Tomorrow Algarve Magazine - March 2023

Editor's note

Dear Tomorrow readers,

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Sophie Sadler sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 912 176 588

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Tom Henshaw tom@tomorrowalgarve.com

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Phil Harding phil@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 916 606 226

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Welcome to the March edition of the magazine and to the beginning of spring.

In February, we held a writer's meeting to which we invited our existing excellent writers along with some new talent that you might start spotting on these pages in the next editions. It was really very rewarding to find so many people who were so enthusiastic about contributing to the magazine. In fact, many writers are now approaching us as they are fans of the magazine and wish to write in it.

During the meeting, we reflected on our values which are what encourage people to read what we write. They include charity, the environment, sustainability, history, community, local business, arts and startups. We also did some successful brainstorming workshops and, of course, rewarded ourselves with a couple of drinks afterwards!

We all concluded that there is nothing quite like seeing your articles in print and readers tell us that they love picking it up and flicking through the glossy pages. Personally, I always sniff the newly printed pages, is that just me? We continue to be grateful to our readers and advertisers who make it possible for me to smell my articles!

It is however very exciting that if a screen is more your medium, we have just launched our new

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website. This allows you to view the whole back catalogue of Tomorrow editions and easily browse articles on the blog, categorised by your favourite writer or subject. Not only that, you can now read the articles in 14 different languages. For those that benefit from the unbeatable exposure we give businesses in the western Algarve, there will also be the opportunity to launch a digital advertising campaign. Exciting times!

This month's edition contains the normal mix of interviews, the first with the legendary Midge Ure, no less. Our dedicated team of writers has been out and about discovering everything you need to know about our corner of paradise, so however you like to read Tomorrow we hope you enjoy it as much as we love producing it.

From Sophie, Tom, Phil and the Tomorrow team.

SEDE: R. SENHORA LORETO LOTE 6 RC D PARIO CONVENTO 8600-683 LAGOS PERIODICIDADE: MENSAL . TIRAGEN: 6,500 TIPOGRAFIA: C/ AL MEDITERRÁNEO, 29, POLÍGONO DE SAN RAFAEL, 04230, HUÉRCAL DE ALMERÍA CIF: B04250056

Whilst we take every care to ensure details are correct the publisher will take no responsibility for errors or omissions. Where prices or dates are quoted they are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change. Links to third party websites are by no way an endorsement of the linked material and the publisher takes no responsibility for the content or security of any third party website. Unless specifically stated Tomorrow magazine does not endorse any product or service appearing in the directory, classified, editorial or display advertising featured on the website. Observação: os números de telefone presentes nesta publicação podem estar sujeitos a cobranças: números que começam por 2 chamada para rede fixa nacional e números começados por 9 chamada para rede móvel nacional.

My year in the

An exclusive Tomorrow interview with the legendary Midge Ure.

WORDS Vaughan Willmore

As a teenager growing up in the suburbs of Birmingham, the notion of me one day meeting the cool, immaculately dressed lead singer of Ultravox would have seemed preposterous, even more so when he went to create the ground-breaking, era-defining Band Aid. And yet, here we were, in Moncarapacho, sipping coffee. It was a chance to meet Midge Ure, a man whose work has formed the soundtrack of so many lives and who must rank as one of the nicest people in the music industry.

As I discovered when arranging the interview, Midge signs off his emails with the phrase, ‘Listen like there’s no tomorrow’. “It’s just a little way of reminding myself and others, I guess, to live in the present and make the most of the time we have,’’ he says. It also goes some way to explaining why Midge and his wife spent 2022 in the Algarve. “My wife and I have holidayed here many times and love the region. As we all know, the last couple of years have been a little crazy, so we finally decided to do something we’ve talked about for some time, which was to spend a year or so in Portugal.”

Early in 2022, Midge and his wife rented a delightful property in the hills north of Tavira. It was the perfect place to recharge their batteries. “I was on tour in Australia when COVID broke out. It was a close-run thing getting out, especially with how tightly they locked things down. And then in the summer of 2021, I was on tour in the US when I contracted the virus and was locked up in a hotel room in New York City for several weeks.”

All of this led to tour dates being rearranged and, once COVID restrictions had lifted, a scramble to secure new tour dates. But the really good news is Midge and his band Electronica are picking up where they left off, with thirty gigs in the UK during April and May. The concerts will be fantastic, covering the whole back catalogue of Midge’s remarkable career.

Midge was born on the outskirts of Glasgow. There was no musical heritage and no silver spoon. “I was a young lad from a workingclass background. The expectation was that you would take on some form of manual labour, but music has always been part of my DNA and there was nothing I enjoyed more than playing live with my mates. I still do.”

Midge first made his name in the mid-70s, scoring the number-one hit “Forever and Ever” with the band Slik. Even before that, he was already making a name for himself in the industry. The year prior, he’d turned down the chance to be the lead vocalist with the Sex Pistols! And before you ask, there are “No Regrets” he didn’t go down that route, with Midge suspecting he was being recruited for his ‘look’ rather than his musical prowess.

More success was to follow with Midge joining Glen Matlock (of the Sex Pistols) in Rich Kids before going on to form Visage. “Fade to Grey” was the band’s most successful single, reaching number one in several countries and the Top 10 in the UK. Midge had a short stint with Thin Lizzy before joining the band in which he became a household name: Ultravox.

Ultravox had already released three albums before Midge joined them, but none had really captured the public’s attention. That was all to change, however. With Midge onboard, the revitalised band saw its fourth album Vienna peak at number two.

When the now iconic title track was released as a single in early 1981, its haunting tones and outstanding video made it a massive hit. Midge was not only the memorable face (and voice) of the film noir-themed video, he was also the song’s writer and producer.

Ultravox went on to make another six Top 10 albums and 17 Top 40 singles with “Reap the Wild Wind”, “Hymn”, “Visions in Blue”, “We Came to Dance”, “Dancing with Tears in my Eyes” and“Love’s Great Adventure" all hitting the Top 20. Midge also recorded his first Top 10 solo hit in 1982 with his cover of “No Regrets”. I’ve always wondered whether a songwriter knows when they’ve written a hit. “Not really,” said Midge, “because so many things have to come together for any song to be a hit and many of those are outside your control. But you know when you’ve hit the standards you’ve set yourself, and that’s always a nice feeling.”

In 1984, Midge co-wrote and produced “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The record was recorded on 25 November 1984 in London. When it was released on 3 December, it became the fastestselling single in UK chart history, selling an astronomical million copies in its first week. It has gone on to sell nearly four million copies in the UK, making it the second highest-selling

single in UK chart history. It reached number one in another thirteen countries.

The impact of Band Aid could not have been more momentous. The public was inspired, with many buying the record and sending it to friends instead of sending Christmas cards. “It was an incredible period,” said Midge, “if a little scary at times. What many people didn’t realise was that we only had a week to write the song, record it, and get it out before Christmas. We gave away all the rights and wanted to write something that would be replayed for years and so generate recurring revenue for good causes.”

Midge then went on to co-organise Live Aid and, subsequently, Live

8. As with all momentous events, everyone can remember where they were when the momentous, eradefining Live Aid concert took place at Wembley Stadium in 1985 and the work continues to this day. Midge is still a trustee for the charity (along with his co-collaborator Sir Bob Geldolf) and serves as an ambassador for Save The Children. With the memorable hit single and subsequent concerts, Midge Ure is someone who has quite literally changed the world and our perceptions of it.

Midge received an OBE in 2005 in recognition of his work supporting good causes and, in 2010, an honorary degree from the University of Bath, which has been his hometown for the last 25 years. He’s been the subject of This Is Your Life and he’s published two books – an autobiography in 2004 titled If I Was and, in 2021, Midge Ure ... in a Picture Frame, which showcases his musical career, his talent for photography and collaborations with other artists. I’ve

noticed how supportive Midge is on social media when interacting with his contemporaries, such as Howard Jones, Nick Kershaw and Claire Grogan. He told me they have more interaction now than they did back in the 80s when “I think we were all too busy trying to look cool!”

And here we are in the Algarve, with Midge readying himself for his muchawaited UK tour. I asked Midge what he’s enjoyed most about being here. “The warmth, the food, the people, and how unspoilt certain areas still are. especially further inland. We’ve loved it out here and are thinking of finding somewhere permanent.”

Thanks to his work with Band Aid and Save The Children, Midge Ure changed the world, but he didn’t change himself. Funny, interesting, helpful and humble, he must surely rank as one of the nicest people in the music industry. It was a pleasure meeting the legendary Midge Ure.

Midge’s birth name is James Ure. Midge is his stage name and is a phonetic reversal of Jim.

Armazém Regimental

Steps to Preserve Heritage

WORDS Lena Strang

In the main square of Praça do Infante (formerly called Praça da Constituição) in Lagos, the imposing statue of Henry the Navigator is gazing out at sea. On his right is Santa Maria church, and behind him is a simple white building with an ornate gilded pediment.

Many will have visited arts and crafts exhibitions along with the annual Lagos Book Fair held at the premises and perhaps wondered at the history behind its façade. The somewhat timeworn building has been in the news recently. In January this year, Lagos Municipality acquired the building from the army for 238.000€. The handover was a culmination of prolonged negotiations.

Hugo Pereira, Mayor of Lagos, stated that the priority for the municipality is to conserve the heritage and renovate the space for further cultural activities to be enjoyed by the community.

But why is it such an important building? When delving into its past, it becomes clear. It was

constructed in 1665 by Luís de Almeida, the first Count of Avintes, a noble title bestowed by King Afonso VI. After Almeida was nominated Governor of the Algarve in 1664, he erected the building on the site of the former church of São Bras. The church is believed to have been built before 1553.

As Lagos was a high-profile capital of the Algarve at the time (from 1576 to 1755) and its strategic bay was a bustling port, the new edifice was used to store produce by ships docking in Lagos.

There are two entrances to the building. The side facing Travessa do Mar has a large wooden door. The main façade facing the square is of particular interest. It features the coat of arms of the Kingdom of the Algarve and, in between, the

seal of the Count of Avintes, flanked with flowers and plant motifs. The Baroque pediment above the wooden doors has something unique. It is the only remaining set of the (seven) Passos da Via Sacra de Lagos that were once scattered throughout the city. The Via Sacra is a ceremonial route that evokes the fourteen steps of Jesus from his judgement to his burial. A via sacra, complete with fourteen oratories, also led from the city to the 16th-century hermitage of Nossa Senhora da Piedade at Ponta da Piedade. It was a popular pilgrimage route throughout the ages. One of the oratories of São Gonçalo can be found in the arch of the city wall that bears his name.

The interior of the building is more austere. It is a rectangular nave with a vault. The walls were once covered with tiles but were subsequently removed. Traces have also been found of a stone altar.

The municipality of Lagos can be congratulated for preserving another of its precious heritage sites. In due course, we should be able to visit many more exhibitions and cultural events at the upgraded space.

Postcard from the early 20th century. Edited by Alberto Malva.

Courtesy of Fototeca Municipal de Lagos . Origin unknown. Municipal Commission of Tourism 1960s.

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A Wonder of

Tiles

Ray Gillman has recreated the Seven Wonders of Portugal for a new TACT charity initiative. Sophie Sadler met him to find out how 63 tiles will help disadvantaged families in the Algarve.

Arriving in Ray's driveway, I am instantly captivated by the depictions of the Seven Wonders of Portugal, set out as separate pictures along a wall. “As Sete Maravilhas de Portugal” was decided by a popular vote in 2007. The Portuguese Institute of Architectural Heritage originally selected an eye-watering 793 sites and buildings, which were eventually whittled down to a shortlist of 21, which the public voted for by the internet, telephone and SMS.

The winners were Guimarães Castle (10th century), Óbidos (1195), Batalha Monastery (1385), Alcobaça Monastery (1153) Jéronimos Monastery (1502), Pena Palace (1838) and the Belém Tower (1521). So why did this subject inspire Ray so much?

“They tell of the great Discoveries, times of enormous wealth and influence, political and family intrigues and of the battles waged for the country to become, and stay, independent,” Ray observes. Such was his fascination with the monuments that he went on to reproduce the wonders from separate depictions, joining them into a fabulous collage to display in another nook of his garden.

Ray's evolution into a tile artist is an interesting transformation for the advertising executive who owned a design consultancy and wine bar in Covent Garden, London. On retirement, he turned his hand to painting watercolours as a way of subsidising his retirement income but admits he never sold any!

On moving to the Algarve, he took a Portuguese language course and met a fellow pupil who had been to tile painting lessons. On seeing some of Ray's paintings, he suggested he try to reproduce them on tiles.

This ignited Ray's passion for this new art form. As I wander through his beautiful Moorish-inspired garden, I encounter a haven of peace and tranquillity: a walled oasis brimming with Ray's artistic endeavours.

WORDS Sophie Sadler

There are tiled paintings of his grandchildren, charmingly represented as monkeys perched on treetops, historic buildings, boats and saints. His covered terrace has a spectacular frieze of tiles painted with bougainvillea, vines and birds. It is simply breathtaking.

Initially, he designed his subjects using watercolours on paper, dividing the picture into squares which he replicated on the tiles. Many of these hang on his interior walls and are pieces of art in their own right, but subsequently, he has gained the skill to paint directly onto the tiles.

Perhaps his most impressive achievement was his depiction of the Portuguese Saint Elizabeth, to whom, coincidentally, his local church in Richmond was dedicated. He gave the panel to the church, where it is displayed in the nave, dedicated to his mother-in-law – also called Elizabeth.

As a friend of Tomorrow magazine, Ray decided he wanted to contribute to its TACT charity, helping the disadvantaged in our community. He has created a second azulejo picture of the Seven Wonders to promote a souvenir brochure explaining the history of each, which will raise money for TACT in 2023.

“They give a good insight into some of the key elements of Portugal’s history,” explains Ray. “They are part of the many reasons we all love Portugal.”

His new masterpiece comprises a panel of 1.35m x 1.05m with 63 mounted tiles, meaning it can be displayed on a wall. It was painted on a powder

How to get your copy?

Local shops in Lagos and Luz Mar d’Estorias, the beautiful Portuguese heritage store near the Cultural Centre.

The International Livraria/ Book Shop on the corner of Avenida dos Descobrimentos over the road from the marina footbridge.

The Owl Story Book Shop at the top end of Rua Marreiros Netto in the historical centre near to the city wall.

Harmony Earth (health and gift shop) at the side of the car park outside Baptista’s in Praia da Luz.

By post direct to your address in Portugal

Single copies will cost 5€ plus 2€ post and packing to addresses in Portugal.

To reduce postage costs we’re asking our readers to help the charitable effort by getting friends together and combining their orders (think of your group as the Seven Wonders!).

So a box of seven copies will be delivered by Correio Verde to an address in mainland Portugal for 35€ plus 5€ postage.

glaze compressed on a “biscuit” base. The colours are metallic oxides diluted with water. The tiles were fired at approximately 1050 °C in a kiln for 30 minutes before cooling. It takes six hours to get the kiln to that temperature and cooling takes a day and a half.

During the heating process, the surface of the tiles vitrifies, so the colours intensify and some change as the tile acquires its durable glassy surface. This type of tile decoration is called the “Majolica” technique.

The souvenir brochure is a beautifully produced and illustrated 68-page publication in English and Portuguese, designed by Phil Harding and Rebeca Silva of Creation Media, who gave their services free of charge. It sells to the public for 5€ and all proceeds from the sales and those to businesses and clubs will go to TACT to distribute to the many local good causes it supports. I stress all proceeds from sales because Ray, and his wife Vi, are paying for all printing, displays and associated costs.

Ray's hope is that the panel’s final destination will be the gardens of the British Embassy in Lisbon. “I wish the panel to be a lasting expression of expatriate appreciation of Portuguese history and culture and of their gratitude for the welcome they have received in this marvellous country,” reflects Ray.

To whet your appetite for the enlightening brochure, we will feature a snippet on each of Portugal's seven wonders from April. We hope it will inspire you to buy this unique insight into the

Calling all businesses, societies and clubs

We will sell sixty copies in minimum quantities and provide a free display stand. At 5€ a copy, this will produce 300€, but the ‘trade’ price is 3,50€ each, costing 210€ for each order. The margin will contribute to admin costs and the 210€ revenue will be a marvellous donation to TACT!

We have already had exceptional support from Casas do Barlavento as well as Mar d’Estorias, both of whom are refusing to take the trade margin and will remit the full 5€ a copy!

Please email your order to Ray Gillman at vigillman@outlook.com, stating the address and your name and he will reply with details for the bank transfer and post the books to you.

The Barn of History

On 22 January, celebrations took place in Vila do Bispo to mark the anniversary of the municipality and its patron saint, St Vincent. The climax to the celebrations was the unveiling of a sculpture, Renascimento de Pedra, (Rebirth of the Stone) by renowned artist and sculptor Renato Rodyer, a fitting tribute to this anniversary of the Algarve’s most important region.

The day’s proceedings were a culmination of a weeklong diary of events that included the inauguration of an exhibition of art, a concert with Antonio Zambujo, a procession in honour of St Vincent with the Bishop of the Algarve, Dom Manuel Quintas in attendance with the 1st May, Philharmonic Band. Then came the unveiling of the sculpture with appropriate eulogies.

The municipality of Vila do Bispo encompasses the south coast of Portugal from Burgau to Sagres, north eastwards to the beach of Praia da Murração and east and southeast to Burgau via Barão de São Miguel. It has a population of only 5,717 souls (2021), but what it lacks in headcount it certainly makes up for in its extraordinary history – and by history, I mean aeons of time back to the Mesozoic era.

A huge drive is underway to complete a museum for the region, a project beset by financial problems. Now, with new energy and promises of more funding, the museum is scheduled to

open sometime during the summer of 2023. The museum will be named the Celeiro da História (the Barn of History) in recognition of the building and the region, formerly known as ‘the granary of the Algarve’.

Everyone will be welcome to visit the new facility but Vila do Bispo’s archaeologist, Senhor Ricardo Soares, emphasised that primarily it will be for the education of the “local people who have contributed so much and should benefit from our history and the origins of our culture”.

The story of the region begins with an exhibit from millions of years ago, casts of footprints taken from dinosaurs that can be seen today on Salema beach. Bone displays from the Paleolithic period indicate the presence of Neanderthal man around 34,000 years ago. From the archaeological site of Cabranosa near Sagres, axes and ceramic artifacts have been found.

“The colour of the museum will be red to depict the stoneware that marks the Ponta do Telheiro, the geological monument of the county. But a museum is about its content. Every day someone arrives with a photo, a story, or an artifact.

WORDS Julian Putley

Art Co-ordinator Marci Gaymu, Mayor Rute Silva, Artist Renato Rodyer

The other day a huge Tramagal threshing machine was offered by the owners of a local farmhouse,” explained Soares.

The museum will also feature megaliths. According to Soares, the municipality has the greatest concentration of menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula and the oldest in Western Europe. The stone monoliths of Vila do Bispo number around 280.

Roman ruins are no secret to the Algarve either. A recently excavated site at Boca do Rio unearthed some spectacular mosaics. They were removed in 2009 for restoration and will be displayed in the new museum along with the story of the ruins.

The county has a rich maritime history – from the great explorers to the actions of war and the fishermen of more recent times. Many will know that the most southwestern point in Europe is at Sagres, Cape Saint Vincent. Sagres has a fort, a ruin, a maritime museum, a famous lighthouse, a statue of Henry the Navigator and a secure harbour.

The much-anticipated new museum will display its own maritime section depicting, among other things, the Battle of Lagos, fought off the coast of Salema, where the French flagship Océan was sunk by the British. An underwater archaeological expedition in the 1970s found the wreck and managed to raise several cannons. They were sent to Lisbon but will be returned to Vila do Bispo to add to the display in the new facility.

There will be photographs from both world wars, including a section on the German U-boat U35 that, on 24 April 1917, sank four foreign ships off Sagres.

Flora and fauna will not be excluded. The unique and endemic species of a strange-looking tadpole shrimp, Triops Vicentinus, will also be highlighted, as well as rare and unusual plants and herbs.

Senhor Soares is very enthusiastic about the project. “We have so much in the way of history, artifacts, photos, films and exhibits that displays will have to be rotated. This will not only add interest but will encourage repeat visits. The

many and various displays will not just be in sterile glass cases. We are anticipating interactive scenarios – to make learning and experiencing fun. A 50-seat auditorium for films, shows and seminars will be incorporated into the facility.”

After the ceremony, artist and sculptor Renato explained his inspiration for his sculpture, which was a donation offered by the artist after meetings with art consultant and co-ordinator Marci Gaymu. The material is marble – it has a brown facade but is white in the middle. The figures represent his vision of people of different races coming together, but the one turning away depicts separation by Brazilian independence.

The nearby plaque announces Renascimento de Pedra, and underneath, it states a celebration of Brazil’s independence from Portugal, ‘Bicentenario de Independencia do Brasil, 7 de Setembro 1822 –2022.’

This museum will be a celebration of the history of Vila do Bispo and a wonderful learning facility for future generations. It is bound to become a favourite of visitors and tourists to the region. Keep your ears open for an announcement of an opening date.

© www.spaceworkers.pt

Archeologist Snr Ricardo Soares

Kit & Caboodle

WORDS

The salesroom is run by Sue Jenkins as Operations Manager and Client Consultant Manager Julie Rushman. In reality, it’s far more than a salesroom. It is here where you can see Phillipa and her colleagues at work, thereby helping to give it that Repair Shop feel. There’s a really nice vibe to the place, too, helped by a welcoming mug of coffee for customers, new and old alike, and in the run-up to Christmas, a plentiful supply of mulled wine. Kids’ quizzes and hide-and-seek adventures help make it a welcoming environment.

Kit & Caboodle supports local businesses, good causes, and the local community. The salesroom includes a gift shop of locally produced items by small businesses. They sell books and certain other items to raise funds for Madrugada Portugal – which provides palliative care – and the Goldra Dog Sanctuary. Philippa and her colleagues are also happy to share their expertise. They run regular workshops throughout the year, helping others to upcycle their own furniture. There are two workshops in March, one focusing on ceramics (8th) and another on the Annie Sloan furniture painting techniques (30th). If you have an item that requires a little refresh or you want to learn new skills, why not pop along? More details are available on the Kit & Caboodle website.

Kit & Caboodle was founded five years ago when best friends Philippa Taylor and Sue Jenkins spotted a gap in the market. “We were amazed,” said Philippa, “by how much great quality furniture there is here that just needs a little TLC to make it as good as new or even better than new!”

The majority of the furniture they identified was fit for purpose. Typically, it was only being disposed of because the owners were relocating to another country or downsizing, so they no longer had room for all their possessions. On other occasions, the furniture was being inherited as a result of a purchase of a property here but was not to the new owners’ taste.

Located in Almancil, on the edge of the wealthy Golden Triangle, Philippa and Sue are well-placed to take advantage of a great supply of quality pre-owned furniture. Some of it is in excellent condition and sold ‘as is’ while other items require upcycling. “We are passionate about re-using existing furniture,” said Philippa, “and giving it a new lease of life.”

Philippa trained with Annie Sloan, the founder of Chalk Paint, and along with her team of woodworkers, artists and upholsterers, creates unique pieces that are then placed for sale in the Kit & Caboodle salesroom. Another helpful aspect of their work is that if you spot something you like but would prefer it in another colour, Philippa and her colleagues will repaint it for you, thereby creating a topquality piece of furniture that’s unique to you.

It was a pleasure to meet Philippa and her team. In this age of sustainability and the pressing need to look after our precious resources, it’s fantastic to see a business giving new life to furniture, supporting their local community, and working in a way that helps others learn new skills.

The BBC’s The Repair Shop is one of my favourite programmes, so it was a delight to visit a similar venture here in the Algarve.

Vaughan Willmore

“We are passionate about reusing existing furniture and giving it a new lease of life.”

A Hypnotising Life Story

WORDS Sophie Sadler

How do you turn your life around when you come from a dysfunctional childhood, are expelled from school, suffer illness from alcohol abuse at just 17, and regularly use recreational drugs? The answer is Glenn Harrold.

The rehabilitated Glenn Harrold is one of the world’s most successful hypnotherapists. He has sold over 10 million hypnosis CDs, MP3 downloads and apps. How he got from the troubled youngster who was on first-name terms with the local magistrate to the calm, happy and healthy Glenn I am interviewing is a modern journey of redemption worthy of a movie.

Glenn positively radiates good health. As I enter into our interview in my standard stressed mode, I instantly feel more relaxed when confronted with his aura of clarity and wisdom that comes from a person who has learnt many lessons along the road of life. I am astounded that from the age of 12, he often slept rough to escape a toxic home environment. “The one thing that got me off the street was learning the bass guitar and joining a band,” he recalls.

In his teens, Glenn was the bass player in the punk band The Vagrants, which later became Sugar Ray Five. Under the latter name, the band won £10,000 in the BBC1 National Battle Of The Bands, from where they signed to a major label, released several singles and enjoyed many TV appearances. “It was all over too soon,” says Glenn, “but it gave me a new perspective on life.”

He went on to work on the cabaret circuit and it was during this period that he watched a hypnotist. “I was fascinated by it. Not that I ever wanted to make people pretend to be a chicken, but I was interested in its potential for healing.”

Glenn was looking for a way to resolve his childhood traumas and saw hypnotherapy as a way of healing from the inside out. He enrolled on a two-year clinical hypnotherapy diploma course and, along the way, repaired his old wounds.

Now living in Kent, Glenn has made hypnosis his profession. After seeing patients face-to-face for around five years, he started making hypnosis and meditation recordings dealing with sleep, weight loss and anxiety issues. His practice was

above a chemist shop and the owner told Glenn he would sell these early recordings in his chain of shops.

“I started to realise there was a market for this. It seems strange now as the market is so flooded with self-help techniques, but in those days, there really weren’t many people doing what I did. The market was wide open.”

I confess to Glenn that being hypnotised and losing control has always frightened me. He is familiar with this reluctance, which he puts down to the prevalence of hypnotism cabaret acts. He says hypnotherapy is the reverse – “you actually gain control of negative emotions”.

Glenn went on to do deals with Waterstones and Smiths, selling over 10 million recordings with 150 titles released over 25 years. “I did feel a weight of responsibility as I wanted the hypnosis recordings to be effective but safe. So, I developed a five-step technique. It works on the basis that when we are in a relaxed state, we are open to suggestions and affirmations.”

In 2006, he received a gold disc for selling 250,000 copies of his hypnosis recording Complete Relaxation. “I knew I was on the right path. It was a very organic process. I loved what I did and I was in the right place at the right time.”

The one thing that got me off the street was learning the bass guitar and joining a band

Glen in his youth playing bass.

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Book deals followed with Orion in the UK and McGraw Hill in the US, who gave him a six-figure advance. Glenn’s first four Orion books, De-Stress Your Life, Look Young, Live Longer, Lose Weight Now and Sleep Well Every Night, were re-issued by Orion in January 2019.

He then produced hypnosis audios for BBC Audiobooks, Orion Books and Diviniti Publishing. His seventh book, The Answer (Orion), was released in January 2012 (hardback) and September 2013 (paperback) and the audiobook was released in March 2012.

With his star in the ascendant, many celebrities have used his techniques and referenced him, including Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys and Lindsay Lohan. Both have tweeted that they love Glenn's recordings. For a feature by Closer magazine, Glenn even hypnotised UK Loose Women presenter Andrea McLean to cure her of chocolate addiction. “I try to regress patients to the root cause. In Andrea's case, it came from childhood when her father used to hide chocolate around the house for her to find. Andrea said she never wanted to eat chocolate again, so I used an aversion technique. Under hypnosis, you ask the patient to visualise chocolate mixed with rotting fish. She called me after to say that now whenever she sees chocolate, she gags. She used to talk about it on the TV show.”

Such was the demand for Glenn's CDs that he owned a warehouse in the UK with a team of people to distribute his titles. Seven years ago, when technology changed and wellness became more centred around apps, Glenn saw an opportunity to leave England and travel. He discovered the Algarve and settled here three years ago with his wife, Nicola, and two young children who are eight and six.

His hypnosis, meditation and mindfulness audio titles continue to reach millions of people on Amazon, iTunes, Audible, The Apple App Store, Google Play App store, Spotify and many other audio platforms. He has 160,000 followers on Insight Timer and his sessions have been streamed ten million times on this platform alone.

His app has become one of the world’s biggest-grossing self-help Apps for iPhone and Android. Relax & Sleep Well

has been downloaded over four million times, and it has reached number 1 in the lifestyle app chart in over 50 countries.

Glenn is now happy to hand the baton of his one-to-one hypnotherapy sessions to his older son, Lee, who also moved to Portugal. Lee followed in his father’s footsteps to become a certified cognitive hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. He is now an experienced therapist, having helped hundreds of people over the years with all kinds of anxiety issues, fears, phobias and stress-related problems. “I am so proud of him,” says Glenn. “He is doing a great job helping people in the Algarve.”

Today Glenn is a world away from his youthful selfdestructive patterns of behaviour. He is a non-smoker of 25 years, a vegetarian, a fitness fan and drinks only very occasionally. He plays over 60s walking football for Odiaxere FC, tennis and padel at Lagos twice a week, practises yoga, swims, and uses self-hypnosis and meditation to achieve his goals. I ask him if he is healed. “I am a million miles away from the delinquent kid I was, though I will always be a work in progress but I have become a master of my own mind. When I was in the band, I had such low self-esteem I always let the others do the talking. I have now cleared this anxiety and I believe you change your life from the inside out. Now I am in my own power.”

I ask Glenn why so many people struggle now with mental health. “Modern life is challenging. We make more decisions in a week than our grandparents did in a year. There is too much information available and stimulus. Most people know that you need to exercise three or four times a week to build a healthy body. You need to do the same for a healthy mind. Happiness is our birthright, but it takes work.”

Glenn is certainly a study of how we can change our lives by creating a healthy body and mind. He really is hypnotising!

Tomorrow is delighted that Glenn will be writing a new column in this magazine starting in April. He will be sharing some of his wisdom on how to achieve a healthy mind for our readers.

www.glennharrold.com/celebrity-testimonials.html www.leeharrold.com

The Answer: Supercharge the Law of Attraction and Find the Secret of True Happiness amzn.to/3xlrCWz

Band interview with Mark Curry from 1983 bit.ly/3YMTfE9

Glenn with his band, Sugar Ray Five

The

Jeff was born on 24 February 1965 in Dorset, England. The family moved around a lot, first to Surrey, then to Sussex and Kent, but remained hugely into sailing, a passion that Jeff shared. They raced 18-ft catamarans called Darts and Jeff became a very good sailor. He was taken on as crew by a Dutchman, who was formerly the world speed ice champion, and Jeff competed in the EU championships in Holland.

Jeff was able to continue sailing when he joined the army at 17. He served for four years, during which time he was attached to the army's sailing team, where he trained others in the military to sail.

On leaving the army, he went to Florida, where he started to write about sailing and started a TV channel focusing on the sport, which kick-started his journalism career. At the Star Bacardi Cup Regatta in Miami, Florida, Jeff became friends with one of the Bacardi family, who flew him all over the world to write about events.

After the US property crash, Jeff returned to the UK, but when his father Richard, who was living in the Algarve, became ill with cancer, he moved to be near him and became editor of Tomorrow. I had the privilege to work with him as a features editor; he was inspiring to work with and very wise. He was a conspiracy theory devotee and never believed anything the government told us –he believed “just follow the money trail”. In these WOKE times, it got him into trouble, but I never held that against him – he was a good soul.

He was forced to step down as editor after suffering from ill health due to respiratory problems, which led to him collapsing and being admitted to hospital. He has fought the condition for the last few years, but it is believed to have brought about his untimely death.

His father, Richard, has been left devastated. “He was always a good boy, very caring and he never spoke badly of anyone. He was a good journalist, despite never doing formal exams, with an

amazing ability to research topics. He even once tracked down the origins of a bird when its feather landed in my garden. He was really remarkable.”

Jeff was particularly fond of his green scooter, which he used to get about Lagos. Jeff's brother, who has a motorbike museum, is going to display the item in tribute to him.

Jeff has been repatriated to the UK. His funeral will take place on 3 March in Southampton.

In the September edition, we told the story of Henrique Camacho, a teenager who was desperately searching for a bone marrow donor so he could realise his dream of becoming a chef.

After several months and many campaigns for bone marrow and continuing chemotherapy treatment, his family threw Henrique a 17th birthday party none of them will ever forget.

They were joined at the party by 120 friends who have supported his family in this tough battle.

In Loving Memory Make a Wish

The Make a Wish association presented Henrique with the electric scooter he had wished for, in order to have fun with friends and recover some mobility that had been compromised as a result of the disease and aggressive treatments.

But the greatest gift came when his mother took up the microphone. In a moment of great emotion and with tears of joy, she told everyone gathered that they have finally found a compatible donor for the transfusion.

Henrique is now doing physiotherapy in preparation for the transfusion, which will be followed by three months of recovery in Lisbon. His family is keen to stress that this is not an end and continues to call for everyone who can, to register as a bone marrow donator to help other families who are going through the same nightmare they have suffered.

To register as a donor you must be between 18 and 45 years old and be healthy. Go to the Hospital do Barlavento de Portimão or the Association of Blood Donors of the Algarve, on 25 April. You could save a life!

 For more information on how to become a donor visit: www.facebook.com/ADSBA.Portimao/

www.apcl.pt/pt/informacoes/seja-dador-de-medula

Tomorrow team were very sad this month to learn of the passing of our former editor and contributor, Jeff Morgan.

Once upon a

WORDS Dan Costinas

Quiz

Zoe Page came to Portugal in April 2018 as an entertainer for Thomas Cook. Once her contract ended, she never left! She has found happiness in the Algarve as a quiz hostess and singer, and in rescuing abandoned animals.

As a frequent quiz evening hostess, do you want to be a millionaire?

Ha, I wish! If I were, I’m sure that most of the money would be spent on my dogs. They already have a better wardrobe than me!

When did you put this sort of live entertainment together and why?

Here, in the municipality of Silves, there’s a big expat community and although we’ve all moved here to experience a different way of life, I think we still miss little things from back home. And that’s why I thought about putting together a typical pub quiz. What better way to bring people together and have a great evening out? Also, I love the fact that I was able to set it up as a charity quiz: all money raised on the evening is donated to a local dog rescue. So it is a win-win for everyone – well, apart from the losing quiz teams! The quiz is held monthly at Victoria’s Silves in Poço Barreto, so get studying for the next one!

How did you become involved with animal charities?

I’ve always had a huge love for animals and nature from a very young age. My Nan and my Mum always had me surrounded by numerous cats and dogs but since coming to Portugal, this love has turned into my duty and purpose. I currently have five dogs and two chickens, all rescued from horrendous situations where they would have died. Luckily, many other people here also want to help and make a difference to animals in need, which is how I became involved with a special charity called Tiny Shelter, in Albufeira.

Will you tell a little more about Tiny Shelter?

You are also a songstress. Is it just raw talent, or did you receive any formal musical education?

When I was just a kid screaming Spice Girls at the top of my lungs, I don’t think my mum would have said it was raw talent! But I have always enjoyed singing from a young age. I think it really began around the age of 14–15 when I first sang karaoke on holiday. I was absolutely petrified and hid around the corner so no one could see me. I couldn’t believe the reaction I got from people. So I started to practise songs at home in my bedroom and then sing them on karaoke. I have to say it’s taken me almost 15 years to have the confidence to believe in myself and to take up singing as my full-time career. So yes, I suppose it was a kind of raw talent that I was lucky enough to have!

For now, it is a small dog rescue. It is run purely by volunteers and the amazing generosity of kind people. We receive no government support, so it’s a constant struggle to provide food, shelter and veterinary treatment for the dogs we rescue. Unfortunately, here in Portugal, there is a huge problem with the mistreatment, neglect and cruelty these dogs have to suffer. And that’s where Tiny Shelter tries to help. Every dog that comes into our care is given the treatment they need, no matter the cost. Also, a safe, comfortable place to stay, daily walks and playtime, food and, of course, the love and affection that they so desperately need. Our aim is to find loving forever homes for each of our doggies so that we can help more dogs in the future.

If you are able to help Tiny Shelter in any possible way, please visit its Facebook page Tiny Shelter Albufeira. We would be forever grateful. ‘Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever’.

 www.facebook.com/tinyshelteralbufeira

Why did you choose to live in the Algarve?

I adore this country. There’s so much beauty here, me and the dogs are always exploring new parts of the Algarve and the way of life here suits me perfectly. The wine is also a big bonus!

What is your message to anyone who may be thinking about moving to the Algarve?

If someone had said to me five years ago that I would be living in Portugal by myself, with my beautiful fur babies, singing full time and helping to rescue so many dogs in need, I would have never have believed them! I’ve learnt that you just have to go out there and take every opportunity that’s given to you, believe in the path being laid for you, surround yourself with good people and embrace change. There’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored and experienced, but for now, Portugal is the perfect place for me!

PHOTOGRAPHY Zoe Page

Rua dos Celeiros, Rossio S. João, Condominío Luxury Adega, Loja 4, Lagos

An American in the Algarve

P is for Patience

“It’s like stepping back in time 30 years,” replied the well-dressed, British retiree. It was the fall of 2019. I was in a small coffee shop at the edge of Luz. We had been told that the Algarve is “the epicentre of tourism with epic nature and good schools”. We were scouting property for a retreat centre. I asked everyone I met the same question – “what’s it like to live here year-round?” Although I had picked up on some oddities (our real estate agent didn’t use WhatsApp, for example), that distinguished gentleman’s answer didn’t fully make sense.

It takes time to understand what people mean when they say life here is “a bit behind” (the kind version). Or “the Algarve is slow” (slightly less kind version). Or “you have to be patient,” (understatement of the century).

So in October of 2019, in that small cafe bathed in sunshine a few metres from the sand, I nodded politely and thanked the gentleman for his opinion. I had no idea that Portugal had a monumental lesson in patience in store for me.

I’ve got this, I remember thinking. I’ll just transform ‘slow’ into ‘fast’. Now I realise the error of my thinking, the truly unrealistic audacity of my mindset. After just over three years, I am starting to get it. If I were to write an acrostic poem for Portugal, the first word would most definitely and appropriately be, with a gigantic capital P: Patience.

O is trickier. It’s not obvious like P. For me, O brings to mind Opportunity. This is a relatively wild landscape. People are free to imagine new things here, to create their dreams in a way that isn’t possible in expensive, crowded cities.

R is for Rainbows. I’ve never seen as many as I have here in the Algarve – and often two at once.

T is for Trust. You need a certain amount of trust to keep going despite the obstacles life throws in the way here. Things take a lot longer than anywhere else (to put it mildly). Trust helps you get through the days when all you want to do is pull your hair out, rant to a friend and pack your bags and get on the next flight out of Faro.

U is for Unexpected. In any move to a new country where you don’t understand the culture very well and you aren’t yet fluent in the local language, expecting the unexpected saves you. Once you get past thinking you know into realising you have no idea, you’re over halfway to success. Staying flexible is part of that. I imagined a retreat centre of a certain size and in the end, I’ll be starting far, far smaller. In my own backyard, in fact. But at least it’s happening.

G is for Gratitude. And Goodness. In Portugal, I learned that the best way to get over depression is to focus on gratitude. Goodness describes

the amazing locally grown produce that I buy faithfully every Saturday morning directly from the farmers. There’s also the goodness of the pristine colour of the Atlantic Ocean’s waters right off the coast; the goodness of the local people and their kind and gentle dispositions; the goodness of the natural beauty that surrounds you here and makes it possible to forget about the frustrations of having to learn patience the hard way.

A is for Adagio. It just keeps coming back to the same thing in this circle: slow tempo. It’s how I answer people when they ask what life in Portugal is really like. “What’s it like to live there?” My answer: Slow. Like stepping back in time 30 years.

L is for Leisure. It seems to be the central focus here – surfing, paddle tennis, yoga, mountain biking, golf – it’s a nature and sport lover’s paradise. Add the calm pace of life to that leisure and it’s probably why so many people are moving here permanently. But the downshift from gear five to barely in gear at all is so dramatic that it’s hard to explain to people who haven’t been here (or even those who have but who don’t live here).

Why does everyone say it’s like stepping into the early 90s?

At the municipality, computers are a new thing and most of the transactions are still handwritten and actually accomplished by going in person, taking a number and waiting your turn to speak to someone. Many businesses are still ‘cash only’, including tourist shops, restaurants and cafes. Gas boilers are still commonplace. Everyone has a cell phone, but they’re not always on it. Things eventually happen, but it takes an age.

It’s a strange and beautiful place Portugal. It is certainly a place with peace. And a place that will teach you patience, whether you’re ready or not.

Meredith Price Levitt is a freelance writer for over 20 years and a recent immigrant to the Algarve. She’s learning Portuguese, how to plant cucumbers and building a hexagon for aerial arts. You can reach her meredithmprice@gmail.com

P is for Patience.

WORDS Meredith Price Levitt

Introducing

Loulé Criativo

Preserving the past – but planning for a bright Tomorrow

If you have ever witnessed a traditional Algarvian basket weaver mid-weave, you may have found yourself enchanted by their ability to turn plants found in the countryside into beautiful baskets. You may also have worried that with less call for these things nowadays and nobody to take over, these traditional skills and knowledge, seemingly contained in the well-trained movements of the weaver’s fingers, might be lost forever.

Well, this is one of the reasons I was so pleased to learn about the Loulé Criativo project. Originally started in 2015, it aims to protect and promote traditional artisans and techniques while, at the same time, bringing them into the present by adding an innovative modern twist.

But first, let’s talk about protecting and promoting them …

If you take a walk around the cobbled streets of old town Loulé, sooner or later you are bound to stumble across various shops and spaces that are part of what you could call the ‘network’ of Loulé Criativo.

You can find the Palm Weaving Shop, the Copper Shop, the Clay Studio, the Watchmaker Studio and the Luthier Studio (which specialises in musical string instruments).

Loulé Criativo also works with tour operators to offer a diverse and dynamic creative tourism programme where you can not only meet and mingle with these local artisans and try your hand at their art for yourself but also attend workshops, short courses, themed weekends and other creative experiences that will teach you how to make anything from paper flowers, hand-painted tiles and cardboard furniture to fig and chocolate “cheeses’’. And, in spring, they even take you on a walk along what’s called the Almond Blossom Trail.

Now for the twist!

Loulé Criativo realised that although it is very important to preserve the traditions of the past, the only way to truly safeguard them for the future is to enlist a younger generation of artists and designers to think of new uses and innovative designs to bring these old techniques into the modern world.

WORDS Jake Cleaver PHOTOGRAPHY @Loule Criativo

WE COLLECT ALL TYPE OF DONATED GOODS TO HELP FAMILIES IN NEED

If you would prefer to make a direct donation:

Bank Name: Novo Banco

Account Name: Associação Semente de Mostarda

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Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10h - 19h | Saturday 10h - 13h

+351 915 808 490

How do they do this? Well, by experimenting – in their laboratory

And where better to find the inspiration of how to blend tradition with innovation than the beautifully restored Palácio Gama Lobo. Located close to the Loulé bus station, this privately owned manor house, with its coat of arms emblazoned into the front of the building, was originally built for Manuel da Gama Lobo in 1763 and, although it has long been considered a landmark in Loulé architecture, had fallen into disrepair.

The Loulé municipality bought it and restored it to its former glory – but with the future in mind. In 2019, it became the headquarters of Loulé Criativo and the resident artists of their Loulé Design Lab.

It’s always a joy to visit this palace

With its classically tiled floor, fabulous ceilings and glorious windows, the palace seems to be eternally engaged in a dance with the sunshine that’s forever shining through the windows and directing your gaze to something new.

If you are looking for an excuse to visit, you can attend the workshops held there and they usually have an exhibition on, as well as a little boutique shop (open Wednesday to Saturday mornings) which displays a sample of the diverse and often complementary talents of the resident artists of their Loulé Design Lab.

The Design Lab

The Design Lab is an incubator for artists who apply for the residencies that run from one month to three years. It helps them grow and supports them while they turn their ideas into a viable business. In return, the residents ‘pay back’ by sharing their skills in workshops or helping other designers, which serves to unite and create a wonderful creative community in Loulé.

One artist at a time

Now, there’s a lot to explore here and I simply can’t tell you about everybody at once. But now that I’ve hopefully set the scene, I would like to introduce you to one resident artist at a time. Starting next month with architect Sandra Neto – but be warned, things are about to get Messy



+351 289 400 879

www.loulecriativo.pt

www.facebook.com/loulecriativo

www.instagram.com/loule_criativo/

Palácio Gama Lobo: Monday to Friday 10.00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00 Saturday 10:00–15:00

Paga Pouco A Sign of the Times

The elderly would gather to buy yarn for knitting, maybe even a couple of metres of fabric to make a new tablecloth. I remember my mother buying a whole roll of material to make some curtains to dress the bedroom windows. You could say it was on a par with Britain’s former Woolworths chain, and the phrase “Paga Pouco probably has it” was often heard in the community.

Whilst Paga Pouco was well known, there were a great deal of similar albeit smaller shops selling household products which gained the nickname “lojas dos 300” (three-hundred shops). The Portuguese slang term referred to such shops selling products for three-hundred escudos or less. When Portugal joined the EuroZone in 1999 and introduced the euro as the single currency, the phrase “lojas dos 300” lost its meaning, although the slang term was often used to describe a shop selling cheap items regardless.

The 90s offered a unique challenge for those driving across Europe. The ever-changing currency and even encountering a different language when one would cross the next border would always be entertaining, with many often returning home with a jar full of French francs, Spanish pesetas and, of course, Portuguese escudos – often pronounced as “schuds” to the untrained ear.

I vividly remember frantically walking around Portimão as a child. My father was looking for a shop to spend the last of his escudos before they became obsolete. It happened to be Paga Pouco that was one of the few shops which still accepted escudos at that time. Although I’m sure, there’s still some coinage and the odd banknote in the kitchen drawer somewhere along with a few pesetas and French francs. I often have a giggle to myself when talking to friends about the old escudo as some of them weren’t even born when the currency was replaced with the euro.

Those of us who remember Portugal in the 90s will have noticed the many changes over the past twenty-three years. Portimão was a far cry from the shopping mecca it’s become today, with the Continente shopping centre (formerly Modelo) then being a relatively new addition, long before Aqua or the retail park was ever dreamt of. Shopping in the 90s was quite different to the vast array of choices that we have today, but one shop that was a firm favourite amongst Portuguese and foreign residents alike was Paga Pouco.

Known for its iconic orange logo consisting of the letter P surrounding the words Paga Pouco (which means “pay a little”), these shops offered homeware and fabrics at a very affordable price, just like it said on the tin. They were the go-to place for anyone looking to pick up a bargain or, in my parents’ case, a place to quickly furnish a newly built home with all the daily essentials. I still have a blanket chest in my hallway, which my parents brought in Paga Pouco in Portimão back in circa 1995 and it continues to serve its purpose to this day.

Although many Paga Pouco stores were dotted across the country, in the Algarve, there were only two – one in Portimão and another in Olhão. No matter what one needed, Paga Pouco probably had it, whether you were looking for a set of cutlery, cups and saucers, curtains and bedding or even furniture, which became the shops’ main product in its later days. Some may say that Paga Pouco was somewhat of a godsend for those on lower wages, but it’s likely most people at the time had popped into the shop at some point in their lives.

Mostly selling cheaper items imported from China, it was Paga Pouco’s textiles which brought people to the shop.

Over time, due to the decline in their popularity, the end of the escudo, and in some respects the 2008 financial crisis, the old 300 shops slowly closed their doors for good as eventually did Paga Pouco, which ended its days solely as a textile shop located on Rua José António Marques in Portimão. But it wasn’t long before a replacement was found when Chinese immigrants, during the early 2000s, opened up the Chinese shops which we know today. Often referred to as “lojas dos chinos” or “Chinese shops”, they take on a similar role to our beloved Paga Pouco and the former 300 shops but on a much larger scale. Whilst we can now find anything from a twenty-way USB plug to a singing children’s toy that would drive even the most mentally stable to drink, I still look back at Paga Pouco with fondness, maybe not so much for its products but for its link with my childhood memories.

Some shops still retain the name “Paga Pouco” for their inexpensive stock, but they’re not the same as the ones I remembered as a kid. There’s even an old Paga Pouco sign for sale on Olx (Portugal’s equivalent to GumTree) if anyone’s interested. You could say it’s a sign of the times.

WORDS Luka Alexander

Some may say that Paga Pouco was somewhat of a godsend for those on lower wages, but it’s likely most people at the time had popped into the shop at some point in their lives.

Closed Paga Pouco shop in Portimão Photo © Google Maps

Vacation Currency

Two weeks vacation in a beautiful Vancouver apartment in exchange for a fortnight in an Algarve villa – sound like a fair swap? The two-bedroom penthouse would have cost around $3000 for the stay with AirBnB. And the pretty villa in Praia da Luz with a sea view and pool would have been a similar rental value.

In this case however, no money changed hands. The holidaymakers just had to fork out for airfares and transfers. Based on trust from various Zoom meetings and insurance through the HomeExchange. com site, the two sets of homeowners felt secure in lending their own abodes to each other. Nothing went wrong, minor breakages were fixed at each end, the properties were left clean, and the two couples are anticipating swapping again in the future. Both have already set up different swaps through the site, intending never to pay for vacation accommodation again.

According to Yasmin Parker, when you join a home exchange network, the world opens up to you. She and her husband Richard have been swapping their Spanish apartment for 18 months, travelling in the UK, Switzerland, around Portugal, and enjoying a two-month jolly in California and Utah.

With the experience of eight successful swaps so far, Parker says they have all gone smoothly with many added benefits. “We have become great friends with at least three people and have even holidayed and stayed with them at separate times,” she explains. “There have been no issues whatsoever during our swaps. The worst may have been a broken glass.” Various Algarve exchanges led the couple to Praia da Luz, where they also joined the Ocean Padel Club Luz, accumulating friendships and a vibrant social group.

The Parkers’ swapping home is a two-bedroom marina apartment in Sotogrande, Spain. They point out that if you have a larger home but don’t want big groups there, you can close off rooms, store belongings, and swap it as a smaller place: “If you’re just a couple and want to exchange with another like-minded couple, you can offer them your living space and just the bedrooms and bathrooms they actually need.” Equally, families can connect with similar size families through the site and do reciprocal swaps. Pets and car swaps can also be negotiated.

With airfares rocketing and all transportation costs rising, more people are turning to home exchange sites to save money on travel accommodation for anything from one night upwards. Now in its 31st year, HomeExchange.com recorded a 33 per cent increase in overnights in 2022 (compared to 2019 figures), topping 100,000 members from 130 countries, clinching one exchange every two minutes.

The beauty of today’s variety of home exchange sites is the flexibility and ease of use that technology allows. As well as the obvious, straightforward reciprocal simultaneous swapping, there are options with HomeExchange. com for non-simultaneous exchanges and also one-way deals involving Guest Points (GPs). These are a kind of “currency” which starts with complementary GPs awarded on signing up. There is a GP value per night assigned to each property, depending on size, facilities and location, which then determines how much is “earned” when someone stays there. “Further GPs can be earned every time the homeowner recommends someone else or does a one-way deal,” Parker explains. “It’s usually someone with a second home, travels for work, has the ability to stay elsewhere, has a home with separate spaces so they can be there at the same time, or is away on another GP swap. You gain value out of your house every time you’re not there.” GPs gradually accumulate in the “bank” until the homeowner is ready to “spend” them on accommodation anywhere in the world from the site. The only fee involved is an annual payment to HomeExchange on completion of the first contract of each year.

With so many second homes sitting empty around the Algarve, this could be an attractive alternative to the rigours of renting.

www.homeexchange.com/dashboard

The Parker’s two-bedroom marina home in Sotogrande www.homeexchange.com/homes/view/1850046 louise.hudson2011@gmail.com

WORDS Louise Hudson

Mauritius, Africa

Paris, France Italy, Rome

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The Smuggling Festival

An event celebrating the traditions of smuggling on the Guadiana river. This year, there will be an "old fashioned costume" contest to encourage festival goers to dress up, while a craft beer market in the Fluvial Beach of Alcoutim will keep everyone refreshed!

On Saturday night, the Spanish group Deabru Beltzak, from the Basque Country, will light up the streets of the town of Alcoutim early in the evening with a show of percussion and fire. Street theatre and circus acts will also invade the streets, with performances by artists from companies from all over the world. So grab your contraband and join in the fun!

When: 24 - 26 March

Where: Alcoutim and Sanlucar

www.facebook.com/festivaldocontrabando

Chocolate Dair

The most delicious flavours, smells, textures, whether creamy or bitter, whether milk or white, will be present at the Chocolate Fair in the Loulé Market. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to try out what’s new from confectioners and chocolatiers, as well as learn about chocolate production techniques.

When: 11 - 19 March 10 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm

Where: Cerca do Convento Espírito Santo, Loulé

www.facebook.com/mercadodeloule

What's on

Last Tango in Grimley!

The Algarveans have been invited to participate in Lagoa’s annual Comedy Festival, HUMORFEST, and the cast is performing two one-act plays: Last Tango in Little Grimley and Lockdown in Little Grimley, a comedy double bill by David Tristram and directed by Angela Theobold. No stranger to comedy herself, having appeared in many productions, director Angela Theobold will ensure that the acerbic wit of David Tristram metamorphoses into some hugely funny one-liners delivered with perfect precision by her cast.

When: 23, 24 and 25 March at 7.45 pm

Where: Carlos de Carmo Auditorium in Lagoa

Tickets: €12 can be bought online at bol.pt or in person at Auditório Carlos do Carmo.

 thealgarveans.com

AFPOP Coach Trip

Have you seen the Crown Jewels of Portugal? The Changing of the Guards Portuguese -style? Experienced the Earthquake Museum? Join this trip to discover these and other delights, including Jeronimo Monastery, the Oceanarium, the fantastic new Coach Museum, and the Palace de Ajuda. Stay in the 4* Melia Hotel for six, fun-filled days in Lisbon.

When: 1 – 22 May

Where: Lisbon

Tickets: 695€ pp in a double room, discount for AFPOP members.

pat.allen@zoho.com

+351 282 697 548

Feira de Aguardente e Mel

The Cortelha Honey and ‘firewater,’ fair is a show that aims to highlight and emphasise the traditional products of Serra do Caldeirão. The Medronho brandy and rosemary honey contribute to the social fabric of the region and the recipes are passed from generation to generation, perpetuating flavours and traditions.

When: 11 March

Where: Cortelha, Loulé

 www.facebook.com/ AssociacaodosAmigosdaCortelha

St Patrick's Day

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with the Friends of Burgau Sports Centre for a night of live music with BrenDan. Pie and mash will be served made with traditional Irish stew and Colcannon. There will also be a fun quiz.

When: 17 March 7 pm

Where: Burgau Sports Centre

Tickets: 10 € (phone to book your place)

+351 282 697 350

International Women's Jam

Celebrating International Women's month, join with female artists, musicians, writers and performers to share and celebrate each other

When: 9 March from 7 pm to 11 pm

Where: Favo Bar Bistro Hortas do Tabual Sitio de Joinal, Lote 7, 8650-281 Hortas do Tabual

Tickets: Free admission (donations appreciated). Booking tables is recommended.

Useful Numbers

Viridis Partners presents: two new turnkey projects in the Algarve in association with ten Hoopen Realty

www.viridis.partners

Where history meets tranquility

8 bespoke turnkey villas boasting spectacular views.

Stylishly designed homes that fit seamlessly into the landscape with natural tones paying homage to the area’s rich Moorish history.

The base design is a spacious 4-bedroom villa plus designated office space to work comfortably from home.

The design can be customized to your personal needs and preferences.

The villa shown in the add available starting from 1.350.000€

Alternative plots starting at 851.000€

The ocean at your doorstep

Turnkey villa project just a stone’s throw away from the ocean. The villa boasts prime ocean views and is surrounded by nature’s splendor.

The design is a harmonious blend of nature, creating a calming atmosphere throughout the home with earthy tones and indoor patio’s with large windows that flood the rooms with natural light.

A 3-bedroom villa with plenty of outdoor space that exudes luxury with an infinity pool and a landscaped garden space.

Plot 9 as shown in the ad: 3.200.000€

Other plots available from 2.200.000€

Please get in touch if you are interested:

 +351 963 766 261

 sales@tenhoopenrealty.com

 Avenida dos Descobrimentos 15, Lagos

AMI: 19855

Art Attack

Julian Putley visited the 2023 Art Expo Algarve in the Portimão Arena and discovered an exciting and diverse range of artists.

The first Art Expo Algarve, an art exhibition organised by John Ganhão, brought together over 150 national and international artists under the same roof. In the future, it could well become Portugal’s largest contemporary art fair, such was the diverse group of artists of different genres.

The three-day event was a resounding success, with artists of many persuasions presenting their exhibits to a never-ending flow of interested observers and potential buyers. The different mediums on display included oils, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolours and various combinations. There were sculptures, too, with decorated mannequins and underwater creatures cleverly created using waste materials.

Gregor from Gregorio Arte began his career as an artist in Zambia and later in Angola. In those early days, he was contracted to design album covers and record labels. Now, many years later, he resides in Praia da Luz and specialises in oils crafted with knife and brush. His subject material ranges from brilliant seascapes to Portuguese cultural compositions and the baroque buildings of the Moorish era and later. His studio overlooking the varying moods of the sea with beach and cliffs provide him with almost daily inspiration. His small shop at Souvenir da Luz displays his latest creations.

Another artist with roots in Africa is Lorraine Randall. She moved to Portugal some five years ago and brought with her a wealth of talent that has been running in the family for generations. She works in oil and loves to bring animals to life,

just the way you would see them in the bush or jungle, capturing the very essence of the bird, big cat or even elephant.

The most unusual and eye-catching exhibit was provided by Alberto Patrucco, originally from Turin, Italy. His career in art began with forging or shaping metals with heat and various tools. From these early beginnings, Alberto decided to use this art form to create a wide-ranging inventory of underwater creatures, mostly exotic fish, using obsolete and unwanted materials. His display of colourful exhibits was crowded with interested onlookers. His message is that ‘one man’s waste is another man’s treasure’ and that recycling is the answer to some of the world’s biggest problems.

The winner and award recipient for the best display went to Ana Archer, a Brazilian whose artistic career began as a fashion designer. When she moved to Rio de Janeiro, she was influenced by Carioca artists and began to develop her present style of applying primary colours in acrylic to large canvases. “A work can take several weeks,” she explains, “but my best creations flow from a continuous vision.” Now residing in the Algarve, Ana’s work can be found in collections in Europe, Brazil and the United States.

Toni Dade specialises in botanical art: seeds, flowers, plants and trees through the seasons and their path through life. She lives in southern Portugal and during country walks, she observes the landscape, abundant as it is in nature. Her work is extremely intricate as she records the

plant’s stages from seed to decay. Her medium is watercolour, ideal for the close detail required for her work, which has earnt her many awards and fellowships amongst her accolades. Toni offers weekly classes at Escola de Artes de Lagoa as well as retreats and workshops.

The biggest attraction at the exhibition was the work of Adriana Marangoni. This celebrated Brazilian artist not only posted a brilliant display of his art but actually painted a work-in-progress to an awestruck crowd. His technique is unique and his use of light creates an ambience specific to the mood of the picture. Scenes in a city like London, Lisbon or Porto are accurate in the minutest detail. His shading and highlights almost put you in the picture. You can feel yourself sloshing through rain-soaked streets or turning up your collar on a foggy evening; it’s that realistic.

Only a handful of the many talented artists are mentioned here, but everyone I talked to said they were delighted with the turnout and are looking forward to the next event in September 2023. This highly anticipated future event will be for both established and emerging artists, galleries and artist collectives, to exhibit and sell high-quality artworks directly to the public. Gregorio of Gregorio Arte mentioned that he is particularly interested in the upcoming date because the expected clientele will “have a more experienced eye and appreciation for art".

WORDS Julian Putley

Ana Display Winner

Gregorio's art

Lorraine Randal's Majestic

Seed Pod of the Magnolia Magniflora by Toni Dade

Marangoni Street Scene

Spare by

Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex

WORDS Dan Costinas

PHOTO ©princeharrymemoir.com

Too many imperial gallons of ink have been spilled over the pros and cons of the decision of Prince Harry to leave the UK and the Royal Family. And no, I am not going to discuss, praise or criticise his actions, but I shall defend the right of every human being, royal or not, to choose where and how they will live their lives.

We can agree or disagree with his decisions, but we cannot ignore the fact that Prince Harry’s tellall memoir book was already translated into 19 languages and sold more than 3.2 million copies worldwide after just one week of publication –probably the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever.

Prince Harry hired J. R. Moehringer to ghostwrite the story. The Tender Bar, an American comingof-age movie directed by George Clooney, was based on the novelist’s memoir about his adolescence in New York. Moehringer is also a known professional ghostwriter; he helped Andre Agassi and Phil Knight create their polished memoirs. Did they succeed or not? It is not to me to decide, but you, all the great variety of readers.

Harry’s memoir is not the story of the firstborn heir to the throne but instead the story of the ‘spare’. “For Meg, and Archie and Lili ... and, of course, my mother.” Let us start with his touching dedication. Yes, Meghan, Archie, Lilibet and Diana, wife, children and mother, they are his life and mean everything to him.

The Bookworm

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

WORDS Annie O’Dea

After her acclaimed success with her awardwinning Hamnet, previously reviewed by Tomorrow’s Bookworm (and about to make its debut on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon), comes

O’Farrell’s latest novel, The Marriage Portrait.

Maggie O’Farrell, born in 1972 in Northern Ireland, is a contemporary British author who features as one of Waterstone’s top 25 authors of the future. Themes of sisterly relationships and loss, including the psychological outcomes of that loss, feature in her fiction. Her nonfiction work, I Am, I Am, I Am, is a memoir about her 17 brushes with death, which was also featured in Tomorrow

Based on the true story which inspired Browning’s dramatic monologue My Last Duchess, The Marriage Portrait tells the powerful story of 16-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de Medici. Her suspicious and untimely death was believed to be at the hands of her husband. As the lines

from Browning’s monologue suggest, “ I gave commands/ Then all smiles stopped.”

O’Farrell brings the evocative world of Renaissance Italy to life in this fictional portrait of the young duchess, Lucrezia, as she finds her way through a troubled court. Although marriage was her destiny, death was her fate.

Forced into dynastic marriage in order to unite two powerful families – The House of Tuscany and The House of Ferrara – Lucrezia finds herself subject to the dominance of her husband Alonso, as she is compelled to bear an heir in order to secure the dynasty.

The opening chapter is written in the present tense which gives a sense of immediacy. In the winter of 1561, Lucrezia, now the young Duchess of Ferrara, finds herself on an unexpected visit to her husband’s country villa. His sinister intentions become clear to her as she suspects he will now

The major themes of the memoir, and its highest points, are: Princess Diana, the Queen, his life as a British prince in the 20th and 21st centuries, including the endless harassment suffered from the journalists and paparazzi, his time serving in the military and the missions in Afghanistan, his mental health struggle with anxiety and depression after his mother’s death , then the philanthropic assignments and his marriage.

As far as I’m concerned, there are no good or bad books. Some resonate more with certain minds, while others resonate with others. Therefore, I am not entitled to tell anyone what they should and shouldn’t read. What I do is invite you to ponder whether this or another book resonates more with your mind. It’s as simple as that.

A website was specially launched to support the book: princeharrymemoir.com with a hashtag: #PrinceHarryMemoir. How very modern.

If, after this wordy consideration and after watching Harry and Meghan’s recent Netflix documentary, you still want to discover Prince Harry’s SPARE, you can find the book on Amazon. es from 17.99€ (Kindle Edition) up to 32.47€ (paperback), or at Bertrand Livreiros with 32.45€ (paperback).

kill her. Helpless and powerless, she finds herself in mortal danger.

O’Farrell’s gripping tale vividly portrays the beauty juxtaposed against the brutality of Renaissance Italy.

As cited by the Observer, “An extraordinary writer with a profound understanding of the most elemental human bonds.”

Hamnet review: bit.ly/411sCwt

Office: +351 282 072 416

Whatsapp: +351 934 130 015

Email: info@rhsolicitor.com

Office address: Rua Dr. José Reis Júnior, Lote 5, Loja B, 8600-324 Lagos, Portugal

Palming Off Sculpture

Shelley Foley – Painter and palm pod sculptor

them to dry out and sand them again,” Shelley explains. “They can be difficult to work with because as you paint them the fibres will come out.”

The unique shape of each pod ultimately determines its artistic fate, e.g. the more upright pods work better as floor decorations, while the curvier ones make superb table pieces. They can be very “tippy” as Shelley puts it, so to provide stability she frequently repurposes items she’s found at boot sales or at the bins, e.g. an ornate circular mirror frame, an old wine stand or a small stool.

At some point, Shelley invariably reaches for her impressive range of power tools, like the multi-purpose Dremel, which she uses to carve shallow insets in the pods to add her handmade pewter art.

The trimming of palms in the Algarve rarely piques anyone’s interest. Yet, as she watched a gardener removing huge palm pods from a neighbour’s tree, artist and sculptor Shelley Foley recognised the opportunity to work with an extraordinary natural material. “I thought the pods looked interesting so I asked the gardener if I could have them,” she recalls. Nowadays, she doesn’t even have to ask because he just throws them over the fence. “He asks me if I want the leaves as well.”

Shelley’s instincts were spot on; she has since produced numerous palm pod creations ranging from oversized tableware, wall hangings, lamps and just plain old floor decorations.

Not that there’s anything plain about Shelley’s art. The words that spring to mind are vibrant, flamboyant and dramatic.

She adores colour, something she believes stems from her early life in Saskatchewan, Canada, where it was grey and snowy for much of the year and residents painted their houses bright colours as an antidote to the monochrome landscape. “I was discouraged by a D in art and my mum

went in to see the teacher and show her the paintings I’d done at home. She was surprised. In school, they wanted us to paint the trees green and the sky blue and I was never into that. I’ve always been more unrestrained.”

Shelley’s bold use of colour – neon oranges and purples, iridescent greens and pinks – was further inspired by her travels throughout the Caribbean, Thailand and Malaysia with her husband, Ken.

“I’ve always been interested in different cultures and loved to travel and I think it’s reflected in my art.”

Shelley’s home-based studio near Albufeira – a converted garage – is her “happy place”. It is in this lightfilled room, with rescue dogs Woody and Bella by her side, where she transforms the surprisingly lightweight pods into stunning works of art. They vary wildly in curvature, length (one is 1.7 metres) and thickness and require dedicated preparation before the paint is applied.

“I power wash them, clean them with a wire brush, sand them and apply an anti-mould treatment. Then I leave

Like the pod sculptures, her distinctive ‘Skinny People’ paintings with their elongated and faceless forms came about quite by chance. “We were going on vacation and I had a whole bunch of paint I didn’t want to dry out, so I just painted the colours on a canvas,” she explains. “When we came back, I was looking at it and I thought ‘I see people’.”

Trusting her artistic intuition rather than planning at the outset of any new art project is an approach Shelley frequently uses. “I typically start with the background and then I stare at it for a while and see what I see in it.”

As a former interior designer for whom painting provided a creative outlet when she moved to the Algarve five years ago, Shelley continues to take courses in art and design techniques.

“Art is my passion,” she says. “I don’t have one style. I keep changing my styles because I get bored.”

 www.sfoleyart.com Instagram: shelleyfoleyart

WORDS Tracy Burton

Skinny people photo © Bob Tidy

World Book Day

World Book Day falls on Thursday, 2 March in the UK and is one of the highlights of the National Literacy Trust’s year.

The trust annually celebrates authors, books and the joy of reading. Confusingly, the UK date differs from the date of the international event. It was changed for the UK in 1998 because it clashed with St. George’s Day as well as the Easter school holidays. The theme this year is ‘You are a reader’ and its focus is children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This day of fun promotes all varieties of the written word, including sharing stories and the joy of reading. Children are also encouraged to dress up as characters from literature.

In keeping with this theme, Vale Verde International School (VVIS) in Burgau is encouraging all primary pupils to read at every opportunity. Volunteers from the secondary school, willing and able literature students from KS4/5, are giving up some breaks, lunchtimes and their time before and after school to mentor the younger ones by listening and helping them read.

This year is an important literary milestone as it marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s first folio. Celebrations to mark this event will take place in Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-Upon-Avon and at VVIS. Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be the school’s International World Book Day theme. On Friday 21 April, the play’s characters will come alive through the performing arts and a literary afternoon which promises to highlight literature from all genres. With fun, costumes, competitions, LAMDAstyle performances and certificates, this aims to be a positive promotion of literature throughout the day.

annieodea@ymail.com

www.boothwood.leics.sch.uk/post/world-book-day-2023-and-reading-competition

Second Chance

Last month, Dan Costinas interviewed Lorraine DeSousa. This month, the Algarve author has kindly allowed us to print one of her poems. Her debut novel Delusions is available on Amazon.es or at Bertrand Livreiros.

A voice whispered to me, “This is you, wake up.” As through some trap door in my mind I fell, I sat in a place between what is and what’s not, In nowhere and everywhere under a spell. I stand and turn my shadow after the sun, The only way to see is with your fingertips, I try to find the square root of minus me, Failing, I press my thumbs to the voice’s lips. My throat closes up like a tulip at night, Close to blindness I view the white wall, Cigarettes, vodka, flickering sad images, A perfect swan dive into my downfall. I sit across from myself, face to face, To confront the truth inside of me

We rock ourselves in this damaged boat, A shipwreck seems tender in this angry sea. Mother always hidden behind my eyebrows, Tries to shout over the fury of the waves, The wind gathers pace and hushes her cries, Pushing her back to the sleeping one’s graves. A human tongue cannot say what we agreed, But floating on the water’s glittering dance, I look towards chasing the living present. Giving myself and love a second chance.

Meet the Author Event

Local British-born Algarve resident and Tomorrow contributor Alyson Sheldrake is the first author to be invited to share her work at the newly opened Vista Verde Lounge and Bar at Golfland, Alvor.

If you wish to enjoy the irresistible afternoon tea and meet Alyson, she will have signed copies of her books for sale. Her new bestseller Kat the Dog, the remarkable tale of a rescued Spanish water dog and copies of all three books in her travel memoir Algarve Dream series will be available. Alyson will be reading excerpts from her books, answering questions and chatting about her creative life here in the Algarve.

Saturday 4 March from 3 pm to 5 pm.

Venue: Golfland Alvor, R. Serpa Pinto 1, 8500-082 Alvor

www.vistaverdeloungeandbar.com

www.alysonsheldrake.com

WORDS Annie O’Dea

Lillie Y10, Pearl Y5 and Quinn Y2

Lit IGCSE students at VVIS

Year 7 English Lesson at VVIS

Annie with VVIS students on World Book Day

Candles for

Ukraine

Scan

youtu.be/deJ1rwWUXzg

a candle made by foreigners who care is often more important than how the candle is actually being used.

When the Russians began bombing Ukraine’s power grid, approximately 40 per cent or more of the entire country was without electricity and, in some cases, water. Although the Ukrainian government has worked to improve the situation, the war is still active and the country’s electric and water services are still being targeted by Russian artillery and bombers. As a result, there is an ongoing need to continually replace vital services throughout the country so the Ukrainian people can stay warm, cook their food, and have a source of ongoing light when the national power grid system is down.

The Candles for Ukraine project actually began in Ukraine in 2014, during the war with Russia over the region of Crimea. The Ukrainian military first started making candles for use in the field out of recyclable materials such as tin cans, cardboard and the wax from candle stubs to dry their socks, warm their hands, heat a cup of water for tea, cook some food and provide a bit of light.

When the Russians invaded Ukraine in late February 2022, the military began making candles again. The civilian population adopted the military’s candle design to make their own candles for similar uses when they had no

The candles made from recyclable materials burn for approximately four or five hours which is long enough to provide light for a room, heat a cup of tea, prepare food, or warm someone’s hands. When a larger candle is added to a clay pot, it provides even more heat for a room. The candles can withstand relatively strong winds without blowing out and give off little if any, harmful carbon emissions.

Organised groups in Ukraine, such as the Scouts – a worldwide organisation – are very active in making candles and distributing the candles throughout Ukraine.

How have the Portuguese and expat communities in Portugal helped?

The Scouts in Monchique are actively involved in making candles for Ukraine, as is the entire school district in Lagos. Children are painting the outsides of the candle containers with designs and loving messages of hope and inspiration for the Ukrainian civilians and military that will receive them.

Roman Grymaluk, a Ukrainian volunteer who is organising the Candles for Ukraine project, said he was nearly moved to tears when a five-yearold Portuguese boy in Monchique handed him a candle he’d made, saying, “This candle is for those brave people who are fighting for their freedom.” Grymalyuk mentioned that the “mental warmth” and emotional gift that Ukrainians receive from

The Câmara of Lagos has posted on their social sites asking for the community’s involvement, and Bombeiros of Lagos and Monchique have offered to be drop-off locations for the candles. The goal of the project organisers for the remainder of this year, is to have school districts, Scout troops and Bombeiros throughout Portugal participate in the Candles for Ukraine project.

Finally, TAP Air Portugal in Lisbon is flying palettes of candles made in Portugal nearly free of charge as carga voluntária to Poland for delivery to the military on the front lines and to people throughout Ukraine.

oranta.pt oranta.pt@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/OrantaPortugal

How can you help?

The Portuguese non-profit organisation ORANTA, based in the Algarve, is sponsoring the Candles for Ukraine project. ORANTA is asking for municipalities, schools, social and community groups, families and individuals in Portugal to help by:

Spreading the word on websites and social groups. Several expat groups, including Americans and Friends in Portugal with over 20,000 members, Expats in the Algarve, and others, are currently sharing posts about the Candles for Ukraine and Ambulances for Ukraine projects

Making the candles (see QR link)

Donating old candles or paraffin, cardboard, tin cans and other recyclable materials that schools and community groups can use to make the candles

Acting as a drop-off location for the candles

Scouts of Olhão with ORANTA instructor Oleksandra Grab Tynkalyuk showing how to make the candles

Volunteering to help ORANTA organise this and other projects, including the Ambulances for Ukraine project and the Ukraine festival to be held in Lagos this summer

WORDS Jane Thompson-Renzi

CHARITY 48 Tomorrow magazine - community magazine for the Algarve | www.tomorrowalgarve.com

A Rotary Triumph

When I meet Lagos Rotary members at their meeting house in Lagos, they are quite rightly jubilant. Their astonishing fundraising efforts had just resulted in a vital laparoscopy tower being presented to Portimão Hospital on Friday 27 January.

The donation was the result of the efforts of every single Rotary club in the Algarve, including the 18 members from the Lagos rotary who presented and lead the project. More than a year of fundraising resulted in the 100,000€ needed to purchase the equipment.

The triumphant conclusion of their mission came in a ceremony at the hospital, which was attended by Portimão mayor Isilda Gomes, who said at the event, “This will be an improvement that we cannot even quantify.” The all-in-one unit will allow surgeons to carry out “countless less invasive procedures guided by a video camera”, making the procedures much easier and allowing for a much quicker recovery time for patients.

I met with Lagos Rotary member Marie-Douce Marmouset who was a member of the Rotary in Paris for 15 years before joining the Rotary in

Portugal seven years ago. I asked her how they had achieved such an enormous sum of money. She explains that they hosted a Boogie Woogie solidarity concert in Portimão last year with an acclaimed band who came from France donating their time generously for free. They also held a Christmas philharmonic concert in Portimão. Marie-Douce's husband also topped up the fund by running 175 km with a GoFundMe link.

There are 13 rotary groups in the Algarve with 205 members. The Lagos branch has a meeting room at the residential care home next to the centro do saude as they played such a large part in setting up the home for people with disabilities.

Walter Gerdau is German/Brazilian and was a member of the rotary in Brazil and Mexico before joining the Lagos branch four years ago. I asked him what the appeal is and he confessed that, as a boy, he was a scout. “The rotary is like adult scouts!” he tells me.

The president of each branch changes yearly; this year’s president is Martiniano Fernandes dos Reis. He believes that when you receive something from society, you want to give back.

“I like to help people. I feel we can use our leadership to help the community.”

Lagos Rotary meets every Tuesday at 9 pm. Anyone interested is welcome and there is a distinctive international flavour as Portuguese and French members try to translate for Englishonly-speaking members. The branch also hosts social meetings and dinners as well as raising money for charities. If you are a Rotary member in another country, you can come along as a guest. At this month's working meetings, they will prepare the Rotary Dinner for the recognition of the Professional of the Year, which will take place on 4 March.

In the Algarve, there are Rotary clubs in Praia da Rocha, Portimão, Lagoa International, Silves, Porches, Albufeira, Estoi Palace International, Almancil International, Faro (Loulé) Olhão and Tavira.

gerdau_walter@yahoo.com (Walter Gardau) www.facebook.com/rotaryclubdefaro

FB: Rotary Club de Lagos

Update on Alice

Alice is a five-year-old girl battling Rett’s Syndrome. Tomorrow’s Glitter Ball and a generous donation from José Afonso, who runs the BP garages in Lagos, meant TACT gave 5,500€ for Alice to have the vital treatments she needs to improve her quality of life.

As a result, Alice is now having private physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy three times a week in a specialised centre for neuropathologies in Lagos. Her mother Salomé Santos tells us that her progress is astonishing and, thanks to the money raised, she can continue these therapies, which are of so much benefit to her.

Alice has also adapted well to a new school, where she also has therapy. Salomé Santos told me, “The overall impact has been great for her, and she is responding amazingly to the stimulus. She will soon be seen by a cardiologist, a neurologist and a gastro to keep track of any impact Rett’s might be having on her organs.”

Boavista Golf & Spa also stepped in to provide access to their indoor swimming pool facilities for Alice to use for swimming lessons and aqua therapy.

When I chatted to Salomé at the ball, she was feeling incredibly helpless as the hope

of a cure or a treatment to keep sufferers’ decline at bay was non-existent. This year, news in the scientific field is more promising.

The first-ever medicine for Rett’s is being approved for sale in the US. It will still probably be a while before we see it available in Europe and the drug could be prohibitively expensive, but it is still a source of hope for the anxious mother. Although it is not a cure, it’s meant to dramatically improve the quality of life of Rett’s sufferers, who are mainly female. Genetic therapy trials are also set to start this year in the US.

Salome says, “This is super exciting news all around, bringing even more power to Alice’s fight to keep strong and healthy!”

Find out more about Alice and the Tomorrow Algarve Charity Trust tomorrowalgarve.com/about-tact

www.instagram.com/fundprettyalice

WORDS Sophie Sadler

SPORTS ROUND UP

Motorcycling

The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve will host the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship on 24–26 March. The Portimão circuit will see the season start in Europe for the first time since 2006. It will also be the first time that Portugal will host the opening race of the calendar. Current world champion Francesco Bagnaia will be looking to improve on his 8th-place finish in 2022, whilst Portuguese star Miguel Oliveira is hoping for better things after moving from KTM to Aprilia after the conclusion of last season.

The 49th edition of the Volta ao Algarve lived up to all expectations and delivered another roller-coaster race of excitement and tension. At the end of five gruelling stages, Colombian Dani Martinez (INEOS Grenadiers) took the overall honours after a final barnstorming day time-trial, but the lead of the race fluctuated as much as the Algarve hills.

It all began on stage one with a blustery, cool day in Portimão. One hundred and seventy-three of the world’s finest cyclists undertook a 200km endurance test through the Serra de Monchique mountains. Initially, the peloton was blown apart by a combination of brutal headwinds and a relentless pace set by the INEOS Grenadiers team, but the stage came down to a bunch sprint on the Avenida dos Descobrimentos in Lagos, where Norwegian speedster Alexander Kristoff edged out the chasing pack.

Stage two saw the fine Algarve weather return, but with a tough finish at Foia (the highest point of the Algarve), the riders were certainly in no mood to enjoy the scenery. At the top of the final 7.7km climb to Foia, Marcus Cort Nielsen lunged his front wheel past a despairing Ilan van Wilder, who had prematurely raised his hands in celebration.

After the dizzy heights of Foia, day three brought the riders back down to earth with a much flatter stage that suited the sprinters. Not content with

his mountain stage win, Marcus Cort Nielsen was on hand to give the main sprinters a lesson as he timed his run to the line perfectly. The Dane finished ahead of Portuguese favourite Rui Costa and rising British star Tom Pidcock.

The penultimate day at this year’s event was considered to be the toughest on this year’s Volta and certainly didn’t disappoint in terms of an exciting finish. Olympic gold medallist Tom Pidcock powered passed young Portuguese star João Almeida on the final reaches with a brilliant ride that also propelled him into the overall lead.

With the final day’s time trial upon us, all the talk was on whether Italian national champion Filippo Ganna would reel in Pidcock’s 30-second advantage. As it transpired, he surpassed him by over a minute, but it was another of his INEOS colleagues, Dani Martinez, who took the race by surprise to win the general classification by two seconds. The Swiss rider Stefan Küng won the 24 km stage in 29:34, but the day belonged to twenty-six-year-old Martinez, who surprised everyone, including himself.

After five thrilling stages and 795km of racing, the Volta ao Algarve has truly come up trumps once again. It is not difficult to see why the race is favoured by so many top teams, as it acts as a perfect springboard for the season.

Cycling

Faro cyclist João Rodrigues is among twenty-six people charged with trafficking performance-enhancing substances. The former W52/FC Porto rider was banned for seven years in October as part of a major doping investigation. The findings throw a shadow over what was a blossoming career, Rodrigues having already won the Tour of Algarve and Tour of Portugal. With ten of its riders indicted, the W52/FC Porto team has also had its licence suspended.

Algarvian pro-cyclist Amaro Antunes has announced his retirement with immediate effect. The thirty-two-yearold from Vila Nova de Cacela was a three-time Tour of Portugal winner and raced the prestigious Giro d’Italia. In his “goodbye letter”, he stated that he can look back on his career with “a lot of passion and pride”.

Trampoline

A young athlete from the Gymnastic Club of Loulé has been honoured for his dedication to trampolining. Nineteen-yearold André Afonso Dias recently represented Portugal at the World Championships in Bulgaria, where he finished 2nd in the team event and 7th individually. Attending a ceremony at the São Brás de Alportel City Hall, Dias was described as a “source of pride” and an example of the “determination and courage” required to be at the top of his game.

WORDS David Lugg

Photo courtesy of Autódromo Internacional do Algarve

Photo courtesy of Volta ao Algarve

Photo courtesy of Município de São Brás de Alportel

Volta ao Algarve

For more information: +351 282 358 236 geral@tenniscarvoeiro.com www.tenniscarvoeiro.com

□ 10 Tennis courts (5 floodlit)

□ 4 Padel courts (4 floodlit)

□ Studio classes (14 per week, including LBT, Yoga, Pilates, Dance and Bootcamp)

□ Coffee shop and snack bar

□ 500 sqm fully equipped Gym

□ “The Bungalow” wellness centre offering Thai massage, manicure, pedicure, facials, microblading and more.

□ Large Swimming pool with lounge area.

Algarve Sports Personality of the Year

Gonçalo Ramos has been voted the Sports Personality of the Algarve for 2022 by Fair Play da RUA FM. It has been an exceptional year for the 21-year-old footballer from Olhão. Having scored fifteen times for his club Benfica, he went on to make his international debut for Portugal. At this year’s World Cup, Ramos upstaged the great Cristiano Ronaldo by becoming the second youngest player to score a hat trick in the knockout stages. The young Algarvian follows in the footsteps of his father, who played for Farense.

Beach football

The Portuguese national beach soccer team has kicked off its season with two friendly matches at the Passeio das Dunas in Quarteira. In a double-header against Moldova, Portugal were victorious 5-2 and 8-2, respectively. Attention now turns to potentially tougher matches against Spain and France.

Handball

Portugal failed to advance from the group stages of the men’s Handball World Cup following a 32-30 defeat to co-hosts Sweden. Needing at least a draw to reach the quarterfinals, Portugal led at halftime but were ultimately beaten by a Swedish side that went on to reach the semi-finals. Denmark lived up to their favourites tag by beating France 34-29 in the final.

Basketball

The youth teams of Portimonense basketball club have enjoyed a fabulous month. The under-16 boys, under-14 boys and under-14 girls teams have all become regional champions and will progress onto the national championships. Huge credit must go to the young athletes but also to the excellent coaching set-up. The Portimão club is extremely active in promoting basketball to the city and is always welcoming new players and supporters.

Surfing

Athletics

A schoolboy from the Nobel International School in Lagoa has won the 1500-metre title in the under-14 age group at the prestigious ECO RUN in Setúbal. Klaas Edward Aling, who runs for the ADAA Lacobrigense athletics club, was picked to represent the Algarve and took overall victory in his age group. Klaas, who has been trained by coach Pedro Braz Correia since he was five-years-old, followed up his victory by winning again at the Lagos City Circuit un.

The World Surf League will return to Portugal from 8–16 March in Peniche. Home to some of the world’s largest waves, the Portuguese event will be the only European leg of this year’s championship. Alex Botelho, who hails from Lagos, is part of the Men’s Big Wave Tour, whilst Yolanda Hopkins from Faro has her focus on the Women’s Qualifying Series. Hopkins recently rose to fame by finishing in 5th place at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games.

If you wish to publicise a sporting event, please contact our sports editor David Lugg: david@tomorrowalgarve.com

Photo courtesy of Fair Play - RUA FM

Photo courtesy of Federação Portuguesa de Futebol

Alex Botelho © emeraldmediacreative

Musings of a MOUNTAIN BIKER

WORDS Gilly Grateley

Hi, Gilly here. Inspired by a National Geographic TV series that I recently binged on, this month, I have been looking into the broader health benefits of mountain biking.

The series Limitless follows Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, aka Thor, exploring different ways to live a better and longer life. Each of the six episodes focus on a different topic, such as stress, shock and memory and blends a challenge with the science and benefits of making relevant lifestyle changes. This is all supported and supervised by a team of experts, including Ross Edgley (British extreme athlete, world record holder, sports scientist, author and researcher) and Dr Peter Attia (Canadian medical practitioner, longevity coach, athlete and podcaster).

Whilst I enjoyed the whole series, it was episode 4, "Strength", which really resonated with me. When you hear ‘Thor’ and ‘strength’ in the same sentence, you can be forgiven for thinking the programme is going to be about building muscle mass, which they touched on, but it is the links

they made between muscle, endurance sport and longevity that I found really interesting.

In this context, endurance doesn’t refer to the discipline of mountain biking known as ‘enduro,’ it is the generic term for a prolonged physical/ aerobic activity; we are probably looking at a minimum of two rides a week of at least two hours, including climbs.

Now for the science bit in a non-scientific fashion – almost every cell in our body contains thousands of mitochondria. The main function of mitochondria is to combine carbohydrate molecules from our food and oxygen that we breathe to produce energy. The parts of the body that have the highest energy demands are the brain, muscles, liver, heart and kidney, which don’t work properly without this energy.

When we exercise, the rate of energy used by our muscles increases and our mitochondria respond to meet this energy demand. They reproduce by growing larger and dividing and are often referred to as the muscles’ power supply. Alongside providing energy, the mitochondria in our muscles activate immune cells, hence the link between an endurance sport and longevity. The longer you work your muscles the more active your mitochondria are (slowing down the ageing process) and the more active your immune cells are (defending against infection).

This was demonstrated in this episode, which featured retired British medical scientist Professor Norman Lazarus who commissioned a study at King’s College London looking at the link between cycling and improved immunity. An octogenarian now, he started cycling in his fifties and noticed over time that along with feeling great, he never seemed to suffer illness, and this was common amongst his cycling friends.

When I said, this resonated with me, it was because a few years ago my immune system was at its lowest following chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As part of my recovery and encouraged by a friend, I got my bike out and I haven’t looked back. I personally have experienced the ‘feel-good-factor’, weight loss and improved fitness – and I haven’t had a cold in ages!

From the reading around that I have done, it seems that riding regularly can help our bodies to be ‘biologically younger’ in a number of ways:

• Improving cardiovascular functioning, which lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity

• Raising the rate of respiration, which improves lung capacity

• Boosting blood fow and oxygen to the brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, improving certain functions such as planning, observation and creativity

• Releasing and regulating hormones, including endorphins and adrenaline, which helps with relaxation, stress reduction and improved motivation

• Raising the body’s metabolic rate, which burns calories and fat, helping weight management

• Helping with gut health by stimulating the contraction of intestinal muscles, decreasing the time it takes food to move through the large intestine

• Winner, winner, chicken dinner (no pun intended)!

If you are not already hooked, I hope this inspires you to dust off your bike, hit the trails and have fun. Remember, if you have stories to share, please get in touch.

 bikinginthealgarve@gmail.com

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Don’t Slip Up

How to prevent falls as we age

WORDS Arlindo Martins

Mr Muscle

The Importance of Muscle for our Health

WORDS Ann de Jongh

When we think about muscle, we tend to think about gyms, sports people, six-packs and biceps. We generally associate muscle with movement. We do not tend to think about muscle and our overall health.

While simple falls, such as slipping while walking off a curb, may seem relatively harmless, they can actually lead to severe injury and even death in elderly individuals. In my experience, people nowadays are falling at much younger ages, such as in their sixties and seventies.

Why do falls happen more often as we age?

The causes are varied but can include disease, e.g. dementia, Parkinson’s, vision problems, arthritis and medication that affects our balance. However, the primary cause of falls is a daily lack of the right kind of physical activity. Why? Because inactivity leads to the following:

• A lack of balance

• Being overweight

• Not having the ability to react swiftly

So how can we decrease the chance of falling? Here are a few recommendations:

• Speak with your doctor about any medication you are taking if you have balance issues

• Walk between six to eight kilometres every day

• Practise being aware of any surroundings and obstacles that you have when you walk, e.g. don’t be looking at your phone

• Don’t walk only on flat ground; find places to walk that carefully challenge your body, such as stepping up and over low walls, rocks and tree roots

• Enrol in a physical activity that not only makes your body strong but also helps your body to develop agility, speed reaction, vision and dynamic balance

• Enrol in a preventing falls course for seniors

• If you don’t have the motivation, discipline or skills to start a physical activity by yourself, find a coach to help you

Finding the right daily physical activity for you is one of the most important direct and indirect actions we can take to avoid falls and subsequently live healthier and happier and longer lives. To learn more, please watch this video “Why do we fall? How can we prevent them? And how can we avoid injury if we do fall?” on my Youtube account (Arlindo’s Way).

Arlindo’s Way provides Elite Healthy Ageing Movement Services with a studio in Portimão. We have dedicated clients who drive to us from Luz, Lagos, Albufeira and Silves!

Our motto is: We can’t avoid getting older, but we don’t need to get old!

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WhatsApp: +61 405 807 252

+351 916 127 549

The main function of muscle goes way beyond movement. It is the foundation of metabolism and our suit of armour. If our muscles are healthy, we live better. It is often said that muscle holds the key to longevity.

As we age, we lose muscle mass (this starts in our 30s). Gradually, we get weaker, experience decreased mobility and have an increased risk of falls. This loss of muscle mass is also associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Skeletal muscle helps to regulate blood sugar. The stronger and healthier the muscle is the more carbohydrate and fat your body burns, and you are more likely to have lower blood pressure and better cholesterol as well.

It is never too late to start to improve our muscles, and the older we get, the more important it is for our overall health that we look after them and help to reverse the decline. This does not mean lifting heavy weights. It is about starting somewhere and building up your strength. Doing basic bodyweight movements such as squats and press-ups (these can be done against the wall) all help to maintain muscle mass. The other important thing is to eat enough protein. Proteins such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts and pulses are vital to help maintain muscle. For vegans, it is super important to ensure you are getting the right amount of protein.

Muscle is key to helping us to keep moving as we get older: to keep us healthy, help to protect us against falls and reduce the risk of diseases. Maintaining good muscle strength is not just for “sports” people – we should all look after our muscles for our overall health.

Ann de Jongh is a health & Wellbeing Coach

The Dangers of Day Three!

WORDS Adam Rich

Skiing gets safer with every season. The accident statistics prove it: fewer and fewer winter sports enthusiasts are getting injured every year. This is the result of greater protection through equipment and better preparation, as well as more considerate skiers. Nevertheless, as with any sport, there is of course, a certain risk of injury when skiing.

Despite common assumptions that a ski injury is most likely to occur on the first day of your ski holiday, it’s actually day three when injuries are more common. After three days of skiing using unaccustomed muscles, skiers become confident but are physically tired, and their capability isn’t necessarily matched to their confidence.

Prevention is still better than cure. These tips can help you avoid injuries because just one joint or muscle out of line can be a disaster when you are travelling at 40 miles per hour on two skis.

PRE-SKI

• Move on up: exercising through squats, cross trainers and cycling is good for preparing the right muscles.

• Weeble wobble: balance is the single most important factor in skiing. Use a wobble board to improve balance and build up ankle muscles. For a thorough ankle workout, rocking heel to toe is good for snowboarders and left to right is best for skiers.

• Jump around: use a mini trampoline to work all those ‘skiing’ muscles.

OUT ON THE SLOPES

• Hot in here: warm up before strenuous skiing. Start off gently rather than heading first for the black runs and round the day off with a stretch.

• Time breaks, not bone breaks: overexertion will ruin your holiday – moderate the length of skiing time and listen to your body. Pain is a warning sign, don’t ignore it.

• Liquid lunch: drink plenty of water and isotonic

drinks to avoid dehydration and stay clear of alcohol, tea and coffee.

• That’s a wrap: make sure clothing is warm and adequate for the cold weather and don’t forget a hat and gloves.

• Carry on skiing: always be careful when carrying skis/boards. Leave them standing upright, so you don’t have to bend to pick them up. Carry them over your shoulder, swapping shoulders regularly.

• Ice, ice, baby: with an acute injury, use ice rather than heat.

Of course, if you need a pre-ski alignment or apres-ski fix, then come and see us at Lagos Chiropractic. As well as adjusting spines, we are also experts in aligning shoulders, wrists, ankles, fingers, toes and more!



+351 282 768 044

www.lagoschiropractic.com

Soul Food

Nurturing mind, body and soul

EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique

EFT is a simple and effective way to tap into emotions and energy. It is so quick and effective that it can be practised anywhere, anytime. Have you seen The Wolf of Wall Street? If so, do you remember the scene with Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo Di Caprio in a restaurant where they use EFT? This scene was added purely because it’s a technique Matthew uses before he begins to film or before a big moment in his life. He beats his chest (collarbone area) for confidence, tapping into the energy he needs. Leo was intrigued and it was added to the movie.

How can you tap into this power and freedom?

Tap the points below to connect into different energy –repeat a minimum of seven times each and, as you tap, repeat your positive affirmation. This is the energy you are inviting in at that moment.

Begin with karate chop as the first stage of the EFT method. The point is located on either hand on the outside fleshy part of the hand that one would use to karate chop something. Tapping on this point opens you up to healing on a deep level, subconsciously releasing the blockage

WORDS Chloe Ward

towards the end goal of release. Then choose the points below depending on what energy you are searching for.

• Top of head (crown – 1 point): intuition, spiritual connection, focus, wisdom, clarity and insight

• Eyebrows (the inner part of the eyebrow – 2 points): inner peace and emotional healing

• Side of eyes (2 points): clarity, compassion and understanding

• Under each eye (2 points): calmness, contentment, feeling safe, all is well

• Under nose (1 point ): self-empowerment, compassion, self-acceptance

• Chin (1 point): clarity, self-confidence, self-acceptance, certainty

• Collarbones (2 points): confidence, clarity, moving forward, relaxation

• Underarm (2 points below armpit): relaxation, clarity, confidence, energising

www.bodysoulbalance.co.uk

www.enchantedfieldsfestival.com

Saar@Home

Calling CleanTech Startups

It’s ten years since Jo Diprose left the UK to start a new life in the Algarve and two years since she became clinical lead at Saar@ Home. As a fully qualified nurse, she describes herself as “someone who loves nursing and is passionate about improving people’s health and well-being”.

When we’re in need of healthcare, many of us prefer to have it provided in the comfort of our own homes – there’s no need to travel and it’s often where we feel safest and most comfortable, surrounded by familiar items, memories, pets and people. As Jo explained, “We have nurses and carers dedicated to providing medical and non-medical home care services, including help with everyday living requirements.”

A typical day for Jo involves visiting a new client to carry out an initial assessment of their needs while getting to know them as people. Shortly after that initial visit, Jo and her colleagues will develop a care plan and identify the most appropriate nurse and/or carer to work with the client.

Saar@Home is a multilingual set-up, with Portuguese, French, English, German, Spanish and Dutch-speaking staff working throughout the Algarve and in Cascais. Their services include care for clients with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, post-operative support, palliative care, wound care and advice, and much more. Jo and her colleagues take a holistic approach to their work factoring in such things as nutrition and a person’s overall quality of life. Importantly, Saar@Home is a fully registered home care company, fully licensed by Portugal's Segurança Social.

Other aspects of Jo’s work include training her colleagues and, as with all staff at Sarr@ Home, investing in her own development. She

recently attended a high-profile conference in the UK focused on the latest developments in wound care, an area of medicine that Jo’s particularly passionate about.

Another key area of work for Jo and her colleagues is palliative care, supporting the person and their loved ones. She told me of a Dutch gentleman who was homebound and nearing his final days and wanting to celebrate his life with a bite to eat and a few drinks with his friends. Jo looks back – quite justifiably – with pride on how she and her colleagues helped make one of his final wishes come true. Supporting people at the end of their lives or, indeed, any healthcare work can prove demanding. It makes it all the more important to have interests and support away from the working environment. For Jo, that means spending time with her husband, her horses and her dogs, while enjoying her home in the beautiful countryside on the outskirts of Tavira.

I asked Jo what advice she has for our readers. “Please do get yourself checked out on a regular basis,” she said. “It’s really important.” One very practical way Jo and her colleagues are helping the local community is by carrying out free health checks for walking footballers – a very popular sport in the Algarve for men (like me) and ladies of a certain age. During the month of March, the walking footballers in the eastern Algarve will be offered blood pressure, pulse and blood glucose tests, and general health advice. It’s a great way of spreading the message about healthcare and, as Jo said, getting ourselves checked out on a regular basis can only be a good thing.

+351 961 310 877

www.saarathome.com

Yachting Ventures and Galaxia Boats have announced their partnership on an initiative to discover and support startups working on Cleantech solutions to protect the blue economy.

As part of the GALAXIA Interstella Conference (a part of the Galaxia Boat Show happening at Marina de Lagos from 12–14 May 2023), Yachting Ventures will be providing a space for four to five startups to showcase their CleanTech solutions to a panel of investors and industry leaders.

The pitching competition will be judged by national and international investors who are experts in the sector and are actively seeking investment opportunities in this space.

Founder of Yachting Ventures, Gabbi Richardson explains, "Portugal is emerging as an innovation hub for startups building sustainable products and services within the blue economy. We are seeing more investors and funds present in Portugal, and we look forward to bringing stakeholders together to spark ideas and collaborations during the GALAXIA Electric Boat Show. The decarbonisation of the global economy is upon us, and the electric market is booming. By partnering with GALAXIA, we hope to accelerate the adoption of Cleantech technologies by giving startups a platform to shine, pitch and ultimately find investment. We encourage local angel investors to get involved, come along and hear the startups’ pitch – it's going to be fun!"

The deadline for applications is 31 March.

The application link: bit.ly/3KhGYTH

Jo Diprose and her colleagues are on a mission to deliver excellent, compassionate, and personalised care in the comfort of your own home.

WORDS Vaughan Willmore

Filtered Pure H2O

A new business concept in the Algarve is seeking to find the solution to your drinking water needs.

If you are sick of going to the supermarket and lugging litres of plastic bottled water back to your home, then Filtered Pure H2O could have the answer. The company is looking to purify our drinking water in the Algarve with the latest technology from Germany.

Water filters have come a long way since we first started using sponges and charcoal to remove sediment and particles. The latest technology is activated coconut carbon and Filtered Pure H2O has been seeking a sustainable solution with the filter cartridge made from coconut husk. If you are not filtering your water, you become the filter.

Michael Leverington, from the company, tells me, “You no longer need to buy bottled water that is expensive, time-consuming and inconvenient. And don’t forget your drinking water is filled with microplastics.”

The company installs a water filter under your kitchen sink which is connected to the cold water tap and they also offer compact filters for your shower system that uses Shungite to soften and purify water. Installation is seamless and takes less than 20 minutes and the technology is suitable for all under-sink water outlets.

Spy to Window Cleaner

It is non-intrusive and does not need to be attached to the kitchen furniture, so therefore even if you’re renting a property, it can be installed and transferred to your new home if you move.

Once installed, your Filtered Pure H2O filter gives you the following benefits:

• Removal of toxins, bad taste, smells, chlorine and pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics, hormones, bacteria, germs and limescale

• Eco-friendly technology using activated coconut carbon of the highest quality

• Sustainable and easy to install under the kitchen sink, filtered water straight from your tap

• Full flavour from your teas (wonderful for tea lovers)

This all means you are guaranteed filtered pure water solutions for you and your family, safe in the knowledge that the water you are drinking has been purified effectively.

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+351 912 70 42 55 filteredpureh2o@gmail.com

One of the western Algarve’s most recognisable sights is about to disappear from our highways and byways. Geoff Hurst, window cleaner to the gentry, is retiring and handing over the blade to his son Joe. No longer will his silver 15-year-old Ford Fiesta, easily remembered with the ladders protruding over the bonnet, be waved at by all and sundry.

“Everyone knows my car,” says Geoff, adding, “Passing cars honk their horns, people wave all the time and most of the time, I don’t have a clue who they are!” This is quite an admission for a retired Metropolitan Police officer who spent a good many of his 27 years with London’s finest on their surveillance teams!

Geoff moved to Portugal 16 years ago with his wife Sharon, who worked in the Met’s admin department, and their children Courtney and Joe. To supplement Geoff’s pension, he would regularly return to London to work ten-day shifts as a cab driver. “Mainly to pay the kids’ school fees,” he freely admits.

Tired of travelling and also missing the family, he decided to buy a set of ladders, a bucket, some cloths and a wiper and set himself up as a window

cleaner. “It was an easy transition, really,” he laughs.“Going from spying on people for the police to climbing ladders and looking into their homes!”

Geoff posted lots of business cards through lots of doors and quickly gained a reputation as a reliable service. “I travelled all over the place in the early days. I even did one job in Albufeira.”

As his reputation and his round grew, he was able to concentrate his efforts closer to his Burgau home and he still has customers to this day that he recruited all those years ago.

Now the time has come to pass on the baton and after 12 months of working with his father, Joe is inheriting the family business. Joe has been working in technology since returning home from university in Bristol, where his studies in geography were mired in Covid problems at the start of the global pandemic. He is excited to be taking over his father’s well-established business.

Geoff concludes, “Joe knows the standards and what is expected and is ready to grow the business. Who knows – he may even expand into Albufeira!”

C a d a A g ê n c a é J u r d i c a e F i n a n c e i r a m e n t e n d e p e n d e n t e N u m o d i - M e d i a ç ã o m o b i l á r a , L d a A M : 7 0 0 2

That Asian Home Cook Tuna Bake

Feeding the family on a budget

The alarming increase in food prices has become a concern in my household. It’s forced me to shop for deals, redeem coupons and experiment with cooking on a budget. I have discovered this one fabulous recipe that allows you to make a dish for a family or party of four for under 10€! It utilises canned tuna, which is so accessible here and super budget-friendly. This recipe has a Japanese twist to it that you are going to love. It is healthy, it is easy and makes for a good party.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups jasmine rice

• 270 gm canned tuna in vegetable oil

• ⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise (or substitute with regular mayo)

• ¼ cup Sriracha sauce (or substitute with chilli sauce)

• 1 tsp Kikkoman soy sauce (or substitute with regular soy)

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp white or black sesame seeds

• ¼ spoon chilli flakes or chilli powder

• ¼ spoon black pepper

• ¼ cup chopped spring onions

• 3–4 pieces of Nori (Japanese seaweed)

INSTRUCTIONS

I stick my three cups of rice into my rice cooker (every Asian kitchen has one), and leave it to cook while I prep the tuna.

Discarding as much oil as possible from your can, place tuna into a big bowl, add your Kewpie mayonnaise, Sriracha sauce, Kikkoman soy, and sesame oil, as well as black pepper and chilli flakes, mixing thoroughly. You can always eliminate the chilli if you prefer nonspicy.

Stove Cooking Rice

If you do not have a rice cooker or rice pot, I strongly urge you to invest in one if Asian cooking is your thing. It is convenient and not as time-consuming as cooking rice over the stove. If you must stove-cook your rice, then you will need to carve out some time to keep an eye on it.

Heat your oven up to 200 degrees Celsius. Now the next step is super fun. Let’s begin by layering your cooked rice on the bottom of your tray. (I use a 20x25cm oven tray, but you can opt to use any ovenfriendly deep dish that you have at your disposal here.) Press the rice down firmly using a spatula so that it becomes compacted – almost like a rice cake.

Next, add some shredded nori or seaweed and sesame seeds, followed by the tuna mixture, which you will need to spread evenly and to the edges. On top of that, I squeeze some more Sriracha and Kewpie. This goes into the oven for around 15–20 minutes or until you notice the top layer of your tuna starting to brown and crispen slightly.

Remove from the oven, spread sesame seeds, shreds of nori, more Kewpie and Sriracha, as well as spring onions and you are ready to serve. You can either serve this as is, scooping out the portion of your choice into your bowl. In our house, we like to scoop it directly into a big piece of nori seaweed and pop it straight into our mouth. Both ways make for a delicious, umami-rich, nutritious meal that doesn’t break the bank and makes everyone happy.

Tuna Trivia

If you didn’t already know, canned tuna contains some serious nutrition in the form of vitamins, namely A, B-complex, and D, as well as iron! It is a healthy food option that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA and is also low in saturated fat. I also love the fact that it has a long shelf life and I always stock a couple of cans in my pantry for an emergency party. Yes, this is a great party recipe!

First, begin by washing your rice grains to remove any excess starch. You will notice as you rinse the rice that the water will be murky at the first wash and then start to clear up a little bit by the second or third rinse.

Place your rice into a pot roughly triple in size compared to the amount of your rice. In this recipe, you will require three cups of rice and six cups of water.

Place a lid tightly on the pot and bring it to the boil. Once you notice that the water in the pot is boiling, turn down the heat to a very low setting and let it bubble and simmer away slowly for the next 10–15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you can open your pot, inserting a knife down the centre of the pot. If your rice is sticky and wet to the touch, then leave your rice on low heat for another few minutes, allowing it to absorb all the water in the pot.

Check again to be sure using the knife method after a few minutes. Once you are happy with the consistency of the rice, switch it off and leave it to rest for at least another 15 minutes before you begin serving.

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

Open from 12:20 to 22:30

N +351 282 799 445 F I

Rua Silva Lopes 14 . 8600-623 Lagos

Cosy winter meals by the replace or sunny lunches in the covered terrace

Lunch menu with a wide choice of meals including fresh sh, grilled over wood

An à la carte menu for evening meals featuring fresh local ingredients.

Open Mon to Sat for lunch 12pm to 3pm and dinner 6pm to 10pm. Sun for lunch 12 to 3pm

Tel: 282 789 503 / 927 130 757

Estrada da Atalaia, Lagos

Tom's Tastebuds

We sent our media mogul Tom Henshaw, to Jacaranda's new season opening. Tom’s tastebuds were watering over the incredible menu owner Katie Bird and executive chef Hugo Ferreira have devised. Tom put his diet on hold once more to give his opinion on the offerings. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

I felt fortunate to be invited to a tasting and testing of the new menu creations from Katie and her very professional team at Jacaranda. Katie, who moved to Praia da Luz in December 2022, has an impressive résumé. She previously managed the Village Pub in Barnsley in the Cotswolds, where she welcomed Jamie Oliver, Stanley Tucci and Zara Phillips, amongst other celebs who would pop in.

Whilst her new restaurant in Praia da Luz is a stylish place to enjoy good food, it is also very relaxing as the team makes the whole process of good service seemingly effortless, which we all know makes for a succesful event.

If the selection offered on the opening night is anything to go by, everyone will be clamouring to get a booking. Asian duck with fresh country salad, combined perfectly with a spicy Asian dressing, gives a fresh-tasting dish which is sure to appeal in the warmer months. With many now following a vegan diet, the Moroccan sharing board with zaalouk, beetroot hummus, quinoa tabbouleh, grilled baby carrots, peppers and roasted bread will be a popular choice. A Thai monkfish and prawn curry with aromatic duck

Grappolo Enoteca

Lagos has many landmarks which indicate historical and cultural locations. One such place is an artistic mural on the Avenida known as the Skeleton mural. Beside this mural is a new enterprise offering another hub to discover, which will introduce you to the culture of wine.

The front window of Grappolo Enoteca has a large logo of a bunch of grapes dripping juice into a wine glass. Hence, the meaning of the word grappolo in Italian – a bunch of grapes. It is a fitting name for an international wine shop.

Italian wines command a predominant portion of the shop, paying homage to the owner, Brandon Poli’s grandmother, who was born in the Abruzzo province of Italy. His paternal grandfather’s family came from the Emilio-Romagna region. Brandon embraces his Italian heritage and has studied Italian wines in depth.

Studying wines has long been a passion for Brandon. He was working on the WSET (Wine & Spirits

Education Trust) Level 3 when the pandemic occurred. He has also been taking courses with the WSG (Wine Scholar Guild), specialising in Italian wines and Sherry production. He is currently studying the wines of Spain with WSG.

A corner of the shop contains shelves of Italian artisanal pasta, sauces, biscotti and coffees. The shelves are neat and organised by category and/or country. Everything needed to create an Italian dinner at home is available, including the wine! Going into this cosy shop, you see a comfortable grouping of armchairs around a glass table. There are books and magazines to peruse; all about wine, of course.

Sparkling wines include Prosecco, Cava, Lambrusco and even a nonalcoholic sparkling wine made with wine grapes. The international side of the shop allows one to travel the world, glass by glass. Naturally, Portuguese wines are evident as well as other European countries, Australia, Chile, the US and other areas that Brandon

rice offers a tasty fusion of Asian flavours. I also sampled the Steak Tartar, a hard dish to perfect, but it was just perfect.

The evening was a delicious success and Katie reflected, “I think people appreciate our new direction; it's a fusion of Asian, Portuguese and Italian and a bit different to anything else that is currently on offer in this area.”

Well done all round.

Booking essential 282 105 177 closed Wednesdays

www.facebook.com/Jacarandaluz/

has discovered. He is eager to share not only the wines but his knowledge about the wines with curious customers. There is space for private events, workshops and just relaxing. One of his first workshops was an introduction to Portuguese wines presented by Andressa Noitel, an engaging and enthusiastic Portuguese sommelier. Learning about a few of the many wine regions in Portugal and tasting the varied grapes was a unique experience. Brandon has ideas on presenting new events to the public and is open to suggestions.

So, if you are looking for hospitality and a changing selection of wines from around the world, make a trip to Grappolo Enoteca.

Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm The door is always open. Come on in!! Bem-vindo! Benvenuto! Bienvenue!

 R. Cidade de Torres Vedras 13, 8600 744 Lagos

WORDS Tom Henshaw

The Monarch Butterfly

Something rather wonderful is happening in our garden at the moment. Spring is in the air and new life is materialising before our very eyes.

After trying for years, we have discovered many different-sized monarch butterfly caterpillars in our wild area seeded with milkweed and silkweed specifically planted to encourage these marvellous butterflies to breed. Only once before have we had these caterpillars in our garden, but sadly, on that occasion, they were all eaten and none made it to adulthood. We have even found a chrysalis, which is very exciting.

Monarch butterflies are unmistakable, with a wing span of about ten centimetres. They are large butterflies with bright orange wings edged with a black border with white spots and a latticework of black veining. They are native to North America and are renowned for their annual migration travelling between two and four thousand kilometres from the high mountain forests of central Mexico to the north-eastern United States or south-east Canada.

Monarchs produce four to five generations in a year, but only the last migrates and consequently can live for up to eight months rather than the more usual four to six weeks. At some point, some monarchs must have been blown off course during the migration and are now found in the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira and southern Portugal and Spain.

They are very specific with their food requirements and feed on milkweeds and silkweeds on which the females lay their eggs. As both of these plants are poisonous, the caterpillars build up toxins from the plants, which makes them unappetising to potential predators. The caterpillars are easy to identify as they are plump with black, yellow and white stripes with two sets of antennae at either end of their bodies. They grow up to five centimetres long when mature. After two weeks, the

caterpillars form a beautiful green chrysalis with distinctive bands of yellow around the top and gold spots on the bottom. As the chrysalis matures, it is possible to see the orange and black colouring of the butterfly inside it. After about two weeks, the butterflies should emerge and so the cycle of life continues.

Sadly, monarchs are heading towards extinction mainly due to loss of habitat and herbicides which have killed off the milkweed on which the butterflies rely for food. According to one study in January 2021, only two thousand butterflies overwintered in California, which is a 99.9% reduction since the 1980s. I was lucky enough to be living in California in the mid-1990’s and actually saw the monarchs hibernating in the damp forests near Monterey. It was an unforgettable sight, with trees literally blanketed with thousands of butterflies.

In order to support the life cycle of this stunning butterfly, I urge you to plant milkweeds and silkweeds in a spare small piece of ground that you’re not using. They are easy to grow with low water requirements. They are somewhat promiscuous, though, so you might have to keep an eye on where they spread. Personally, I think a little judicious thinning out and weeding is well worth the reward of the beautiful monarch butterfly breeding in my garden.

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

WORDS AND CIRCLE PHOTOS Tamsin Varley

Photo © Daniel Klein

Top to bottom:

1. Male Monarch butterfly

2. Monarch butterfly on milkweed

3. Cropped caterpillar

4. Cropped chrysalis

Moroccan Adventure

in a Motorhome - part 1

WORDS Lena Strang

For us living in the Algarve, Morocco is practically on our doorstep – but still a world away. We’d been planning a trip for a long time, but last October, we finally took the plunge. With the Fiat Ducato motorhome duly serviced and the spare wheel checked – just in case – we were ready for the adventure.

Getting to Morocco was straightforward. It was a seven-hour drive to the ferry terminal in Algeciras, southern Spain. Based on recommendations online, we headed straight for Viajes Normandie Travel Agency in Algeciras. Recommendations were wholly merited. Carlos, the manager, provided us with tickets (two adults and a camper), an open return with FRS, and ample choices of times, at 330€. A complimentary bottle of wine and chocolate biscuits were also thrown in.

The following morning, we boarded the ferry. Strangely enough, ours was the only campervan apart from a group of Belgians in their 4X4s, obviously off on a desert safari adventure. After an hour’s journey, we docked at Tangier Med, a massive port now the largest in Africa. A range of controls followed. Passports. Tick. Van documents. Tick. At customs, sniffer dogs searched all the jeeps of the Belgians, and a tailwaving German Shepherd also entered our van. We escaped the third degree, and there was only a cursory glance inside. Our crate of wine bottles passed muster too. Tick.

There was a range of kiosks just by the exit of the port area and a shop selling SIM cards. The assistant, who spoke good English, entered the correct codes into the mobiles, including 15€ worth of data. Exiting the shop, we had fully functioning internet and access to Google maps, WhatsApp and Facebook. However, phone calls are still expensive to make. Word of advice, best to get a SIM at the shop and avoid touts who flash their cards on the roadside.

Now we were able to start our adventure in earnest. The sun was shining, and it was lovely to see the countryside unfolding. First stop, Tangier. As it’s such a big sprawling city, we decided to find a campsite, park the van, and plan our route in more detail. We wanted to see as much as possible during our three-week journey covering over 3800 km. We stayed mainly at campsites, and it was often a hit-and-miss affair. Many were well equipped and where possible, a hot shower was most welcome! I was particularly interested in vestiges of Portuguese involvement in Morocco over the centuries in the places we visited.

On the first leg of our journey, we followed the west coast road to Agadir. There were several gems on the way. Asilah, 31 km south of Tangier, was a pleasant little town. It’s small but has a strategic port that attracted interest from neighbouring countries over the centuries. The old medina we visited has ramparts from the 15th century, built by the Portuguese, although the town subsequently became Spanish territory. Hence you can still see tortillas and paella on the menu in most restaurants! It was lovely to stroll along the winding, narrow alleyways and see the colourful buildings and shops selling artwork, clothes and handicrafts.

Visiting the large bustling cities such as Rabat and Casablanca was less rewarding, and we had difficulty finding anywhere to stay for the night. In Rabat, we did wild camping at a secure railway station car park using the handy app, Park4Night. We had a surprisingly quiet night.

Essaouira, further down the coast, was a real breath of fresh air. Literally. Known as the ‘Windy City of Africa’, it attracts hordes of surfers between April and November.

Asilah

Boarding the ferry at Algeciras

Essaouira

But mercifully, we were spared. We spent a lovely, calm morning wandering around the medina, an excellent example of a mid-18th-century fortified town. It was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2001. It was a feast for the eyes. Windy roads, whitewashed houses with ornate wooden doors, leafy plazas, and many shops selling artwork and handicrafts. Yes, it was touristy but rather appealing.

A visit to the bustling fish market by the ramparts was a must. All freshly caught and displayed in their full glory. There was a cacophony of seagulls, no doubt hoping for a quick lunch, and opportunist cats were ever-present.

The drive to Agadir along the coast with soaring cliff views was spectacular, and we stopped several times to take in the panorama. Then, 68 km from Agadir, we drove through a village on the estuary Oued Tamri and were struck by the vast green foliage below in the otherwise arid landscape. There were palm trees, argan trees and a vast expanse of banana trees. In the town itself, there were rows of stalls selling fruit. I wish now we had stopped and stocked up on what would have been fresh and delicious produce.

Agadir is now a centre for package tour holidays with its sprawling beaches and hotel complexes. Its history, however, remains fascinating. It was founded in the 15th century by Portuguese merchants wanting to develop trade links with the Saharan caravans. Its fortunes fluctuated over the centuries, especially as sea traffic was diverted to Essaouira in the 1760s. The 1960 earthquake had a devastating effect on the city. Since its reconstruction, its flourishing port now harbours a large fishing fleet, helping Morocco become the world’s largest exporter of tinned sardines, surpassing Portugal of old.

Again, we didn’t tarry long in Agadir. It doesn’t offer much interest for campers and independent travellers, but the drive there was well worth it!

We then veered inland into the Anti-Atlas Mountain range. It’s a traditionally Berber region and stronghold of the Chleuh tribes who live in the oasis valleys (palmeiraies), flanked by red granite mountains. We navigated one breathtaking hairpin bend after another to reach Tafraoute, nestling in the Ameln Valley in the heart of Berber country. It immediately entered my list of favourite places.

We stayed a few nights at Tazka Camping with friendly and hospitable staff. Each morning we were offered fresh bread and even a tagine at lunchtime. All free of charge.

The special services didn’t end there. Alvaro had his hair cut by an itinerant barber who arrived at the campsite. The brother of the owner was a mechanic, and we could have

had repairs done to the van if needed. And our ‘guardian angel’ in the tall shape of Saed, clad in a white turban and bright blue tunic, also arrived to offer his services. He knew the best restaurants and places to visit and always pointed us in the right direction. And yes, he did have a shop and an agency, Maison Touareg, organising excursions. We bought a beautiful Berber carpet after a hard bargaining session. Saed brought in his brother to help, but Alvaro stood his ground. In the end, we sealed the deal – probably to everyone’s satisfaction.

Based on the suggestion by Saed, we visited La Maison Traditionnelle at Oumesnat. The Maison is a 400-year-old, four-story Berber house amid a largely uninhabited hilltop village. We could see bulging boulders incorporated into the walls of centuries-old homes, barely discernible in the mountainside.

Mustafa Mafoud showed us around. He once lived in the house, as did several generations of his family, so he was the right person to explain what it was like to live in a traditional Berber household and the function of each part of the building. It is now a museum and well worth visiting.

Our journey then took us further south, where our adventures in the desert began.

Read part 2 of Lena’s Moroccan journey in the April edition.

Roasting argan nuts in Tafraoute

Mustafa serving tea at Maiosn Traditionell

Saed at Tafraoute

Tarfraoute

Berber houses Oumesnat

Largo Salazar Moscoso Lt 5 r/c A Lagos 967 505 055 / 917 545 644 Al-sat@gmx.net

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