Tomorrow Aljezur to Lagos - April 2019 by Tomorrow Algarve Magazine

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Rua Professor Dr. Luís de Albuquerque, lt.44 - 8600-615 Lagos - Algarve - Portugal (+351) 282 762 070 - info@furnishyourabode.com - www.furnishyourabode.com

 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

Editor's note

Welcome to our 89th edition. Every month we aim higher to ensure you really do enjoy each and every one.

We can and do make a real difference here in the western Algarve even if our efforts would probably be lost in the wider world.

It is all down to a close team effort and as soon as we have put one edition to bed, we are working on the next one. We really do welcome your ideas - we like quirky and eclectic but can get interested in most things that are taking place in the western Algarve.

Turning to other matters we have the next Tomorrow Summer Ball on June 15th and so we do recommend you email Steven on steven@tomorrowalgarve.com to book your place or table. The price is the same as last year at €40 per person which includes a welcome drink, three course dinner, wine, water and coffee and of course, you will be helping support our local charities.

Please help us on the final ‘push’ as we try and secure enough funds to provide the much needed car for the disadvantaged children of CASLAS. You will find details about how to donate later in the magazine. We are open to help other good, local causes so please get in touch if you know of a local charity that could do with some assistance.

ON THE COVER

On June 28th we also have the Tomorrow Golf Day at Espiche which is an outstanding annual event. Please book through Phil on email phil@tomorrowalgarve.com Lastly, we also wish to mention that the John Aldridge 2018 golf classic was such a success that we will be definitely running the two day event this year, namely September 6th and 7th. Another must for your diary. Wishing you an excellent April, from Amber, Tom and the Tomorrow team.

CASLAS CAR CAMPAIGN

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

Look out for the Easter bunny this month! We would like to wish you all a very happy Easter.

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 Whilst we take every care to ensure details are correct the publisher will take no responsibility for errors or omissions. Where prices or dates are quoted they are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change. Links to third party websites are by no way an endorsement of the linked material and the publisher takes no responsibility for the content or security of any third party website. Unless specifically stated Tomorrow Magazine does not endorse any product or service appearing in the directory, classified, editorial or display advertising featured on the website.

CONTENTS COMMUNITY

4 - 33

WHAT’S ON

BUSINESS

58 - 63

34 - 45

FOOD & DRINK

64 - 69

SPORTS

46 - 51

ENVIRONMENT

70 - 71

HEALTH

52 - 57

OUTDOOR

72 - 75

COMMUNITY Teresa Boniné and Susana Matos; Soldiers with carnations

BY LENA STRANG

THE CARNATION REVOLUTION OF 25TH OF APRIL April 25th is a date that defines modern Portugal. Every town and village up and down the country has a road or a square called Rua 25 de Abril and the iconic suspension bridge in Lisbon bears this name. The day is a national holiday and celebrated with solemn speeches and music. What’s its significance?

“I couldn’t discuss this with my family; I just had to leave, fearing I would never again return.”

On this day in 1974 a military coup overthrew a dictatorship that had lasted for well over 40 years. In order to understand these events it’s useful to appreciate the very turbulent start to the 20th century that Portugal experienced. In 1910 the centuries-long, decaying monarchy was abolished and the democratic but highly volatile First Republic established. It was short-lived as a coup d’état, in 1926, put in place a National Dictatorship, soon to be followed by the highly repressive New State (Estado Novo) in 1933, led by António Salazar. Nationalist and conservative values were imposed on the population under the motto of ‘God, Fatherland and Family’ as cornerstones. There was strict censorship and PIDE, the secret police, was ever-present to enforce adherence to the regime by repressive means. The long-lasting colonial war took its toll on a weary population and exhausted the country’s resources. The peaceful revolution of the 25th April changed the country forever. This year Portugal is celebrating its 45th anniversary of the revolution. I’m privileged to be able to speak to people who lived through these times and who appreciate the profundity of the events. 70-year-old Teresa Boniné likens the 25th April to a bottle of champagne: “We were the people stifled inside, living in fear and isolation from the

rest of the world. When the cork popped, there was a tremendous explosion of euphoria and energy. It was incredible!” Teresa and her friend Susana Matos, 65, tell me what life was like during the dictatorship and what led to the extraordinary events they experienced in different ways. In the 1960s they were too young to understand the ideology of the political regime but were moved by the scenes at the quaysides of ships, full of young recruits, embarking for Angola. Many were to return in coffins having fought a war they did not understand. “We were told ‘Angola is ours, we have to defend it’,” Susana says. “Anyone who had brothers, male cousins or sons was utterly disheartened. I remember thinking how lucky I was not to have any brothers.” According to the ideology of the regime, the colonies had to be retained at all costs despite the fact that other European nations had begun a gradual process of decolonisation, putting pressure on Portugal to follow suit. “We remain ‘proudly alone’ (orgulhosamente sós)” was the response of the regime, blindly pursuing the intractable colonial wars consuming 40% of the national budget and sacrificing ever more young lives.

COMMUNITY In 1967 Teresa was in Lisbon with her fiancé. The army was in need of more ‘cannon fodder’ and began to recruit students, which also included her fiancé. There was agitation in the universities in Portugal and also awareness of the student movement in Paris at the time. Many fled before being called up, with the conscientious objectors (refratários) forming an ever-growing community in Paris. Teresa’s fiancé was mobilised for Angola in 1969 but like some others, deserted. Teresa joined him soon after in Paris. “It was not an easy decision to make,” she explains. “I couldn’t discuss this with my family; I just had to leave, fearing I would never again return.” Susana has a different story to tell. She was working as a teacher in a school in a small village in the eastern Algarve, near the river Guadiana. “There was very little political awareness in the village,” she says. “The textbooks we used were heavily censored and we had to follow the doctrines of the state to the letter.” She remembers the crucifix on the wall in the teaching room, flanked by a picture of Salazar. And how did women fare at the time? Susana is eager to explain. Society was highly patriarchal and women were subordinate to men. Their role was to stay at home and look after the children. All the rights we take for granted today were denied. They couldn't vote nor could they travel abroad without permission from their husbands. Illiteracy levels were near 70% with little access to information other than that conveyed by the church. In the countryside women also worked on the land at harvest time and in industrial areas provided part of the labour force in the factories, as men were absent because of the war. “But they were always paid less than the men,” Susana adds. “Trade unions were prohibited by the regime but the banned Communist party organised clandestine activities and raised awareness.” 68-year-old José Manuel Rosa was a serving officer in the army at the time and is able to tell me exactly what

happened on the day of the revolution. He was called up in 1972 and did his military training at Escola Práctica de Infantaria in Mafra north of Lisbon, followed by officer training. Due to particular orders of despatch he was never sent to the colonies. “On the one hand we wanted to go because the sooner we went, the sooner we would be discharged. But of course, there was the fear of having to go into the war zone,” José explains. In February 1973 he entered the Caçadores 5 (Light Infantry) in Lisbon and was involved in the action on the April 25th. Many of us already know that the revolution was peaceful and that the government was overthrown without bloodshed but how did it actually happen? José tells me that on the evening of the April 24th, all officers received an invitation to attend a meeting. “We already knew that something was in the air but didn’t know what it was. As the officer in charge that night, I did the rounds and checked the sentinels so I was the last to arrive. When I entered the mess a fellow officer gave me the thumbs up and I knew this was it,” José says. He shows me a letter he has kept all these years that was given to everyone at the meeting. It’s a closely typed document divided into sections with numbered points. I’m amazed to discover that this is the actual Programme of the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas, MFA) that outlines very clearly the immediate and short-term actions to be taken. The MFA played a key role. It developed in the early 1970s as a secret movement of ‘Captains’ involved in the fighting in the colonies. Initially it was based on internal issues to do with career progression but soon took on a political dimension opposing the continuation of the colonial wars and pressing for regime change. 

Celebrations on the 25th April ; 25th April carnations

WWW.TOMORROWALGARVE.COM

COMMUNITY

I’m eager for José to tell me what happened next. “Well, we waited in the mess and heard the first signal at 22.55. It was a popular song, E depois dos Adeus by Paulo Carvalho, broadcast on the radio. Only the Captains of the MFA knew the significance of this. I was told to get the soldiers ready and to issue them with weapons,” he explains.



At 00.25 the banned song, Grândola, Vila Morena by the well-known protest singer Zeca Afonso was broadcast to indicate the start of operations. “We began to occupy significant positions in Lisbon as well as in other cities up north without encountering opposition,” José says. Six hours later the government fell. Despite repeated radio appeals by the MFA for people to stay indoors, the streets were flooded with thousands supporting the military insurgents. As one of the gathering points was Lisbon flower market, soldiers were given carnations. The image of the red carnations in the barrels of the guns became iconic and gave the revolution its name. “It was overwhelming. I simply cannot begin to describe how we felt. As there was little information at this stage we didn't really know the full picture or the consequences but it was euphoric! I didn't sleep for five days!” José smiles. On May 1st a huge demonstration of support took place in Lisbon with even more red carnations on display. José tells me about an incident that is still very vivid in his mind. “A woman asked me to give her a carnation that had been passed on to me. Her daughter had suffered persecution and after her arrest, fled the country.” José becomes visibly emotional and has to pause before continuing, “She wanted to send this carnation to her daughter so she could celebrate the revolution.” But it was not plain sailing. The period afterwards known as PREC Processo Revolutionário em Curso, (On-going Revolutionary Process) was difficult, characterised by continuous political turbulence. As a result of the sudden withdrawal of the military from the overseas colonies, hundreds of thousands of so-called retornados – workers, business people and farmers of Portuguese

origin - returned to Portugal, fleeing the civil wars in the now former African colonies. They had to leave everything behind, arriving on aircraft shuttles with no more than the clothes they were wearing. No doubt a hugely traumatic experience. Long-term, the retornados with their particular experiences and qualifications were able to assist in the development of a country that desperately needed to evolve. On the April 25th 1975 the first free elections in Portugal were held and a new constitution drawn up. Teresa and her husband were now able to return to Portugal. In 1977 they completed the university courses they’d abandoned, encountering a new world. “Youngsters were involved in fervent discussions and debates; something we had never experienced,” she says. “There were disagreements within families too, sometimes leading to disputes and even divorce. Perhaps something inevitable in this situation.” Susana’s reactions are similar: “When we heard about the revolution of the April 25th in our village, the initial reaction was actually fear. We could listen to the radio but there were few televisions and the impact didn’t hit us at first,” she says. Gradually people began to organise to improve things in the village. For the first time women were an integral part of developments. “I helped to form the first teachers’ association and I remember how we talked and talked – without fear of persecution,” she remembers. All three agree that what they had experienced at this time was something unique, taking place at a historical juncture without equal. Since then Portugal has suffered economic crises and there are still fundamental issues to be resolved but civil rights and political freedoms have been achieved along with increased economic prosperity. On the April 25th this year the song Grândola, Vila Morena will again be broadcast by loudspeakers up and down the country and speeches will be made in commemoration of the momentous events. As the champagne bottle has been truly popped, perhaps we should raise a glass in celebration?

José Manuel Rosa; José with his regiment at Mafra in 1972; May 1st 1974 demonstration; Soldier on the April 25th

COMMUNITY

TALKING BREXIT Last month the British Ambassador to Portugal, Chris Sainty, spoke to both British and Portuguese citizens, at the Cultural Centre in Lagos. Tig James, who is a core group member of British in Portugal and Brexpats Hear Our Voice, was at the event. March 13th will go down as an historic day in the UK, as its government struggled to come to any form of an agreement as to the way forward with Brexit. Meanwhile, as the latest Amendments were being discussed in the House of Commons, the British Ambassador to Portugal, together with members of his staff, were in Lagos for their latest outreach meeting. Within in the meeting, details were given as to the necessity to legally register for residency in order to obtain and retain any rights British citizens may have come Brexit. This was followed by information regarding a number of issues including the need to exchange the UK driving license to a Portuguese license, the uprating of the UK state pension, health care and how to access it, travelling with pets, the right to vote, freedom of movement, family rights, validity of passports and British citizens who wish to travel to Portugal. The issues, in most cases, were discussed in two forms: the Withdrawal Agreement being ratified or in the event of a No-Deal albeit these may well not be the only

two options being currently considered in the UK. Even simply discussing these two scenarios, appears to only add to the uncertainty, the anxiety, not just now but for the future of all British citizens living in the European Union. Within the European Union, the EU27 countries have given varying responses as to their future treatment of British citizens once Brexit occurs. Assurances were given in the meeting that the Portuguese Government wished for British citizens to remain in Portugal with ongoing efforts being made with them as to how that could be ensured in the best possible way. However, reciprocity is a word that is now on every EU27 government negotiators lips where British citizens are concerned. Reciprocity has to be achieved with EU citizens in the UK. Reciprocity is a word often used in a recent draft Amendment to the EU Nationalities Act 2006 which was placed before the Portuguese Parliament on February 14th 2019. This will act as a ‘bridge’ in Portuguese legislation as British citizens have their status changed from EU citizens to third country nationals. The minutiae, the hammering out of the meaning of specific clauses is still to be established with the word ‘reciprocity’ being used liberally. What will happen regarding this? Who knows. As they say, the devil is in the detail…

+INFO:  www.brexpatshov.com  British in Portugal  Brexpats Hear Our Voice  In Limbo - Our Brexit testimonies

A team of scientists from the science and technology faculty of the University of Coimbra have been studying the damage that nanoplastics have been generating in Portugal’s freshwater ecosystems.

NANO PLASTICS IN PORTUGAL'S RIVERS 8

The results have been published in the scientific journal Fungal Ecology, focused on the process of leaf decomposition, considered a crucial indicator for assessing the function and quality of freshwater systems. For this, the team used five species of hyphomycetes aquatic fungi that play the main role in the decomposition of leaves. In experiments carried out in the laboratory, with fungi isolated from Swiss streams and leaves harvested in Coimbra's Parque Verde, on the bank of the Mondego river, researchers found that exposure of the fungi to nano-sized plastics (100nm and up to ~ 100mg / L), interferes with their ability to break

down the leaves. "We have shown that nanoplastics reduce the ability of fungi to decompose leaves at concentrations of 1.6 mg / L. This value is about four to six times higher than the concentration of microplastics reported in the U.S. and Europe," said Seena Sahavedan from the Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences at Coimbra. Pollution from plastics is known to be a serious threat to aquatic environments. It is estimated that every year, from the rivers of the world, between 1.15 and 2.41 million metric tons of plastic will enter the ocean. Plastics can be fragmented into particles of very small sizes (‘nano,’ that is, one hundredth of a millimetre) whose environmental effects are still unknown, but of great concern. To read the full article please go to www.algarvedailynews.com

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COMMUNITY

Your beach needs you BY STEVEN SUTTON

Tomorrow magazine and the magazine’s charity TACT are holding their third annual beach cleaning day on Saturday April 6th This time they will be cleaning Praia do Tonel on the west coast just up from Sagres. The cleanup will start at 10.30am. This is all part of our ongoing work, to not only clean up the beach, but also to give something back to this amazing country we live in and the environment. The beaches here in the Algarve play a major part in attracting visitors from all parts of the globe. It is important that we do our best to keep them at award winning levels and show them

at their best. We are, as always looking for as many people as possible to come along and lend a hand. The more volunteers we get, the more we achieve. So, if you would like to take part or would like to be involved with this. The day is always a great deal of fun and gives a feeling of accomplishment once done. This year we are hoping it will be our biggest and best one to date.So, if you would like to take part or would like to be involved with this please email me or just turn up on the day.

+INFO:  steven@tomorrowalgarve.com

THE HULA HOOP GIRL You may have seen her as you wind your way through the narrow streets of Lagos, through the flickering gaps of the busy crowds whirling and spinning her hoops under the soft glow of the neon bar signs. Some say she was forced to hoop by a wandering Armenian circus troop; others, that she has a black belt in hippy kung fu. There are even those that say that she is astro physicist and the centrifugal force created by her spinning hoops has a direct affect on the space-time continuum.

The streets are thick with rumours and so we once again strike out into another balmy Algarve evening to solve the mystery of the hula hoop girl. An hour passes and the streets are filling, but still no sign of the hula hoop girl and I am about to give up when, through the crowds, I can see what appears to be a large black wheel weaving towards me. She has arrived and I watch her set up her music system and lay out her hoops and with a smile, half sad half soft, she begins her act. Predictably heads turn, the crowd slows and cameras flash and in the middle of them there she is, spinning and dancing her hoops. It is a mesmerizing act to watch, the way she balances four or five hoops at a time in perfect synchronicity before kicking one high in the air and catching it again without dropping a single hoop, is impressive to say the least. The onlookers clap and as she thanks them for their donations I watch as a little girl offers her a flower. I wait in the wings to introduce myself, but as the crowd disperses she has disappeared with them and once again I have missed my opportunity. The following evening I once again hunt the cobbled streets and squares in search of the girl with the orange hoops. This time I manage to grab her attention and after finishing her act I introduce myself. “My name is Peppi Nukka,” she replies.

BY HENRY C. SHAW

“And the shaolin monk thing?” She shakes her head slowly as if she’s heard the rumours. “I did my degree in nature based services in my homeland of Finland. I love nature as much as I do circus arts and one day I will have my own farm or smallholding.” I ask what goes through her head whilst performing. “The trick is not to think. When I first started it was a hobby, but when I moved to Portugal I practiced every day for hours to perfect a combination. Everything is hard work. Practice and obsession are the words.” Training isn’t easy, Peppi assures me, cataloging a list of injuries she’s gained over the fives years she has been performing and I wince as she shows me her bruises. “I still find it hard to do it,” she confides. “It is quite daunting to be in front of so many people.” Difficult to believe when she appears the epitome of Zen calm and I ask her what advice she has for up and coming street performers. “When I first started I made my own hoops and just danced for the pleasure. These days so many hula hoopers insist on using the most expensive hoops available, which is unnecessary. Dance with your hoop, for the sake of the dance. This is what I would say and its not just hula hooping, but all street performances, do it for the love of your art.” I want to hear more, but a crowd has formed about her and realising her time is precious I thank Peppi and watch as she once again begins the dance of the hula hoop.

COMMUNITY round), a fabulous Grand Christmas Raffle and yet more luncheons. In 2018, over €1000 was raised, and the aim is to raise this as a minimum a year ongoing. So far, 2019 has already raised €600! Having followed Tomorrow magazine´s reports about the various successful local fundraisers for CASLAS (such as improvements to the home, installation of an outdoor gym, and the latest CASLAS car campaign) they wanted to apply their charity funds in a way that could be used to benefit the youngsters directly – by getting them out of the home and active – especially at weekends. Eddie and Ian approached David, my husband, as they knew I had been doing voluntary work with some of the youngsters, in order to get some ideas. A planning meeting shortly followed to brainstorm and set out a plan of activities that would benefit a wide age and interest range of youngsters.

TEAMING UP TO HELP CASLAS

BY JEANETTE FAHLBUSCH

Thanks to the brainchild of Eddie Strayton, owner of Fools and Horses in Lagos, and Ian Musgrove, a wellknown regular, the idea for ongoing fundraising events by the Fools and Horses and their guests, was born. The chosen charity was CASLAS, the Lagos Children's home. Very swiftly, Eddie and Ian organised a series of events – fun for them and their fellow Fools and Horses devotees – and raising money for the kids. 2018 saw pro-putting competitions, gentlemen´s luncheons, live music and Karaoke (with the money box always going

Our various suggestions were put to the management at CASLAS to find out which youngsters would be interested in which activities. Animals are always a big hit - so over the last 18 months, outings were organised to the Lagos Zoo; to an Alpaca Farm in Aljezur to give the kids hand on experience and cuddle time with horses, ponies, pigs and…of course Alpacas. Some of the horse loving youngsters now spend monthly Sunday mornings at an idyllic horse rescue farm in beautiful countryside, giving them the chance to muck out and groom, help train puppies and then enjoy a post work group picnic. Regular weekly dancing and singing lessons were arranged with Kapa Dois Dance Centre (culminating last summer in participation by three girls in a public performance at the Centro Cultural in Lagos); and now we are starting bi-monthly cookery classes - it's great fun and helps to equip the kids for the future. Current plans for this year include taking youngsters to weekend football games, arranging group pro-putting competitions, sea kayaking courses and more! So a big ‘thank you’ to the team at the Fools and Horses for their generous support which helps to make all this possible.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU It has saddened us to say goodbye to another of Lagos’s longstanding residents Gerald Marsh (Gerry) who sadly passed away on February 25th. He and his family have lived in Lagos for 35 years. His family would like to thank those who attended the funeral and gave a donation to cancer research. Six hundred euros was raised and this will be donated to Associação Oncológica do Algarve.

COMMUNITY Dragão

Dumbi

FINDING ‘FOREVER’ HOMES

Pistachio Susanne Lotstrom

BY PHIL EGGINTON

Abandoning animals is treated seriously by the authorities in Portugal. However, sterilisation is not the norm. Animals breed and can be made homeless. To help with the problem, there exist several rescue centres for animals across the Algarve. These can be independent charities or council run.

The Lagos Câmara Municipal Canil, is a good example of one owned and run by a council. An enthusiastic small team under the supervision of the veterinary officer, Dr José Carlos Fernandes de Sousa, operates the Canil. The council provides all the basic needs to home, feed and look after the health of the animals. The team do a great job. Seeing the care and love they give to all the animals brings tears to the eye. The Canil is always looking for opportunities to help rehome cats and dogs to their “forever homes”. Unlike many of the local charitable rescue centres, they lack extensive space to walk, run, train and play with dogs. This is essential for preparing them to fit into our homes. A local resident Susanne Lotström, originally from Stockholm, came up with an idea to enlist social media to help. When Susanne and her husband moved to Lagos in 2017, she joined a Facebook Group which brings together local Scandinavians and quickly became aware of the Canil. Susanne wanted to get involved and knew the Swedish community, which has a great love of pets, would want to help. Susanne formed a Facebook ‘group’ entitled Svenska Volontär Lagos Canil. Rapidly, support both in terms of time and money was gained from the local Swedish community. Donations of unwanted items including a washing machine helped make more efficient use of the Canil team time. Volunteers offered their time to walk dogs. Within weeks

the Facebook group had substantially grown and incorporated volunteers beyond the Swedes. Now called Friends & Volunteers of Canil Municipal de Lagos, the Facebook group is now one year old and has 974 members. Aged from 18 to over 65, many live in Portugal but it has substantial membership from Sweden, UK, Holland, France, Finland, Germany, indeed throughout Europe.

Lucky

Gizmo

Daily volunteers will turn up to walk dogs. New volunteers are always welcome and indeed holidaymakers are welcome to help as well. More details on the Facebook page (details below). Using the Facebook group means photo stories and videos can be shared. This shows the dogs and cats with their own individual characters. It is so difficult to judge an animal’s character by a simple photo. The group allows volunteers to tell the story of the dog. How well they walk, how they behave in public and how much they develop over time. Unfortunately, some dogs have only ever known the environment of the Canil, having been taken in as puppies. By walking the dogs, they learn to socialise with humans. A vital step in rehoming them.

Jeff

Puppies

The international nature of the group means dogs and cats are not just rehomed locally. Forever homes have been found in Sweden, Finland, Germany and the UK for example. In 2018 some 255 animals found their new forever homes through the success of the group. Phil Egginton is a motorsport consultant and journalist who has now retired to the Algarve. Phil is also a volunteer dog walker at Lagos Canil and has recently adopted two dogs of his own from there

+INFO:  groups/1767889500182673

Benji

Dingo

COMMUNITY

JUNIOR GOLF IN SCHOOLS Espiche Golf has joined forces with the Câmara Municipal de Lagos to introduce and encourage young people to experience the game of golf. The golf initiation programme in public primary schools started in October 2018. The local schools involved in the project are Santa Maria, Odiáxere and Espiche. The project covers 15 classes from the 3rd and 4th year with a total of 132 students ageing between eight and 10 years. The learning programme is being integrated into the physical education section of the extra curriculum, with cooperation from teachers and the help of the golf professional at Espiche Golf. Espiche’s golf professional will work with schools and teachers to ensure that children have a fun and safe introduction to golf within their school environment. The strategic plan for sports development in Lagos, aim to provide "best sports venues for outdoor recreation and leisure" and build more dynamic and cohesive partnerships.

TENMINUTES WITH... Singer Althea Browne who used to be part of Boney M. Althea will be performing at Boavista this summer. Please tell us about your background? I was born in Hackney to Antiguan parents, and began singing at the tender age of eight at my local Church of England in the 30-strong choir. My musical influences were a generation of artists, Aretha Franklin, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner and Eleanora Fagan, better known as Billie Holiday, to name a few. What draws you to those particular artists? I like strong female artists. Some would say I am strong-minded! Have you ever done any other jobs apart from singing? I have a BA Hons in event management, and held jobs in the UK with local government organisations, many charity events, and probably one of my finest hours was my involvement with IpArt, the largest free music festival in the southeast of England. What have been doing over the last few years? I have travelled the globe performing since the early 90s, and can't imagine life without it. I found fame touring with Boney M, and now I do many gigs across the world and sometimes, closer to home in the Algarve. I will be performing at Boavista Golf and Spa in Lagos this summer season. Have you ever suffered from stage fright? Even now, before any gig, the nerves kick-in, and I have to prepare herself mentally to get into the zone, with the will to perform to the best of my ability. I try to convey my passion in abundance and create a stage presence.

Where are the most special place you have performed? It was at the Olympiastadion in Garmisch Partenkirschen, Bavaria, where Hitler held the 1936 Winter Olympics, during a

motorcycling World Championship event. This was the first time that I was on stage as a solo artist with my dancers, performing in front an audience of more than 20,000 people. Whilst living in Munich, and on a break from touring with Jennifer Rush, who was the first singer to have a hit with The Power of Love I met Madeleine Davis, one of the singers from Boney M. We hit it off really well, and obviously as performers mixing in similar circles, we met often on the musical circuit. Due to band member Marcia falling ill there was an opportunity for me to join Boney M on tour through South East Asia. Needless to say this opportunity was incredible, and I recall frantically organising all the relevant paperwork, and necessary immunization jabs, within a very short period of time, three to four days in fact. I had the time of my life, and upon our return to Germany I performed a few more gigs with Boney M. When did you move to Portugal? A few years ago I came to the Algarve to join my partner to enjoy the Algarvean lifestyle. I saw this move as a new challenge professionally, and haven’t looked back, although I do still pop off to other locations for shows. What do you to unwid? Her relaxation time is spent exploring the Algarve, and Portugal, long walks, exercise, eating well, travelling, listening to music, naturally, and reading.

+INFO:  Althea - Singer, Algarve  www.altheab.com

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ONE PERSON’S TRASH IS ANOTHER’S TREASURE With Holy Surfboards, Robin Tibby turns recycled ‘foamie’ surfboards into new hand-shaped custom designs BY ELIZABETH MONTALBANO

Surfers know firsthand the impact of plastic and other types of rubbish pollution that are increasingly finding their way into the ocean, destroying animal and plant life. However, surfing itself has a high negative impact on the environment, with boards and other equipment made of toxic materials that eventually become trash when they’re no longer in use. Algarve resident Robin Tibby is trying to do his part to reduce the amount of waste from the surf industry that goes directly into the rubbish by re-using it to create new and useful objects. Specifically, he takes the softtop surfboards, colloquially called ‘foamies’ that surf schools and camps discard and reshapes them into new surfboard designs for his Holy Surfboards project. A large surf school—of which there are many in the Algarve—will break about 20 foam-top boards a season, Tibby explained one stormy day from his eco-friendly home in the countryside near Barão de São Miguel. At their core, the boards have a basic material called epoxy—or EPS—foam, which can be upcycled for other purposes. Tibby asks local surf schools and camps such as Good Feeling Hostel in Vila do Bispo and Extreme Algarve in Lagos for their broken boards, which they are happy to donate--since it eliminates their need to dispose of them. Then, through a labor-intensive and admittedly ‘incredibly toxic’ process—due to the petro-chemical materials used in the manufacture of these boards--he strips them down to a basic foam canvas to turn them into new surfboard designs, Tibby said. “I’m hands on recycling something that’s going to go into the rubbish and using my skills to make it into something cool and beautiful that can then be a functional piece of art equipment,” he said.

Tibby is the first to admit it wasn’t exactly ecoconsciousness that inspired him about five years ago to start shaping surfboards from recycled ‘foamies’—or at all. It was something much more simple than that— finances. “Definitely I started shaping boards more because the obsession [with surfing] took me to want to try new boards, and continually pay for surfboards wasn’t really feasible,” he said. “So I thought well, I’d better start making my own boards.” The obsession started when Tibby was a child growing up in the landlocked state of Indiana in the United States after moving there at the age of two from England, where he was born. He said he always knew he would surf, but the call of the mountains—more specifically, skiing them—drove his lifestyle for much of his 20s and early 30s. Before arriving in Portugal almost 10 years ago, Tibby spent six seasons working as a chef to feed his need to ski in Chamonix, France. But losing a number of friends to mountain accidents, severely breaking his leg and his feeling that he was “over” the cold weather sent him driving away from France in September 2009, his Volkswagen LT bus aimed toward southern Europe. To true surfing enthusiasts and those who create surfboard designs, board-shaping is a precise and sacred science, with a seemingly endless combination of features that literally shape someone’s experience of riding the board on waves. Tibby acknowledges he is still early into his own learning of, and experimentation into, the craft, which is why he 

Photo © Gabriel Rosa  gabriel.just@hotmail.com  gabriel.rosa

COMMUNITY keeps his board prices fairly low for custom designs—between €350 to €550. He also specialises in classic, colorful designs inspired by boards surfed in the 1970s, which he calls a “great decade of surfboard exploration.” These boards, such as classic “fishes”—a design of boards with a fish-like tail--and single-fin and twin-fin designs, are a bit bigger and have more volume than the popular shortboards ridden by the pros and even many lifestyle surfers.

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By way of design it also means they are well-suited for the recreational surfer who just wants to enjoy the ocean and catch some waves, Tibby said. “My boards are for everyone,” he said with a grin. “Anybody that likes to surf will like my boards.” Tibby also is constantly exploring the use of more eco-friendly materials in his craft, using a pine-sapbased resin rather than typical plastic resins and integrating natural materials such as burlap and canvas—with an eye toward using hemp in the future—into the boards he shapes.

Tibby will be the first to admit he isn’t singlehandedly going to solve the world’s environmental crisis by taking trash and turning it into functional art. However, he thinks as a surfer himself, he has a responsibility to do even a small part to make the passion that has consumed a good part of his adult life more ecofriendly. “With surfing we see immediately in nature what being not conscious will do, with all the trash floating in the sea, and we can say, ‘What can I do?’” he said. “I don’t think riding recycled surfboards is going to save the planet, but it’s a nice alternative that can then help us all grow to be more conscious. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to maintain our planet with so many humans on it.”

+INFO:  Holysurfdude  robintibby@gmail.com  www.holysurfboards.com  holysurfboards.blogspot.com

A PERSONAL TAKE The Cardboard Suitcase, Peter Giacomini's new adventure novel, will be launched on April 23rd at the Fortaleza Restaurant in Praia da Luz. The book was six years in the writing and a lifetime in the making. For it is a biography which spans six decades, four continents, a host of countries, people of all shades and dozens of the world's finest luxury hotels. It's an epic tale of a lad born into poverty in war-torn northern Italy but who cherished a dream to wait on the rich and famous in the splendour of grand hotel restaurants and whose eventual rise in the industry far exceeded even his wildest ambition. Peter (real name Pierino) became inspired to write his story by his son Paul's desire to have a tangible record of his father's life and times, experiences and successes. Peter's upbringing was, after all, quite different from the affluence and protection afforded to his own offspring. From an early age Peter had to learn that success did not arrive on a silver platter. Harsh reality showed him that if he wanted to get on in life he needed to face the world without fear and leave the little village of his birth. Encouraged and supported only by his mother he took that plunge and left behind everything he knew. He ventured into the big, wide world and life as a trainee waiter in Rome. He was just fifteen years old.

At times he found how cruel life could be but he also found kindness and opportunities; the latter he learned to grab quickly. His life was indeed a roller coaster of ups, downs, bumps and bruises, failure and ultimate success which have shaped his character and created the formidable man he is today. At 75 years of age, Peter remains active; inspired and inspirational. He is now a public speaker and consultant to the hospitality sector. Addressing students and industry professionals in schools and universities throughout Europe. He works mostly pro-bono for any organisations that can benefit from his many years of worldwide work experience in five star hotels and fine restaurants. Peter lives in the sunny south of Portugal with his wife Janet The Cardboard Suitcase is available for sale on Amazon or by contacting Peter directly. His aim is not that of financial reward. His hope is that his story will provide a positive spur and inspiration for readers. He seeks to impress that, with determination and courage, anything is possible in life regardless of birth, social status or education. The launch event is on April 23rd and starts at 3pm.

+INFO:  giacomini.us

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ARE YOU AN ALGARVE ADDICT? Over the next few months we will be introducing you to some of the people that Nick Robinson has interviewed as part of his Algarve Addicts website including a serious trail runner, Portugal’s top Stand Up Paddler from Albufeira and a whole lot of other interesting characters. Our editor, Amber Henshaw, turned the tables on Nick to find out more about the idea.

Please give us a bit of background about yourself. I was born in one of the world’s most naturally beautiful cities: Cape Town, South Africa and enjoyed an upbringing, like most South Africans, where the great outdoors played a major role. Surfing, windsurfing, hiking, river rafting and obligatory sport at school kept me active. However, it was never enough so I took a part time job as a professional river guide after a session on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe where we descended some of the most extreme rapids in the world. It still wasn’t enough so I went to go and work full time in the bush at one of South Africa’s premier game lodges, Singita game reserve near the Kruger National Park.

"I planned to stay for six months and return to South Africa. I loved it so much here in the Algarve I decided to stay." 22

Please tell us about your professional background. My professional background is in Business and Information Technology (I studied at the University of Cape Town) and after moving to Portugal, I focused on digital marketing and have been working in the sector ever since. How, why and when did you move to the Algarve? It was the year 2000 and my cousin owned a restaurant near Carvoeiro (called Restaurant Roma) and he kept bugging me to come over and run it for him. I kept telling him he was insane and that I had a thriving career in Cape Town. One day, after I had just moved into a new high pressure job I was chatting to one of the women in human resources who was Portuguese. She

kept telling me how wonderful Portugal was so I thought what the hell, I love adventure, let’s go. I planned to stay for six months and return to South Africa but I loved it so much here in the Algarve that I opened my own business in digital marketing and stayed. Please tell us about Algarve Addicts? Algarve Addicts is a culmination of all my skills in podcasting, vlogging (a raw style of video diary for those of you unfamiliar with the term) and blogging. Through Algarve Addicts I have a real desire to help visitors to the Algarve to get way more out of their holiday than they normally would. The focus is on outdoor activities in the region as we really need to get the most out of our natural places before we can’t any more. Think hiking, biking and paddling for a start. Additionally I want to help people who are planning to make Portugal their home through the publishing of helpful information.

+INFO:  algarveaddicts.com

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THE ART OF KUNG FU Next month Thai-based Kung Fu Master Iain Armstrong will be running his first course at the Karuna Retreat in Monchique. Here he tells us how he grew up fighting to survive in a London suburb but realised along the way that the best way to win is with positivity, kindness and happiness. Please tell us about yourself. I was born and grew up in Sutton. The son of two primary school teachers who worked very hard to pay for our home and take care of my brother and myself. Sutton is a place where everyone has to be tough! Everyone is trying to climb up the stack, get a bit better. And in Sutton, in fact in South London generally, this means being tougher, harder, fiercer, more assertive, more aggressive. My family were tough, strong people. My grandmother had been quite a well known fighter when she was young. So I learned from an early age that to get ahead I needed to fight. I was good at it so for a long time I did not want to do any formal training. This changed when I was 14 and was beaten for the first time by a boxer who broke my nose. It bled continually for a week. To this day you can see that my nose is scarred and bends to one side. So then I took up boxing. I was not a great boxer so when I got the chance to do Kung Fu I took it enthusiastically. It came when I was 18 and started university. In the 1970s there were very few martial arts clubs around. The university had many, though, so I joined both Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do. Please can you tell us about your professional background. I have a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and a postgraduate degree in Education. I worked as a biology teacher for 13 years and during this time learned a lot about how to teach. Kung Fu was my passion and I would practise early mornings, evenings and weekends. I often took time away from my work in order to train in Singapore but always had to come back. Where did you train? I began my Kung Fu journey at the university of London. In 1987 I was part of a team selected to represent Britain in Singapore where our association is headquartered. The head of the association, Master Tan Soh Tin, encouraged the best of the foreign students who had shown up to stay longer and further their training directly under his tutelage. I extended my stay there, returned two years later as part of another UK group, went back in 1992 on my own and after that returned once or twice a year, usually with a group of my own students from the UK. I travelled to many other countries with Master Tan as he encouraged me to learn from as many

distinguished masters as possible. We visited China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. I also used to arrange for Master Tan to come to England once a year and sometimes we would travel to Europe for competition and demonstrations. What led you to Thailand? I first went to Thailand in 1992 with Master Tan. We settled into a pattern of training in Thailand every year. I first met my wife, who is Thai, at the very beginning of 2006. So in 2006 I made several visits to Thailand. It was only then that I started thinking about opening a Retreat in Thailand. It was where I had done a lot of my early training, is close to Singapore, and is just a really nice place to be. Really I located there because of my wife. If it had not been for her I would not have thought of Thailand and would certainly not have succeeded there. Please tell us about your life there? I do what I most want – live the life of Kung Fu. We have a small house in the grounds of the Kung Fu Retreat. I wake at 4.45am and begin training and teaching at 6.00am when the air is freshest. 

"Kung fu has taught me how to take full control of my life, my emotions and my mind."

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COMMUNITY I watch the sunrise over the mountains and soak up its first rays, which are highly charged with ‘chi’, or ‘life force energy’. I eat together with my students - fresh, healthy food which we grow and prepare here. I spend my days teaching and running the Kung Fu Retreat. I have two children – aged eight and six – who I love very much. In the words of Confucius: ‘choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life’.

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Our Kung Fu Retreat is in the mountains of Thailand’s most remote and sparsely populated province: Mae Hong Son in the north west. We are just 30km from Burma located on a mountainside overlooking the Pai river. Pretty much a dream location for a Kung Fu school. How do people benefit from the courses you teach? I teach people to confront themselves (which is one of the hardest things to do) and through self discipline and perseverance to work on themselves and become the people that they aspire to be. Everyone gains something different because everyone is a unique individual. I teach people to access their mind by working with their body and their breath. In the words of Voltaire ‘our mind is only what we think that we think with’. Mind body and breath are much more closely intertwined that we usually assume. Through our training it is possible to access the subconscious mind, which is where most of our mind power resides. In 2019 we do not need to physically defend ourselves very often. On the other hand mental health is a huge issue. In fact stress, anxiety and burnout have become the norm. So at the moment I do a lot of teaching on how to address these issues. Our training works – just take a look at our online reviews. We have a solution to one of the major problems facing present day society. So it is really important that we give people access to it. That is why I am coming to Portugal to teach. Please tell us about the course you are teaching in Portugal? This first course in Portugal teaches about Qigong, the practise of cultivating the body’s ‘chi’ or life energy. It addresses a lot of the problems that are really relevant to people now: stress, anxiety, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and constant tiredness. It is a course for people just beginning in their study of Qigong – no experience is necessary, no need to be fit or athletic and suitable for people of advancing age. Not so suitable for children, though, since it does require concentration and calm. It will take place at the Karuna Meditation Retreat in Monchique the weekend of May 18-19. We are offering both residential and non residential options. Those taking the residential option will be best to arrive the evening of May 17. Full details on the website.

Do you have plans to come back again? I am looking to start running more courses in Europe. If things work out well then I may base most of these courses in Monchique. I will be running a 1 week course October 12-19, again at the Karuna Centre. I really hope to get a good response to this. If I do then I will plan to run regular courses in the future. How has kung fu changed your life? I may well write a number of books about this in the future! For now, though, I will try to keep it short. Like most people, I started off feeling that my life was shaped by events and other people. I was prey to various emotions which would come and go. My relationships were not great and, in particular, I did not have a great relationship with myself. I did not really respect my self. Kung fu has taught me how to take full control of my life, my emotions and my mind. To take complete responsibility for myself and for my life. To respect myself and be forgiving to myself. To seek happiness within, not without. To base my self esteem on building other people up, not knocking them down. I set out as a very ordinary sort of child in a crowded suburb on the outskirts of London. Thanks to Kung Fu I have travelled to more than 30 different countries, discovered many different cultures and philosophies, met many incredible people and seen many sights that few westerners will ever see. I have shaken hands with the Queen of England and had a stand off with a God who guards the gates to Hell! I now live the life that I dreamed of and I still have enough years left in me to achieve a lot more than I have done already. I owe all of this to Kung Fu and I intend to pay back that debt by giving as many other people as possible the chance to do likewise. What have you learnt most about yourself through Kung fu? On a basic level I have learned that the best way to win is not to fight but rather to win people over with positivity, kindness and happiness. This likely sounds quite soft but I have used this tactic against a couple of guys armed with machine guns and hand grenades! No matter how good your kung fu is, it is never going to be a match for machine guns. But a smile often wins people over and then the problem is solved. I wish that I had understood this when I was younger! This has been my Kung Fu journey, though, learning how to win without fighting.

+INFO:  kungfuretreat.com/international-courses/may-17-19-portugal/

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traditional fibre boats: "we were obliged to leave them because they couldn’t be anchored, they needed a lot of maintenance and could break easily if they hit a rock," says Vítor Santos. Only a few wooden boats are still active, an example is the Rio Alacem boat, which is over 60 years old, which used to "ship sardines to the canning fish factories in Alvor", it also "carried the statue of Virgin Mary in religious festivals," says Isidro. The small traditional boats, now in fibre, are only intended to make tours, with safety and all the necessary elements to manoeuvre them: "with one boat I go fishing, then I pick up the other one, which is clean, for the tours. Cravinho mentions that "we began to raise money [in the early 80's], to buy a fibre boat" which can't lack in security measures and has a long stick: "because we work on the beach, where the tide is out, we must manoeuvre the boat between the sand and the rocks, where we can't put the propeller of the boat to work. Hence the use of this stick to manoeuvre the boat to the right place. "

FISHERMEN TURNED TOUR GUIDES A few metres from Mar d'Estórias, on the main avenue in Lagos, the wisdom of the sea and the history of our town is transmitted by living sources - in the experiences of 40 local fishermen. Lagos, a land of discoveries, men of the sea, golden coves and crystalline waters, relies on these fishermen to share their stories of authenticity lived on board their small traditional boats. In the 1960s, to complement their hard-working life, some of these men of the sea carefully cleaned their wooden boats and began to exhibit the golden coast of Lagos, through cave tours. Many still maintain the same routine, with slight changes: "at dawn, we were launching the nets; we cleaned the boat and came to Dona Ana Beach to wait for those who wanted to visit the caves while the sun was up. At night or the next dawn, we would collect the fish, "says José Jorge; to which Nuno Amantes adds that "even this morning I was leaving earthenware pots to catch octopus". "The wooden boat is not used anymore," says Isidro, better known by Cravinho: "I did some small tours with my brother's wooden boat, in 1976, at Dona Ana beach." The old wooden boats, their design based on the discoveries caravels, had to be gradually replaced by

In this group of 40, Lucindo, 86, continues to show and teach the secrets of the coast to anyone who wants to know their history! He has almost 50 years’ experience of grotto tours and over 70 as a fisherman. Lucindo and the other men were building the routes through the intricate labyrinth of cliffs, carved grottoes and small beaches, where they confess that the names of these sites weren’t by chance: "We have a grotto that we call the kitchen, because when there were high winds it was the shelter where we ate before we went to work, "says Vítor Santos. This complement to the fishing began in Dona Ana beach, with the tourists from the Hotel Golfinho, but was spread throughout the town in four strategic points: Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Cais da Solaria, Dona Ana beach and Ponta da Piedade: "in partnership with the maritime authorities, around 1986, these 4 places were allocated for the group of 40, in a round-robin scheme," says Isidro. The essence of Lagos was and continues to be created by these men, by the wisdom shared in each tour, but not exclusively! Their humble condition conveys the most authentic, natural and genuine, a lesson to a time when the fishermen, not knowing how to write counted the tours by tying a knot in a rope: "each knot was a tour; two consecutive knots represented a trip with four people," says José Jorge. These are heads of families who have been able to provide their children with a better future. They are the same people who have a deep sense of pride and belonging in being part of this group and having made life in Lagos: "Culture? We're living it every day! " Thanks to Mar d’Estórias for this story. Mar d’Estórias intends to be an innovative place that values everything Portuguese with special emphasis on the Algarve. It was planned to provide a balanced passage between the different areas of the shop, the restaurant, the homeware and crowned by the rooftop terrace bar with a sea view.

+INFO:  mardestorias  mardestorias  www.mardestorias.com

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THE MAGICAL AZORES Part one

If you are looking for somewhere that’s a little bit different to relax, unwind and have an adventure, then why not try the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, which is an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. Antoinette Hage did just that and had a ball. These islands are one of the best kept secrets for hiking, outdoor swimming, jungles, mountains, lakes and volcanoes. Not to mention waterfalls, tea plantations, medieval military bases and some serious hills.

road cyclist, I felt out of my depth on big tyres bumping through mud and puddles. But I had the excellent guidance of Paolo throughout. Futurismo has a unit near one of the lakes which also offers kayaking.

The Azores comprise nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic. Some are so small you can just squeeze an airport on them. Each island boasts lush flora and fauna, and the temperate weather makes them ideal for a winter adventure. I flew into Ponta Delgada with Ryanair from London. TAP Portugal also offers direct flights from Lisbon. I spent five days on São Miguel, the biggest island, and later island-hopped between Faial, Pico and Terceira.

Back in Ponta Delgada, we stopped for coffee and some excellent cake in Louvre Michaelense. On our way to explore the eastern parts of the island, we stopped in Furnas to take in the view around another volcanic lake. Whilst there, we observed the preparation of cozido. This stew is cooked underground using heat from geothermic activity. You can eat cozido locally at Tony’s or in Parque Terra Nostra.

Unprepared for 20 degree December heat after a cold and bleak British winter, I filled up my rental car with layers of clothing, plenty of snacks and set off to Sete Cidades. Two lakes were formed in the crater of a volcano – the green lake and the blue lake. The story goes a blue-eyed farm boy loved a green-eyed princess so much but their love was forbidden, he cried so much he filled the blue lake and she cried so much she filled the green lake. A number of observation points (miradouros) enable you to view the lakes and valley from different angles on the volcanic reach. On a clear day, it is stunning. The road winds down into the Sete Cidades town, and leads to easy walking and trekking routes around the lake. The ferrous red earth crunches beneath you. Here, I took a mountain bike ride with Futurismo Azores Adventures. As a

One of the greatest experiences of my trip was canyoning with Fun Activities Azores Adventure in Parque Natural da Ribeira dos Caldeirões. Our brilliant instructors Bruno and João took our small group on a 20 minute hike through a lush rainforest straight out of Jurassic Park. We reached a complex waterfall and rapids through which we abseiled, jumped, slid and swam. There is something special about experiencing these natural surroundings. But this experience is not for the faint of heart and you risk close encounters with snakes and crocodiles. Easing the aches from jumping in waterfalls, we headed to Poça da Dona Beija in Furnas, the best kind of spa. There are nine pools filled with water heated by geothermic activity, all in luxury surroundings. We also stopped at Lagoa do Congro, my favourite quiet spot. Drive slowly through the muddy tracks until you spot somewhere to park and walk down to the lake. It’s a short hike downhill with few people around. The colours and the quiet, still air are both eerie and vibrant. 

COMMUNITY Perhaps my only sedate activity (except eating) was visiting the tea plantation at Cha Gorreana on the north of the island. After a brief information video we toured the tea factory and the plantation grounds. Cha Gorreana makes a number of unique teas, which you can taste for free or buy. I recommend the pekoe with mint. It was wonderful to sit and gaze over the plantation and the sea while sipping teas.

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Nearby at Porto Formoso, there is a waterfall hidden under a car park – OS coordinates 37°49'18.0"N 25°26'40.3"W is perhaps the only way to find it. Cut through the field, hike down and enjoy this hidden spot. I also enjoyed surfing with Santa Barbara Surf School, located on a secluded black sand beach near Ribeira Grande. Every turn on this island reminds you it is basically a volcano – from the black sand to the jagged cliffs. The water was exceptionally clear and Santa Barbara offers board and wetsuit hire as well as lessons. In Ponta Delgada, go to Ta Gente for the sweetened bread – bolo levedo -

Carnival fun! BY LENA STRANG

Yet another Carnival tempted thousands of revellers to take to the streets in various parts of the Algarve. This year’s celebrations took place at the start of March, ending on Shrove Tuesday, the first day of Lent. The sun shone brightly on the carnival parade in Lagos on Friday where school children, local associations and a large contingent of sprightly members of the Senior University joined forces in a colourful display in town. Carnival fun continued during the following few days in many towns and villages with numerous parades and parties. Loulé has the distinction of having the oldest carnival in Portugal with the first official one taking place in 1906. This year’s edition didn’t disappoint. With the characteristic elements of social satire The Circus of Selfies made fun of social media and public figures. The 14 floats

reflected many contentious current events. There was the issue of Brexit with Teresa May’s and Angela Merkel’s contest for the heavyweight championships of Europe, the election of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil along with the troubled presidency of Donald Trump, amongst others. The 600 extras in their exuberant outfits provided a feast for the eye. Over the years the Carnival has taken on a Brazilian element with scantily dressed performers doing their well-choreographed moves. Luckily for them, Sunday was warm and sunny even the intermittent showers of the two following days didn't dampen spirits. With the 113th edition done and dusted, it is time to start planning the next!

burger with sweet potato chips and an old-fashioned bourbon made to your preference. I went with the honey-orange. Lapas, or limpets, are popular at A Tasca which serves a huge range of local dishes. Fun Activities Azores Adventure offer heart pumping outdoor experiences all year round on São Miguel island, including coasteering and canyoning adventures. Contact info@funactivities.net or Instagram fun.activities. azoresadventure Futurismo Azores Adventures have an activity base in Sete Cidades for cycling and kayaking as well as other activity points on the Azores. Contact reservations@futurismo.pt or Instagram futurismoazoresadventures Santa Barbara Surf School offers hire and lessons in northern Sao Miguel. Contact info@santabarbarasurfschoolazores.com More about the Azores in our next edition.

QPA HORSE RIDING CENTRE

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

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WHAT’S ON

FIMA '19

The 34th International Algarve Music Festival which aims to promote access to classical music through a series of 14 concerts. Under the Cultural Program 365 Algarve, these concerts will extend throughout the Algarve region over two months.

A few coming up In April and May include: Landmarks in the History of Music classicism by Orquestra Clássica do Sul with conductor and Violin Christoph Koncz from Austria on April 4th at 9pm at the Lagos Cultural Centre. Tickets cost €12. On April 18th at 7pm there will be chamber music Serenades and Chamber Symphonies I performed by the Orquestra Clássica do Sul at the Silves Theater Teatro Mascarenhas Gregório. Tickets cost €8. The Celtic Viola will be performed by Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI on April 26th at 9pm at the theatre in Portimão Tempo Teatro Municipal. Tickets cost €12. Pablo Lapidusas International Trio and Orquestra Clássica do Sul will be at Lagoa’s Municipal Auditorium on May 4th at 9pm. Tickets cost €12.

For a full programme of concerts:  www.fima.com.pt

What's on in April IT’S CARNIVAL TIME The fourth annual SITA Carnival will take place this year in Alvor on Saturday May 11th. The carnival is one of the highlights of the week-long Soul in the Algarve event which starts on May 7th and goes on until May 14th. SITA Carnival is one of the most talked about events of the week, at Soul in the Algarve, by both Soul in the Algarve attendees and locals alike. People dress up in colourful costumes and parade through the cobbled streets of the beautiful fishing village of Alvor. People travel far and wide to watch the procession and to attend the SITA Carnival. The first SITA Carnival was in May 2015 and was created by Vivy B to

celebrate 10 years of Soul in the Algarve. Since that day we have not looked back and the SITA carnival is now a hugely celebrated annual event in the beautiful fishing village of Alvor. Vivy said: “Thank you to the people of Alvor for welcoming us back each year.” Vivy said they are now looking for sponsorship to ensure this popular event has a long-term future. If anyone does want to get involved then please contact Vivy.

+INFO:  vivy@soulnetwork.co.uk  www.soulinthealgarve.com

Marvelous marble This month three great artists are coming together for an exhibition at Georg Scheele’s studio. The Open Studio will start on April 20th at 3pm with a new series of marble works by Georg Scheele, together with the well known Algarve artists Nuno Santiago and

Alexandre Manuel. Easter weekend is the perfect time to make an excursion to the mountains of Monchique and to celebrate with the best artists from Algarve.

+INFO:  delyra.net

WHAT’S ON

Archaeology students excavating Boca do Rio Roman excavations 2018

FISH SAUCE PRODUCTION On Tuesday April 2nd, the Algarve Archaeological Association (AAA) will be presenting two lectures, in English, by Florian Hermann. 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. The talks will be about 'The Roman fish sauce production centre of Boca do Rio in the light of new excavations by UMR and UAlg' Florian Hermann, from the University of Marburg, Germany, will be presenting the results of recent excavations at the site of one of the best preserved Roman ports in Portugal and the important Roman fish sauce production site at Boca do Rio, Vila do Bispo in the western Algarve. For the last two years, the project 'Vulnerability of complex production networks on the Atlantic Coast of Roman Lusitania' (funded by the German Research Foundation) has been investigating the dependency of Roman fish sauce production in Hispania on the changing development of its direct environment. At the site of Boca do Rio at Vila do Bispo, the Universities of Marburg, Cologne and Aachen (RWTH) in Germany have been working in collaboration with the PIPA-project 'Boca do Rio, a fishing site between two seas' led by João Pedro Bernardes of the University of the Algarve (UAlg). The project involved a number of archaeological university students and was assisted by grants from the Algarve Archaeological Association. Boca do Rio is located in the extreme southwest of the Iberian Peninsula and the site of the Roman port was identified during a geophysical survey undertaken

in 2017. Excavation of the site, buried under the sand dunes, revealed a 40m long limestone port structure with pierced stone mooring rings, a slipway and access steps. It also revealed a Roman fish processing factory with 2m deep vats, in an excellent state of preservation, used for the production of garum fish sauce prized by the Romans and shipped across the Empire. Boca do Rio is one of the highest density fish production sites in the whole of the Empire. Like many other Roman coastal settlements and small fishing sites of the region, it is situated in a small bay right next to the Atlantic Ocean. The archaeological complex at Boca do Rio, which spans the 2nd to 5th centuries AD, includes a Roman villa adjacent to the beach. This living area, or pars urbana, was in the southernmost part of the complex, right by the sea where it had been described by Estacio da Veiga in 1910. Several field campaigns involving geophysical prospection and excavation have allowed the creation of a new idea of the complexity and overall composition of the fish-processing site at Boca do Rio. Non-members are welcome to attend AAA lectures for a €5 admission fee, with all money raised by the AAA being used for archaeological grants and speakers. Please check the website or facebook page for any last minute changes.

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

SWEET TREATS The traditional Folar Fair is taking place in Odeceixe, Aljezur on April 19th, 20th and 21st. The traditional ‘folar’ of this region of the Algarve will be the great ‘star’ of this event. The folar is a traditional Portuguese Easter sweet cake made with whole eggs. Other specialities will also be on offer including the rich sweets based on Aljezur Sweet potatoes, regional sausages and cheeses, also typical dishes and snacks and seafood including perceve (goose barnacles). There will be a selection of handicrafts and local produce on offer as well. Admission to the event will be free.

GET FIT AlgarveFit is a Sports and Health Fair which is being held in Portimão between April 13th and 14th at the Portimão Arena pavillion. This is a fitness event dedicated to lovers of an active and healthy lifestyle. There will be an exhibition area of professionals from the sector, group classes, health as well as a well-being area, CrossFit Throwdown Competition, fun park, workshops and accredited courses. This year there will also count with the competition AlgarveFit ThrowDown 2019. The competition will hold the following categories: SCALED male/female, ELITE male/female, MASTERS 35+ male/ female, MASTERS 40+ male/female, MASTERS 45+ male/female, TEAMS (2 males + 1 female).

+INFO:  events/321712675127107

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CALENDAR

April Calendar CLASSES & ACTIVITIES

Urban Dance Wed 5.15pm (Kids 7+) | 6.15pm ( Adults) €8/€25pm, Alma Verde Burgau, Fri 6.30pm (teens) €7, Bombeiros Vila Do Bispo, Private Classes €20p/ Sess., T: 916022719 Watercolour Classes Thurs 10am, €11, Sala Paroquial (Church Hall) Praia da Luz, T: 912149839 Classical Guitar Classes (English Speaking ABRSM Certified) 1-2-1 for children, adults & seniors €20p/h (References available), Lagos, Paulo T: 962690582 Oriental Dance Class (beginners/interm.) Mon 7 - 8.30pm €8.50/class €30/ month, Lagos, T: 914851331 Life Drawing Mon 11am - 1pm Beginners & Professionals, €10 p.sess | Marina de Lagos, T: 916035308

Photography Advice Mon 11am - 1pm, Art Academy Marina de Lagos T: 917271789 African Dance Classes Thurs 10.30 €10, Rancho Folclorico Rogil, T: 964588588 Medieval Sword/Stick Fighting (All Ages!)Thurs 5pm, €8, Sargaçal/Lagos (contact for exact place), E: s.bieg@posteo.de T: 004917678678743 Open Mic Night Wed 9pm ’til midnight All artists musicians, poets, comedians, dancers & fun people welcome Free Admission Junction 17 (Under The Galley Restaurant) Luz T: 964201904/ 911568625 Computer Classes Sat 10am All levels | Lagos T: 918764613

Aljezur International Choir Singers from the Southwest Algarve Thurs 2pm Sing in various languages, Music Room Aljezur Bombeiros, T: 914285640 Open Painting Studio Wed & Thurs 10.30am | €12.50, Healing Painting For 70+- | Thurs 3pm €10, Barão S. João, T: 962039574 Circus VagabunT Classes for children (6-12yrs) Tues 2.30-6.30pm Aljezur/ Wed 2-5.30pm Budens/ Thurs Odeceixe 3-6.30pm, €25 p/m, Leo: 968296503

CHARITY & SUPPORT April 24th 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 AA International English Speaking Meeting Wed 7.30 - 9pm, Rua Da Freguesia Lote 12c, Lagos, T: 964201904 / 282760506, AA hotline: 917005590

Lagos Walking Football Wed 9.30-11am | +50yrs Welcome, €3 | Boavista Golf Resort | Luz, T: 282790930 Music Lessons (Piano, Guitar, Keyboard & Voice) Beginners & Intermediate €25p.h, Salema T: 964201904

Tennis Doubles-Round Robin | Thu 3-5pm | €10 T: 282690008 Footbal Academy (4-15yrs) April 11th & 18th 9.3011.30am €18 Kids Golf Lesson (4-16 yrs) | Tue & Fri 9.30-10.30am (9th - 23rd April) | €12, Adults Try Golf Lesson | Tue 12am-1pm (9th - 23rd April) €15, Golf lessons with PGA Pro on request (inc. equipment) | T: 282690054, Golf Santo Antonio, Budens ROLL UP for experienced bowlers Mon & Fri 10am, Bowls for Beginners Tue 11am (1st lesson FREE), €10 (non mem.) | Floresta Bowls Club | Rua Direita | Praia da Luz, T: 919707635

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

FITNESS Cardio Flow Yoga Mon 6.30pm | Monthly Meditation & Yoga Nidra Mon 7.30pm | Stretch and Breath Yoga Thurs 11am €10 Wake Up & Flow Yoga Sat 9.30am Quinta Bonita Lagos T: 964593937 Total Fitness Mon 7.30pm, €6 | HIIT Yoga Fri 9.30am €7 Burgau Sports Centre Legs Bums & Tums Mon 11am | Boxercise Tues 9.30am €6, Ocean Club Luz, Boxercise Wed 10.30am Praia Três Irmãos, Alvor €6 Soames Fitness, T: 913425893 Yoga Mon 11am Fitness Tue & Thurs 9.30am Pilates Mon & Wed 9.30am Pilates for Pregnant Wed 11am, €5 Santo Antonio, T: 282690086

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

Contemporary Dance Wed 7.30pm | €10 class/€25p.m, T: 965310351, Capoeira Tues & Thurs | 7pm | €5 class/€30p.m, T: 920547209, Salsa Cubana Dance Class Mon 8.30pm (Beg.) & Thurs 7.30pm (Adv.) | €35p.m, Bachata Dance Thurs | 9pm €20p.m, T: 964151952 Teatro Experimental de Lagos (TEL), Lagos

Latin & Ballroom Tues 10am (interm) 11.30 (Begin & Improv.) & 12.15pm (begin.) Alvor Community Centre Wed 7pm (New Begin.) 7.45 (Improv.) Carvoeiro Clube de Tenis, €5 T: 961916821

Gentle Hatha Mon 6.30 8pm Old School | Burgau Wed 12.15 - 2pm, Hotel Belavista | Luz | €8, T: 965201477

Pilates Wed 11am, Yoga & De-stress Fri 11am, Zumba Dance Wed & Fri 10am, Step! & Tone Thurs 10am, €7.50 Hotel Belavista Luz, T: 968288258 Yoga Mon Wed & Fri 10am €10 Ocean Villas Gardens Praia da Luz, T: 282767303 Pilates Mat Classes | Daily 9.15 & 10.30am & Mon 6pm €10 (€90-10), Barre Pilates Wed 12pm & Sat 10.15am Pilates Equipment Classes Duet Reformer | Semi Private & 1-2-1, Pilates Room Lagos, T: 926514613 Tai Chi Mon 8.30am (€5 sugg.donation) Gentle Yoga Mon 12.30pm €7.50 Kundalini Yoga with GongBath Tues 8pm €15 (pls reg) | Therapeutic QiGong Fri 8.30am (€5 sugg.donation) Yoga Nidra - Deep Relaxation Sun 11am €7.50, InLight Lagos inlight.pt T: 913127421

Vijnana Yoga | Mon 10am -12pm, | €9 / €7 regulars, Alma Verde Burgau T: 962492607 Pilates Mat Classes (All Levels - inc. equip.) MonFri 9:30am 10:30am & 6pm, €10 or €90 x10, AR Pilates Studio Chinicato Lagos, T: 966787280 Ashtanga Yoga Basics Tues & Thurs 10.30am | Ashtanga Yin Mix Tues 7pm | Yin Yoga | Wed 9.15am, €10/€65 for 8 (residents), Clube Desportivo do Burgau fit2lovelife T: 913202621 Hatha Yoga (Begninners) Mon Wed & Fri 9.45-11.45am, Yin Yoga Tues & Thurs 9.45am | | Booking required, €10, Boavista Golf Resort | Luz, Yin Yoga Mon 4pm, Hatha yoga (beginners) Fri 3.30pm, €12pc or €60x6, Alma Verde, T: 963614499

Beginners Yoga Course 11am - 12:15pm, €45 (6 weeks), Inlight Lagos, T: 912176914 Hatha Yoga Mon & Thurs 10.30am | Kundalini Yoga Mon & Wed 6.30pm | Pre-Natal Yoga Thurs 12pm €12 | Qi Gong Wed 10.30am & Thur 6.30pm €8 Sat 10am & 4.30pm (Children) €10 | Ninjutsu/Budo Tajutsu Tues & Fri 7.30pm €10, Casa Sakra Lagos T: 916060814 Zumba Gold times & days flexible Max 5 People €5, Lagos T: 914731772

USEFUL NUMBERS GENERAL FAITH Sunday Service 10.30am | International Christian Community, Madness Restaurant Lagos Marina, T: 932082813 Communion Services NO SERVICE April 11th 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

EVENTS April 6th Yoga Workshop | 9.30am - 12pm | €15 | Quinta Bonita Luxury Boutique Hotel Lagos 964593937 April 6th, Exhibition Opening | 4.30 - 7pm Live music & exhibition of works from international artists (participants of the Art Academy) | 916035308 April 14th - Nourishing Stillness Restorative Yoga Workshop (All welcome, no experience necessary) 5-7pm | €15 April 27th - Beginners Yoga Course with Helen 6 week course 11am-12:15, €52, InLight Studio, Lagos T: 912176914 Easter Services April 14th Palm Sunday 11.30am, April 19th Good Friday | reflective service 1hr with prayer and meditation | 11am | April 21st Easter Sunday 11.30am, CoE | St Vincent’s Anglican Church | Praia da Luz, Chaplain: T:282789660 April 14th Craft Fair | 12-5pm Handmade toys, treats jewellery, glass craft etc BBQ, Tapas, Gin Bar & wine tasting | Easter Egg Hunt 2pm | Live music 1-4pm | Proceeds going to charity, Hook Restaurant | Orbitur Camping | Luz

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 ACCOUNTANT 969 041 750

WHAT’S ON

Crafty artisan

An Easter Craft Fair is being held on April 14th at the Hook Restaurant between 12pm and 5pm. There will be art and craft stalls from across the Algarve selling handmade toys, bags, jewellery and many other things. There will be charity stalls too. The Hook will offer food and drink will be on offer including a BBQ, tapas and vegetarian options. There will be a special Gin bar and wine tasting with a Portuguese company. There will be live music and an Easter Egg hunt at 2pm. Plenty of fun for all the family with proceeds going to the Mustard Seed, the soup kitchen in Lagos.

+INFO:  Crafty artisans Portugal

JAZZ DAY Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve will celebrate the International Jazz Day in Lagos on April 30th at 9.30pm at the Lagos Cultural Centre. The celebration started in November 2011 when UNESCO officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day in order to promote jazz and its ability to unite people in all corners of the globe.

+INFO:  jazzday.com  events/434126083795987

Art and nature Algarve Artists Network (AAN) opens a new exhibition which is part of the Transformations in Nature series at the Centro Cultural de Lagos on Saturday May 27th at 6pm.

The exhibition is showing works highlighting the changes we humans are making to the environment, to animal and to human species. Previously held at Galeria António Aleixo in Vila Real

de Santo António in 2016, and at the Contemporary Art Festival in the Museu de Guarda in 2018. At each exhibition new works emerge as the artists become sensitive to yet another environmental issue. The Transformations in Nature Exhibition runs from May 27th to July 31st. The CCL is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am-6pm.

EASTER FUN

Madrugada will hold its very popular annual Easter Fair at Fortaleza da Luz, Praia da Luz, on Saturday April 13th between 11am and 3pm.

It is an event that is fun for all the family which will involve lots of Easter treats, games and surprises. Bring along your decorated Easter Eggs and Easter bonnets for competitions that will start at 1.30pm. You will even get the chance to meet the Easter Bunny and stock up on all your Easter Gifts and delights.

A great selection of handicrafts, jewellery and novelties will be on sale. Everyone is welcome to come along and get into the Easter spirit. Live music will be on offer to entertain visitors throughout the event in Fortaleza’s beautiful garden. All proceeds support Madrugada care services.

+INFO:  www.madrugada-portugal.com

ART ACADEMY EXHIBITION The Art Academy Marina de Lagos is inviting readers to the opening of its new exhibition at the gallery at the Marina de Lagos. The opening will be on April 6th from 4.30pm to 7pm and will include live music.

The event is being sponsored by Marina de Lagos and Marcela Property and will showcase the work of international artists who participate in classes at the Art Academy Marina de Lagos classes.

WHAT’S ON

EMERGING TALENTS The Um Ao Molhe Festival was set up five years ago to promote single bands in Portugal and create a circuit for the growing number of emerging musicians. The festival is organised in different cities, on different days. This year Lagos will host one of the days on April 12th at 10pm with the artists: Daily Misconceptions, O Manipulador and Acid Acid. Daily Misconceptions is João Santos as part of home electronics, with melodies that alert us to future states of unconsciousness, and becomes a sonic architect with constructions as creative as generous, able to make dreaming the most serious of listeners. The Manipulator is Manuel Molarinho's one-man band, influenced by alternative

rock bands and DIY ethics, which finds inspiration in abandoned industrial landscapes, the rhythms and melodies of conversations and experimentation. Acid Acid is a journey that you feel, are sound waves and electrical impulses of uncertain destiny and appropriation by each being with incessant curiosity. Acid Acid is Tiago Castro and his paraphernalia of instruments ready to leave us in a trance. The event is being organised by LAC Laboratório Actividades Criativas and costs €4. It will take place at Largo do Convento de Nossa Sra. da Glória

+INFO:  events/144920979755442

Made with love The Heartmade market is back in Lagos with a creative showroom that will feature a wide range of Portuguese brands. It will be open every day from April between 10am to 7pm at Armazém Regimental, Lagos.

The founder of the market participated in International and National design and trade fairs for several years while she was managing the brand of Sara Whittle. With the help of her immense experience and knowledge of the industry, she realised that it would have been the perfect time to breathe life to her ideas, experiences, contacts and most importantly, the vision she had regarding the specificities of showrooms. As a result of this realisation, the first Heartmade Market took place in the year 2016.

Lagos is also highly attractive to a large base of tourists, who come to visit the city from all corners of the world, thereby contributing in the promotion of the art work of the designers. The striking feature about Heartmade Market is that it is a marketplace that is curated, comprising of designers and makers. Sara Whittle created this event to promote Portuguese makers and designers so they could gain visibility. The event focuses on techniques, materials and practices that are popular locally in order to re-introduce to the local population different crafts and paving the way for a brand new market.

+INFO:  heartmade.market

LET'S RUN The annual moonlight walk and run will take place at Zoomarine on April 5th starting at 7pm. The yearly event has become popular in the Algarve which you can either walk or run. The gates will open for 7pm at Zoomarine's fourth Let's Go Run Event, there will be a show and the run/walk starts at 8pm. Participants can choose from three distances - 7km, 11km or 13km - around Zoomarine in the moonlight. The routes are in areas with little to no street lighting, so you must bring your own light - a torch or a headlight. The routes mostly follow traffic free areas so reflector vests are not essential. Each route will be signposted with reflective signs.

OPEN TO ALL

You are invited to an ‘Open Door’ event at at Quinta dos Vales which looks set to be bigger than ever. This time there's even more food, wine, music, artists, shows, animals and fun for you to experience! The event is taking place on April 7th between 11am and 7pm.

+INFO:  quintavales  Sítio dos Vales, 8400-031 Estômbar, Faro, Portugal

WHAT’S ON

Rota do Petisco

The largest gastronomic event in Algarve, will run from April 24 to May 26 throughout the region. Restaurants that are taking part will offer two types of menu: traditional ‘petisco’ and regional sweets.

The menu for the route will be inspired by the traditional Algarve gastronomy or unusual local products or traditional cooking methods.

drink and a warm greeting. From Odeceixe to Odeleite, there will always be a “petisco” waiting for you. You can take part by buying the passport (€1) for this trip around the delicious flavours of Algarve in one of the restaurants and cafes that are taking part or at one of the information desks. The presentation of the passport will allow you to taste the special menus selected for the event at an special price: menu tappa €3 and menu dessert €2.

This is the eighth tasting trail that has been run Teia D’Impulsos Association. This year, the trail will travel all over the Algarve from coast to coast looking for the most delicious food. It will be the biggest rota ever!

For each menu you eat, a stamp will be placed in your passport. Depending on the number of stamps you could collect, you have the chance to win one of the Prices of Rota do Petisco. It is that easy!

In total it will last for 32 days, will include 277 restaurants and cafes from 13 counties will be ready to welcome you with a tasty tappa, a good

+INFO:  rotadopetisco  rotadopetisco.com

TIME FOR SPEED

BY ELAINE MAY

The 16th Terras Do Infante Speed Skating tournament once again takes place in Lagos between April 5th and 7th. It’s expected to be bigger and better than ever with more skaters coming from across Europe and the rest of the world.

record €6,000 including special prizes for 100m elite and the marathon.

The first tournament was held in Lagos in 2003 organised by Roller Lagos C.P. Inline speed skating is a mix of athletics and cycling, but on smaller wheels coupled to the boots. Reaching speeds of up to 60 km it brings a mix of adrenaline, colour, emotion and competitiveness. Since then the competition has continued to evolve with a Vesmaco banked track being constructed at Escola Júlio Dantas in Lagos in 2014 which attracted many more European and international skaters.

Friday April 5th Qualifying races for all categories from 9.30am 1pm - Opening ceremony 2pm to 9pm - Finals

In 2016 the club secured a place in the European Inline Cup (nine races at nine venues) organised by the CERS, the European governing body of roller skating, hence promoting the tournament further, and the club went on to be elected to host the European Championships in 2017. This year the format remains the same with two days at the track in Lagos (Escola Júlio Dantas) and the final day with races of 100m and 42km marathon along the main Avenida dos Descobrimentos and around the main roads of the town. Prize monies this year are a

Race Programme:

Saturday April 6th Qualifying races for all categories from 9.30am 2pm to 10pm - Finals 10pm – Prize ceremonies for European Cup and ‘Terras do Infante’ Sunday April 7th 9am - Qualifiers 100m Absolutes 10am - Finals of races for “Formation Categories” 11am - Marathon 1pm – Prize ceremonies for 100m, Marathon, Formation categories

+INFO:  www.terrasdoinfante.rollerlagos.pt/en

Photo © Diccon Scrivens Source: Rollerlagos Clube de Patinagem

SPORTS

to a small light on his lifejacket. The second day the rough seas began to take a toll on Francisco's legs, with the last hours providing many challenges. Falling first into the water, then one of the kite lines broke, having repaired that line moments later his kite tore and he had to replace that too. Now suffering from extreme exhaustion, 47 1/2 hours into his adventure Francisco's support team suspended the trip. Despite not achieving his goal he had sailed 472 out of the 539 nautical miles extending his own world record by 164 miles and gaining thousands of fans from around the world.

Francisco Lufinha

FANCY A CHALLENGE? Lagos WaterKings is back. Scheduled to take place on Meia Praia adjacent to the harbour entrance, Midday Saturday May 18th. For those who may be interested in competing, there is still time to register your interest in joining. Designed to bring four disciplines, sailboat, windsurf, paddleboard and kiteboard together on to one race course to participate in this 12 hour non stop event. Lagos WaterKings is the only endurance challenge worldwide that uses this format. Teams switch between disciplines depending upon the prevalent wind and sea conditions, victory being declared to the team completing most laps. Choosing the right sport for the right moment is key, competitors achieving 60% of the winning teams lap total are awarded a Waterman title. Now in its fourth year, the event that is expecting to attract 80 competitors representing 20 teams was created by Francisco Lufinha, a 35-year-old Portuguese adventurer. A nautical sportsman, Francisco was introduced to the ocean by his seafaring parents just 15 days after his birth. Like most youth, he started competition in the Optimist dinghy class where he won several regional and national races eventually representing Portugal at the 1998 European Championships in Croatia. At age 15 he upgraded to the two person dinghy, the 420, where he raced until he was eighteen winning the national overall ranking. Attracted to the extreme sports he tried water skiing, wake-boarding then windsurfing until in 2002 he was introduced to kitesurfing.

BY JEFF MORGAN

“Kitesurfing was the most complete sport I had ever tried. It combined all of the skills I had learnt so far and kept me connected to my favourite place, the ocean.” By 2005 he was national champion and in 2006 vicechampion. In 2009 Francisco became co-manager to his good friend, the solo sailor Francisco Lobato who won the Extreme Transat 6.50 race from France to Brazil in the same year and several other races in the Figaro solo sailing class. Inspired by his friend Lufinha dreamt of challenging himself. “Working with him [Francisco Lobato] at sea and ashore made me develop a lot of new skills needed for offshore crossings, sponsorships, media and communication, endurance, navigation, etcetera, so I decided to have a go with kitesurfing.” Francisco departed from Porto on the September 17th at 14:30 hours arriving in Lagos on the 18th at 20:34 having kite-surfed without stopping for 307.5 nautical miles of Portuguese coastline in 28 hours and 53 minutes breaking the previous world record for the longest kiteboard journey of 199.63 nautical miles by some distance. This highly demanding challenge which had taken him to his physical and mental limits confirmed that he was ready to take on his dream trip, to unite mainland Portugal with her islands. With favourable weather conditions on July 5th at 16:00 Francisco Lufinha left Lisbon bound for Madeira. The first night in the Atlantic he fell into the dark sea losing his board, his support boat locating him thanks

But the tenacious kiteboarder was not done. On September 4th at Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel, Francisco Lufinha and his team were eventually welcomed as heroes. Sailing with German world record holder Anke Brandt, Francisco had set an historical landmark in nautical sports with a new world record of 1,022.7 miles. “These 10 days demanded a great deal from us in physical and psychological terms. It is very gratifying to have achieved this new goal and set a new world record. I am even happier because four years after my first odyssey I finally managed to connect Portugal by sea.“ Francisco’s kitesurfing odyssey was the catalyst to WaterKings. “Some friends of mine said that they would like to try what I do in open ocean. Initially 24h non-stop, we changed to 12h to make it possible for more people to compete, also more logistic friendly with quality facilities including massages, food and heat. The event is supported by the City Hall and several local business that help my team make it happen.” With the priority of a successful event, Francisco has to be alert so finding a team that accepts him with his focus on racing at about 30% means you could still grab a world record holder for your team!. If you don't have a team although are keen to participate, the Facebook page has a pinned post, you should comment saying that you are looking for a team to join, the sports that you do, as well as having gear or not.

+ INFO:  www.waterkings.pt/index_en.html  waterkingspt

Tomorrow 90x65 06-17.indd 2

19/06/2017 10:52

SPORTS

THE GAME OF SURFING BY NIELS LABRUIJÈRE

Stereotypically, surfing is portrayed as a lifestyle rather than a sport. It’s all about being one with the ocean, hakuna matata, hippy vans and Jack Johnson right? Well yeah it sort of is… But surfing is also a serious sport. With ‘high performance shortboarding’ now being included as an official category in the 2020 Olympic games, you better bear with me so you know what’s up! So let’s start at the beginning: what is ‘high performance shortboarding’ exactly? Surfing, like skiing for example, comes in many different categories. Take longboarding, where surfers seem to be dancing on their 9ft+ boards, trying to ride the wave as stylishly and as long as possible. Or big-wave surfing, which is basically about not dying while going down monstrous waves of eight meters and up. Fun fact: the world record stands at almost 25 meters and was surfed in Nazaré, Portugal. But so far, shortboarding is the only category to go Olympic. This is where the Kelly Slaters, Stephanie Gilmores and Mick Fannings of the world come from. (The

latter is possibly best known for punching a great white on the nose on live TV during the world championships of 2015, but he’s a pretty decent surfer too.) It is a style of surfing that is executed on a shortboard. It’s fast, it’s radical, it’s jaw dropping. Points are given to those who make sharp turns with lots of water flying around and flying through the air (and landing) is generally appreciated. And of course – riding tubes. Being inside the wave while it curls over your head and coming out of it again, is what most surfers dream of every night and it scores big time with the judges as well. But what scores the most points and what does a ‘surf match’ actually look like? I’ll get into that next month. Surf Guide Algarve does not offer lessons. Contact your local surf school for lessons.

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

Netball is on the rise across England. If you want to join the trend, the Lagos Fireballs Netball squad has now moved to Boavista.

FIREBALLS MOVE TO BOAVISTA BY SOPHIE SADLER 48

Julie Ambler signed up to the Fireballs in April 2017, aged 45 she hadn't played netball for 28 years. At school, she played centre and wing attack but after leaving to go to college, there were no more opportunities to play women's sport. She enjoyed returning to the netball court so much she even managed to persuade her daughter Jasmine (who was 13 at the time) to join!

the sport, said: “It is sad that so few women carry on competitive sport once they leave school. There is now a big movement in the UK to try to get more ladies playing netball and many games are now televised and are very exciting to watch.” Charlie works tirelessly to keep the club going and organise social events for the team. Along with referee Carol Spires, they create a fun atmosphere, where women can come and enjoy this great sport, meet friends and rediscover their competitive spirit.

Jasmine proved to be a natural at getting the ball in the net so she has been the goal shooter ever since. Julie tells me: “It is a lovely bonding night for us and when we get home there is always some postmatch analysis, which is generally that Mum was rubbish and how many goals Jasmine scored!”

“We are enormously grateful to Boavista for creating a netball court for us,” says Charlie; “The court surface is far superior to our last home ground. Anyone is welcome even if you have never played and of course, we would welcome any teenagers like Jasmine, who want to learn the game.” Come and find us at Boavista Golf Resort every Wednesday evening from 7 pm.”

Charlotte Milsom, who is club secretary and an enthusiastic advocate of

+ INFO:  /groups/netballinlagosalgarve

SPORTS

FUN, FITNESS, AND FRIENDSHIP Walking football has become real hit in the Algarve with one of the most active teams, Lagos Strollers, leading the way. Vaughan Willmore reports. Walking football is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe with an incredible 40,000 participants per week in the UK alone. Likewise, here in the Algarve its popularity continues to grow with the region hosting several high-profile teams and major international tournaments. On the face of it walking football is exactly what it sounds, a game of football where players walk instead of run, but there is far more to it than football alone, with a real emphasis on having fun, making new friends and keeping (and getting!) fit. Walking football was introduced in 2011 by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust in the UK in the belief it would encourage more people aged over 50 years to exercise and adopt a healthier lifestyle. The sport came to wider public attention in July 2014 when Barclays Bank aired a television advertisement featuring walking football to promote their services. Coverage of a game on Sky Sports News and a documentary on Sky Sports Football in October 2017, served as a catalyst for further interest in the sport.

There are many active Walking Football teams throughout the Algarve who work together exceptionally well to create a vibrant environment for the sport to grow and prosper. One of the most high-profile teams is Lagos Strollers who play out of the fantastic Boavista Golf & Spa Resort on the EN125 between Lagos and Luz. They meet every Wednesday morning (9.30am until 11.00am) and it costs just €5 to play. The team is going from strength to strength with over 100 past and present players. While the majority are English and Irish, they also have Portuguese nationals playing, along with players from Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, USA, France and Germany. Jerry Dowd is the Secretary of Lagos Strollers and can be contacted at jerrydowd@hotmail.co.uk. Jerry says ‘Everybody is welcome to join us. Walking football helps you relax and make new friends. We’re a friendly bunch and in addition to walking football we have quiz nights and nights out. Everyone is welcome!’ Another high-profile team is Browns who play out of the excellent Browns Sports & Leisure Club in Vilamoura, every Tuesday morning between 9.30 am to 11.00 am. Again, it costs just €5 to play. Browns also host two international tournaments in May and October with teams from as far afield as Canada expected to compete in this year’s tournaments. More information on these and the weekly sessions are available by contacting João Varela at info@brownsclub.com or 00 351 289 322 740.

While based on association football, the main difference is that if a player runs (and it’s sometimes difficult to resist running!) they concede a free kick. This restriction, together with a focus on minimal contact, is all aimed at avoiding injuries and enabling people over 50 years of age to participate.

On April 1st and 2nd the inaugural EuroCopa Walking Football Tournament takes place in Albufeira. Such is the level of worldwide interest, teams from Portugal, England, France, Spain and South Africa will be competing, including our very own Lagos Strollers and a team from the mighty Benfica FC.

The health benefits of walking football are considerable, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving blood pressure. Research into people who have played football for many years found they achieved a sense of reward and satisfaction from playing, and lower levels of stress.

Walking football is a fantastic opportunity to achieve a happier and healthier lifestyle, and to feel energised by doing more of what you love. Many participants never thought they would play football again, and are relishing a second chance to play and make new friend.

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

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Is it true you were asked to demonstrate chiropractic to royalty? Yes, I was asked to go to Wales and give Prince Charles a demonstration on the effectiveness of chiropractic. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon with him as he is great advocate of chiropractic and was very interested in how we could make it a primary healthcare option due to the back pain epidemic we find in modern society. What - if any - was your involvement with the NHS in the UK? Working with my local MP we were able to provide chiropractic in Cornwall for patients referred by their doctors. As soon as the GPs realised how effective chiropractic can be, we were inundated. In fact, we provided a 99% patient satisfaction rate in the first 2000 patients treated.

NEW CHIROPRACTOR ON THE BLOCK Dr Adam Rich (DC) is a British chiropractor who is the new owner of Lagos Health Chiropractic. We caught up with him. Where were you before moving here? Most recently I have arrived from Noosa, Australia but originally I hale from Devon and Cornwall in the UK. I left the UK for warmer climates in Australia four years ago and left Australia due to a change in visa regulations.

"As a traditional chiropractor, I believe in good chiropractic adjustments and affordable care"

Why did you choose Lagos, Portugal? My wife and I fell in love with Lagos 14 years ago when we came to Portugal on a surf trip. A good chiropractic clinic came up for sale last August and provided us the opportunity to live here. The Algarve climate and beaches are stunning, with very friendly Portuguese people and a diverse expats community. It’s a wonderful place to bring a young family up. The excellent golf courses help as well! What experience do you have as a chiropractor? I have 20 years experience treating people for spinal conditions and have owned four practices previously. As an approved Royal College of Chiropractors trainer, I have mentored many young graduates which is rewarding. I received a British Chiropractic Association leadership award - as the most likely chiropractor to lead the profession into the future - due to all the time I spent training others to deliver an effective service in the community.

What do you bring to the Algarve? As a traditional chiropractor, I believe in good chiropractic adjustments and affordable care. I have a proven track record in solving and improving back pain, neck pain and headaches using a range of techniques to reduce pain, improve function and increase mobility including adjustments, dry needling and a spinal mobilising machine. Is this the new medical equipment you brought to Portugal? Yes, this is a spinal mobilising machine which patients lay on for a 15 minute treatment of warming, mobilising and massaging for the spine. It is great for regular maintenance to keep you mobile and also for those patients who prefer not to hear a ‘crack’ when being adjusted. Will the introduction of this latest technology mean you increase the price of treatments? No, there will be no price increases. The cost of an initial consultation with treatment will stay at 80€ and include a session on the mobiliser. (If you quote ‘Tomorrow’ when booking an initial consultation in April we will give a 25% discount making an initial consultation with treatment and use of the mobiliser just €60.) Subsequent treatments will still be just 32€ and include the mobiliser. I just want to add value to the care given, rather than increasing the price to account for the latest equipment. What other services will Lagos Health Chiropractic offer? I have a history of working closely with doctors, physiotherapist, osteopaths and massage therapists. In fact, at Lagos Health Chiropractic we also have a physiotherapist and two massage therapists. Our physiotherapist, Adam Amar, has been working in Lagos with patients with musculoskeletal and neurological conditions such a strokes and Parkinson’s. We are pleased to be working closely to provide new services to the community.

+ INFO:  +351 282 768 044  quiropraticalagos@gmail.com  Praceta João da Costa Reis, Lote 2 Loja 5AD, 8600-774 Lagos

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PHARMACY:

+351 282 770 050

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

HERB OF THE MONTH BY POPPY BURR BSC MCPP

With International Women’s Day last month, I wanted to draw attention to an issue I feel very strongly about: hormonal birth control.

with peppery-tasting berries, was once used to suppress the libido of monks - but it doesn’t have that effect in women.

Women are often prescribed the Pill to ‘balance’ their hormones. Far from balancing, it completely switches off our natural production of oestrogen and progesterone and replaces them with synthetic versions like ethinylestradiol and levonogrestrel.

Vitex promotes ovulation by encouraging the secretion of dopamine from your pituitary gland (in the brain), and reducing the secretion of prolactin. Less prolactin means better ovulation, and good ovulation creates more natural progesterone, which has natural anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory and circulatory effects.

These chemicals wreak havoc on female physiology, causing weight gain, depression, loss of libido, hair loss, breast cancer and even fatal blood clots. This dramatic form of ‘chemical castration’ is foisted upon women under the guise of ‘treatment’ for various hormonal conditions, including acne, heavy or painful periods. Instead, what I see time and time again is: when these women decide to come off the Pill, their old symptoms simply return. Others struggle with an irregular cycle for the first time in their lives, or have trouble falling pregnant. This is where dietary & lifestyle changes and herbs can be really helpful in re-establishing ovulation and re-balancing hormones naturally and safely. One herb I use a lot in my practice for regulating a post-pill irregular cycle is Vitex agnus-castus. Vitex or Chasteberry, a Mediterranean tree

Vitex also contains calming opiate-like constituents, which is why it’s also prescribed for premenstrual anxiety and sleep problems. Never take Vitex too soon after stopping the Pill, don’t take it for longer than 3-6 consecutive months. For the full article on ‘Why I don’t like hormonal birth control (and why it’s a feminist issue)’, head over to my blog. Poppy is a degree-qualified medical herbalist practicing from Aljezur and Praia da Luz. She offers holistic consultations and personalised treatment plans using plant-based medicine.

+ INFO:  poppytheherbalist.com  +351 969 091 683

VARICOSE VEINS BY NIKI MEDLOCK Treatment of varicose veins has come far from the days of ‘stripping’ the vein via a metal rod inserted through an incision in the groin and then ‘gently’ pulled out! Pinpointing the offending vein is also more accurate nowadays by using a Duplex Ultrasound. This combines the traditional Doppler ultrasound (recording sound waves reflecting off moving objects, such as blood, to measure their speed and aspects of flow) with traditional ultrasound (creates a twodimensional picture of the vessels), thus enabling an accurate picture of the actual condition of the affected vein to be formed, helping towards determining the appropriate treatment. Treatment is recommended to ease symptoms such as pain or discomfort, to treat complications such as leg ulcers, or for cosmentic reasons. Your doctor may recommend six months of self-care before more invasive treatments.

These include: Compression stockings Applying pressure to the legs, helping the veins and muscles to pump blood back towards the heart. Exercise Encouraging blood circulation in the legs, helping to push along blood that has collected in the veins. This also helps lower blood pressure, another contributing factor to varicose veins. Low impact exercises help to get the calf muscles working without undue strain and these include; swimming, walking, cycling and yoga. Keep moving Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time and do not cross your legs when sitting. Dietary changes First of all these should be discussed with either your doctor or a nutritionist as underlying health problems can be adversely

affected. Foods high in potassium, such as almonds, potatoes and salmon, can help varicose veins by reducing water retention as does cutting down on salt and salty foods. Eating a high fibre diet helps to prevent constipation which can aggravate damaged valves. Foods high in flavonoids, such as vegetables and fruit, can improve blood pressure and relax arteries which can reduce varicose veins. Some herbal remedies can also help with symptoms of varicose veins. Keeping your legs elevated, ideally at the same level of the heart or above, will help reduce pressure in the leg veins and gravity will help blood flow back to the heart Gentle massage can help keep the blood moving through the veins. Niki is head nurse at Luz Doc. Next month: Medical intervention.

+ INFO:  www.luzdoc.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

EXERCISE AND MENTAL WELL BEING BY ANN DE JONGH

Pets Mate BY LARS RAHMQUIST

Summer’s here early! OK, by publication it's probably raining again, but the mid20s is where the mercury was sitting for most of this March. The mozzies and sandflies, amongst many more of God’s creatures have come back to bathe in his sons glory. Sorry, sun's glory. As you know, a few of God's creatures are deadly parasites. One of which is dirofilaria immitis, or heartworm. From previous spring editions of the glorious Tomorrow magazine, avid readers may remember that the life-cycle of dirofilaria goes from mosquito to dog, where they spend six months growing into adult worms, reaching up to 30 cms in length! These adult worms live out the rest of their happy years inside the dog’s heart and pulmonary blood vessels. Not the same happy years for the dog, however… The whole while that the worms live inside the dog´s vasculature they irritate the intima of the blood vessels causing clots to form and damage to the heart and lungs. Though disease causes clinical signs like coughing and exercise intolerance (and death), this only happens once the damage is done. Early infections lie undetected, insidiously affecting your dog’s health. If you haven't tested your dog for heartworm, I encourage you to do so. If the test is negative, now is the time to start heartworm prevention, as the mosquitos are migrating back from their southern winter holidays.

If the heartworm test is positive then the earlier you treat the infestation in your dog, the less likely it is that the dog will die from treatment. YES, this is a possibility, as once we kill the worms, the dead ones fly into the vasculature of the lungs, causing embolisms and allergic immune responses. Prevention, as always, is better than the cure! Unchecked infestations will make a dog suffer with illness and act as a source of infection for other dogs. Two months after reaching adult size, heartworm babies appear in the blood, called microfilaria. These are ingested by feeding mosquitos and the life cycle completes in the creation of another infective mosquito ready to spread the disease to other dogs. If you would like to garner more information about heartworm there are a series of notifications about it on our Facebook page last month. I hope this article has scared you enough to do something about heartworm in your dog. If it hasn't, I encourage you to look at google images to see some post mortem pictures of dogs with heartworm. The disease has a 10% prevalence in Portugal, so treat it with respect! Warm season’s greetings to us all. If summer ain't here...it's around the corner! chin chin.

+ INFO:  www.lagosvet.com

We all know that exercise is great for the body, and has many health benefits, but it is also incredibly important for our mental well being. Even a short burst of 10 mins brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood. Regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem, reduce stress and anxiety and can help with depression. In the Algarve we are lucky that we can spend a lot of time outdoors in the sunshine and in nature, going for a walk or a run outdoors, does not cost anything, but the benefits we can get from it are huge. Yoga is a great way of helping mental well being. There are lots of different styles, so it is good to find one you like. This can either be in person, or you might prefer to find a class online. Often when we are depressed or feeling low, exercising is the last thing we feel like doing. But by creating ourselves small goals, ones that we can achieve, such as walking on the beach for 15 minutes, attending a class, booking a Personal trainer or going for a run with a friend. When we have completed these goals it gives us a sense of achievement , and can be the catalyst to help our mental well being and get fitter in the process. While anxiety and depression can be treated with exercise, they also make exercise very difficult to do, so be kind to yourself, and ask no more than 'do your best' Some days will be better than others, so capitalise on the good ones and trust that a difference can be made. Ann is a trainer, yoga teacher, sports massage therapist.

+ INFO:  +351 913202621  ann@fit2lovelife.com  fit2lovelife  anndejongh  www.fit2lovelife.com

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BUSINESS

MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES BY VICTORIA JOHNSON As spring rolls in and summer peeks around the corner, everyone is dreaming of their next holiday in the sun. Thankfully here in Lagos, we have enough sun to spare! Last year, the World Travel Awards announced Portugal as Europe’s leading destination for the second year in a row. The world renowned beaches, the beautiful scenery, amazing food, and large range of sea-related activities attract thousands of people throughout the year peaking in the summer months. In order to meet the growing demand for short and longterm rentals, the city of Lagos, its residents and other business savvy investors are actively trying to increase the number of rental properties that are available. Rental prices have been going up along with the number of weeks booked each year, which has been giving property owners income that has increased year after year. At Resort Rentals Algarve we are always looking for new properties including, villas, townhouses and apartments, and are ready to help you through the whole renting process. We realise that the renting business can be

a hassle for you, so we offer a full property rental package to manage your property and maximise your return on investment. Our Lagos Long Lets business is made for owners that are away for large portions of the year, making the property perfect for long term rentals which are increasingly in demand. Short term rentals are also a great option if you want the flexibility to stay at the property at various times of the year. Peak booking times are straight after the New Year, however, the momentum continues right until the summer, making now a great time to put your property up for rent.

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

VIV’O MERCADO The organic market that opened in Lagos last year returns this month on April 17th.

This is good news for people who enjoy going to the colourful Saturday market in Lagos to stock up on fresh produce. The new additional complementary market day will reopen on a Wednesday this April from 6pm to 10pm. This will be held weekly at the Levante market (by the bus station). What's special about this market day? It’s an initiative by the Rede Social de Lagos and aims to promote local commerce, with an emphasis on organic produce. Existing good practice will be promoted and others will be encouraged to convert to this form of production.

On sale will be a range of fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, meat products, locally produced handicrafts and much more. In a statement the organisers said: “The aim is to encourage the resident population and tourists who visit us to consume locally grown organic produce. At the same time we’d like to promote healthy lifestyles and increase awareness of the importance of sustainable environmental practices.” This seems a very worthwhile initiative. See you all at the Wednesday market!

+ INFO:  vivomercado

BUSINESS

I.T. CAN BE EASY BY STEVEN DUNWELL

Windows 10 – April 2019 update Microsoft will be improving Windows 10 with the next major April 2019 update, it will feature a light colour theme, speed improvements, and lots of other polished extras. There are too many to cover in this article, but I have outlined the main changes: What does it cost? Nothing, as with all the other big Windows 10 updates, it is absolutely free! Speed improvements – a design flaw with some processors (the brains behind your computer) caused some computers to slow, this has now been resolved.

and Microsoft will text you a security code whenever you try to sign in as an extra level of security. Windows 10 is now reported to be installed on an estimated 800 million devices around the world, with that figure reaching 1 billion in 2020. Now is the time to make the jump and upgrade your ageing Window 7 to Windows 10. Released in July 2009, Windows 7 will come to the end of its supported life on January 14th, 2020. This means that you will no longer receive security updates and patches from Microsoft, making your machine potentially vulnerable. Photo © Olga Rosi Photography

Pause updates – you can now decide to pause those annoying (but necessary) updates can now be paused for up to 7 days. A new light theme - Windows 10 will now have a shiny new light theme. The Start menu, taskbar, notifications and other areas can now be light instead of dark. A better ‘Start Menu’ - the default Start menu is now just a single column and is much simpler and cleaner. Helpful error messages - The ‘Blue Screen of Death’ is now infamous, popping up whenever Windows runs into a critical problem. This has never been very useful to us average users. An error message will pop up when a problem is encountered, and users will now see an option to try and fix it. Uninstall more built-in apps – Windows 10 comes with a ton of built in applications that take up valuable space. After the update you can easily remove them. Search all your PC’s files - The Start menu search box will get a whole lot more useful and powerful. You will be able to search for any file on your computer just using a single word or name, almost instantly. Password less login - You can now create a Microsoft account online and this account is linked to your phone number,

I’ve heard a lot of stories about people reluctant to upgrade to Windows 10 as they’ve heard bad reports about it from friends and family. Don’t be put off, it is very similar to Windows 7, easy to use and a lot more secure. I you would like to make the change from Windows 7 to Windows 10 please contact me for a chat and we can discuss further. 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.

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

Free IT Support and help sessions for April 2019 The Tropical Café Nº. 33, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Lagos Tuesday 9th & 23rd 11am until 1pm Artesão Café Marina de Lagos Lojas 11/12, Lagos Tuesday 16th & 30th 11am until 1pm Bring your device, purchase something from the Cafe and I will give you 10 minutes free IT support.

SISTER MAGAZINE LAUNCH Last month saw the launch of our sister magazine which covers the area between Vilamoura and Faro. It is being run by Simon Moulson with the rest of the Tomorrow team - Amber Henshaw is the magazine’s editor and the design team is Creation Media, Phil Harding and Rebeca Silva. In the second magazine we aim to bring the same eclectic mix of features and interviews as well as what’s on and other community news. The first magazine came out on March 1st and was marked by a special event at the business networking meeting, Networks, at Quinta das Borboletas. About 60 people were at the launch which was filmed and photographed by Chilli Pepper Productions. A special cake was made by Louise Hayes from A Touch of Decadence which featured the first front cover. Simon Moulson was one of the guest speakers at the event along with Blevin Franks.

BUSINESS

MAPPED + TRAINING + SERVICE = PROFIT So that’s how you do it – part 2 BY GRAHAM JONES You may have read the article last month about business processing and hopefully a few lights went on to highlight how really getting to know your business helps show you what you are really good at and the areas that need improving. Let’s look at the latter. You have identified some areas of concern. The quickest and simplest way is to plug those gaps - whilst this works in the interim, it doesn’t in the long term. In six months time you will be wondering again why this is still happening. The thing to do is really think about what you want that end goal to be and work backwards by putting in the processes that you need to fulfil that final solution Most places have those processes already in place it’s just a case of shuffling things around. Where it doesn’t, for example a new computer programme may be needed, you will have saved yourself a lot of money by identifying it and six months worth of heartache by approaching it in the way I describe. Word of mouth can be the main communicator in business growth. Making your business easy to understand will ultimately get those euros flowing in quicker than just letting it happen. Business processes really can help anyone. If you would like a hand in having a ’drains up’ and plotting your way to success, please do give me a call.

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IMPORTING FRESH HERBS FROM LAGOA BY LEN PORT Danish entrepreneur, Brian Knudsen, who pioneered Lagoa vegetable production for export to northern Europe in 2016, is now concentrating entirely on various kinds of herbs. As director of the company Schroll Flavours, he has shifted emphasis in the type of crops he grows because of the supply and demand requirements in his usual markets in the Scandinavian countries, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. Brexit doesn’t bother Schroll Flavours, as not much of its output has been going to the UK. The climate and soil in the Algarve are ideal for the all-year-round growing of herbs. The biggest demand is for coriander and Moroccan mint. Knudsen is growing plenty of thyme and chives, too. Rosemary and sage give significant though lower yields. The growing season lasts all year round, though less abundant in January and February and at the height of summer. This year, he expects to cultivate 80,000 kg of herbs, only 25% of which will remain for sale in Portugal. Some of his output is being grown in polytunnels, huge plastic-covered greenhouses, on leased government land between the centre of Lagoa and Sesmarias that had lain fallow for decades.

Schroll Flavours has taken a long lease on another large tract of land just north of the town on the back road to Silves. Increasingly, Knudsen is growing the herbs organically and aims to go totally organic from 2020. Vital for production is a plentiful and inexpensive supply of good quality fresh water supplied directly from the Arade Reservoir near Silves. After a formal education in agriculture in his home country, Knudsen concentrated mainly on growing sweet peas, onions and rhubarb. He spent some years growing these and employing large numbers of pickers in both Denmark and the Alentejo. Now aged 42, and living with his wife and two children permanently in the Algarve, he has sold his business interests in Denmark to set up his operation exporting solely from the Lagoa area. His first Lagoa harvest of 15 tonnes of peas in March 2017 was followed by a huge crop of pumpkins and butternut squash, truckloads of which went off to northern Europe. At present, he’s leasing 19 hectares but is looking to lease more abandoned land in the Lagoa area. He’d be happy with a total of 40 hectares of suitable terrain, provided irrigation can be arranged from boreholes or directly from reservoir channels.

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FOOD & DRINK

A STAR IN OUR MIDST BY TOM HENSHAW We are very lucky that we are blessed in the western Algarve with some really good restaurants in all price brackets and so it is not so surprising that we made our way back to another one of our favourites. Vila Palmeira Resort is on the coast and parallel to Meia Praia beach, Lagos and the restaurant itself is called Vivendo and it overlooks the Atlantic. This top restaurant has won numerous ‘Tripadvisor’certificates of excellence namely 2015, 2016, 2017 and recently 2018 so you know you can be assured of an excellent dining experience and so of course we did and not for the first time! We chose the gourmet menu as it really does represent the high standards chef Christoff Voight and his team offer.

The menu changes weekly and is a set price of €38.50 per person which includes half a bottle of really excellent wine per person. There were six of us and all of us were of the same opinion-‘fantastic’! A perfectly balanced meal enjoyed in a very stylish ambiance. The service was very attentive but certainly not intrusive and the dining experience left us feeling replete and we felt nothing was skimped in any way. I really do recommend a visit and we certainly will be back as it is one of those choices that always perform to perfection. For any special occasion you will be hard pressed to find better! Reservations really are a must. Bistro is open 11.0024.00 and Vivendo 19.00-24.00 (closed Mondays).

+INFO:  +351 282 770 902 / 282 770 900  www.vila-palmeira.com

To celebrate Easter in Portugal why not try this traditional recipe.

PORTUGUESE EASTER CAKE - FOLAR 64

Ingredients: 400g flour 15g fresh yeast 45g caster sugar 90g butter 1 large egg 300ml warmed milk 1tsp powdered aniseed ½ tsp salt 2 or 4 hard boiled eggs, still in their shells 1 beaten egg for brushing Method: In a bowl, mix the yeast with a quarter of the flour and a third of the milk, before mixing in half the sugar. Mix and cover before leaving in a warm place to rise for around 30 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the

egg with the remaining milk and sugar, salt and spices. Gradually add the flour and work the dough for a few minutes. Add the softened butter and work again. Mix the yeast mixture into the dough and knead well. When ready, it should not stick to the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for around three hours. On a floured surface, shape one big or two smaller round loaves and place the boiled eggs on top, secured with two strips of dough, forming a cross. Brush the folar with beaten egg and bake in a hot oven (210˚C) until nicely brown.

FOOD & DRINK

EASTER WINE SELECTION

BY LAURA TRUMAN

IT’S A LAUNDRY AND A LOUNGE

The Mentors Noble Late Harvest Multi-award winning Noble Late Harvest from South Africa’s KWV is the ideal grande finale for Easter lunch. This versatile wine works particularly well as an accompaniment for dessert, with cheese and preserves, or alone. The cool ocean mists from Walker Bay expose the Sauvignon Blanc grapes to noble rot which perforates the skin, allowing water in the grape to evaporate during dry conditions. The intensely concentrated grapes are then hand selected to ensure only the highest quality reaches the French oak barrels. Golden Straw. Pineapple, Apricot, Fresh Green Apple. Honey, well-balanced acidity with sugar.

BY REBECCA SIMPSON Sagres is now host to a new quirky and popular addition, The Laundry Lounge is a mix between a laundromat and a bar. Borja who is Spanish and Juli who is Dutch are the couple behind the new project. They say: “It’s a place with a relaxed vibe where tourists can wash their clothes whilst also enjoying nice food, a coffee and meeting other people”. The Laundry Lounge offers a variety of healthy and vegan food options and is also ideal for ‘digital nomads’, who want to work from laptops whilst also charging their devices. The laundromat bar attracts a broad range of people, from young families with children to older local people and holidaymakers, you will definitely find great diversity in the Laundry Lounge! Borja and Juli said: “We have six machines which can wash up to 8 kg, 1 of 17 kg and 4 drying machines. In the summer months, visitors are also welcome to dry their clothes in the large back garden which also hosts a delightful sheltered terrace area.” The Laundry Lounge offers breakfast, lunch and in high season they offer some special dinner and cocktail nights such as Sushi and music evenings. Last season, the bar offered fresh Sushi and cocktails evenings three times per week. “The Sushi and cocktail evenings were such fun and

we would really like to offer these more often in the Summer of this year”. The bar also opens in the low season from the middle of February every day (except for Mondays) from 9am until 4pm and in high season, from 9am until 9pm. Borja and Juli are very focused on the environment and sustainability, the bar has been decorated with mostly recycled materials. The washing machines are also very eco-friendly. The Laundry Lounge also uses fresh local food, whilst also minimising any plastic usage and having as little waste as possible. There is also roof terrace where certified yoga teachers give daily drop-in classes (no need to reserve) this is twice a day in summer. People can join in with yoga whilst enjoying the beautiful view. A welcome feature for any tired surfers! The Laundry Lagos is a great new feature in Sagres which offers tourists and locals a quirky new environment where washing, yoga, great food and a relaxed atmosphere are all present. What could possibly be better than somewhere that offers clean clothes, alcohol and a harmonious sanctuary.

+INFO:   laundryloungesagres  +351 282 075 392  laundryloungesagres@gmail.com  Rua da Nossa Senhora da Graça s-n 8650-369 Sagres

Château Roubine La Vie en Rose Château Roubine’s La Vie en Rose from Côtes de Provence is a feast for the eyes and the palate. The beautiful bottle acts as a stunning springtime centrepiece. Serve as an aperitif or with the traditional Good Friday fish supper. With friends and family together, Easter is the perfect excuse to splash out on the magnum. Salmon pink with hints of grey. Fresh cut grass, floral, roses. Aromatic persistence, long finish. Valdivieso Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon The classic pairing for lamb roast is Cabernet Sauvignon. Valdivieso’s Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a typical Chilean style. The deep fruity flavours, full body and structured tannins work well with the richness and texture of the lamb. Deep ruby red, violet tints. Ripe black fruits, cherries, subtle spices, menthol, vanilla. Elegant, full-body, silky tannins, fruity, balanced acidity. The Easter selection is available in Pingo Doce Lagos Marina.

+INFO:  loratru.wine  primewine.pt

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

Vegan Poké BY STEVE MARQUÉ

Place the tofu on a few sheets of paper towel, top with more paper towel and add a few heavy books or pots on top to press the moisture out. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

brown rice and a drizzle of the dressing. Top with a quarter of the tofu and add the poke bowl toppings.

Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add in the tofu pan fry on all sides until very crispy and golden, about 5-8 minutes.

+INFO:  +32 497 977 977  info@pokelagos.com  Rua D. Vasco da Gama, Nº 12 A, Bloco B - Loja 9-B 8600-722 Lagos

Meanwhile, mix together the sesame oil, ginger, tamari, coconut sugar and sriracha. Once the tofu is caramelized and golden, turn off the heat, and brush the pieces with the coconut sugar glaze.

Thanks to Poké Lagos for this recipe.

Toss in the pan to coat and allow to lightly caramelize. Set aside and sprinkle with sea salt. Don’t worry about the tofu not being super hot, it’s just as tasty at room temperature.

We took a trip a bit further afield this time to show that you can find a gem is you are prepared to travel a bit. Unique to find a Vietnamese restaurant in this part of the Algarve so that is to be commended. Sen Tonkin is open in winter so that’s another plus. Glad to see the heating was on too.

Poke Bowl Base: 1 package extra firm tof u 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp ginger 1 tbsp tamari 3 tbs coconut sugar 1 tsp sriracha Pinch of sea salt 4 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

Dressing: 1/4 cup rice wine vinega r 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp tamari 2 tsp coconut sugar 4 ts olive oil 1/2 tsp sriracha salt and pepper to tas te if desired Toppings: 1 cup mango cut into stri ps 1 avocado cut into stri ps 2 carrots shaved into ribb ons 1 cup cilantro leaves ¼ cup nori strips (option al) 1 lime cut into wedges

Mix together the vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, sugar, oil and sriracha in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. To assemble, fill each bowl with 1 cup of

THE YUM YUMS IN FERRAGUDO

Ingredients

We were a party of five. The restaurant ambience seemed quite authentic and was clean, spacious and tidy. The menu is varied and good to see that it is not crammed with too many options as some Asian restaurants can be. We started with a mixed platter of Vietnamese spring rolls, some won ton, small dumplings and spicy prawns. Served with various dipping sources.

All very delicious. The main course of griddled spicy pork (I can’t recall the local name) was excellent and noodles served on the side was a nice touch. I liked this and would definitely order again. The spicy prawns ordered by a colleague were scrummy. One of our party was vegan so if this is you, then ask them to just make up something rather than order from the menu. You won’t be disappointed. It looked and smelt divine. Washed down with wine and beer came to €25 a head (excluding tip). Definitely will be on my list for a return visit. My one issue is that the portions could have been bigger. Go, you will not be disappointed

+INFO:  +351 914 482 844  Urbanizacao Hortinha | Lote 34 R/C B, Ferragudo 8400-206, Portugal

ENVIRONMENT

can change global usage, but it takes time. Fortunately, there are plenty of swaps we can all make which will limit our daily exposure and reduce our footprint

SUSTAINABLE ATTAINABLE My chemical footprint BY LISA LOFTHOUSE AND ZOË LENKIEWICZ For many of us, the day begins with a shower – we wash our hair and bodies using plastic bottles of ingredients we mostly cannot pronounce; shave, moisturise, deodorise and scent with further long lists of complex chemistry... We put on our clothes laundered in chemicals and make breakfast in pots washed in the same. Cleaning the house often means holding our breath while using some seriously potent ingredients – some oven cleaners could remove the skin from the back of your throat! Maybe like us the mosquitoes love to nibble at you – there’s a range of chemicals for that; or you might have sprays to kill insects or to treat the lawn. This is just our personal usage, and says nothing for the hidden chemicals used to produce almost every product we use: the toxic dyes in the clothes industry, pesticides in farming, plastic additives in packaging… in fact practically every product we have has a hidden chemical footprint before it reaches us. We are in a chemical haze, and partly of our own choosing. Many of these chemicals will continue to accumulate and pollute the environment and our bodies for a long time. The picture gradually emerging is one of increasing links between our chemicals usage and the rise of a burgeoning list of modern diseases including asthma, cancers, ADHD, diabetes, infertility, allergies and birth defects.

We researched the latest studies published on Science Direct and have provided a very brief summary here. Phthalates are plasticisers used in vinyl flooring, food packaging, medical tubing and cosmetics. They build up in the human body and the environment, and are linked to reproductive and developmental problems as well as gestational diabetes, asthma, breast cancer and male infertility. Parabens are used in toiletries, cosmetics and food preservatives for their antifungal and antibacterial properties. When we wash them down the drain, they remain persistent in the environment, reacting with other chemicals to produce oestrogen-mimicking, hormone disrupting products. Organophosphates are widely used as agricultural insecticides, and some have finally been recognised as “probably carcinogenic” by the World Health Organisation. Organophosphates have also been linked to ADHD, foetal abnormalities and lung problems. While some products are banned in the home, many are still permitted in agriculture and therefore into our food chain. Many other chemicals of emerging concern are beginning to be recognised and it is worthwhile doing a little research. Humans have made past mistakes with products like asbestos, lead-based paint, thalidomide and CFCs. Peer-reviewed studies into side effects

Cooking – avoid tinned foods; don’t microwave food in plastic; look for “phthlate free” food tubs; and be aware that fatty foods like milk & butter transfer more than water. Laundry – wash less often and spot clean small marks; try a natural alternative such as castille soap or soap nuts; and skip the softener. Air fresheners – open windows and air fabrics outdoors or simmer lemons and rosemary / lime and ginger in a pan. Showering – try natural locally-made soap bars: these are available to replace shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, and are zero plastic too. Deodorising – (applied so close to our lymph nodes) a link between breast cancer and aluminium in antiperspirant is beginning to emerge (which may be listed as 'natural salts'). Research and go natural! Moisturising – use a natural oil such as olive, almond or coconut oil. Sun burn remedy – grow aloe vera and you’ll never need to buy aftersun again. Cold sore remedy – dab raw garlic (just briefly), or diluted lavender oil. Cupboard essentials: Vinegar is multipurpose, including windows (commercial window cleaner contains some horrendous chemicals) and washing salad. Baking soda has a huge variety of uses. As a paste it’s great for cleaning the oven, grout and doing laundry spot cleans. Castile soap and water will clean kitchens and bathrooms; act as a natural insecticide for houseplants; and even replace laundry detergent. Please join the conversation on facebook - at Attainable Sustainable, Algarve. Next issue we will discuss ways to have an eco baby! This series is in support of WasteAid. To help reduce plastic pollution around the world, please visit wasteaid.org

A Gii Home Project : Henri’s Apartments Pátio de Santo António Ranked No.1 in Lagos by #anotherhappyclient

OUTDOOR

majority of these forests are found in the southern half of the country, notably the Algarve and the Alentejo.

Drink up! BY FRANK MCCLINTOCK

Did you know that the little tipple you enjoy every now and again is materially helping Portugal? Well, of course you did, ‘cos it’s Portuguese wine, isn’t it! Yes, but have you ever thought about the cork you pull out and throw away – apart from, “Oh, they grow here all over the place don’t they”. Well, not to put too fine a point to it, cork is essential for Portugal, and every time you open a bottle it is beneficial to not only the wine producer but the cork farmer and many other people besides. Settle down and I’ll give you some facts … So to start with, what is cork? Cork is the outer protective covering of the Cork Oak, Quercus suber. It has evolved to protect the tree it covers from forest fires. Its habitat is predominantly the western Mediterranean where it thrives on the permeable light soils, particularly along the Atlantic shore. The best conditions for its growth are an abundant and evenly distributed rainfall with a dry summer period, mild winters and plenty of sunshine. Enjoying all these benefits, Portugal is the world’s largest cork grower. Other producers include Spain, Algeria, Morocco, France, Italy and Tunisia, basically the countries bordering the western Mediterranean basin, but Portugal is by far the largest producer. To give you some statistics, this country has nearly onethird of the world’s cork forests, about 5.3 million acres, and produces about half the world’s cork, some 310,000 tons. These forests, the Montados, cover approx 8% of Portugal’s continental landmass and are well over a quarter of her total forested area, though the vast

Understanding these figures it becomes immediately apparent that this tree is highly important to the country; it has around 500 factories specialising in cork production employing about 20,000 people, (one fifth of the worldwide workforce dependant upon cork for their livelihood), and this tree represents 16% of Portugal’s total foreign income derived from trade. Cork itself is an extremely light, compressible, elastic and flexible material, practically impervious to moisture. It has a very high coefficient of friction, is a poor conductor of electricity, sound and heat and has an exceptional shock-absorbing capacity. It is resistant to most chemical substances is easily cut and shaped and has virtually unlimited durability. The combination of so many excellent qualities has meant that it has always been highly prized; once it’s old enough, after approx 25 years, it can be harvested every nine years. With a lifespan of over 200 years most cork oaks allow for 16 harvestings. There are many things made out of cork, such as floats, shoe soles, floors, bath and table mats, fishing rod handles, gaskets, packaging, sound and heat insulation etc etc, but 70% of total world production goes into cork stoppers, the corks we pull from wine bottles, so you can easily see that corks in wine and champagne bottles are essential for the whole industry. Cork is ideally suited to be made into stoppers for wine as, though they are impervious to the liquid inside the bottle, they allow a tiny amount of oxygen through into the wine that aids the ageing or ‘maturation’ process. This is vital as it is only with this ingress of oxygen that the wine subtly changes its taste – the difference between a young and a mature wine. It was the very “invention” of cork stoppers in the 17th Century that first allowed this luxury to be enjoyed – and the iconic shape of your everyday battle, with a narrow neck and a larger base, is pre-determined by the width of cork bark. So, next time you buy wine, make sure there’s a cork in the bottle and shun the polluting aluminium and plastic stoppers like the plague! Frank is a professional birding, nature and wildlife expert.

+INFO:  birdinginportugal / ParadiseinPortugal  www.paradise-in-portugal.com / www.birding-in-portugal.com

toldos - awnings sun wind rain protection

toldolanda

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

OUTDOOR

Left to right, top to bottom: Kalanchoe beharensis; Kalanchoe luciae; Bryophyylum delagoensis; Kalanchoe tomentosa; Kalanchoe marmorata

CREATING A KALANCHOE COLLECTION BY TAMSIN VARLEY

Kalanchoe (pronounced Ka-lun-KOH-ee) is a genus of almost 150 species of tropical succulent plants found in Madagascar and Eastern Africa from Somalia to South Africa. Researching Kalanchoes, I discovered that they were one of the first genus of plants to be sent into space sent on a resupply to the Soviet Salyut 1 space station in 1971. So, what are the main characteristics of this group of plants? They mostly occur in semi-arid habitats in scrubland or the sunny margins of woodland. Most of them are either shrubs or herbaceous perennial plants – one or two can grow very tall, but generally they are less than one metre high. Typically, their habitats have a decent period of rainfall followed by a much drier season. They are also surprisingly tolerant of low temperatures and do well in cultivation, which makes them popular in a dry garden or as a fool proof pot plant. The genus is split into two based on flower shape and structure although they all have four-part flowers and eight stamens. Kalanchoe “proper” have upright flowers with separate petals; Bryophyllums in contrast have the petals fused into tubes so that they can resemble elongated hanging bells. Let’s look at some of the more commonly found. My absolute favourite is the splendid Kalanchoe beharensis. I acquired mine some years ago

when I noticed it lying beside a track near our house apparently discarded as garden rubbish. I drove by it daily for about six months and finally decided to scoop the poor thing up and see what could be done with it. I planted the dry stem in very poor sandy soil in my garden where it thrived for a number of years before dying very suddenly. However, the beauty of this plant is that even the tiniest part of a leaf can produce babies or indeed, if the stem gets too long and woody, just snap the top off and stick it in the ground. I’ve now got a huge plant over two metres tall planted in the rich soil by a carob tree where it gets semi-shade for part of the day. The common name for this plant is Felt Bush or Elephant’s Ear Kalanchoe and its characteristics include huge triangular shaped grey green leaves which have a felty texture. As the woody stems grow, the older leaves fall off leaving behind obvious scars. Another of my favourites is Kalanchoe luciae or Paddle Plant for very obvious reasons. The slightly elongated round leaves resemble clam shells and form colonies of spreading rosettes that can take on a bright red colour in the cooler months if it has strong sunlight. In late winter it sends up flower spikes 60-90 cm long which have clusters of pale yellow to green flowers. Once it has flowered, the rosette dies. Let me finish with a few more highly recommended Kalanchoes. K. marmorata from Somalia has scalloped elongated paddle bluey-green coloured leaves with attractive purple spots on them and has a beautiful flower spike with eye catching starry white flowers. K. tomentosa or Panda Plant has soft fuzzy greyish leaves shaped like rabbit ears edged with what looks like brown stitching along the edges. K. pumila can look spectacular in hanging baskets and has pink/purple flowers beautifully offset by the slightly brittle grey foliage. To end, one to avoid! Bryophyllum delagoensis, better known as “Mother of Millions”, is very invasive and grows tall and weedy with many small plantlets along the edges of its leaves. It does have attractive flowers with a whorl of red, dropping tubular flowers crowning a long stem, but believe me, you do not want it in your garden! Tamsin Varley is chair of Clube Dos Bons Jardins, a small, friendly multi-national garden club that meets at different locations throughout the Algarve on the 2nd Tuesday every month except over the summer with an optional lunch afterwards.

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

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