Tomorrow Aljezur to Lagoa - May 2021

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MAY 2021 | EDITION 114

In this edition Green Up Revolutionising water usage in our home

Until the Cows Come Home Meet a local cowherd

An Ocean of Solitude A solo Atlantic row from Lagos

Rebel with a Cause The Aljezur animal activist

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Editor's note

 TomorrowAlgarve

Like many, I have been enjoying meeting small groups of friends and ending the monotony of nights at home with a few social outings, but I think that lockdown has taught us to take more notice of our surroundings. Given us time to “stand and stare”.

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. (Sonnet 18, William Shakespeare)

 @TomorrowAlgarve  www.tomorrowalgarve.com Sophie Sadler - Editor

I always think of this sonnet in relation to May in the Algarve. It is my favourite month, when we start to feel the days getting longer, the air getting warmer and are treated to a wonderful display of spring flowers.

 sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

 +351 912 176 588

Tom Henshaw - Sales  tom@tomorrowalgarve.com

It may have also helped us to take better care of the people around us. The Tomorrow charity TACT is, fingers crossed, going to help Vicente by contributing towards an operation to correct his hip, which is causing him a lot of suffering.

I was also delighted that a herd of cattle appeared behind my house to eat the long grass and you can read more about cows later in the magazine!

There are also some goats residing in a field on my school run which have produced a total of five kids this spring. Then I realised that the cows and goats had been arriving every year but I never stopped to notice them. It reminds me of another poem by W H Davies:

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Janine Nieper - Sales Assistant  janine@tomorrowalgarve.com

 +351 913 320 509

Helen Daniel - Sales Assistant  helen@tomorrowalgarve.com

 +351 917 054 646

During lockdown, there have been people who have helped, maybe not with money, but with kindness. If you would like to nominate someone who you feel has gone out of their way to help others during the pandemic and who you think deserves recognition, I would love to hear from you.

We hope you have a wonderful month enjoying the “darling buds of May”.

What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs and stare as long as sheep and cows. No time to see when woods we pass, where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

Creation Media - Design  phil@tomorrowalgarve.com

From Sophie, Tom and the Tomorrow Team

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 Aljezur  Vila do Bispo  Lagos  Portimão

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.

Aljezur

 Lagoa  Monchique  Silves

Portimão Burgau Vila do Bispo

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On the cover: The rooster is the national emblem of Portugal. It derives from the legend of the Miracle of Barcelos, recounted on page 16.

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Green Up

BY SOPHIE SADLER

Until March last year, Pedro Glória was making a bang with his drum kit. Now he looks set to make a lot of noise with an exciting new invention that could revolutionise water usage in our home.

Pedro has just won the Green Up award, launched by Turismo de Portugal to encourage sustainable tourism. While I am excited to learn more about his invention, it is the man himself – and his vision for the future – who really impresses me.

“Fresco’s teachings taught me how to work with nature, not against it, in a homogenous way, using natural resources to move forward. I started to join the dots of all the different ‘ologies’ I had studied and to think and observe in order to make progress in society.”

Pedro left school at 18 and became a professional musician, playing the drums in bands. To make ends meet, he worked for some years as a kitchen fitter, then an accountant, before becoming a music manager for other acts, including cover bands. As a musician, he was used to quiet periods in the winter with few gigs or bookings; instead of being idle, Pedro decided to educate himself in topics he was interested in.

Around this time, Pedro was observing the effects of water shortages in the Algarve and was concerned by the 2019 drought.

He enrolled on two workshops on sustainable construction, being particularly inspired by the work of Michael Reynolds and his ‘earth ship’ analogy. The American architect is a proponent of ‘radically sustainable living’ and has long been a critic of the profession of architecture for its adherence to conventional theory and practice.

Reynolds advocates 100% sustainable construction, which collects and reuses water.

“I like to learn different things,” he tells me. “The downtime in winter allowed me to think and investigate. Since I was a young kid, I loved documentaries, especially about the history of humanity.”

Pedro delved into subjects such as quantum physics, astrophysics and ecology. Initially, he searched online through videos and documentaries, then later enrolled for online courses. All the time he was learning more about ecology and hydrology, from universities as far afield as Australia and Brazil. The turning point when he put theory into practice came when he was invited by a friend to Tamera, a ´peace research and education centre´ near Odemira, which ignited his interest in permaculture.

During his studies, Pedro had come across Jacque Fresco, an American futurist and self-professed social engineer. Fresco wrote and lectured about sustainable cities, energy efficiency, natural resource management, cybernetic technology, automation, and the role of science in society.

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After completing a workshop in ecosystem regeneration in Vale de Lama, the seeds were sown for what Pedro describes as "a project looking to make a technological upgrade to water consumption". He started on his first sketches.

When the pandemic hit the world and Pedro´s work as a musician came to an abrupt halt, he focused 100% on his project. His ingenious idea addresses the problem that clean water is used to flush toilets. “Around 30% of an average household’s water consumption is used for flushing the loo,” Pedro explains. “It breaks my heart that around one third of the world’s population does not have access to clean water and sanitation yet, here in the west, we literally flush drinkable water down the toilet. In Portugal alone, 200 million litres of water per day go straight down to the sewer.”

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COMMUNITY Pedro has designed a device that will use wastewater from the shower to flush a regular toilet. “It is a complex mechanism which requires many parts and works with hydraulics and electronics.” After developing the first sketches, he was unsure what to do next. Initially, he talked to the University of Faro but then discovered StartUp Portimão, a business incubator located at the Algarve Autódromo. “I liked the dynamics of the organisation, which offers workshops and technical support, so I applied.” He was accepted and StartUp Portimão provided mentoring to help Pedro’s idea evolve and become a reality. A first prototype has been built by a young company in Loulé, with the next stage of development taking place with a Lisbon-based partnership. Pedro has patented the idea and, as far as his research reveals, there is no other device like it on the market.

Then came Green Up, a national programme which aims to boost new and innovative tourist-based projects and encourage the national entrepreneurial ecosystem. The project is promoted by Territórios Criativos and Turismo de Portugal and sits within the FIT Program – Fostering Innovation in Tourism.

This second phase started in September 2020, with a nationwide roadshow and over 20 masterclasses in sustainable tourism. Over 120 applications were received, of which just 35 were selected.

Maria Nobre de Cavalho is the coordinator for the program and mentors startups through challenges and opportunities, enabling each person in the community to maximise their impact.

“All of these were tourism-based programs with sustainability at their core – businesses that are looking to challenge the ecosystem, implement a circular economy, and work towards reaching the SDG’s defined by the UN in the 2030 Agenda.”

The program included a bootcamp in December, with two days of intensive training in several areas (marketing, strategy, finances, business plans, etc), mentorship sessions with over 50 experts from across the country and two networking events (online). The finale, in January, was attended by Rita Marques, Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism, several venture capitalists and a jury of renowned specialists. Of the 35 projects, seven were selected to present in the final and Pedro was awarded first place.

Maria tells me, “Pedro’s product is not only innovative, but also has a very emotional connection to the user. The idea of

reusing shower water to flush the toilet seems so obvious and such a simple solution that given the chance, why wouldn’t anybody do it? In fact, every time he gives his 30-second pitch, people line up to ask him for his contact information.

“The truth is the process is not that simple – and there is much work to do with the prototype still – but offering a solution that anyone can install, requiring no renovation work and which saves up to 40% of water is a winning product regardless.

I believe Pedro won this prize because he offers a simple water-saving solution which doesn’t require deep renovation and doesn’t affect the user experience. It could be the key for many hotels and businesses that are being forced, due to new legislation, to be more energy efficient and sustainable.”

“We need to use technology in our favour to move forward as humanity,” Pedro adds. To move the project forward and help Algarve tourism move towards a sustainable future, Pedro is looking for an initial investment of around €30,000. ”Maybe someone reading this will feel as passionate about this as I do.”

He has already approached several businesses that are interested in the new technology, including Turismo de Portugal, but he is looking for more people to get engaged with his vision.

So what is Pedro´s dream? Does he imagine his invention becoming so successful he can retire on a superyacht or buy an island in the Caribbean? Not one bit of it. “My only personal ambition is to buy a property for myself as I have always rented and to support my 16-year-old daughter. If I earn 1000€ a month, I will consider myself a rich man. The dream is to give what I earn back to projects in the developing world that take people off the street, educate them and give them clean water. I give what I can to Unicef and am interested in their projects, but we need more social investment. The world has enough resources for everyone, but what we have is not used efficiently or distributed evenly. We need more entrepreneurs who give something back to society.”

Musician, inventor and philanthropist … I am certain this is not the last time you will hear the name Pedro Glória.

 swrs.systems@gmail.com  www.linkedin.com/in/pedroglória  www.linkedin.com/company/swrs

www.tomorrowalgarve.com

5

COMMUNITY

Andrew Baker

An ocean of solitude

BY CHRIS FREER Meeting Manx lawyer Andrew Baker in a bar at Lagos Marina last November was a happy accident because we soon discovered we shared an interest in rowing. Andrew is a big friendly bear of a man who exudes cheerful sociability, quick to laugh and share a beer. So it was a surprise when he pointed out an odd-looking craft alongside the dock and told me that he was about to embark on a solo row across the Atlantic, from Lagos to Barbados via the Canaries. He seemed the antithesis of the hardened, steely-eyed solo adventurer.

The voyage was still a dream – though several years in the making – as he sat chatting to clients in his legal practice, half his mind faraway on the ocean. Approaching 40, Andrew felt a need to do something dramatic and testing before he embarked on life’s more standard journey of marriage and family.

To provide a focus, Andrew engaged with several sponsors, the main one being Reach IOM, a charity dedicated to helping young people overcome the social stigma of discussing mental health issues.

Mindful Walks, run by the Manx Wildlife Trust, organises tours designed and led by guides who are trained ‘mind’ coaches. The challenge of a prospective 90 days alone on the ocean connected with these charities because the isolation and loneliness in the hostile environment of an ocean requires tremendous strength of mind. Scotty is not there to beam you up.

We waved Andrew bon voyage on the afternoon of December 8, 2020. Standing at Ponta da Piedade, I watched his tiny craft disappear. Thereafter, we followed his snail-like progress on his tracker, which also showed the weather he was battling. The journey to the Canaries was the worst part, with long cold nights, variable winds and potential danger within the busy shipping lanes.

In Andrew’s second week, he locked himself in his tiny refuge cabin for five days lying to his sea anchor while his craft completed a huge circle in angry adverse seas. When one of these small boats gets into big waves, they become unrowable and lie beam on across the waves - dangerous and uncomfortable. A sea anchor is like a half metre diameter canvas umbrella on a long piece of rope you attach to the stern and this ‘anchor’ holds the boat stern on to the sea, which is more comfortable.

Gradually Andrew learned to use the elements and forecasts to progress south towards his first goal. He reached the Canaries on January 14; he was within sight of a haven offering a hot bath, ice cream and pizzas, but managed to resist the siren call and row on.

Why? Because he knew that his inamorata Lucy would be waiting for

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him in Barbados over three thousand miles away.

Once past the Canaries, the warm trade winds and west going current made life easier, but one still needs to apply effort to the oars in a boat weighing nearly a ton (despite its carbon construction). The average speed rarely tops two knots at which rate all manner of ocean life attaches to the bottom, requiring a regular dip and dive with a scrubber among whatever marine companions are around.

The routine of the day is dictated by the weather and waves. Solar power charges the batteries required to run the water-maker, providing fresh water for dehydrated food cooked on a tiny oneburner gas cooker. Favourite meals were green chicken curry and macaroni cheese with a supply of chocolate and breadsticks for bad weather. This diet coupled to the constant exercise, saw him remain the same weight but somewhat change his physique. Surprisingly he suffered no problems with his hands – or backside! – during his 4,600-mile journey.

Andrew arrived in Port St. Charles, Barbados, after 98 days, during which time he had had no human contact. He stepped ashore and straight into Lucy’s arms feeling very wobbly. “Legs went. Head went. Very confused and it was very overwhelming.”

What were his thoughts on completing this amazing personal journey?

“It has reaffirmed the importance of living in the now. Forgive your past and remember that what you do today determines your tomorrow. It also made me realise the impermanence of all things, including the people in our lives. Nothing lasts forever and can be taken from us at any time, without warning. I have a newfound appreciation for so many things I had taken for granted, such as showers, fridges and freezers, taps and toilets. Sometimes we forget about everything we have and instead obsess over the things we want. I found myself thinking how difficult it must be for some people, every day of their lives, because of a disability of some kind.”

With an ocean of experience behind him, Andrew now feels ready to give full attention to his clients.

See his voyage track on  www.reachintotheblue.com Sponsors: www.facebook.com/reachiom, www.wbuk.org, WhistleblowersUK

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dictatorial regime (Estado Novo) and the students were angry that the national holiday known as Dia do Estudante was cancelled for political reasons. The riots got out of hand, and Vasco had to flee the country in exile.

Vasco transferred his studies to Germany and became a fully qualified vet in Hannover in 1967. Here, he met a fellow vet, a German lady, who soon became his wife and they went on to have three children. Switzerland then became his home for seven years and he applied himself to diligent veterinary work during this period. “For eight months, I was based in Zurich Hospital and was responsible for the care of the laboratory animals that were used for medical science experimentation. This heart-wrenching experience contributed towards my later decision to become a vegan.”

Rebel with a Cause

BY HELEN DANIEL

Vasco Reis is a prominent figure in the Aljezur community.

Having been the municipal vet from 1989 until 2008, he is well known and much respected.

"He became entangled in the riots of the Academic Crisis...the riots got out of hand, and Vasco had to flee the country in exile."

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In 2001 he founded AEZA, an active and successful animal shelter. At the age of 83, he is as devoted to the rights of animals as he has been for his whole life. An animal activist and campaigner, who speaks five languages, he organises and attends protests against bullfighting, and defends creatures from cruelty of any kind. He is such a committed vegan that his healthy, contented cats and dogs are fed veterinary-approved plant-based food. “I don`t understand people who say they love animals, yet they eat them,” he laments.

Born in Mozambique in 1938, Vasco grew up surrounded by wildlife and livestock. “I was fascinated by every single one of them,” he explains. “My empathy and compassion for animals began when I was very young.”

Vasco came to Portugal at 17 to study medicine at Lisbon University, going on to specialise in veterinary medicine, his vocation, and becoming the President of the Association for Veterinary Students. In 1962, he became entangled in the riots of the Academic Crisis. At this time there was a

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The Revolução dos Cravos on April 25, 1974, is when the Portuguese people backed a military coup and overthrew the Estado Novo dictatorship. This day, also known as Dia Da Liberdade, is celebrated every year with a national holiday. “From April 25 in 1974, I was free to enter Portugal again,” Vasco asserts, “So for the next 10 years I came for holidays, bringing my children so they could meet their grandparents and get to know Portugal.” During this time, he ran a veterinary clinic in Hamburg, finally returning to live in Portugal in 1984.

Working as a vet in the north of the country, Vasco then went for three years to the Azores to work on Ilha Terçeira. In 1989 – missing Portugal – he entered and won a competition to become the municipal vet of Aljezur. “So that is how I ended up in this town,” he declares. “Not all went smoothly though. As a result of leading an effective protest against the construction of a pig farm and slaughterhouse in the area, I was suspended for a year!” During this time, he became the vet that accompanied 1050 cows on a boat from the Netherlands to Angola. “This was a Canadian enterprise funded by the EU,” Vasco explains. “Angola needed help to restore their milk production.”

Caught up in the troubles of the country’s civil war, he was almost kidnapped; however, he managed to return in one piece to Aljezur to resume his veterinary duties.

Vasco, a dedicated environmentalist, always unconventional, radical and cuttingedge, is busy. When he is not physically protesting, he writes for PAN – Pessoas-AnimaisNatureza. Recognised as the most highly praised vet for animal welfare in Portugal, he appears on television, in magazines and newspapers. My main passion in life,” he announces, “is to bring more awareness and empathy for the rights of animals.”

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COMMUNITY © David Poblador I Garcia on www.flickr.com was helped in part by Pope John Paul II’s visit to Portugal in 1991, when he re-ignited the interest of the routes by taking a short pilgrimage himself.

The Caminho Portugués starts in either the cathedral in Lisbon or the cathedral in Porto and is a total of 610 kilometres (380 miles) if walked in its entirety. It passes through glorious countryside, stunning villages, and historically important cities such as Coimbra (famed for its 13th-century university) and Tomar (home to the spectacular 12th-century Convent of Christ).

The Algarve Pilgrim routes Part 1

BY DAVID LUGG According to the New Testament, Saint James the Great (Santiago in Spanish; São Tiago in Portuguese) was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles.

The story goes that he spent time walking the Iberian peninsula (modern day Spain and Portugal) preaching the gospel. Upon his death, his remains were transported by boat from Jerusalem to Galicia where he was eventually laid to rest in what is now Santiago de Compostela.

Later, in the 9th century, there were notable accounts of Saint James making visionary appearances in battles during the Reconquista against the Moors. The legend quickly spread and people began to pay homage by travelling to visit his remains. This was the beginning of the first pilgrimage to Santiago, albeit Santiago the city or Santiago the martyr.

Today, standing in the main square (Praza do Obradoiro) of Santiago de Compostela can be quite a humbling experience. It has marked the finishing line for many a weary-yet-jubilant pilgrim for over 1000 years and the delight at completing such an epic and historical journey is evident on the arriving faces. Some use the experience as a means of religious penance, while others see it as a spiritual escape or perhaps a personal challenge. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt Santiago is charged with emotion.

The city itself is pretty and compact, offering a welcoming array of good-value, authentically Galician restaurants to help soothe aching feet and stomachs. But the main draw for most is the imposing and magnificent cathedral, completed in 1211, which is believed to be (or to symbolise) the final resting place of Saint James. The cathedral has undergone various aesthetic transformations adopting a mixture of Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic architecture. It is the city’s heartbeat and all roads end here.

However, the story of the Portuguese Caminho doesn’t end there. Considerable interest in the medieval routes that led down to the Algarve began to surface. Much work has now been done to retrace the steps, including 400,000€ of investment by the government, and signage (usually a distinctive yellow arrow or yellow scallop shell on a blue background) has been provided for pilgrims. A map showing the specific routes clearly highlights three starting points – Lagos, Faro and Tavira. It is the latter of these that has stimulated the most interest.

The word ‘charming’ is overused when it comes to travel guides, but Tavira definitely falls into that category. The city features a seven-arched Roman bridge, splendid Renaissance and Gothic architecture and a historic port providing an integral link to its Moorish past, which is accentuated by the hilltop castle. The church of Santa Maria do Castelo holds the remains of Paio Peres Correia, a Portuguese warrior who, like Saint James, helped lead the fight against the Moors.

More next month as we follow the Caminho through the Algarve on its journey up to Santiago de Compostela.

Useful information for those looking to walk part or all of The Portuguese Way can be found on the website of the Espaco Jacobeus Association.  www.aej.pt

At its medieval peak, the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St James) attracted up to 250,000 people a year, but its popularity continued to decline until the mid 1980s, when fewer than 1500 pilgrims found their way to the city. Now, thanks to a concerted effort by Camino enthusiasts and tourism promotion, the pilgrimage has seen a considerable upturnin its fortunes and around 350,000 people completed the journey in 2019 alone. It has now been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The most popular Camino route has long been the dramatic Camino Francés (French Way), starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. Not quite as extensive, but equally as beautiful, the Caminho Portugués (Portuguese Way) is noted for being the second most popular route to Santiago. This © Jose Luis Cernadas Iglesias on www.flickr.com

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COMMUNITY © M Sporring - Marianne at Praia da Luz

Delivery of the first JAS 39 combat aircraft

a book or solving mathematical conundrums. When she tells me about her career, I am dumbstruck. She studied geology, mathematics, quantum physics, and computer science and her entire career was spent as a civil engineer within the defence industry.

From facts to fiction

BY LENA STRANG

Swedish-born author Marianne Almesåker may well have caused a stir in Praia da Luz after the recent publication of her novel Tracy Bortrövad (Tracy Abducted, soon to be published in English). It’s a fictional story based on the disappearance of threeyear-old Madeleine McCann in 2007.

“The other (male) engineers were impressed with my work, but neither the unions nor the government wanted women in the defence industry to be well-paid.”

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Having been resident in Praia da Luz for seven years, Marianne was aware of the case and the impact it had on everyone concerned. However, it was a chance discovery that triggered her interest. “I came across a book written by Madeleine’s mother, Kate McCann, in a local charity shop,” Marianne explains. “When flicking through the book, I noticed the handwritten words: ‘2017, Madeleine is 14’, on the last page. And that was it. I started imagining what could have happened to her.”

She began extensive research and read police reports both in English and Portuguese. The initial idea for a factual account turned into a novel with fictional characters. The story begins with the kidnapping of the young girl and describes subsequent events.

She takes readers through an emotional journey into different geographical locations and the darkest aspects of the human psyche. “Those who have read the book tell me they could hardly distinguish between what’s real and imagined and were moved by the story,” Marianne says, “There are also some who feel the subject is too sensitive and best left alone.”

Analysing complex facts and considering probabilities come naturally to Marianne, whether it’s research for

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She was involved in aircraft safety at the highest level, developing solutions for preventing catastrophic failures. “The evolvement of the Combat fighter JAS39 was so important to me that my three children started calling it my fourth child!” she laughs. “I wanted it to be the most successful of all combat aircraft.”

Technology is normally a male-dominated area, but as Sweden is considered more egalitarian regarding gender opportunities, how was her working situation?

“Not good at all,” she informs me. “At this time, there were enormous obstacles for women both in terms of equal pay and opportunities. The other (male) engineers were impressed with my work, but neither the unions nor the government wanted women in the defence industry to be well-paid.” Despite the challenges, she made her mark both in her career and in local affairs. She was involved in politics and active in associations promoting better educational provision for all.

Just before moving to Portugal, she started writing a trilogy about all the exciting things that have happened in her life. No doubt, another bestseller.

She is not letting the grass grow under her feet in the Algarve either. She is interested in local issues and was part of the successful campaign against the closure of the post office at Praia da Luz. She is keen to learn about the environment and local history and is a frequent visitor to the Lagos library. Learning Portuguese is important to her in order to take full advantage of living here.

When I ask what is important to her in life, she doesn’t hesitate: “The family, survival, and confidence in myself and others. Feeling secure and happy is paramount.” These are ever-present concerns in her writing. I can see why she was compelled to write the novel.

To support the ever-growing group of Scandinavian authors in the Algarve, she has created a Facebook page for this purpose where ideas can be exchanged.

(Facebook: Authors /Escritores de Escandinávia living in Portugal)

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Land Area: 8520 m²

House Area: 289 m² | Ref.: C3375

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COMMUNITY

Sector-B Gaining A-Grade Status

BY HELEN DANIEL “We are not afraid of looks!” expresses Pedro Barata da Rocha referring to the Sector B area where his Guthrie Rocha estate agent office is situated in the urbanization of Vale Da Telha in Aljezur.

“Sometimes described as quite ugly, this locality, that consists of apartment blocks with shop spaces underneath, has lately become an energetic community of new businesses.” Pedro and his New Zealand-born wife Jemma bought a shop in Sector B three years ago. “This area was built in the 1980s, with the aim of it becoming a Centro Commercial,” explains Pedro.” However, the economic slump of 2000 means most of the shops have remained empty until now.”

There has been an influx of young families moving to the Aljezur area in recent years, but particularly since the start of the pandemic, when online work has been encouraged and normalised.

“We are selling to people who are wanting to live in the region, as opposed to a couple of years ago, when most of the buyers were investors purchasing to rent to tourists,” says Pedro. “This is encouraging for the local economy, as these new buyers are creating a community, which in turn leads to year-round expenditure in the area.”

It is not only digital nomads who are flowing here, but bohemian-type families, who love the natural beauty of Aljezur, and are passionate about the beaches and surfing. “These folks want to initiate sustainable long-term businesses to provide a pleasant lifestyle for their families,” Pedro explains. “This is why the previously empty stores have now become a hubbub and bustle of activity. Many of the shops are run by these newcomers, and several by local people.”

Pedro Branco is an Aljezurense, born and brought up here. He runs Terraviva, a business specialising in gardens, pools and bathrooms. “I am very happy with what Sector B has become after years of abandonment. I love the diversity of shops and the variety of nationalities. The best way to learn and to

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stay broadminded is to connect with people from other cultures,” he remarks. On 1 May, Pedro is opening a widely-anticipated launderette, adjacent to his existing business.

There are now 14 businesses forming a kind of square, some with a sea view. Sector B is situated on the way to Arrifana beach and has plenty of parking space. There is a big grassy area in the centre, and the locality is kept tidy by the shop occupiers, who are collectively planting new trees, shrubs and flowers, and putting up signposts. There are six restaurants, catering for an array of tastes, plus a scooter rental, a yoga room, an art club, an e-bike rental and a collaborative workspace.

Soon there will be a health store.

In October, Maria and her daughter Mariana opened the Quiosque Vale Da Telha, which now incorporates a welcomed and necessary post office. They offer a friendly, helpful service and have become popular in the neighbourhood.

“A post office creates the heart of a community,” says Maria, who is originally from Porto and worked for a bank for 30 years. In 2015, she and her husband spent five years in the UK as care workers, and were later joined by Marianna, who gained her bartending qualifications in Covent Garden, “We returned to Portugal as we missed the quality of life here,” says Marianna.

Most of the Sector B owners and, indeed, most of the new people in the area, are in their 30s or 40s, with young children attending the local and independent schools. “A successful business relies greatly on the integration in the community of the owner,” remarks Pedro, whose wife is about to give birth to their third child. “We all help each other out here. Everyone is open-minded, unprejudiced and forward-looking. We are so fortunate to be part of a community of friendly, considerate, and supportive people.”

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COMMUNITY

Algarve Legends A Shop, a Miracle, a Frog and a New Season

BY JULIAN PUTLEY When I first came to Portugal in 2018, I soon came to realise that a chicken or, more specifically a rooster, was the revered national animal. The bird was everywhere: on tiles, tea towels, coffee mugs and innumerable sundry souvenirs. How appropriate, I thought, because the oft-maligned chicken gives we humans so much.

Chicken in its many forms, from roast to barbecued to stewed and curried, is ubiquitous on restaurant menus. Then there are eggs – how could we survive without them? There are popular breakfast egg dishes like fried eggs, scrambled, boiled, poached and omelettes.

Then look further into the ingredients of so many dishes – pancakes, sponge cakes, meringues, sweet breads, buns, tarts – not to mention the famous speciality that Portugal has made its own, the pasteis de nata. Yes, in my opinion, the chicken needs to be revered, so well done Portugal for bringing it to our attention.

It wasn’t until I’d been here a while that I learned the real reason that the rooster is the national emblem of Portugal. It all began with the legend of the Miracle of Barcelos. Briefly, it goes like this: A man was falsely accused of stealing a landowner’s silver in the northern town of Barcelos. The man, who was on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela to fulfil a promise, swore his innocence; however, he was found guilty and condemned to death by hanging. He requested and was granted an audience with the judge.

At the time of his appeal, the judge and some friends were enjoying a banquet with a roasted rooster as the centrepiece of the table. After some questions and answers, the man said that if he was indeed innocent, when his hanging was taking place, the cockerel would spring back to life and emit a loud ‘cockle doodle doo’. The man was laughed out of the room and taken to the gallows. But the judge

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pushed the plate with the cockerel on it to one side and forbade it to be eaten. The moment of the execution came, and sure enough, the rooster sprang to life and crowed loudly to the heavens. The judge rushed to the site of the hanging and managed to save the wrongfully convicted man. The rooster became a revered bird and to this day is seen in various forms in gift shops around Portugal.

Gregory and Vicky are the owners of a small gift shop in Luz and they are preparing to open for the new season at the end of May. They showed me around their boutique souvenir shop. The rooster of Barcelos is everywhere and it was Greg who told me the above story. He is also skilled at creating attractive jewellery in the form of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. I also notice a ceramic frog in the window.

He was told by a friend that the Portuguese often put frogs in their shops to prevent gypsies coming inside. The very word gypsy is derived from the name of the country, Egypt, where Europeans, years ago, were under the mistaken notion that the wandering groups of Romani were from Egypt.

The fear of frogs comes from the biblical Old Testament, 10 Plagues, Exodus 7:14-12:36.

They’ll come up and enter your house, your bedroom, your bed, and your servants’ houses. They’ll jump on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. The frogs will be all over you and your servants.

The wandering Romani people of Portugal have their roots in the Punjabi region of northern India so how they were associated with Egypt is a mystery. Their fear of frogs, is likely to be a myth.

It is worth noting that some of the Romani people find the term gypsy offensive. Romani would be more acceptable.

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COMMUNITY

Velochique

BY SUZANNE RADFORD

A perfect pit stop

One could say it was a meeting of minds and a passion for cycling that brought Lee Eaton and Neil Wilson together, a meeting which resulted in Velochique, a stylish cycle café in the centre of Monchique with a bike repair service and shop under one roof.

inside and out to park yourself or designated cycle racks to park your bike. The menu includes Portuguese favourites as well as vegetarian and vegan options.

There you can find tasty homemade flapjacks and great espresso, giving the extra push needed for the last stretch of road up to Foia, the highest point of the Algarve and a favourite destination for cyclists, hikers and those out for a leisurely drive.

Sérgio Gama heads up the kitchen and is creating interesting taste experiences through simple blends of fresh ingredients. Originally from Coimbra, he has worked at Ocean Restaurant at Vila Vita Parc, Algarve, Hide Above, London and Norma, Copenhagen and he brings this experience to the mountains, offering on-trend healthy breakfast bowls and lunch bowls fused with Asian flavours.

The idea for a one-stop-shop offering great food and service came about last year when Lee and Neil cycled Portugal’s Route 66, the N2 from Chaves to Faro, raising money for charity. They were joined by a small group of friends as they covered the length of the country totalling 738 km over five days. Their endeavour raised collectively just under £10,000 for UK charity MIND and 1,000€ for the Bombeiros of Monchique.

Lee describes the experience as one of the best in his life and one he will never forget. Along with the freedom of cycling through the countryside and forging a bond with friends, Lee and Neil also realised a business opportunity. With very few places around offering good quality healthy food options and a place to get repairs, their entrepreneurial instincts kicked in.

Lee, originally from Nottingham, has been living in the Algarve for the past 18 years. He has a business in wedding planning and event management. Neil is from Newcastle upon Tyne and a relative newbie to the Algarve and cycling. He moved here just as the first lockdown hit last year and found himself completely alone for 13 weeks. As lockdown lifted, he needed to meet people and find a healthy outlet. He got a bike and started cycling and joined a couple of local cycling groups, including the Algarve Mammals, where he met Lee. ON THE MENU You don’t have to be a cyclist to enjoy breakfast, lunch or afternoon snacks as everyone is welcome. Arriving on foot or on wheels, the café is perfectly situated in the central main square with seating

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IN THE SHOP Attaining the highest of standards, Velochique has partnered with G-Ride, the concept bike store in Portimão, to bring the best in clothing, accessories and nutrition in gels, energy bars and electrolyte drinks. There is a qualified mechanic on hand to offer advice and the company is also working with respected partners like OneBike for the electric bike rentals and tours that are coming soon.

When Lee and Neil talk of cycling their eyes light up. Lee loves cycling in the mountains and the space it creates. “It’s the headspace: during three hours of cycling I do a lot of thinking and I get things done,” he says. For Neil, he says cycling has improved his mental health and he has shed a few excess kilos too, but most importantly it has created a community for him.

The men claim the Algarve has a lot to offer cyclists with its terrain and natural beauty and believe the region could become the next best cycling destination in Europe, with a chain of Velochique cafés providing perfect pit stops along the way.

Velochique is open daily in Monchique from 7.30 am–6.00 pm. You can read more about this exciting new venue in the full article at www. tomorrowalgarve.com  +351 968 848 550  www.velochique.com  www.facebook.com/velochique  www.instagram.com/velochique

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COMMUNITY

Meet the Locals Until the cows come home

BY LENA STRANG

Lena Strang talks to another local who has not achieved fame and fortune but whose hard work positively impacts the region.

José Rodrigo is a man with a clear mission. He spends his days watching over a herd of cows, ensuring that they are safe during the day and are securely escorted to the compound at night.

As I approach the land bordering on a small condominium on the Funchal Ridge in Lagos, I know I’m in the right place. The unmistakable tinkling of cowbells can be heard from a distance. Sure enough, I find José sitting by a wall watching over the cows grazing contentedly in the shade of pine trees.

He tells me he’s from nearby Odiáxere and has spent all his life in the region. Earlier he worked in the construction industry but due to an accident six years ago, he took up his new vocation as a cattle herd. “I like this job,” he smiles, “Cows are quiet animals and good company.”

He looks after 15 cows, one bull, and four calves for the owner who has a farm nearby. They are the popular French breed Limousine, introduced into Portugal some decades ago. Being rustic and docile, they have adapted well to the conditions here. With their velvety light brown colour and lighter hue around the head, they look rather attractive. As good breeders, they produce exceptional calves, and this is what José confirms: “The owner keeps them just to breed. All have now been impregnated and will produce their calves during the winter. Some of the female calves are kept and the rest are sold for meat.”

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The area where they are grazing is rented for six weeks, after which they are moved on to another enclosure. It’s secured by an electric fence during the day to avoid the cows wandering off. As the area is popular with walkers, José wants to alert people to take care and not touch the fence for obvious reasons.

He gives me some interesting facts about cows. Did I know that they walk about 10 km and munch 9 kg of grass each day? Unlike goats, who eat everything clean, they allow the grass to regrow. “Not only is the manure good for the soil, but the owner can sell it,” he says. I didn’t know either that cows only produce the milk necessary for the sustenance of the calf, which is six litres per day.

What does he do all day while watching over the cows? “I walk around, play with the cows and enjoy the fresh air. Although when it rains, I have to bring an umbrella!” he laughs.

During his life, José has seen much change in the region. There is more construction in the countryside where cattle once used to graze. He looks around.

“Instead of all these modern villas, there used to be a farm right here surrounded by barley fields.” He feels overdevelopment has had a negative effect on agriculture and traditional ways of life.

He is content to spend the next few years until retirement ensuring that the cows he is responsible for are getting the best care.

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Did you know?

There are 14 native cow species in Portugal, including an Algarvian breed.

In 1950 there were more than 20,000 of this breed, but they faced extinction. In Budens, Vila do Bispo, 11 were found, classified as Algarve breed.

In collaboration with the University of the Algarve, local breeders are intent on saving the species using artificial insemination. The plan is to have 150 exemplars by 2022.

COMMUNITY

Luz Steps

Bobby Pearl

Rocking All Over Luz!

BY ELIZABETH ROBERTS HONEY Something new is happening in Luz – and it’s already proving to be very popular! If you’re taking a walk around the village and you happen to glance at something bright and colourful which, on closer inspection, appears to be a painted pebble – then you’ve most likely been lucky enough to find a Luz Rock!

Luz Rocks are a winningly simple way to bring a little bit of joy to everyone’s day. If you find a Luz Rock (turn it over and it will say #Luz Rocks on the back), you’re invited to take a photo of the rock (or even better, of yourself holding the rock), post your find on the group Facebook page Luzrocks, and then hide your rock again in a different location for someone else to enjoy finding.

The group was started this year by friends Wendy Bunney and Ann Marie Parker after Wendy painted a rock and posted it on her Facebook page, and Ann Marie was reminded of the rock group in her hometown of Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

Ann Marie had found a painted rock before she travelled over to Luz and discovered that it had come from the Calderdale Rock group, which an old school friend had started, and that it has over 10,000 members!

Painted rock groups have been growing in popularity in the UK for a few years now, but they really came into their own during the past year when everyone’s appreciation of a walk around their local area grew

exponentially, thanks to lockdown. Children, in particular, have really embraced the pastime. I first heard about community rocks from my young niece and nephew, Bethany and Alex, who enjoy searching their village of Lymm in Cheshire with their parents on their hunt for rocks, and from my Dad, who enjoys painting new rocks for his grandchildren to hide. I’ve been a remote member of the Lymm Rocks group for a couple of years, and it’s so much fun – even from overseas – to see my family enjoying finding rocks and members of the Lymm community posting photos of themselves finding my Dad’s little pieces of artwork, amongst all the others that are hidden around their village.

If you’re artistic or feeling in a creative mood, you can design and paint your own rocks to hide – and you can even log them on the Facebook group first so that people know they’re about to be ‘released into the wild’! All you need to make your own little creations is a small smooth rock or pebble (white ones seem to be best), and then you can decorate them with Sharpie pens or oil-based or acrylic paints.

Rock groups really are a fun, safe and creative way for a community to enjoy spreading some extra happiness around and Luz Rocks has already got off to a great start with – in their own words – creating smiles one rock at a time!

 www.facebook.com/groups/943349113075928

Restoring the Miradouro

BY BRIAN TORA On the western edge of the village of Luz, in front of the St James Apartments complex and overlooking the sea, lies an area of largely derelict ground, in the middle of which is a hill. Controversy has surrounded this site, which has been the subject of planning applications in the past.

But there is a strong local belief that it should remain a natural resource for residents and visitors as far as possible.

For this to come to fruition, though, much work needs to be undertaken to restore the paths and steps that lead up to the crown of the hill, from which spectacular views of both the village and the sea can be enjoyed.

With the aim of turning this wish into a reality, a not-for-profit organisation – the Association Miradouro da Luz (Associação Miradouro da Luz) – has been established to protect green and natural spaces for public use. While the remit of this organisation extends beyond the hill in Luz, funding and volunteers are initially needed to commence the work necessary to make the Miradouro safely accessible to the wider public.

The organisation has established a website and Facebook page and a GoFundMe site exists to collect donations for this project.

There is also a newsletter, published in both English and Portuguese, which provides an update on developments, as well as some useful information regarding the background to this important and potentially useful piece of land close to the heart of Luz. Brian Tora is a financial journalist and broadcaster.  www.amluz.org  www.facebook.com/Miradouro.Luz.Lagos For donations, please go to:  www.gofundme.com/f/ steps-to-cerrinho-do-caracol-miradouro-da-luz

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COMMUNITY

Spa Day

BY SOPHIE SADLER

A young couple embarked on a renovation project in the heart of Praia da Luz in order to give something back to the village. Four years and one baby on, SAL spa has emerged from the rubble.

Ben Crosland and Zoe Valetta became a couple while working together in London. After five years, Ben, who was brought up in the Algarve, and Zoe, who grew up by the sea in Italy, craved a better lifestyle.

“Ben always felt this was his home, so it was natural that we moved here,” Zoe explains. They started renovating old properties in the village, with Ben doing the manual work and interior designer, Zoe, working her magic on creating beautiful and cosy spaces Ben´s father Robin Crosland, along with his two partners, spent 30 years building the Luz Ocean Club and putting Praia da Luz on the tourist map. They sold Luz Ocean Club in 2006. Part of that development was the Palm Bay swimming pool, which was owned privately and a few years after the sale became disused.

“We knew that the building was on the market but didn´t consider buying it until we heard that someone else was interested in purchasing it to turn it into a garage. We felt it would be a waste to lose this wonderful amenity for the village and suddenly we wanted the project and to save the building.” Zoe is now talking to me in the stylishly appointed reception where you can glimpse the inviting 30°C saltwater heated pool.

Creating a spa was not the couple’s initial intention. They wanted to renovate the pool, but the spa emerged as they were restoring it with help from Robin, an architect. They filled in the original pool and created a smaller one, which opens onto a relaxing central garden.

The couple did all the work and manual labour themselves, although Zoe had to stop lifting bags of sand when she discovered she was pregnant!

“We felt there was something missing for the locals to use in the winter and so we decided to create a wellness destination the village could use all year round.” Whilst the spa is a welcoming hub for all wellness lovers, it particularly focuses on rehabilitation after illness or surgery. “We start with the mind and finish with the body. Working through medical, rehabilitation and beauty. Many clients who come here for rehabilitation treatments love the space as it is not clinical but relaxing.”

Their son Theo is now 18 months, so Zoe is also passionate about creating something special for children and mothers. Baby

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swimming teacher Yvonne Fisher has joined the team with her water-baby sessions and all the classes are booked out. Having just been pregnant, Zoe also wants to give expectant mothers some time out and is offering pregnancy yoga classes and pregnancy massage.

SAL offers treatments and classes including hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy and acupuncture as well as swimming, massages, yoga pilates and nutrition. “I feel that this is a co-working space for amazing wellness professionals. I am very proud of the team we have put together here.”

For those who simply wish to enjoy a swim, the pool features variable speed water jets so you can exercise at your own pace. A sauna and steam session complete your spa circuit and the whole area is wheelchair accessible. Avid reader Zoe is building a reading library and herbalist Poppy Burr is creating a unique blend of tea for clients. Zoe is constantly striving to create new and exciting collaborations that touch on all areas of wellbeing, bringing the community and local talents together.

Despite being a new mother, Zoe´s energy and commitment to the business is impressive. She is working six days a week and wants to be on the front desk to talk to clients as she observes, “the only way to improve is to hear the feedback yourself”.

Hopefully, as we emerge this year from the pandemic, health and wellness is going to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind and this beautiful new facility is sure to be a great benefit to Praia da Luz.

 www.salspaluz.com  zoe@salspaluz.com

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COMMUNITY

St Vincent’s Anglican Church

BY BRIAN TORA

April was something of a pivotal month for supporters of the Church of England in the western Algarve. Services recommenced in church on Easter Sunday, albeit with reduced numbers thanks to the need to maintain social distancing. As I write, it is the 8am service on Sundays and the 10.30am service on Thursday that are planned to take place in Luz church, with the 10.30 services on Sunday still conducted using Zoom, but it’s been a step in the right direction.

The Chaplaincy is hopeful that weddings will be able to resume in church as the year unfolds. Last year saw all planned weddings postponed – a blow to those hoping to celebrate their nuptials in a traditional manner, but also leading to a sharp fall in revenue for the church, which has also suffered from the absence of physical services for much of the year and a shortage of tourists. The costs of maintaining the Chaplaincy continue, while the income from collections at services has dropped as a result of the pandemic.

But, cash concerns aside, church supporters have continued to be generous in backing charitable endeavours.

Kelvin Whittaker set himself the challenge of walking from Faro Airport to his home to raise money for the Associação Oncológica do Algarve – a breast cancer charity.

Society’s Greatest Challenge

BY JOYCE CRAVEIRO

Did you know that in 2019, around 44% of the 18,000 British expats registered in the Algarve were 65 and older?

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Setting out at 6.20am on Wednesday 24 March in near-freezing temperatures, Kelvin’s walk took him along the N125 where a number of support stations had been set up, manned by his good friends, all members of the Parque da Floresta Golf Club.

Kelvin was forced to shed outer garments as he walked, and the warmer conditions soon led to a water shortage and increasing back pain. By the time he reached Guia, he was not in good shape, but a rest, water replenishment and some painkillers soon put him back on the road.

The walk was not made any easier by speeding traffic and narrow footways, not to mention that the final stages took place in the dark. For part of the evening, he was accompanied by Parque da Floresta Club Captain Mary Berry, while Kelvin's wife, Lynette, joined him at Lagos for the final part of his journey. At 2.24am, tired but elated, he eventually arrived home to a hot bath and bed – a magnificent achievement for someone in his 70th year.

Nearly €4500 had been raised through donations to the Gogetfunding page and there is still time to contribute.

Top to bottom: Faro 06.20 Home 20 hrs later

Brian Tora is a financial journalist and broadcaster.

 www.gogetfunding.com/kelvins-walk

Portugal has the third highest percentage of elderly people in Europe, yet invests the least in services for them. With more than half a million elders living alone or isolated, it’s unsurprising that so many older people are depressed, leading them to have the highest suicide risk of all age groups, according to health insurer Medis.

Our greatest challenge as a society is to accompany this newfound longevity with quality of life and it's within this context that Lar no Lar is born. An intergenerational home-sharing program launched in Lagos, it follows the guidelines of Homeshare International, a UK-based non-profit that supports these projects worldwide.

The ´home sharers´ commit to contributing 8-10 hours a week towards the lives of their ´homeowners´ – the needs of the homeowners are previously identified through a questionnaire and interview process so we can find the best match.

For example, we won’t place someone who doesn’t like dogs with someone who’d like help caring for their dog. We see this cohousing arrangement as a preventive measure to help independent senior

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citizens to stay that way for longer – because they’ll have someone giving them a hand in small things while encouraging them to stay active. For example, many people stop going out to restaurants, the cinema or the pub, because they don’t have anyone to accompany them.

Housemates are carefully chosen with a comprehensive vetting process, a detailed questionnaire, checking criminal records, references and interviews. Lar no Lar charges a monthly fee to both parties to support and manage the relationship and help the program grow in order to assist more people. For every senior citizen who applies, we see up to 15 younger ones, meaning there’s a great pool of candidates to find the perfect match.

We hope this new project will bring hope to the elderly population suffering from loneliness and social isolation.

 joyce@larnolar.org  www.larnolar.org

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COMMUNITY

Museum Makeover

BY PEDRO CABRAL Lagos municipality is executing its largest investment in a museum in the last ninety years. This will amount to a sum close to €7 million, partially funded by Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional, a European fund for regional development.

This investment is being made in the old municipal museum, which was founded in 1930, and in the old police station (that is situated just in front of the old museum), which were both in urgent need of repair.

The new museum will include the old municipal museum adjacent to Church Santo Antonio, in Lagos, commonly referred to as the Golden Church, and will have a much larger area with the inclusion of the old police station in the municipal museum facilities. The new space may incorporate part of the old museum objects and other artefacts that in the last forty years were discovered, offered or bought, under the responsibility of Lagos Municipality.

The project also provides for the treatment of the extensive yard adjacent to the building, which will be used for complementary activities such as conferences, book presentations or temporary exhibitions.

I believe a well-conceived municipal museum will be an important addition to Lagos residents, including children and students, and for the hundreds of thousands of people that each year visit Lagos. Lagos is a small town, in a county with 30.000 residents, but is one of the most-visited and beautiful places in Portugal. So I am inviting you to voice your opinion on what you believe should be included in the exhibits and the themes that will appeal to residents and visitors.

Please send your ideas to  sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

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Having you in Stitches

BY SOPHIE SADLER

Louise Hudson was taught to sew by her grandmother when she was a little girl. The passion for creating clothes led her into a career as a clothes designer. Having moved to the Algarve in the middle of lockdown, she has rediscovered her love for sewing and is looking to invite others to join her.

Louise ran a clothing design and manufacturing business (called Lemonade) based in Brighton from 1984 to 1990. With a team of cutters, seamstresses and finishers, she was responsible for all the designs, staff training and pricing. “The clothing was sold from my shop in Brighton and also from wholesalers where buyers would choose their selections for their own boutiques.”

While moving around the world with her husband’s job, she would receive compliments about her self-made clothes and so found her talents were always in demand. “I have continued custom designing for individual customers wherever we landed - California, South Carolina, Canada, France - to name a few. Now I make clothes for myself, my husband and sons, and some of my friends.”

Since 2006, a work-related back injury meant that she could no longer spend 10 hour days, six days a week bending over cutting tables and slumping at sewing machines. So she diversified to become a travel writer, blogger and journalist for a host of newspapers, magazines and online sites, as well as an academic book author.

Having found sewing to be great therapy during lockdown, she is establishing a

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sewing group in the Algarve. "You don’t often meet fellow sewing enthusiasts; you have to go out and find them,” she tells me.

Louise is interested in meeting designers, experienced sewers or people with basic knowledge and a desire to build on that. “It is a like-minded interest group rather than a class. Around 15 or 16 people so far - of all nationalities - have responded, all from the Lagos area. The first face-to-face meet up will be in May. It will be free of charge and meetings will rotate at various homes or workrooms depending on COVID regulations.

“I am hoping that every participant will want to teach others various techniques that they have already mastered, help with troubleshooting work or with machine issues, and inspire each other with their creativity. It will also be fun to see what the others have made and share ideas for sourcing fabrics - much more difficult than you would think in Portugal.”

Louise is hoping her group will be able to ´iron out´ any problems fellow enthusiasts may be experiencing and be a motivational and inspiring platform to build their talents.  louise.hudson2011@gmail.com

We’ll look after your tax affairs while you look after your lifestyle

COMMUNITY

Medical Journal Our writer, Vaughan Willmore, tells of his experiences with the public health system here in the Algarve.

A few weeks ago, I was subject to an urgent referral to Faro General Hospital. In my three years of living in Portugal, I’ve heard so many contradictory views regarding the health system, so I thought it helpful to share my own very recent experience.

Like many people, I’ve found the most recent lockdown particularly difficult and, having suffered from depression in the UK, I recognised aspects in my behaviour and mindset that were out of character, to such an extent that I needed medical support.

Initially, I sought help from a private doctor but as good as he is, I sensed he wasn’t comfortable dealing with the issues I was experiencing. The next day I went to the Centro de Saúde in Tavira, my home town.

I feared the worst, long queues, long waits and a somewhat toxic Covid environment.

It was none of those things. I arrived at 9.30 am and was told there was no appointment available until 1.30 pm. Quite frankly, I was amazed that in the midst of a pandemic they could see me so quickly.

I arrived at the allotted time to find the doctor waiting for me. He explained at the outset that he’d ask initial questions and then I would need to return home and wait for a phone call from ‘a shrink’ (his words) who would decide what support was needed. I was with that doctor for 40 minutes and I could tell from his questions that he was far more attuned to how I was feeling. He was probing but empathetic and assured me that "during Covid, many people have been dealing with mental healthrelated issues". At the end of the session, he said, "OK, I don’t need a second opinion; I’m giving you an urgent referral to Faro General Hospital."

I arrived at Faro at 3.30 pm and was there for five hours. One of my overriding memories is of the austere surroundings and a sense that investment in the infrastructure is badly overdue. However, these issues pale into insignificance

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compared to the kindness and compassion I received from every member of staff I met, and on that day, I met quite a few.

I pride myself in speaking Portuguese to a reasonable standard, but when it concerns health (and taxes!) I still prefer my native tongue. Everyone spoke to me in English when needed and when they couldn’t, they found a translator. They told me I’d receive blood and urine tests and a CT scan, things which I presumed I’d have on another day.

To my amazement, not only were the tests carried out the same day, I also received the results!

There appeared to be a hierarchy at play with each psychiatrist assessing me to see if I needed a referral to someone more senior. At about 7.30 pm, I met yet another psychiatrist who prescribed medication and a referral to a local psychiatrist. In the meantime, an excellent therapist I know has provided me with a couple of mindfulness techniques that have worked really well and I’m happy to share should anyone wish to contact me, in confidence of course.

Two other things stuck in my mind. Firstly, as I had no charge left on my phone, a security guard let me use his personal phone so I could speak to my wife. He didn’t have to do that, but he did.

Secondly, the nurse who’d acted as a translator escorted me to the waiting room and before she left, looked me in the eyes and said, “I hope you feel better very soon.”

It was such a kind comment and indicative of the compassion and care I received at my local Centro de Saúde and at Faro General Hospital. I really cannot praise them enough.

Geral Hospital de Faro (Sede)  Rua Leão Penedo 8000-386 Faro  administracao@chalgarve.min-saude.pt  +351 289 891 100 (geral)  Vaughanwillmore@hotmail.co.uk

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Help Vicente Tomorrow magazine started their campaign to help Vicente in 2019, appealing for readers to collect plastic lids to fund his physio treatment and speech therapy.

Since then our charity TACT raised 2000€ for him at the Mardi Gras ball; helped to fund a specially adapted bicycle for him to enhance his quality of life and has now donated 3000€ towards vital surgery.

The five-year-old was born with cerebral paralysis and it is common in children with this disability to suffer from hip problems.

His mother Viera, has been left desperately trying to raise funds for surgery after seeing her little boy suffer incredible pain from a displaced hip.

Unfortunately, surgery in April was unsuccessful and medical experts suggested another operation which had to be cancelled on April 13 after Vicente suffered a fit. The total estimated cost of the operation is 8.871€. His mother has raised 4,290€, so there was a deficit of 4,581€. TACT donated 1,500€ towards this and contacted John Aldridge. The former Liverpool striker helps with fundraising for the Tomorrow magazine charity and was keen to help, donating a further 1500€.

We ask readers to keep collecting plastic or metal lids and bottle tops along with empty coffee capsules, which can be exchanged at recycling plants for medical treatment to help him recover post-op.

We wish Vicente all our love and good wishes in the hope that the next operation will be a success.

Bottle Tops and Lids can be left at the following locations: Shop C.A.R.D.S., Tennis Club and Padel de Lagos, Churrasqueira Marques, Remax, Clube Desportivo de Odiaxere.

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

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

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CONSULATES/EMBASSIES BRITISH FRANCE (FARO) GERMAN (LAGOS) NETHERLANDS (FARO) CANADA (FARO) SWEDISH (FARO) IRISH

282 490 750 281 380 660 282 799 668 213 914 900 289 803 757 213 942 260 213 308 200

TOMORROW USEFUL NUMBERS SALES (ALJEZUR TO LAGOS) SALES (PORTIMÃO TO SILVES) EDITORIAL MAGAZINE & AD DESIGN

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• 24/7 Touchscreen technology • Unique giraffe 360 walk through video with plans • Beneficial rates for exclusive contracts • You can multi-list your property in Portugal For an unbiased valuation on your property please contact one our Algarve offices today: PRAIA DA LUZ Rua Direita 44 LAGOS Avenida Descobrimentos ALJEZUR/VALE DE TELHA Rotunda Principal QUINTA DO LAGO Bougainvillea Plaza Tel: +351 282 768 703 | 282 761 613 Email: info@chestertons-portugal.com www.chestertons-portugal.com While every care had been taken to ensure the accuracy of the description and details herein, it is only for guidance and they do not constitute part of an offer or contract

CHARITY

A Pilgrimage Ricardo Martins with his partner Donna and brother-in-law Marco are embarking on a once in a lifetime experience, walking from Lagos to the pilgrimage town of Fatima.

BY REBECCA SIMPSON Starting from Lagos train station, over an eight-day stretch, they are walking the 361 km all the way to the cathedral in Fátima. This extreme walking road trip is part of a much larger cause.

their lives. Ricardo made a promise to himself and his doctors that if he survived, he’d raise money and awareness of this issue by walking from his home to the pilgrimage town of Fátima.

In October 2004, at the age of 31, after feeling unwell for some time, Ricardo was diagnosed with Hairy Cell Leukemia. This incredibly rare form of the disease had not been identified in Portugal before. After undergoing a very intensive and unique chemotherapy programme, which was previously only administered in Japan and the USA, the outcome of Ricardo’s treatment was somewhat unknown.

The charity he has chosen is the Portuguese Association Against Leukemia (APCL), which was founded in January 2002. It was the initiative of a group of patients who survived Hemato-Oncological pathologies (leukaemias and lymphomas) and a group of doctors from the Portuguese Institute of Oncology Francisco Gentil (IPOFG) in Lisbon, who treated them.

Ricardo was the first patient in Portugal to receive this type of highly intensive chemotherapy. After further treatment, including blood transfusions and more but less intensive chemotherapy, Ricardo consulted with his doctor and asked him how long he thought he had left to live with this potentially terminal illness. The doctor replied saying that his survival was ultimately down to his state of mind and the “man upstairs”.

After this discussion, Ricardo decided to visit Fátima where he promised himself that for every year he survived Leukemia, he would go to Fatima and light a candle. With this as Ricardo’s driving force he decided he wanted to make a bigger sacrifice by walking from his hometown in Lagos.

During his time in hospital 15 years ago, Ricardo witnessed first-hand the incredible financial sacrifices families have to make to be near their children when they’re hospitalised. With nowhere to stay nearby and no government funding, these families struggle to afford the rent and expenses of being away from home at this awful time in

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The main motivation of the APCL founders was based on their understanding of the importance of raising awareness and mobilising civil society in support of all those who struggle daily against the devastating disease that is leukaemia. APCL’s mission is to contribute, at a national level, to increase the effectiveness of the treatment of leukaemias and other related haematological disorders.

This charity was chosen because Ricardo feels the association is important as it assists with funding for families and children that don’t have resources and can stay together during treatment. Apartments are currently being built in Lisbon; the funds being raised

by Ricardo, Donna and Marco will help to furnish this accommodation.

Along with some friends joining them at various stages of the walk, Ricardo, Donna and Marco will set off from Lagos on 14 May and are set to arrive in Fátima on 21 May. Algarve Sports Therapy has offered to join the trio throughout their journey in order to assist with any possible injuries that may or may not occur!

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FÁTIMA

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LAGOS

Itinerary 14/5 – Lagos / Odeceixe 15/5 – Odeceixe / Mil Fontes 16/5 – Mil Fontes / Santiago do Cacém 17/5 – Santiago do Cacém / Alcácer do Sal 18/5 – Alcácer do Sal / Vendas Novas 19/5 – Vendas Novas / Coruche 20/5 – Coruche / Santarém, Qunita do Anjos 21/5 – Santarém, Quinta dos Anjos / Fátima Santuário

 www.gofundme.com/f/lagos-to-fatima

Barroca BAR & GRILL

PRAIA DA LUZ We are looking forward to welcoming our customers back!

Open from 3pm till late Discover our new menu featuring grilled fish & skewers, old classics & mouthwatering specials.

Happy hour is here!

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Stay tuned for our new summer lunch time opening hours!

Booking advised: T. 282 762 799 E: barrocaluz@hotmail.com @barrocaluz

ARTS AND LITERATURE Matt Clark started painting in 2005 and, two years later, opened his gallery in Cheddar, Somerset to promote what he refers to as “the beauty of God’s creation”. He began offering UK painting holidays in 2008 and, after visiting the Algarve with wife Gill, started offering Algarve-based holidays in 2014.

Ironically, running painting holidays meant Matt rarely found time to paint - until COVID hit, the couple’s flight to the UK was cancelled and they ended up “stuck” in Portugal. Fifteen months later, and they have yet to return home.

Meet the Artist

“A Year in The Algarve … Painting”

Matt has always enjoyed landscapes and nature and he concluded that if he couldn’t get outside due to lockdown he would bring the landscape he loves inside. He began painting whenever he could, including most weekends, as a way of keeping sane during a very difficult time.

“I am not going to pretend that it was easy dealing with problems in the business during lockdown, but I always try to turn a bad situation into a good one and take something positive from it.” Which is exactly what Matt did with his art, managing to produce an incredible 50-plus pictures in the last year. He is pleasantly surprised

at how much he has developed as an artist too. “I believe anyone can paint if they have the desire and would encourage anyone interested to give it a go,” he says.

Since his first visit here, Matt has been struck by the Algarve’s amazing light and vibrant colours. He paints mostly with oils as the richness of colour achieved shows the light and colour of the region he loves so well.

He says, “I have so much desire to paint. I love to paint a variety of subjects including buildings, street scenes and landscapes, but my real passion is for coastal scenes and waves. I am just blown away by the colours of the Algarve, the reds and yellows of the stacks and the turquoise colours of the sea. I could sit for hours watching waves, I have thousands of photos and I just love the power of waves and how they demonstrate the power of God.” Once out of lockdown, Matt intends to have regular art exhibitions in Lagos and Luz, where he lives for most of the year, when not running painting holidays in the UK.

 www.mattclark-art.com  matt@mattclark-art.com

A Little Piece of Portugal

BY SOPHIE SADLER

Like everyone, Paulo Ferriera´s Happy Van business has been adversely affected by the pandemic. Rather than feel sorry for himself, he has instead turned his efforts into trying to help other businesses that are struggling.

Tomorrow featured Paulo´s business in 2020.

The concept - he wanted Algarve holidaymakers to experience the best the region had to offer in terms of heritage, culture, nature and gastronomy - while enjoying the freedom of the road in a VW van.

“Through Happy Van, I worked with artisans in the Algarve and I know how much they are struggling now as there is nowhere for them to

32

sell their products. A little Piece of Portugal was set up as a shopping platform for Portuguese or non-Portuguese resident artisans to sell their products.”

In order to encourage them to join the site, their first 12-month subscription is free of charge.

There are now 19 businesses connected to the platform, which has also gained the respect and collaboration of AASE (Assoçiacão Artesãos Serra Estrela). They have seen more sales in the last month than since they established the site in January and more people are starting to interact with the sellers.

“I feel it is now a good time to try to spread

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awareness amongst our community. Many people who have lost their jobs are now trying out crafts their grandmothers taught them in order to earn some money. Buying from these artisans is a way to help the people who are struggling to survive at the moment.”

The site offers handmade products including leather goods, artisan soaps, shampoos, candles, tote bags, mosaics, knitwear, toys and more. So if you are looking for a gift and want to help the local community, you should buy a little piece of handmade Portugal.  www.littlepieceofportugal.pt  www.facebook.com/LittlepieceofPortugal.pt

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ARTS AND LITERATURE

Meet the Author

BY ANNIE O’DEA

Angela Mary Broad

Angela Mary Broad, known affectionately by her grandchildren as Grangie, was inspired to set pen to paper during the lockdown. Recently she has published her first children’s fairy storybook entitled Love From A Distance, which can be purchased on Amazon.

Untapping hidden talents and inspired by her love for Francesca and Georgina in Australia, Angela wanted a special bedtime story just for her two granddaughters, who she missed terribly. Due to COVID restrictions, Angela and her husband David have been unable to see their family in Australia for over two years. Angela, therefore, decided to write this fairy story for her daughter Clara to read to the grandchildren before they went to sleep.

The book was a big hit giving so much pleasure to her family and their friends that Angela created a JustGiving page to raise money for UNICEF, thinking it was a kind gesture to help underprivileged children.

Love from a Distance is a reminder that no matter how far away they are, or for how long you are apart,

your loved ones are always with you. An important testimony during the lockdowns.

The story itself originates from Angela’s father, who used to return home from work to his family and tell them his fairy story. He took great pleasure in telling his daughters about the daily adventures of Fairy Nuff / Fair Enough!

Gently amusing, Love from a Distance is a bedtime story for adults to read aloud to their little ones.

The strong, vibrant colours of the illustrations by professional artist, Matea Anic, are designed to stimulate children’s imagination of a fantasy land they can visit in their dreams. It also can be used as an intermediate reading book for children learning to read.

Angela is donating books to international schools in Portugal, hoping the book will reach a far wider readership. There is a free sample story on her website below, together with a link to UNICEF.  www.worldofmagicmania.com

Plastic Arts

BY AFONSO ALMEIDA BRANDÃO

João Mário João Mário Ayres d´Oliveira was born on September 26, 1932, in Lisbon. His work appears in several private collections as well as museums in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Holland, the USA and Japan.

João moved to Alenquer as a child and has lived there ever since. On October 18, 1992, the João Mário Museum was inaugurated in his home town. Its collection contains around 700 works by the most varied Portuguese and foreign painters, with works by João Mário occupying two of the eight rooms of the exhibition space.

João Mário´s painting demonstrates pluralism in art, which honours differences between objects while seeing their commonalities. In each, the artist translates the living pluralism and the

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individualism, which detaches itself from the world and from life.

Lezíria of Ribatejo (Chapel of Alcamé - Vila Franca de Xira) Oil without Platex, 50X65 cm. - 1997 Private Collection

The painting of João Mário uses all sensitive components to render the reality observed, which confer a sense of cohesion that only the masters know how to transfer to the painted surface. The landscapes show a poetic contemplation, projecting an aesthetic dialogue of emotion and form, light and colour of poetry and expression, portraying a serene and balanced nature.

João Mário is considered one of the greatest and most original Portuguese impressionist painters alive in our time.  j.opiniao.afonsobrandao@gmail.com

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The Old Tram of Estrela (Lisbon) Oil without Canvas, 40X50 cm. - 20418 Private Collection

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Rua Infante Sagres 105 Bloco 2 - 8600-743 Lagos +351 915 808 490

SPORTS

Defying Gravity Balloon flights in Portugal can be flown all year round and the most stable meteorological conditions are at sunrise.

If you are looking for a new experience with no ties, destination or time limitations you could ride the winds of the Barrocal valleys in the western Algarve or the warmer breezes of the rolling hills of the Baixo Alentejo.Travelling at the same speed as the wind you will enjoy a sensation of unique privilege and experience absolute silence before returning back into the loving arms of mother earth.

Main photo by Staffan Rennermalm Father and Daughter surfers : José and Constância Rocha Simões Kids picture by Pedro Correia

A Solid Groundswell

A counter culture that is now a flourishing community

Algarve Balloons, is part of the UK registered Portuguese Partnership a licenced operator and owned by South African born, Helena Sá who has been in ballooning for 30 years. The first flight in the Algarve was from the Aerodrome of Lagos in October 2001. Along the years Algarve Balloons has grown and now has three active balloons which cater for different group sizes. The Chief Pilot is Helena Sá with supporting UK pilots Allie and Phil Dunnington.

BY TOBY MILLAGE Welcome one and all and thanks to Tomorrow for asking me to reignite my writing game and become the contributor to all things surf in our funky little corner of Europe. As soon as I began hot wiring my grey matter I realised how much subject content I have an opportunity to tuck into - I am stoked.

The other day I thought about this huge influx of new families and young couples both foreign and national into the Algarve in recent years. I imagined they thought it´d always been this way. Having grown up here and been involved in the surf industry for almost 30 years, they might be interested to know that we were generally viewed as ragtag dope-smoking overgrown punks who would eventually grow up and see the light.

When I entered the scene towards the end of the 80s, there was already a generation of Algarvian surfers. A rare breed of trailblazers and super rad rockstars. I have to say it was a pretty glorious time but in most aspects, it was not easy. It was super hard to get to the west coast beaches, no weather charts, no one´s parent surfed or understood it, no surf shops to access any equipment, only random VHS surf movies to check the surf pros or surfing styles.

Soon after I ended up in Australia where my mind was blown by the deep surf culture.

36

Everyone owned a surfboard instead of a football. A community with Grandad, Dad, Mum and kids all surfing together. Surfbased family BBQs and big days out at the beach. Huge events. A thriving connection to surf lifesaving. Damn, surfing comps even on national TV. I was totally spellbound.

Fast forward three decades and no one thinks twice about the development of the excellent homegrown surf clubs from one end of the Algarve to the other, nurturing world talent with specialist kids days.

Friends and family meetups based around the surf conditions. Weekends away with your family to watch the world´s best at Nazaré or Peniche. Mum and Dad paddling out with their kids. Christmas wishlists of boards, surf skates, deck pads, the next coolest branded hoodie. We are entering a pretty glorious time in the Algarve. A genuinely surf-rich community.

We have arrived at the end of the rainbow where surfing is now part of everyday life and in turn, this depth in surf-minded community has inadvertently brought huge year-round support of local trade on all levels.  www.surfexperience.com  www.instagram.com/the_surfexperience

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Algarve Balloons Photo Competition '21 Have you spotted their balloons? Did you take a photo? Send it to Algarve Balloons Summer 2021 Facebook photo competition and win a flight in a balloon.

1. Theme: - Photos of our balloons or crew 2. Alteration and creativity is permitted 3. The one with the most likes on FB by 31 October wins. 2nd and 3rd place will also win a flight.

4. With your permission, Algarve Balloons will have the right to use your photo for marketing.

Enter through our facebook page - Algarve Balloons. If you need more info please contact  algarveballoons@gmail.com

INTERIOR DESIGN CONFECTION UPHOLSTERY 3D PROJECTS Rua Dr. Paulo Jorge L. Godinho Lote 7 – Loja D 8600-774 Lagos (+351) 282 769 115 (+351) 933 746 442 info@cjdecor.com www.cjdecor.com

Personalized Pilates Training Small groups training with equipment  +351 919 133 066  studio86pilates@gmail.com  Largo Salazar Moscoso, Lote 3 Lagos

SPORTS

João Almeida (Image coutesy Federação Portuguesa de Ciclismo)

Getting back into gear PHIL EGGINTON

With the gradual easing of restrictions, some sporting activities are getting back to normal. The Volta ao Algarve, an annual cross Algarve cycle race, delayed from its usual February slot, will lead the way in early May. Readers will be familiar with the annual Tour de France bicycle race. The “Tour” is the most well-known road racing event and, in turn, road racing is the most popular professional form of cycle racing. Events are often raced in “stages”, starting and finishing at different defined points and often using normal roads, with stages occurring over a number of days.

The Volta ao Algarve is such an event and was first held in 1960. Since 2017, it has been organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) which is the Switzerland-based, world governing body for sports cycling. The Volta is part of the UCI Pro Series, the second most senior international championship after the UCI World Tour. Previous winners have included Belgian Remco Evenepoel and Britain’s Geraint Thomas. Sir Bradley Wiggins has been a stage winner. The Volta, therefore, puts the Algarve at the very top of international cycling.

This year’s Volta commences in Lagos on May 5 with a 189.5 km stage taking in Bensafrim, Silves, Benafim and ending in Portimão. Stage 2 on May 6 from Sagres takes a 182.8 km route via Aljezur, São Marcos de Serra and São Bartolomeu de Messines, ending at Fóia near Monchique.

On May 7, Stage 3 takes a 203.1 km route from Faro to Tavira via Alcoutim. Saturday May 8 sees riders competing against the clock in Stage 4, which is an individual time trial running 20.3 km from and back to Lagoa. The final stage is the following day and starts in Albufeira, taking in a 170.1 km

38

route via Loulé, Vermelhos and finishing in Alto do Malhão.

Full route details are available on the Volta website.

I asked José Carlos Gomes, press officer of the Federação Portuguesa de Ciclismo, who was competing this year? “We still don’t have the teams fully defined. As it was necessary to change the date from February, we only started negotiating with the teams in late March," he explains.

Hopefully among those competing will be João Almeida, currently one of Portugal’s rising star riders who achieved success in last year’s Italian tour event.

And what about spectators? “It depends on the Portuguese Government. When the deconfinement plan was announced, the Prime Minister said that sporting events could have spectators after May 3, but we will have to wait for governmental decisions," José replies. “We will apply the health protocols of the UCI, which require all team members, cyclists and staff to undergo two PCR tests before the race. During the race, sanitary bubbles will be created within each team. There will also be a sanitary bubble for the organisers’ staff”.

For the latest information see the Volta website.

Phil Egginton is a journalist and photographer and now lives in the Algarve.  www.voltaaoalgarve.com

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SPORTS

Algarve in Top Gear

F1 thrilled to be coming to the Algarve again PHIL EGGINTON

High praise from both F1 drivers and teams were given to the Portimaõ circuit in 2020. F1 returns this month, but the need for caution in easing restrictions means no spectators. How can you still watch it?

2020 was a great year for fans of the Autódromo do Algarve.

After 12 years of hard work, the circuit finally realised its dream of hosting a Formula 1 race. For many of the drivers and teams, this was their first visit to the circuit. So what was the feedback?

Multiple world champion Lewis Hamilton made history at the circuit in 2020 by winning the most Formula 1 races in history. The Portuguese Grand Prix saw him claim his 92nd victory. Hamilton described the circuit as “massively challenging, the undulations are incredible. There’s a lot of places where you can’t see where you’re going. At the exit of one corner, you’re looking at the sky for a period of time and you have no idea what’s beyond the hill. You see a lot of people making mistakes, sliding and spinning.”

Fellow multiple world champion Sebastien Vettel said, “I’ve never been here before. I like it.” When interviewed on Eleven Sports in Portugal, he added, “F1 needs to come to this circuit again, it’s fantastic.”

Williams driver George Russell recently went further. “I love this track because the curves flow smoothly and the track has big changes in elevation. It really helps the action on the track. Some of the curves are blind, but that just adds to the fun. Future tracks should be inspired by Portimão.”

It was not just the drivers who praised it. I have friends who are F1 engineers and they poured praise on the facilities.

The size of the pit garages, in particular, made their job so much easier.

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At the end of 2020, all the F1 teams were asked which of the new circuits they would like to go back to. All ten said Portimão, and indeed F1 returns on May 2. It is almost certain that this year spectators will not be allowed, so how can you watch it?

F1 attracts a very strong TV audience. In 2020, the average audience per race was 87.4 million people. Portugal was one of the highest viewing audiences, with 100.5 million people watching worldwide. Locally, TV options include: Visiting a sports bar, although with current weekend restrictions, this may not be possible as the race is held in the afternoon.

Subscribing to one of the multiple channel TV packages which include channels like Sky Sports F1. Some of Tomorrow's advertisers offer this with their packages.

Adding Eleven Sports Motores package to your Portuguese TV subscription. Good live coverage, although the commentary is obviously in Portuguese.

Subscribing to F1 TV, which you can watch on a laptop, tablets, phone etc. This is available in multiple languages, the English version giving you the same coverage as Sky Sports F1.

If you are new to F1 as a sport, then I would also recommend watching the “Drive to Survive” series on Netflix. This is a fly-on-the-wall type documentary series (now on series three), which gives some great insight into the emotions and competition that goes on behind the scenes in F1.

Phil Egginton is a journalist and photographer and now lives in the Algarve.  www.formula1.com  f1tv.formula1.com

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Left to right: Sebastien Vettel at Portimão 2020 (Image Phil Egginton) Valtterie Bottas at Portimão 2020 (Image Phil Egginton)

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Vaccines So... does the Covid vaccine give you complete protection?

BY NIKI MEDLOCK DA SILVA The short answer is - no! Many people think the vaccine works as a shield between the virus and the body; however, you can still become infected, but your chances of becoming ill are practically nil.

In most cases, being vaccinated protects against the disease process, not the virus. When you hear that a vaccine gives 95% protection, for example, it means that this percentage of people who receive the vaccine will not become ill if they are exposed to the virus. They will either be completely protected or get the infection but not have any symptoms as their immune system rapidly recognises and eliminates the threat. The remaining 5%, if exposed to the virus, could become ill, but not to the extent that they need to be hospitalised. We must remember that these numbers are given out by the pharmaceutical company scientists from the results of their vaccine trials. The truth is that only time will tell what the real percentages are,regarding immunity, as worldwide more and more people are vaccinated.

We should remember that flu vaccines have been around for many years and, realistically, it reduces the risk of having to seek medical assistance by 40 – 60%, depending on the viral strain of that particular year. But because vaccines are not 100% effective against infection, and this virus is efficient at reproducing and spreading, we will probably be wearing masks and social distancing for some time to come. Another important advantage to vaccination is that, even though vaccinated people can get the virus, it will not be able to easily and rapidly reproduce in large enough numbers to transmit to others, including unvaccinated people giving their immune system time to react naturally.

One of the aims of vaccination programs is to achieve a “herd immunity” threshold which is only possible with high vaccination rates, as well as natural resistance from people who were exposed to the disease and created their own antibodies. The theory is that if enough people

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are immune to a virus and one person becomes infected, there is nowhere for the virus to go, making it harder for it to transmit to those at risk, such as babies or people with weak immune systems. Whilst not every individual may be immune, the group is protected and in a perfect world, this should mean infection rates would drop and the disease would die out eventually. But COVID-19 is a “novel” virus and we are all learning as we go along. Humans have not been infected by this virus before, meaning everyone in the world is at risk.

Many unknown aspects of this virus can only be studied over an undetermined period of time to discover more efficient ways of combating this disease. These include how long immunity lasts, either through vaccination or having had the infection? Will it become like the flu virus that keeps on giving, where we must be repeatedly vaccinated? Are the current vaccines effective against variants that are surfacing as the virus mutates? What are the harmful short/long-term side effects of these vaccines and the actual virus itself? When vaccinated, how infectious are you if you catch the virus, even though the number of viral components in your system is diminished? Scientists have yet to find out what is the “infectious dose“ for COVID-19!

As you can see, there are many more questions than answers at this time so, even though vaccination is a very big step in the right direction, we must continue to carry out the ´mechanical´ measures to keep infection down – wearing masks, social distancing and disinfection methods.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Not to be sneezed at

BY JUSTIN WRIDE There are many gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts whose joys of nature can be severely hampered by allergens and hay fever. If you are one of the unfortunate ones, you’ll be all too familiar with the symptoms: itchy eyes, streaming noses, and respiratory problems making you head for the medicine cupboard.

But do you really know which plant or tree is the culprit?

GRASSES If you have a lawn, you need to keep the grass short. But if this is your trigger, you might need to get somebody else to do the mowing. Spring is here, and as the grass grows, it produces seed and pollen.

Pollen allergy is the most common form of seasonal respiratory allergic disease in the Mediterranean. Our wonderful Mediterranean climate with its lengthy flowering times also means that pollination continues throughout the year. So what can be done?

OLIVE TREES From April to June, olives produce an abundance of pollen, so if you are finding you have a congestion-type breathing problem (and you are otherwise generally healthy), it's very likely you are living amongst olive trees. Clipping your trees prior to flowering will help, which means you will lose any fruit, but it might be the best option if it makes your life more bearable.

Apart from taking regular antihistamines or other mainstream medicines perhaps it's best to study what's growing in your garden and see if you can identify – and therefore avoid - the trigger culprits. There are four main families that are responsible for the majority of allergens found in Portugal.

CYPRESS TREES Cupressus semperviren pollen is as aggressive as most and will cause breathing difficulties and often asthma in many younger children or adults who are susceptible. So proficient are they in producing pollen, that plumes of fine pollen dust are released into the atmosphere each time

these trees are pruned or blown in the wind.

Acacias and junipers are also common in causing reactions for many.

PARIETARIAS The Parietaria family of plants includes nettles and herbaceous plants such as mugwort, so don’t be surprised to find yourself sneezing on your allotment. Beets, chard and wild spinach will all have you blowing your nose as they are common wind pollinators, so for hay fever sufferers perhaps the supermarket veg department is best for these items.

Closing windows, washing patios regularly and the correct pruning and mowing help; however, if that isn’t enough, a last resort dose oftablets should keep that nose dry and allow you to spend time outdoors without too much anguish.

If you suffer from hayfever read more on this topic on our website www.tomorrowalgarve.com  www.justinwridegardens.com

The easing of the restrictions has meant that golfers are able to get back on to the golf course.

Back on the course

BY ANN DE JONGH

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We all know that fitness is a key component of golf, and yet we still encounter a lot of golfers who do not really believe it can make a big difference, and would rather spend 500€ on a new driver when working on your mobility costs a lot less and can produce better gains.

Lockdown gave us the unique opportunity to run an experiment, as you would not normally get six golfers who do not swing a club in a 10-week period. Could a weekly mobility and flexibility routine actually have an impact on your swing?

The answer was a resounding ‘yes’. Every single person found they were consistently hitting the ball further and they felt that they were swinging with more freedom and ease. We often think we need to play sports to get fit, but actually, we need to get fit to play sports.

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No matter what your sport is – golf, tennis, football – it is important to prepare yourself to play. By doing this you will be able to play your sport better, for longer and with less pain and injury.

Movement and flexibility is so important in our day-to-day lives, and even if you don’t participate in sporting activities, you should still spend some time every day working on maintaining your body’s movement patterns. During lockdown, a lot of us spent more time seated, creating tightness, especially in our lower backs, hips and knees.

So as we start to get back to a more normal routine and are getting out of the house more, make sure you make the time to stretch and mobilise.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Summer Loving

BY SARAH ANN MURRAY

Portugal, already known for its expertise in manufacturing, is now nurturing a wealth of young fashion creatives, all with an eye on the future of design and their hearts in the future of the planet. This summer, we’re loving local fashions with a global vision.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, fashion will fly again, her feathers, brighter, bolder and more unique than before. This last year may have heavily impacted high-street retail and fast-fashion empires (not to mention our own wardrobes) but what we’re seeing as we reemerge, is the rise of slow fashion, independent designers and home-grown talent, many of whom have a focus on the healthy message of sustainability.

ISART Design Desert style bringing the heat The Coachella and Burning Man festivals may be a distant recollection, but that’s not to say we can’t rock a similar, daring ensemble for our own beach merriment. For that desertready outfit that'll be cool even when the sun goes down, I love designer Ines Silva’s art-inspired designs. Her clothes are 100% handmade and in every piece, she entwines natural fabrics like leather and jewels and gem stones for a bohemian, exotic look.

Mirror image Off the back of having her signature mirrored dress featured in a Swarovski film no less, designer Sarah-Louise Koessler has made the most of lockdown and launched her online shop. Here, the artistic designer brings you a chance to tap into the very heart of SLK designs with smaller more accessible pieces from her mirrored collection, in the form of bags, fun and fabulous couture mirrored masks, and a trio of corset tops with some seriously elegant sleeve drama.

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Waste Not, Want Not Zero-waste designer brand J-ANT is the epitome of what is now known as slow fashion. But what on earth is this unhurried style, I here you ask. It’s fashion that’s hitting the brakes on throwaway consumerism, on over-produced, under-valued, low-quality goods, purchased for short-term affection. So, it’s a breath of fresh air to see Portuguese designer Jessica Antonio’s experimental brand, J-ANT, create unique hand-crafted garments, with natural materials, using traditional, zero-waste techniques, meaning that all leftovers from previous collections are upcycled and used for the creation of new collections.

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Be Jewelled Is it even summer if you’ve not treated yourself to a little piece of beach-inspired gemstone jewellery to kick off the sandals and kaftan season? At just 26, Joana Costa already has her own jewellery business where she makes made-to-order designs and has a growing shoppable collection, with every piece made by hand in Peniche. From the most delicate bracelets, to something bolder, Joana’s designs appeal both to our eager aesthetic side but also satisfy a deeper holistic and sustainable consciousness.  www.kiluanatura.com

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Money Matters Vaughan Willmore speaks to Ricardo Chaves, owner of All Finance Matters.

I’m sure we’d all agree Portugal is a wonderful place to live and any frustrations are few and far between. Yet one point that’s often mentioned is the bureaucracy we sometimes encounter. I recently interviewed Ricardo Chaves of accountancy firm All Finance Matters (AFM).

WHEN DID YOU START AFM AND HOW HAS IT CHANGED SINCE? I started as a sole trader in 2013 with the first staffing additions joining in January 2015. Today, we have 29 people, including seven certified accountants. Although the mission is the same, the team is now more talented and experienced.

WHAT HELP CAN AN ACCOUNTANT PROVIDE? An accountant offers peace of mind. They can submit tax declarations for you, make sure you pay the legal minimum, and deal with any audits, and the issuing of such things as tax residency certificates.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED THINGS? The workload has increased and changed our business because we now assist clients who needed services that weren’t part of the original portfolio, like submitting grant applications. The team has adapted well and it’s now normal to meet clients from all over world via Zoom.

WHEN IS THE PORTUGUESE TAX YEAR? It's the same as the calendar year, but you can also use a split year treatment, For example, if 2020 was your first year of residency, you need to submit a tax return for the period you were in Portugal (from ? to 31-12-2020). The same happens to those ceasing their residency. They need to submit a tax return from 01-01-2020 until the date they left.

WHAT IS IRS AND WHEN DO YOU SUBMIT THIS? IRS (Imposto Sobre Rendimentodas Pessoas Singulares) is personal income tax and returns must be submitted online by no later than June 30. If you are a tax resident of Portugal, you need to declare your worldwide income. If you are a non-resident but received income from a Portuguese source, for instance, salary, property rental, etc, you need to submit the declaration with your Portuguese-sourced income. The tax bill is normally issued in July, and payment is due August 31.

WHAT ARE THE TIMESCALES FOR 2020 TAX RETURNS? Returns must be submitted online by June 30 through the ‘Portal das Finanças’, so ensure you have a password to access the Portal. If you don’t, request a new password immediately.

Remember, tax residents must declare their worldwide income. For non-residents, then irrespective of residency, if you have income from a Portuguese source, you must submit a declaration here.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER FOR THE TAX PORTAL? You go on the site and request a password and they're then usually issued by post within five

working days. There’s s an English language document on the Portal das Financas site at https://info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/pt/docs/ Conteudos_1pagina/Pages/portuguese-taxsystem.aspx, . Your accountant can also do this for you.

IF YOU WANT TO BECOME SELF-EMPLOYED, HOW DO YOU SET UP GREEN RECEIPTS? Registration is normally made through the tax portal and you need to have an IBAN (International Bank Account Number).

Registration is not that simple. If you’re not used to doing it, it’s advisable to seek advice. There are several aspects to be considered, for instance, if you will be exempt from VAT or not; if you want to be taxed on the simplified regime; if you will be purchasing services from the EU, etc. Also, you must register for your social security number and apply for a 12-month exemption, if this is your first activity registration.

Recently, we've noticed many freelancers moving to Portugal. When they become fiscal residents, irrespective of whether they are non-habitual residents and regardless of whether their income is obtained in Portugal or abroad, these professionals must begin their professional activity as self-employed persons and hence become subject to the respective tax regime.

Ricardo will be answering your questions in future editions.

Please send questions to  sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com AFM can be contacted at:  +351 281 029 059  info@allfinancematters.com  www.allfinancematters.com

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

The Wow Factor As the saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” This is particularly true when choosing a property either to live in or as a holiday investment.

Before

After

The first thing buyers consider is whether they like the look of a place. If the outside is tatty and uncared for, they wonder what the rest of the house is going to be like. You can have a lovely interior in a great location, but the exterior condition can account for up to 70% of the buying decision; also the dreaded words “price reduction” come into play immediately.

experiment with colours; the rich colours associated with the Algarve's Moorish history are increasingly being used externally to give that exotic look and feel.

TOP TIP 1 Have an experienced builder/renovator give you an estimate to bring the exterior up to A1 condition; if completed successfully, this will increase the value of your property immediately. Also, don't be afraid to

BY DAVID FLOCKHART

TOP TIP 2 Invest in a few beautiful exotic pot plants around the entranceway, with flowering window boxes on each window sill and balcony. This will complete the WOW Factor before the potential buyer steps through the front door.

 www.algarvedecor.com  +351 926 323 125

Remote Purchasing Such is the demand for properties in the Algarve, many estate agents are now seeing buyers buy without visiting the property.

In 2019, we were wondering about the impact of Brexit - then COVID arrived. Over the last 18 months, vendors, buyers and real estate agents have worked extremely hard to fulfil customers’ desires to sell or buy, particularly in the Algarve real estate market.

Throughout both lockdowns, Togofor Homes has been inundated with international clients desperate to buy and unable to travel. Increasing numbers of clients are looking to purchase a property for permanent/non-permanent residence or investment with higher budgets. If Brexit and COVID have taught us anything, it is

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the value of family, home, health, security and lifestyle. The old adage of ‘don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today´, is more pertinent than ever.

We have experienced a surge of clients looking for larger, luxury properties in premium locations as well as three-bedroom villas with pools that are in very short supply. We have already sold four villas of just under two million euros in March 2021. Two of these properties were bought remotely by UK buyers, without even seeing the property.

There are so few properties available to buy that when things come onto the market people who know the area and can´t travel are prepared to buy without visiting the property. Just as

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everyone has had to work and socialise via video links, property sales can now be conducted in a similar manner.

So if you are pondering whether now is the time to sell, don´t be put off thinking that there are no buyers around - they are there, if not in person via video link!

We have both international and high budget clients, plus we dominate the German-speaking market.

The Algarve has so much to offer. The attractions of sunshine, sandy beaches, beautiful scenery, and a healthier, stress-free lifestyle are all here and in high demand.  www.togofor-homes.com

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Tiffany Foy Nazar

A Deep-Rooted Business Algarve Tree Services was founded in 2006

by Martin Foy, a renowned, skilled tree surgeon based in Lagos. He brought his knowledge to the length and breadth of the Algarve, with a love of showing clients the potential for their trees to flourish in this, sometimes, harsh climate. Since the untimely passing of Martin in 2017, his wife Tiffany, a dedicated farmer with olive, almond, fig, orange and carob trees, plus a wide range of animals from horses to peacocks has vowed to carry on the legacy of Martin’s passion.

Having previously worked as a riding instructor, in 2000 Tiffany had the opportunity to enrol on a Jovens Empresarias Agricolas (Young Agricultural Businesspersons) course run by the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture that also covered citrus, olive and dried fruit production.

In 2009, went to the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester UK, where she obtained her Lantra Basic Tree Inspector certification. On top of this, Tiffany holds permits for forestry and industrial machinery, has her Phytopharmaceuticals licence for the treatment of pests and diseases and is often seen behind the wheel of her big trucks trailer delivering machinery and working with the team on site. Her interests in permaculture and ecological land management mean that all the green waste created by the tree work is composted on the farm. In the case of woodchips, chippings are donated to other local riding centres catering for disabled riders for surfacing their arenas.

We can all agree that climbing trees can be dangerous. Climbing trees while using a chainsaw and manoeuvring heavy pieces of timber to the ground could be life-threatening! A.T.S. arborists are UKqualified with City & Guilds accreditation.

These qualifications are considered among

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the most stringent in the world and tree surgeons with them are sought after due to the training they receive. The team has competent groundsmen to support the climber and help maintain safety, keeping ropes and equipment ready to hand and clearing branches from the vicinity of works. As well as well as the Stihl Timber Wolf chainsaw and stump-grinding machinery used to carry out the day-to-day work, Tiffany has invested in a tracked mini JCB digger for land clearance tree planting and tree and root removal and also a bigger tipping truck for removal of green waste as well as transport of compost, soil, sand, etc.

As for a day in the life of Algarve Tree Services? Well, Tiffany finds the biggest challenge is having to be in the office and keeping up with the paperwork. She would much rather be looking at trees in people’s gardens or out with her team dismantling a 20-metre pine tree overhanging a house, where they have to manoeuvre 100+ kg logs to the ground without causing damage.

Even taking care of the palm trees in Marina de Lagos or spraying canary palm trees against the red palm weevil in prestigious gardens is in a day’s work for her. After all, who wants to be inside when you could be outside in the environment?

Algarve Tree Services is a company born out of a love for nature and will continue to be so. Tiffany’s parting observation, “Trees are our life, and all lives depend on trees”, shows how dedicated she has become to this kind of work.

Algarve Tree Services covers the whole Algarve, Alentejo and even Andalusia in Spain and can help with all aspects of tree, shrub, hedge and palm care.

 www.algarvetreeservices.com  +351 917 479 921

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The Arborist Does climbing trees with a chainsaw sound like fun or make you feel queasy? Well, this is exactly what Ben Stobert does to make a living.

It´s very far from a desk job, but he admits he does get a buzz from the adrenaline.

Originally from Birmingham, Ben was invited by some friends to join their tree-felling team, working on major contracts at gas and electricity installations. Arborists, also known as tree surgeons, don´t just cut down trees, they also oversee the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs and vines.

“I was a keen rock climber, so I was attracted to the job initially because of the thrill, but then I developed an interest in trees,” Ben tells me. He was on holiday in the Algarve a year ago when he met some of Tiffany´s team who asked him to help out. He has never left.

Many arborists study at an agricultural school, but Ben learnt on the job and then took his certifications. He tells me the breed is “all a bit cooky, you never meet a sane arborist!” Nonetheless, they are like family as they have to watch each other´s backs.

He does still get what is known in the industry as 'Elvis leg'. "I had a jitter the other day while I was up a tree and my legs turned to jelly, but then it is just mind over matter.”

He won´t stop now, though. “I´m not the office type,” he grins.

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BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Trust in Our Success

BY TOM HENSHAW

Off the back of huge success in the UK, entrepreneurs Patrícia and Ricardo Sousa have just transferred their business model to the Algarve and are hoping to give something back to the community.

Patrícia and Ricardo Sousa have built a very enterprising and successful family business starting almost a decade ago in the UK and Ireland, initially as a recruitment agency for the building and construction industry.

Ricardo, who hails from Lisbon, worked his way up the ladder in the construction industry so the business gradually evolved into a construction company. His impressive range of achievements include government contracts.

So with their two children, and partly for their future as a family, they decided that they would like to move back to their home country and Patrícia´s hometown Lagos. Whilst maintaining their successful business in the UK and Eire, Patricia and Ricardo have now opened new offices in Lagos, building on the diverse and yet wellproven success of RSPS contracts.

Ricardo tells me that they have other ongoing projects in Denmark, France and, more recently, in Portugal. They now have offices in Ireland, the United Kingdom and of course here in Lagos.

work including painting, remodelling and repairs. They have already teamed up with recognised, experienced builders, painters and architects so that it is possible to offer projects from groundworks upwards and offer turnkey construction.

The enterprising couple has big plans for the future here and both speak excellent English so are very happy to meet and provide no obligation quotations for any works relating to the building industry. They are very well-placed to cut out a lot of the bureaucracy, helping to find land, obtain the licenses and deal with the issues that worry many foreigners contemplating building here.

To prove their versatility and commitment to the community, they also have a large light and airy studio behind their offices: a ‘Fusion’ studio offering a wide range of activities. These include fitness classes, mixed martial arts, and dance classes, teaching children self-defence and much more.

RSPS are currently developing government contracts here and have already two major school building programmes, one in Lisbon and one in the Alentejo.

I was personally very impressed with their professional no-nonsense approach to their business, which already has a strong track record with a solid foundation and with exciting future plans.

Patrícia and Ricardo have, however, made it clear that they are not only working on major projects but are actively looking for small and medium-sized construction

 +351 936 622 966 / 968  info@rspscontracts.co.uk  Opposite the Pro Putting Garden - Lagos

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What is “The Cloud”?

When you send an email, use social media to text or call a friend online, store a photo or document,or use countless other online facilities, these are made possible by the services using “the cloud”.

“The cloud” is a buzzword that is used to describe a group (known as a network) of computers (servers) that store information or programs that are accessed over the internet.

OK, WHAT IS IT EXACTLY? The first thing to understand about “the cloud” is that it is not a physical thing.

“The cloud” is a network of servers, with each of these servers having a different function. Some servers store your information while others allow you to run a program. A good example is when you take a picture on your smartphone: it is normally stored on your phone's internal memory.

However, when you upload your photos to Instagram, Facebook or iCloud you are uploading them to “the cloud”.

There is a good chance that you are already storing your documents and photos on the cloud on a daily basis without really realising it. From Google Photos, Microsoft OneDrive to iCloud, any time you store information without using up your device’s internal memory, you're storing information on the cloud.

More about the practical uses of the cloud next month.  +351 936 387 512  www.stevendunwell.com

Free IT Support in May COVID restrictions permitting and apply The Tropical Café Nº. 33, Avenida dos Descobrimentos, Lagos Tuesday 11th & 25th 11am until 1pm

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The chimney sweep borrowed me again

For a quick dust free cleaning of your chimney using the new Power Sweep System, call:

 934 927 944 | www.chimneysweepalgarve.com

Professional company specialising in:  Plumbing

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 Rua Professor Luís de Albuquerque, Loja 6A, 8600-615 Lagos  +351 936 345 021  geral@hidrogarve.pt  hidrogarve.pt

FOOD & DRINK

Wild Oasis

A Lazy Girl's Guide To may

BY THE LAZY TIGERS So here we all are in lovely May, with great hopes of a bumper summer to come.

The 1st of May is, of course, traditionally International Workers´ Day, and here at London Tiger Coffee, no matter how lazy we are, it’s all about the workers. And what the workers need when they get home is a glass of something delicious, even if the work has only been wandering around the shops or going for a swim. If you factor in that early May also brings us National No Diet Day on the 6th, then I think the workers can allow themselves some tasty snacks as well. So here is some finger food to enjoy while you are having a sundowner or two.

Mushrooms a la Grecque have been served as party food since Elizabeth David´s French Provincial Cooking was published, and these days are much overlooked. Get your swinging 60s groove on – we never lost ours.

Feel free to mess about with the herbs, and even add some tomato puree, if you like.

Mushrooms a la Grecque To make four small tapas plates:  225 grams of white mushrooms (whole if button, cut up if larger)  150 ml of water  2 tbsps olive oil (plus extra to garnish)  Some peppercorns  Some coriander seeds  1 bay leaf  2 or 3 dried chillies (to taste)  Some dried thyme  2 squashed cloves of garlic  1 lemon  Chopped parsley

mushrooms and simmer till they are cooked. Don’t allow the pan to dry out.

Remove the bay leaf and add chopped parsley and the rest of the lemon juice.

Serve cold with some more olive oil and some of the lemon zest.

How about a nice drop of port with your snacks? You´re in the right place. There has never been a wider variety, from the traditional to the downright innovative.

However, after a hard day of doing something or other, maybe something a little bit stronger would be nice. Try a port cocktail.

Porto Negroni

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free are options and, on the first night, we went for the vegetarian option. For me, vegetarian food has to be well-flavoured with spice to make it stand out and this did not disappoint. Starters were homemade mushroom and walnut pate with just a hint of brandy, accompanied with homemade seed crackers, thinly sliced and containing sunflower and pumpkin. Just right and totally delicious. The mains were portobello mushrooms with garlic and paprika, crispy potato wedges in local marine salt and rosemary, red cabbage in red wine and raisins and wild salad leaves foraged from the local forest. Sweet was a vegetarian chocolate mousse with pecans in maple syrup and fresh raspberries. Suffice to say, tastily devoured.

For breakfast, we were treated to tomatoes with rosemary and oil accompanied by Labnah cheese. A stunning porridge of oats, chia seeds and bananas followed and then finally, fresh warm rolls with homemade jams and marmalades. All washed down with strong coffee.

To make two:  50 ml of Tawny Port (a nice one)  50 ml of Gin (with lots of citrus notes)  50 ml of Campari  Orange zest Stir all the alcohol over ice and strain into two old-fashioned glasses with one lump of ice in each.

Garnish with the orange zest.

Don’t forget these are appetisers. Lagos is chock-full of great restaurants and bars, and now is the time to get out there and meet friends safely in our great town. Come and see us at London Tiger Coffee in the Old Town.

You can read a third recipe for Parmesan Shortbread on the website: www.tomorrowalgarve.com

Place the oil and all the herbs in the water with the juice of half the lemon, add the

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Yum Yum and chums decided to get a short break before any further news on lockdown - we had a great three days at the above mountain retreat. This is a place to chill and soak up the mountain views, fresh air and the sauna and plunge pool overlooking Monchique. Kate runs a great retreat so, if you are looking to get away from it all and COVID permitting - go! On to the food.

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I could yum on about it for ages, but why not call Kate and arrange a dinner if you are in the area? Well worth it for a totally intimate, special date, combined with a few nights stay, maybe? Treat yourself. Glad I did.

 476 Semideiro, 8550-201 Monchique  +34 628 988 588  www.facebook.com/Wild-Oasis-Algarve

OPEN FOR TAKE AWAY From the 5th of April we will be serving in the outside terrace +351

Traditional Italian food

282 782 417

Opening times: 12pm to 10pm Address: Urb. Rossio de S. João Lt 4, Loja A 8600-774 Lagos

Kiko’s Tasca

Wine, food and friends.

Unique, Exclusive and Distinct wines from Portugal.

Portuguese food. Tapas, lunch and dinner.

Open from 11am to 11pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

Tel.: +351 282 046 037 • Email: one.destino@gmail.com Centro Naútico Sopromar - Estrada Sopromar (Meia-Praia) • LAGOS • GPS - N 37º 06.433' / W 08º 40.176' • f facebook.com/tascadokiko

Authentic Indian experience in a warm and stylish decor.

Offering Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free options.

 Avenida dos Pescadores Lote 3, Praia da Luz 8600-130 Lagos

Open for Lunch and Dinner.

 +351 282 789 667 / 960 453 376 Visit our website:  pashmina.restaurant

SNACK - BAR - PIZZERIA

Italian Restaurant serving pizzas and pastas located near the Lagos Marina

FREE

Take Away Delivery in Lagos

Open Monday to Saturday for 11am to 3pm and 6 to 10.30pm  Pizzeria Bell’Itália  Rua Conde de Lippe, 20 Lagos

+351

282 184 123

We also do Take Away and Delivery

ENVIRONMENT

Trash to Treasure

The Seaqual Initiative

BY MEREDITH LEVITT

Turning trash into treasure may sound like a cliché, but since 2015 that is literally what the Seaqual Initiative has been doing.

The figures are overwhelming. Every year, 12 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans. As of 2020, there were 4.6 billion tons of plastic in landfills and our environment. Every minute, one million plastic bottles are sold. This year alone, 400 million tons of plastic will be produced. Only 9% of this will be recycled.

On the surface, the problem seems insurmountable. But for Mark Hartnell, the Director of Textiles at the Seaqual Initiative, solutions do exist. “Marine pollution is a global issue with no borders,” he explains from his home office overlooking the sea just outside Lagos. “In order to solve this problem, we need huge collaboration with global markets. That starts at the local level.”

Founded in 2015 by three Spanish companies who wanted to use recycled plastic in their garments, Seaqual started from a desire to make marine plastic commercially viable. These companies wanted to make yarn from damaged plastic and then manufacture ‘recycled clothing’. The process proved challenging, and they were severely understaffed.

As soon as Hartnell heard about Seaqual, he knew he could find a solution. “I’ve always had a deep passion and love for the ocean, and I’m a textile engineer. For the last 25 years, I’ve been engineering fabrics to meet certain requirements - everything from antimicrobial to self-drying,” he says. “I’m one of those people who never go to the beach without picking up some plastic and I know how to find creative solutions for materials and get them to market successfully. This was a job made for me.”

Hartnell joined Seaqual in the summer of 2018. Since then, it has evolved from a small project with one full-time employee and 12 companies to a fast-growing, global initiative with over 1,000 companies, numerous projects and a team of international experts around the world.

“Seaqual is not a company,” explains Hartnell. Rather, this is a global initiative made up of NGOs, large international brands (IKEA, Fiat, Bluebuck, Burlington and many others), waste management companies, manufacturers, fishermen, environmental groups, politicians and individuals around the world who share a desire to help clean up the oceans. Seaqual connects various entities on a local level, serving as a catalyst for awareness, education and change.

Hartnell points out the need for better education. One common misconception is that fishermen are largely responsible for the plastic waste in the oceans. In reality, 80% of the plastic that ends

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up in the oceans comes from landfills and rivers, not the fishermen. “We are working with local fishermen who often have a great love for the sea and have lived from it for generations,” explains Hartnell. “So many of them are collaborating to help, yet people often blame them unfairly for the problem.”

One of the biggest issues arises in locations near the sea that experience seasonal tourism and a massive influx of waste for several months of the year. Often, waste management companies in those areas are designed to handle the amount of waste produced by the local inhabitants. When a specific season or time of the year brings hordes of tourists, the sudden increase in waste exceeds the capacity of local waste management plants. This creates massive problems for the nearby seashore, especially if unexpected storms occur that sweep trash from landfills and rivers into the water.

For Portugal, which thrives on seasonal tourism close to the beach, this is a large problem. “I can’t name any specific companies yet, but we are launching a big collaboration between waste management companies, recycling plants, and collectors along a large part of the Portuguese coast very soon.” This new project will run from Porto in the north all the way to Lagos in the south.

According to Hartnell, one of the questions individuals ask him the most is “what can I do to help?” Aside from participating in local beach clean-ups and recycling, individuals have a huge potential to help. Every decision counts. Your purchasing power – what you buy, how you buy it and from whom – makes a huge difference. “If you don’t want to see plastic bags in the ocean, don’t use them,” advises Hartnell. “Educate yourself about the type of fish you’re buying. Is it artisan? Is it a type that is overfished? Make informed choices.

People think what they do makes no difference, but they’re wrong.

Everything makes a difference. We are in this together. It’s our ocean, and it will only change if we all work as a team.”

To get involved or find out how you can help, visit  www.seaqual.org

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COFFEE EXCELLENT FOOD INCL VEGAN & VEGETARIAN BICYCLE SERVICING & REPAIRS BICYCLE RENTALS & SALES CYCLING CLOTHING & APPAREL CYCLING TOURS BICYCLE RECOVERY SERVICE

 +351 968 848 550  Largo dos Chorões, 8550-466 Monchique  www.velochique.com

PETS & WILDLIFE

Bear with Nana

Donald and Bear

Nana's Legacy

10-year-old Bluto is up for adoption

BY SOPHIE SADLER

Donald and Anne Boers had just flown into South Africa in December 2017, when they received the news that Donald´s mother, Nana, was in hospital.

They flew straight back to Portugal and were able to spend a final week with Nana, who was in a coma and later passed away from a brain haemorrhage.

It had been my privilege to meet Nana earlier that year when I wrote an article about her Bamboo dog shelter in Guadalupe. I was immediately drawn to Nana, who was certainly unconventional but exuded warmth and wisdom in the lines of her face. One of her idiosyncrasies was that she dressed only in white and was always seen with her beloved dog at her side. I rode on her golf buggy as we zoomed across the fields, the dogs happily bouncing along to the lake. I was very sad to hear of her passing and have been keen for a while to find out what happened to the Bamboo charity that she left behind.

I need not have been concerned. I chatted online to her equally charming and charismatic son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Anne, who reside in Madrid. “We have always had rescue dogs and cats ourselves, so taking care of abandoned animals is something that was already a part of our lives,” explains Anne.

They visited Nana two or three times a year, and had spoken to her about what would happen when she passed. “Bamboo was her passion and she wanted it to be able to continue for at least two years when she was no longer with us and she made this financial commitment,” explains Donald.

As the two years came to a close, however, the joy and commitment Nana had exuded proved

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to be infectious. “We decided that we wanted to keep it going. It has evolved into her heritage and we have now injected some of our own personality into it.”

The couple try to spend all their spare time there, including at least six weeks in the summer, for working holidays when they carry out maintenance and enjoy the farm life with their three boys. Their youngest Bear is 11 years old and he particularly enjoys taking part in the running of the refuge. “He loves to go around in the buggy, as his grandmother did, and can´t wait to go there and work.”

Anne oversees the committee members and organises the groups of volunteers via a WhatsApp group. They manage anything from a leak to a sick or injured dog. Donald adds, “My mother was the heart and soul of the charity, but we are as dependent on the dedication of the volunteers as my mother was.”

The association currently houses 19 dogs.

“Sometimes people tie them to the gate, or other kennels contact us if they need help. Residents contact us about, or bring us, abandoned dogs.

For example, Bluto is about 10 years old and had been hit by a car. Someone picked him up, paid for medical treatment and then brought him to us. He is still looking for a forever home.”

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“Last year we had 30 adoptions. The way my mother set things up, we have very few issues with the dogs, most of them are adopted and those that aren't, have a forever home here, in this little piece of paradise,” adds Donald.

They are not currently at maximum capacity, which is 30 dogs; Donald and Anne put this down to having had more adoptions due to COVID. They are anticipating growing their pack as they always get an influx of puppies in the spring.

Like every shelter, they need more forever homes for mature dogs, although sometimes it is hard to let their long-term residents fly the nest. “One dog Bubba was with us for years and refused to be adopted. Then an 83-year-old lady came to the shelter and wanted her. We thought she would never leave, so it was a bit hard to let her go. Now she loves the constant attention from her new owner, it is a match made in heaven.”

They can always use more help through volunteers, donations, materials, although Bamboo always manages to have a dedicated team of (long-time) volunteers. “We usually have plenty of volunteers because people enjoy spending time here,” says Anne.

So Bamboo has proven to be a lasting legacy for Nana. A sanctuary not just for the animals she adored but also her much-loved family and the volunteers who love spending time there. It is a fitting tribute to a wonderful lady who is sadly missed.

Monetary donations of any size are always very welcome. You can donate via the PayPal button on the website or using the QR-code on the page.  www.bambooalgarve.org/get-involved

PETS & WILDLIFE

Man's Best Friend

BY RODOLFO AÇO

Pet's Mate

Welcome back to the outside world. It sure is nice seeing people out and about, enjoying each other’s company, sharing drinks and breaking bread. Good of them to be patronising locally owned bars and restaurants too (yes, you can use patronising like that. I just checked). It´s funny to think that this was essentially illegal, and kind of still is.

We are social animals and I don’t think we do too well when isolated from others. Which is why we made another one.

Welcome to the world Aerin-Rae, our family's latest edition. Yes, when you´ve got a regular column, you can segway to your newborn daughter, I reckon. She was born an Aries, so you know what that means. Probably more than her genes and upbringing, I´m led to understand. Anyway, I´d feel odd not mentioning it, it´s nice to have a baby in the house, too.

So, shall we tie this into a veterinary article?

No worries, we can do that. On day two, we helped make sure that she would never die of Hepatitis B. We didn´t have to sign a disclosure on her behalf that she would never become a junkie. No, it turns out all it took was a small injection. And here comes the connection – we can do that in animals too.

Astute readers, and essentially anyone who doesn´t live under a rock, are aware of vaccinations for their dogs and cats (etc).

There is a new(ish) development that many clinics in Lisbon and elsewhere are doing too. That is a third vaccination for puppies up to 16 weeks of age. This has shown to protect pups more at this vulnerable age, especially against parvovirus.

This month Rodolfo shares a very personal story about how dogs changed his life and his mental health.

It's been a year since we entered this challenging situation. This month, I will share a bit of my personal experience with all of you about how a dog rescued me.

Aerin-Rae Ramquist Recently, we lost a puppy to parvovirus at the clinic. He had received the standard two doses and was about 16 weeks of age when he contracted the disease. Despite intensive treatment, the virus decimated his immune system and he lost his fight. Cute little fella too. This is the first time that this author has lost a twice-vaccinated puppy.

So now we are recommending owners of pups to do a third vaccination if you haven’t already.

Preventative injections are also strongly recommended against heartworm and Leishmania (for which there is no cure).

Cats that go outside should be vaccinated against (the fatal) Feline Leukaemia virus.

Horse owners should ALWAYS vaccinate against tetanus…cause if a horse gets that – they are dead. Other routine vaccines recommended are influenza and West Nile Virus. This last disease spread to the Algarve a few years ago. It is spread by mosquitoes and about 1/3rd of infected horses will die.

These vaccines are effective at preventing death. They won´t cause blood clots or encode into the brain, making one more compliant with the government. That´s the Astra-Zeneca one, I think.

Anyway, congratulations on being born, young Aerin-Rae. May you fly above the world´s pandemonium and keep humour about you, always.

See the rest of youse next month. Enjoy your freedom!

 www.lagosvet.com

Dogs are amazing, and I am grateful for everything they have taught me. My relationship with dogs started at a young age. I was a toddler and like many others that would not give his dummy and blanket away for anyone. One day I was asked to give them to one of my uncle's dog. I did it without thinking.

My parents never allowed me to have a dog, but I always felt a special connection with them. It took me 35 years to finally own a dog. By that time, I had lost myself in a bottomless pit. I had been a party boy, with lots of friends, but I found myself counting the days until my last.

For one year or so, I isolated myself and was trying to find myself when I came across the dog that would bring me back. From that day, I started to reconnect with nature, meet people, and make new friendships.

That dog did give me the motivation to learn more about myself and in turn, taught me a lot about life itself.

Today I can help dogs, and people, by giving owners a different perception of dogs and life itself. Last year for example, circumstances meant that I ended up living in my car with my six dogs. During that time, I managed to focus on what I believe in. I kept working with my clients who became friends.

I wrote my articles for Tomorrow and learned a lot from them. After seven months and seven days, I found a home for us all. My life today is one step closer to my dream, thanks to that dog. I am preparing the ground to develop my work, and information on my new project will be in next month´s magazine.  rmggoncalves@gmail.com

www.tomorrowalgarve.com

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TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

One Person’s Junk is Another Person’s Treasure

BY TAMSIN VARLEY

This lockdown has certainly brought out the creative juices in most of us as we try and find new ways to amuse ourselves. A recent visit to a large DIY store got me thinking about how useful pallet boards are and how many ways we can use them in our gardens.

Leroy Merlin is currently selling cushions for pallet board seats (which you could easily make yourself), and have a very nice display showing you how effective they look. I’ve seen pallet boards used as tables and chairs quite a bit over the years in the Algarve, and I think they lend a certain rustic charm to outdoor settings. Some years ago, my husband made us a very smart outdoor pallet board table complete with a scorched top before he varnished it, which has had a lot of use.

A thrifty neighbour has been using pallet boards to make a palisade fence, which I think looks amazing. She’s also using them as makeshift steps and have no doubt she’ll also make some

62

furniture with the excess pallets. This same neighbour has also managed to acquire some cable drums which she is using as tables – they certainly won’t shift with the strong winds we sometimes get around here.

My cold frame (a transparent roofed enclosure) sits on a pallet board base that has lockable wheels on it, which means I can move it around on my terrace to maximise sun or shade and it won’t move around in a breeze. I also copied an idea I saw years ago at Hidcote Gardens in the UK, where they used stacked pallet boards to make a frame for an insect hotel. Once you’ve piled the pallet boards on top of one another, you have the fun of filling the framework with all sorts of materials such as bamboo, cork, bricks with air holes and other natural materials to appeal to a wide variety of insects. I think it makes a great garden feature and it’s wildlife-friendly too.

I’ve also seen pallet boards used as a canvas for painting and they really are very effective. We

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also carefully place broken wheelbarrows, garden forks and other retired implements around the garden which, to a casual eye, makes it look as if the gardener has just put their tools down before heading off for a tea break. I’ve seen old ladders, agricultural iron vessels, old cartwheels, rusty buckets and even bicycles used to great effect in decorating a garden.

So, if you’re a hoarder and have piles of old junk that you can’t bear to throw away, it might be worth rifling through it with a fresh eye to see what you can upcycle and use outdoors in a different and more unusual way.

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

LONDON TIGER COFFEE WELCOMES YOU BACK

Come in and see us for home baked cakes, snacks, soups, sandwiches, and seasonal treats; with the finest coffee, ground and brewed by expert baristas. We also have speciality lattes, ice cold frappes, milkshakes, smoothies, beers, wines, and cocktails.

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options We are open 7 days a week from 9.30am to 10pm at 14 Rua Marreiros Neto in the historic centre.

londontigercoffee.com londontigercoffee @londontigercoffee London Tiger Coffee

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS All images © Dave Sheldrake Photography

Things to do in Portimão

Special Offer This month enjoy this exclusive discount from a local Portimão business.

Mention Tomorrow magazine and receive: One free Yoga or Pilates class per person (live streaming classes every day except Sunday if we are in lockdown) or 10% discount on private home yoga classes, (all props and mats provided) during May. Must be booked in advance: info@villaprana.pt +351 926 372 366.  en.villaprana.pt

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Portimão is the second largest city in the Algarve, and its history stretches back to the Neolithic period, with the remains of settlements hinting at a prosperous past.

Phoenicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians would all have passed through this port, trading with the Mediterranean and North Africa. The name Portimão is derived from its Roman name of Portus Magnus (Great Port) and it is a natural harbour at the base of the Arade river.

Today it is known for its large retail zone known as Aqua Shopping, but there is so much more to see and do in Portimão.

The main church in the town is the Igreja Matriz de Portimão, which was built in the 15th century. Partially destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, it was renovated in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its construction was based upon the then famous Batalha Monastery, which was the most important Portuguese monument of its time.

The church is flamboyantly Gothic and Manueline in appearance. Inside, the altar is an impressive riot of gold paint and statues jostling for attention.

The Igreja Colégio dos Jesuítas is located around the corner from the main church. It was built at the end of the 17th century under the orders of Diogo Gonçalves. He was caught up in a storm at sea and found refuge in Portimão’s harbour. His way of saying thank you to God for saving his life was to build a church. I hope he liked the finished design as it became his final resting place too, as he was buried in the chancel.

One of the most interesting places to visit is Portimão Museum. Its location is a former sardine canning factory,

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and it includes an exhibition of how the factory used to operate. It is a beautiful building, which has been sympathetically restored and uses modern technology to provide an informative museum experience. The canning factory section has life-size models to show how people used to work in there. The museum’s position, right beside the waterfront, seems to bring it all to life more easily. A quick tip: they have free entry to the public on Sundays.

Carrying on with the historical theme, in the nearby parish of Mexilhoeira Grande, you can visit the Megalithic Monuments of Alcalar. This is a group of burial tombs dating from the Copper Age (2000-1600 BC), which have been classified as a National Monument in Portugal. Some of the original pieces excavated from the site are displayed in the Museum of Portimão.

The best beach walk is from Praia do Vau all the way to Praia da Rocha. You can enjoy soft sand, stunning views, and fascinating rock formations all the way.

If you are up early in the morning, then check out the municipal market in Portimão – it’s on the Avenida São João de Deus, and has a great selection of fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, honey, bread and cheese. It’s open Mon-Sat from 7am – 2pm. The best produce disappears early!

Sadly, the old town of Portimão suffered with the opening of the new Aqua shopping centre on the edge of a town.

The area around Rua Direita has been brought back to life now, with small artisan suppliers, boutique shops, cafés and small delicatessens all springing up. It is a pleasant place to wander around and explore.

If you make it to this side of town, check out the little café called A Casa da Isabel.

It is like an old-fashioned tea-room from the 1930s, and their cakes are divine.

If you want to walk off some calories from the cakes you have just eaten, then a stroll along the waterfront in the early evening is a lovely experience.

Look out for the sculpture of Manuel Teixeira Gomes, who was the president of Portugal from 1923-1925, and was born in Portimão. Watch out for the sardine restaurants too they will draw you in with the enticing smell of freshly grilled sardines – and of course you can always enjoy an ice cream sat in the sunshine!

Alyson Sheldrake is an artist and writer. She is the author of three best-selling travel/memoir books in her Algarve Dream Series which are all available to purchase on Amazon.

TRAVEL & OUTDOORS

the characteristic traditions and heritage of Monchique.

The cellar displays an invaluable historical collection of many original tools and objects that the craftsmen and artisans of the day would have used to complete their work, including grocery store items, a shoemaker, carpentry, and agricultural equipment. The original ironstone bread oven is still used today to make the Portuguese folar (sweet bread) on occasion.

Use your head

BY JANINE NIEPER The Monchique mountain range sets the backdrop for the scene. On a hilltop above the fertile valley of Vale de Boi, an educational experience awaits. The journey begins by taking a leap back in time. Two centuries ago, it was a different health crisis that plagued the country.

The Cholera Epidemic of 1855, also known as “the guest from the Ganges” was a gastrointestinal disease that affected all the northern regions of the country, as well as the Algarve.

Resembling the recent restrictions, education and market trade were affected, which prevented people from spending the summer by the sea, damaging business in small seaside towns.

By August 1855, the Algarve death rate was significant, owing to the lack of doctors and absence of any kind of medical assistance.

One of the wealthiest families, who were the prominent landlords in the area, built their home and created a sanctuary to escape the epidemic on this elevated and isolated location. The choice of construction material was ironstone, perhaps the secret behind the long-lasting nature and conservation of the estate.

The six hectares of pristine Algarve nature has since come into possession of new owners who have conducted its destined transformation into a nature park. A place both residents and tourists can enjoy. Parque da Mina was inaugurated in 2005 by the Monchique Municipio.

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Despite the heavy impacts of the strict confinement measures of our current day, the circle of life continues, welcoming in the spring with the birth of the new farm animals. The month of May sees the reopening of the Parque, which as for many businesses in the Algarve, has been long awaited.

Upon entering the 18th century manor home, there is a sensation of time shifting and one may intuitively perceive that the old souls of the old residents are waiting to accompany your visit.

Proudly guiding you through to the busy rustic kitchen and a fully set tearoom. The bedrooms are prepared as if they were slept in yesterday, every room in the home with a purpose. The main bathroom flaunts an 18th century imported English bathtub. The family’s status could be noted by the Royal visit of King Carlos I of Portugal, its walls echoing the excitement and the preparations of such a visit.

The principal caretaker Sra. Inácia states, “It is always a good reminder to understand the way of life in the past, especially for the children, as our lives are so easy now in comparison! The original occupants had no running water or electricity in the home, although as time went on, these conditions improved albeit being in the south of Europe the changes were slow”.

Every room of the home is presented as it would have been used in times past. The intricate detail of the décor and original furniture indicate

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The name for the Parque was chosen as the remnants of a deactivated mine remain. The mine was used for the profitable extraction of ore mainly iron and copper but also barium.

The impressive old farm is immaculately maintained and boasts several exotic species, the Chinese rooster being exceptionally aggressive. Dwarf goats, sheep, Vietnamese pigs, chickens, ducks and geese are among the resident animals. In the playful space of illusions, you will need to use your head, challenge yourself to navigate the mirror maze, face your own infinite reflections and find the way through!

After months of closure, the waterfall at the entrance has been reset, enhancing the cadence of nature and the tranquil sound of flowing water once again.

Over the years, residents and visitors have created cherished moments at Parque da Mina, from dream weddings to outdoor birthday parties that fill the local family photo albums at large.

With the Clean & Safe certification in place, these events will return this year when possible, although in significantly smaller groups.

Since the opening of Parque da Mina, the team has overseen this regional treasure, helping it to withstand the recent fires that closely encroached the boundaries, and now a global pandemic that has tested even those with the strongest will.

Spending time here is the perfect way to spend time outdoors, learn history and relive the way of life in the Serra de Monchique.

The centuries old residence is now open to visitors from Mon- Fri 10am -5pm

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