. I set myself one of my hardest challenges - to learn 40 songs within a fortnight. I suffered terribly with nerves to start with. In time and after many, many performances my confidence grew and now I hardly ever suffer nerves. My musical repertoire now includes over 1,000 songs and I pride myself on being able to listen to a piece of music by ear and then performing it. A typical week in the summer sees me perform six nights per week and also during the day, especially if I am doing weddings. I have one night off per week for about eight or nine months which is very tiring, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I happen to be singing and playing the piano, two of my favourite things (excluding family). One of my favourite months is August when my daughter is off school and we all get to spend time together every day. The winter time is when I find the time to improve techniques, do administration for my company and the band. I love to play as a pianist and soloist, but when I play with my band, I am given so much more freedom to express myself as an artist because I have other members to help take the pressure off me - ordinarily I have to think and control everything whilst I perform. Therein lies the difference - myself and the band members have known each other for over 10 years and have a very close professional bond, a band of brothers if you like. So when I’m with my band I am able to become the entertainer I love to become and to follow in tiny footsteps of my idols on my much much smaller scale; but with no less of passion. Having my younger brother, Pedro, in the band is so important too and provides me with an incredible trust, I can be who I am and remain grounded. Only this year as a band we have started playing Bohemian Rhapsody even writing about it gives me goosebumps!
+INFO leandropianoman
COMMUNITY
HOLY TRAP ESCAPE ROOM LAGOS Pedro Vieira and Manuela Dunca are a young couple (27 and 26-years-old respectively) who met in 2013 while on vacation in Lisbon. Since then, they have had quite a few adventures together. First they lived in Germany because Manuela had a wonderful job babysitting there and so Pedro joined her for a while. In 2015, when she had to change her job, they both thought it would be a good idea to move to Lagos, which is Pedro’s hometown. And so they did. Pedro got a job at Apartamentos Turísticos Sollagos as a receptionist for three years and Manuela was jumping from job to job trying to find a place where she could work with a smile on her face. She also took a personal trainer course and started working at a gym but still, it wasn’t the work she dreamt of doing. She always told Pedro about her dream to run her own business one day. Together they started thinking about business ideas that could work in the Algarve and that they would have fun running. A lot of ideas were discussed and time was passing by. In the meanwhile, with too much time on her hands, Manuela saw an interesting contest online, the rules were pretty simple, it only required posting a picture or video on instagram with some hashtags and the theme was ‘Show us your party animal look’ the 20 most original pictures would win two plane tickets for Barcelona. Since she already had the perfect picture to apply, not much thinking was needed, she just posted it online. Surprise, surprise, a few weeks later she found out they won! They were going to fly to Barcelona for a week, which was perfect because one of Pedro’s best friend lives there with his girlfriend, so they could stay at their place. Little did they know this trip was about to change their lives completely. In search for something different to do in Barcelona as a group of two couples, they found out there were many Escape Rooms in the area. None of them had ever tried it before so they booked. After the game they knew: “This is it, we have to bring this to Algarve”. An Escape Room is a real life game where you get to be part of a history, inside a themed room and in there with a series of objects you have to solve a sequence of
20
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
riddles until you unveil all the mysteries and escape in time. It is normally played as a team and has a maximum duration of one hour. It is a great experience for families, friends, couples or team-building events, it is an amazing way to improve your communication and teamwork skills, it really pushes you to work together to get through problems. The right moment arrived. By the end of 2017 Pedro quit his job and they both started working full time on the creation of Holy Trap. Their families were of constant support and care. Pedro’s brother, Miguel Vieira who studied equipment design and lives in Berlin, is the responsible for the original idea of our room: Mafia Safehouse. He created ideas for riddles and gave them a story-line. As soon as he finished designing the ideal scenario for the room, Manuela’s father and brother came from Lisbon to help give life to this project. “None of this was possible without the time and help from my family and Pedro’s family. We really appreciate everything they did and are still doing for us,” says Manuela. Her brother, Gheorghe Dunca has a master’s degree in energy engineering and that was a major help on the building of some riddles, like the alarms of the wellguarded Mafia’s Safehouse Finally, with the scenario done and the majority of the riddles finished, it was time to run some test games! That’s when they realised, what was thought to be “almost ready” would still require a lot of time and attention. The game was too hard to be done in one hour.
Pedro Vieira and Manuela Dunca
COMMUNITY This was when the real work began for Manuela and Pedro. Slowly they started changing, adding connections and making the riddles more logical.
Finally, by the end of May the feedback started to be very positive just in time for them to open the doors! This is a themed room filled with riddles for you to solve, which focuses on a house run by mobsters who have just left for a huge contraband operation. The house is unguarded and you have one hour to investigate and find an agent that went missing two days beforehand. They told us: “The feedback has been amazing so far. Players rate this room as one of the best they’ve ever played due to the originality of the riddles, the story line and the score system, it impresses any player, from novice to expert, they all leave fully entertained!” Manuela and Pedro are now planning to open another room as soon as possible. They have also created a portable Escape Game that can be
taken to schools, team-building events, birthday parties or any other kind of event. It is called Pirate’s Robbery and it will be first available to play at the Impossible Run on October the 21st in Lagos. In fact, you can go and try it yourself on that day for free. If you want to participate in the Impossible Run as well, they might still have tickets to offer you, so get in touch with them! Book your game now! Post a picture on your social media about #TomorrowAlgarve or about #HolyTrap (@escaperoomlagos) with both hashtags and get 15% off your ticket! For a better sneak peak check their teaser video on Facebook or Youtube
+INFO +351 939 20 25 29 www.holytrap.pt escaperoomlagos Holy Trap - Mafia Safehouse Rua Marechal Furtado 36A, Lagos
SPREADING THE WORLD GLOBALLY BY REBECCA SIMPSON It is safe to say that since Tomás Tigchelaar Lorenço first made his appearance in the March edition of Tomorrow Magazine, he has been very busy. Since then his #GiveSeaLifeAHand movement, that started in the small fishing village of Burgau, has reached more than 50 different countries across the world. “I am really happy and grateful for all this help from such a variety of countries. It is motivating to see that people are more aware that plastic pollution is a real thing and that we all have to do our bit, even if it is not our trash, to solve this problem.” “As I say in the GiveSeaLifeAHand talks, which I have been doing within primary schools, cleaning is the easy part, making it a necessity is the difficult one”. It is fundamental that we clean up this mess we have created. It is also important that we are mindful of what we consume and refusing unnecessary single-use plastics. “The level of awareness that children have at a young age has surprised me. When I ask how we should tackle the plastic problem they immediately say recycling. It’s a good start but what we should do is: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and the most important R (and the cheapest) is refuse.” Over the next few months Tomás plans to carry on giving talks to children in the Algarve and then to take his message global. He said: “I plan on taking the GiveSeaLifeAHand message abroad. To be more precise to Burkina Faso in Africa. Just recently I started a GoFundMe campaign
22
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
so I can donate and set- up a Precious Plastic recycling station to an orphanage created by Katrin Rohde, someone I met this winter here in the Algarve. “A Precious Plastic recycling station is a set of four mechanical tools, designed by a the Dutch designer Dave Hakkens, with which you can turn plastic waste into really useful objects. The interesting part about this goal is, not only will we fight plastic pollution in Burkina Faso but these new objects can be sold and therefore creating a source of income making this orphanage less dependent on donation and consequently more self-sustainable.” If you would like to support the work being done by Tomás you can make a donation at the GoFundMe.com “GiveSeaLifeAHand at Burkina Faso” page and/or share the page on social media. Also, people can always give Sea Life a hand by REFUSING unnecessary single-use plastics and making a #GiveSeaLifeAHand next time they do a cleanup. You can also, do a #GiveSeaLifeAHand everywhere you find (plastic) waste, it doesn’t have to be at the beach.
+INFO @tomas.gslah @givesealifeahand givesealifeahand@gmail.com
From top to bottom: Storm Emma in February; Vale Verde
COMMUNITY
One small action
one big result the smallest change in our everyday thinking will have an everlasting result
OneCHARITY small action
one big result
NEWS
2018
EVENTS Winter Ball November 24th Hotel Tivoli, Lagos
BY STEVEN SUTTON
There is a saying that charity begins at home. You have to ask, where is home? Is it the place you sleep in? Is it the town you live in or does it refer to a place within us all?
the smallest change in our everyday thinking a lot of searching I believe home willAfter have ansouleverlasting result for me is the community in which we live.
The community functions much better when everyone pulls together for a better life and to look after others. This has been the driving force behind the Tomorrow Magazine since its inception. We are always looking for ways to help those who need it. Now, the Tomorrow Algarve Charity Trust (T.A.C.T) is continuing to make the community a better place. Step-by-step. Last month we had two amazing golf events. The John Aldridge two-day fundraiser and the Espiche Golf day. Together, these events raised a staggering €15.000. These funds will be divided up and given to our chosen charities at the end of the year. See the full story in full on pages 56-59. As 2018 starts to wind down and the town gets quieter it seems a good time to think about how we can help those who live here and earn a living from tourism. The winter is always a tough time when tourist numbers tend to dwindle.
T.A.C.T Blog On September 1st the T.A.C.T Blog started. It was great to get your feedback on this and we hope you will carry on doing this. As we all work together to make our ‘home’ a better place please keep your ideas coming in and please let us know if you know of any causes that could do with assistance.
24
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
We can all play our part! As well as the golf days, in September, we launched the One Small Action Campaign. The response has been amazing, with so many great but simple ideas. Sandra West from Portsmouth wrote: “I will stop using liquid washing detergent and start again with the powder that comes in cardboard boxes, thus eliminating the single use bottles that the liquid comes in.” Susan McGrath said: “As a family, we are going to switch from shower gel to old fashioned soap. I have worked out that this will save us, a family of four over £400 a year and cut down on the plastic bottles that the gel comes in.” Rod McComb and Liz Lock have written in and told us that they bought a water filter and are now not buying bottled water from supermarkets. This has saved them from throwing away over 1,500 plastic bottles a year as well as the financial saving. Tom Henshaw and Julie Battersby also wrote saying: “We read the article on Page 40 of the September issue One Small Action and decided we could use a water filter unit and not plastic bottles. We are now using washing powder from boxes rather than capsules from plastic containers. No more plastic straws or plastic bags. It is a start and one we intend to keep finding good environmentally friendly instead.” These examples just show how small things can make a big difference - saving you money and creating less water. We hate plastic waste. Please keep the ideas coming in and we will share them.
Improving today, for a better tomorrow T.A.C.T is a non-profit charity trust. Our aim is to raise funds and help build awareness for local causes in the Algarve, working in partnership with local communities, organisations and people in need. +INFO: www.tomorrowalgarve.com/tact tact@tomorrowalgarve.com
COMMUNITY
From left to right: Sylvain; Face sculpture; Doubleheader
STONEWARE SCULPTURES IN A MAGICAL SETTING BY RAY GILLMAN Step through the carved doorway of Studio Bongard in Ferragudo and you enter into a world of beautiful, sculpted artworks displayed amongst tropical plants, hand-painted ceramic tilework, and idiosyncratic artefacts. On one wall, water gently splashes down onto fish and terrapins in a pond where a gnarled, vine-clad tree trunk, thrusts upwards from the surface. But a second look reveals this is not a tree. Perhaps it is a totem-pole - a relic of a long-gone jungle civilisation? No - it is an intricately carved and decorated ceramic sculpture. Climb the narrow stone stairs to the studio’s roof terrace, which overlooks the Arade estuary and Portimão’s riverside beyond. Here you’ll find a massive, barnacleencrusted, wristwatch lying on a tiled roof - alongside a huge lobster. On a stone-bench sits a curious creature with two heads -both of which look alert and friendly! These sculptures are the creations of Sylvain and Tara Bongard, along with numerous other fish, crustaceans, forest-creatures, birds, disembodied heads and hands, animals and flowers. They are large, and small; some in the form of bowls and dishes for practical use as well as proud display.
26
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
The description which might best sum them up is ‘magic realism’, a term coined in the early 20th Century to describe the paintings by artists - mainly working in Germany and America - which seemed to convey a heightened realism and somehow reveal a world beyond that depicted on the surface. In the world of literature, many novels are also examples of magic realism. The recognisably realistic mingles with the unexpected and inexplicable, and elements of dream, fairy-story or mythology combine with the everyday. This ‘magical’ combination of the realistic and the unexpected, the fantastical with the prosaic is what makes the Bongard’s work unique and delightful. The inspiration for the sculptures is in the couple’s profound connection with nature and the animal kingdom, developed over years of observation, painting and drawing, in several countries. Born in England, Tara spent part of her childhood in Portugal and later travelled extensively in the Americas and the Middle East. Swiss-born Sylvain moved, as a youth, to the Algarve. In Carvoeiro, his family were ‘the eccentric Swiss with the animals on the hill’ as the locals called them.
Lagos
.
Portugal
Open at 4pm everyday until 2am
ENJOY A LAZY AFTERNOON WITH LAID BACK TUNES, SHOOT SOME POOL, CHUCK A DART OR THREE WHILE COOLING DOWN WITH A WORLD CLASS COCKTAIL. AS THE LIGHTS GO DOWN, THE MONKEYS GET READY TO ROCK!
All brought to you by the friendliest crew in Lagos!
Rua Lanรงarote de Freitas 26 Lagos 8600 605 www.3monkeys.me.uk threemonkeyslagos
COMMUNITY From top to bottom: Watch underwater; Tara
“This is a price we choose to pay” says Sylvain. Make no mistake: this is serious art, and, increasingly, becoming seriously recognised by the art ‘establishment’ and discerning buyers around Europe, and further afield. Studio Bongard is represented in Lisbon and Porto by D’Orey Arts and Antiquidades, and each May a selection of their work is shown at the Cordoaria Nacional, (Fair of Antiquities and Art) in Bélem, Lisbon, and later in Madrid. In Porte de Versailles, Paris, this November, some of Sylvain and Tara’s ‘tableware’ sculptures will be combined with products from the prestigious Vista Alegre porcelain range and the exclusive Christofle silverware collection in a special Portuguese Room at the Equipe d’Hotel Exposition. Continuing this impressive gastronomic connection: the gourmet restaurant Casa Velha, in Quinta do Lago, features Bongard sculptures as part of their decor, and the Michelin-starred Restaurante BON BON, in Carvoeiro, actually serves some of its culinary works of art presented in Bongard bowls and dishes. He had a fox and an anteater as pets, their land was home to 155 types of tropical birds, and he shared his bedroom with monkeys and crocodiles! Imagine the culture shock when he moved to England to complete his education!
They sometimes, literally, do not know how the sculpture will turn-out until it is finished.
Sylvain and Tara’s art is visceral - rooted in deep inner feelings and natural instincts. The ideas for their sculptures come spontaneously, and once they start particularly on the bigger pieces - the act of creation takes them over. They sometimes, literally, do not know how the sculpture will turn-out until it is finished. The clay that they work with is heavy. It requires strength to carve it; to gouge it with the fingers and mould and spread it, moistened with water. But if it is too wet it collapses, if it is too dry it becomes brittle. Sometimes they use a blow-torch to dry and to stiffen-up the clay to stop it collapsing on itself - but not to become so dry that it cracks, and traps air pockets inside. They usually work sand, wood-ash and crushed stone into their pieces before, and after, the essential liquid glazes that they apply, in different thicknesses, to give colour and brilliance and ‘glassiness’. These ingredients turn the whole creation into ‘ceramic’ when it vitrifies under extreme, 1300ºC, heat in their kilns. However, the wood-ash and silica in the sand and stone need an even higher temperature before they vitrify completely - so the texture of those elements remains largely intact.
Most satisfyingly, in 2015, the National Tile Museum in Lisbon (Museu Nacional do Azulejo) devoted 300m2 to an exhibition of 120 examples of their work which lasted for 5 months. This contained a section entitled Submerged Art. Here they exhibited pieces of their work which had originally been created to mimic the effect of being encrusted with barnacles and coral. These were accompanied by photographs of the same items (the huge wristwatch, an electric iron, a trumpet, a giant boot and more) actually lying on the sea bed. The National Tile Museum is the ‘mecca’ of ceramic art in Portugal and an internationally renowned showcase. It is a source of pride for those of us who live in the Algarve that two of ‘our’ artists should have gained such recognition. Easily spotted on the left of the road just before you enter Ferragudo from the Portimão direction, with a large parking space opposite, it really is a magical experience to enter the enchanted world of Studio Bongard.
The effect is powerful, rugged, and sensual ‘stoneware’. The pieces invite you to touch them and to feel the contrast between the rough and the smooth textures. Tara and Sylvain find the process of sculpting exhilarating, and satisfying, of course, to compensate for the hard physical work it entails. But their way of working also takes a toll on their kilns. The nature of the ash, stone and sand they add - often containing impurities and pieces of metal - plus the difficulty in totally eliminating tiny air bubbles in the clay, means that there are often minor explosions and eruptions as the temperature rises. This results in burntout and damaged electrical elements and degradation of the insulation in the kiln.
28
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
+INFO: www.studiobongard.com Rua Infante D. Henrique, 62, Ferragudo
COMMUNITY
FAREWELL TO RAMBLINGS
BY DOUG MCADAM
It is almost four years since I first met Tom Henshaw. After briefly talking about my career in the Foreign Office Tom thought that articles about my experiences in the Tomorrow Magazine might appeal to some of its readers. Although I was initially dubious I duly invented Ramblings and over the past four years and almost 40 articles later have tried to set out in a fairly lighthearted manner tales of my diplomatic life. I started as a callow youth dealing with Mongolia in our Research Department and then, wearing different hats and learning different languages, moved on to postings with my wife Sue starting in May 1966 (picture on China/ Mongolian border) in Central Asia, Africa, India, south America and Europe. Last month’s Ramblings took me up to retirement from Hamburg 14 years ago (picture). In my articles I tried to avoid as far as possible addressing the politics of our various postings and to concentrate mainly on the anecdotal side. The whole exercise has been enjoyable and stimulating
and has helped refresh our minds of some incidents long forgotten. I am grateful to the editorial staff of Tomorrow Magazine and to your readers for their patience in what really started out as an experiment. I fully appreciate that their content has borne no relation whatsoever to the other articles, etc in the magazine which almost exclusively dwell on happenings in the Algarve. But I have had enough feedback from some readers to know that they have appreciated their variety. I simply hope that I have not overstayed my welcome! If there were any appetite from readers I would be happy at some stage in the future to produce further articles about our experiences. But I would only do so if such interest had been expressed to the editors. Many thanks to Doug on behalf of the magazine team and our readers for the wonderful Ramblings series. I know it has been very popular and we have really enjoyed learning about diplomatic life over the last four years. We do hope that there will be more Ramblings to come in the future. Thanks again, Doug, with very best wishes from Amber, Tomorrow’s Editor (amber@tomorrowalgarve.com).
SWEA (Swedish Women’s Educational Association International, Inc.) Algarve is a local group that is part of a global organisation for Swedes and Swedishspeaking women living in Algarve. It provides a meeting point and network that makes life living abroad easier for expats. SWEA members help new expats with advice and tips so they can quickly establish themselves in Portugal.
SWEDISH ASSOCIATION 30
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Among its members are those who have lived in the Algarve for many years, but also women who that have just moved here. In the past two years, many Swedes who just retired have moved down. There are women of different ages, new mothers and grandparents, professionals and senior citizens. SWEA has a very active programme of activities which reflect the group’s diverse interests. There are many excursions, monthly coffee meetings and much, much more.
Last month SWEA Algarve held an event at Belmar Hotel, Lagos which was attended by 42 women. The artist Betty Anne Mörelius gave a talk about her art career in Sweden and how she became a recognised artist in the Algarve. Betty Anne moved from Sweden to Portugal in April this year and started up the B.A.M Art Gallery in Albufeira. The gallery works both as a studio and exhibition hall for her own works, but other artists also exhibit the gallery. Ceramics, Textile Art, Stone Sculptures and Bronze Sculptures (by SWEA member Helena Björnberg). B.A.M Art Gallery is open WednesdayFriday 3-5 pm and Saturday 1-3 pm. To find out more about SWEA events please contact Susanne Lotström.
+INFO: www.bamofsweden.com susanne@lotstrom.se
COMMUNITY
CYCLING IN THE SUN Ex-pro snowboarder Jerom Pannier, who’s originally from Belgium, decided to swap the snow of the Alps for the sun in Sagres about eight years ago and never looked back. He started a successful business halfway between Lagos and Sagres in Salema and now lives in Figueira with his wife and young son.. We spoke to him about turning his back on the snow.
Please tell us about your professional background. I hold a master’s degree in physical education from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). I started my sports career as a competitive snowboarder and afterwards I was coach of the national Belgium snowboard team. I went on to organise surf camps for 10 years in the south-west of France. I was passionate about surfing which is how I discovered the Algarve and its beauty and discovered it was also an excellent cycling destination. I enrolled in the cycling business and gained many years of experience in organising high quality MTB and road bike tours in the region. How and when did you end up in the Algarve? During a road trip through Portugal I woke up one morning, after a night out in the Dromedario, on the cliffs of Mareta in Sagres and lost my heart to this place. From then on I knew I wanted to move here. It has always been a dream of mine to be able to combine work and leisure outdoors.
many surf schools so I decided to lookout for something different. Then, while I was training future snowboard coaches in the mountains, I received a call from a Belgian tour operator. They asked if I could create a holiday cycling package for their clients. I was a bit hesitant in the beginning but with a push from some pro-cycling athlete friends of mine, Jurgen Roelandts and Andre Greipel, I decided to go for it. Because I had been active for so many years in sports tourism and hold a degree in sports education, it seemed easy to copy the surf/snowboard story to the cycling story. What do you offer that is different to other people? Authenticity, good quality bikes, high quality service (welcoming people with a smile also helps). What is your philosophy? Good service starts with a smile, flexibility.
Please tell us about your e-bike business? We specialise in organising high quality and personalised bike tours and rentals, from road bikes to MTB and touring bikes.
What are your hopes for the future? I hope to maintain the same quality and to find a good balance between my wonderful family, sport leisure and work.
Why did you decide to set this business up? I originally wanted to do something in the surf industry - ideally just to move my work from France to Portugal but there was already too
+INFO: www.musette.bike hello@musette.bike +351 917 019 200
32
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
“I woke up one morning, after a night out in the Dromedario, on the cliffs of Mareta in Sagres and lost my heart to this place.”
toldos - awnings sun wind rain protection
toldolanda
info@toldolanda.com | www.toldolanda.com | 914 609 517
COMMUNITY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MUSETTE TEAM: Rob, from Belgium Five-time Belgian snowboard champ who moved to the Algarve for the nature, watersports and fine weather.
José, from Lagos José is their brilliant mechanic who has been repairing and servicing bikes since 1969. He retired a few years ago but missed the work so much that he joined our team to stay involved with one his favorite things. José still joins his friends twice a week for a road bike tour and his attitude towards work, cycling and life in general is always an inspiration.
Favourite bikes: mountain bike, BMX Favourites quote: “Treat your bike like a woman; handle it with love, ride it like a king, be gentle and take great care of it.”
Vanessa, from the Azores She’s worked as a tourist entertainer all her life and she is the first to welcome our guests and has a passion about her country and telling them all about it. She recovered from a big car accident, the ‘never give up’ mentality makes Vanessa a strong person. Playing guitar and singing is next to riding a bike, her passions in life. Favourite bike: Mountain Bike & BMX Favourite quote: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
34
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Quinten, from Belgium Started last year as a trainee as part of his physical education course. After finishing his studies he decided to stay to discover Portugal by bike and to enjoy the good weather. He is always there in the summer as an extra guide. He loves to switch between the cold of the French Alps and warmth of the Portuguese’s beaches. Favourite bikes: MTB & Enduro Favourites quote: “ Life is like a bicycle - you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling”
MIM SA
PROPERTIES
COMMUNITY
MEET THE ARTIST This month we introduce you to Joke van der Steen who is originally from the Netherlands. She was born in 1956 and started painting when she was 45. She moved to the Algarve in 2013. Here she tells us about herself and her art. All my life I have been called Joke, but on my birth certificate it says Johanna van der Steen. And that name is probably a bit nicer to use than Joke. During my early years I heard so often that I was good in drawing and that I should go to an art school. I would have liked that very much, but circumstances did not allow it. Being brought up in a broke and large family in the 1970s I had to contribute to the household budget already in my mid-teens. And so I did. I had to give up the chance of training but I consoled myself with the thought that my time would come later in life. And that turned out later to be so around my 40th birthday. Until my 40th I dutifully fulfilled my role as wife and working mother in the south-west of the Netherlands. I raised two children in addition to my work as a manager in – among others – a supermarket. It was only in their teens that I completed my training in the evenings, which helped my career. In my last fulltime job I was a documentalist with Bradford Engineering, which was a aerospace development company who supplied components to NASA and others. It lasted until 2009. Four years later we decided to spent the winter in the Algarve.
From left to right, top to bottom: nr 72, Woman in Balance 60x73; Kissing 80x70; Pebbles coast 60x50; nr 81 Woman in pond; young Johanna
36
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Adjacent to my supplementary training, so around the turn of the century, I started a five-year course at an art school in Bergen Op Zoom. After the basics there were three years of portrait painting of live models, followed by another year of abstract painting and during that time I started painting at home with my own designs. It was frustrating at the beginning, because it turned
out to be rather difficult to make the images in my mind appear on the canvas. I attended additional lessons and participated in the open studios of well known painters. That is where I learned to let go and do my own thing. It did not take long to build up a portfolio and then you want to show it to the people. I managed to exhibit my work, sometimes even several times a year. That resulted, to my joy, in enthusiastic comments, which in turn resulted in commissions. In this period I visited Indonesia a few times and while visiting an orphanage in Papua New Guinea I noticed its bare walls. Now my children’s paintings hang in there and – of course – the famous Dutch tulips on canvas. In the meantime I am a grandmother and during our last years in the Netherlands I gave some workshops to children between 5 and 9 years old at my grandson’s nursery. That was a nice experience. Summer 2013 we arrived in the Algarve. And that was a big hit. Not just because of the pleasant climate, but mainly because of the quiet and friendly lifestyle of the Portuguese people in the Algarve. In 2016 we became resident, so we live here full time. I joined the the artist group ArtwaysArt and I have now joined the Algarve Society of Artists. The way I work is to start with nothing else than an image in my head. Once my sister made the remark that it was so soothing to look at pebbles. For me that was the sign to start painting pebbles. It fits with my surname as well, because translated it means “stone”.
COMMUNITY On a very busy surface I painted imaginary pebbles, in which I processed all kinds of figures. So the attentive viewer can see more than just pebbles. I made a whole series of pebbles paintings, with dark colours in the Dutch period and light and bright colours in the Portuguese period. Now I am in the period of developing new techniques, new styles and more and more abstract. I distinguish myself from some other painters on the one hand by not adhering to a special style and to the other hand to paint my own creations. I have a wide basis and can handle many styles. Yet it is my dream to develop a style of my own which will be recognisable.
I paint in my own studio just next to our living room about three days a week. Often without any example and that is also the most fun. It makes the painting unique. I enjoy it very
much to spent hours in my studio with a soft background music surrounding me. To me it is always a surprise how the painting turns out to be. It is my gut feeling that decides whether a painting is finished or not. Only then I will sign the painting. This article has been provided by the Algarve Society of Artists - a group formed to support and promote art and artists across the Algarve. They have a website www.algarve-art.com and publish a free quarterly online magazine entitled Algarve Art! Visit their website for more information.
+INFO: www.artistjokevandersteen.com jokevandersteenartist@gmail.com +351 962 279 538 deartist.Joke.van.der.Steen
Johanna
Charity Bar Walk BY MATT D’ARCY
38
Top Cat and Officer Dribble, Robert the Brute, Hawkeye the Noo, Shaun the Sheep, doctors, nurses, nuns, Bavarian beauties and a host of other characters turned a 3.54km (2.2mile) walk into a laugh-a-minute stroll that raised around €3,000 for charity.
Prizes were handed out for the best male and female costumes. Faith Quinton won the ladies’ prize with her “Shaun the Sheep” outfit that involved the application of 550 cotton wool buds. And Bob Packham took the men’s prize with his “Robert the Brute” outfit.
The fourth annual Charity Fun Walk on the Algarve’s west coast raised €2,437 on the day with the final total expected to pass that €3,000 mark once all pledges are in. And it means that the walk—with the participants calling in eight bars along the way for a spot of liquid refreshment—has so far raised more than €10,000 for charity since it was started in 2015 by Vale da Telha resident Cath Baker who based it on charity pub crawls held in her native Lancashire.
At one stop along the route Cormac Murphy, as Bavarian Boris, persuaded customers to have a €1-a-head whiparound to “persuade” him to dive into the swimming pool, kitted out in his full lederhosen!
The walk was held on September 9th, beginning at Restaurante O Paulo on the picturesque Arrifana promontory, with the Restaurante Fonte do Vale in Vale da Telha being the final “watering hole”, where the walkers’ arrival was the signal for a big party with music by Brian DJ Rockindad.
And before the start at Restaurante O Paulo one customer handed over a €50 note to organiser Cath, who—with co-organiser Steve Scott and her partner Kjell Motel—stopped cars, passers-by and tourists along the way persuading them to drop a few coins into their collection buckets, swelling the coffers.
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
The donations were flooding in even before the walk, with local Vale da Telha quiz group handing over €550, another €250 from community association Amovate and €100 from the Vale da Telha Pilates Group.
AMI 1538
Exclusive and extraordinarily well renovated villa with 5 bedrooms and unique garden | 1.695.000 € Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 5
House Area: 288 m2
Land Area: 2829 m2
Ref: C3318
DO YOU WANT SELL, BUY, RENT OR MANAGE YOUR PROPERTY? PROFIT FROM OUR 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. CALL US TODAY! VISIT OUR SHOPS IN:
LAGOS CENTER
www.marcelaproperties.com
-
LAGOS MARINA
-
NEW
PRAIA DA LUZ
luz@marcelaproperties.com
-
ALJEZUR
00351 282 148 000
WHAT’S ON
What's on in October TAPAS TRAIL GET BIRD WATCHING THIS MONTH This month Sagres will host the largest bird watching event held in Portugal. Sagres is a place with a huge biodiversity and beautiful landscapes and at this time of the year it is the main crossing point in Portugal for migratory birds, towards the warm lands of Africa. The programme for the event includes more than 160 different activities where you can participate alone or with friends or family. It includes activities such as field trips, boat trips, short-courses, environmental education workshops, bird ringing and monitoring sessions, and much more. There are other possibilities: pedestrian walks, guided tours about the history of
40
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Sagres, walks with donkeys or horses or boat trips to watch dolphins or birds. There’s something for everyone regardless of age. Some activities are free and others have a special price for the Festival. During the four days of the festival the participants may have access also to several discounts in services promoted by local partners, including accommodation, restaurants and shops. The festival starts on October 4th to October 7th.
+INFO: birdwatchingfestivalofsagres www.birdwatchingsagres.com
One of the Algarve’s most popular gastronomic events, Rota do Petisco returns this year taking a delicious route through the whole region. For a whole month, the Algarve may eat tapas! In its eighth year, Rota do Petisco is growing in size and also in quality. This year, all participating establishments will be challenged to present innovative menus, but with a strong regional focus. Rota do Petisco is a great way to sample a variety of typical Portuguese cuisine. Simply buy a ‘passport’ which is a guide to all the venues and their menus. For €3 you can sample a range of dishes, accompanied by a drink. Local sweets and desserts can also be tasted for €2, while €1 of the passport’s price will go to help local charities and institutions. A full list of participating eateries is published on the website. The event kicks off on October 4th and finishes on November 4th. Rota do Petisco is organised by the Teia D’Impulsos Association, with the support and partnership of several public and private entities and the official sponsorship of Cerveja Sagres Bohemia.
+INFO: rotadopetisco.com
WHAT’S ON
ESPICHE CELEBRATES MOVEMBER You are invited to attend a special Golf Movember Day at Espiche on November 30th. There will be shotgun at 9am followed by lunch and prize giving with a special prize for the best moustache. Movember is an annual event where men are encouraged not to shave and to grow moustaches during November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as
prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and male suicide. The idea behind Movember is to change the face of men’s health. The rule is that you shave on November 1st and then can only shave again on November 30th. The organisation behind the event said: “The Movember Foundation is the only charity tackling men’s health on a global scale, year round. We have
one goal: to stop men dying too young.” All the money raised will be donated to Associação Oncológica do Algarve.
+INFO: AOAlgarve www.espichegolf.pt www.movember.com
MOTORSPORT ROARS INTO PORTIMÃO
BY PHIL EGGINTON
October is the highlight of the year for fans of car racing. The magnificent Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA) holds its two main car races this month. Firstly, from October 19th to 21st is the Algarve Classic Festival. This now well established festival, hosts some of Europe’s top Classic race car championships. First held in 2009, the festival now attracts the best cars and drivers. It is a unique event that celebrates all the success, beauty, noise, smell and thrill of historic cars. It is the perfect weekend for those who are in love with the nostalgia of classic motorsport. The event is headlined by the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association that organises races for Formula 1 cars dating before 1966. Other races include pre-1966 Saloon Cars, pre-1975 Sports Cars, pre-1963 GT Cars, 1950’s Sports Cars, 1980’s/90’s Touring Cars and Formula Ford Single Seaters. This year the event does not just feature cars but also pre-1963 racing motorbikes. Local classic car clubs will also be displaying their cars in the paddock. The following weekend the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) visits from October 26th to 28th. This is a European series of endurance races. It is for cars which also compete in the renowned 24-hour race held at Le Mans in France. Categories of cars include Le Mans Prototypes and Le Mans Grand Touring. The Le Mans Prototypes are modern race cars with completely
42
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
enclosed bodywork (unlike open wheel cars such as Formula 1), still using slick tyres and wings for aerodynamic downforce. The top LMP2 category cars weigh 930kg and are powered by 4-litre V8 engines delivering around 600bhp. The Le Mans GT cars are full racing versions of road cars such as the Ferrari 488 and Porsche 911. There will also be supporting races from Michelin Le Mans Cup and the Portuguese Racing weekend championships. The weekend cumulates with a 4-hour ELMS race on Sunday 28th October. There is local interest in Algarve Pro Racing, based near Guia, who run in the LMP2 category. Portuguese fans will also be cheering on Filipe Albuquerque who races for UK based United Autosports. Phil is a motorsport consultant and journalist who has now retired to the Algarve.
+INFO: www.aia.pt
yoga & pilates Hatha yoga
ashtanga
Hatha flow
pranayama
kundalini Vinyasa flow
pilates workshops
R
rua combatentes da g. guerra, n. 13, lagos
+351 914 061 143 www.lalitana.com
.
M CO
R
U
A
B.
G
GR
IL
V
AN
IC
DE
E
N
GU
TE
ER
RA
R U A PR O F E S SO R LUI S A Z E V E D O
yoga for beginners
A RU
CĂ‚N
C I N E MA
DID
O O D
E IS S R
WHAT’S ON
NEVER GIVE UP Do you fancy a challenge? If so, then why not try the third Police Challenge which will see participants taking part in a 10k obstacle course.
current attendance for the Leiria Police Challenge, on June 17th, this event offers a 10k obstacle course with a lot of fun and healthy competition.
It is taking place on October 14th and will be in city of Portimão. This is the last event of the national circuit for the year for the OCR Police Challenge Trichallenge police 2018.
A lot of mud, sand, shooting, crawling, water, jumping and teamwork are to be expected. If you want to register then go to the website below.
This will determine and distinguish the winners of the set of three national events of 2018.
Registration includes: Chip wristband, a finisher medal, liquid supplies and food reinforcement (fruit and energy drinks), sports insurance and showers!
After the huge success of the second edition of the Viseu Police Challenge, with over 2000 participants, and the
+INFO: www.prozis.com/pt/en/event/Portimãopolice-challenge
RUN FOR BREAST CANCER This is a fantastic annual charity event that attracts thousands of participants, who come together in Portimão to support the wonderful work of Algarve Oncological Association (AOA). Mamamaratona has become the largest charity event in the south of Portugal and it’s getting bigger! AOA aims to grow this event, not only by the number of participants, but also by its size and scope. The 6km walk/ run aims to raise awareness of cancer, in particular breast cancer, and to help the fight against this disease that affects so many. The event will promote the importance of fighting against cancer and preventing the disease by following a healthy lifestyle. Through Mamamaratona, AOA also aims
44
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
to raise funds for its work in support of cancer patients and their families. This year Mamamaratona will incorporate Portugal a Correr Portimão, an event organised by Global Sport, in partnership with the Municipality of Portimão, and in collaboration with the Algarve Athletics Association. Portugal a Correr Portimão will comprise a 10kms and a 21kms Marathon. The event attracts around 6000 participants - you can be one of them!
+INFO: aoa.pt/mamamaratona/
Oktoberfest This year the two week event that celebrates the finest German beer and food will take place from the end of September to October 6th at the VILA VITA Biergarten, in Porches. VILA VITA Parc’s authentic Bavarian beer garden, located just off the EN-125 on the Porches roundabout, recreates the atmosphere of this typical German party. This includes live music, traditional Bavarian food and plenty of beer served by a staff dressed in traditional costumes, and vivid murals portraying scenes from Bavarian life. Highlights of the menu include traditional sausages and authentic accompaniments: Bavarian sampler with pretzels, Obatzda cheese spread, cold cuts, crunchy knuckle of pork with cabbage salad and traditional potato salad, and of course, apple strudel. Staff will be on hand to explain all about the traditional delicacies, with the guarantee of best quality meat from VILA VITA Parc’s own on-site butcher. This year, there will be double fun with two different live bands from Germany and Austria (each performing on alternate weeks) from 7pm onwards, bringing extra fun each night with traditional music and many other irresistible popular hits. One other new addition is the daily Happy Hour, from 4pm to 6pm, offering two 30cl beers for the price of one. During the Oktoberfest, the VILA VITA Biergarten will be open from 4pm to midnight, with live music from 7pm onwards. Free parking is available. Table reservations are required by calling or email.
+INFO: +351 282 381 177 biergarten@vilavitaparc.com www.vilavitabiergarten.com
CALENDAR
October Calendar FITNESS Pilates Mat Classes (All Levels) Mon - Fri 8:30, 9:30 & 10:30am & 6pm, €10 or €90 x10, AR Pilates Studio, Chinicato, T: 966787280 Fitness Tue & Thurs 9.30am, Pilates Tues & Thurs 9.30am, €5 Golf Santo António Budens, T: 282690086
Promote your events and activities here - it’s FREE! Email your listings to us: for.tomorrow@hotmail.com ACTIVITIES Walking Football Wed 9.30-11am | +50yrs Welcome, €3 | Boavista Golf Resort, T: 282790930
Circus VagabunT Classes for children Tues 2.45 -4.30pm (5 to 7yrs) & 4.45h - 6.45pm (8 to 12yrs), €25 p/m Aljezur, Leo T: 968296503
Tennis Doubles-Round Robin Thurs 3-5pm €10, Golf Santo António Budens, T: 282690008
ROLL UP for experienced bowlers Mon & Fri 10am, Bowls for Beginners Tue 11am (1st lesson FREE), €10 (non mem.) Rua Direita Luz, T: 919707635
Yoga (Ashtanga based) Tues & Thurs 10.30am | Yoga for Men Tues 6.30pm Yin Yang Flow Tues 7.45pm Yin Yoga Wed 9.15am €5-€10, Grupo Desportivo do Burgau fit2lovelife T: 913202621 Tai Chi Wed 8.30am Qi Gong Fri 8.30am (donat.),
Inlight Lagos, T: 913127421
Netball Wed 7pm | All ages & abilities, Behind Bombeiros Building | Lagos, E: charlie.milsom@gmail.com
Golf lessons with PGA Pro on request Golf Santo António T: 282690054
EVENTS October 20th Tuna Fish Route, Tavira, Quimera Experience, For more info: T: 962647741 / 969467275 Fado Nights (Ana Marques) 8pm alternating with Michael Jackson’s Tribute (Delfim Miranda) 9pm(1hr), Wed, Carvi Hotel Praia Dona Ana, T: 282760993
46
Legs Bums & Tums Mon 1.30pm | Total Fitness Mon 7.30pm €6 | HIIT Yoga Fri 9.30am, €7 Burgau Sports Centre | Boxercise 9.30am Ocean Club Luz & Tues 7pm Lagos nr. Skatepark | LB&T Wed 2pm Ocean Club, Luz Soames Fitness (1-2-1 & Group training available), T: 913425893
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
October 7th DOGWALK for Cadela Carlota & Canil of Lagos | 10am - 12:30pm | Walk a dog from the shelter or canil. Bring your own dog. Looking to adopt? Then come a meet dogs available, Praça Do Infante D. Henrique Lagos T: 917448583 / 925525017
Pilates Mat Classes Mon Wed & Fri 9.15 & 10.30am & Mon 6pm (1hr) €10 or €90 for 10 Pilates Equipment Classes Duet Reformer | Semi Private & 1-2-1, Pilates Room Lagos, T: 926514613 Hatha Yoga Mon Wed & Fri 9.45-11.45am Yin Yoga Tues & Thurs 9.45am Booking required, €10 Boavista Golf Resort Yin Yoga Mon 4pm Haha yoga (beginners) Fri 3.30pm Kundalini Yoga Sat 10.30am, €12pc or €60x6, Alma Verde, T: 963614499 Tai Ji Quan Mon 10am (beg) & Thurs 5.30pm (adv), €10 | Dojo Zen de Lagos | Barão S. João, T: 919718955 Qi Gong Mon 6.30pm & Wed 10.30am €8 Ninjutsu/Budo Tajutsu Tues 6.30pm & Fri 7.30pm €10 Yoga Nidra Thurs 6.30pm €7 Pre-Natal Yoga Thurs 4pm €10, Casa Sakra Lagos, T: 916060814
Tai Chi Wed 2pm Qi Gong Fri 2pm
€7 Madrugada Charity, Luz T: 925664235 Haha Yoga Tue & Fri 10am | Kaula Tantra Yoga Wed 10am | African Drum 5pm
€9 / €7 (reg), Monte Rosa B. S. João T: 282687002 Yoga Wed & Fri 9am
Everyone welcome, Blocks and mats provided, €10, Ocean Villas Rua da Calheta Praia da Luz, T: 282767303 Yoga Tue 10am, €9 / €7 for regulars, Monte Rosa | Barão de São João T: 962492607 Gentle Hatha Mon 6.30pm Old School, Burgau & Wed 12.15pm, Hotel Belavista Luz €8 T: 965201477 Pilates Wed 11am, Yoga & De-stress Fri 11am, Zumba Dance Wed & Fri 10am, Step! & Tone (booking)
Thurs 10am, €7.50 Hotel Belavista Luz T: 968288258
CLASSES Dog Training Tue 11am (Rally-Obedience) | Fri 11am & Sat 4pm (Agility), €25 4 sess. Espiche, T: 968086320
Afro Fusion Dance Classes Wed 6pm & Fri. 10.30am, €10, Amovate Aljezur T: 918047263
The Sketch Sessions Drawing workshop (+18) Thurs, 6pm €10 (incl. materials & a drink), Lagos T: 914148373
Latin & Ballroom Tues 10am (interm) 11.30 (Improv.) & 12.15pm (New begin.) Ballroom Tango Tues 10.45 €5, Alvor Community Centre, Latin & Ballroom Wed 7pm (New Begin) & 7.45pm (improv. & intermid) T: 961916821
Watercolour Classes Thurs 10am, €11, Sala Paroquial (Church Hall) Praia da Luz, T: 912149839 Music Lessons (Piano, Guitar, Keyboard & Voice) Beginners & Intermediate €25p.h Salema T:964201904
Oriental Dance Class (beginners) Mon 7pm €6/class €20/m, LAC Lagos, T: 914851331
Swimming Lessons Mon & Thurs pm & Sat am, €12.50 €10 (mem.), Holiday Courses 3x per Week €25 €20 (mem.), Boavista T: 917953914 Classical Guitar Classes (English Speaking ABRSM Certified) 1-2-1 for children, adults & seniors €20p/h (References available), Lagos, Paulo T: 962690582 Life Drawing Mon 11am (Beg & Pro) €10 p.sess Marina de Lagos, T: 916035308 Computer Classes Sat 10am Lagos, T: 918764613
USEFUL NUMBERS GENERAL
FAITH Sunday Service 10.30am International Christian Community, Madness Restaurant Lagos Marina, T: 910640927 Communion Services Said Holy Communion Thurs 10am & Sun 8am, Sung Holy Communion (with hymns) 11.30am, CoE | St Vincent’s Anglican Church | Praia da Luz (church by the sea), Chaplain: T: 282789660 Zazen Zen Meditation Tue & Thurs 7.30am & Wed 7.30pm, €3 | Dojo Zen de Lagos | Barão S. João, T: 919718955
CHARITY & SUPPORT October 17th Alzheimer's/ Dementia Support Group 11am, Cafe Bom Dia, Rua Moinho do Azeite | Lagos, Carol T: 926297527 or Kirsteen T: 968084946 Riding for Disabled | Mon, Wed, Fri 10am | Volunteers welcome, weather permitting, Bensafrim, T: 915090044 Cadela Carlota Animal Charity Extra hands needed to help | Three hour shifts am or pm, Almadena Shop, E: cadelacarlota.comp@ gmail.com AA International English Speaking Meeting Wed 7.30 - 9pm, Rua Da Freguesia Lote 12c, Lagos, T: 964201904 / 282760506, AA hotline: 917005590
INFO: WWW.CM-LAGOS.PT EMERGENCY 112 HOSPITAL 282 770 100 RED CROSS 282 760 611 FIRE SERVICE 282 770 790 POLICE SERVICE (PSP) 282 780 240 NATIONAL GUARD (GNR) 282 770 010 TELECOM NAT. INFO 118 CITY COUNCIL 282 780 900 TOURIST OFFICE 282 763 031 TOWN INFO 282 764 111 TOURIST SUPPORT 808 781 212 TAXI SERVICE 282 460 610 BUS STATION 282 762 944 TRAIN STATION 282 762 987 TAXI : PEDRO COSTA 917 617 675 LAGOS CINEMA 282 799 138 CULTURAL CENTRE 282 770 450 HEALTH CENTRE 282 780 000 LUZ DOC (LUZ) 282 780 700 PRIVATE HOSPITAL 282 790 700 CHIROPRACTOR 282 768 044 DENTAL CLINIC 918 366 646 LAGOS VET 282 782 282 FUNERAL SERVICES 282 769 827 MOBILITY VEHICLES 964 230 225 ALL MOBILITY AIDS 282 760 611
PHARMACIES/CHEMIST LACOBRENSE NEVES CHEMIST RIBEIRO LOPES TELLO CHEMIST SILVA CHEMIST ODIÁXERE CHEMIST
282 762 901 282 769 966 282 762 830 282 760 556 282 762 859 282 798 491
CONSULATES/EMBASSIES BRITISH FRANCE (FARO) GERMAN (LAGOS) NETHERLANDS (FARO) CANADA (FARO) SWEDISH (FARO) IRISH
282 490 750 281 380 660 282 799 668 213 914 900 289 803 757 213 942 260 213 308 200
NO JOB TOO SMALL PORTUGUESE LESSON 912 417 994 TRANSLATIONS 916 618 527 ALICE (PORTUGUESE) 914 269 118 GAVIN COX (BUILDER) 916 430 132 HELIO (ELECTRICIAN) 917 288 966 LUIS (LOCKSMITH) 964 605 213 CHIM. & WIN. CLEANER 926 860 123 RUSSELL (MECHANIC) 282 639 778 ANA (SEWING) 919 747 591 STEVEN (COMPUTERS) 936 387 512 PEDRO (COMPUTERS) 917 165 238 XELI (FLORIST) 282 768 129 UK DELIVERIES 0044 208 123 1966 DESIGN 916 606 226 ALISON HAIRDRESSER 918 663 352 PAINTING - INT / EXT 925 374 624 CARPET CLEANING 915 532 850 PAUL (POOL REPAIR) 965 641 898
WHAT’S ON
FUNDAY HALLOWEEN Over the weekend of October 27th and 28th, Portimão Arena will once again become a megapark of halloween fun for youngsters, with bouncy castles, face paintings, balloon modeling, trampolines and more. The fun day will have three distinct thematic areas of animation, this year under the theme of halloween. Organisers say this is the biggest event of its kind in Portugal with the largest number of indoor entertainment equipment and materials. Normal tickets cost €13 pre sale / €15 on the day and gold tickets are €17 pre sale / €19 on the day. Normal ticket gives you access to the Small Kids Area with several activities including Pirate Boat, Spider Jumper, Enchanted Valley and Ball pit, the Extreme Sports Area featuring Bungee, Xtream Park, Slide and Extreme Fun Run and the Fun Area Trampolines, Jurassic World, Space Adventure and more. Gold ticket gives you access to those areas plus the Gold Area featuring Mechanic Wave, Everest, Alley-Oop, My Slide and more. The ticket includes the child’s entrance plus two adults per child as free as accompaniment. To reserve send an email with your name, number and type of ticket.
+INFO: www.funday.pt funday@mydynamic.pt
48
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
SNUGGLE UP FOR THE NIGHT AT SILVES CASTLE On the National Day of Castles in Silves you are invited to step back in time again and to stay the night. On October 6th you have a unique opportunity to spend the night staring at the stars, listening to harp music and stories from a bygone age before falling asleep in the castle. The event called One of the Thousand and One Nights starts with a reception at 6pm and chance for people to set up their tents. There will be drinks at 7pm, supper at 8pm followed by star gazing, harp music at 11pm then cookies and a poem before bed. “Allow to experience a visit to the Silves castle in an unusual environment where you can see stars, hear harp and stories from other times, and fall asleep packed
by the mystique of one of the most important testimonies in our history. Tents will be put down the following morning by 10am. You can take part for free but you will need register before the event to ensure there’s a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 40 participants. It will also depend on the weather. On Sunday October 7th there will be a guided tour of the castle accompanied by characters from history namely AlMut’amid, Ibn Ammar and Itimad. Times will be: 10am, 1om to 3pm and 6pm. Tour prices will be included in the castle tickets.
+INFO: patrimoniocultural@cm-silves.pt +351 282 440 854
Chance to dance Since it opened in 2004 the Dance School of ADL has had excellent national and international results and offered a wide range of dancing classes. These have included classical ballet (russian vaganova system, recognised in Portugal and worldwide), contemporary dance, character dance, hip-hop, tap dance, acrobatic, jazz, traditional dances, ballroom dance, flamenco, oriental dance and others. The school offers yearly exams, competitions, workshops, performances.
Working in groups and individual with the students, from three-years-old, boys and girls, to adults. School staff say: “We welcome you to visit our school to try all our dances free of charge.” The school is open from Monday to Saturday.
+INFO: +351 912 376 595 / 915 812 055 ass.danca.lagos@gmail.com Rua Gil Vicente 50, Lagos
WHAT’S ON The Witches Sabbath by Franz Franken 1606; Witch marks Hexafoil or daisywheel- ritual protection mark
WITCH MARKS
FESTIVAL OF SAND
BY JANE ROBERTSON
On Tuesday October 2nd, the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) will be presenting two lectures, in English, by Andy Weaver. The first lecture will be at 2.30pm at the Museu do Traje in São Bras, the second lecture will be at 6pm at the Convento de São José in Lagoa. In this lecture Andy Weaver will be talking about Witches marks - ritual protection symbols or apotropaic marks. They can be found carved into the structure of many historic places, medieval churches and houses, barns and even William Shakespeare’s birthplace. The marks date back to times when belief in witchcraft and the supernatural was widespread. Magical symbols and ritual objects were a common part of life from ancient times, but seem to have spiked around the 16th and 17th centuries. Witches’ marks are a physical reminder of how our ancestors saw the world and can teach us about commonly-held beliefs and rituals. Ritual marks were cut, scratched, carved and even burned into our ancestors’ homes and churches in the hope of making a very dangerous world into a safer, less hostile place. They were such a common part of everyday life that they have largely been overlooked as the idle doodling of bored choirboys and apprentice carpenters. Apotropaic marks can be found in medieval houses to protect against fire, in kitchens to ensure food safety standards and near cellar doors to protect the precious beer from going off! More often they are near windows, doors and chimneys and any other possible entry points for malevolent spirits hence the term ‘witch marks’. In times when the unexplained petty household disasters and not so petty catastrophes such as the Black Death were attributed to the earthly manifestations of the Devil, there was a real need to get insurance against such depredations from the only available source, one’s religious and ritualistic beliefs. So this is
50
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
The 15th annual FIESA, the International Sand Sculptures Festival, is taking place in the town of Pêra until November.
counter witchcraft or white magic As part of the SCAG (Southwell Community Archaeology Group) survey to investigate hidden timber-framed buildings in Southwell, Andy Weaver and his colleagues started to come across numerous ritual protection marks. As they continued to record them, the marks began to grab the imagination as they offer a glimpse into the minds of the people who crafted them. These are not the records of the political, economic or religious elite, but rather the voice of the ordinary people of medieval and postmedieval society which are singularly lacking except where they came into contact with authority via the courts. Since then, for Andy, it has become an obsession, to the extent that whenever he goes into an old inn, church or house he tends to start examining the hidden nooks and crannies with the aid of a torch in order to locate the existence of any possible ‘witch marks’. Andy Weaver is a retired Head of 6th Form/History teacher who has taught for most of his career in the mining villages of north Nottinghamshire, UK and a stint in Darwin, Australia. Non-members are welcome to attend AAA lectures for a €6 admission, with all money raised by the AAA being spent on archaeological grants and speakers. Please check the website or facebook page for any last minute changes.
+INFO: www.Southwellarchaeology.org.uk Southwell Community Archaeology Group arquealgarve.weebly.com algarvearchass@gmail.com Algarve Archaeological Association
It is open daily until November 10th and you can visit SandCity during the day until 7pm. This year’s exhibition features 45 thousand tonnes of sand carved into amazing works of art with the theme of Minions and Star Wars.
+INFO: www.fiesa.org
BEHIND THE SCENES The British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (BPCC) invites you to see behind the scenes at Faro Airport on October 11th. It will be a different event providing you with a unique opportunity to see ‘backstage’ at the renovated Faro airport. There will also be a light buffet served. This event is organised by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce with the collaboration of the British and French Chambers of Commerce. The number of participants is limited to 80 people, so please register now to reserve your place. The event will start at 12 noon with a welcome reception and will finish at 4pm. Fees: members €35 + IVA, non-members: €45 + IVA. Please email to reserve your place.
+INFO: a.silva@bpcc.pt
WHAT’S ON
ALGARVE HISTORY THIS MONTH On Sunday October 7th there will be a concert at 5pm at Quintinha da Música with music played by Aya Komatsu (flute) and Namiko Kimori (piano). The tickets cost €25 (to book contact Lynne please) On Monday 8th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Tavira and on Tuesday 9th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Lagoa there will be a talk called Does Modern Art have its roots in the Iberian Peninsula? This will be given by Carmen Ruiloba Errandonea. On Friday 26th at 11am at the Municipal Library Tavira and Tuesday 30th at 6pm at the Municipal Library Lagoa there will be a talk called Was Salazar a Fascist? This talk will be given by Peter Kingdon Booker. Peter said: “Among the expatriate community in Portugal, there is enduring interest in the former dictator of Portugal, António de Oliveira Salazar. That interest is reflected in the swathe of articles and books which have appeared recently in the Portuguese language. Portugal had been in governmental crisis since the Napoleonic Wars, and Salazar brought much needed stability. In the age of dictators, Salazar’s role became to protect his country from the evils of war, and in this aim he was successful. It is undoubted that the methods he used were totalitarian, similar to those used by dictators of the political right and of the political left. And his dictatorial influence lasted well into the 1970s, nearly as long as that of Soviet Russia. But was he a fascist? If that term means anything at all, apart from being a modern day pejorative, it means a follower of the methods of the Italian Fascist movement. In his presentation on Salazar, Peter Booker intends to compare Portugal with Italy and other totalitarian states, and to discover whether Salazar’s methods were compatible with this essentially Italian description.”
+INFO: algarvehistory@gmail.com
52
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
TWO REASONS TO CELEBRATE BY THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDENING ASSOCIATION PORTUGAL The Mediterranean Garden Fair 2018, the Algarve’s only specialist plant sale, will celebrate the start of the gardening year at the Museu de S. Brás de Alportel on Saturday October 27th from 11am to 4pm. Entry €1, gardeners under 16 free. Once again, the event will take place in the lovely historic courtyard garden behind the museum with plenty of room to sit and chat and time to visit the nurseries.
both English and Portuguese, organic produce and essential oils, and vegetable plants to get your edible garden started for the new season.
The first Mediterranean Garden Fair was held on November 2nd in 2008, so this year we will also be celebrating our 10th Anniversary. Each year the number of visitors has grown and we look forward to another great crowd of eager plant buyers for our tenth year.
There will also be an opportunity to donate spare or surplus plants, trees, shrubs and seeds to the gardeners of Monchique in the area recently devastated by fire.
Visitors to the Garden Fair will be able to take advantage of free entry to the programme of talks. Native Plants by João Gomes of Sementes de Portugal at 11.30 and on Medicinal and Culinary Herbs by Fernanda Botelho at 2pm. João Gomes will bring his range of native plants seeds for sale and Fernanda Botelho will have her new agenda and range of lovely books on herbs available. Also available at the Garden Fair will be plants native to Portugal and plants adapted to the Mediterranean climate, information and advice from the nursery owners and from the MGAP information table and Plant Clinic. There will be books on gardening in the Mediterranean in
For the first time at this event there will be special workshop for our younger visitors on how to make a ‘Portable Garden’. Numbers are limited so please book a place on arrival at the fair.
Refreshments will be available on site and the popular Plant Créche will also be provided, so you can leave your bulky or heavy purchases while you continue looking around. The annual Autumn Mediterranean Garden Fair is organised by MGAP (Mediterranean Gardening Association – Portugal) This event could not take place without the collaboration of Amigos do Museu do Traje and the Câmara Municipal de Saõ Brás de Alportel.
+INFO: mgapfairs@gmail.com Mediterranean Gardeners – Portugal www.mediterraneangardeningportugal www.amigos-museu-sbras.pt (directions)
WHAT’S ON
BETTER LIVING IN PORTUGAL BLiP expo 2018 is taking place this year on October 13th and 14th at the Portimão Arena. The Better Living in Portugal Exhibition (otherwise known as BliP expo) is the allinclusive exhibition where a wide range of businesses showcase their products and services to residents in Portugal. The range is extensive and includes health care, financial services, insurance, consular services, energy solutions, gardens and outdoor living and leisure.
You will also find exhibitors offering removals, fashion, pest control, windows, doors, security, blinds, artisans, travel, technology, funeral services, property, food and wines, greetings cards and much more - all under one roof.
HELPING NELMA To mark the 10th anniversary of the Essential Fitness & Spa at Boavista Golf Resort a fundraising event is being held on October 5th. The fundraiser is being organised to help local Lagos teenager, Nelma, who is suffering from a rare form of cancer and needs to get treatment abroad. There will be an 8km walking tour and 12km running trail which will start at 9am. Please meet at the health club.There will be a buffet lunch afterwards.
The event is open to visitors on Saturday between 10am and 6pm and on Sunday between 11am and 5pm.
Taking part costs €25 - please let them know in advance.
+INFO: www.betterlivinginportugal.com
+INFO: www.boavistaresort.pt essential.management@boavistaresort.pt
ALGARVE DANCE OPEN
54
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
On October 20th and 21st the second edition of the international dance competition for dancers aged up to 25 years, in ballet, contemporary, jazz and other styles, will be taking place in the Centro de Congressos do Arade in Parchal, on the other side of the old Portimão bridge.
innovative improvisation competitions open to all competitors between the main competition sessions. On the Sunday evening, there will be a gala performance of the prize winners and other selections. The public is invited to support this event by ticket entry to the competition sessions, or the gala.
The international jury will have many scholarship prizes to distribute through the lucky category winners, for very diverse workshops and intensive courses across several continents. There will be workshops on the Saturday morning, and
For more information and programme (later) please consult the site or Facebook page.
+INFO: www.algarvedanceopen.com
WHAT’S ON
JOINING FORCES WITH ALDO BY REBECCA SIMPSON
This year John Aldridge joined forces with Tomorrow Magazine for his Charity Golf Classic which was a huge success. Raising approximately €12.500 for local, national and British charities, a brilliant weekend was had by everyone. All 17 teams thoroughly enjoyed the weekend playing rounds of golf at both Boavista and Espiche, with lots of laughs and shenanigans involved. Charities such as the Bombeiros, NECI and local dog and donkey sanctuaries are some of the charities in the Algarve included for funds raised. On the final day of the event, a charity auction also took place with prizes that included signed football shirts, hospitality match tickets and golfing weekends Brian Browning provided everyone with vast amounts of entertainment during the auction and was a definite helping hand when it came to raising funds for such great causes. With everyone creased over in fits of laughter, Brian and John didn’t disappoint with their wit and sense of humour. Tomorrow Magazine would like to thank everyone involved including all the sponsors who made the weekend possible and of course Boavista and Espiche golf clubs for being such fantastic hosts. Tom Henshaw from Tomorrow said: “We look forward to joining forces for the 2019 John Aldridge Charity Golf Classic. We were thrilled with its success this year and very much look forward to sponsoring the event again next year.” Hole sponsorship by: GCEN, Lagos Vet Clinic (LVC), DRM, Resort Resales, Quay Lagos, Sunny Shades, Abacoz, Pasmina, Look Steak Cafe, Baptista, Fresco’s, Pigs Head, The Snug, S.O.S UK TV, Visky, Luzdoc, Chestertons, Luis’s Bar, GWR Engineering, PMB Construction, Liverpool Echo, Irish Sunday World, Pure Pools, Hugo Beaty, Vivenda Miranda, Multi-Rental, DHL, Carvi Hotel, Abode.
To see all photos of the event go to www.tomorrowalgarve.com/gallery Thanks to Nico Arnoldi for the amazing photos www.arnoldivideo.com
56
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
WHAT’S ON
Winning team ‘Riley Roos’: Tony O’Mara, Joseph Mackenzie, Steve Diston, Ted Sweeney
WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM
57
WHAT’S ON
Glorious fifth BY TOM HENSHAW
On September 14th we held our fifth annual charity golf day at Espiche Golf Club and it proved to be another resounding success. A great event in the Tomorrow annual calendar and one that helps so many of our local and needy charities. The weather could not have been more perfect and the event proved to be a great day out for all involved. We were extremely honoured and excited, to have Mickey Thomas the famous Welsh international and Manchester United football legend come along on the day to play in our tournament. A big thank you from all of us for all your help in raising money through selling your truly astonishing autobiography. Espiche Golf Club gave us wonderful food, great service and a very happy atmosphere to enjoy our annual gathering against the beautiful backdrop of the course. The club also give our charity, T.A.C.T, €25 back for very golfer who played as their fantastic contribution to the charities- an enormous and generous boost to our funds. In total, the day raised €2.500 for T.A.C.T, with Steven Dunwell and Graham Jones making their now famous baguettes with delicious choice of fillings, raising a net €80 which all adds to the overall success of this event. Joe Rawlins form Kellys in Luz once again gave all the beers for the thirsty golfers on hole 10. Also many of our customers, once again dipped into their reserves, offering some really great prizes for us to
enable the raffle to make just over €600 The winner this year of the Mary Sutton Memorial Trophy was the ‘The lost boys’ team which as it turned out was really appropriate as they obviously did not lose too many golf balls during their game! The next Tomorrow Golf Day at Espiche will be in May 2019. Please look out for date in the next edition. We want to say a BIG thank you to every one of you that helped us have another fabulous day in good company and with great support all round. If you wish to buy any of the photographs that Fatima took please email her on bestillfatimavargas@gmail.com. Hole sponsorship by: GCEN, Lagos Vet Clinic (LVC), DRM, Resort Resales, Quay Lagos, Sunny Shades, Abacoz, Pasmina, Look Steak Cafe, Baptista, Fresco’s, Pigs Head, The Snug, S.O.S UK TV, Visky, Luzdoc, Chestertons, Luis’s Bar, GWR Engineering, PMB Construction, Liverpool Echo, Irish Sunday World, Pure Pools, Hugo Beaty, Vivenda Miranda, MultiRental, DHL, Carvi Hotel, Abode. Raffle prizes donated by: Boavista Golf & Spa Resort, Cascade Wellness & Lifestyle Resort, Lagos Bodywork Studio, Fortaleza da Luz Restaurant, Days of Adventure, Golf Santo António, Rebecca Simpson, Eva Clarke, Ray Gillman, Tom Wilson, Marina Boat Charters, Access Algarve, Espiche Golf.
Winning team ‘The lost boys’: Phil Ambler, Chris Lewis, Chris Mortimer, Steve Yodd
58 FOLLOW FOLLOW US ON US ONTOMORROWALGARVE TOMORROWALGARVE
WHAT’S ON
To see all photos of the event go to www.tomorrowalgarve.com/gallery Thanks to Fátima for the amazing photos bestillfatimavargas@gmail.com
WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM
59
Back to school Dear Editor,
The Back to School Campaign has now concluded and there are many individuals, groups and organisations who have generously participated, our thanks and appreciation to them all. A large number of music recorders were provided by the musicians from Banda SFA Artistas de Minerva and Banda Filarmónica de São Bras under the directorship of José Branco and Albano Neto Recorders are required by schools for children over 10 years. The wonderful recorder covers were created by Sonia Nascimento in Algoz. Special thanks also go to Gary and Sylvia King of the Golf Shack in Porches for supplying good quality backpacks and gym bags at a very low price, as well as acting as a drop off point for school items. Many thanks goes to all the other individuals and businesses who have offered to act as drop off points too and have also been collecting money to fund the remaining items needed. Collection tins will remain at these venues for
SALT
Dear Editor,
First of all I’d like to congratulate for your great magazine which is always rich on interesting articles - however... I’ve read in the last edition of Tomorrow a quite disappointing article called The truth about salt. Unlike common table salt (which is just sodium chloride), natural Sea Salt (from sea water) contains sodium as well as other many important trace minerals in a balance similar to the extra cellular fluids in the body. One of the key benefits of Sea Salt is that sea water has a relative mineral composition almost identical with that of the blood, so when sodium is excreted from the body, other essential minerals salts such as potassium, magnesium and trace elements are also excreted. Common table salt is mined and stripped of its
60
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
the time being, so it is not too late to donate to the campaign. If you wish to give money straight to the charity the account number is ACCA IBAN PT50 0079 0000 434264 1910 122. A special thanks goes to the individuals and families who have found and bought many items for the campaign, many of which can be seen on the Facebook page Back to School 2018 – help needed. School items are being collected in and the task of filling all the backpacks will begin soon. Finally the backpacks will be distributed to the charities and other organisations involved with needy families for distribution and ACCA will be able to ensure that no child will be educationally disadvantaged because they lack the school equipment they need. Thank you so much everybody who has helped and who are still helping to make this another very successful Back to School Campaign. For more information, contact Su Davis on email su.davis@sapo.pt Yours sincerely, Vicki Good
naturally occurring trace minerals, which are then sold separately for profit as supplements. Magnesium is extracted by processing the original salt with caustic soda or lime, fetching a higher price. Other valuable elements in the sea salt are also lost or extracted. Some folks argue that the trace minerals are of such miniscule proportion that they are insignificant to human health. It’s true that we do not need huge amounts of copper, manganese, selenium, boron, etc., but our human biology is evolved to include this subtle but vast array of trace minerals to support cell metabolism. Natural sea salt contains 60 to 90 trace minerals. After stripping the salt from its naturally occurring minerals, commercial salt is heated at high temperatures and supplemented with iodine and various agents to make it free flowing. The most common free flowing agent is aluminum silicate. Aluminum concentrations have been found in the nerve dendrites of Alzheimer sufferers. Many people avoid aluminum cookware for this reason, but are not aware that they are consuming aluminum everyday in salt. Another chemical agent often found in common table salt is Sodium prussiate or sodium ferrocyanide (YPS or E535),a free-
flowing chemical agent industrially produced from hydrogen cyanide. It is added to road salt to keep it from clumping and a stabilizer for the coating on welding rods. In photography it is used for bleaching toning and fixing. It is a hazardous irritant to the skin, eyes and respiratory system. Advised in case of ingestion: Do not induce vomiting. Loosen tight clothing such as the collar, tie, belt or waistband. If the person is not breathing, perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and seek immediate medical attention. Delicious, isn’t it? Concluding: common table salt as well as sea salt contains NaCl, therefore “use but not abuse” - even the healthiest food when taken in excess will be harmful. But whereas Sea Salt ‘gives you’”, Table Salt will definitely ‘take from you’. Kindest regards, Graziano Apologies for the headline of the original story The truth about salt which may have been misleading. It was written by the editor, not the story’s author.
BAR & GRILL
The place to be on the Marina A wide selection of drinks and cuisine GOLDEN YEARS CLUB (OVER 60'S) Every day 12h to 20h
2 COURSES FOR 9,50€ OR 3 COURSES FOR 11€ (INCL. A DRINK)
SUMPTUOUS SUNDAY CARVERY 11€ PP (INCL. A DRINK) Roast Beef, Lamb or Pork
LIVE JAZZ & BLUES MUSIC
with Roger and his band every Thursday and Sunday
WINE OF THE MONTH Check out our monthly offer
FUN QUIZ NIGHT STOP THE MUSIC 12,50€ PP Date in November to be announced Includes 3 course international cuisine and a drink
Open every day from 8.30am till late 911 568 143 | lazyjackslagos@gmail.com Lagos Marina GPS: 37.109175 / -8.673172
HEALTH & BEAUTY
Herb of the month BY POPPY BURR
Liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is one of the most commonly used medicines by herbalists the world over. No herbal dispensary is complete without it, and I’ve been using it more than ever this past month. This sticky sweet root has a number of intriguing properties however, its ability to combat adrenal dysfunction - also called ‘burnout’ and ‘adrenal fatigue’ - is what interests me most. The adrenals are two important little glands that sit on top of the kidneys and produce the life-saving hormones cortisol and adrenaline, among a few others. The problem is, our busy lifestyles and the chronic stress that often comes with them put a lot of strain on these glands. At first, overproduction of stress hormones causes you to feel stressed and anxious, have trouble sleeping and get frequent infections, among other symptoms. After a few years of this, cortisol production slows in a bid to conserve energy and protect the body from damage. At this stage you may feel fatigued, forgetful, depressed and just ‘at the end of your tether’. You may sleep a lot but never feel truly regenerated, or get a diagnosis of an inflammatory or autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or endometriosis. Our bodies are telling us to rest and restore, but our busy lifestyles aren’t about to let that happen! This is
where, along with mindful dietary and lifestyle changes, Liquorice can help. Liquorice works by stopping the breakdown of cortisol in the body, to allow the cortisol that is being produced to hang around for longer. This gives the body a physiological ‘rest’ at a time when it needs it the most. One side effect is a potential increase in blood pressure, so I never give liquorice to people with diagnosed hypertension. Along with other herbs and nutrients, liquorice helps get the body back up to speed and promotes adrenal recovery, which is so crucial for healthy hormonal balance overall. Poppy is a degree-qualified medical herbalist practicing from two clinic spaces in Aljezur and Praia da Luz. She offers holistic consultations and personalised treatment plans using plantbased medicine.
+INFO poppytheherbalist.com +351 969 091 683
I am writing this whilst on a yoga retreat in the Alentejo, and as I was looking around observing my fellow students, it made me think about how we are all so unique.
VIEW FROM MY YOGA MAT BY ANN DE JONGH
62
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
To practice yoga with 250 people in the same room has an incredible energy, and it also shows the wide range of what different bodies can do when it comes to different yoga poses. So often people think that to do yoga you have to be super bendy but yoga is so much more than the physicality of being able to touch your toes. Whenever I teach I always emphasise to people that we are all different. Our bodies are all subtly different, bone lengths, depth of hip sockets, torso length etc are not uniform, so we all do poses slightly differently and what is right for one person isn’t necessarily right for someone else. Yoga teaches us to love our bodies as they are, to work with what we can do,
rather than fighting and trying to force what we can not do just because the person next to us is doing it differently to us. Yoga, despite practicing in a room with lots of other people, is all about you and your mat, focusing on allowing your body to move as it wants to. As we age and arthritis starts to creep in, joints stiffen and muscles tighten it is more important to continue or to start a yoga practice. When we accept our bodies for being the way they are, and we work with the body, the breath and allow the mind to quieten, then we can start to see some changes occurring both in the way we move and the way we feel. Ann is a trainer, yoga teacher and offers nutrition and massage.
+INFO +351 913 202 621 www.fit2lovelife.com fit2lovelife
vegetarian & vegan food • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
every thursday: • live music & tapas
october to may:
R
O .C
R
U
. MB
A
G
GR
IL
AN
DE
GU
ER
RA
we are here ! V
IC
E
N
TE
R U A P R O F E S SO R LUI S A ZE V ED O
• every sunday from 11AM - 3PM brunch all you can eat 9AM - 00AM r ua g i l v i c e n t e n º28 , l a g o s
RU
A
CÂN
CINEMA
DID
O O D
EI S R
S
+351 914 061 143 w w w . l a l i ta n a . c o m
HEALTH & BEAUTY
THE DIGESTIVE TRACT Our friendly tenants BY NIKI MEDLOCK Scientific evidence shows that we cannot live without the microbiota (good bacteria) in our gut. This relationship between the gut and the microbiota is symbiotic, meaning that there is mutual interaction between the immune and mucosal cells of the gut lining and the bacteria. They help to keep us healthy through the sharing of substantial metabolic, immunological and gut protective functions. In return the microbiota gets nutrients from our digested dietary components and a “safe” environment to live in. Some of these essential mechanisms are: Playing a direct response in defending against pathogens (bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease) that can invade the gut lining by colonising all available space, using up all available nutrients and secreting compounds that kill or
inhibit unwelcome organisms. Therefore any disruption of the gut flora allows for competing organisms, which are harmful to us, to basically ‘pitch a tent’!!! Assisting in the digestion and breakdown of undigested carbohydrates, such as certain starches, fibre and sugars, through producing enzymes that we do not produce. This gives us an extra source of energy as well as “feeding” the microbiota! There is also positive impact on lipid and protein metabolism and synthesis of Vitamin K, several components of Vitamin B as well as facilitating the absorption of dietary minerals. Gut microbes also modify the chemical structures of numerous ingested, foreign compounds (xenobiotics), including dietary components (such as food additives) environmental pollutants, and Pharmaceuticals.
Next month: What if the microbiota is unbalanced? Niki Medlock is head nurse at www.luzdoc.com
Many medications have an effect in reducing pain, usually through a direct action on the nervous system, but the simplest painkillers or aspirin-like drugs are called ‘non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs’ (NSAID’s). To understand how they work, and their side-effects, it is important to know a bit about prostaglandins, a group of compounds made in our bodies which have important safety functions. They line the stomach and intestine to prevent damage, help the blood to clot to prevent bleeding, and cause inflammation after tissue damage. Although we might not like the inflammation that follows injury such as a sprained ankle or a burn, this is a safety mechanism to remove us from further harm and promote healing. So health care professionals, and sufferers, understand how heat, redness, swelling, and pain arises from trauma, but might like to reduce that pain once safely resting. NSAIDs work by reducing all prostaglandins, and hence inflammation and pain. So aspirin is really good for a sudden acute inflammation, such as sunburn but stomach side effects led to a search to find other types of NSAID over the next 100 years. Gradually, it became clear that all these compounds had problems. They
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
I have barely scratched the surface on the role of the microbiota but what I wanted to show was that it works very hard to help us keep a stable, healthy environment for both of us to survive and live a healthy life – take care of it!
Helping the immune system cells in the gut to provide a balanced inflammatory response
PAIN KILLERS
64
to an invading pathogen, allowing for it to be destroyed without this reaction causing damage to the surrounding healthy intestinal tissue and the “friendly” bacteria from prolonged or chronic inflammation. Thus the microbiota helps to minimise the action of the inflammatory response while maximising the anti-inflammatory response. This mechanism is crucial to intestinal homeostasis.
BY CHRIS WELLS
reduced the prostaglandins that line and protect the stomach and intestine, allowing some takers to get perforations, ulcers and bleeding from the bowel. Research from 1970 onwards led to the discovery of a new type of compound, a COX II inhibitor, which did the job better without the worst effects of gut irritation. All anti-inflammatories (including the COX-II) occasionally cause other side-effects such as high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease, so the matter of these medications being available as OTC’s ( over the counter medications, not needing a Doctor’s prescription) is a thorny one. If they are used short term, they can be very effective medicines with a low risk of harm but even in the long term they may be valuable if they allow activity that was prevented by pain. We know that inactivity of from pain can cause many health problems including heart and chest disease, and even an earlier death in some severe pain sufferers. Dr Chris Wells is a pain medicine specialist who now lives in Portugal where he runs a blueberry farm.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
PETS MATE This October in dental month again at Lagos Vet Clinic. Dental Health...it’s one of those things we all know about, we all care about and then many of us take a sharp detour, just before we do anything interventionist about it! I, for one, have a dentist appointment tomorrow and I damn-well intend to keep it! With dogs and cats, we often see owners unaware of the disease hiding behind the curtains that are the lips. Behind the scenes are tartar, plaque, gingivitis, halitosis, caries and ulcers. Infections around diseased teeth a chronic, non healing infections problems for dogs and cats, which cause the following: -Chronic low grade pain -Chronic drain on energy stores to maintain inflammation -Constant source of bacteria causing infection -Source for bacteria to spread around the body setting up distant ‘satellites’ of infection. -Bad breath means no kisses goodnight OR good morning! Lagos Vet Clinic has specialised dentistry equipment needed to undertake all dental procedures from a dental clean and polish to compacted root infections. Throughout October we will be conducting free dental checks in our patients. If you are worried about the state of affairs in your pets’ mouth, call us and come in for a free dental check. You will find out if there is a clean billof-health or if your dog/cat needs some dental health products or will need a procedure to sort out it’s chops! Owners of older pets that have had dental surgery comment that, not only is there a marked improvement in the breath and comfort when eating; but, also, that the dog has more energy and joie-de-vie than beforehand. Dental infections are a constant drain on the energy of older dogs and cats. Also, untreated
BY LARS RAHMQUIST dental infections can lead to chronic disease being set up in distant parts of the body. Avoiders-of-dentists know that it takes little more than biting into an apple to see the tell-tale blood specks of gingivitis. You then see how easily all of those billions of bacteria can gain access to the bloodstream and go and set up infections elsewhere. Older pets with compromise to their kidneys, liver or heart can have worsening problems in these organs from super-infections set up by these migrating bacteria (Donald Trump would not stand for such unwanted migration, for sure!) Finally, you can get advice about what preventative things you can do for your cat or dog to not get plaque and tartar building up on their teeth and prevent any need for dental intervention in your pet. This is especially worthwhile in older pets, whom we would rather not anaesthetise. But, if they have rotten teeth, then they will need to have a surgery, just like us. But unlike us, they need a general anaesthetic to operate inside their mouth (trust me, you can’t do much when they’re awake!). Free Dental Checks in October and get back to morning beijinhos with your fluffy buddy. Finally, a thank you to our wonderful nurses. Who worked so hard for many weeks in preparation for last month’s Puppy Party. We hosted a Pirate Puppy Party for our young nippers who came along, ate snacks, played with puppies and won prizes. Beer and hot dogs were enjoyed by their happy owner and all declared the afternoon a furry success!!
+INFO: www.lagosvet.com
BEE LOVELY The Spa Suite at Boutique Hotel Vivenda Miranda uses the organic Bee Lovely range produced by the UK based company Neal’s Yard Remedies. This choice to use this range was made because it directly supports the growing global movement to ban neonicotinoids and protect the humble bee. The delicately flavoured honey comes from a cooperative in south eastern Mexico, that guarantees a fair price and sustainable market for the small-scale farmers, and access to their incredible pure organic honey for the product range. And don’t worry about the bees, the honey is sustainably-sourced, with the beekeepers leaving enough honey to feed the bees
66
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
through the lean winter months. Through sales of this range, Neal’s Yard Remedies are donating £10,000 a year to projects that Help Save the Bees. Why not help support the bees and pamper yourself at the same time with a purchase from the Spa Suite? There’s the moisturising hand cream for hard working hands (€13), body butter for complete body hydration (€30) and lip balm for beautifully soft lips (€9).
+INFO: +351 282 763 222 spa@vivendamiranda.com www.vivendamiranda.com/uk/wellness
HEALTH & BEAUTY
GIVE BOOT CAMP A GO! BY JULIE BATTERSBY A few weeks ago I decided to set myself a challenge and enrolled for a retreat boot camp at the spectacular venue of Vivenda Miranda Hotel overlooking Porto de Mós beach near Lagos We arrived at 9.45am and were offered healthy snacks, juices, tea coffee and water. Time to meet all the others attending and to chat to Ryan and Faye, our trainers. After being split into two groups I started with the yoga experience which took place on the cliff top overlooking the sea which was very tranquil and calming.
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Ryan and Faye are inspirational people who live what they teach, they tailored the programme for all our abilities giving the group great positive supportive. I have only recently started to attend a weekly boot camp here in Lagos with a group of women and I did this after a day boot camp I tried earlier in the year at the Vivenda Miranda’s sister venue near Odiaxere.
The other group experienced a stretch walk to get their legs working! The groups swapped and later we all gathered for a break under shade for drinks. Ryan then explained how he was going to arrange the boot camp activity workouts.
Ryan and Faye taught us to help our mind and body. They also offer personal one-to-one training or group activities meeting their clients at different venues around Lagos and Luz. You can have customised nutrition plans made easy for you and you can even get personal help online.
“You get out of it what you put in” we were told, “challenge yourselves”. It was hot.... it was strenuous but funnily enough - it was really good. We were all encouraging each other.
I’m 65 next year (thanks everyone! I know how does she do it ) well anyone can, personally I can’t wait and I’m really looking forward to the next retreat boot camp at Vivenda Miranda on Saturday October 13th which starts at 9.45am with brunch at 1pm.
Lunch was enjoyed by all of us, delicious and nutritious food in a buffet style, designed by the Vivenda Miranda’s top chef which included fresh smoothies, juices, wraps, salads, meats and a lot more ending with a variety of healthy desserts. This was more time to really get to know others who were attending - there was a mixture
68
of ages and nationalities. We were then allowed to explore the Vivenda Miranda venue and to stay and relax for the rest of the day around the fabulous pool and gardens. There is a wonderful spa there which has (Neal’s yard products). I recommend you pick up a pamphlet.
+INFO: +351 920 286 131 / 0044 7931957985 ryan@rfsfitness.com / info@fsfitness.com www.ryansmithfitness.com / www.rfsfitness.com
BUSINESS
NEW SPACE, SAME SERVICE Mother and daughter, Danielle and Edwina Shrimpton have relocated to new premises in Lagos. Although the new premises are shared, Danielle works as an independent solicitor, whilst Edwina works as an independent lawyer. Together they offer a full range of legal services dedicated to various branches of law. The family connection works to the advantage of clients, who can benefit from a wide range of services and the combination of knowledge and experience. Both are fully fluent in English and Portuguese and hold qualifications and experience in both British and Portuguese law, enabling them to work with foreign and local clients alike. Danielle was born in Sutton Coldfield and first came to Portugal with her family over 40 years ago. She studied through the English system in the UK and through the International School in Porches. Danielle subsequently moved back to the UK and obtained her LLB at Warwick University. Once graduated and prior to qualifying as a Portuguese solicitor she gained valuable experience by working with Property Development Companies and Foreign Exchange Companies in London, Gibraltar and Hungary. Danielle also worked in the role of Pro-Consul at the British Consulate in Portimão, Algarve for several years. Born and raised in the Algarve, Edwina moved to the
UK to study and completed the Bar Professional Training Course at the University of the West of England. She then worked at the highly respected English Family Law firm, Benussi & Co. before returning to the Algarve in 2013 and qualifying as a Portuguese lawyer (Advogada). It’s important to both Danielle and Edwina that their clients enjoy peace of mind, and through experience they have found that clear communication and transparent pricing, with regular client contact and updates on progress, are essential to reducing unnecessary stress for clients when it comes to legal proceedings. Their priority is providing a high quality service that engenders trust. Legal services include: Buying & Selling Properties, Contracts, Wills, Probate, Family Law, Civil Law, Fiscal Representation & Residency, Alojamento Local (Rental Licences) and Legal Translation Services.
+INFO: +351 282 080 008 edwinashrimptonlawyer.com www.dj-law.com/danielle-shrimpton-algarve-solicitor-lagos-algarve.html
Casas do Barlavento will be honoured at the European Property Awards, in association with Salice at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London later this month. The agency competed against the best property professionals across the European regions to be recognised in the Best Real Estate Agency category for Portugal.
LOCAL AWARD WINNER 70
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
The International Property Awards, founded in 1995 are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme with an independent panel of 80 industry expert judges, focused on design, quality, service, innovation, originality and commitment to sustainability. It is with great pride that Casas do Barlavento accepts this award that represents the agency’s commitment to the real estate market in the region: “
To be nominated at this year’s European Property Awards has already left us very happy and satisfied, but now with the confirmation of actually winning the award, it leaves us truly proud! “I would like to thank the team’s dedication for the last 15 years and to reinforce the idea that we are dedicated to achieving another 15 more, making us stronger and even more committed to our clients.”, states Luís Ledo, Managing Director of Casas do Barlavento.
+INFO: +351 282 780 870 info@casasdobarlavento.com www.casasdobarlavento.com
FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE
TOP TIPS
RESEARCH IS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE. Check out our top tips to help you safeguard your money throughout the currency exchange process.
#1 #2 #3 #4 HOWEVER
#5 #6
Make sure you're dealing with a reputable company & undertake your due diligence properly. Make sure the company is authorised by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) under the Payments Services Regulations 2017. Make sure they hold sufficient insurance to protect you & your money. FX companies are NOT regulated to hold a cash balance to use like a bank account. However canservice offer this service its sister GCEN can GCEN offer this through through its sister company GCS which company GCS which is fully regulated to is do so. fully regulated to do so. Make sure the bank account you pay into matches the actual company name you're dealing with. Your money doesn't earn interest with an FX company & can't be invested by them.
Since 2003, Global Currency Exchange Network Ltd (GCEN) have helped over 100,000 private and corporate clients across the world exchange their money securely and efficiently. Last year alone, GCEN transacted over $4bn in foreign currency trades so are always best placed to offer the most competitive rates coupled with exceptional service. FCA reference number: 504346. GCEN is a money services business regulated by HMRC under the money laundering regulations. Company reference: 12137189.
Global Custodial Services (a sister company of GCEN) is a specialist financial services provider offering a portfolio of client money services and corporate payment solutions. GCS Ltd is licensed to hold client money, authorised and regulated by the FCA and holds Part IV Permissions under the FSMA 2000. Registration number: 595875. For more information or to open an account please contact us...
Portugal +351 289 093 137 Email portugal@gcen.co.uk Web gcen.co.uk
BUSINESS
SNOW BIRDS FLYING SOUTH FOR WINTER BY DAVID WESTMORELAND Summer tourism is fading and the bustling crowds of seasonal holiday makers are slowly making their way back home. Lagos and the surrounding area has traditionally been a very popular summer destination, attracting visitors for short term beach or golf holidays. Most holidaymakers visit the Algarve for a period of one or two weeks and many second home owners only use their properties during summer season to fit in with family schedules like work and school. Hence many holiday homes have traditionally been found empty and unused during the winter months. However, recent years have seen changing trends in Lagos with a new group of holiday makers and second home owners flocking to the western Algarve. These are young retirees who can obtain the NHR tax benefit by establishing a residence in Portugal. They are obligated to spend 180 days of the year here. The majority hail from northern Europe and spend the winter months in Lagos, allowing them to escape the colder climates of their native countries and thus creating a new winter tourism. To coin an American phrase, Lagos is now attracting snow birds flying south for the winter. What does this mean in terms of real estate? We are seeing a strong trend of buyers looking for properties with high energy efficiency ratings. New buildings with good insulation and quality heating systems are high on the list. And properties in the historic town center, or within an easy walk to the town and Marina are also becoming more popular because these winter tourists enjoy Lagos town as much as the summer holiday makers enjoy the sunshine on the beach.
72
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
However, many of these snow birds are not yet ready to purchase a property and prefer to rent rather than buy. This is giving rise to the traditionally off season rental period as a six month rental contract provides qualification for the NHR program. Second home owners who do not use their properties over the winter can achieve a solid income with very little cost associated by offering their property for a 6 month let over the winter period. Of course the income is not as strong as the weekly rental rates of summer, however neither are the expenses. Winter tenants manage their own cleaning, and they also cover their utility bills, offering a good savings on costs to owners. Another trend we often see at end of summer is for second home owners to opt for a longer term rental. These are usually from one to two years. There is a strong demand for year-round rentals, and prices are increasing so owners can generate a good income. Costs are minimal with the tenant covering the majority, soon most cases the owner is only responsible for their annual property tax and condominium fees. Tenants are also vetted in regards to financial viability and contracts are established clearly defining the rental term. Lagos Long Lets manages the entire process so owners can receive a hassle free experience with peace of mind regarding their rental income. If you are a property owner looking to maximize your rental income over the winter or for a longer fixed term, contact us for a consultation
+INFO: info@lagoslonglets.com
NEW TRUST LAW HOPES Portugal’s Government has announced that it is to present a proposal for a law that will allow Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) to operate in the country. These widely used property investment companies sell tradable shares and buy property for the long-term, a high percentage of the income then is distributed to shareholders. In the UK, 90% of a REITs’ net income is distributed and the company is exempt from corporation tax. Deputy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira said of REITs, at the Portugal Real Estate Summit, “These are companies that will attract savings which they invest in real estate and let them on long-term leases. Companies will only own properties that will be in their portfolio for a long period and they have to be leased.” For this, the government will have to create a new tax and regulatory regime, which it intends to present, “in the very short term.” Vieira hope this will be before the year end but the sector is not holding its collective breath. Pedro Siza Vieira seems to have grasped the essence of REITs, “We now want to take an additional step by creating investment companies that can only invest in rental properties. ” Under this scheme, the Government hopes to create an, “increase of affordable housing in cities,” but does not explain how a REIT can adhere to its own rules and policies while renting out urban properties at below market rates. You can read the full story in the Algarve Daily News algarvedailynews.com
TOM-7-14-engl-2_Jens-ESA 16.07.15 16:39 Seite 1
We solve such problems permanently
For over 20 years we successfully fix building damages caused by extreme weather, earthquakes or poor construction. Call us when it comes to eflorence, wall dehumidification or when you just need a professional new paint, we can help!
the painters 918 748 755
Jens Marquardt • jemamaler@yahoo.de • www.jmpainter.com
Albufeira • Lagoa • Portimão • Lagos • Aljezur • Odemira
Tomorrow 90x65 06-17.indd 2
19/06/2017 10:52
BUSINESS
Corporate golf success For the fourth year running, Casas do Barlavento hosted a very successful golf day on September 21st at Boavista Golf and Spa Resort. It’s an event set up to thank the owners, buyers and business partners of Casas do Barlavento for another successful year. This year 100 golfers played as a 4 ball AM-AM team, with a 9 am shotgun start. The programme for the day after the game included drinks and snacks on the terrace to the sound of live music, followed by lunch in the clubhouse restaurant.
OCTOBER FREE IT SUPPORT Tuesday 9th & 23rd 11am until 1pm The Tropical Café Nº. 33, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Lagos
Tuesday 16th & 30th 11am until 1pm Artesão Café Marina de Lagos Lojas 11/12, Lagos Purchase a drink and I will give you 10min free IT support. If the issue cannot be resolved there and then, an appointment can be booked at a later date. Visit: www.sdunwell.co.uk for further information
74
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
The day concluded with trophies awarded to the winners of 1st, 2nd & 3rd place with ladies and men ‘nearest the pin’ and ‘the longest drive.’ Then guests had a chance to win tombola prizes supplied by the Golf Corporate Day sponsors CdBResorts, Nor Golfe, MultiRental, Alloro Ristorante Italiano, Hugo Beaty Restaurant and Bar and Mar d’Estórias, in Lagos.
give something back, at the end of the day, means a lot to us at Casas do Barlavento.”
Sales Director and organizer Paul Cotterell said: “Having to step it up each year is a challenge, but we love what we do and, hopefully, so do our clients and colleagues. To
+INFO: +351 282 780 870 info@casasdobarlavento.com www.casasdobarlavento.com
For the last 15 years real estate agent, Casas do Barlavento, has been helping clients to achieve their goal, whether it is to buy a property, rent a property or put their property for sale.
I.T. CAN BE EASY BY STEVEN DUNWELL Goodbye and thank you - Microsoft Windows 7 Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system is coming to the end of its life with latest version (known as service pack 1 or SP1) reaching the end of its life on the 14th January 2020. This makes an upgrade essential for the safety of your computer and personal information. Is Windows 7 still safe to use? Yes, it is very safe to use as Microsoft will continue to patch any security threats up until 14th January 2020. After this date your computer may be vulnerable to security threats. What are my options? Your best bet is to upgrade to Microsoft’s most recent operating system Windows 10 as soon as you can. It was released in 2015 and after some initial teething problems has become a reliable, safe and viable replacement. In many cases it can be faster than Windows 7, even on older machines.
I’d like to upgrade to Windows 10. Upgrading Windows 7 can be a little daunting if you’re unsure what to do. That’s where I can help, please contact me to discuss upgrading your computer to Windows 10 or any other upgrades you require. If you have any questions about this topic, suggestions for future subjects or require assistance with any I.T. challenges, I am always happy help. Have a great month, see you for another tip in November issue.
+INFO: +351 936 387 512 StevenLagosIT sdunwell@sky.com www.sdunwell.co.uk
BUSINESS Why did you want to move to Boavista? Everybody knows that Algarve is one of the best golf destinations in the world. Where I came from, golf was seen as an ‘add-on’ to traditional tourism, leaving less space to golf and its development. When the chance to join Boavista appeared, it was the perfect combination of wanting to come to the Algarve, and the possibility to join a prestigious company. How would you describe the team at Boavista? This is a team which is obviously used to working together and you can see that through the daily operation. Everything is very well organised, and the golfers feel it. Positive comments are regular, mainly regarding the service and dedication. This team will be the key factor for the success of this company. What makes Boavista so special? Boavista is very well established at the Western Algarve, and is one of the main attractions for tourism in Lagos. The continuous investment on the property shows the commitment to offer the best product and service to our guests. Being able to be part of a company that values the continued improvement of its product, makes Boavista one of a kind.
A FRESH APPROACH Boavista Golf and Spa Resort has a new director of golf. We spoke to Hugo Pinheiro who is originally from Leiria in the centre of Portugal about his plans for the future.
Please tell us about yourself? I am the youngest of three brothers. My family still lives in Leiria. I was the only one to leave, I studied in Lisbon and never returned permanently. No one in my family plays golf apart from me. Please tell us about your professional background. I did a degree in Sports Management in 2005, together with a post-graduation in Golf Courses Management in the Algarve. After this I had the chance to do an internship at the Lisbon Sports Club golf course and after six months I got a job there. After 18 months I was invited to go to Penha Longa as number 2. There I was able to combine golf with the hotel business, which was very important for my career later. I then went to work at a tour operator which gave me ‘the other side’ of the golf tourism business. After that I returned to the courses and was responsible for Bom Sucesso Golf Course at Obidos. Around two years later I got the chance to return to Penha Longa as golf director, where I was until I came here.
76
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
What are your ambitions for Boavista with you as golf director? At this moment Boavista is running very smoothly. Numbers are very good, and the course conditions are superb. All this makes my job even more difficult, but on the other hand there is always space to improve. I want to showcase Boavista to a bigger range of guests and players. Boavista is the perfect combination both for members and for ‘pay-and-play’ guests, and therefore this symbiose needs to be worked very carefully in order to bring Boavista Resort to the top. How well did you know Lagos before you moved? I have to be honest and say that Lagos was still unknown for me. I have always come to Algarve for Summer vacations, but always on the central part of it. Now is the time to get to know this hidden jewel of the Algarve. What have you learned about Lagos since taking up the job. It was love at first sight! Both me and my family we’re loving Lagos. From the gastronomy to the beaches, and going around the history and people, Lagos is for sure the new trend for Algarve, both during Summer, but also during shoulder seasons like golf season. The combinations of the old & new Lagos, is wonderful, especially when the age range of visitors is so wide. What do you like to do when you are not working? At this moment and since I’m the “new kid in town”, I take all the free time to discover Lagos and the surroundings. Of course I also take some time to get to know the golf courses in the Algarve, and play them. Its important for business to see what offers we have around and work together with it. What’s your golf like? For now I can say my golf is going much better than it was. Maybe it’s the new air I’m breathing here . Not that I’m playing every day (not even close), but for now I might win some bets against my friends.
FOOD & DRINK
Aloha Poke Lagos! BY THE YUM YUM BOYS
First, a bit about the place. Fresh, light, the menu looked healthy enough and the prices were average I’d say. We sat outside as did most people on this balmy summers evening.
The food. It is basically, salads with exotic ingredients and a main usually meat or fish placed on top such as salmon or chicken teriyaki. Examples in some of our dishes were pickled ginger, edamame beans, black and white sesame seeds as well as the usual fair of rice, carrots sweet corn, avocado etc. Spicy dressings were available. You can see where I’m going on this. We had a side of was guacamole and nachos. The consensus was that it was definitely fresh and tasty, a bit left field. One person said it reminded him of deconstructed sushi. You choose between a regular or large portion and you can also construct your own.
So the menu. We were a bit confused about the drinks. We arrived during happy hour and it was buy one, get one free for some drinks and not for others. We had to get the waiter to explain as we didn’t think it was very clear from the menu what was included and what wasn’t.
This is nice concept but the service is not quite there yet on drinks. The first wave of drinks arrived in three stages and on a hot day, the margherita was guzzled as opposed to savoured as it should be. Could have been quicker. The food all arrived together though
Well, the weather was stifling so we arranged with some chums for an early evening get together but we wanted something different that wasn’t indoors or a salad so we thought, Hawaiian!! Seriously, we’ve been wanted to try this place for a while. So, what is Hawaiian food? Personally, I had no idea so was prepared to be educated and I will come onto that later.
and in disposable bowls and cutlery so that is a big nod to the environmental conscious. No washing up too. Portions are decent enough for the regular but don’t go if you are starving. It’s not meant for that. Good to go in a gang or for a quick bite before going into town perhaps. The price was average. But saying all that - the Yum Yum Boys will definitely be going back. We will be doing an interview with the owners next month.
+INFO: pokelagos.com +351 963 440 584 Rua Dom Vasco da Gama N12A Bloco B - Loja 9-B Lagos 8600-722
It’s hard to better Bar Quim for its views, its food and its position right on the water’s edge.
BAR QUIM BY TOM HENSHAW
78
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
I really like the fact that this is a lovely, relaxed and unpretentious restaurant which allows you to dress very casually, take a swim followed by a beer or two and then try their delicious ‘signature’ dishes. I particularly love their flavoured prawns - the best I know with maximum taste. It feels like this is a recipe that has been handed down through the generations - whether it has or not - it is always delicious. Let this not detract from their other fish dishes which are all fresh every day. It’s simple with a great sea view and very safe for children out on the veranda or
the beautiful sand right in front of the restaurant. I would highly recommend it and it’s very reasonably priced and run by a lovely family who really do care and make sure your visits will be memorable for the service and a friendly smile. To get there just drive or walk towards Palmares Golf Course and there right on the beach is the original and happily rustic is Bar Quim. I suggest you book as they generally close at 8pm and it’s always ‘better’ to sit on the lovely veranda.
+INFO: +351 282 763 294
CONTEMPORARY PORTUGUESE RESTAURANTE & BAR
+351 913 505 038 | info@casadoprego.com | R. Lançarote de Freitas, 18 - 1º - 8600-605 Lagos
Kiko’s Tasca
Wine, food and friends. Portuguese food. Tapas, lunch and dinner. Come and try for yourself.
Open from 11am to 11pm. Closed on Tuesdays • Tel.: +351 282 046 037 • Email: one.destino@gmail.com Centro Naútico Sopromar - Estrada Sopromar (Meia-Praia) • LAGOS • GPS - N 37º 06.433' / W 08º 40.176' • f facebook.com/tascadokiko
FOOD & DRINK
A TASTE OF THE MED IN LUZ
BY KEITH GOODFELLOW
The recently opened Cucina Mediterranean Restaurant in Praia da Luz is destined to become one of the must visit restaurants in the area. Situated in the Saint James apartments development. The restaurant, formerly Amigos, has undergone a major transformation by the new owners and now offers a very tastefully decorated and relaxing environment featuring a range of mouth-watering Mediterranean dishes. The music is very cool too! The menu is well thought out and offers something for everybody; for starters try the spicy game croquettes with rocket and sweet chilli sauce, mains include; Cod loin with rosemary and garlic, lamb chops with mint yogurt, Argentinian rib eye steak, Linguine carbonara and tagliatelle arrabiata. Pizza’s made from artisan dough are on the menu too – I can thoroughly recommend the goats cheese and quail
egg with a mint pesto pizza - delicious! Cucina also offer a pizza takeaway service, judging by the number of pizza boxes being collected while we were there, they are proving very popular. If you have any room left, the whole nut brownie with homemade ricotta and pumpkin jam ice cream is well worth a try or maybe you would prefer the pineapple carpaccio? Prices for main courses start at €12.50, pasta and pizza from €11.50. The house wine is very good and the complimentary glass of Port was a nice touch too. Service was very friendly and efficient, one of the partners works front of house and the other partner is the head chef. There is a children’s menu and also daily specials.
+INFO: +351 282 096 885 restaurantbistro.cucina@gmail.com
EYE ON PORTUGUESE WINE BY SIMON MOULSON
Here Algarve resident, Simon Moulson, who enjoys a tipple or two, tells us about good quality Portuguese red wines which won’t break the bank!
80
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Quinta Nova Reserva Region: Douro Year: 2016 Price: €8
Esporão Reserva Tinto Region: Alentejo Year: 2017 Price: €10
Paxá Special XII Special Region: Algarve Year: 2008 Price: €8
This is a rich and velvety red wine with soft tannins. It has a great selection of ripe black fruits which creates for a balanced red. This goes really well with game (deer/venison), beef, pasta and lamb.
This is a very good wine at a reasonable price. A ripe and full-bodied wine with hints of blackberry and dark fruit.
One of my current favourite red wines at the moment, for the not so pricey sum of €8. It’s soft in tannins and whilst the aftertaste isn’t that long, it still is a very good and balanced wine.
Come and relax on our shady yet warm terrace during the summer. Warm up in our cosy dining room next to our log fire during winter time. In fact, simply enjoy our cuisine throughout the year with a new menu and dishes prepared by our Chef for every season. RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED Tel.: 282 798 285 / 935 526 008 Open from 6.30 pm to 10pm (closed Wednesday and Thursday) • E.N.125 - Odiáxere, Lagos www.cactorestaurant.com • cactorestaurante
FOOD & DRINK
INDIAN BUFFET EVENING Once again Tomorrow Magazine and Delhi Darbar are inviting readers to a special curry evening on Friday, November 16th at 7pm. There will be a full Indian buffet which includes two starters and poppadoms and chutneys. There will be three curries including a vegetarian option, naan bread and rice. This is the fourth event we have held at Delhi Darbar and it has always been very well attended. The evening costs €18 per person which includes a welcome drink. Please do make sure you book early. Delhi Darbar is opposite the Repsol Petrol Station in Lagos.
+INFO: +351 923 206 701 / 919 918 733 (Tom)
KUMQUAT NAGAMI WITH CHOCOLATE Many thanks again to Citrina Plants, which we featured in our September edition, for this recipe. Citrina is a citrus tree farm Larga Vista near Tunes. It’s well worth a visit. Ingredients: 140g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 30g unsalted butter 4 egg white 20g granulated sugar 10 Kumquat Nagami Preparation:
Transfer the chocolate mousse into a bowl and let it rest in the fridge (minimum 1h).
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a ‘bain marie’ or in a microwave oven. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and add the sugar. Continue to beat for a few minutes to dissolve the sugar.
Cut the kumquats in half and empty them. Put the chocolate mousse in a piping bag and then fill the Kumquats.
The figures confirm that the tourism sector continues to grow in Portugal. We need to make sure that we have the necessary skills and structures in place in Portugal to welcome those visitors.
NEW FOOD TOURISM DEGREE BY NUNO NOBRE 82
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Mix the chocolate and butter. Add some egg whites into the chocolate and whisk. Pour the chocolate mixture over the remaining egg whites. Stop mixing as soon as the whites and chocolate are well incorporated.
That is why a group of professionals has created the first ever degree in ‘Tourism Gastronomic’ which will start next year at Universidade Lusófona in Lisbon. With a faculty that includes professionals with a proven track record in different areas of gastronomy, tourism and lifestyle, this graduate is intended for all who want to make tourism their way of life. Principles of Gastronomy (Fortunato da Câmara), Gastronomic Tourism (Nuno Nobre, gastronome and mentor of this new graduation), Tourism and Hospitality (João Rocha Neves), Consumer Behavior (Tiago Lopes Lino), Value Creation
and Business Strategy (Álvaro Lopes Dias), Food and Beverage Management (Luis Castelo), Gastronomy and Communication (Sandra Nobre), Lifestyle: Experimento Logo Existo (Sandra Gato) and Food Photography and Travels (José Ventura) are the themes and respective teachers to be explored in the first course of this type being offered in Portugal. Mafalda Patuleia, head of the tourism department at Universidade Lusófona said: “It is hoped this will be an innovative and unique initiative in our country that will help create new and necessary skills to those who work in the various areas of tourism.”
+INFO: www.ulusofona.pt/pos-graduacoes/ turismo-gastronomico
ENVIRONMENT eaten by livestock and creating unsanitary conditions for the children, that one day she decided to go and collect them all. Using her own ingenuity, Isatou found a way to weave and crochet strips of plastic bags into beautiful bags and purses. Zoë shows me one and it is such a beautiful item, you would never guess at its origin. Another staggering story of entrepreneurship is Pierre Kamsouloum, who lived on a dump in Cameroon scavenging for materials to sell. During his childhood Pierre melted plastic waste to make a football, and inspired by this is started to collect plastics and experiment. Everyone told him he was crazy but unperturbed he started melting LDPE, the plastic used in cheap plastic bags.
Zoë educating girls at Samosir school kids Lake Toba Sumatra about recycling
UP FOR A WASTE CHALLENGE Algarve resident, Zoë Lenkiewicz, is a waste warrior taking on the global plastic pollution challenge. Sophie Sadler reports on Zoë’s charity WasteAid, and her international efforts to bring about change from a grassroots level. Zoë first became concerned about the issue of plastics while studying for a Masters Degree in Environment and Development in 2001. “I really wanted to do something at the time, but plastic waste just wasn’t considered an issue;” she explains. “Now it has become a crisis.” She spent her career in waste management in the UK before teaming up with her colleague Mike Webster to set up the UK registered charity, WasteAid, which works at a community level in countries where there are no waste disposal systems in place. Zoë tells me that many developing country governments are too corrupt or poor to deliver waste management services, and 90% of global marine plastic pollution is delivered by just 10 rivers in Asia and Africa. When Zoë was in The Gambia last year she saw for her herself what happens when there is no capacity for recycling. She met a woman who sold cold drinks in small plastic pouches. After finishing her drink, the woman simply threw the plastic pouch onto the ground. Zoë said: “I was a bit taken aback, but then I realised if there’s no waste management system - no bins or trucks or landfills - then people have no alternative than to dump their waste on common ground. What would you do?”
84
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
Zoë tells me that an astonishing two billion people have never had their waste collected and three billion people’s waste isn’t properly managed, even if they have a simple collection system. In these cases, refuse ends up at informal dumps close to communities. These dump sites can be vast, and 38 of the 50 biggest dump sites in the world are located on or near the coast, spilling rubbish into the water on a daily basis. WasteAid’s mission statement is to share recycling skills around the world and to help communities set up recycling and waste management businesses which generate an income, improve health and help the environment. Zoë sums it up: “If you walked into your house and there was a flood, what would you do first? Bale out the water or turn off the tap? We are trying to turn off the tap.” Zoë travels a lot with her work and has some wonderfully inspiring stories of people she has met which illustrate the strength of the human spirit and just how a small amount of investment can make huge changes. She tells me about Isatou Ceesay who she met in The Gambia. Isatou was so sick of seeing plastic bags littering the village in which she lived, being
He discovered that when mixed with sand it creates a cement-like consistency, and so with a simple mould he began to make paving tiles. Pierre perfected his craft, and the tiles - each of which contains 200 plastic bags - are now approved by the Cameroonian government as a certified construction product. Pierre now runs his own business as well as working with WasteAid to share the process with other communities in need. While lots of marine conservation organisations are trying to clean plastic waste from the sea and beaches, WasteAid is working to prevent the problem in the first place. “We are going further upstream to the source of the plastic, rather than picking up the rubbish at the mouth of the river,” Zoë tells me. Zoë and her charity have received funding from the UK government, businesses and philanthropic trusts. They also run fundraising events through the year and welcome donations from the public. Zoë says: “It’s easy to feel helpless - you recycle your own waste but what can you do about the wider problem? In supporting WasteAid, you can help spread recycling skills around the world, making a really positive social and environmental impact.” Other Algarve residents have been getting involved. David Leeke of Algarve web design company Dynafish manages WasteAid’s fast-growing website, and musician Maya Raciborska and the Aljezur International School have held successful fundraisers. If what you have just read has inspired you to support WasteAid please donate by visiting their website, or if you just want to spread the word, Zoë is happy to visit community groups in the Algarve to discuss the issues. If you care about this issue, supporting WasteAid seems a good way to make an instant difference.
+INFO: zoe@wasteaid.org.uk wasteaid.org.uk
OUTDOOR
Ceratonia Herbal Gardens BY LOUISE CHAMBERLAIN
When Daisy Mae and Corey moved to Ceratonia in 2013 their first job was to cajole the local shepherd into removing his flock of goats. The goats had been in residence on the eight acres of land for over 20 years and had devoured virtually all the vegetation.
from the garden’s organic produce. The gazpacho soup was excellent, as was his homemade hummus. Having learned that chick peas are very easy to grow here in the Algarve many of the group came away inspired to grow them in their own gardens.
Daisy and Corey then set about creating their wonderful garden, which today consists of 16 different areas, all separated by paths and walls built using stones dug from the land. There are a huge number of different plants in the garden, ranging from wild herbs to plants acquired from local markets or grown from seed.
Herb teas are the safest, easiest and best way of getting the benefit from aromatic leaves and flowers. During lunch we sampled a couple of herb teas including sage, which is known to aid memory.
All the plants in the Ceratonia garden are either edible or have medicinal properties. Daisy qualified as a medical herbalist in Glasgow in 2003. She has a huge knowledge of the healing properties of plants and is very enthusiastic about passing this knowledge on to others. Daisy regularly holds classes teaching herbal medicine and sells herbs from the small nursery on site. Ceratonia also offers ‘healing rests’ – a place to go to relax and heal. Herbs are the source of many of the drugs and medicines used in modern remedies. For example, from the poppy comes opium and heroin and the painkiller morphine. Digitalin, the drug used for heart disorders, is derived from the leaves of the foxglove. After a short introductory talk our group were taken on a walk around part of the garden, where Daisy identified plants and explained their properties. Corey loves to cook and provided us with a lovely lunch, all prepared
86
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
It is not necessary to have a large garden to grow herbs. Most are easily grown in pots which can be situated either outside on terraces or even inside the house. Healthy herbs look superb and are attractive, aromatic house plants as well as being extremely useful in cooking (like tarragon leaves which can be simply chopped up and used as a delicious healthy garnish on salads). Daisy and Corey have created a conservation area in the middle of agricultural land and it is an oasis for wildlife. Whilst we were there we watched a bird of prey hovering and also heard an owl. Fortunately we didn’t meet up with any wild boar or mongoose which are also in residence! Daisy can be contacted via the Ceratonia Facebook page. If you are interested in joining the Western Algarve Garden Group please email.
+INFO: wagardeninggroup@gmail.com
OUTDOOR From left to right: Griffon vulture migration; Autumn ladies tresses; Death’s head hawkmoth catterpillar
Wildlife What to look out for in October BY NUNO BARROS
October brings us the peak of autumn bird migration, a few surprises in the wildflower department, impressive numbers of dragonflies, and usually slightly uncertain weather. What a fascinating month! Don’t take your eyes from the skies this month, you might miss something. Bird migration keeps on going and the month starts with the Sagres Birdwatching Festival to celebrate it. This mere symbolic event reflects a glimpse of a much wider and abundant season, marked by the ever constant flow of birds to SW Portugal. During the first two weeks of October, trans-continental migrants are the stars of the wildlife show. Booted Eagles and Short-toed Eagles can often be seen in small flocks, and the last Honey Buzzards and Black Kites are still showing up, as are small numbers of Black Storks and Egyptian Vultures. Lots of other scarcer migrant raptors can also be seen like Osprey or Marsh Harrier. Dispersive birds are here as well – young Bonelli’s Eagles looking for new territories are turning up more frequently nowadays in Sagres. With a few hours to spare on a good day you will be able to spot more than 10 species. Northern Wheatears hop on the fields, Yellow Wagtails hunt for insects near the ground, while Flycatchers feed from their perches. All these small birds need to restore their reserves in order to proceed with their long journeys. They leave after
88 FOLLOW FOLLOW US ON US ONTOMORROWALGARVE TOMORROWALGARVE
dusk to avoid predators and preserve body temperature, so it is not unusual to have big overnight turnovers in the bird cast present – a field ‘covered’ with Willow Warblers at sunset can wake up to find them all gone and replaced by lot of Whinchats that arrived during the night. By mid-month, most of our migrants are already across the Sahara desert, and a new wave of birds arrive, and its abundance grows as October lingers on. Finches, Robins, Blackcaps, Song Thrushes and Corn Buntings coming from further north reach SW Portugal, escaping from the shortage of food in their breeding grounds. So do scarcer birds like Richard’s Pipit or Ringed Ouzel. The same happens in the raptor world. Now it is time for Buzzards, Red Kites and Hen Harriers are now showing up in Sagres almost every day. And yes, the Griffon Vultures start to make their appearance as well. These 2.5 metre wingspan gentle giants come and go in ever larger flocks, peaking usually by the end of the month with a flock than can reach 2000 birds (like last year). About half of the raptors that reach Sagres are Griffon Vultures and the sight of one of the master flocks is something
you will never forget, and one of the main attractions of the wildlife in this corner of the world. But not all the action takes place in Sagres. Most of these raptors come thought valleys like the ones in Bensafrim, Bordeira or Barão de São João areas. Coastal oasis like Aljezur stream river mouth or Boca do Rio can hold an even greater diversity of bird species, and hide some more delicate secrets like the Gorgeous Southern Autumn Crocus or the Autumn Ladies Tresses. Another interesting feature of the season is the appearance of thousands of dragonflies – mostly Red-veined Darters – making their way North, searching for new territories. If you focus on the details and search deep in the bushes, you may find some treasures like the spectacular caterpillar of the Death’s head hawkmoth, or the wonderful Crimson Speckled Moth. By the end of the month, a naturalist is overwhelmed with diversity and abundance, while that sneaky cozy feeling starts to creep in - winter is coming.
+INFO: birdland.pt
OUTDOOR
SALIVATE WITH SALVIAS BY TAMSIN VARLEY
Wherever I live, I get crazes about different plant families that thrive in my local climate. Since moving to Portugal about 10 years ago, I have discovered the Salvia family and am now passionate about them. Salvias are one of the largest plant genera with approximately 1000 species. Roughly half of the species come from central and south America, about a quarter from Europe and central Asia and the rest from East Asia. The name Salvia derives from the Latin salvere which means “to stay healthy” referring to the plants well known healing properties. Over the centuries, folk healers and herbalists have used the herb sage (Salvia officinalis) to treat everything from headaches, digestive complaints and women’s menstrual problems to sore throats and mental disorders including memory loss and depression. One of the many attractions of Salvias is their huge colour range. They vary from beautiful royal blues and purples to bright reds, more subtle shades of pink and coral as well as a few yellow and white ones too. They also vary widely in size from small shrubs to large, bushy perennials that can grow to over 2 metres tall. They have variable water requirements from quite moist to very drought tolerant as some come from desert areas. Most Salvias like full sun, but there are some that do well in quite heavy shade – these are the ones that tend to have higher water requirements. Salvias also require good drainage and thrive in poor soils – too much nitrogen will encourage foliage at the expense of flowers. A lot of Salvias grow on limestone so like alkaline soils, but I have heard that acidic soils don’t seem to cause issues either. Some of the larger Salvias do have quite brittle stems so some shelter from strong winds is advisable. Generally speaking, they are easy plants to grow. Now, for some of my recommendations:
Salvia microphylla – the mountain sage from south eastern Arizona and Mexico. Again, there are a lot of cultivars including the well known ‘Hot Lips’. It hybridises readily especially with S. Greggii to produce Salvia x jamensis cultivars of which there are many beautiful ones. Salvia guaranitica – the hummingbird sage from South America. If you want stunning blue flowers in your garden look no further. There are plenty of cultivars including ‘Blue Enigma’ and ‘Black and Blue’. These tend to grow between 1-2 metres tall and require some regular water and I find do better in semi-shade. Salvia aurea from South Africa. Drought tolerant with unusual browny/orange flowers.
Salvia leucantha or Mexican sage - In favourable conditions it will reach a height of 1.3 metres with a similar spread. It has really eye catching long furry flower stalks with white and purple flowers that hang down a bit like a Buddleia. There is also a pure purple form aptly called “Purple Velvet”.
Unfortunately, I’ve no more space to list more suggestions, but I highly recommend Robin Middleton’s Salvia website where he has delectable photos and lots of information about individual cultivars.
Salvia officinalis - the common sage used in cooking. This has all sorts of different leaf colours from a deep purple to yellow gold or the beautiful tricolor of grey-green, pink and red.
Tamsin is chair of Clube Dos Bons Jardins, a small, friendly multi-national garden club that meets at different location around the Algarve on the 2nd Tuesday every month except over the summer with an optional lunch afterwards. NOW RECRUITING.
Salvia greggii - the autumn sage native to the deserts of Texas and North West Mexico. There are many cultivars of this species which tend to be reasonably drought tolerant and come in shades of reds and pinks. I have the beautiful ‘Furman’s Red’ growing in my garden.
90
FOLLOW US ON TOMORROWALGARVE
+INFO: Gardening in the Algarve - Clube Dos Bons Jardins algarvecbj@gmail.com www.robinssalvias.com
From top to bottom: Salvia leucantha; Salvia officinalis; Salvia greggii ‘Furmans Red’
REAL ESTATE. AGENCY LAGOS WESTERN ALGARVE
GENERAL AND FAMILY MEDICINE MEDICAL SPECIALTIES COMPLEMENTARY EXAMS OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE AESTHETIC MEDICINE SPORTS MEDICINE NURSING WE CARE FOR YOUR HEALTH
www.luzdoc.com
HOUSE CALLS
Luzdoc: Rua 25 de Abril, 12, 8600-174 Luz, Lagos 282 780 700
info@luzdoc.com
Medilagos: Rua José Ferreira Canelas, Loja 40, 8600-744 Lagos
282 788 217
medilagos@luzdoc.com
Urgência / Emergency
+351 919 869 700
Group Matwork, Private & Semi Private Classes Tel.: 926 514 613 | www.pilatesroomlagos.com