Tomorrow Algarve Magazine - February 2022

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FEBRUARY 2022 | EDITION 123

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR THE ALGARVE

In this edition New Eco-Boutique Resort Plans unveiled for the first time

Meet the Local Saving the Planet One piece of art at a time

How History was Made In the back of an Algarve taxi!

Portugal's Black Gold A 21st century gold rush?

Indian Tand��ri Re�taurant

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Editor's note

bad soldiers. Valentine felt this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret.

Dear Tomorrow readers,

We got through January and here we are in February with the first excuse, since Christmas, to indulge in a night out and guilt-free chocolate on Valentine’s Day. 5,500 PRINTED COPIES

Many of us will be reflecting on a failed diet or a New Year’s Resolution that has already fallen by the wayside. Do not despair! We have a great article on why we fail at resolutions and how to succeed by Tomorrow's psychologist Fiona Maguire. While our medical writer Niki Medlock from Luzdoc is (on my request) analysing diets and how to lose weight!

So let's try to hold onto our good intentions during February. We can do it!

EDITORIAL Sophie Sadler sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 912 176 588 SALES

February has long been associated with a festival celebrating love. It is believed to have originated in Roman times, before the Christian church decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianise” the pagan fertility celebration of Lupercalia.

Tom Henshaw tom@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 919 918 733 Janine Nieper janine@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 913 320 509

One romantic legend surrounding its namesake relates to Emperor Claudius II, who banned marriage because he thought married men made

Helen Daniel helen@tomorrowalgarve.com +351 917 054 646

When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. There, he fell in love with the jailer's daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "from your Valentine".

I always think it is fitting that in the Algarve, Valentine’s Day falls at the same time as the almond blossoms emerge on the naked branches of this indigenous tree. It seems as though they decided to cover the landscape in a romantic white blossom, similar to confetti, to celebrate the month of love.

There is a romantic story surrounding the almond blossoms in Portugal, which Tamsin Varley recounts in her article “The Allure of the Almond”.

Here at Tomorrow, we hope that love will blossom for you this month, whether it is romantic love or the love of this beautiful region abounding with opportunities to enjoy the landscape. Have a great month.

From Sophie, Tom and the Tomorrow team

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ON THE COVER: Vanessa Barragão is a 29-year-oldartist from Albufeira, whose unique artwork is displayed in Heathrow airport.

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Photo @ Vanessa Barragão Studio

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New Ecological Development Unveiled Espiche Golf’s neighbouring resort Matos Brancos has been granted the alvará (licence) to start building their eco-boutique resort. The management team talked exclusively to Sophie Sadler to unveil their exciting plans.

Villa

Matos Brancos can now be officially launched as the alvará was granted on 10 December 2021. With local estate agents reporting a shortage of properties on the market, the permission could not have been granted at a better time. Now property buyers and investors have a unique opportunity to invest in this new sustainable resort, just 10 minutes from Lagos in the western Algarve.

With the jewel of the existing 18-hole sustainable golf course at its epicentre, the stunning site encompasses 164 hectares of ecological reserve with urban planning for just 110 beautifully designed properties. This means that after the current development, there can be no further building. What's more, there is only one point of access to this site which will be manned by 24hour security, making it a gated community and a unique haven of security and privacy.

The concept has been meticulously designed by perfectionist Peter Thornton, with a heavy emphasis on sustainability. Originally from Brazil, he was able to use his Portuguese language skills to negotiate in Portugal.

He confesses that he led a “colourful life” and was a self-confessed victim of the 1970s party scene in London. He worked with famous

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names such as The Clash and was in a band in France that had a number one hit. His artistic leanings led him from being a celebrity hairdresser at Gavin Hodges' Gotama's in the King's Road to the likes of Marianne Faithful and Twiggy to being a signed artist to Polygram International; he also worked in lighting and special effects for the Royal Festival Ballet Company. Eventually, he left the party scene behind and became an interior designer in London with clients including the Rothschilds, before moving to Portugal 34 years ago.

He tells me, “I am a dreamer and I am strong on visuals", so much so that the first move will be to tear up the entire existing infrastructure and replace it with a stunning landscape at a cost of 5.5 million euros. It will incorporate planting along all access roads with permeable walking and running tracks on the inside side, protecting pedestrians from traffic. They will be the first resort in the area to have solar street lighting on all public roads. The track will be porous so that it does not work against the landscape but allows water to soak through it.

Peter says, “I have a newfound passion for trying to be an environmentalist, although to some extent it is impossible.

Humanity is currently lost; what we learn today will be wrong tomorrow, but you have to break an egg to make an omelette, so we are trying.” As a result, the resort is making every effort to make

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Future Hotel

each property self-sufficient, emphasising solar power and re-use of water.

“Designing houses to be sustainable is more problematic, but I believe it is very investable. People like to own something beautiful that doesn't impact the planet. I am influenced by the sun in my design, to incorporate new water and energy-saving technologies. With so much light all year round, we need to take full advantage of that and recognise water is becoming scarcer. I am continually working to introduce new technologies on the golf course to make sure we minimise water usage and encourage the grass to absorb water more effectively. We need to use our resources more efficiently; then, these new habits will become the norm. The recycling of greywater is becoming more available, so we want to make these systems available to our buyers.”

Peter is not an architect but spends hours sketching into the night and coming up with new designs and ideas.

During the planning development stages, he worked with FAT "Future Architecture Thinking", one of Portugal's leading architectural firms. One hundred and twelve houses are to be built, all with private pools. There will be three different options, starting with the Gemini, which will have a built area of 200m2 on a plot of 510m2. The superior detached villas will range from 300 to 510 m2 on plots between 1200 to 2600m2. The starting price tag will be 700,000€.

The plans for the resort include a 99 room 4-star hotel with a spa built around a village square. Peter worked with architect Vitor Vilhena, Will Bourne and NB3d Design Studios on the stunning design, which aims to be very energy efficient. The main body of the hotel is a central spine that houses the lobby, lounge and restaurant areas, bar and terraces, five luxury suites, pools and spa. It also has space to host conferences and weddings.

Future Spa

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Owners will also be invited to take up the offer of owner preference golf membership. The par 72 golf course was designed by South African Peter Sauerrman to complement the distinctive western Algarve landscape by embracing a sustainable and eco-friendly ethos. Peter designed the lakes, streams and indigenous planting scheme to enrich the local biodiversity while creating a unique golfing game and environment for golfers and is a dream to walk around even if you are not a golfer.

Espiche Golf also bought the neighbouring vineyard from the Lopes family to ensure it was not acquired by an avocado farm. The resort has committed to running it as an organic operation and is hoping to find someone who will manage it to provide wine and organic vegetables for the new restaurant.

The business brain beyond the scheme is South African Paul Langley, who tells me that he is looking for investors to buy off-plan or invest in the resort infrastructure and vineyard in this initial phase. Having resided on the golf course for many years, he has lived and breathed the project, which has become a labour of love.

For those who live or visit the area, there is no doubt that Matos Brancos will be a welcome addition to the western Algarve. It offers a chance for investment in a sustainable and forward-thinking initiative that will be a welcome retreat for holidaymakers and residents for many years to come.

 investment-sales@espichegolfvillage.com www.espichegolf.pt

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The other 94 suites are divided into individual units which nestle within the landscaped hotel complex. All units will be self-sufficient in energy.

The future plans do not stop there. The adjoining 18-hectare valley of Varaza Grande has consent for nine 100m2 units which could be bought individually or by an investor as a rental investment. Another 27,000 m2 site has planning permission for 17 houses which are being designed as a retirement village of high-end sheltered housing.

A private shuttle bus service will take residents to Burgau, Luz and Lagos. They also plan to install 360 solar panels to the existing clubhouse and Gecko restaurant to take it off the grid.

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Meet the locals

© MUDE 2020 Luísa Ferreira

Saving the Planet – one piece of art at a time

BY SÍLVIA CARVALHO D’ALMEIDA

Vanessa Barragão used to travel to the Caribbean with her parents in her childhood. Back then, she was not aware that the magnificent-coloured corals would one day be the main inspiration for her creations. The 29-year-old artist from Albufeira already employs nine people in her studio, and is looking for a new, bigger space to expand her business.

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After graduating in fashion design from university in Lisbon, Vanessa realised fashion was not what she wanted to do, especially because it is the second most polluting industry in the world. Instead, she started working in a factory, making her own tapestries as a part-time job, and earning a good income.

Her creativity and desire to tackle waste in our society led her to embark on her own creations at home. She received more and more requests for her tapestries which you can hang on the wall, or simply lay on the floor, and eventually no longer had the time to work in the factory. It is difficult to explain her majestic works in words; all I can say is they are an explosion of colour, shapes and textures.

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When working at home was not feasible anymore, Vanessa rented a space in Porto, where she had moved. As she became more established, she received a very unexpected and thrilling invitation from the director of Heathrow airport, who commissioned her to create a piece to hang in one of the main rooms of the airport.

At first, Vanessa could not believe it was happening. She decided to create a world map using waste materials: mainly wool, given several special treatments, and a blank canvas, onto which it is sewn. She picks up the wool from factories who would otherwise throw it away. It is her way of helping save the planet, one tapestry at a time.

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She returned to Albufeira, which enabled her to employ some of her family in her atelier. Besides her producers, her mother and both grandmothers work with her.

She learnt how to crochet as a child, with one of her grandmothers, while the other engendered her love of sewing and creating with textiles. She never thought of doing anything else in life, as she fell in love with the immense possibilities of creating her own art. Vanessa says that by enabling older people to remain active, they feel useful and retain a sense of purpose. She tells us both her grandmothers feel happier and eager to contribute to the business.

Vanessa is an artist, but also a businesswoman. She speaks with the security of someone who has found her place in the world and who is determined to succeed in her passion.

She revealed that she is in search of a bigger atelier, especially because of the space needed to store the tons of waste wool she collects in factories.

© Heathrow Airport x Kew Gardens 2019

Sustainability is very important to Vanessa and she is particularly concerned about the coral reefs that are disappearing. Since her childhood, the situation has become critical. As she says, “Coral reefs have an immense number of vibrating tones, and when they die, they become white.” Besides coral reefs, her inspiration is the sea.

Living in a town bathed by the ocean and with Portugal’s tremendous coastline, it would be unusual if it did not influence her work.

Vanessa is happy to show anyone her atelier by prior appointment. Her pieces are made to order only, and all of them are unique; no two carpets will ever be the same. She will show you some of her designs, but you can personalise your own tapestry. Each one, depending on the size you want, may take from weeks to months to accomplish, as they are all handmade, and the prices range from 1000 to 100.000 euros.

 Instagram: @vanessabarragao_work vanessabarragao.info@gmail.com © Diogo Sousa

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History in the making

The Lyrics:1956 to the Present, published November 2021 by Penguin

On the road to Albufeira Vaughan Willmore tells of how the most celebrated pop song of the 20th century was written in the back of a taxi on the way to the Algarve.

It was May 1965 and the height of Beatlemania when Paul McCartney landed at Lisbon airport ahead of a then arduous five-hour journey to the sunnier climes of the Algarve. It was a holiday he’d been looking forward to for weeks: a chance to escape the pressure of filming The Beatles second film, Help, and to spend time with his long-standing girlfriend, Jane Asher. As it transpired, McCartney’s journey to the Algarve would also be an opportunity to compose the lyrics to one of the most popular songs ever written.

“By the time I got to Albufeira, I’d completed the lyrics” – Paul McCartney.

In his new book, The Lyrics:1956 to the Present, Paul McCartney tells of how he’d awoken one morning with a melody in his head. It was a tune so fully formed he was convinced it was an old standard from his youth. The very next day he played it to his friend and songwriting partner John Lennon, who had no recollection of hearing it before. After speaking with other friends, McCartney realised the melody didn’t exist anywhere except in his head.

He describes in the book how having a melody appear like that was so unusual it felt akin to ‘finding a £10 note in the street’. To help him remember it, he added ‘dummy’ lyrics, along the lines of ‘scrambled eggs, oh my baby, how I love your legs’.

The melody remained, without words, until he arrived in

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Portugal. As he explains in the book, “We were heading down to Albufeira and I was in the back of the car. It was very hot and very dusty and I was sort of half asleep. One of the things I like to do when I’m like that is try to think. I started to think through other options to fit the melody and the syllables of ‘scram-bled-eggs’.

You have possibilities like yester-day and sud-den-ly. I also remember thinking: people like sad songs. I like sad songs. By the time I got to Albufeira, I’d completed the lyrics.”

On reaching Albufeira, a then quieter but burgeoning resort popular with celebrities of the day, McCartney met up with his friend, the Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch, to whom he played the melody, resplendent with its new lyrics. In the coming days, McCartney would refine the lyrics. He stayed in Portugal for the best part of two weeks before leaving a day earlier than planned as Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, wanted the Fab Four together in London, ready for the breaking news they were to receive MBEs from the Queen.

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‘Yesterday’ was voted the best song of the 20th century in a BBC Radio 2 poll of music experts and the Number 1 pop song of all time by MTV and Rolling Stone magazine. It’s one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music, with over 2,000 recorded versions, including ones by Elvis Presley and Marvin Gaye.

Nearly 60 years after it was written, the song’s lyrics of lost love and better days passed continue to resonate, which is pretty impressive given that the lyrics were scribbled on an envelope in the back of a taxi.

And even more remarkable when considering that Paul McCartney wrote those lyrics when he was just 22 years old.

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The Beatles performing Yesterday

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The Romanians in Portugal

A Trusty Tale About A Trusty Community

BY DAN COSTINAS I am not a historian, but I have always been interested in people’s stories. Millions of people's histories have been shaped by the voluntary migration phenomenon and documented population flows, for example, the 4.5 million Irish who arrived in America between 1820 and 1930, or the 13 million Italians who left their own country between 1880 and 1915.

We do not remember our own (recent) history as well as we might.

There were plenty of horrors during the second half of the 20th century that we are not allowed to forget, and the unnatural turn into ‘two Europes’ was unquestionably one of them and it should most definitely be on the long list of evil crimes.

In 1945, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt drew a line on the map of Europe, dividing the continent in two separate areas (the West with its allied states and the East with its satellite countries), closing the borders and raising an Iron Curtain between democracy and autocracy.

Eventually, a revolutionary wave occurred in the late 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern European countries. These revolts started in Poland in 1988, with the workers’ strike movement, then continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Romania (the only socialist state in Europe which overthrew its dictatorship with violence in December 1989).

For Romania, communism meant, among other bad things, a long period of controlled migration leading to poor international mobility, with most of the relocation being clandestine. After 1990, the transition brought about a sharp decline in the levels of satisfaction with the living standards caused by higher unemployment rates and increased poverty. Working abroad seemed to be one of the few strategies for coping with economic and societal impacts.

After three decades now, the Romanian diaspora is estimated at about 7–9 million people, depending on different definitions of the term ‘diaspora’ as well as the validity of the official estimates, reaching throughout the world, and living in over 70 countries.

Over one million Romanian migrants reside in Italy, another million in Spain, 800 thousand in Germany, 400 thousand in the UK, 300 thousand in France and France and 100 thousand in Belgium. Romanian people have migrated widely, from the US to Liechtenstein and from Sweden to South Africa.

In Portugal, at the end of 2020, the SEF statistics showed over 30,000 Romanian residents. Some commentators couldn’t help but add another five thousand Moldovans, people who share a

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common part of the Romanian culture, ancestry, and speak the same language. They are mainly located in the Lisbon, Setúbal, Santarém municipalities and in the Algarve region.

Why choose Portugal as their adopted country?

My mother taught me not to (never ever!) answer a question with another question, but today I will go against her guidance and ask: Why not Portugal? And yet, from the long list of reasons, I believe the main factor is that both Romanian and Portuguese, descended from the Latin language, sound sweet and melodic, with rich vocabularies and very similar grammar rules so that I could learn the Portuguese language very quickly.

Then, when I was reading about Portugal, I fell in love with every part of it: from the Algarve coast and Faro in the south to Braga and Chaves in the north, from the western Figueira da Foz to the eastern Castelo Branco and Portalegre. I have always been enamoured of the Atlantic Ocean.

Last, but not least, it doesn’t matter here if you are green, white, yellow, black, blue, or red; seriously, I really didn’t experience any sort of discrimination like I noticed in other European (much richer) countries.

Over the past twenty years, I had the opportunity to interact with many Romanians abroad, listen to their true stories, and the leitmotif was the dream of a better life and insisting on the importance of not forgetting the past events so that those mistakes would not occur again.

Dan Costinas is a writer, translator, and former Romanian diplomat, who is retired in the Algarve

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Portugal’s Black Gold

BY JAMES PLASKITT

It’s a black rock. It has the atomic number 3. It’s one of the lightest metal elements with strong electrochemical reactivity. It has a vital role to play in decarbonising our future. And a lot of it sits underneath Portugal. Is lithium set to give the country its 21st century gold rush?

In the urge to move away from consuming fossil fuels, and to reverse climate change, new technologies are emerging in many sectors, and most noticeably in transport.

Governments have ordered the end of petrol and diesel engines, and the race is on to bring electric vehicles to the market. EVs need batteries, and the most efficient battery technology available at this stage is the lithium-ion battery. So the world is in search of lithium. Demand is expected to grow tenfold by the end of this decade, and current lithium production is set to fall short of available supply within five years.

The European Union has adopted a policy to develop its own battery technologies and to achieve autonomy in terms of manufacture and distribution. If that is to be achieved, then EU vehicle and battery manufacturers will need to turn away from the current sources of lithium – predominantly Chile, Bolivia, Argentina and China. Instead, step up, Portugal – believed to be sitting on the EU’s largest lithium reserves, recently estimated to be around 60,000 metric tonnes – four times China’s current annual extraction level.

The government has already acknowledged the potential benefits to the economy of this fortunate geological endowment and set an ambitious national lithium strategy, declaring the ambition to make Portugal a “world-leading power in battery technology”.

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The inward investment is already beginning to happen. Galp has teamed up with Sweden’s Northvolt in a €700 million joint venture to build Europe’s largest lithium conversion plant, aiming to build 700,000 EV batteries by 2026. The location of the development has not yet been decided but is likely to be in the north of the country, close to the known deposits.

Lithium extraction is not new to Portugal. The country currently mines around 900 metric tonnes a year – 11% of global output – mainly for use in the glass and ceramics industries. But the demand for EV battery production will require a far higher output. Consequently, the government is already working on identifying mining zones and preparing licences for extraction. Two have already been awarded and eight more are expected to be issued during the rest of this year.

The government has its eye set on the economic benefits: higher levels of foreign investment, more jobs, more exports and more revenues.

Surely, sitting on such substantial deposits of one of the world’s most sought-after raw materials has to be unreserved good news?

As ever, it isn’t quite that simple. Portugal’s deposits are in the north, and 28% of the land area covered by the first round of mine zoning is already nationally protected for its natural beauty. There is fierce local opposition to the development of mines, especially as the preferred method is open cast. Local opposition

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Uyuni salt flats in southwest Bolivia where there is a large reserve of lithium groups are fighting to defend agricultural land that would be lost, and also claim that water supplies would become contaminated.

Last year, the government issued an Environmental Impact Assessment. It broadly backed extraction, arguing that the development of lithium mining in Portugal would help with global decarbonisation and declaring that the risk to water supplies was “very low”. But local groups have challenged the findings, and also expressed concern that they were not part of the consultation.

Lithium is undoubtedly the ‘new gold’ and Portugal has been provided with a bounty, and understandably it wants to be a big part of meeting the demands of a market estimated to be worth €250 billion by 2025.

The new government will find itself having to achieve a balance between the lure of money and technological prowess against the local environmental consequences of permitting a new gold rush.

James Plaskitt was an MP in Tony Blair’s government in the UK and is now retired in the Algarve.

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COMMUNITY Ascension Island

Voyage of Discovery Uma viagem de descoberta – ao contrário

BY CHRIS FREER

In 1501, Portuguese navigator João da Nova came across a lump of uninhabited, treeless volcanic rock in the middle of the Atlantic, midway between South America and the west coast of Africa. To give it an identity, he marked it on his blank chart and named it after that day’s religious festival of Ascension. It was one of the most remote islands on earth and of no use to anyone except to voyaging mariners as a refuge.

Over 500 years later, Ascension Island’s usefulness was confirmed when two modernday voyagers from Australia got stuck in one of its anchorages as a result of the worldwide restrictions of COVID-19. Little did they know they were going to be spending 14 months on this tiny rock. Following their ‘escape’ in September 2021, Mike and Felicity aimed their 55-foot sailboat towards Portugal as a gateway before entering the Mediterranean. The only marina with available space happened to be at Lagos and, within two weeks of their arrival, they had fallen in love with the city and decided to set up home.

the longest runways in the world. The airstrip was useful to the resident RAF personnel in 1982, when it became the world’s busiest airport with over 400 flights per day in support of the Falklands War. Now, the 17 resident RAF staff have a popular NAAFI where Felicity, a highly regarded wealth consultant in South Africa, once peeled the spuds while Mike worked on fixing roads and repairing buildings.

Visiting groups of scientists study ecology and the flora and fauna of this unique island. Ensuring that the Union Flag is properly raised daily at the grand Georgian colonial residence is the 66th Governor, Philip Rushbrook, and his administrator Sean Burns, who also have responsibilities for St Helena and the even smaller Tristan da Cunha.

In a locker there must also be an ostrich feather solar topee or two. 

In terms of its population, Ascension Island must be one of the most peculiar communities on the planet. Although there are about 700 occupants at any one time, the laws of this British Overseas Territory do not allow ‘the right to abode’ and so there are no permanent non-working residents.

Only the 500 or so ‘Saints’ from St Helena have any long-term attachment and even they cannot remain indefinitely. RAF Wakefield is home to a U.S. Space Force ground tracking which supports rocket launches from Cape Canaveral.

Also known as Wideawake airfield, it offers an emergency landing place for the Eastern Range space shuttle, the reason the island has one of

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Mike, Felicity and Chris with his 50 year old T shirt

COMMUNITY

 Mike and Felicity really enjoyed their enforced stay on this remote outpost; however, life could be quite challenging when compared to Sydney.

There are no farms as such and almost all food arrives on supply ships, which visit four times a year and serve as passenger carriers. There are wild goats and donkeys but no animal husbandry.

Supplies are distributed through a couple of shops run by Saints but, if you want to hold a barbecue, you first have to go hunting. Fuel for the airbase, the 200 cars on the island and for cooking and heating water is imported. The only fresh fruit is the local wild banana, plus some guava. America flies in essentials for the US base. Wi-Fi is non-existent and the internet is expensive – £6 an hour – and rationed.

There is a school and the social life is pretty good, with the island’s four bars served twice a week by a bus which does a round trip. Despite the unchanging 27oC equatorial climate, swimming is banned because of the many Galapagos sharks which live alongside giant turtles. People come and go on two-year contracts and the volcanic origins of the place preclude much in the way of property care, except for the rather grand government establishments.

Ascension Island

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But there are some other surprises. A small freshwater spring was discovered by British voyager William Dampier in 1701, when his ship sank and he and his crew became marooned.

The fact that they were picked up only five weeks later (before radio!) by a passing Dutch trader shows that visitors were not infrequent. It was only in 1815, that the British became the first residents, claiming that settlement was essential due to the threat posed by Napoleon, who was imprisoned on St Helena. This grabbing of remote bits of real estate was a British habit at the time, as the country sought to create stopovers for the Navy protecting its empire trade routes.

At the age of 50, Mike was slogging away as an IT specialist in Switzerland. A chance meeting with a Dutch sailor while chartering in Greece changed his ideas on life and he simply sold up, returned to Sydney and purchased the classic 1968, 55foot Pacha. Designed and built by Nicholsons – bespoke yachtbuilders to Queen Elizabeth – she is a true and comfortable classic. The idea was to charter in the distant Mediterranean and Mike’s plan to get there involved advertising the stages of his voyage and inviting four or six sailors as paying guests between stopovers. This proved a success and, from 2019, he wandered the seaways like an albatross; Thursday Island, Darwin, Cocos, Mauritius, La Reunion and Capetown are only a few of the entries in his vibrant logbook which stalled in Ascension and lockdown.

I am always surprised and delighted by the serendipitous nature of life and an example of that came in mid-November as I was cycling along the Avenida in Lagos and did my usual visual check on the marina visitors pontoon.

Probably the most interesting discovery for any visitor is a tropical rain forest on the high ground of Green Mountain. From 1850, at the suggestion of Charles Darwin and Kew Gardens, visiting ships had to arrive with a variety of plants and trees that were planted to create what is now a veritable jungle, which has changed the climate and produced a viable water supply for the colony. A message perhaps for all those interested in climate change.

There, lying proud and beautiful, was Pacha, the very yacht on which I sailed the Fastnet Race in 1971 – a full fifty years ago. Drawn by the Aussie flag I went over and knocked to be greeted with the familiar ‘Good’ay’ – and I then listened in amazement to the story which ended with the discovery of Lagos.

Government House

Pacha

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COMMUNITY

The Lagos Entrepreneur Factory

BY SOPHIE SADLER

In a pleasant square in Lagos marina, you will find a glassfronted unit – a minimalist interior offering a “factory” for Lagos’ budding entrepreneurs as well as an incubator for start-ups – a modern concept to generate new businesses or support existing ones.

I visited after seeing the publicity for the Female Entrepreneurship Day, which was celebrated on 19 November with an event at Fábrica do Empreendedor de Lagos (Lagos Entrepreneur Factory), and was met by entrepreneurship technician (técnica de empreendedorismo) Marta Dinis.

Marta explained the concept to me, “We are offering a service to future or established entrepreneurs in the municipality of Lagos and surrounding areas. In addition, those who want a place to work while receiving mentoring can work in this same space in a concept called Startlab - an incubator scheme for local businesses. StartLab can incubate and give support to micro-entrepreneurship initiatives in the initial phase of their projects. There is a capacity for up to six entrepreneurs."

Marta Dinis is passionate about the project having previously worked handling applications for funds from small businesses. She now helps those start-ups to define their business in different areas or helps to expand existing businesses. Marta can also assist in finding the best finance options for the projects or help companies and local institutions that come to the factory looking for training or staff, in order to expand their business.

Marta works alongside Sónia Marreiros, an employment technician who helps companies and local institutions who come to the factory if they are looking to recruit. They may need help in the selection processes, a service which is offered free of charge.

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What is notable about this project is that out of the more than 90 entrepreneurs who have already accessed the services of the Lagos Entrepreneur Factory, 90% of those who Marta is currently mentoring are female. “I think women are looking for more flexibility which is why so many are inspired to start their own businesses. Women are more open to ask for help and to share their crusade.”

In fact, one of the female entrepreneurs is Linda van Oosterhout, who Tomorrow featured in the November edition and is creating shoes from sustainable products such as fish.

The Fábrica do Empreendedor de Lagos is a partnership project between the Municipality of Lagos and the Social Entrepreneurs Agency (SEA), a non-profit organisation created in 2007 by a group of social entrepreneurs, with the aim of creating innovative solutions and with high social impact in the local economy. It acts in the areas of entrepreneurship, employment, training, consulting and research and operates in the municipalities of Cascais, Lisbon, Sintra, Oeiras, Elvas, Valença, Alfândega da Fé, Chamusca, Vila Franca de Xira and Lagoa, with 11 Entrepreneur Factories across Portugal.

Tomorrow will be telling the story of some of these entrepreneurs in this and the following edition.  empreendedorismo.lagos@fabricadoempreendedor.pt www.fabricadoempreendedor.pt

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COMMUNITY

The Lagos Entrepreneurs Marina Santos Marina João Vieira Santos has a degree in social work and has been working as a social worker since 2003. She started her professional life in Social Security and, since June 2004, with a nonprofit organisation (Entidade do Setor Particular de Solidariedade Social).

Ana Silva One of the business owners who took part in the event to celebrate women entrepreneurs was Ana Silva. She says that the initiative is of benefit, “For people who need the inspiration to put their dreams into practice.”

Sabine André Sabine is a writer trained in SEO (search engine optimisation) who produces internet copy for her clients, for example, web pages, blog posts, newsletters and sales pages. “I structure and write my clients’ content so that it appears in the first search results on Google, Bing or Yahoo,” she explains.

“I first walked through the door of Fábrica do Empreendedor in June 2021. I had just started my business and was looking for shared office space in the centre of Lagos. As a freelancer, I work alone most of the time. I needed to interact with other freelancers and work outside my home. My clients are, for the moment, mainly French and have a business in France or here in the Algarve. I help them to gain more visibility on the web.”

At the Lagos StartLab, Sabine found more than shared offices: she has benefited from tailor-made support, which she has found incredibly helpful and enabled her to start working freelance. “The administrative aspect, for example, is not my cup of tea but I know that Marta and Sonia are there to help me and answer my questions.”

Ana's trajectory into ceramics is recent. “I had my first contact with ceramics through a workshop in Lisbon just after moving in 2017 from Brazil to Portugal. On that occasion, I found what I truly would like to work with. The whole production process is very personal and intimate. Each piece has a lot of who makes it.”

From then, Ana continued her research into the world of clays, glazes and engobes (a ceramic colouring technique) as well as low and hightemperature firing.

Ana credits ceramics as having shown her the importance of attention and patience because, “There is a huge world to be discovered. It’s a continuing process of learning. This path was important to help me discover utilitarian pieces like plates, vases, bowls, mugs and espresso cups. The options are many, as are the challenges.”

She read an article about the opening of the Fábrica do Empreendedor’s office in Lagos and she got in touch as she felt she had the creativity for the job but needed professional guidance on how to reach clients and showcase her work.

“My professional experience has always focused on the promotion and implementation of social rights, as well as the empowerment of people.

Throughout my professional experience, I have diagnosed that many people are subject to a worrying economic vulnerability and a certain social disqualification, due to difficulty in accessing digital services, in conciliating professional activity with the timetables of public services, due to inter-service bureaucracy, among many other factors.”

To address this problem she formed Com Sigo, providing specialised technical services of information, intervention and empowerment, enabling people access to their social rights, and contributing to an increase in their well-being and quality of life. It has a portfolio of services in areas such as illness, incapacity, disability, support for the carer, family reorganisation (death in the family, separation/divorce, absence of family support network), adaptation due to change of location/country of residence, difficulty in accessing public services, difficulty in accessing digital services, lack of time or predisposition to deal with bureaucratic matters, among many others.

It is also offering technical support to the business sector, giving social support to the needs of its workers and promoting a balance between the personal, family and professional life.

At the women’s entrepreneurship meeting, Sabine was able to interact with other women from the Algarve in a similar situation and was able to discuss and establish very enriching contacts. “Since then, we have been meeting every two months at Fábrica to discuss specific issues and to develop our business.”

“The recent event with women entrepreneurs was exceptional. From there, we have already exchanged contacts and come up with super creative collaborations. It has been very interesting for me to interact with other women entrepreneurs. Especially with Linda van Oosterhout, who opened the doors of her atelier to show my work.”

Com Sigo has been linked to Fábrica do Empreendedor de Lagos since its launch mainly with the mentorship of Marta Dinis who has been instrumental in its implementation and development. “This partnership relationship has allowed me to go beyond the creation of the business. Marta helped me with the submission of an application to the Acredita Portugal Programme, with the Com Sigo project where we reached the semi-finalist category. We still continue to work together to develop the brand.”

 sabineandre.fr@gmail.com

 anaceramista@gmail.com

 com.sigo.social@gmail.com

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CHARITY

Catherine the Brave

BY REBECCA SIMPSON

It has always been a great honour to be part of such an intrinsically fantastic community here in the western Algarve. It’s true to say that many of us still underestimate just how mankind can create magic especially in the darkest of hours.

In December 2021, Catherine was diagnosed with stage 4 peritoneal, liver and lung cancer. As a 32-year-old, mother, wife, sister, daughter and friend this news has been devastating. Many people within our community expressed their desire to help and support both Catherine, Dan and their two beautiful daughters, Sofia aged five and Serena aged one.

Adam and Stacey Rich had the wonderful idea of setting up a crowdfunding page, the funds of which could give more treatment options for Catherine, assist the family during this challenging time (neither Dan nor Catherine are able to work at present), help with transportation costs for hospital appointments, and pay for alternative treatments to complement chemotherapy and support both Sofia and Serena.

The response to this crowdfunding has simply been astounding and somewhat overwhelming. In less than 24 hours, the funds raised exceeded 40,000 euros, more than twice the anticipated target. The money kept pouring in from all over the world and is still very much active. Burgau

Sports Centre has been and always will be a very special place which has supported many people over the years.

It is now time that as a community we support Catherine and Dan through this difficult time. The amount raised in such a short space of time is an amazing testament to such a wonderful family.

Not only is Catherine the most unbelievable wife, mother, daughter and sister, she is also the most supportive, hilarious and incredible friend you could ever wish for. Through tough times and great times, Catherine will always be by your side. We have recently started calling her ‘Catherine the Brave’ because she really is.

The idea of the crowdfunding is to continue to support the family through this time. With organised events and to keep the fundraising very much going. A huge thank you to Adam and Stacey Rich for all their help and support with this inspirational project.

On behalf of Catherine, Dan, Sofia, Serena and the Burgau Sports Centre family we cannot thank you enough for this overwhelming gesture of total kindness, love and support.

 www.gofundme.com/f/community-support-for-catherine-robinson-family

Together we are Stronger Algarve Families in Need would like to give a huge thanks to a local business that responded to their request for storage.

After reading an article in the January edition of Tomorrow 'Supporting Families in Need throughout the Year', Elliot Sproston, owner of Abode Furniture and AlgarStore Self Storage donated a storage unit.

This is incredibly important for the charity as without storage they were unable to accept items if they couldn’t be allocated

24

immediately. The new storage means they will now have a space to take, sort and pack donations ready to go straight out to families across the Algarve.

Yet another example of the community coming together to help those in need.

If you have any items you wish to donate, please contact the charity.

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 Facebook: Algarve Network for Families in Need algarvefamiliesinneed@hotmail.com

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ARTS AND CULTURE

Meet the artist Bob Tidy – photographer and digital artist

BY ALYSON SHELDRAKE really change anything, in his view. The skills needed to tell visual stories, express ideas, mix colours, apply textures and perspective (among other things) are still what is required to produce the end result.

It’s just a question of what tool kit you are using. To quote his own words, “Because there are times when one image can only say so much, both my interest in photography and the endless possibilities of digital editing go beyond this potential limitation.”

His involvement with photography started during his design career, when computerisation started to take over the industry and part of his work included working alongside photographers and rendering their images. These digital retouching skills form the basis of the compositions technique, but working with a computer, he says, “Adds speed, allows massive experimental freedom and quite frankly, it’s fun.”

After studying art and design in England, Bob started a career as a graphic designer and moved over to the Algarve in the mid-eighties where he successfully continued working with the leading design companies of the time, happily expressing himself with imagery, words and design concepts. Having returned after a few years away, a new chapter in his life has begun, with camera in hand.

Now living in Faro, he creates captivating computer-generated artwork based on his own photography. Developing Algarve themes and images, his work partly identifies a passion for the more rustic appeal of the region’s countryside and heritage.

One of the questions that is often raised when people view his digital compositions for the first time is whether they are paintings or photographs. The answer lies in the challenge that they represent by breaking down the barriers between these two forms of visual expression and relating to the combination of both.

Images and textures are blended into multi-layered compositions in the same way a conventional painter will build a work from a blank canvas. In some cases, extra ‘digital painting’ is applied, and other images become more abstract with the attention placed more on the natural forms and underlying character.

Another great advantage of not having an ‘original’ painting to a set size is that anyone who would like to buy a limited-edition print of his work can have one to any size in proportion to the original.

The customer can arrange their own framing, or Bob can manage that for them. A low-resolution image of the same will be supplied for personal use. While sharing the frustrations of not being able to exhibit due to the ongoing COVID situation, he currently spends his time building relationships with other artists in the Algarve Art Group and looking for possible future venues. To this end, he scheduled a collective event for the last week in January with an art exhibition combined with wine tasting at the Quinta da Tor winery. At the time of going to press, this event was still in the diary, but with the possibility of it having been postponed due to further restrictions – and for information on other events that are being considered – you can follow him on Instagram for updates.

Commissions are always welcome and the customer can have a one-off composition created of their chosen theme or location.

You could even consider a very creative portrait. A recent example was the request to create an image of Tavira to capture the town’s unique character and it now hangs happily in a customer’s home as a constant reminder of her hometown.  www.algarve-art.org/bobtidy bob.tidy@hotmail.com Instagram: bob.tidy

For some artists, this concept of using computers to create art is seen as artificial and, for some traditionally minded photographers, it is viewed as a manipulation of the pure image. Whilst having respect for these points of view, Bob naturally offers a different perspective. Using a mouse instead of a brush or palette knife and a computer screen rather than paper or a canvas doesn’t

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ARTS AND CULTURE

Reads of the month When You Walk Through the Storm: The Hillsborough Disaster and One Mother’s Quest for Justice, by Anne Williams When You Walk Through the Storm is the moving story of Anne Williams, whose son Kevin died in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

It is a remarkable personal account of a mother’s determination to discover the true circumstances of her son’s death on that tragic afternoon.

George MacKay and Jeremy Irons, as Neville Chamberlain, star in Munich - The Edge of War, an adaptation of Robert Harris’ historical fiction novel. The film was initially released in select cinemas on Friday 7th January and arrived on Netflix on Friday 21st January. So if like me, you prefer reading the book first make sure you make it your must-read this month.

From the internationally best-selling author of Fatherland and The Cicero Trilogy, Munich is a new spy thriller about treason and conscience, loyalty and betrayal, set against the backdrop of the fateful Munich Conference of September 1938.

For a law postgraduate, the Hillsborough case makes horrific reading. The legal battle for justice (after the initial inquest ruled accidental death) went on for a quarter of a century to get the unlawful killing verdict for the 97 who died.

This is a gripping novel that seamlessly weaves a fictional narrative into the real events of September 1938 and the political intrigue which lead to the outbreak of war between Germany and Britain.

Hitler is determined to start a war. Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, is desperate to preserve the peace. The focus of the novel is the events leading up to and during the conference between Hitler and Chamberlain, which took place in Munich.

Anne Williams was instrumental in this as a campaigner for the truth. It was three years after Anne’s death from cancer at 60 in 2013 that a new inquest in April 2016 concluded that the people who died as a result of the Hillsborough disaster had been unlawfully killed, finding that police and ambulance services on the day had ‘caused or contributed’ to the disaster.

The central characters are Hugh Legate, the private secretary to the Prime Minister, and his former friend Paul Hartmann, who is in the German delegation at the conference; the two men were at Oxford together. Harris creates a gripping and compelling thriller as political manoeuvring and conflicting personal attitudes, entanglements and relationships occur.

Anne was screened on ITV1 from 2–5 January and is now available on ITV Hub. A powerful, moving, mother’s story of her son and her unending fight for justice, it is well worth watching. Maxine Peake, who plays Anne, said, “What an amazing woman Anne was. [It’s important] that we never forget Hillsborough because unfortunately this kind of situation isn’t a thing of the past.”

The mini-series was written by Kevin Sampson, author of Hillsborough Voices, who had interviewed Anne Williams several times.

Anne was developed for ITV with the support of her daughter Sara, who said, “This is something I have thought very carefully about before deciding to go ahead. Mum’s story is such a powerful and inspiring one, and we all remember how important she always felt it was to get the message out there and bang the drum for justice.”

Review by Annie O'Dea

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Munich, by Robert Harris

Germany’s intention is to invade the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia which is mainly populated by Germans. Unless Britain and France agree to the German annexation of the Sudetenland, Germany will take it by force and Britain and France will be forced to go to war to defend it, due to an agreement made after World War I in the Treaty of Versailles. The fate of millions could depend on a negotiated settlement.

Harris is a master of combining an intelligent, atmospheric, detailed spy novel and political thriller with accurate specific historical events and information which is meticulously researched and informative.

Furthermore, Harris’ treatment of Chamberlain, one of Britain’s most maligned prime ministers, is both powerful and persuasive and it is this drawing out of the cast of characters, both fictional and real, which makes the book so realistic and enjoyable to read.

In Munich, Harris brings history to life and creates an “unputdownable” exciting, tense political drama that is brilliantly written about a fascinating historical episode. I enjoyed it enormously and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Review By Geoff Hollow

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since 1998

SEALED LETTER

Golfe de Santo António - Sociedade Exploradora de Campos de Golfe, S. A. Proc. nº 709/15.4T8OLH - Tribunal Judicial da Comarca de Faro - Juízo de Comércio de Olhão - Juiz 2

With bidding between bidders

25th·FEB·22 [3p.m.]

VILA DO BISPO - ALGARVE

Parque da Floresta - BUDENS - VILA DO BISPO | LOTS 1 to 3, 6 to 11 and movable assets - GPS: 37.080514, -8.836857 | LOT 4 - GPS: 37.079010, -8.839032 | LOT 5 - GPS: 37.077919, -8.836092

3/5th of rural land LOT 1 LOT 2 LOT 3 LOT 4 LOT 5 LOT 6

Urban properties

5.560 sq. m.

Land: 11.280 sq. m.

Land: 840 sq. m.

Land: 7.480 sq. m.

Land: 4.640 sq. m.

Land: 10.200 sq. m.

Land:

GLOBAL VALUE

7.000.000,00€

LOT 7

Plot of land for a golf course and supporting buildings

LOT 8

Land composed by a golf course

Land: Land:

6.532 sq. m.

666.454 sq. m.

Note: LOT 8 - Pending action of common process no. 612/12.0TBLGS, Juiz 2, which runs terms in Juízo de Comércio de Olhão, do Tribunal Judicial da Comarca de Faro, in which Flitptrel 11 is the author and Golfe de Santo António - Sociedade Exploradora de Campos de Golfe, S. A. is the defendant.

LOT 9

Building of basement and ground floor

Construction area: 619,10 sq.

m.

Land:

843 sq. m.

Note: LOT 9 - Signed a lease for a period of one month, beginning on May 1, 2018, automatically renewable for equal and successive periods, with the monthly rent amount of €500 plus the variable value of 12% + VAT on the commission charged by the tenant for the sale of properties located in real estate enterprise - Aldeamento and/or Fases I, II and III of Loteamento Parque da Floresta , Quinta do Montinho, Quinta da Encosta Velha, Quinta da Fortaleza, Quinta da Aldeia, Tourist Apartments "The View" that have been promoted or brokered by the tenant.

LOT 10

Building destined to office installations

Construction area: 702 sq.

m.

Land:

350 sq. m.

LOT 11

Garage

Construction area: 240 sq.

m.

Land:

141 sq. m.

Machines and maintenance equipments for golf course

National brand: "SANTO ANTÓNIO VILLAS, GOLF & SPA"

Tourist exploration license for the enterprise called 'The View Tourist Apartments, 4 *', located in Cargos, Salema, Vila do Bispo, comprising 55 accommodation units, 37 of which are 2 bedrooms apartments and 18 3 bedrooms apartments, with a total of 256 fixed beds. Process no. 20.1/9473 and utilization permit no. 70/2009, of 8/28/2009.

Notes: Sale of the commercial establishment for the global value of €7,000,000.00. Exempt from paying taxes and VAT. The buyer is subject to compliance with the labor legislation in force with regard to employees of the establishment, pursuant to art. 285 of the Portuguese Labor Code.

CONTACTS

geral@avaliberica.pt | 707 100 561 | avaliberica.pt

HOMES & GARDENS

The Allure of the Almond Tree

BY TAMSIN VARLEY February is a fantastic time of year in the Algarve as plants burst into life, cheering us all up with their fresh leaves and beautiful flowers. One of the most stunning trees now is the almond which is smothered in enormous white or pinkish flowers creating a memorable sight.

Portuguese legend has it that a dark-skinned Moorish prince married a beautiful blonde princess from a Nordic land and they were very much in love.

However, although she adored the sun-kissed lands of southern Europe, she missed the snow and ice of her homeland. One day the handsome prince found his love in tears and she finally admitted that she was pining for the snow-covered fields from the land of her birth. So, the prince ordered his men to plant almond trees as far as the eye could see so that when they flowered, they gave the illusion of snow. When spring came, the Princess could not believe her eyes and shed tears of joy; and so they lived happily ever after. How romantic is that? A perfect story for St Valentine’s Day. The almond tree is native to Iran but has been spread by man to north Africa and southern Europe.

They are one of the earliest fruit trees to be domesticated and evidence points to them being cultivated in the Bronze Age, up to three thousand years ago. Almond fruits were even found in Tutankhamen’s tomb, which dates from around 1325 BC. It is a small deciduous tree that grows between five and ten metres tall. Almonds grow best in a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild wet winters. They start bearing fruit three years after planting and the fruits mature seven to eight months after flowering. The trees rely on insects for pollination and, astoundingly, in the United States – which produces 55% of the world's bees – some 1.4 million hives (about half of all hives in the USA) are transported to California every spring just to pollinate the almond trees.

30

If you have ever picked up and eaten dropped almond fruits from the ground you may have noticed that some nuts are incredibly bitter and unpleasant to eat. Thankfully, our natural instinct is to spit them out, which is a good thing as the bitterness is caused by cyanide. Eating just fifty nuts is lethal for adults, but only five to ten could be fatal for children. I’ve learned from bitter experience which trees in my garden yield the sweet nuts and I leave the inedible nuts to the rats.

Almonds are used widely in cooking. They can be eaten raw or toasted but are also used in a wide variety of desserts and cakes. Marzipan is a popular sweet made from ground almonds and fruit-shaped sweets are widely available from bakeries here in the Algarve. Almonds can also be processed to produce almond milk which is a great choice for lactose intolerant people and vegans. Almond flour (or meal) can also be used as a substitute for wheat flour in cooking and baking. Almonds are also a rich source of oil which is used in cosmetics, aromatherapy and in perfume. They are also a good source of protein and regular consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels.

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

 algarvecbj@gmail.com

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HOMES & GARDENS

Show Your Bedroom Some Love

BY DEBBIE NORFORD-JONES Does your bedroom deserve some love this Valentine’s Day? Whether it’s a haven of peace, a love nest or simply a place for rest, relaxation and shut-eye, treat your bedroom well and it will reward you!

The most important item in your bedroom, of course, is your bed. It should stand the test of time and tie in with your décor. To set a dramatic mood, use crisp white bedding, dress your bed in Egyptian cotton, which will provide a neutral background to which you can add different textured pillows and cushions, and finish with a luxurious throw. Draping your bed with a variety of sumptuous tactile textiles like silk, cashmere and satin in rich jewel tones will give a sensual feel together with the addition of perfumed candles.

Photographs taken at Quinta Bonita by Sarah Bernabe

If you prefer a more natural and romantic look, try a rattan headboard, sustainable bamboo cotton bedding and natural washed linens with a touch of velvet for a luxurious feel. Good colours for inducing

a sense of calm are whites and blues, blush pink and silver grey. Add to the romance by burning sensual oils in an aromatherapy burner.

An upholstered headboard in a neutral colour creates a luxury feel and will go with most styles, from a romantic boudoir to a more masculine sleek lines look. Choosing a wall to paper as a feature wall in your bedroom will add richness and a splash of colour and fantasy. If you have room, add an occasional chair in a contrasting fabric for drama and vintage lamps for subtle ambient lighting.

Monsoon Room has a selection of vintage furniture and decoration and we are always on the lookout for preloved furniture to upcycle if you are looking for a particular item.  info@monsoon-room.com www.monsoon-room.com

Buying Off-Plan Buying off-plan is not for everyone. It requires a certain ‘leap of faith’ to be able to visualise a property from conception to completion. However, for some property buyers, it is the perfect solution.

Thirty-six-year-old Australian Edward first visited Lagos many years ago. He fell in love with the city but it wasn’t until years later when he was working in sales and marketing and living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that Lagos came onto his radar once more – this time as an investment location, rather than a holiday destination.

The property in question was a three-bedroom apartment at Adega Lifestyle Apartments – a luxury apartment complex with an on-site gym, pool and spa facilities, with stunning views of Lagos’ marina. Edward was looking for a good investment that would also serve as a potential location for his future retirement and the apartment ticked every box.

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Borrowing money for an off-plan product isn’t always easy, but Edward worked with Ideal Homes Mortgages to find a solution. “The team were very helpful throughout the process and were contactable and responsive when required.”

Edward used a 70% loan-to-value mortgage to purchase the apartment, for which he paid 445,000€. As an international buyer, he was required to meet a couple of additional requirements during the process, such as obtaining Power of Attorney certification from the Portuguese embassy. Edward completed the purchase in late 2021 and plans to rent the property out. Having navigated the purchase process in Portugal, Edward also advises

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Edward Martin factoring in additional costs from the outset.

In his case, those additional costs included a 30,000€ transaction fee and the cost of furnishing the apartment. Ongoing costs include taxation/fiscal management and rental management fees – costs that every investor should be clear on from the outset.

“Buying off-plan property is a specific type of investment,” points out Edward. “Make sure you are clear on your goals and expectations from the apartment.”  info@idealhomesmortgages.com www.idealhomesmortgages.com

WHAT'S ON

What's on

For more events and activities check our online calendar:  www.tomorrowalgarve.com/calendar If you have an event you would like to add to the calendar please get in touch:  events@tomorrowalgarve.com Due to the evolving pandemic situation always check the organiser's website to ensure events are going ahead.

Playing with Music Craig Rogers Photography Workshops

High Tide, Low Tide High Tide, Low Tide is a five-week visual arts event. Marc Thivierge has been invited by organisers at EMARP to participate in this monthly presentation because of his unique approach to painting.

The exhibition represents the back and forth movements of the sea and reflects the impressive strength of the waves. The impressions and the meditative mood inspired by the sea on this abstract artist are translated onto the canvases at this exhibition.  When: 15 February to 18 March, 8.30am–5.30pm Where: EMARP Reception Hall, Rua José António Marques, 17, Portimão Info: patricia.canha@emarp.pt www.marcthivierge.com

The COVID-19 restrictions have allowed Craig to reformat his already popular workshops and move to a new location in Parchal.

The workshops are split into two, fourhour sessions with a study gap to enable attendees to practice the techniques and theory learnt before moving to more advanced controls in the second part.

The main goal is for participants to learn how to move away from the camera’s auto settings and be more creative. Both sessions combine theory, demonstrations and practical work. Cameras are available for loan to those wishing to try photography before investing in equipment.  When: Every 2nd Saturday of the month, alternating between parts 1 and 2. The next course begins on 12 February (part one) with part two on 12 March.

Where: Boogie Bounce Portugal, Parchal Cost: €55 per attendee (includes both sessions) Info: book directly at www.craigrogers.photography

Group of Friends – Lagos As Cores da Viagem An exhibition of painting and drawing by António Carmo, inviting us on a poetic journey, revisiting places in the country and in the world, where Portuguese culture has been influential.

It is a tribute to the Portuguese people, their customs, flavours, light and culture.  When: Until 13 March, 2022 Where: Museum in Portimão Info: www.museudeportimao.pt

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A debate group organised by the association Grupo de Amigos de Lagos that discuss various topics related to Lagos. As well as inviting the public to participate, there is a special guest every month.

Each year a global theme is explored. The new theme started in November and was initiated by the Mayor of Lagos as a guest.  When: 3 February, 5pm Where: Municipal Library of Lagos Price: Free entrance but limited to 48 so please book your place by telephone 282 767 816, via the library’s Facebook page or email biblioteca@cm-lagos.pt

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Run by Ana Teresa Cruz, this is a chance for children to discover how to make rhythms with their voices, their bodies and everything around them. If we mix all the rhythms together what will come out?  When: 5 February, 10.30am Where: Municipal Library of Lagos Age: between 3 and 6 years old Price: Free but limited to five children accompanied by one adult per child. Please enrol in advance by telephone 282 767 816, the library's Facebook page or email biblioteca@cm-lagos.pt

Folha De Couve TV – your rural newspaper With its premiere on 17 January, 2022, the new project from the Per-Versus theatre group is Folha de Couve TV - your rural newspaper. The project is a partnership between the Cultural Centre of Barão de São João with the support of Câmara Municipal de Lagos, União de Freguesias de Bensafrim e Barão de São João and Junta de Freguesia de São Gonçalo de Lagos. With the main idea of creating a rural channel, the intention is to present bizarre informative content from the extravagant and exaggeratedly comic events that happen in our daily lives.  When: 6, 13, 20 and 27 February (Sundays), 5 pm (running until June 2022) Where: Cultural Centre of Barão de São João Reservations by telephone 282 688 026

Useful Numbers COUNTRY CODE: +351 INFO: EMERGENCY HOSPITAL RED CROSS FIRE SERVICE POLICE SERVICE (PSP) NATIONAL GUARD (GNR) TELECOM NAT. INFO CITY COUNCIL TOURIST OFFICE TOWN INFO TOURIST SUPPORT TAXI SERVICE BUS STATION TRAIN STATION CULTURAL CENTRE HEALTH CENTRE LUZ DOC (LUZ) PRIVATE HOSPITAL LOCKSMITH (LUÍS)

WWW.CM-LAGOS.PT 112 282 770 100 282 760 611 282 770 790 282 780 240 282 770 010 118 282 780 900 282 763 031 282 764 111 808 781 212 282 460 610 282 762 944 282 762 987 282 770 450 282 780 000 282 780 700 282 790 700 964 605 213

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PHARMACIES/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

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SPORTS & LEISURE

Algarve Sports Round up

BY DAVID LUGG

Darts International Rugby The Portuguese men’s national team face a crucial five games in their bid to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in France.

They currently sit third in their group and know that only the top two will qualify automatically. Third position would see them compete in a play-off against a team from another world group, but they will be hoping to avoid this scenario with some strong performances over the next seven weeks.

They begin with a tough away match at group leaders Georgia on 6 February before another difficult away game to second place Romania the following weekend. A victory in either of these games would see them take a huge step towards World Cup qualification for just the second time in their history.

Algarve Football Primeira Liga side Portimonense have continued their strong start to the season sitting comfortably in the top half of the table. Their form has been somewhat of a surprise following last season’s lowly finish, but the team seem galvanised and have backed up their league form with a strong run to the quarter-finals of the cup.

In Liga Portugal 2, it looks like being another season of struggle for S.C. Farense (Faro) after last year’s relegation from the top division. With over half of the season already gone, Farense have become the draw specialists and are hovering close to the drop zone. At the end of December, they replaced their coach with ex-player Vasco Faisca.

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Portuguese world number 7 José de Sousa has been knocked out of the World Championships in the third round. The forty-seven-year-old came into the event on the back of an excellent season that saw him reach the final of the Premier League, but ultimately came undone at the hands of Alan Soutar, the world number 77 from Scotland. Despite leading 3-2, de Sousa lost the last two sets which continued his frustrating record of never making it past round three.

Cycling The 48th edition of the Volta ao Algarve will begin on 16 February and will run for five days. Most of the world’s best teams have confirmed their attendance including the top four in the 2021 world rankings.

Faro-born cyclist João Rodrigues won last year’s delayed event becoming the first Portuguese rider to win since 2006. The twenty-seven-year-old began his career with the Cycling Club of Tavira and has gone on to have a successful career in the sport which has also included victory in the esteemed Volta a Portugal.

Winter Olympics Lagos-based athlete Diogo Marreiros has missed out on qualifying for this month’s Winter Olympics. In July last year, he was crowned the 10k European champion of roller speed skating (using roller skates).

Incredibly, he switched to ice skates to try and fulfil his Olympic dream but narrowly missed out on the qualifying places.

Portugal will be sending three athletes to the Beijing games that take place from 4–20 February.

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Sport of the month Are you looking to become more active and take part in some physical activity? Here is your chance. Each month we profile a sport that you can take part in (or watch) right here in the Algarve. This month we look at tennis: Tennis is truly a sport for all. It is played by millions of people worldwide and is equally as popular as a spectator sport. Tennis is both an Olympic and Paralympic discipline and matches can be played in singles, doubles and mixed doubles formats.

Furthermore, it is played by people of all ages from children up to senior level.

Despite not having too many recognisable stars, tennis is a popular sport in Portugal.

João Sousa has long since been the nation’s most successful player, having risen as high as number 28 in the world. He has also won three ATP World Tour singles titles.

The Algarve region is extremely wellrepresented in terms of tennis facilities.

There are twenty-nine clubs and scores of other courts open for public use.

Each month, the Algarve hosts a number of tournaments open for both players and spectators. The highest-profile tournaments are at Faro, Vale do Lobo, Loulé and Portimão and attract some of the world’s best players. To find your nearest club, search online at: www.tenisalgarve.pt

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SPORTS & LEISURE “My family were originally from Lisbon but when I was young we moved to Quinta do Lago where we stayed on my grandmother’s farm. My father needed a sport which was less extreme, so he substituted bull riding and rugby for golf and that got me started.”

“Most of my junior golf was at Vilamoura and I was very lucky to be coached by Fernando Nogueira, who gave me a good grounding in the basics.”

Ricardo found himself at the University of Central Florida where he played his college golf. He also represented Europe in the 2014 Palmer Cup where he found himself competing alongside Jon Rahm against an American squad which included Bryson DeChambeau.

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is the old adage.

“In starting to look for more distance, the positions I was getting into were the cause of a lack of consistency and my game went downhill quite quickly as a result. In retrospect, had I focused on my wedges and short game, things would have been much different. I worked with several coaches, but I was really struggling, and it was in 2020 that I really was at my lowest ebb. At this time, I met up with Gonçalo Pinto (see September issue). We had known each other for many years, and we agreed to work together.

The Resurgence of Ricardo Gouveia

BY HUGH CARSLAW

The fact that Ricardo agreed to do this interview is a bit of a ‘scoop’ for me. I have to thank him, not just for doing it but for being so open and candid with his responses, especially about how he went from the top of his game to losing his tour card.

At the end of 2016, Ricardo Gouveia had completed his first full year on the European Tour. He had finished 54th in the Race to Dubai, represented Portugal at the Olympics and his global ranking had improved to 77 in the world. He had also won the Challenge Tour outright the previous year. All of this pointed towards a long and enviable career at the very highest level in world golf.

"In retrospect, had I focused on my wedges and short game, things would have been much different" 38

However, the years between 2016 and 2022 were not so straightforward. By 2020, his game had deteriorated to such an extent that he had lost his tour card and was contemplating quitting competitive golf altogether. As 2022 begins, Ricardo finds himself able to return to the European Tour having come second on the 2021 Challenge Tour rankings. His game went into a downward spiral but he has been able to turn things around and can now look forward to the coming season with more than a little newfound confidence.

Before looking at this period in his career, it is worth looking back at his formative years. His stellar amateur career will leave the reader in no doubt that here is a guy whose destiny was always to be in the professional golfing ranks.

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“Once we got started, Gonçalo helped me to start to swing more naturally. Instead of getting myself into positions that were not really instinctive, he has got my swing back on plane and the results speak for themselves. This change back to what was close to the ‘old’ swing took a bit of time.

I’m one of the few people who look on COVID as a blessing as it allowed me more time to work on my swing in what was obviously a very quiet period.”

Ricardo is looking forward to 2022 with newfound optimism.

“I feel very comfortable with my team now, which makes for a great start to the season. I have Gonçalo as my swing coach and I also do some work with David Llewellyn on my putting and short game. I have my mental coach and my physio, so I’m really all set. The only thing missing now is my caddy, but I think that issue will be resolved quite soon. My dad used to be my caddy as an amateur. He was great and got me to take ownership of my decision making. Now I’m back on tour, it would be good to have a pal that I can hang out with – not just someone to give you a yardage.”

Finally, I ask Ricardo what goals has he set himself for 2022?

“My first win on tour would be fantastic, to get into the top 20 on the tour would be awesome and, since I’ve never played in a major, that would be incredibly satisfying”.

All of the above are eminently doable so, like me, many will follow Ricardo’s progress with great interest. I sense an inner strength in this incredibly gifted young man. I hope he meets or surpasses his goals. He deserves to succeed.

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SPORTS & LEISURE

Route of the Month

Musings of a Mountain Biker

BY GILLY GRATELEY

Hi, Gilly here, I have a super coastal route to share with you this month but first things first – did you know you can get insurance for your cycling activities here in Portugal? I didn’t, but thanks to my riding buddy Deb, I do now, and after a quick trawl of local providers I thought I would share what I have learnt with you.

Insurance falls into four categories: cycling association or group insurance (typically available through cycling clubs to provide a comprehensive insurance for professional riders, competitions and events), insurance for your equipment, medical expenses and personal liability.

I found that in most cases equipment is covered on your household insurance. If you are lucky enough to have an expensive high-end bike, you need to ensure it is listed separately on your policy, which may increase your premium.

What I didn’t know prior to this research is my household insurance covers me for personal third-party liability and this includes riding my bike! I don’t think all policies cover this as standard, so you should check with your own provider.

For leisure riders like me (who got knocked off my bike last year, another story for another time), I’m sure the priority is the medical cover. I have suffered superficial injuries over the years and have received first-class care at the local accident and emergency hospital but topping this up could be an option. If you have private medical cover, then again you may

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already be covered; it’s worth checking if your policy covers you for this activity.

In summary, if you have not already got personal liability or medical cover there are policies out there specifically designed for leisure cyclists, I found two that would have suited me, and they were both circa 50€ per year.

VOLTA AO ALGARVE Before I sign off, you might also be interested to know that the Algarve is again hosting the world-class 5 stage road cycling race, the Volta ao Algarve, between 16–20 February.

Twenty-five teams, including five pro-teams and the highest-ranking world teams (think Ineos Grenadiers and Richard Carapaz, 2021 Olympic champion, or UAE Team Emirates and Tadej Pogacar, 2021 Tour de France winner – yes, potentially that good!) will cover 795 kms over the five days. With a hill climb to Picota, a 209 km day 3 stage from Alentejo to Faro and a 32 km time trial in Tavira, there will be lots to see. I will be following the first stage from Portimão to a sprint finish in Lagos and I have included a link to the website below with the details and maps of the stages. If you cannot get out, who doesn’t love to see their hometown or village covered on the telly, the race is usually aired on Eurosport.

This month’s route to get out and explore is the Atlantic Coast Route 1.

When you hear that this is part of a massive network of established cycle ways, covering 11,000 kms across six countries, you will understand if we break it down into smaller sections to dip in and out of over the coming months and possibly years.

I was walking in Carrapateira when I first spotted one of the signposts.

Obviously, anything with a bike on it piques my interest, so I took a picture and set about googling it when I got home. I was absolutely amazed and delighted how easy it was to find the route details and maps. Starting at the North Cape, it follows the coast down through Norway and on through the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and crosses the entire length of the Algarve from Vila Real de Santo António to Sagres, before heading up the west coast of Portugal to Caminha in the north.

Amazing, I know, but this bit will blow your brain even further – the ACR1 is part of an even bigger network of 17 long-distance cycling routes crisscrossing Europe and covering almost 90,000 kms!!!!!

I have left a link at the bottom to the website I found, which details the Portuguese part of ACR1, broken down into 18 linear rides with maps, distances and details of places of interest.

It appears that on my walk I had stumbled across section 4, which is 52 kms from Sagres to Aljezur; the first three sections of the Portuguese leg make up the Ecovia do Algarve, 214 kms crossing all 12 counties in the Algarve from east to west. Equipped with my new Garmin GPS tracker (thanks Santa), I am planning to check them out and will report back next month.

Happy riding, stay safe and have fun.

Likewise, if you have knowledge of this route and even better pictures and tips then please get in touch bikinginthealgarve@hotmail.com

 voltaaoalgarve.com/en

 euroveloportugal.com/en

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SPORTS & LEISURE

Worth a 'Try' this Year

Photos © Amy Martin

BY NIRALI SHAH-JACKSON

Just before reversing out from the Intermarché car park in Monchique, I took a closer look at a man with these two beautiful dogs, who seemed to resemble a boy that I went to school with some 40 years ago just outside a small town called Thika, in Kenya. It turns out my intuition served me well that day; the man was exactly who I thought it might be – Simon Wilkinson. Of course, since our fateful meeting, we have become good friends!

Besides being extremely excited that another Kenyan was living in the Algarve, I was curious to find out why he was here. He and his wife Amy told me that they moved to Portugal after managing a ‘jungle’ eco-lodge in Tatai, in the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia from 2011 to 2015. They have now settled in Monchique next door to the famous Barranco dos Pisões watermill and are busy renovating their property, which they hope to turn into local accommodation in the near future.

Before coming to Portugal, Simon was already a qualified rugby coach and was always looking for opportunities to play the game. A chance meeting with Ricardo Laginha of Clube Rugby Universitário do Algarve (CRUAL) and Miguel Eufrasio from Lagoa Rugby, when he first moved here, has allowed him to pursue his passion in the Algarve. Consequently, he has been training enthusiastic touch rugby players in Lagoa since 2017 alongside Dave Alger, a retired banker and now a qualified rugby coach, and Pedro Coelho. Pedro and Dave both run the coaching and referee duties, as well as sports and rugby sessions for younger players who have an interest in the game. Together these men all work in partnership with the Portuguese Touch Rugby Association to develop rugby in the Algarve.

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Simon’s experience with rugby began in Kenya when he was 10.

He describes his first experience of the game as "organised chaos". Not put off by this, he represented his school (the same one we attended together), from 1986–1989, then played with Rutland College from 1990–1992 and Canterbury University from 1992–1995.

He then went back to East Africa and played with the Kenya Harlequins and the Uganda Rhinos; he coached the Uganda National 7’s Team in 1996, after which he moved to Wales.

In 2007, Simon received his coaching qualifications from the Welsh Rugby Union. He then went on to coach the Townhill Youth Team in Swansea from 2007 to 2010. At the same time, Simon worked as a detached (street-based) youth worker in Swansea and finally became an area manager in the Port Tennant district of the city.

In Cambodia, when not working in the jungle, Simon played with the Cambodian Sisowath Knights from 2011–2014.

Here in the Algarve, he has played in several tournaments in the touch rugby league but most notably, he was selected for the Portuguese touch rugby senior national team in 2019. They played against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and he says, “It was a great experience and a real honour to represent Portugal.” 

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Simon, Amy and the dogs

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SPORTS & LEISURE The competition is fierce and the physical contact is significant.

 WHAT IS TOUCH RUGBY? This sport came into being in the 1950s and originated from Australia. Simply put, it is a gentler form of the traditional game as it involves no tackling. The aim of the game is still the same, to score more tries than the opposing team. A player claims a ‘touch’ by raising a hand and shouting ‘touch’. This minimal contact sport is accessible to all players, young, old, male and female.

Simon says, “Rugby is an amazing game, whether you play for a top-tier team or just for fun. It’s not easy. But it will improve your coordination, balance and stamina. It will teach you the importance of communication, teamwork and having a sense of humour. All players, new and decrepit, are welcome to join us for training and game time.”

In my view, touch rugby seems like the ‘new’ mind/ body sport to get stuck into this year and with the Six Nations Championship kicking off on the 5th of this month, there is no better time to become enthusiastic about this sport.

Simon tells me, “The Six Nations sees the best European rugby teams playing against each other.

Touch rugby retains all of the skills of the contact game, with none of the trauma.” Simon, who at the moment is one of the main coaches in Lagoa, adds, “If you want to get fit, get involved in a new sport, or maintain your rugby skills, then give it a try!”

If you are interested in participating in touch rugby training, there is no charge and no gender bias. Sessions are from 8–10 pm every Monday at Lagoa (not Lagos!) Sports Ground. Bring trainers and water. The session consists of warm-up stretches, techniques and training drills, playing a number of games, stretches and warm down. The centre has three coaches and support from the Touch Rugby Association.

 Facebook: Algarve Touch Rugby Group Dave Alger: +351 962 315 256

Fit Start to 2022

BY ANNIE O’DEA

From Lagos to Silves by train with the strollers.

Recently a group of walkers wandered into the beautiful countryside around Silves for an enjoyable day out whilst getting fit after all the seasonal festivities. A much needed way to begin a new year - fresh air, good exercise with friends and meeting new faces.

Although not that frequent, the Lagos train to Silves at 11.15am is very cheap: a grand total of 6€ per person return, unless you are entitled to concessions and then it is a mere 3€ return! Do remember your ID/Passport in order to prove your eligibility for a discount. Obviously COVID restrictions apply, especially the mandatory wearing of face masks. Dogs too are welcome, again providing they/their owners abide by the rules (muzzled/leashed) and have all the documentation necessary to hand.

Once at Silves station, which is a good 1.5 miles out of town on a main and hazardous road, we set off for the 12 km walk over

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undulating terrain, with quite a steep hill to negotiate. Picnicking for lunch at the top of the hill came as a welcome break, before starting our descent on the return journey back to town.

With a good two hours before the next train at 5.30pm, there was plenty of time for a well earned drink or two in the sunshine as well as the chance to see the town. Whilst strolling around the cobbled streets, some of us decided to take the uphill walk to the magnificent castle that Silves is renowned for and where, pre-COVID, the Summer Medieval Festival took place. Well worth a trip if that returns.

A fun day out was had by all.

The Lagos Strollers are a walking group that use public transport to access walks. For more information contact annieodea@ymail.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

The Psychology Behind New Year’s Resolutions

BY FIONA MAGUIRE

Did you make a new year’s resolution or two? How is it going?

I bet you started off enthusiastically and determined. I bet you believed, or maybe still do, that if you try hard enough and make yourself ‘work at it’, you will succeed and your intention will become an easy habit.

Many new year resolutions fail because people try to achieve them through their willpower alone.

The problem with willpower is that it is driven from the conscious mind and it is not the conscious mind that determines your life.

The unconscious mind It is the unconscious mind that drives your actions.

This is developed when you were really young; through the conditioning that you received from your parents and family about how to behave, what to think and what to believe about yourself and the world. You then live your life looking for and creating circumstances that reinforce your conditioned beliefs.

All your habits are directed by your unconscious mind and you do them without thinking about them.

What has this got to do with your new year resolutions?

Your new year resolutions will be influenced by your conditioning, your experiences and your beliefs – in other words, your past and every aspect of your life.

Whether you want to create a completely new habit or change an old one you need to be clear about why, on a conscious and unconscious level.

The example that I am going to use is exercising more, which may be part of a bigger new year resolution to become healthier. To achieve this resolution, you need to know on a conscious level and an unconscious level: Why are you not currently exercising, what are your beliefs around not exercising and the positive intention behind not exercising?

Why do you want to exercise more? What are your beliefs around exercising and the positive intention behind exercising more?

imagination and acknowledge whatever occurs to you, without dismissing it.

Your unconscious mind is most likely to communicate with you via the sense that you learn best with: Visual – ask to see what not exercising looks like Hands-on – ask what it feels like not to exercise Auditory – ask to hear what not exercising sounds like Be open to all your senses communicating with you.

You may want to write down the information that you received from your unconscious mind.

Then repeat the exercise with what it looks, feels or sounds like to exercise more.

Again, you may want to write down the information that you received from your unconscious mind.

You need to keep the positive intention from your old habit for the resolution to be successful This is because your unconscious mind only drives things that it truly believes are of benefit to you.

Maybe you will realise that you no longer need the old positive intention because it is no longer true for you as an adult.

The secret to successful new year’s resolutions Have you ever experienced knowing something? You just know for no other logical reason than you just know? Some may call this insight or intuition.

When this happens, you feel it in every cell of your body and your mind is quiet as it knows this is the truth of what is going to happen. Change effortlessly happens after a ‘knowing’ has occurred.

After doing the exercises above a ‘knowing’ is more likely to happen. If it doesn’t, then quieten your mind and feel your new year’s resolution in every cell of your body along with seeing it and hearing it.

If you want help achieving your goals, becoming unstuck and creating more success and fulfilment in your life, contact me.

Fiona Maguire, BSc (Hons) Psychology

Working with your conscious mind Ask yourself the above questions. Write down what comes to mind straight away without editing yourself or dismissing what occurs to you.

 www.RealEnergy4All.com

Working with your unconscious mind This requires you to be playful and trust your

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Turning our Back on Negativity

BY ANN DE JONGH

I was listening to a golf podcast the other day, but the message that was coming across I thought was very valid for everyone and not just something to think about on the golf course.

For those of you who play golf you know how much of a mental game it can be, and how mindset can significantly affect the outcome of your round. There are so many attributes that help you play golf well that can be transferable.

The podcast was talking about the power of negativity and how negative thoughts can affect the outcome. A classic is thinking ‘don’t hit it in the water’ as you hit a ball which has to travel near to water – more often than not the ball ends up in the water.

They suggested that you make a tally of all the negative thoughts you have in a round of golf and, each time you play, you work on reducing the number. I love this idea and it is such a great thing to do during the day.

It is amazing how many times during the day we project negative thoughts both to ourselves and to situations around us.

For many people, January is when we make resolutions and goals, and February is when they start to dwindle, and our negative thoughts can make this worse. We love to focus on what we haven’t done rather than what we have done.

So in February, why not give yourself some positivity and love; after all, it is the month of Valentine’s Day. Let’s make it a month when we only think positively both about ourselves and what is around us. Notice how much better we feel, more positive and more resilient. You never know, those resolutions might continue further on into the year.

 fit2lovelife.com

How Is The New Year Diet Going??

BY NICKI MEDLOCK

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Those of you who know me will understand that I strongly identify with this subject – dieting!!!

Through the years I have constantly yoyoed, going from obese to not so obese and back again, always putting on a little bit more weight on the rebound!! When I lose weight, I feel mentally and physically much better, vowing never to gain weight again, but I do – why? (Besides the fact that I eat far too much of the wrong food!!!)

LET’S GET BACK TO BASICS: Unfortunately, calories are not solid objects that can be seen or touched, enabling us to physically remove them from the food we eat. (Oh, wouldn’t that be great!)

A calorie is a unit of energy, a measurement calculating the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. The calories referred to in nutrition and exercise are called kilocalories (kcal) and they both equal the same amount of energy.

Our body cannot function without calories – as it needs this energy to use as fuel for all daily functions and this must be released

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from the food we eat. This process is often compared to how we provide energy to our car. We put fuel in the tank (the car’s calories!) which has energy stored in it, but this is not enough for the car to move. The fuel must be ignited in the engine for the energy to be released to propel the car. So, the food we eat has energy, in the form of calories, that is locked up until we digest and metabolise it to release this energy that will fuel our bodies.

Our bodies require a certain number of calories over a 24-hour period to burn as fuel to maintain our basic life functions, such as the heart beating, cell reproduction, respiration, maintaining body temperature, circulation as well as metabolising nutrients. This is called our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

NEXT MONTH: So, what influences your individual BMR and what happens when you consume more calories than your body requires!!

Niki Medlock da Silva is a nurse at www.luzdoc.com

 niki@luzdoc.com

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situation became increasingly worse, so she would have to apply more foundation to cover up a worsening problem.

History is one of my favourite subjects, particularly the Tudor and Elizabethan era.

Most of London’s history was dark, gruesome and most definitely toe-curling, but one iconic face that will always stand out in history is that of Elizabeth I.

If the Queen wasn’t destroying her face enough already, she added to her beauty regime the bright red lipstick made from heavy metals and black eyeliner made with coal.

Her famous white face was not due to the wrong choice of colour foundation, but due to an illness she endured at the age of 29.

Smallpox was highly contagious and most people didn’t survive it. A horrendous illness, it caused blisters that developed into scabs which led to terrible scarring.

Deathly White The truth behind Queen Elizabeth I's ‘white clown mask’

BY DONNA GROOM

Her eyebrows were plucked to within an inch of their lives and a high arch was drawn, making her forehead appear larger.

The practice supposedly made women look more intelligent.

Once known for her flawless skin and beauty, the Queen ended up desperately trying to cover her scars with the Elizabethan answer to foundation.

A mixture of vinegar and lead, it was known as the Venetian ceruse. The fashion of the time was to have the perfect white flawless face as it symbolised youth and fertility. Still, constant use of these deadly ingredients not only poisoned you but made your skin grey and very wrinkly, so women would keep it on for a week at a time before attempting to remove it.

If this foundation wasn’t harsh enough, then the cleanser was worse! Rosewater, mercury, honey and eggshells were mixed and used. Their skin would feel incredibly soft after due to the eggshell exfoliation, but the mercury ate away at the skin so the

Soul Food

There is no question that Elizabeth I was one of the most famous queens, but her death is questionable. One of the possible causes was blood poisoning because of her rather harsh beauty regime. She lost her hair, had memory loss and suffered digestive problems which are all common causes of blood poisoning.

As she aged and caused more damage to her skin, she applied more and more in a never-ending bid for what became the deadly mask of youth.

We can all be thankful that beauty therapy and make-up now enhances our beauty without killing us!

Donna Groom is a beauty therapist at the Kutting Room in Praia da Luz.

BY CHLOE WARD

A guide to feeding and nourishing your mind, body and soul SOULMATES Are you sharing your one precious life with those who lift you and support you? Have you found a connection with someone or others who hold you up instead of drawing you down?

As a young girl, my best friend called us ‘wheat sisters’. If you imagine a piece of wheat, and within this, there are many individual grains, all connected but all separate. We believed that certain groups of souls all begin more interconnected than others. Over time they go their separate ways yet when the time is right, they come together again. In that instance of reconnection, you feel it, you see it, your soul recognises each other. And the bond stays with you for a lifetime, just as I will always feel a bond to my first best friend; she is a soulmate, a wheat sister.

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Have you met any soulmates? Make a list of those with whom you felt that deep understanding, no matter how fleetingly they were in your life.

What did you learn from them? Did they share knowledge or guidance? Are they around you now? If they are, have you told them how special they are to you? Tell them everything they have done for you. I am certain they will feel the same way about you. So, with this thought in mind, I have a few people in my life who absolutely make my soul fly; you know who you are, and I thank you.

NEW MOON 1ST FEBRUARY Whatever is happening in your life right now is happening so you can learn something important.

Take time to journal about your intentions or try a vision board (gather images, words or pictures of everything you wish to manifest). Refer back to

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my New Moon article in the November edition for manifesting tips.

FULL MOON 16TH FEBRUARY Release control under this fiery Leo moon. This week, changes are really possible, surrender to the divine and see what happens. Practice a release ceremony by writing what you want to release and then burning the paper.

AFFIRMATION FOR THIS MONTH I am good enough, I am beautiful enough and I release any blocks to love.

 www.bodysoulbalance.co.uk www.secretgardenfestival.co.uk

The Pelican Portrait by Nicholas Hilliard Walker Art Gallery, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Financial Affairs

BY BRIAN TORA By the time you have picked up this latest edition of this magazine, you may know the result of the General Election, called by Prime Minister Antonio Costa for the end of January. The reason for the government deciding to go to the country was the defeat of its budgetary plans for the coming year.

This is the problem with leading an administration that does not have a majority in Parliament. You need the support of other parties to get legislation through, which was not forthcoming for the Budget.

But the government has been under pressure to reduce the benefits these schemes offer. NHR, which seeks to attract wealthy retired people to the country, recently introduced a 10% tax rate on foreign pensions for the first ten years of residency, whereas before no tax had been payable. Even so, critics of the scheme remain and recently Sweden abandoned its double taxation agreement with Portugal to allow it to tax Swedish retirees on their pensions even if they lived here.

Portugal actually seems to be doing quite nicely at present. As well as having lower inflation than most of Europe, though at 2.7% for the end of last year it is the highest for nine years, expectations remain for some robust growth for the year just ended and for the year to come. Foreign tourists may have been in shorter supply than in the past, thanks to the pandemic, but foreign immigrants contribute hugely to the wealth of the country. While the indigenous population has been in decline recently, the number of foreigners choosing to make their home in Portugal continues to rise and presently accounts for more than 5% of the total population – significantly more in the Algarve.

Similarly, the criteria to gain a Golden Visa has been raised. The minimum investment requirement is now 500,000€, though it can be both less and more, depending on the route taken to qualify. Bear in mind that Portugal is not alone in offering tax incentives to encourage wealthy immigrants. Indeed, according to a report commissioned by the European Union, the number of countries that offer these schemes rose from five to 26 in the period between 1995 and 2020, raising concerns that harm will be done to the ability to collect taxes within the EU.

Attracting foreigners to become residents has been a core aim for some years now but has not always been welcomed elsewhere in the European Union.

The two main policies – the Investment Residence Permit, or Golden Visa (ARI), and Non-Habitual Residency (NHR) – are believed to have brought in billions of euros to the country. Indeed, in the nine years since it was introduced, ARI is believed to have attracted over six billion euros of inward investment.

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Those considering moving to the Algarve to enjoy the slower pace of life and better weather conditions that exist when compared with Northern Europe need to be aware that circumstances can change – and quite quickly too. There is an old saying in the financial world that you should never allow the tax tail to wag the investment dog. In other words, there are more important considerations than just the tax implications of what you do. Still, it makes sense to be aware of the likely consequences of dealing with the taxman.

Brain Tora is a financial journalist and broadcaster

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Did you realise that the euro was introduced a little over twenty years ago?

I remember driving through France to attend a New Year’s Eve party on the Mediterranean coast, paying autoroute tolls in francs on the way down and euros when driving back.

And it cost more on the return journey.

Have you still got any old escudos? If so, you only have to the end of February to exchange them for euros. You have been warned.

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Sudoeste Success

Phone Scams Scams seem to have become more prevalent in the last few months, and I’ve taken multiple calls regarding this, so here is some information to keep your personal details safe.

IS THAT CALL FROM MICROSOFT A SCAM? If you receive an unsolicited call from Microsoft, it’s a scam, and all you need to do is hang up.

Microsoft will never call you about your computer security or software fixes (also known as cold calling).

A scammer will call you, say that your computer has been infected with malware (or virus) and that they can help you solve the problem.

They use various tactics to get you to part with your personal and financial details; here are a few to look out for:  Trick you into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data; they may also demand a fee to remove this software.  Request credit card information so they can bill you for phoney services.  Claim you are running an unlicensed version of Windows, and you need to pay a licence fee.  The worst offenders will seek to convince you that they need access to your machine

54

The largest retail park in the Algarve region and one of the largest in the country is arriving in the Algarve and we can now announce it is 100% leased.

BY STEVEN DUNWELL

so they can fix any issues. Once they have control, they could possibly damage your machine and steal your passwords and data.

WHAT IF I GET SCAMMED? If you think you’ve been the target of a Microsoft phone scam, immediately change all your passwords and usernames, including any bank and credit card logins.

Get assistance with running a full security scan on your computer from an IT specialist.

If you have any questions about this topic, suggestions for future subjects or require assistance with any IT challenges, I am always happy to help.  info@stevendunwell.com +351 936 387 512

Free IT support for February Where?

The Tropical Café, Lagos Nº. 33, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Lagos When?

Thursday 17 and Tuesday 22 From 11 am until 1 pm

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Continente, Hôma, Radio Popular, Espaço Casa, Seaside and Burger King are some of the brands present in the new Sudoeste retail complex, being built in Alcantarilha, next to the Armação de Pêra exit - A22 (Via do Infante). This project has a GLA (Gross Lettable Area) of approximately 14 500 m2 and features 19 major national and international brands from a wide variety of sectors.

Retail Mind — the company in charge of its commercialisation — has announced that the project's commercial spaces have all been leased, which comes more than six months prior to the inauguration, scheduled for June 2022. This is a clear sign of the appeal that Sudoeste Retail Park will have across the whole region and makes this a much-awaited development and already a success! Along with its privileged location and interesting mix of brands, this project represents an investment of about 25 million Euros and is expected to create around 120 jobs during the construction stage and about 500 jobs when Sudoeste starts operating. The construction, under the management of Telhabel Construções SA, began in January 2021 and is well underway.

Vítor Rocha, Managing Director of Retail Mind states: "It is with great satisfaction that we monitor the progress of this project which will certainly be a reference for all Algarve region. We closely follow the growth of numerous retail brands, which trust our work to help them grow even further. The diversified commercial mix, with which we have composed this venture, includes relevant brands of the national and international scene and they bring a bigger focus on the unique attractiveness of this project. The result is easy to see: a leasing success.”

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Moving to Portugal post Brexit Visa options for UK nationals Non-EU citizens, including the British postBrexit, who wish to permanently settle in Portugal, must apply for a visa for the right to stay. On the other hand, EU citizens have the right to freedom of movement and therefore have an automatic right to stay, so they do not need to apply for a visa. There are several visa options available in Portugal and the most common are the Golden Visa and the D7 visa.

Both visas allow access to the Schengen area, ultimate permanent residence or Portuguese citizenship, and a gateway into the Non Habitual Residence (NHR) tax scheme. The key difference between the two programs comes down to one of cost versus flexibility. The D7 visa is clearly a lower-cost route to Portuguese residency, both in terms of the fees and because there is no

investment requirement as for the Golden Visa.

However, the D7 route does have substantially longer minimum stay requirements.

Tax dimension While both visa options grant you legal residency in Portugal, one key difference with the D7 is that it automatically triggers tax residence status in Portugal. This may, in fact, be a positive thing for many people, given the existence of the NHR program which can result in substantial tax savings.

Whichever route you choose, ensure you are implementing planning both before your move and after you have established Portuguese tax residency. If you apply for NHR, put in place

planning now that will still be effective after the end of the NHR period. We can analyse your situation and help decide whether tax residency and NHR status in Portugal is obtainable and will benefit you.

We have written dedicated guides to visa options and the Non Habitual Residence scheme, both of which can be found on the Portugal page of our website.

Mark Quinn BA ATT APFS is a Tax Adviser and Chartered Financial Planner with the Spectrum IFA Group  +351 934 920 702 www.spectrum-ifa.com

Finance Matters Each month we receive different questions from our readers.

Although some of these questions are related to specific situations, sometimes the answer may help you to better understand the tax system in Portugal and answer the queries from other readers.

Q I am a UK citizen and sold my property in Silves last year with a significant gain. This was our holiday home and we never rented it, only used it for our family and friends. How much tax will I pay and when? Should I pay the tax in Portugal, even when I am a tax resident in the UK? Irrespective of your tax domicile, if you sold a property located in Portugal you need to declare it to the Portuguese tax authorities. This is mandatory regardless of if there was a gain or not, so even when you make a loss, you still need to submit an IRS declaration.

The tax declaration is normally made in the months of April to June of the year following the sale, in case of individual ownership, or within 30 days after the sale, in case of corporate ownership (companies without activity). Any tax due will be paid in August of the year following the sale.

As you are non-resident for tax purposes, the tax applicable to your capital gain will be 28%. However, Portugal does not follow the EU rules which stipulate tax residents pay tax on just half of the gain. In light of this discrimination, it’s possible to

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challenge the tax authority’s decision and pay tax just on half of the gain – 14% of total!

Anyone that paid 28% within the last four years in a similar situation can still issue a formal complaint and receive a tax refund on half of the tax paid.

If you wish to know how this can be done, please contact us.

Please be aware that any property transaction performed in Portugal is also reported to the tax authorities by the notary who executes the deed.

This means the tax authorities already know about your property sale when you declare it. If you fail to include details of the sale on your tax declaration, the taxman will be after you. Don’t try to hide from the tax authorities as they will contact you in the country where you live and the collection of any tax owed can be made by HMRC for instance.

Please feel free to send us the questions you may have to ricardo@allfinance.pt. We will select some of these to be published.

 www.allfinancematters.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Wine Tasting Organic

BY DAVID FLOCKHART

MONTE DO ALEM Monte Do Alem's wines are 100% organic with a move to full biodynamic production in action. Established in 1997, with planting beginning in 2001, it has been a family affair ever since and is now run by Caroline Forges and her family, with the aim of increasing local buyers to their lovely wine. They already have a strong customer base who buy directly from the vineyard shop, with Scandinavian buyers particularly keen. They also supply through several retailers including Intermarché and smaller specialist suppliers, such as the excellent Garrafeira Portos in Praça Luís de Camões, in Lagos town centre.

MONTE DO ALEM 2013 This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Aragonez, then barrel-aged in French oak for six months.

The 2013 vintage is a stunner, winning Gold at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in 2016. I can see why – the Cab Sauv brings its bold traditional blackcurrant notes, which are then toned down with the softer Merlot, bringing its subtle black cherry and chocolate notes. The blend is then finished off with the addition of a small amount of Aragonez, which is the Portuguese version of the more famous Tempranillo grape; this gives the wine a fine, very balanced finish worthy of its Gold Medal status.

This wine pairs well with game patés, any stews with red wine sauces, and my favourite sautéed mushrooms on crispy toast, crowned with a splash of truffle oil.

Average price: 12€ per bottle

I am often asked by my friends overseas what makes the Algarve so special and why I choose to live here. My stock answer is, “What makes the Algarve great is something it does not have", i.e. a busy coast road. Unlike Southern Spain and the South of France, where there are huge traffic jams in the summer and developments right up to the roadside, the Algarve’s N125 is far enough inland to preserve our precious coastline with clean air and pristine seas.

There are the usual positive aspects – great weather, fabulous beaches, safe communities – but what stands out for me is the tremendous range of high-quality wines from all over Portugal, at prices that would make the average Northern European weep with envy. In most local cafes, wine is cheaper than beer, try that one in London or Paris.

The Algarve is now making a great comeback with many old and new wineries enjoying the property boom, with new record numbers of incomers, digital nomads, business people and retirees choosing to live here, most of whom enjoy quality wines to go with the rapidly rising standards of local cuisine.

As part of our new Algarve wine voyage, I chose a vineyard near Lagos called Monte Do Alem, situated between the village of Odiáxere and the Alvor estuary, famed for its oysters, clams and its huge fish farm, rearing excellent bream and sea bass.

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MONTE DO ALEM SYRAH, GRENACHE BLEND 2014 The Syrah grape has enjoyed a great comeback since the Australians started to export much of their excellent stocks to Europe with its more recognisable name Shiraz back in the 90s. The French had reduced Syrah stocks as it was relatively expensive, with variable quality. Syrah is one of the world's great grape varieties and is now blended with Grenache at Monte Do Alem. Surprisingly, Grenache is one of the world’s most planted grapes, mainly in Spain and now thriving in the Algarve sun – the blend is 60% Syrah – 40% Grenache.

Again, open 30 minutes before drinking and give it several swirls around the glass to release the fruit and tannins.

Slightly smoky on the nose, accompanied with hints of grilled almonds (smokiness), black olives, dried roses and strawberries, oak cask notes still prevalent but subtle.

Great to accompany roasted chicken, turkey, anything from the barbecue, roasted stuffed squid and anything spicy to mop up the tannins.

Price 14€ per bottle David Flockhart is an award-winning Drinks Brand Developer (UK) Marketer & Journalist and director of www.algarvedecor.com - davidflockhart@gmail.com.

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FOOD & DRINK

Passion in a Piece of

Chocolate

BY EVANNE SCHMARDER - RELISH PORTUGAL MAGAZINE

The cacao pod, its beans, and the delicious concoction we call chocolate have been considered medicinal, body and soul strengthening, giving life and fertility, an aphrodisiac, and even currency throughout its long and rich history.

For many decades, even centuries, chocolate consumption was considered appropriate only for royalty and rulers. In the 1200s, it’s said that the Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 golden goblets of a thick, unsweetened, dyedred elixir called xocoatl (bitter water) each day. The Spaniards added sugar, vanilla, and spices to the bitter beverage in 1528, creating a fashionable drink for nobility. MarieAntoinette arrived at the French Court in 1770 with her chocolate maker, dubbed “Chocolate Maker to the Queen”, expressly to please her majesty with a variety of elaborately flavoured drinking chocolates. It wasn’t until 1847 that chocolate was made into a solid confectionery, compliments of a British chocolate maker. By the early 1900s, Europe and America were producing melt-in-yourmouth chocolate confections to be enjoyed by anyone that could pony up the price at the till.

Relish Portugal had the delicious good fortune to sit down with chef and chocolate master (Mestre de Chocolate) Pedro Martins Araújo to learn more about the most well-loved sweet in the world and his artisan passion, Vinte Vinte Chocolate.

Congratulations on your wonderful chocolate venture, Vinte Vinte Chocolates. How did chocolate become your focus?

I like to say that chocolate chose me. It’s no

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surprise that chefs are passionate about raw ingredients and in cacao I found the perfect ingredient. Cacao is complex with a depth of flavour and possibility. Culturally, it’s revered as something holy in Mexico and Guatemala where it’s enjoyed from a young age as a beverage.

When I found an ingredient with this level of sophistication and the relationship with humankind and began tasting it, finding that it is so complex aromatically, I knew I’d found my holy grail.

Your chocolate bar brand is Vinte Vinte or Twenty Twenty. As in perfect vision?

Interesting but no. Vinte Vinte is a formal homage to the parallels of the cacao belt. It’s a tribute to the countries that produce some of the finest cacao, grown on the latitude position of 20°N and 20°S of the equator. This is the most ideal environmental condition for the cacao tree to develop and bear fruit, but more importantly, produce fruit of the best quality.

Our chocolate is made using a bean-to-bar process. We get cacao from all over the world, some I choose personally. I recently travelled to Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Guatemalan farms in search of the finest flavour and highest quality cacao. The average consumer doesn’t know that many big brands don’t actually make chocolate. Someone roasted/ toasted cacao beans for them and ground them into a mass. They start there, making their chocolates out of what’s sometimes called cacao liquor. 

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Relish Portugal’s Chocolate Lava Mug Cake Surprise! Warm, gooey chocolate cake for two in just a few minutes flat. Really.

3 tbsp all-purpose flour 2.5 tbsp coconut sugar 2 tbsp Vinte Vinte cocoa powder ¼ tsp baking powder tiny pinch of salt 3 tbsp milk 3 tbsp olive oil splash of vanilla extract 1 25g bar Vinte Vinte Classic 70% Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in milk, olive oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Using a fork, stir in the chopped chocolate.

Divide the batter into two microwave-safe coffee cups.

Microwave for 90 seconds and allow to sit for two minutes before serving.

Top with sweetened yoghurt or whipped cream. So good!

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FOOD & DRINK

Wine Awards

 Making chocolate out of beans is quite a bit more challenging. First, you have to find the right beans. Next is fermentation. If cacao beans are not properly fermented, the technical reactions, the balancing of flavours, will never happen, you’ll never have an aromatic cacao. Then you must develop a roasting profile for that specific bean and try to figure out which type of chocolate that bean will be best as. Not all are good as milk chocolate or dark chocolate.

What should people look for when choosing chocolate?

People have a fixed idea about chocolate. In reality, chocolate can be many different diverse flavours.

As you’d expect, industrial chocolate is extremely different than Vinte Vinte’s bean-to-bar product. Why? That pre-made, bulk mass used in industrial chocolate has no flavour or aroma at all.

The beans are roasted at high temperatures requiring them to use a lot of vanilla to disguise what’s missing. Every single time a person tastes bean-to-bar chocolate, it is a taste sensation. The flavour is so special they never forget their first taste of beanto-bar chocolate. Remarkable.

People ask me which chocolate they should have? The advice I give is for people to understand artisan chocolate will be memorable, perhaps different than what they’ve tasted in the past. I encourage them to discover the flavour profiles that they enjoy the most and experiment.

What’s your favourite chocolate?

I choose my chocolate by the feeling it gives me. Look, I’ve tasted thousands of chocolates throughout my life. I’m not a benchmark. That being said, I’m always looking for chocolate with ‘corners’ — looking for an effect, nothing boring. I like acidic chocolate. That could be 50% or 100% cacao content. Primarily, I’m looking for flavour and aroma. Interestingly, terroir – the same concept of place of origin as used when tasting fine wine – is usually 50% of the flavour.

I’m sorry, let’s back up, you’ve tasted thousands of chocolates?

Right, thousands. But remember, I’ve been doing this for many years. In my experience, developing a roasting profile is critical. I have seven bean-to-bar chocolates in the Vinte Vinte line. It took me nearly 400 lab trials to develop those seven distinctive chocolates.

A Swedish wine-tasting organisation bestowed honours on a number of Lagos restaurants on 22 January.

The board of the wine association Munskänkarna in Lagos visited all eight restaurants to give award certificates to the winning establishments. The results are ranked from one to four grades (in the shape of a grape cluster).

Avenida was at the top of the list of eight restaurants, together with Dom Vinho in second place.

Cacao begins to lose its magical compounds as it’s roasted close to and above 150°C degrees. You have to test and test and test to see which aromas to keep and which to lose. If you roast too high, it will taste burned, too low, it’ll taste like raw cacao. Each step in the chocolate-making process is important, but roasting is the most essential.

Vinte Vinte has several different bars to choose from, but I want to know more about the Grand Cru. Vinte Vinte offers four different collections, from Classic to our vintage Grand Cru. While our collection includes chocolate made with beans from Madagascar, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Uganda, and Venezuela, our vintage Grand Cru is made from single-origin beans harvested in 2019.

Terroir plays a large part in this chocolate.

One variety – one farm – one arbour. It’s a 70% dark, famed for its colour and aromatic flavours.

This vintage chocolate is fabulous paired with Portugal’s spectacular port wines.

One might think that these two wonders of mankind would be impossible to pair but, due to the high content of cacao butter present in dark chocolate, it is wonderfully balanced.

 Visit Vinte Vinte’s online store at shop.vintevintechocolate.pt for bars, bonbons, cocoa powder, port and chocolate pairing packs, and more.

Relish Portugal, the award-winning, online, quarterly, free with subscription, English language, food and culture magazine for Portugal lovers everywhere, delivers recipes, curated playlists, and fascinating food- and Portugal-related stories from both ex-pat and Portuguese culinary luminaries, top bloggers, artists, makers, and foodies just like you. Think creative process from Chef José Avillez, reflections on natural Portuguese wines and the families who make them from Real Portuguese Wines, a peek inside the workshop of Paulo Tuna The Bladesmith, considered by some the best manufacturer of knives in Portugal, perhaps in the world , dishes from best-selling cookbook authors, and more. Much more. To subscribe, visit RelishPortugal.com and click on any of the red bars. You’ll get immediate access to the most recent issue and a link to all back copies.

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The accolade of three grape clusters was awarded to Mirandus. Two clusters were given to Tasca do Kiko and Vista Alegre. One cluster went to Páteo Velho.

The decision making was based on six criteria including: wine selections, the wine glass, pricing, the wine list and the knowledge of the serving staff.

DID YOU KNOW? Munskänkarna is a non-profit Swedish winetasting organisation founded in Stockholm in 1958 with close to 30,000 members. The Swedish word ‘Munskänk’ means ‘cupbearer’. The organisation has continuously expanded into other locations, including Lagos. Munskänkarna claims to be the world's largest wine tasting organisation and promotes good and moderate drinking habits. Munskänkarna has a tasting group that regularly tests wines. Their wine database was founded in 1998 and today has around 10,000 estimated wines making it unique in Sweden.  Taster results can be found at vintesten.se For more information on the Lagos society contact lagos@munskankarna.se

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FOOD & DRINK

That Asian Home Cook Joy Entry is a Malaysian home cook based in Lagos who is obsessed with the provocative, unapologetic flavours of South-East Asian cuisine  Instagram: @thatasianhomecook joyentry@gmail.com

Minced Meat and Shiitake Noodles

Did You Know?

If you’re wondering how to rehydrate dried shiitake, what I like to do is place them in a cup of water overnight.

Squeeze the rehydrated mushroom and remove excess water before you slice.

If you’re in a hurry, there is the option to soak the shiitake for 15–20 minutes in warm water. This will accelerate the rehydration process.

Always keep the water the shiitake was soaking in – full of umami flavour and best to use in stocks as a dashi!

Fun Fact If you cannot find Asian egg noodles, you can very easily replace them with a bag of fresh pasta (with egg). I have a preference for the thinner versions, but even a tagliatelle will work.

So many find the idea of making Asian noodles intimidating. With the right ingredients, techniques and tips, you’ll be able to have this really easy minced meat and Shiitake noodle recipe down pat.

The great thing about noodles is that once you master the basics, there are so many variations that you can make to change it around and have a different version of it on your table every week. For example, if you switch the protein from chicken to beef, it can and will influence the flavour of your noodles. And for those who are vegetarians, there is always the option to omit the meat element or substitute with, say, tofu.

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups egg noodles cooked (prepare noodles as per packaging) 150gms minced meat (chicken, pork or beef) 3 cloves minced garlic 1 cup rehydrated dried shiitake (can be substituted with fresh shiitake) ½ cup spring onions 1 tablespoon sunflower oil SAUCE: 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce ½ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon white pepper ¼ teaspoon sesame oil

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Top tip

HOW TO: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat your wok or pan, add a tablespoon of sunflower oil and garlic.

Once the garlic turns golden, the minced meat goes in to brown lightly. This will take about 3–4 minutes. Add your rehydrated shiitake. Mix around to blend with the meat.

Once the meat is starting to brown and caramelise, the sauce mixture goes in.

Bring everything together, stirring nicely and coating evenly. Now put a lid on your wok or pan and leave the meat and mushroom to stew on a low heat for another 10 minutes before you switch off. Taste! If you like your meat on the salty side, this is your opportunity to add in a pinch of salt.

Now your meat and shiitake mixture is ready.

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When preparing egg noodles, always follow instructions on the packaging for cook time. Once the noodles are cooked, quickly run through cold water to stop the cooking process so the noodles won’t become overly starchy and sticky. To make it sound even simpler, it is pretty much the same process as making pasta.

Prepare your noodles as per packaging instructions. See top tips for the best results with noodles. Drain and place in a bowl. The meat and shiitake mixture goes on the top, generously draping around the noodles and allowing all its umami flavour to be absorbed by all those noodles. Garnish with spring onions and fried shallots if you fancy.

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FOOD & DRINK

Croque Madame To make two:  4 slices of nice ham (not wafer-thin)  100 to 200 grams (depending on the required level of cheesiness) of any hard, white cheese that will melt well. Consider Cheddar or Gruyere, or anything you have in the fridge. Of course, mixing in a bit of Mozzarella won ́t do any harm  4 slices of a good quality bread such as sourdough  4 tablespoons of butter (at least)  2 eggs Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan on medium heat and put your oven on about 80 to 100 degrees celsius. Grate the cheese. Make two sandwiches with the ham sandwiched between the cheese and bread, then butter the bread on both sides on the outside. Keep a little of the butter back.

A Lazy Girls’ Guide

Fry the sandwiches, pressing down with a spatula or fish slice on both sides till they are golden brown, then transfer to the oven to keep warm.

to Valentine’s

Melt some butter in the pan and fry two eggs (another opportunity to make something heart-shaped with a heartshaped cutter). Top the sandwiches with the eggs. On no account serve with salad or any other vegetation.

BY THE LAZY TIGERS

Happy February everyone. We have made it through the worst of the winter and the days are getting longer. We have two big, very different events to look forward to this month. The first, arriving on the 14th is Valentine’s Day, the second is the Volta ao Algarve on the 16th.

The first occasion may require us to shop and cook and dress up, the second is like a big fair coming to town with lots of buzz and exotic strangers. We know which we prefer (the second), and suggest you get your other half to do all the running on the romantic front; however, if you have got to cook on Valentine’s, here are a few ideas.

The first thing you must remember about Valentine’s are the rules.  Anything pink/red is Valentinesy  Anything with a sexy name is Valentinesy  Anything French is Valentinesy  Anything heart-shaped is Valentinesy So, what we have for you is two cocktails with sexy names, one of which is red, a French breakfast dish

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and advice on the heart-shaped stuff.

Firstly, what could be more appropriate than a kiss?

If you like your cocktails with a little innuendo, why not try a Between the Sheets?

The Kiss

Now under no circumstances are you making either lunch or dinner on Valentine’s. What you might consider is a fairly substantial breakfast.

Who knows what the day may bring?

Croque Madame is a variation on the classic French sandwich Croque Monsieur and will set you up nicely.

Serves 1 or 2:  60ml of Gin (any old kind)  25ml of Sweet Vermouth (like Martini Bianco)  25ml of Dubonnet Rouge  7.5ml of a luxury cherry liqueur (there are lots in the shops)  Apple to garnish

When Valentine’s is over don’t forget to get out to the Volta ao Algarve. You won’t be able to miss it. The Avenida will be closed to all other traffic and there will be huge pantechnicons parked everywhere. The carnival atmosphere will stretch into the night, so get out there and be a barfly. The Lazy Tigers will be there. If you miss us, come and see us in London Tiger Coffee, we are open all February.

 R. Marreiros Netto 14, 8600-754 Lagos

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Add all of the alcohol into a mixing glass and top up with ice.

Stir and strain into two martini glasses or one big glass with two straws.

Garnish with a piece or two of apple cut into heart shapes.

Between the Sheets Serves 1 or 2:  30ml of Brandy or Cognac  30ml of Triple Sec (like Cointreau)  30ml of Light Rum (any old kind)  7.5ml of fresh lemon juice  Orange peel to garnish Add all of the liquid into a shaker with ice and vigorously shake. Strain into two small glasses or one big one with two straws. Flame some orange peel over the glass and then discard. Garnish with some more orange peel.

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FOOD & DRINK

Seoul food

BY THE YUM YUM BOYS

New Year Delhi Style Yes, another new year has come and gone; however, no one who attended the event will forget the great evening spent at Delhi Darbar for their annual new year celebrations.

Diners enjoyed a packed restaurant, which not only included a full menu with free bubbly but also Punjabi dancers. The guests loved watching the staff ‘in action’ on the dance floor, followed by the lovely Ashleen’s golden voice for the rest of the evening.

With Christmas and its excesses out of the way, and before the diet starts in earnest, Yum Yum and chums were looking for something different to tempt the taste buds. Luckily, we found this lovely little place in Alvor. Tucked away and not a big place, we all agreed to embark on a new taste sensation that none of us has had before.

THE LOW-DOWN To lay the groundwork, this is a newish place that has a limited menu; however, the latter does not impinge on the taste or quality of the food. Four of us were seated for a Sunday night experience and, with the other three tables inside the restaurant, it was full. (Tables can be had outside but, in January, we weren’t going to go for that.)

We moved on to rice cake skewers. Served with a sweet and spicy barbeque sauce. Not huge but both very tasty, setting us up for the main courses.

We chose two chicken dishes to share.

The first was fried with a tempting crunchy batter, again covered in a sticky spicy sauce. The other dish was chicken served with potato noodles and hints of cabbage.

Deliciously served in a sweet dark sauce.

Accompanying both were the obligatory rice and also Kimchi, which is a fermented spicy hot and sour cabbage: a real Korean speciality that was scrummy.

As a side dish, we were served a small portion of radish which is used to cleanse the palette. A nice touch.

Before we ordered, we were served with a complimentary warm ginger and yellow sugar tea – a nice way to get the taste buds flowing.

No desserts, as we were too full and this was all washed down with beer and soft drinks. (You could have Korean beer if you wanted.)

THE VIBE The décor is smart, clean and unfussy. To add to the atmosphere, the food is cooked just across the counter so no rumblings from the kitchen. The service was just right and unhurried. Being small, it had a great, vocal vibe about the place. It was nice to see local people giving this place a try too.

THE PRICE All this came to 20€ a head which was reasonable given its uniqueness in the Algarve. Well worth your patronage to keep these sorts of establishments going in these strange times.

THE FLAVOURS Onto the food. If you have not had Korean food before, think spicy and sweet. We shared the starters between the four of us. First up were the Korean dumplings with pork. Five to a portion. Full-on crispy and served with soy sauce. Tasty and well presented, they didn’t last long!

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THE VERDICT I’m glad we tried Korean food, as this restaurant was a real find. I’d definitely book again but, in the meantime, bring on the stretch pants!!  Sura – Korean restaurant +351 924 064 780 Estrada de Barca, Edificio Dunas Alvor, Loja Nr 32, Alvor

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It was one of their best and most successful annual parties and one that seems to have proved itself as part of the Lagos annual calendar.

Well done once again Vickas and your team.  +351 282 762 249 / 923 206 701

Kiko’s Tasca

Wine, food and friends.

Unique, Exclusive and Distinct wines from Portugal.

Portuguese food. Tapas, lunch and dinner.

Open from 11am to 11pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays until the end of February • 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

PETS & WILDLIFE

Coastal Birds on our Doorstep

BY LUIS TEVES COSTA

On any day, in winter or summer, come rain or shine, the Algarvian coast is blessed with a staggering number of coastal birds. Beaches, cliffs, rivers and lagoons are some privileged sites to spot these animals.

Kingfisher Guarda

Little Tern Andorinha-do-Mar-Anã

Cormorant Corvo-Marinho

You may not necessarily be an experienced birdwatcher (I know I’m not!) but keep your eyes open and you will be surprised with the diversity of species and also some unexpected birds we can see here.

you will soon realise that these birds are quite tolerant towards fellow waders especially when feeding in rock pools. You can easily see different sized and colour birds feeding together such as plovers, turnstones, dunlins or curlews. The curlew (Numenius arquata) is the largest of Europe’s waders and is distinguished by its long-curved bill adapted to pick up worms, crustaceans, molluscs and other small invertebrates.

are exposed by the surf wash.

Flamingos and spoonbills are easily spotted in lagoons and salt marshes for their colour, size and shape but look closely and you will probably spot a cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) fishing in what looks like a water hide and seek game. See them dive and guess where they are going to emerge. When they do, they often have something in their bills but not for long ... gulp! These dark birds have webbed feet and are perfectly adapted to swim underwater and catch fish. When they are not fishing, they are often found perched in their trademark ‘batman’ position, with wings open and basking in a sunny spot. They also seem to enjoy the quiet sheltered marinas and harbours and here you can normally see them fairly close up so that you can admire their big green eyes and glossy bronze/black markings on their back feathers.

On the beachside, look out for the small waders.

Even if you cannot identify the different species,

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Sometimes, you may also see a blue ‘bullet’ darting in a straight line in front of you. This can only be a kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). It came as a surprise to me when I first spotted a kingfisher by the seaside. The Portuguese name suggests that it is mainly a river dweller – Guarda Rios – which translates to river guard or river guardian.

Especially during winter months, this electric blue little bird chooses rock pools with clear water, giving good visibility, to dive in and catch his prey, mainly of little fish.

Sanderlings (Calidris alba) are easily identified on sandy stretches in groups running in and out of the waves washing in the sand. They do this to pick small crustaceous and little organisms that

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In the air, look out for the acrobatic terns – little terns and common terns (Sternula albifrons and Sterna hirundo, respectively). Both species are similar in appearance and behaviour. Little terns have a white forehead, yellow bill with a black tip and yellow legs, whereas the larger common tern shows a red bill (also with a black tip) and red legs. These birds have a white underside, a predominant pale grey colour on their back feathers and a distinct black cap. Terns will hover above their prey and once they have selected a target, they plunge-dive, hitting the water often with a big splash. This behaviour takes place on lakes, lagoons, marinas, out in the open sea and also very close to the beach where you can fully appreciate their diving abilities at close range.

The bottom line is that, wherever you are along the Algarvian coast and no matter the time of the year, you can always count on the presence of some amazing birds, their exuberant colours and remarkable performances.

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PETS & WILDLIFE

Dog Volunteering

BY ANN HODGES

After reading an article in Tomorrow magazine, I volunteered to help at Cadela Carlota dog kennels.

I was particularly interested in the fact that training is given to socialise the dogs so that they have a better chance of staying re-homed and not brought back to Cadela Carlota because of minor training problems. Having had various terriers over a 60-year period myself, I wanted to help with this training.

On arrival, I was shown around and I was surprised at how much space the dogs have. They each have their own kennel and shade from the heat of the day. I was also amazed by the care provided by staff and helpers; they know each dog and all its preferences, individual foibles, etc. Every dog is walked at least once a week. A list indicates to any helper the name of dogs that have been walked and those who need a walk. Some are taken to the beach – on a rota basis. Kennel life is not ideal, but at Cadela Carlota, life for homeless dogs is as good as it possibly can be.

Each dog is assessed on arrival. Often their stories are heartbreaking. How can some humans treat dogs so heartlessly? Especially when we all know of dogs who help the blind, sniff out explosives in war zones, save lives in earthquake zones and help with various types of disability. Dogs have amazing abilities – of which we humans know nothing.

I am sure there are Tomorrow readers who have lost a dog and who loved it so dearly they cannot face having another. There are people who are unable to walk a dog – for various reasons. To those dog lovers, I would say, please help with the excellent work done by Cadela Carlota. You could donate by direct debit for as little as one euro a month — every little helps.

You can support the two shops, one in Almadena, the other in Lagos. You could come to the kennels and just sit in with a stressed dog. Just sit there, read a book, talk very softly – anything to ensure that its trust in humans starts to return, albeit slowly. There are several young dogs there with sweet and gentle natures who would make lovely family pets, but they are terrified of humans. I cannot bear to think that they might spend their whole life in kennels – they need a loving forever home.

You may not have any experience with dogs, so you may be uncertain about offering a dog a home. Cadela Carlota will put you in touch with a dog trainer, and they will help and advise you every step of the way. All dogs are castrated/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated.

And finally, I must tell you about Castanha. She is everyone’s sweetheart.

She is so gentle; she just adores a cuddle and being groomed. She loves fuss of every kind. But she has been at Cadela Carlota for five long years.

During this time, she has lost her sight, but her hearing is excellent, and when she hears a friendly voice, she heads in that direction. She is too frightened to walk far since she became blind, so she does not need a long strenuous walk. What she needs is a cosy, comfortable and loving environment to live out her days. Maybe you are the person who can offer this to Castanha?

It would indeed be a real red-letter day when we volunteers see Castanha pass through those gates towards her forever, loving home.

Castanha

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PETS & WILDLIFE

Barking Mad I’m really upset and so is my mistress. As she has been walking around Luz, people have been asking her why I wasn’t giving the good folks of the Algarve my views on what is happening as the new year gets underway. Well, we both now know why. The editor lost the article I sent at the beginning of December. I ask you, what’s an editor for if not to publish a dog’s contribution to life here? I could really bark at her. Mind you, barking is something I enjoy and am quite good at.

Talking about barking, we’ve had a few thunderstorms recently and I really don’t like them. It’s the noise they make that annoys me. I think it must be a big dog in the sky barking at me. And if a dog barks at me, what do I do? I bark back, of course. Unfortunately, my owners are not very pleased when I’m barking to scare the dog in the sky away in the middle of the night, but a terrier must do what a terrier must do, so I end up waking them.

The other problem with thunderstorms is that there is usually rain involved, which means I get wet if my owners take me for a walk. They get wet too, but that’s not much consolation, particularly as they have coats to keep the rain off. Not that I would wear a coat. They are for sissy dogs, like miniature poodles and chihuahuas, not Jack Russells like

me. At least it doesn’t rain as much here as in England.

I heard my owners saying snow was expected in England, so I’m glad I’m not there. Snow is nasty wet stuff in my experience. Unfortunately, I may need to face some snow soon. My owners have given me some bad news. It seems we have to go back to England soon, which means arriving there when it’s still cold and damp. Apparently, they need to sell their kennel. This could be good news because, if they don’t have a kennel to go to in England, they’ll have to spend more time here. Paws crossed that it all works out like that.

Well, time for my afternoon nap. If there are no thunderstorms, I should wake refreshed and ready for my walk. I bet it involves a bar. It usually does – not that there are many open just now. Roll on the spring. In the meantime, happy walkies and keep those tails wagging. www.tomorrowalgarve.com/community-news Brian Tora is a financial journalist and broadcaster

A post-Brexit panic Vaughan Willmore tells of problems returning to Portugal with Stanley, his seven-year-old cocker spaniel.

Stanley was ready for his first trip back to England in three years. His microchip was checked by the vet here in Portugal and his passport stamped. While all seemed fine for our journey to the UK, the vet advised that Stanley’s UK-issued EU passport might not be sufficient for his return and that, post Brexit, an EU-issued version was advisable. We duly paid the 32€ fee, completely unaware that written in that new passport was something that would cause all manner of problems and nearly £200 of additional costs.

The journey to the UK went well but after six weeks it was time to return home. Instead of going from Dover to Calais, we decided to go from Portsmouth to Santander. Ahead of our journey, we checked our documentation with the ferry company and, to our horror, were told there was a problem with Stanley’s new passport. Not only would he be refused entry to Spain, but he wouldn’t be allowed on the ferry.

The problem was our Portuguese vet had written in the new passport the date he checked Stanley’s microchip and not the date it was originally inserted, thereby giving the impression he’d been vaccinated against rabies before he

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was microchipped. We were advised to obtain an Animal Health Certificate.

The BBC has recently been reporting fees of up to £300 for these certificates.

We were charged £180, but this was nothing compared to the stress of finding a vet who would issue one at such short notice. Not all vets are certified to issue them.

If you are travelling with your pet, please do check the latest information for all of the countries you are travelling through, and also with your travel company.

Stanley is now safely back in Portugal and has no plans to return to the UK.  www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/travelling-to-an-eu-country-or-northern-ireland www.sef.pt/en/Pages/homepage.aspx

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TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

Waving at Spain

BY JULIAN PUTLEY

Getting to Alcoutim: By far the best option is by car.

Reasonable rental vehicles are available in Vila Real. Public transport can be difficult.

Public transport: by train or bus to Vila Real de Santo António (change in Faro). From Vila Real to Alcoutim there’s a bus service on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 17:10. The return trip is on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There are excursions up the Guadiana River by ferry from Vila Real in summer season.

bend and there it was. We drove down to the water’s edge and were surprised by the many ocean-going yachts anchored in the river and tied to floating docks at the banks; the town is some 25 nautical miles from the ocean.

Across the river on the Spanish side is the twin city of Sanlúcar de Guadiana. Each of these towns has a castle (castelo), a church (igreja) and an impressive history, including various monuments and points of interest.

The region has been occupied by the Greeks, the Romans and the Moors, the latter group leaving their mark in much of the Iberian Peninsula. The name Alcoutim comes from the Arabic Al-Qutami, a peregrine falcon, which is famed as being the fastest recorded life form on the planet. Alcoutim’s small size belies its impact on Portugal’s impressive history. Here, there have been many wars, skirmishes and battles as well as long periods of peace and friendship.

During the Portuguese War of Restoration from 1640 to 1668, the town of Alcoutim was heavily attacked with artillery by the Spanish from across the river, but the Portuguese resisted and secured their independence. The castle of Alcoutim continued to be used for military purposes until 1878.

Sanlúcar from Alcoutim

During a discussion with a long-time resident of Portugal, the subject of the Algarve’s Guadiana river and the town of Alcoutim was introduced. “It’s one of the Algarve’s best kept secrets,” he said. With my daughter visiting from England, and her godmother a recent Portugal resident, we decided to check it out.

The excursion can be done in a day – it’s about two and a half hours from Lagos by car. In hindsight, allowing two or three days would have allowed us more intense exploration of the area. We took the route less trodden and at the halfway mark turned onto N124 and up into the rolling, pine-clad hills. The views were spectacular with mist in the valleys providing an ethereal beauty.

The three of us walked the bank of the river and were surprised to see a marble statue, a monument to smuggling.

Before the European Union, there were duties levied on the import and export of goods so, like many border towns, smuggling developed. Coffee and sugar were transported across to Spain and various cloth and fabrics returned in the other direction. For many, it was a necessary means of survival. Today smuggling is celebrated by both border towns and at festival time a floating bridge is erected across the river. The first festival took place in 2017 and was a huge success. It provided visitors with a variety of cultural events including music, theatre, traditional arts and crafts, and circus acts while smugglers and tax officers roamed the streets trying to look as authentic as possible. The 2020/21 event was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. The region is still awaiting an announcement on the 2022 fair.

We decided to stop at the traditional rural village of Cachopo for coffee. There is no After a pleasant lunch we explored surrender to tourism here but the town. We noted that a zip line Christmas tradition had dictated exists here, the only cross border zip a nativity scene, displayed next to in the world. A ferry will take you across The Alcoutim smuggler a bar (inn). The figures were made of the river to Sanlúcar on the Spanish side. stitched sackcloth and the Three Wise The jumper then flies down the wire at a speed Men were humbly waiting to greet the ‘new between 70 and 80 kilometres an hour to arrive back on born king’. The three were holding their gifts of gold, the Portugal side. We didn’t do it fearing it might be a good incense and myrrh, the gold identified by a shining euro sign way to bring up our recently digested meal. on the bag! Historically accurate? No, but good for a chuckle at the ingenuity.

By late afternoon, we were on our way back to Lagos wishing we had had more time. Another visit is still on our As we approached Alcoutim, the road descended from the ‘bucket list’. mountainous region of the Serra do Caldeirão. Around a

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TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

Sagres

There’s nothing like a cold beer on the edge of Europe

BY LUKA ALEXANDER As we enjoy this little Indian summer, I decided one Saturday afternoon to take advantage of the sun and take a trip to the west coast, an area I haven’t visited since my childhood. It’s strange that even as a young person, we tend to have a preference for travelling far away for that unique restaurant or weekend getaway rather than visiting the places right on our doorstep.

Taking the highway, it felt like a breath of fresh air as the bright lights of Portimão and the bustle of the beach bars slowly faded away and the rugged terrain of the wild west slowly came into view. I was heading towards Sagres, a little hamlet which once played a big part in Portugal’s maritime history. This sleepy village has links with some of history’s most prominent figures such as Dom Henrique, better known as Prince Henry the Navigator, who is said to have established a Navigation School in the area c. 1418, and Christopher Columbus who, it’s claimed, was washed ashore in Sagres after being shipwrecked by pirates in May of 1476. It’s hard to believe that such highly regarded seafarers once walked these roads. Even Sir Francis Drake couldn’t help but land in Sagres in May of 1587, when he disembarked some 800 men to attack the fortress in a two-hour battle, destroying nearby fortifications and leaving with a ship full of pillaged artillery. The 15th and 16th centuries were definitely jam-packed times, keeping the Portuguese on their toes, that’s for sure!

Walking to the Fortress of Sagres, the vast windswept land gives one the impression of a desert island. Below, the beautiful sight of the crystal waters smashing against the huge rock faces provides the perfect spot to grab that next Instagram picture.

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Making my way along the coastline, I ended up on the edge of western Europe. This is Cabo de São Vicente (the Cape of Saint Vincent), known as the location of over ten battles and for its lighthouse. This cape has been lighting the way for vessels since 1520 and has had its fair share of mysterious activity. Legend has it that the body of the martyred fourth century deacon St. Vincent was brought ashore here and a shrine erected to his memory, as recorded

by Arab geographer Al-Idrisi. The shrine was mysteriously guarded by ravens, similar to the story of the ravens at the Tower of London. The body was exhumed in 1173 by King Alfonso Henriques and taken to Lisbon, where it was still guarded by the ravens.

The story is depicted in the Coat of Arms of Lisbon.

Nowadays, Cape St. Vincent has exchanged a swarm of ravens for a swarm of tour buses, full of eagle-eyed tourists armed with selfie sticks and the frequent moan that there’s no mobile signal to update their Instagram feed. As a kid, I remember seeing the traditional fishermen fishing off the edge of the cliffs, taking no notice of the jagged rocks and choppy seas below. These days, such sights are as rare as seeing a raven in Cape St. Vincent, but one thing’s for sure, you are only a stone’s throw away from a nicely chilled beer. Lines of food trucks gather along the roadside towards the cape’s famous lighthouse where I just had to pick up a bottle of Sagres beer to say that I’ve had a Sagres in Sagres.

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Ironically, Sagres beer isn’t actually brewed in Sagres but still, it was enough to toast this iconic settlement which has been in the history books since the day dot.

On the other hand, you could always grab a Bratwurst sausage from a food truck that says, “It’s the last Bratwurst before America!” One thing’s for certain – this definitely is the edge of Europe, even though we now know it’s not the edge of the world.

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