Tomorrow Algarve Magazine - October 2023

In this edition

Carminho - Queen of Fado

Meet the Algarvian Golden Globe winner

Trick or Treat

Our top 5 Algarve ghost stories

Portugal's Other Revolution

Why 5 October is an historic day

A 20th Century Miracle

What really happend in Fátima in 1917?

A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE FOR THE ALGARVE

5,500 PRINTED COPIES

EDITORIAL

Sophie Sadler

sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 912 176 588

SALES

Tom Henshaw

tom@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 919 918 733

DESIGN

Phil Harding phil@tomorrowalgarve.com

+351 916 606 226

FOLLOW

Editor's note

Dear Tomorrow Readers,

As we are in October, the month of Halloween, so we have a spookily good edition for you. Contained within this cauldron of pages, there are many tricks for getting the most out of your time in the Algarve, along with a lot of treats!

It’s also good to occasionally stress that the purpose of this publication is to support the community and raise money for local charities. We are proud this month to have worked with John Aldridge to raise a staggering amount of money for our charity, TACT, and we can’t wait to distribute it to the people who need it. However, we are not the only ones who are raising money and you will find more stories of fundraising and wonderful community efforts on our charity pages.

I spoke to Debbie Burton this month from the ALERTA charity (Associação para Alerta de Incêndio Florestal/ Forest Fire Alert). The fire that broke out in São Teotónio, in the municipality of Odemira, on 5 August is the largest recorded in Portugal this year, consuming at least 7,530 hectares of land and forcing the evacuation of 1,400 people. Thanks to Debbie and all those who raised money for the charity over the last year, they supplied the fire crews with water and energy bars. Their success at fundraising last year meant they could also donate 90,000€ of equipment, which no doubt helped in the efforts to get the blaze under control. It is worth noting that the hectares burnt are considerably less this year – so far 33,006 hectares compared to 104,379 in 2022 – so the community effort of providing support to the Bombeiros and also being more aware of the causes of rural fires is paying off.

This shows that when communities come together, positive outcomes are achieved. I have become aware of the many complaints that are posted on local Facebook groups and I would like to point out that actions speak louder than social media posts!

After several near collisions on a blind corner near my house, I went into Lagos câmara to report it and a few weeks later, a mirror appeared. Their public service desk is open Monday to Friday, 9 am–5 pm and I am sure this is the same in other municipalities. I spoke to the very helpful press officer in the Câmara de Lagos. He informed me that, in Lagos, any issues can be voiced via email expediente.geral@cm-lagos.pt. It may seem like people are not being listened to but they guarantee that all requests that reach the municipality are immediately forwarded to the competent services. You can even book an appointment with any of the councillors through this web link. www. cm-lagos.pt/municipio/camara-municipal/composicao-do-executivo

All of the above is refreshing evidence that we do have power when we pull together as a community and we do have a voice.

Have a great month.

Sophie, Tom, Phil and the Tomorrow team

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

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

Carminho

At 39 years of age, she’s already regarded as one of the best fado singers of all time. In the middle of her latest worldwide tour, Carminho spoke exclusively to Tomorrow and told us how her life has been shaped by her formative years here, in the Algarve.

WORDS Vaughan Willmore

“What was Carminho like?” is the question I’ve been asked of this most famous of all Portuguese performers. Well, she was polite, friendly, passionate, funny, and spoke excellent English. As the following little anecdote will tell, she was also generous with her time.

A few minutes before the interview was due to start, Carminho’s personal assistant (quite understandably) asked that I keep her for no longer than the agreed time. And yet, as that time approached (and passed), Carminho was generous enough to say, “We can have more time. I am enjoying this!”

Carminho (birth name Maria do Carmo de Carvalho Rebelo de Andrade) is the youngest of four siblings. At two years of age, her father’s work required them to relocate from her birthplace of Lisbon to the Algarve. The first two years were spent in Vilamoura before finally settling in Paderne, approximately 40 kilometres north of Albufeira. Carminho looks back on her time here fondly. “I had a very good childhood. I remember the freedom I had and the beautiful nature of the Algarve. I had the space to play, have fun and to grow. My neighbours were like family and would treat me with chocolate and juice. I made many friends who, to this day, are still my friends.”

Carminho has said that, even before she was born, she fell in love with music. Indeed, her mother – Teresa

Siqueira – is a well-respected fado singer in her own right, so music permeated Carminho’s childhood and her life in Paderne. “I remember watching fado nights at home, aged five or six. I have photographs. I’m very small, in my pyjamas, on my father’s lap, with guitar players and my mother singing.”

When Carminho was 12 years of age, the family returned to Lisbon, where her parents opened a fado house. It was here and at other fado houses that Carminho performed, earning pocket money. This continued into her teenage years and throughout her studies, which culminated in her gaining a degree in Marketing and Advertising.

Despite her notable educational attainments, Carminho didn’t feel entirely happy or fulfilled. While friends, family and audiences in Lisbon were recognising her talent and encouraging her to turn professional and record, she told me, “I did not feel ready. I knew too little about the world and I knew too little about myself.”

Carminho

Instead, she travelled the world volunteering in India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and elsewhere. She spent two months at Mother Teresa’s House in Kolkata, giving comfort to those facing their last few days on this earth.

On returning from her travels, Carminho felt she understood herself more and could express herself more. She had grown as a person. Reflecting on her 12 months abroad, Carminho said, “The expectation of ourselves can be small in comparison to our capacity, strength and what we can achieve.” This desire to push herself is reflected in her music. “Fado will never die,” she said. “Other ways to develop the music with different perspectives will emerge because that’s how it has always been with fado. We explore new instruments and variations. We improvise and we innovate. We challenge ourselves. Even if it can be a little scary at times, that can be good.”

Carminho’s first album, Fado, was released in 2009. It reached platinum status (over one million sales), an incredible achievement for a debut album. Five more albums have followed, all of which have been critically acclaimed and sold in their millions. Carminho has composed, written and produced her latest album Portuguesa. She described moving beyond signing alone as a ‘natural progression’. The album is fantastic and resplendent with the improvisation of which she’s spoken – an electric guitar (rarely heard in fado) on such tracks as As Flores (The Flowers) gives added meaning and impact.

Carminho performed in São Brás de Alportel in June, Lagos and Loulé in July, and Tavira in August. I was fortunate to see her perform and while I’ve always considered listening to Carminho to be a joy, watching her perform takes things to a whole different level. She truly inhabits each song, and her energy, voice and stage presence dominate most splendidly. It’s like being wrapped in a luxurious blanket of love.

When the Pope was here in August, Carminho had the honour of performing before him with

one of her own compositions, Estrela. It was spellbinding and is well worth checking out on YouTube. Carminho will perform in Portugal again in November – see her website (below) for more details.

Carminho gave so much thought to learning about herself and the world before embarking on her professional career that I felt compelled to ask her a truly unfair question: What do you want your legacy to be? “I want to be proud of the choices I’ve made,” said Carminho. “Even if they were not easy choices. I want to be a good human being, daughter, mother, and singer.”

What was it like speaking with Carminho? It’s all the things I’ve mentioned and more – it’s to understand her passion for fado and indeed, life itself.

Did you know...

• Carminho has released six studio albums, the most recent of which, Portuguesa, came out in March of this year.

• Five of her albums have reached the coveted numberone spot. All achieved either gold, platinum, or double platinum awards.

• One of her songs (Onde Vais) has been viewed on YouTube a staggering 18-million times.

• She’s won a Golden Globe and such is her worldwide fame, her latest tour takes in the UK, US, Brazil, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and numerous other countries.

Carminho's latest album cover Portuguesa

Watch Carminho singing to the Pope:

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Sonia Susana Mendez

This month, I went to meet some more talented artists that are part of Loulé Criativo, but instead of visiting their Design Lab, I followed a golden thread that led me to the nearby Susana Mendez Textile studio – where I not only met Susana, the young talented textile artist herself, but her wonderfully skilled mother Sonia, too.

Susana’s lovely little light-kissed workplace is located in the Solar das Palmeiras, in the heart of Loulé, and has been open for a little over a year. Mother and daughter warmly welcomed me into the shop framed by two big window fronts that allow for the blueness of the sky to beam in. Indoors, my eyes were greeted with a whole palette of pleasant pastel colours and I found myself marvelling at all sorts of decorative woven textiles, fibre collages, pretty pouches, pillowcase canvases and fluffy figurative wall art.

There were five big looms standing freely in the room. I have never seen these beautiful

and complex wooden and woollen contraptions before. They looked like some curious musical instrument to me, but soon, Susana sat down to demonstrate her weaving art.

Speaking of which, her mother, Sonia, is a master crafts lady in the art of palm weaving – empreita – and has always been a big inspiration and influence on Susana’s artistic identity. Indeed, their stories are so interwoven that I think it’s best if we unravel the tapestry of time a little –and thread their story together one stitch at a time.

Sonia Mendez

Sonia was born in Venezuela to Portuguese parents and came to Portugal at just eight years old. Coming from a family of basket weavers, she told me that, back then, it wasn’t seen as, shall we say, a very glamorous profession and many tried to discourage her from pursuing it. In those days, nobody ever taught you how to palm weave.

If you wanted to learn, you simply had to watch crafting hands carefully.

And that’s exactly what Sonia did. She felt herself naturally drawn to handicrafts and started to palm weave professionally in 1978. In the 1970s, Sonia explained, there were basket shops on every street, and Sonia would weave away at home and sell her creations to the various shops around town. She works with dried palm leaves from the Palmeira Anã – little wild palm trees that are native to the area. In the past, she said, there used to be many suppliers for this plant, but now there’s only one vendor left in Loulé.

These days Sonia is part of a team of different palm-weaving craftspeople selling their wonderful wares at the Casa de Empreita. Located on the backstreets of Loulé, they take it in turns to watch the shop and you can find Sonia there on Mondays.

WORDS Jake Cleaver

Keyring brushes by Sonia Mendez

As I was holding a school of funky woven fish that Sonia brought with her, she smiled with a cheeky light in her eyes and told me how she would just get awfully bored with sticking to the old. She likes giving traditional techniques a good little twist of her own. Sonia also had a pretty collection of charming handbags of various shapes, sizes and decoration with her, as well as the most devotedly made nativity scene. She also weaves bookmarks, lampshades, traditional little Portuguese brush-keyrings and bracelets – all with a great love for detail and a good splash of colour.

Susana Mendez

Like her mother, Susana was irresistibly drawn to the arts – and there was no talking her out of it. It was Sonia herself who taught Susana to sew around the age of 15 – and that’s how early her fascination for textiles stitches back. She loved painting and creating decorative pieces with threads, fabrics and embroidery, and started making accessories like little pouches and purses for herself. Showing great entrepreneurial flair even at this early age, she soon started to sell her unique handmade pieces at school. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Susana went off to study art and later graphic design, where she got to put together, practise and polish her passions for illustration and design. After ten years of sitting in front of screens, though, she was longing to get more hands-on.

Love at first weft

It was just about two years ago that Susana first tried a loom. And it was love at first weft! She bought one herself and took a 200-hour intensive course and there’s been no stopping her ever since.

Susana saw how, with the help of these beautiful wooden frames, she could weave together everything she loved

most and get to dream up colours and textures in a new way every time – referring to the warp threads vertically running down the loom, as the blank of her canvas.

The loom gave her room to express and explore her creativity and do so in a more mindful approach to design. More than once, Susana emphasised the deeply meditative and calming aspect of weaving and how she regularly finds herself in the woven flow.

To the benefit of us all, she started putting her inspired ideas into very pretty and practical pieces for the home and beyond. Living in a naturally highly decorated scenery, the Algarve, she loves to bring nature-inspired prettification into her projects. She even weaves in some of her mum’s raw materials, like the odd dried palm leaf or wildflowers plucked from around the local Loulé landscape.

As a total rookie to the loom, I was mindboggled by this magical apparatus that closeup looked like a multidimensional harp with a gazillion strings. How do you even begin to operate them?

Susana, positively beaming from ear to ear, admitted to always having had a love for

maths. She agreed that working out your design on a loom really does need some pretty precise number juggling.

But do not despair! Susana has also unravelled her passion for passing on what she’s learned. You can either go ‘full loom’ at her studio or start with the simple portable frame loom that Susana uses to teach workshops in Albufeira and Lagos.

I left feeling very inspired by both mother and daughter and how they both managed to stand tall against the well-intended advice from loved ones who wanted to protect them from the challenges of an artist’s life. Nonetheless, they pursued their passions, stitching together the old and the new – and the world is a more beautiful place for it.

To find out more about Sonia, please visit her Instagram @soniamendezartesa or visit her website soniamendez.pt

To find out more about Susana, please follow her on Instagram @susanamendez.studio or visit her website www.susanamendezstudio.com

School of Fish by Sonia Mendez

Looming by Susana Mendez

Bookmarks by Sonia Mendez

Bagloom by Susana Mendez

Close up loom by Susana Mendez

The Man on the Train

The first time I met John Christian, it felt like a scene from a movie. Heading from Lagos to Portimão, looking for a seat in a train, there he was – a charismatic gentleman with kind eyes and a huge suitcase which proved to be a great conversation starter.

John looked twenty years younger than his actual age (75). I found out that the suitcase was a testament to his lifestyle as an actor, singer, entertainer, keynote speaker and life coach. Suddenly those few minutes until I had to get off the train were too short, so we exchanged numbers and just like that, I found a new, wise friend who has influenced my life tremendously.

As a child, John was what we call nowadays ‘right brain dominant’. He is an intuitive feeler and learner. He says, “The analytical stuff wasn’t easy for me. Teachers told me I wasn’t smart enough when it came to reading and writing, which caused me to become fearful and introverted.”

Having discovered that he could sing and make people laugh, he started an entertainment group at the age of 17, often performing to the sick and elderly in care homes. This led to him being invited to join a local acting group, which helped him to overcome his stage fright. He went on to become a Bluecoat entertainer at Pontins holiday camp, where he honed his craft. John went on to star in his own theatre and TV shows. His career reached its zenith when the parents

of the Bee Gees began managing his career and he found himself in the company of many great artists, several of whom became close friends. Having been spotted by a casting director, acting roles in films and TV commercials followed, and he landed a recording contract with a major record label.

One of his biggest claims to fame was appearing in a scene in the Bond movie, No Time To Die. The scene was shot in the London underground, with a stuntman doing Daniel Craig’s part where he was supposed to jump in the middle of the escalator. “Thanks to my agent, I got to play a sophisticated businessman. Working on a Bond film was an amazing experience,” John recalls.

Despite this success, John did not feel fulfilled. “I found myself in a dressing room one night after a show, wondering why I still felt as if something was missing when I had achieved fame and fortune.”

John became interested in the psychological/ spiritual side of human nature and how it is possible to overcome the fears and self-doubts that often hold us back in life. This led him to study meditation, mindfulness, yoga and martial arts, resulting in his becoming a coach. “My life experiences have taught me that everything we

need is already within us. We just need the right help and support to draw it out of ourselves.”

John has travelled extensively throughout Europe, Australia, the US, Africa, Peru and Columbia during his education. He met many shamans and spiritual leaders, for example, Swami Sivananda, founder of The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, Dr Paul Solomon, founder of The Fellowship of The Inner Light, Reverend Tamo-San, founder of The Buddha’s Eye in Japan and Sir George Trevelyan, founder of The Wrekin Trust UK.

He has also learnt a lot from indigenous people, including the Mamos of Columbia, Aboriginal elders of Australia, Joseph Rael, Pueblo Shaman and the Maasai people of Tanzania and Kenya, who he believes are connected with their hearts and intuition through living in nature. John believes a key component in finding true happiness is to find a better life-work balance, taking responsibility for ourselves on all levels. His coaching modules are all based on skills to achieve this. “For example, when the body says ‘stop’, then stop. Having worked in cancer groups, I’ve often heard, ‘I knew I should have stopped. I was so stressed and now I’ve got this; all the worry and pressure to succeed resulted in lost years with the family.’”

John fell in love with Portugal while filming a Villa Plus TV commercial. He then returned several times to spend the winter months here. He now has his residency and would love to help even more people in Portugal or worldwide online and be able to work one one-on-one or in groups.

John is now well established as a lecturer, keynote speaker and life skills coach, hosting workshops on charisma, the art of self-esteem, managing stress, relationships and teaching communication skills, among others. He is available to share his skills on all levels of society; he has worked in corporate, in the education system, in therapy groups, with the homeless and even saved a young man from a life in prison.

A longer version of this article can be found on our blog.

How a chance meeting on a train with John Christian changed Jana Kováčová’s life for the better

WORDS Jana Kováčová

A History of Algarve Expats

The book Livro de registo de bilhetes de residência de estrangeiros, held by the Arquivo Municipal de Lagos (Municipal Archive), takes us once again on a trip through time.

WORDS Marta Nogueira and Sophie Sadler

On this occasion, and for the first time during our explorations through the archive, we were fortunate enough to meet up with one of the surviving expats contained within the register. This gave one particular record a voice of its own, thus bringing the book alive.

Barry Sadler, now aged 87 years, lives on the Funchal Ridge in Lagos. On 2 June, I met Barry as he enjoyed a glass of red wine at home with his black Labrador, Cracker, and rescue dog, Willow, at his feet. He talked about his distant memory of being registered as an expat in Lagos. According to the records from the archives, we know that this registration took place on 8 February 1972 (p.2). At that time, Barry Sadler was 35 years old. He was born in Coventry (England) and was married. Barry’s occupation was listed as “agente comercial” (commercial agent) and his address was Quinta dos Celeiros (p.2). Barry appears again on 25 January 1973 and, this time, his wife is also listed.

Michelle Betty Sadler was 31 years old, a “doméstica” from Derbyshire, UK, and was also located at Quinta dos Celeiros (p.5). Sadly, Michelle Sadler died on 13 June 2021, shortly before they were due to move to their new bungalow.

Barry Sadler attended Warwick School until he was 16 when he became a commis waiter at The Welcome Hotel in Stratford Upon Avon. In 1952, he enrolled as a student in hotel management at Birmingham College of Technology t, where he met his lifelong best friend, John Brownsdon. John went on to become a master of wine and the friends spent many happy days together tasting wines from across the globe.

We could surmise that Barry gained his taste for travel after his compulsory National Service took him to Bermuda. The year was 1955, Barry was 19 and he was called up for National Service. After three months of training at Aldershot Army Catering Corps, he boarded a flight, not knowing where he was going. Fortunately for him, his plane stopped at Bermuda, where he spent two pretty good years cooking in the officers’ mess! Here, he picked his first banana, and relayed this fact to his parents, who then sent him sugar, flour and butter in a tin so he could make a cake. A lovely idea, but the tin went by sea, so it took over six weeks to arrive – we can only imagine what the contents looked like!

This was the beginning of Barry’s travel bug, which resulted in him working for B.O.A.C as a first-class flight attendant for three years, travelling to Australia via places such as Baghdad, India and Singapore. His 21st birthday was spent enjoying the highlights of New York, a gift from his parents. He felt very lucky!

Wanting to further his education in wine, he obtained a Vintners’ Bursary to study in France for six months. His parents bought him a red mini and off he set to tour the vineyards of France, going to Cognac, Bordeaux, The Rhône Valley, Beaujolais and Champagne.

Before he came to live in Lagos, Barry Sadler had already travelled to Portugal for his work for Rutherford, Osborne and Perkin, who were agents for Noval Port in the wine and spirit trade. He recalls those times fondly. It was a gentler period within a family business who were then less concerned with the commercial side. The first time Barry went to Porto

he was 26 years old. “Rutherfords was a London wine shipper that, like many others, had representation in Portugal.” During that time, he often travelled to Portugal (Porto) and met many Portuguese viniers who used to blend wine with port and brandy.

Barry remembers taking clients to Quinta do Noval in the Douro and selling them LBV (late bottle vintage). This was a relatively new concept for the English at that time, so the companies Barry worked for started marketing LBV to the UK market. During the sixties and seventies, Barry’s boss sold the business to Martini and Barry took the opportunity to leave. “I didn’t want to work for a big company like Martini,” he explained. Instead, he started to work in the wine division of Bass Worthington in Burton-on-Trent.

During his time working for Bass, he met his future wife Michelle in a pub in Hull where his chat up line was simply “Beer or Babycham”. She ordered a beer and Barry knew she was the woman of his dreams! By complete coincidence, Michelle's stepfather, Desmond, was a chairman at Bass and he didn’t approve of the match, considering his daughter to be far too good for the likes of Barry!

Doro Valley

His plan was to send Barry away to many different areas of the country to keep them as far apart as possible, hoping that their love would not endure. Thankfully, he failed, and love prevailed. Barry married Michelle on 2 May 1964 at St. Mary’s Church in Rolleston. Needless to say, Desmond soon became very fond of Barry and the two of them became the best of friends for many years!

While working for a family friend called John Horton’s business in Shropshire, Barry saw an advert in The Telegraph: by Symington & Garveigh, who were looking for an investor and partner in Praia da Luz. This was an opportunity to work with an expanding holiday leisure complex and Barry didn’t hesitate to make the decision. In fact, during our chat, we soon came to understand that “never hesitate” sums up Barry’s personality and we were speaking not only with a businessman but also with an adventurous spirit who had no regrets about taking risks. “I was always ambitious and lived life to the full. And in life, you must take a risk. I took a lot of risks in Portugal and always had interesting work and challenges,” says Barry.

In 1969, he set off to Portugal on board the Southampton to Lisbon ferry with just his Labrador dog, Benjy. His wife Michelle and daughter Claire followed shortly and they moved into Villa 6 Luz Bay Club. Their son Nicholas was born the following year.

Having sold the family home in Shropshire, Barry bought 47% of Luz Bay Club with the proceeds of this sale (what a risk!), but it paid off and he became a third partner alongside David Symington and John Garveigh. However, life was not easy, even with the sun shining. There were times when Barry felt the world upon his shoulders, sitting on the shore of Luz beach with tears cascading down his face and the faithful Benjy licking them away.

In 1971, an opportunity arose for Barry to work as the general manager for Vale do Lobo working for Costain Construction Lda. The family moved to Vale do Lobo, where Michelle became the first and only lady member of the Ocean Course

Barry and Michelle, Praia da Luz

and granted the right by the directors to walk her dogs on the course when she played golf! Claire and Nick recall riding their bicycles along the greens and kicking the odd football around. That certainly would not happen now!

However, with the revolution in 1974, Costains put Vale do Lobo into liquidation and, along with all the expats, Barry was sacked by the liquidator, having been given £3000 full and final settlement! All foreigners were advised to return to their home countries, which many did; however, not the Sadler family! Stubborn and resilient, Barry returned to Praia da Luz during these unsettled times and continued to manage the staff of Luz Bay Club, most of whom had formed a workers union.

We were curious to learn from Barry how expats coped with the revolution of 25 April 1974: “We were told that there was a revolution, but we didn’t know exactly what it was. But my feeling was that, for a period of time, it looked like the people made their own law. We kept our heads down. Anyway, it didn’t last long and I always felt safe with never any risk of violence. I also remember there were more controls in the main Avenue in Lagos (Avenida dos Descobrimentos) where people were being stopped in their cars to have their documents checked.”

Barry eventually bought out his partners and ran Luz Bay Club successfully for the next twenty-five years. During the 70s and 80s, his children Claire and Nick recall his parents hosting dinner parties for owners at their family home on Funchal, black tie events at the O Jardim restaurant at Luz Bay Club and countless drinks parties that lasted well into the wee hours!

Initially, in 1969, there were just 6 Luz Bay Club villas plus the clubhouse and pool. Building continued to 38, then 46, then 120, then another 78 plus 60 more houses at Luz Parque. Barry had 120 staff at any given time, so life was challenging! Luz Bay Club became a hub for the village, residents and tourists alike. Barry became a well-liked figure, often lighting fires in the villas for late-night arrivals and putting a bottle of wine in the fridge and a bowl of Algarvian oranges on the side. A small welcome to the Algarve.

With Praia da Luz booming, he then began the sales side of the property business and thus Sadler’s Property was born. When Nick returned to the Algarve after attending university in America and then working for Douglas and Gordon in London, he started a new Sadler's Property, which continues in Luz today.

Family Holiday Vila Nova de Milfontes

Apart from work, Barry’s big passion has always been the ocean and boats. “I remember my first fishing boat in Lagos – Isabel – and motoring along the Algarve coast in her,” says Barry. He then upgraded to a 23-feet fishing boat which he acquired in Tavira called Gizela. She had a sheepskin wig on the bowsprit, which was said to ward off evil spirits. Barry called it ‘Granny’s Wig’ much to the amusement of the kids – though not to that of his very ladylike motherin-law Pamela! Luckily, the family has a wonderful sense of humour and Pamela got her own back by sewing up one leg of his boxer shorts so Barry fell flat onto his face! How she giggled at this! In 1979, with the help of the Pereira family, who began and still own Sopromar boatyard in Lagos, Barry built a 28 ft wooden Wharram catamaran, Waimaru, which enabled him to sail to Gibraltar and further afield.

The Marina didn’t exist in those days, so Barry kept his boat in the Lagos River. In order to get to the boat, the family relied on an elderly gentleman aptly named Obblegobble, as he had no teeth! “The sailing conditions were always perfect,” Barry says. “Most summer weekends were spent out on the water.” Barry also bought a speedboat called Slik, and after work, he would take his children off to the Alvor lagoon to learn how to waterski. Happy days!

In 1984, while visiting the London Boat Show at Earls Court, he upgraded to a 32-foot Southerly named after his first dog, Benjy Boy. Many more glorious days were spent on the water and, whilst on a trip to Gibraltar in 1988, he got talking to a fellow yachtsman and they exchanged yachts, some cash and a bottle of rum! Barry returned to Portugal in a 37-foot Oyster Heritage called Lady Clarinha (Lady C), which he then sailed to the Caribbean. There she cruised through the turquoise waters of the many unspoilt Caribbean islands before sailing up the Intracoastal Waterway to Charleston.

Many idyllic Christmas holidays were spent in the Caribbean and unforgettable memories were made.

We asked him why he chose to stay in Portugal. “I liked the climate and especially the wine,” he says. He talks about the “easy way of living in Portugal”, although, like many expats,

he held onto some of his English ways of life. We can see it in simple things like food. Preparing English food could be challenging in those days while finding ingredients was often difficult. He recalls his wife Michelle trying to buy fresh cream from the nearby farms and the luxury of buying fresh milk in a plastic bag after a two-hour drive to Faro! The first major supermarket to arrive in Lagos was Intermarché in 1999; before that, Michelle would visit the old Baptista in Praia da Luz and a corner shop at the bottom of Funchal known by the locals as Quatro Estradas.

Communications in the 70s and 80s were primitive. The Sadlers built their first home on Funchal in 1971/2 and called Portugal Telecom to install a phone. Their landline was finally installed 14 years later, in 1984! The family used to communicate via Telex from the Luz Bay Club office. Television, too, was limited to just RTP1 and RTP2, so family members in the UK would regularly record UK TV and send over VHF videos, which they circulated among fellow expats. Nick recalls the only TV show he was allowed to watch was The Muppet Show on Thursday evenings, whilst Claire was allowed to watch the futuristic Space 1999/ However, the TV highlight of the year was definitely the Eurovision Song Contest when it was always Sweden 12 points and Portugal 0 points.

Barry wanted his children to have an English education and was determined to ensure this happened. Michelle and a few other English parents – John and Patricia Hay-Edie, Sally Vincent from Casa Grande and The Oxford Bar owners Margo and John, along with two teachers, Jackie Fialho and Sheena Donaldson – started up The English School (now called the Barlavento International Primary School). The initial seven children were taught in many locations, one of them being a bar – until the roof caved in! The Barlavento school – now in Espiche – has provided a steadfast primary education for many children in the Algarve, including three of Barry’s grandchildren: Sam, Max and Harry.

Summer holidays were not always on the water. Barry's VW campervan took the family off to southern Spain, to France and even to England to visit all these posh boarding schools where pupils arrived in Bentleys and such … not Barry!! In Portugal, camping would often mean wild camping and was always on the west coast. Claire remembers a time when they were camping on Amado Beach and, in the middle of the night, were woken by the sight of smugglers with their

Barry Sailing Lady C

Obblegobble

Fishing Boat in Alvor Lagoon 1976

lanterns making their way up the beach dragging their contraband with them. It was a scene very reminiscent of one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books and all very exciting for the children. Barry remembers those days well, telling us how the now busy surfing beaches were totally empty. “There were more cows with the biggest of horns on Amado beach, along with a shipwreck at the far end.”

Many a weekend Barry would cook his favourite Coq au Vin on the beach for family and friends. His daughter still has the frying pan he used for so many years, which would be perched on a makeshift fire next to the inevitable garafão (5-litre jar) of wine!

Eating out was always a special occasion and the family recall their favourites were O Lanterna in Portimão for sole, O Galeão in Lagos for steak and Chez Michel e René for skate and pancake surprise (the building, near MacDonalds is now the police station) Eating out was such a privilege that the children had to dress up and Nick remembers being made to wear a jacket and tie while Claire wore a long dress.

In 1979, aged 11 and 8, Claire and Nick were sent off to boarding school in England. Faro airport used to be very different, with just three departure gates and one small café. Flights to the UK were few and far apart and journey time along the N125 from Lagos would often take three or so hours in the summer. On one occasion, due to a missed connection, the children had to take a taxi from Lisbon airport to Lagos. Years before the motorway was built this trip took seven long hours.

So, it was a tough time for Michelle and Barry, but a continuing line of furry friends ensured the home stayed busy. The children returned home every holiday with a considerable entourage of friends in tow! Chicken and chips, and melon with melon ice cream became the staple diet!

In 1983, Barry's company invested in a prime waterfront site in Luz and built a 22-apartment complex in Praia da Luz known as The Luz Beach Apartments, which the family still continues to run as a successful business. At this time, there were almost no apartment buildings in Luz. It was the same with nightlife, so Barry started O Pirata disco, which is now part of the Zazu building, “what many of you may recall as O Poço). “Luz needed some nightlife as a resort”, says Barry. It was not one of his better ideas, with motorbikes revving up right outside the apartment windows at 4 am!! Needless to say, the disco is no more.

Although there were also hard times and difficulties along the way, Barry and Michelle built a wonderful life in Portugal and, in 1990, their second house was built, again in Funchal, which became a happy meeting place for the family, including their five grandchildren, all who grew up in the Algarve. Barry now enjoys a more sedentary life. I asked him if he took another trip where he would like to go and he answered , “Nowhere, I have done it all.” He has undoubtedly travelled the globe in many modes of transport!

Barry has been in the Algarve for 53 years. He has seen Praia da Luz grow and his own life story helps to provide important information on the history of Luz village itself. He is one of the ex-pats who helped change Luz from a fisherman’s village to a successful, pretty tourist village, which became a resort that families and friends return to year after year.

References in our website blog

Sadler Family going to Queens Silver Jubilee 1977

Gizelia with the notorious frying pan and Coq au vin

Barry's VW camper van in Boca do Rio

Barry Sadler

Top 5 Algarvian Ghost Stories

October is one of my favourite months, not only because it's the month of my birthday but also because it is the month to prepare for Halloween. On the evening of 31 October, shops and bars will no doubt be transformed into a slightly more spooky setting, with cobwebs, spiders and skeleton punch bowls dotted all over the place. Partygoers will enjoy a spooktacular Bloody Mary whilst children will dart from door to door shouting that typical Halloween saying “Trick or Treat” in exchange for some sweets from the local neighbours.

To set you up in the spirit of Halloween, here are my top-five Algarvian Ghost Stories, which, unless you're brave enough, I suggest you read in the daytime.

1. Lethes Theatre, Faro

Dating back to 1605, Faro's Lethes Theatre is one of the most historic buildings in Faro. Having first opened as a Jesuit college, it was inaugurated as a theatre in 1845 by Italian doctor Lázaro Dogiloni from Venice, who purchased the building at a public auction. Whilst still one of the most popular theatres in the area, it is famed for one of the most intriguing ghost stories in the region.

It is rumoured that a ballerina once hung herself within this very theatre and that her ghost still roams the auditorium today. Noises of footsteps and laughter have been heard without explanation and apparitions have been witnessed on several occasions of a translucent figure practising pirouettes on the stage. Could this be the lost soul of the young ballerina who took her life all those years ago, or just a figure of the imagination?

2. Hotel Bela Vista, Praia da Rocha

Situated on the cliffs of Praia da Rocha is the Victorian villa, Hotel Bela Vista. Built in 1918, it was one of the first major mansions to be built in the area and was named Vila de Nossa Senhora das Dores, translating as the ‘Villa of Our Lady of Sorrows’. It was owned by the fishing and canning businessman António Júdice de Magalhães Barros, who had links with the former Portimão canning factory (now the Museum of Portimão), and his wife Maria da Glória Júdice and their six children. The opulent villa remained a palatial private home, where extravagant parties and banquets for the rich and famous were thrown until the death of Maria da Glória Júdice, who is said to have died in room 108. By 1936, the villa was leased to Magalhães Barros' cousin, Henrique Bívar de Vasconcelo, who transformed the mansion into the hotel we know today.

Over time, hotel staff and guests started to complain about whispers, banging on walls and the eerie apparitions of a woman strolling through corridors. Many have spoken about the smell of sweet perfume suddenly appearing in their rooms, especially in room 108. The hotel was later rebuilt and rebranded as a luxury boutique hotel, but is it possible that Senhora Maria is still keeping an eye on the villa she once called home?

WORDS Luka Alexander

Lethes Theatre, Faro (1880)

Courtesy of restosdecoleccao.blogspot.com

2. Palácio da Fonte da Pipa, Loulé

The magnificent Palácio da Fonte da Pipa, just outside of Loulé, stands on a plateau of olive groves, accessed by a grand gated driveway. It was built shortly after lawyer and Deputy Mayor of Loulé, Marçal Pacheco, purchased a plot of land in 1875 to build a mansion similar to those he saw on his European travels.

Now long abandoned and ravaged by fire, those who have explored this once opulent palace, complete with frescos and a glass-domed roof, have heard unnerving sounds of laughter and moans, and have even seen shadows darting from room to room. Some believe that these could be the souls of the many victims of the pneumonia epidemic of 1916–1918, who are purported to be buried near the grounds of Palácio da Fonte da Pipa. Is there any truth in these stories, or are they fabricated rumours to keep nosy explorers away from this historic property?

4. Casa de Dr. Pike, Olhão

Situated in Olhão is the former grand home of poet, naturalist and romantic Dr. John Pike. Built in the 20th century, this large villa became the family home until tragedy struck. Dr. Pike's elderly mother, who suffered from senility, dropped his young son from a window, which resulted in his instant death. Following this terrible accident, the family moved to a newly built house closer to the sea, at Quinta da Marim (now the Environmental Education Centre), to escape the sad memories of the Olhão villa.

Since the Pikes’ departure, many have tried to make the villa their idyllic home, but as night falls, some have heard the sounds of a child crying and toys being dragged along the floors. It often becomes too much for the new homeowners to stick around.

5. Estrada Nacional 266, Monchique

I tell this tale from personal experience and can confirm that neither I nor my two companions had been sampling too much Super Bock or Sagres that day. It was not yet dark on a chilly November evening. We were on our way to Monchique, approaching the bend by the Cepsa petrol station on Estrada Nacional 266. Not far ahead of us, a grey car with dim headlights pulled squarely out of the petrol station and crossed the main road, straight into the lay-by/turning junction opposite, as cars are supposed to do when they plan to turn left towards Monchique.

I quite expected him to race ahead and rejoin the main road in front of us, but I was not expecting him to vanish into thin air before my eyes. All three of us in the car said together, “Where did that car go?” There were no exits, no driveways and no way nearby where the car could have gone, but it was nowhere to be seen. Talking over this strange encounter, we all described a similar grey car. I went back the next day and drove up and down that stretch of road, searching for an answer, but there was not one and to this day, when I pass the spot, I wonder, did I really see a phantom car?

 If you have had a paranormal experience whilst in Portugal, I would be interested to hear your story: algarveghosts@gmail.com

© Google 2023

© Google 2023

Palácio da Fonte da Pipa

31st October

SPOOKY QUIZ!

First quiz of the season

Join us from 7pm and test your general knowledge. €16.50 including entry to the quiz and a home cooked meal! Prizes to be won, booking essential!

26th October

Starting 26th October! Every Thursday from 1pm, a chance for ladies to lunch and meet new friends. Hosted by Susie, light lunch and a glass of wine for only €15. Please reserve.

We are excited to introduce our new Head Chef, Cesar!

17th November

WINE PAIRING

Our fabulous wine pairing is back! Starting at 7pm prompt, enjoy a 4 course dining experience inclusive of wines from Quinta da Malaca and hosted by Saint Graal Wines. €55 per person inclusive, please book early.

23rd November

TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING LUNCH

Come and celebrate Thanksgiving with us, enjoy a 3 course lunch including a welcome mimosa for only €45! Served from 12pm until 4pm, booking essential.

His new menu is available now. Check out his story with Tom in this months issue!

Get ready for the festive season!

1st until 23rd December 2 course Christmas Menu for €25 per person.

Christmas Eve set menu from 6pm, 3 course for €50, booking essential and deposit required. Now taking bookings for Christmas Day and New Years Eve… See website for full menus.

J.U.G’S JUST US GIRL’S

Head of the Rock

Menir da Cabeça do Rochedo

WORDS Michael Upton

Everyone knows Lagos as a historic city – fortress, slave market, city walls – but, if you’re looking for something much older, there is a Neolithic site on the doorstep.

On a lonely hillside above the village of Portelas is the standing stone Menir da Cabeça do Rochedo (Head of the Rock). The site is virtually unknown, even by local residents; it is unmarked by signs and you won’t find an information board there.

It probably dates from the Middle Bronze Age, making it about 4,000 years old, give or take a few hundred. It bears no visible carvings, but it has shattered at some point: a large chunk of stone has sheared off near the top, maybe from a lightning strike.

It is, of course, difficult to project one’s mind back to the time when this lichencovered menhir was erected. If it’s correct that it dates from about 2,000 BC, this was a time when the smelting of bronze was becoming more widespread. This meant that the population was adopting a settled, non-nomadic life

How the Church Stole Halloween

How the church tried to steal the Celtic festival of Samhain.

Halloween, or “All Hallows’ Eve”, has its origins in the ancient festival of Samhain. This Celtic celebration marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Celts believed that on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred, and spirits could roam freely.

When Christianity spread across Europe, the Church adopted a strategy of integrating local customs and traditions into its own celebrations, probably thinking that if they incorporated the local pagan festivals, it might encourage people to stay or join them. As a result, the Celtic festival of Samhain gradually transformed into All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day.

All Saints’ Day, observed on 1 November, is a Christian holiday dedicated to commemorating all known and unknown saints – Dia de Todos os Santos in Portuguese – and it is a time when people visit cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves of their family members and friends

who have passed away. They often bring flowers, candles, and other offerings to pay their respects. It traces its roots back to the 4th century when the Church celebrated the feast of all martyrs in honour of their sacrifice. Over time, this feast expanded to include all known and unknown saints who had lived righteous lives and attained heaven.

The link between Halloween and All Saints’ Day lies in the notion that the night before All Saints’ Day – All Hallows’ Eve – is a time to remember and honour the saints who have passed away. The costumes and masks worn on Halloween reflect the practice of dressing as saints and angels, connecting the living to the spiritual realm.

All Souls’ Day, observed on 2 November, follows All Saints’ Day and focuses on praying for the souls of the departed. It is a day to remember and offer prayers for all souls, particularly those in purgatory, who are believed to be in a state of purification before entering heaven. The custom

(bronze-smelting gear is not particularly mobile). We can only imagine what kind of dwellings were constructed and what language was spoken. This era was before the Phoenicians and Romans arrived – the people may have spoken a tongue not even related to the Semitic or Indo-European groups.

We can only speculate as to what function this menhir performed. Isolated, it cannot have fulfilled any astronomical purpose. Its position is also unfathomable – it stands on ground that’s more or less level but not at the highest point of this gently sloping landscape. One hundred metres eastward lies the crest of a slope which commands a better view than the menhir enjoys – and you can see the ocean from there.

So, if you’d like to see this mysterious and possibly unique piece of Lagos history, park your car on the farm track. The stone stands 150 metres away across a field of thistles, brambles, fennel plants and horse dung. Don’t wear flip-flops!

of lighting candles and visiting cemeteries on All Souls’ Day serves as a way to remember and honour deceased loved ones.

The connection between Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day is strengthened by the belief that on Halloween night, saints’ spirits and departed souls may visit their loved ones. This reinforces the idea that these three celebrations are connected and aims to bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

In modern times, Halloween has evolved into a hugely secular holiday with commercialised aspects like trick-or-treating and elaborate decorations, but the underlying connection to All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day remains. However you party on All Hallow’s Eve, it’s also a good time to think of the saints of our lives who are no longer with us.

God bless

Fr Rob

WORDS Father Rob Kean

355,000 € | Ref.: A413

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Time-travelling through the seasons

TIMES ARE CHANGING

It’s October and, in the words of Bob Dylan: “The times they are a changin”. We’ve bid goodbye to the long, hot summer. September, as always, has been the perfect in-between month, smoothing out the path into another verdant season, and it is now time for us to embrace the cosy Algarvian autumn.

If you’re new to life in the westernmost part of Europe, rest assured – it doesn’t mean it’s all doom and gloom from here on out. On the contrary, it will be far more bud, boom and bloom.

Like the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, we are tilted away from the sun from September to March, but I’ve long thought that the seasons seem a bit back to front in this little sun-kissed corner of the world. My theory is that Algarvian summers are in peculiar ways like winters up north and that autumn here is simply a second spring. Allow me to explain …

SPRINGING THROUGH THE FALL

Autumn in more northerly countries is famously preparing everyone for a muchneeded rest whilst teaching the beauty of letting things go. Deciduous trees start to turn glorious shades of orange before they shed their foliage in preparation for winter hibernation. And in the deep winter snooze, not much dares to grow and stick its head above the snow.

Here, on the other hand, it is summer’s blazing hot temperatures that most of life needs to retreat from (including me, when it gets much past 35°C). A visit to the local farmer’s market in August will prove this point: there’s much less variety in greens to be found. However, fair props to goddess Gaya for providing us with figs, grapes and, miraculously, melons – the most delicious orbs of flavoured water – just when we need sweet hydration most.

With the first September showers, we may watch the ground with wonder as the dusty, dry, golden landscape puts out shoots of green anew. It’s like Mother Nature is dressing up for winter, putting on her deep-green velvet coat. Cabbages, leafy greens, pumpkins and broccoli (and the rest of the heart-warming autumn stew ingredients and Halloween fandangles) are back at the market stalls and we are looking forward to times changing. Speaking of it …

NEED AN EXTRA HOUR?

Clocks are falling back this month: On Sunday 29 October, at 2 o’clock in the morning, we are going to travel back in time one hour.

Thank goodness it is this way around and we actually win on sleep this time. And even though we gain an hour in the morning, it’s still sad to come to terms with it suddenly being dark at 6 pm. It always seemed somewhat peculiar to me that we have to match our inner natural rhythms to an outside clockwork. Why not behave like the birds and the bees and rise and set with the sun?

A friend of mine had a quite reasonable solution to the clock-time-trouble and suggested: “Why don’t we just split the difference? Go forward half an hour in March – and then just leave it there?” And honestly, I can’t see how he’s wrong. Evidence proves that a permanent standard time could indeed cite benefits to our overall creativity, our well-being and even energy efficiency.

Yet still, I am intrigued by this hour that doesn’t seem to exist. What do I mean?

Well, whatever you do on 29 October between 1 and 2 am (the first-time round) magically vanishes. It is as if you get to live that hour again – a second time. What will you do with your extra hour?

ABOUT TIME

It reminds me of one of my favourite Richard Curtis films from 2013 called About Time. It’s about Tim (played by Domhnall Gleeson) and his mission to find love after he is told by his father (played by Daddy Cool himself, Bill Nighy) that the men in the family have the remarkable ability to travel back in time.

Now, although it is a time-travel movie, the time-travelling aspect is wonderfully downplayed. In fact, I heard Richard Curtis say it was a bit of an anti-time-travel movie.

You see, Bill Nighy lets Tim in on his secret formula for happiness and suggests that his son lives every day again – “the first time with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be, but the second time – noticing.”

I always loved that idea. However, by the end, Tim realises that he could save some time by just living each day like he has already come back – and simply enjoy it the first time around. What I love about this is that it’s a power available even to us non-time-travelling folks. So, as we make our way through the seasons, I would like to encourage you too – ‘to notice’.

And, as for that extra hour? Who am I kidding – it’s 2 am in the morning! I’m sure I’ll enjoy sleeping just as much the first time as I do the second. Happy autumn, everyone!

WORDS Jake Cleaver

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

Our Lady of Fátima

WORDS Luka Alexander

One hundred and six years ago, on 13 October 1917, 70,000 people gathered on the hilltop of Cova da Ira in Fátima to witness ‘the miracle of the sun’. This vision was said to be sent from heaven to prove that the Virgin Mary had indeed appeared to three children in Fátima.

Over a century later, the Fátima story has become one of Portugal’s most famous tales, bringing millions of pilgrims each year from all over the world to this once sleepy village to give thanks and praise to the Mother of Christ. Today, the nieces and nephew of Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the three children who witnessed the apparitions, continue to tell the Fátima story by opening up their family home, filled with relics and artefacts relating to their saintly uncle and aunt. Last month, I met with one of them, Jacinta Marto Pereira, who shares the same name as her saintly aunt, to find out more about this fascinating story in Portugal’s history.

Fátima, Municipality of Ourém, Santarém District

On 13 October 1917, three shepherd’s children, siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto, aged ten and nine, and their cousin Lúcia dos Santos, aged seven, were tending to their flock in an area called Cova da Iria when a beautiful lady dressed in white, shining more brilliant than the sun, appeared above a small holm oak tree.

The Lady told the children that she had been sent from Heaven with a message for the world and that they should pray the rosary every day for the conversion of sinners and she would visit them at Cova da Iria on the 13th day of each month from May until October.

On 13 June, the Lady appeared to the children, again telling them to pray the rosary, adding the Fátima prayer for the salvation of sinners. The children were told that soon Francisco and Jacinta would be taken to heaven, but Lúcia would live much longer. During the third apparition on the 13 July, the Lady revealed to the children three secrets. The first was a vision

of Hell, a dark, unearthly place where the souls of sinners would go. The second secret was the revelation of World War II and the persecution of Christians in Russia following the revolution and the rise of communism. The Lady said that peace would only be restored when Russia would be converted to Mary’s Immaculate Heart.

The third and final secret remained under lock and key until it was revealed in the year 2000 by the Catholic church. It was a vision of a Bishop dressed in white falling to the ground. This has been interpreted as the 1981 assassination attempt on the late Pope John Paul II, which happened on the 64th anniversary of the first apparition in Fátima. During this apparition, Lúcia asked the Lady to perform a miracle for those who do not believe. The lady said that the Lord would perform a great miracle on 13 October for all to see and believe and, on that day, she would reveal who she was and what she wanted.

As rumours spread about the visions, the children were arrested on 13 August so that they were unable to see the apparition. The authorities tried to force them to confess that these were made-up stories or to show proof. Standing their ground and refusing to reveal the three secrets, the children were threatened by the Municipal Administrator of Ourém, Artur de Oliveira Santos (1884 –1955) who told them they would be boiled alive if they did not tell the truth. But the children would not break their silence and devotion to the Lord and the Mother of God and eventually, they were released by the authorities.

On 19 August, the lady appeared to the children in nearby Valinhos in a grove of olive and cork trees, where she told the children to continue to pray for the conversion of sinners.

By the fifth apparition on 13 September, people began to gather at Cova da Iria to see if the lady would appear. From the sky, rose petals began to fall and, as the witnesses touched them, they disappeared. Lúcia asked the Lady to cure the sick, to which she replied that some she could save, but others could not be cured.

The sixth and final apparition took place on 13 October 1917. It had rained heavily for three days. The land was soaking wet, but around 70,000 people, both believers and sceptics, gathered at Cova da Iria along with soldiers from the National Guard and the Administrator Artur de Oliveira Santos to witness the great “Miracle of the Sun”. At around 2.00 pm, the grey clouds parted and the sun began to shine as the Lady appeared just as she promised on the same spot above the holm oak. She told the children, “I want a chapel built here in my honour. I want you to continue saying the rosary every day. The war will end soon, and the soldiers will return to their homes.”

The lady revealed, “I am the Lady of the Rosary. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins.” Those watching believed that this was indeed Mary, the Mother of God.

At that moment, the sun appeared to zig-zag across the sky before plummeting towards the earth and returning to its natural position. Many were relieved after thinking it would be the end of the world, but, finally, credit was given to the children that the Mother of God had indeed visited Fátima. After the event, which lasted around ten minutes, the crowd saw that their clothes and the land they were standing on were bone dry as if water had never touched them. Some of the sick who had travelled from far and wide reported being healed and even the sceptics seemed to have been converted.

Francisco and Jacinta Marto were victims of the pneumonia epidemic, which swept across Europe. Francisco died at home on 4 April 1919, aged ten and the following year, on 20 February 1920, Jacinta died, aged nine, despite attempts to save her life at the Hospital de Dona Estefânia in Lisbon. Lúcia, who lived her life in a convent, died in Cóimbra on 13 February 2005, aged 97. The three seers are interred in the Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima near the Sanctuary of the apparitions.

In 1930, the Catholic church officially recognised the apparition events as “worthy of belief”. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II beatified Francisco and Jacinta, and, on the centenary of the apparitions in 2017, Francisco and Jacinta were canonised as saints by Pope Francis. At the same time, Sister Lúcia was declared venerable.

Meeting The Relatives of Saints Francisco and Jacinta

Just a stone’s throw away from the site of the apparitions is the quintessential village of Ajustral, where the three children once lived. Standing alone on a sleepy dirt track is the home of Saints Francisco and Jacinta. Built in 1888, the children lived in the house with their parents, Manuel and Olimpia Marto, and their siblings. Sitting in what was the pantry, I met Jacinta Marto Pereira, one of the children’s nieces, who, along with her sisters Maria, Laura (who passed away in 2009) and brother Francisco, opened up their family home as a museum to the millions of pilgrims looking to learn more about the Marto family.

Born in 1942, in the same room where her uncle Saint Francisco died in 1919, Jacinta is the daughter of João Marto, the younger brother of the two seers. She studied in Porto before becoming a primary school teacher and later returned to Fátima to continue to tell her family story. Jacinta told me how proud she is to carry her aunt’s name

and how overjoyed she was when learning that, after so long, her relatives would finally be canonised by Pope Francis. But she insisted that even though she is related to two saints, she still sins. “I am like everyone else; none of us are exempt,” she told me as we walked through the historic family home.

As I explored the small three-bedroom cottage, it was like taking a step back in time. The kitchen, where Jacinta used to eat alongside her parents and siblings, was nothing more than an open fire scattered with copper cauldrons, almost like something out of a historic movie set. Jacinta explained to me that in 1930 her grandparents moved to a cottage across the road, where they lived up until their deaths in 1956 and 1957. Her father, João, lived in the house with his wife, Emilia, up until his death in 2000.

Although rebuilt using traditional methods, little has changed in the two houses. Inside, the original photographs, documents and even Francisco’s birth certificate are preserved. The original dining table and bench where St. Jacinta lay shortly before her death stands in the kitchen, whilst in the main bedroom, one can see the bed that St. Francisco died in after his long illness, along with his iconic woollen cap. Outside, farming tools that were once used to tend the land remain just as they were a century ago.

“In 2002, in honour of our father, we opened Casa de João Marto to show items belonging to our family,” says Jacinta. Born in 1909, João Marto was eleven years old at the time

Miracle of the Sun 1917

Jacinta and Luka Marto family house

Manuel and Olimpia Marto

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The Fátima Prayer

of the apparitions. He wasn’t present during the miracle of the sun due to rumours that if the miracle did not happen, the whole family would die. He was, however, present at the earlier apparition in the Valinhos olive groves on 19 August 1917.

Jacinta explains, “At around 4 pm, my father was with Francisco and Lúcia tending to the sheep. Suddenly, they felt a supernatural presence and Lúcia asked my father to fetch Jacinta. Not wanting to miss out, he refused, so Lúcia offered some coins to my father as a bribe. He collected Jacinta and Our Lady appeared above a small holm oak tree. Although my father couldn’t see or hear what the others witnessed, Our Lady said to the other children, ‘I want you to continue to go to Cova da Iria on the 13th day and continue to pray the rosary every day. In the last month, I will perform a miracle for everyone to believe. And the money that people leave at the site should be used to build a temple’.” Jacinta said that according to Sister Lúcia’s testament, “Our Lady began to ascend towards the east.” After the vision, the children cut branches from the holm oak, which gave off a singularly sweet scent and took them home to the exact house I am standing in now.

When I asked if the overload of souvenirs distracts from the true meaning of Fátima, Jacinta told me, “It has always been like this.” From the first talk about the apparitions, pilgrims flocked to Fátima and vendors started selling rosaries. In the 2020 film Fatima (which I highly recommend), there is a scene of a young boy selling rosaries and exclaiming, “Rosaries, get your rosaries, only 6 cents.” When the seers said, “Mary has arrived”, the boy could then be heard saying, “Get your rosaries, now 10 cents!”

What is touching is that if it were not for this simple family, Fátima would not be what it has become today. Amongst the shelves of rosaries and plastic statues of Mary, the humble relatives of the Saints of Fátima remain close to their roots and devoted to the powers above, which chose their relatives to share God’s message.

Earlier this year, during the papal visit to Fátima for World Youth Day, another miracle took place. A six-year-old visually impaired girl from Spain claimed that her sight was restored after receiving Holy Communion at the Sanctuary of Fátima.

Despite attempts to silence the Fátima story over the years, this town, its followers and the relatives of the three children have kept the story alive. And whilst some may be sceptical at the events which unfolded all those years ago, I leave you with this thought. How did three illiterate children from the Portuguese countryside foresee World War II, the rise of the Communist state in Russia and predict their own deaths? If it were a coincidence, it would be a very lucky one, for it can only be described as a miracle!

Original chapel 1922 © Patrick Coelho da Silva (public domain)

Children at the site of the apparitions

Coverted by a porch 1937 © Patrick Coelho da Silva (public domain) The chapel today

Pope Paul VI before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the Pontiff's visit to the Sanctuary in ocassion of the 50th Anniversary of the Apparitions (public domain)

“ O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell... Lead our souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.”

Delivered by Our Lady of Fátima during the third apparition on 13 July 1917.

Portugal's Other Revolution

The public holiday on 5 October commemorates the revolution of 1910 – which has become overshadowed by the more romantic Carnation Revolution of 1974. However, the earlier revolution is arguably the more significant because it gave birth to the Republic itself.

Portugal’s monarchy had been in place for centuries and had overseen the great era of naval expansion, exploration and colonisation, and with it, immense wealth. But monarchies were under question in the nineteenth century across Europe. Portugal’s Republican Party was founded in 1876 and remained a small force, only ever winning a handful of seats in Parliament. Governments remained under the control of royalist parties. However, public support for the monarchy was waning. It was increasingly seen as outdated, extravagant, and tied to an overbearing church and a succession of incompetent governments.

Britain had an indirect hand in undermining the monarchy. The colonialist Cecil Rhodes persuaded the British government to challenge Portugal over its colonies in central Africa. In 1890, it handed Lisbon an ultimatum ordering it to cede control of Angola and Mozambique. The Portuguese crown capitulated and was immediately blamed by the public for Portugal’s national humiliation.

The first attempted uprising against the monarchy came in the following year but was suppressed by loyal troops. A further attempt came in 1908 – the so-called Municipal Elevator Revolt, named after the landmark construction in Lisbon, where the rebels gathered to begin their assault. It, too, failed when a spy in the group tipped off the authorities, and the rebels were all arrested.

The revolution effectively began in February 1908 when King Carlos and his heir, Luis Filipe, were both assassinated in Lisbon on the way back from a hunting trip. The crown

went to his younger son Manuel, who became king at the age of 18. He initially attempted to reconcile with the critical sentiment about the monarchy but ultimately failed and was let down by a succession of squabbling governments. Discontent with the monarchy only gathered momentum.

The Republican Party decided to abandon its parliamentary route to reform and resolved in 1908 to achieve its aims via armed struggle. At the same time, a secret organisation with revolutionary, republican and anti-clerical objectives, known as the Carbonária, was gaining in strength and was estimated to have around 40,000 activists at the time of the revolution.

The build-up to the revolution started in the autumn and significantly included sections of the armed forces abandoning their loyalty to the crown and joining with the Republicans. Although most troops remained loyal to the crown, there was, by October, a force of sufficient number ready to take direct action. Crucially, they were also backed by a naval rebellion.

The armed confrontation between the two sides began in Lisbon on 3 October. The well-organised rebels made an early impact. The government forces realised they needed reinforcements but were unable to bring them into the city as a result of Carbonária activists having severed telephone lines and railways. The king was playing bridge in the palace when artillery fired from naval vessels in the Tagus began to strike his palace. He made a hasty escape, boarding a boat to Gibraltar.

By 5 October, the atmosphere in the city was tense and it was unclear which way the struggle was going, until a German business delegation, which had arrived at this inopportune moment, helped move events along. Anxious to avoid being caught in the crossfire, they moved across the main square behind a white flag. The observing residents of the area interpreted this as the government surrendering and poured into the streets, hailing the overthrow of the authorities. Not wanting to lose the moment, Republican leaders hurried up onto the balcony of the town hall and declared a republic, to general rejoicing. Royalist troops surrendered.

Within months, the provisional government had established the republic, suppressed the church, legalised extensive individual rights, and given Portugal a new flag and a new national anthem – the ones used to this day.

After the fall of the House of Braganza, King Manuel II went into exile in Fulwell Park, Twickenham, devoting himself to the study of Portuguese history and to playing tennis. After a vigorous game one afternoon, he was found dead the next morning, aged just 42. A retired Scotland Yard detective published his memoirs years later and implied that the exking’s untimely and unexplained death was a result of the dark arts of the Carbonária.

WORDS James Plaskitt

James Plaskitt is a former minister in Tony Blair’s government in the UK. He has now retired in the Algarve.

King Manuel II (public domain)

José Relvas proclaims the Republic from the balcony of the of City Hall (public domain)

Sem Eira

Nem Beira

How Portugal’s architecture influenced the class system

There is a famous Portuguese saying “Sem eira nem beira,” loosely meaning “without middle or low class”. The proverb found its way into the Portuguese language from the old roofing architecture, which once denoted a person’s wealth.

After the Romans introduced clay roof tiles or telhas to Portugal, the upper classes also found a way to express their wealth through the architecture of their homes. During the 18th century, those who had three rows of tiles at the edge of the roof were considered the richest, known as tribeira; the ones who had two rows of tiles were seen as middle class and known as beira, and the homes which only had one row of tiles were seen the poorest in society known as eira, hence the phrase “Sem eira nem beira” implying “to have no money”.

The word eira derives from the Latin word ‘area’. Often, this is confused with the same word that means a ‘yard’ or ‘garden’, intended for planting fruits or vegetables. The beira or beiral (eaves) is an extension of the roof that would protect against rain, a style that was commonly used throughout the colonial period and is frequently seen in older buildings in Brazil. Again this word is often confused with the same word, which can mean a plot of land.

The tribeira is exactly as it sounds, a triple beira or eaves. The more a man possessed, the more layers he could include

on his roof, maybe to add that extra protection for his possessions inside. It didn’t take long before one of Portugal’s most famous proverbs became a common phrase which is still used today, even though there is an ongoing debate as to whether the phrase is referring to roof tiles or plots of land.

However, the visual class system in Portugal didn’t stop at roof tiles. It is well known that if one had tiled walls on the outside, the homeowner was from a wealthy background and the more elaborate the tiles, the more wealthy the family was, much the same as the old Algarvian chimneys.

My house has a beira but topped with an eira; however I don’t think the intention back in the 1990s was to show wealth but instead to create an ornate design. Thankfully nowadays, rows of roof tiles and chimney styles aren’t associated with a person’s wealth as it was back in those days, but many homes across the country still preserve their historical identity as once wealthy homes complete with a beira or even a tribeira

If you have a tribeira, consider yourself lucky, but if you only have a beira or an eira, I wouldn’t worry too much, the main thing is that you have a roof over your head!

WORDS Luka Alexander

Tribeira roof photo © Bernhard Enders

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Embrace the Evenings with Indigo

WORDS Flora Kouta

As the days get shorter and the nights grow longer, bring a little drama into your home with this midnight-blue hue. Sitting between blue and violet in the rainbow, the colour ‘indigo’ is named after the pigment obtained from plants in the genus Indigofera. One of the oldest dyes known to humankind, It’s an intense colour that will make your living space feel both confident and calming.

Cecília and Nuno at ‘Kozii’ are experts in the art of indigo dyeing. Rather like sourdough bread, the process of growing the organism takes weeks. A vat of indigo dye must be continuously nurtured with indigo powder, slaked lime and molasses fed to the mix daily. Only when then does it look and feel ready, can dyeing begin.

Their patterns are created by block printing with a paste that prevents the dye from penetrating the fabric and each time the cloth is dipped and exposed to the air, a darker shade of blue is achieved. It’s a labour of love and each length of fabric created is unique. You can buy their home textiles online or visit their shops in Lagos, Olhão and Tavira.

Curl up on this luxurious velvet 3-seater sofa bed from Maisons du Monde, it’s just one of a range of sumptuous seating available from their online shop this season.

1. Indigo textiles/cushions www.koziishop.com

2. Indigo sofa bit.ly/3PwpsgH

PUB HOURS:

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Weekend from 12 noon

KITCHEN HOURS:

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Saturdays 6pm to 9pm

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Five TV’s inside and one outside! Games room with free pool table, billiards table and darts

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Fancy having your own toponymic plaque made? The one pictured translates as ‘Sunbathed House’. I think mine would have to be ‘Casa de Adolescente Temperamental’! The colour is called ‘Portuguese Blue’ and originates from the cobalt pigments used by Arabic tile makers in the 16th century.

Francisco Cunha is one of a handful of artists who continue the tradition today, painting raw glass using pigments made from 80% glass. When fired in a kiln, the glass melts and transforms into an enduring masterpiece. He also creates wall murals and plaques, so if you want a really unique addition to your home, you could commission him to design something just for you. (You will not find a hand-painted mural of mermaids playing violins in Ikea!)

The view of the cliffs at Praia da Falésia one Autumn evening inspired this seascape painting - the triptych works really well as a feature on a plain white wall.

There is a great selection of indigo-glazed ceramic vases at CJ Decor in Lagos that would look great as a centrepiece on a dining table or mantelpiece.

This abstract floral wall art was inspired by the deep blue shrubby pimpernel flowers that grow wild across the Algarve. I’ve balanced the indigo tones with blush, cream and peach for a softer feel.

1. Indigo seascape triptych www.florakouta.com

2. Indigo vases cjdecor.com

3. Indigo floral art www.florakouta.com

4. Tiel panel www.etsy.com/shop/ThePortugueseFamily

Faro’s Vibrant Music Scene

I always find it interesting to walk around a venue in advance of an event taking place and watch the preparations, the crews doing the sound and light checks, and the security guys getting anxious every time someone takes a photo. The other day, I was doing just that at the site of the Festival F.

Of all the meaningless words that I really hate reading, “unique” is top of the list, however, when it comes to reporting on an event like this and the music scene in Faro in general, it is hard to find a better one. Add the adjectives diverse, cultural and comprehensive and that pretty much sums up what the Algarve’s administrative capital has to offer. The câmara, Teatro Faroe and various cultural associations organise themed fairs, concerts and festivals throughout the year, and music can easily be found in both the historical old town and (not to be confused with) the nearby downtown areas.

Downtown Faro has a vibrant nightlife, with discotheques and clubs catering for the resident university students and the younger visitors. Rua do Prior, formerly known as “Crime Street” (for reasons best left undefined), is the place to head for if electronic and dance music is your thing. Sorry not for me, let’s move on.

Moving over to the old town and just inside the waterfront entrance of the old walls, we find one of the area’s most iconic buildings that used to be a beer factory and is classified as a property of public interest. I am not sure if that was because of the architecture or the beer. Plans are now underway to transform the former Fábrica da Cerveja de Faro into an artistic and exhibition centre as part of a multi-million euro project that includes the expansion of the town’s municipal museum.

Thankfully, part of this site is already in use with the Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Músicos (ARCM), which was founded in 1990. Over the years, it has been developing and supporting young people in the municipality of Faro and adjacent areas to develop and showcase their artistic and cultural expression. Among the regular events are workshops and debates on musical and other cultural topics. This place has a real down-to-earth, urban vibe that fits well into the faded industrial atmosphere of the wonderful old building. However, it is absolutely the place to hang out and catch up on local and some more established singer-songwriter rock and blues bands. Weekly jam sessions are popular and it’s also large enough to host acts as part of the larger yearly events like the Festival F.

To quote Rogério Bacalhau, Mayor of Faro, “Since its first edition, back in 2014, Festival F has been designed to close summertime. It had to be something that brought visibility to Faro, to be integrated into the old city, where it was developed, and it was thought within these premises, from which the appreciation of what is ours is also highlighted. From our heritage, through the old city, to our culture and people, and to our music. In this sense, Festival F has always been, and still is, a Portuguese music festival.”

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY Bob Tidy

Large selection of craft beer

Natural Portuguese Wine

Tasty Cocktails

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

QUIZ NIGHTS

Every Thursday at 7:30pm English speaking, open to all

OPEN MIC NIGHT

All musicians welcome 2nd, 16th & 30th of October 7pm to 10pm

SUNDAY SESSION MUSIC

Every Sunday 6pm onwards

in residence at The Collab Bao Buns | Wontons | Shake Shake Fries

Opening Times: Mon, Tue, Wed & Thurs 12pm - 11pm

Fri & Sat 12pm - Midnight | Sun 12pm - 10pm

Loja A (Bloco 1), Antiga Fabrica da Ribeira, Av. d. Descobrimentos, 8600-584, Lagos (Opposite Praia da Batata)

Having attended the opening concert later in the day, the sentiments of his words were clearly evident. This was a free concert for the local community to get together and enjoy in the historical heart of their town. The space was packed, the songs performed by a trio of excellent singers were well known and the atmosphere was genuinely heartwarming.

The next evening, the “serious” festival and party began as the major acts hit the stage, complete with fast food and beer stalls, back street artisans’ stalls and film crews. The accommodation in the town is as hard to find as a parking space and yes, Faro will be given some visibility.

Before we leave the old town, the Associação de Fado do Algarve deserves a mention. Depending on the time of year, authentic Fado performances can be seen at either the Faro Municipal Museum or at one of the town’s iconic churches. This is another example of hearing the right kind of music in the right setting, where history, architecture and music come together as a combined experience.

Another venue that is becoming a regular for bands is found In a back street that edges the Ria Formosa wetlands in an older part of town with boat yards and abandoned buildings. In one of the splendid warehouses from yesteryear, Casa das Virtudes has taken residence. This is an independent, family-run contemporary theatre/ art space with no municipal council funding or the intrigue of historical interest as marketing leverage. This is a space that anyone can rent and hold an event of their own, where unknown artists get the chance to show their talents. If you like your music events more on the heavy side, the Faro Alternativa in October is the one to look out for.

Before we get the idea that Faro is all about catering for young hipsters and ageing rockers, this is only one aspect of a much larger picture.

Situated just a few minutes from the harbour is a real gem, the grand old Teatro Lethes. Best described as a classic Italian opera house, she is one of the oldest of its kind in the country. Built as a religious institution back in 1607, later damaged in the Napoleonic war, the Colégio de Santiago was only inaugurated as a theatre in April 1845. The inside is small, giving an immediate feeling of charm and intimacy with four tiers of wooden viewing boxes arranged around the auditorium, filled with rows of red velvet seats. You would be right to expect that the deeply rooted musical traditions of fado and classical Portuguese guitar would be performed here, but the same stage is shared by contemporary bands and classical musicians, including an annual Guitar Fest, which really does fit the must-go to category.

Being small and intimate, though, has its limitations and now we need to move on to the Teatro das Figuras, the municipal theater, which was built to accommodate larger and more complex productions. Again, cultural diversity is one of the main objectives and the venue integrates a concert hall and a grand auditorium with a capacity for 782 spectators. Now opera, full gospel choirs, and international bands and musicians can be added to the picture. During the summer open air, evening concerts are staged here using the large ramp leading up to the entrance doors.

The theatre is also the home of the splendid Orquestra do Algarve ( formerly Orchestra Clâssica do Sul). Renowned for the high quality of its music, the orchestra is supported by a choir and performs in venues across the region and also internationally. Along with traditional concerts for Christmas, New Year, and Easter, classical music lovers can enjoy a series of concerts with national and international conductors and soloists throughout the year in a programme that includes works from baroque to contemporary, as well as music by Portuguese composers.

And if all this isn’t enough, I have saved my personal favourite to finish. Struggling to find another replacement for “unique,” this event is something that I have never experienced before and is certainly one of a kind for Faro. Açoteia, the rooftop festival, is formed of nine organisations from different European cities, led by the Municipality of Faro and created by the European Creative Rooftop Network project. Yes, such a thing does exist. Branded as “Another perspective of the city”, over a couple of days, thirty-five rooftops around the town open up to host a selection of short performances. With a daily ticket of only five euros and an event map, visitors are free to move around from one venue to another and make up their own program.

I can assure you, that from my experience of this year’s event, another overused adjective, “amazing”, is appropriate. To sit on the open-air rooftop terrace of one of the town’s top hotels on a warm summer’s evening and be entertained for forty-five minutes by one of the country’s famous artists playing a solo acoustic set is about as intimate as it gets. The artists feel a closer contact with their audience and that carries through into the sincerity of the performance. It really felt like they were playing just for us and the small number of people that the space allowed.

Obviously, the council has long-term financial interests and some would argue that organising such an array of events is politically motivated as part of Faro’s bid to be named a European Capital of Culture in 2027. However, there is also no doubt that the desire to keep cultural traditions and musical heritage alive and available for everyone will remain a priority in the future and it is clearly one of the reasons that Faro is becoming a prime destination for travellers and not just the place to fly into.

Intro to Lagos Vintage Chest of Treasures

We arean Algarve based event planning and rental company specializing in unique small-wares and vintage pieces. Our collection includes everything from glassware to vintage furniture! We offer rentals, event planning, styling, set up and tear down services.

Private Vintage Tea Room

Designed for groups of up to 20, this venue is available for birthday parties, fundraisers, business meetings, team building, workshops, baby/bridal showers, anniversaries or simply for enjoying the company of family and friends.

Tablescapes

Party design on a budget: Designed for groups of 4 to 20 in a variety of styles. Warm, or a little bit moody, table designs easy to execute, with inspiration from the team at the Treasure Chest. Our tablescape hire is perfect for all occasions including Christmas, Birthdays and Anniversaries.

For groups of more than 20: Contact us. We can cater for groups up to 100 guests

Décor Hire

We are not your typical event rental company. We want your event to be uniqueand really special. That’s whywe have worked so hard to build up a collated vintage collection of quality rental items full of beauty and character!

Bookings, Viewings & Consultations by appointment only!

Leanne Byrom

The Wildlife Artist

is painted from her own reference photos (she studied wildlife photography for a while, too), travelling to far-flung places to photograph and then paint these beautiful creatures.

“I am truly blessed to have seen, photographed and interacted with so many different types of animals from around the world and I know that not everyone gets to have this amazing experience. Even today, I have a wealth of birdlife around me along with foxes, hedgehogs, wild boar, butterflies, dragonflies, moths, various snakes, spiders and lizards.”

Leanne Byrom has a passionate love for the natural world and the creatures that fill it, so it’s unsurprising that most of her art is of animals – mostly wildlife and birdlife and, more recently, sea life.

WORDS Alyson Sheldrake

Leanne tends to paint or draw animals that are true to life in their representation. She has been developing a monochrome series of portraiture work and her next plan is to paint animals in vibrant, almost rainbow-like colours. She explains, “It’s fascinating to me how the use of colour or lack thereof can impact or change one’s view of the subject.”

Her love of wildlife undoubtedly stems from a childhood spent in Salisbury, Rhodesia, which became Harare, Zimbabwe after the country gained its independence. As she grew up, she spent more and more time at national parks around the country, fishing and travelling to the wilder places where, as she describes, you “even had to pack the kitchen sink”. A move to the UK led her to explore the less populated areas of Scotland, Wales and Cornwall until, in 2014, Leanne moved to the Algarve.

Leanne finds inspiration for her paintings from the wildlife around her and also when she’s reading a book or magazine, surfing the internet, and even when out shopping: “I’ll often see an animal and think, ‘Oh, I’d like to paint that or something similar’, and then I set out gathering reference materials, learning more about the subject if I need to, and trawling through my photo storage drives. Most of her work

Leanne is inspired by contemporary wildlife artists, the incredible work they have produced and the difference they make in the world today in terms of their contribution to conservation and education. She is drawn to artists such as Pollyanna Pickering and David Shepherd and the work of Julie Rhodes, Robert Oxley and fellow Zimbabwean Craig Bone.

Her passionate love of wildlife shines through her own work, and her aims are clear, “I want other people to see what I saw, to feel how I felt, to imagine themselves and

immerse themselves into the experiences with animals through my work. I am very much against animals in captivity, being held or shown purely for human entertainment and against the hunting of animals as a sport.

Ultimately, I want my work to provoke a thought and awareness to the magical natural animal world around us and contribute to rebuilding and preserving it for future generations to enjoy.”

Much of Leanne’s work can be ordered through her website and prints through her Etsy store. She is available for commissions for wildlife art and pet portraits. Whilst pet portraits can be ordered through her Etsy store, for anyone living in the Algarve, she prefers to meet in person and take photos of the pet(s) if possible.

www.leannebyrom.com

www.etsy.com/shop/animalartbyleanne

leanne@leannebyrom.com

+351 934 747 233

www.instagram.com/animalart_byleanne

www.facebook.com/animalartleanne

I Heard The Alps Call His Name

by Madelyn June Jorgensen

I have this dilemma when it comes to reviewing a memoir: should I write mainly about the narrative, or the book itself, or maybe about the author? It is always easier to evaluate and discuss fiction, politics, history, etc. When it comes to a personal story, and especially a very sad and heartbreaking one, how does a reviewer deal with it? Does one have any moral right to have an opinion, good or bad, about anyone else’s private life? – By all means, this is a Hamletian question.

Unlike a novel, a memoir is predominantly about one or more profiles and what made it possible for something to happen, not about what happened. Good memoirs allow us to see into people’s minds and teach us empathy and compassion. Today I am going to do my best and write about I Heard The Alps Call His Name – a delicate but very inspiring and empowering narrative, one of those books that teach us something: like Cicero said, ‘While there’s life, there’s hope.’

“Alone in my childhood room, tears rolled down onto the pillow in small pools, then disappeared into the soft cotton, gone forever into the depths of linen and foam. Was it similar to my own life? My son disappearing, never to be seen again? I asked my spiritual God why this had happened, and waited for an answer.”

Everyday we hear people saying: ‘I can only imagine how awful ...’ No, ladies and gentlemen, none of us can imagine what is in a mother’s heart when she unexpectedly walks into an empty house – that initial shock of disbelief, followed by hysteria, denial, heartache, grief, anger, bitterness, and, worst of all, the feeling of helplessness when she learns there are not enough necessary

junebugmjorgensen.com

I Heard the Alps Call His Name can be found on Amazon.es for €7,04 (paperback), Amazon.co.uk from £0.00 (KindleUnlimited) up to £5.87 (paperback), or Amazon.com for

international legal instruments to get her son back to Canada from Switzerland, where her ex-husband illegally took the child without her consent. Modern psychologists seem to agree upon one thing: parental child stealing is essentially another form of child abuse, and it leaves scars on both the victim and the parent left behind. This thought alone is enough to push anyone over the edge.

Her mother’s unconditional love is beyond doubt in this novel. Madelyn Jorgensen heart-wrenchingly remembers and describes, in every detail, a toy train set after more than forty years. And yes, it was her love for her son Marcus that kept her alive and sane, able to fly thousands of miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Alps while fiercely fighting the agony. Maybe, in a way, it was also a journey of healing. Despite the trauma and all the difficulties, June will never forget her son’s words: “You always were my mother. A light at the end of a dark tunnel.”

While I acknowledge that many couples make mistakes and bad choices, and some no longer wish to live together and seek a legal separation or divorce, the panic, pain or confusion of their children should be something they aim to avoid at all costs.

All in all, I Heard The Alps Call His Name is a good and deep debut book, two to three days’ reading for a slow reader, with generous line spacing formatting. I also have to mention the insertion of photographs from the family archive, most of them representing Marcus, from baby to young adult, but also his mom and maternal grandparents.

Photo © Madelyn June Jorgensen

WORDS Dan Costinas

Madelyn June Jorgensen is a writer, poet, blogger, journalist and artist. She moved to Portugal (Alvor) to be closer to her son, Marcus, who lives in Switzerland.

$7.49 (paperback.)

Carvoeiro, Ferragudo, Silves Portimão, Praia da Rocha, Alvor 59€

A Vintage Tea

Taking a closer look at the vintage decor rental sector

Collectors from all over the world have been turning their passion and their collections into rental and hire businesses offering access to a wide range of antique and vintage style items to the event décor sector. This trend has been driven by the decline in the popularity of antique furniture due to changed lifestyles, the reduced purchasing power of many lovers of antique and vintage items, as well as a scarcity of items in the market.

When we refer to vintage timelines, we look back at the period in time ranging from the roaring 20s to the late 90s, and include the post-war 50s and, of course, the hippie era of the 60s and early 70s. However, some vintage collectors are also drawn to the Victorian era, the Impressionist and even the Renaissance periods as they search for interesting antiques to add to their collections.

The rise in popularity of vintage goods has also led to the revival of traditional craftsmanship, especially in the décor business sector. We saw that trend developing seriously after the 2020 pandemic.

As more people come to terms with the changing world of “the new normal”, many are being drawn nostalgically to the past, to more comforting times. We have seen an increase in the number

of small businesses in the Algarve run by artisans and craftsmen offering a wide variety of goods, ranging from vintage clothing to upcycled and repurposed furniture.

Another growing sector for the Algarve is event planning and management. Negatively affected during the pandemic when many events were cancelled as a result of various lockdowns, the events industry is now firmly back on its feet. With this in mind, a new business offering vintage and antique rental and hire has been established. Treasure Chest Lagos focuses on providing access to thousands of vintage items, not only to the event planning and management sector but to the general public as well.

Owner Laurinda Seabra embarked on a global search for suitable vintage items to add to her collections. During her buying sprees, she came across many interesting stories which she enjoys sharing face-to-face, in media articles, and across social media platforms.

Laurinda also has an amazing story of her own; “When I was a young kid, I visited my granny in Lisbon regularly during the summer months. Over a period of time, I collected hundreds of postcards that she kept for me in an album. Sadly, that album disappeared more than 55 years ago,

International Literacy Day

and I had given up finding it again. But during one of our buying sprees, amazingly enough, I found it on sale at an antique dealer in Evora, as hard as it is to believe.”

If you would like to see Laurinda's beloved album, you can book a visit to the showroom in Lagos. Laurinda will more than gladly show it to you while you share a cup of tea or coffee in the private tea room and discuss the story behind each postcard.

info@egtreasurechest.com

+351 969 320 2231 egtreasurechest.com

Instagram:treasurechestlagos

UNESCO declared International Literacy Day on 26 October 1966 and it was celebrated for the first time on 8 September 1967. The annual event aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. This year, UNESCO and schools celebrated the theme “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies”.

Mr Ben Riley, the new principal of Vale Verde International School in Burgau, successfully implemented International Literacy Day (ILD) activities in both the primary and secondary schools. As part of the celebrations, all students brought a reading book to school for Everyone Reading in Class (ERIC), which served as a warm-up activity in their lessons. This initiative aimed to promote literacy across the curriculum.

Students were also encouraged to donate books to the new school library project. The event featured students reading a variety of literature in different genres and languages, highlighting the international nature of the school and the day.

The English and drama departments are eagerly preparing for Poetry Day on 5 October 2023, which falls on Republic Day, a Portuguese national holiday.

“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

“The ability to read and write is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela

WORDS Annie O’Dea

Corner

Little Wife Lies, by Katherine Cobb

“A domestic thrill ride of love gone wrong” is the subtitle of the Kindle edition and this eight-word synopsis is brilliant; I couldn’t have said it better myself.

I devoured the book in two days; the story within is the realistic fiction type I like, containing a narrative with everything: love, sadness, passion, marriage, steamy scenes, twins, secrets, suspense, lies, cheating, deception, gossip, fire, tragedy, death, a police investigation, and neither a happy ending nor a very sad one – just like it could very well turn out in real life.

The book is like a stage play, with two protagonists on the platform: Hank and Adrienne. The other actors (Tess, Jimmy, Girl at the Bar, Shelton, Tami, Noreen, Days Inn Clerk, Grandma Betty, and the nosy neighbours – including the Kincaids, the Wilsons, and Mrs Brown, to name just a few – are part of the chorus, their bit part-purpose being to describe and comment upon the main action. This happens at the end of each chapter.

The novel contains 67 chapters, successively titled Hank, Adrienne, Hank, Adrienne … and so on. I warmly recommend it as a summer read for readers aged 18+.

About the author:

Katherine (Briganti) Cobb’s books explore love, relationships and our shared, often messy, humanity. She writes fiction (coming-of-age, chick lit, mom com, parodies), nonfiction (self-loathing, community, column stories, pandemic memoir episodes), and children’s (picture) books.

The book can be found on Amazon.es for €15,76 (paperback), Amazon. co.uk from £0.00 (KindleUnlimited) and £3.99 (Kindle edition) up to £13.88 (paperback), or Amazon.com for $15.99 (paperback.)

The House on the Hill: A Summer in the Algarve, by Chris Penhall

WORDS Annie O’Dea

Chris Penhall always delivers an uplifting read with vivid descriptions of picturesque places. This Algarvian setting will satisfy as an end-of-summer read.

Published by Ruby Fiction in June 2022 as part of the Portuguese Paradise series, this is Chris Penhall’s fourth book after winning, the Choc Lit Search for a Star competition (sponsored by Your Cat magazine) in 2019 for her debut novel The House That Alice Built. I interviewed Chris Penhall for Tomorrow in May 2020. This third book in her Portugal Paradise series, like the others, promises to deliver a great read, especially for those of us who reside here in the Algarve.

Layla, the main character, along with her Aunt Minnie, runs a yoga retreat in Lagos, full of mindfulness and meditation. Naturally, the opportunity for romance is heightened by the glorious summer sun, but “the course of true love never doth run smooth”.

Intruding the peace and tranquillity of the wellness retreat set up by her grandparents, Layla’s world is turned upside down by Luke, who needs to escape from his hot-shot career as a successful author. Luke moves into the villa next door in the hope of overcoming his writer’s block. And who better to restore his pen to paper than Layla, his neighbour and yoga guru? However, for her, he is a face from the past she would rather forget!

Chris Penhall’s characters are credible and well drawn by their differences. Arguably, the house itself, integral to the story/setting, is like a character, too, as it forms the epicentre of both family and choice and is central to what unfurls. Although romance is at the heart of the story, this is a novel about people’s passions, whether it’s dance for Aunt Minnie or health food for Layla. Equally, it’s about the importance of familial love and the relationships both aunt and niece have formed within their community. A testimony to family, love and friendship.

For those seeking a vacation, this is the book for you. Well-written and well-paced, it leaves you feeling fully satisfied and uplifted.

 For the interview with Chris Penhall, go to tomorrowalgarve.com/may-2020

WORDS Dan Costinas PHOTOGRAPHY ©Katherine Cobb

What's on

For more events and activities check our online calendar:

www.tomorrowalgarve.com/calendar

RBL Halloween Event

A 4-course lunch with wine, beer or soft drinks and water included. Live saxophone entertainment, disco and dancing and special prize draw to raise money for the Royal British Legion.

When: 28 October at 12 pm

Where: Johnny Hooper's Saxophone Bistro, R. Almeida Garrett 30, Albufeira Tickets: 33€ Bland.sg@gmail.com

 Facebook: Royal British Legion Portugal Branch

MamaMaratona

The Algarve half marathon is a 21km course approved by the FPA for both federated and non-federated athletes. There is also a mini marathon event (10 km).

The 23rd Mamamaratona aims to raise awareness and help the prevention of cancer, in particular breast cancer, within the scope of the international movement Pink October. It is also about raising awareness of a healthy lifestyle through physical exercise. The event raises funds for this fight against cancer and supports cancer patients and their families.

Guadiana International Music Festival

Bigger and better than ever, enjoy an eclectic mix of music genres including rock, blues, folk, jazz, fado, flamenco and much, much more. The three-day festival features more than 60 local and international musicians from over ten countries, performing live at stages and venues in the town. This year, the festival also includes Artlink, which will join forces with local artists with an exhibition that will open with a private view on 16 October, giving the opportunity to meet the artists involved, and will run until the final day of the festival.

When: 20 - 22 October

Where: Alcoutim

www.musicaguadiana.org

contact@musicaguadiana.org

Rhythm and Blues

Two local musicians Tim Homes and Andy Gray have just been signed to a record label run by Chris France of Montinhos da Luz to record (amongst others) an original song about everyone's favourite road, the N125 - which always goes down well at their gigs. As well as their gigs in Lagos, which has a rhythm and blues vibe, they will be playing at the Alcoutim International Music Festival on 21 October.

When: 14 and 28 October 4 pm to 7 pm

Where: Restaurant Friends, Lagos

 www.facebook.com/JukeJointBlues.algarve

Open Choir Rehearsal

When: 15 October

Where: Passeio das Dunas, between Quarteira and Vilamoura

Tickets: Registration is mandatory: www.crono.aaalgarve.org

 mama.maratona@aoa.pt

Exhibition ‘Observações’

To celebrate the Sagres Birdwatching Festival, artist Timo will be exhibiting his work featuring mind-provoking arts, landscapes and nature, all with a birdwatching theme.

When: Until 20 October

Where: Centro de Interpretação, Vila do Bispo

Timodillner.com timodillner@sapo.pt

The Western Algarve Choir (WACC) will be holding an open rehearsal for anyone interested in joining in time for the autumn/winter programme and, specifically, for the Christmas performances. Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience or skill – the only thing you needy is a love of singing and some time to commit to rehearsing and practising.

As usual, the choir will have a full programme of performances this Christmas at various venues across the wider Lagos area, including their local carol singing, and over the years, the chorus has gained a reputation for bringing fun and festive cheer to any event throughout the winter season.

There will be a social event held afterwards at Bar 6 in the main square.

For more details on where you can watch us perform, about joining the choir or for booking future events, please contact choir leader Elizabeth Roberts.

When: 3 October, 6 pm to 8 pm

Where: Almádena Community Hall  elizabeth_roberts15@hotmail.com

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Restaurant & Tapas

LAGOS

Open 11:00 - 22:30

howard@fri3nds.pt

R. José Afonso 3D, 8600-601

Music Festival

This music festival will see musicians using Lagos’ historic courtyards as their stage. With a diverse programme, from traditional North American jazz to contemporary Portuguese music, the concerts will have a spontaneous feel, almost as if the musician was passing by and just decided to stop and perform.

7 October

3 pm Forte Ponta da Bandeira | 2_Low

4.20 pm Antigo Cais da Alfândega | Just

Brass Trio

5.40 pm Antiga Escola Gil Eanes | Juan Léon

7 pm Praça Gil Eanes | Duo MarZ

8 October

3 pm Praça Gil Eanes | Dixie Gringos Jazz Band

4.20 pm Antigo Escola Gil Eanes | 2_Low

5.40 pm Jardim do Anel Verde | Duo Oscilar

7 pm Antigo Cais da Alfândega | Duo MarZ

Where: Lagos

Tickets: Free entry

agcorallagos.org

Photographic Exhibition

Celebrating the calçadas of Lagos is the theme for a photo exhibition by Paul Gerace. The American artist believes it's a subject that deserves attention as the calçadas (cobblestones) have become part of Portugal's cultural identity and are a disappearing art form.

When: Running throughout October

Monday 10 am–7 pm, Tuesday 9 am–7 pm, Wednesday 9 am–8 pm, Thursday and Friday 9 am–7 pm and Saturday 8 am–3 pm

Where: Mercearia Bio Café, Lagos

www.photosofportugal.com

Algarve Con

The annual Board Games Convention offers hundreds of games, workshops, training, role-playing, cosplay, geek merchandise, raffles, secondhand games, escape rooms, and much more.

You can count on the classics – Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and Catã – as well as new hits from the world of board games, such as Wingspan, Dixit, Exit, Unlock and many other games.

This is not just an event designed for nerds! There are board games and activities for all ages and any experience level. The event has a volunteer team available to help understand games, accompany the event and carry out various activities.

When: 28 and 29 October

Where: IPDJ’s Algarve Regional Directorate in Faro

Art Exhibition

Distinguished artist Karen Wride is set to enchant art enthusiasts with a breathtaking exhibition of her thoughtprovoking landscape and figurative oil paintings. This event will take place amidst the natural splendour of the Rio Formosa National Park. Recognised as a trailblazer in the art world, Karen Wride's oil paintings expertly capture the ethereal beauty of landscapes and the profound emotions encapsulated within the human form. Her artistic ability to evoke emotions and engage the viewer in introspective contemplation has garnered critical acclaim worldwide.

Guests are also invited to partake in the grand inauguration ceremony, where they will witness the unveiling of new and captivating works from Karen Wride's private collection.

When: 4–31 of October, 3 pm to 8 pm (Première on 14 October, from 4 pm–6.30 pm.)

Where: Hotel Vila Galé Albacora

algarvecon@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/algarvecon

BLiP Expo 2023

Organised annually by afpop – Portugal’s largest association for foreign residents and property owners – the Better Living in Portugal Exhibition (BLiP Expo) brings key businesses face-to-face with their potential and existing customers in a friendly but professional environment.

There will be a wide variety of products and services for visitors to peruse at their leisure, providing for the needs of allcomers, from insurance, health, financial and funeral services to home and garden, property, food and drink, tourism and much more.

The organisers anticipate there will be over 100 stands this year. The venue provides plenty of free parking.

When: 14 and 15 October

Where: Portimão Arena

Tickets: Free entry

 www.blip-expo.com

www.karenwride.com

End of the Harvest

Morgado do Quintão will bring you 'the world's best pork on a spit’, local food, wine tasting, Algarve folklore and plenty of music … all night long! Jot down this date in your calendar and get ready for an unforgettable end-of-the-harvest celebration.

When: 7 October, 6 pm

Where: Morgado do Quintão, Lagoa

Tickets: 40€ or 20€ for Lagoa residents

 www.morgadodoquintao.pt/open-house-23

Loose Ends

Don't be alone just because you are on your own. The group is going from strength to strength and last month held another successful bowling and dinner night. The next meeting will be held back at their meeting place behind the câmara building in Lagos. Please confirm attendance

When: 10 October, 5 pm

Where: Gemma Events in Lagos

Tom +351 919 918 733 tom@tomorrowalgarve.com

Kiki +351 964 822 276

Rett Syndrome awareness The Pink Ladies

October is the worldwide Rett Syndrome Awareness Month. Although many people still do not know about this condition, it is the second biggest genetic cause of severe intellectual impairment in young girls.

The Tomorrow charity TACT has donated money to support Vila do Bispo resident Alice, who is suffering from this condition. Her mother, Salomé, tells us, “I still find there is too little information about this terrible condition. To try to get a better insight into what is being done scientifically to overcome the disease, I will be going to the Annual European Rett Syndrome Congress in Marseille, France, at the beginning of October.”

Last year, through the money donated by TACT and others, Alice had great improvements in improving her social skills, balance and walking, but despite all these efforts, Rett Syndrome is still progressing in Alice, and her spine is showing worrying signs of deterioration earlier than expected. This means more physio and more hydrotherapy to strengthen her back.

To help with the costs, you can:

• Collect bottle caps and deliver to Burgau Sports Centre

• Donate through gofundme (link on Alice’s Instagram page @fundprettyalice)

• Donate through a Portuguese account

• Donate through a British account

• Contact Salomé at s.morgane1985@yahoo.com

The ladies played again at Silves for the 6th Pink Ladies Day!

Pink was the order of the day from the top to the bottom with pink flags, pink tee box markers, pink scorecards, not to mention 120 ladies all dressed in pink, even down to shoes. Fueled with Prosecco and wraps, the day went down in a blaze of pink, ably assisted by the team of SDM dream boys.

The ladies received a welcome drink after the game provided by catering manager Stefano Silvestre. Lunch was enjoyed by 130 ladies and supporters and preceded the auction, prize draw and final prize giving.

First prize went to Yarida Kabinpong and Xuan Cui with 47 points. Several ladies won Nearest the Pins, and prizes went down to 10th place due to the generosity of the sponsors, including Pestana, Brasserie Rosal, Blevins Franks, Wine & Co, and Tee Times (among others), who ensured that there was a great selection of prizes to be won.

The beneficiary of the event was AOA.pt (Algarve Oncology Association) in Faro, which will receive in excess of 8200€ from the day!

The day was recorded by 2Algarve and great fun was had with the drone on the 18th green!

A huge thank you to all involved in a fantastic day. The pink ladies are looking forward to the next event on 5 September 2024!

 youtube.com/shorts/30Zm2Lym7ms

Solidarity with sardines!

Every year, the Rotary Club of Lagos organises one of its most anticipated events – the Sardinhada Solidária. Held at Chico Zé restaurant in an atmosphere of great fellowship, it aims to raise funds for its projects.

More than 90 people attended this year, including a representative of Lagos Town Council, the President of São Gonçalo Parish Council, members of the International Social Group of Lagos and members, friends and family from 12 Rotary clubs in the Algarve and Lisbon.

All diners were enthusiastic about the quality and quantity of the sardines, the welcome sangria and the excellent music by Carlos Azevedo that brightened up the event.

New friendships were made through informal conversation and it was with great affection that the club also celebrated the birthday of the founding member of the Rotary Club of Lagos, José Cortes. He founded the club 44 years ago, together with João Moreira, Inácio Rodrigues and others who are no longer with us, with the aim of serving the community.

The Rotary Club is very grateful for the help of Chico Zé, who donated the space and the sardines and Pingo Doce supermarket, who offered the missing ingredients at a discount. Due to these benefactors, the event raised 2,007.66€, which will be given to CASLAS and NECI.

 Facebook: Rotary Club de Lagos

The John Aldridge Charity Golf Classic of this year was another tremendous success. The entire event was filled with fun, laughter and, of course, raising money for local causes!

The event kicked off on Thursday, 14 September, when all teams gathered at the Estrela da Luz pool bar for drinks to warm up for the golf-filled weekend.

A total of 26 teams competed for the title over the course of two days. The first day, on Friday, was a Texas Scramble held at Espiche Golf Course. The winning team (Ronan Mallon, Michael Callaghan, Clive Martin and Steve McFadden) scored an impressive 56 points, winning by 2.

A big thank you goes out to everyone at Espiche Golf. The day was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and the course was in the best condition the players have ever seen. Thanks to Paul, Peter, Pauline, and all the staff for yet another superb day.

Saturday’s event brought different weather, with a heavy downpour of rain early in the day. However, most of the field persevered through the storm and continued to play in better weather and, for the most part, better golf. The format was 4-ball better ball, and due to the number of teams, only one score counted so as not to slow the pace of play.

For the second day in a row, the winning team was Ronan Mallon, Michael Callaghan, Clive Martin and Steve McFadden, with an outstanding score of 52 points. A great weekend for these guys (they are definitely not being allowed to compete together next year!).

Once again, the day was made a great success by the fantastic work of everybody at the club, despite the difficult rainy conditions. A massive thank you to Philip Pope and all of his amazing staff at Boavista for making the day such a memorable experience.

The day concluded with a wonderful meal, and Adam Bunney got everybody up singing along. As usual, there was a charity auction where numerous prizes, including a 200L barrel of whisky, were auctioned off. The charity auction raised just under €10,000, a fantastic achievement.

This brought the total raised from the event to €23,000, a record-breaking amount since the Tomorrow magazine and TACT Charity have been involved. These funds will be distributed to local causes in the community, and the presentation will be done with John in November.

The event was a huge success, and a special thanks goes to everyone involved in making it so enjoyable.

My final thank you must be extended to John Aldridge himself. John is a staunch supporter of community causes and, over the last 20 years, his event has raised hundreds of thousands of euros. Thank you, John, for everything you do. We are already looking forward to next year’s event!

WORDS Phil Harding PHOTOGRAPHY Fátima Vargas

View all the photos of the event: bit.ly/JAGC2023 or scan the QR code

These boots were made for Hikin’

When keen hiker Katie Slater set up a Facebook group in August 2021, she was hoping to meet some like-minded people to explore the Algarve’s hiking trails with her.

There is no pressure on any member to lead a walk; however, one man who has been tireless in his efforts to keep members fit and active is John Walker, a retired accountant from the Netherlands who helps Katie to administer the Facebook group. John is one of the most energetic and prolific walk leaders, putting on several events a week last season. It was John who termed the phrase ‘après-walk’ to describe the socialising after a hike.

The length and difficulty of walks vary, with some leaders offering shorter routes on easier terrain and others leading more challenging mountain walks with stunning vistas. Despite everyone’s best efforts, things don’t always go to plan. A sense of adventure – and humour – is essential.

“A particularly funny memory is a hike when we had to climb over a very high wall, or turn back and hike a very long way around,” recalls Katie. “Being nervous of long drops – and only just over five feet tall – I was coaxed over and had to jump onto two strapping guys who then carried me down! Not an experience I’ll forget in a hurry!”

Members come from all over the world, including Europe, the US, Canada, Africa and the UK. The group is administered in English but, as many members are multilingual, conversations are often struck up in other languages.

Two years on, Hiking Algarve has grown from a handful of members to a thriving, lively and supportive community of 2,200 walkers. Collectively, thousands of kilometres have been covered since those first ten people responded to Katie’s call and met to walk around Quinta do Lago and the Ria Formosa. Afterwards, they sat down to enjoy breakfast together. “I suppose this started the social side of Hiking Algarve,” says Katie. “It’s now a regular thing to have a beer or food after a hike.”

One early member was Katrien Nachtergaele, originally from Belgium, who regularly leads walks. “Katie is such a born organiser it took me a while to step up my own involvement, but that is the whole point: the more people lead hikes, the more of the Algarve we get to discover and the more people we meet.”

Hiking Algarve is unique in its approach: hikes are free and all members are encouraged to lead if they feel sufficiently confident. The hiking calendar runs throughout the year – the group is more active between September and May –with walks across the entire region. Everyone is welcome – you just need enthusiasm and a reasonable level of fitness.

Real and lasting friendships form, extending beyond the hiking community – and Portugal. Christine and Frank, from Ontario, Canada, spend winters in Alvor.

“We joined in 2022 and have never looked back,” Christine says. “In addition to seeing parts of the Algarve we’d never have found or thought of going, we’ve forged some great friendships. We have visited friends made on the hikes back here in Canada and will be in Tenerife with Hiking Algarve friends next year.”

Diane and Bill Tjenos, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, are experienced hikers who spent 31 years hiking around the Rocky Mountains. They moved to Lagos in January 2023. “Hiking Algarve was an unbelievably lucky find,” says Diane. “Not only were the hikes beautifully described but the comments and photos made us wish we could be included in this lively, funny, smart, group. Katie welcomed us warmly. Now we have the privilege of hiking with this group of people from so many walks of life and so many places. True hiking buddies, true friends.”

Katie encourages anyone who is new here to check out Hiking Algarve. “You’ll have fun hiking with like-minded individuals, make new friends, and explore new and unknown hiking paths across the Algarve.”

 Facebook: Hiking Algarve

WORDS Tracy Burton

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□ Coffee shop and snack bar

□ 500 sqm fully equipped Gym

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

□ Large Swimming pool with lounge area.

Sports Round Up

Beach Games

The Algarve cities of Portimão and Lagoa have been chosen to host the next edition of the Mediterranean Beach Games. Following the completion of the 2023 games last month in Crete, the Algarve will take up the mantle in 2027. Aside from the usual sports of beach volleyball and beach soccer, we can expect to see beach wrestling, beach tennis and even beach karate.

World Cup men’s rugby

Portugal’s first World Cup match for sixteen years ended in a 28-8 defeat against Wales. Despite the result, Os Lobos will be delighted with their performance against a tier-one side that was expected to win far more comfortably. Instead, both teams played some excellent flowing rugby in what was often quite a chaotic match. When the two sides last met in 1994, Wales prevailed by 102-11 in Lisbon, but Portugal has come a long way since then and, as their recent performances have shown, they are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. In the first half, the Portuguese matched their more illustrious rivals for much of the game with just a few unforced errors highlighting the difference between the sides. The biggest cheer of the day came when flanker Nicolas Martins snuck up the blindside to score a thoroughly deserved try after a lineout in the Welsh corner. Ultimately, it was the power of the Welsh pack that won the day but it takes nothing away from the plucky Portuguese players, who deserve the plaudits for their adventurous approach to the game.

Tennis

The Campus Carby VW Ladies Open will become the most prestigious international women's tennis tournament ever to take place in the Algarve. Hosted by The Campus, the multi-sports complex located in Quinta do Lago, the event will take place from 7–15 October with a prize money of $40,000. The event is a timely boost for women’s tennis in the region, as there is currently only one female Portuguese player in the top 500 in the world.

Motorsport

The FIM Superbike World Championship will once again return to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve from 29 September – 1 October. The present world champion Alvaro Bautista currently leads the overall standings with just two races remaining.

The Autódromo will also host a double-header of the European Le Mans Series on 20 October and 22 October. The two four-hour races will see the culmination of the championship in what is being labelled as the Grand Season Finale.

 Tickets for the event can be purchased here: aia.bymeoblueticket.pt

WORDS David Lugg

Surfing

Algarve bodyboarder Joana Schenker has won round three of the National Bodyboard Circuit at Praia Grande in Sintra. She now occupies second place in the national table. After the event, Schenker admitted that she was satisfied with her performance, but her main focus is on the World Tour. “I'm very happy to win here today because I didn't have a lot of pressure. Unfortunately, the fourth stage of the national championships coincides with the last stage of the World Tour in Morocco and I cannot be in two places at the same time.”

Men’s international football

Portugal has made history by thrashing Luxembourg 9-0 in a European Championship qualifier at the Estádio Algarve. The nine-goal margin marks the biggest victory in the nation’s history. Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes was instrumental in midfield, providing a hat trick of assists and a finely taken goal. The win sees Portugal make it six wins from six in group J, making it their best-ever start to a qualifying campaign.

RISING STAR

Netball

Australia may still be the team to beat following this summer’s netball World Cup, but European interest, thanks in no small part to runners-up England, is increasing at a fast pace. The potential for growth here in Portugal is huge and many clubs now offer tuition for ladies interested in playing the sport. Tavira-based Margaret Coleman is a member of Leões Netball Sotavento Clube and the president of Netball Portugal. Together with Netball Europe, she is looking to put the Portuguese netball community firmly on the map. “We have both running or walking games, so ladies at any level can play. Plus, the social side is great for mental health. Our ladies go off and do lots of activities together.” Currently, there are four clubs in the Algarve – Tavira, Cabanas, Vilamoura and Lagos.

 If you would like to know more or are interested in joining one of the clubs, contact Margaret on +44 7967 407713 or send an email to info@netballportugal.com

Klaas Aling Making great strides

Klaas Aling, is a prodigious young athlete from Lagos. The 13-year-old runs for his local club Desportiva Academia Atletismo Lacobrigense and is already setting records for his age group. Klaas's introduction into athletics began at the tender age of five under the guidance of his coach, Pedro Braz Correia. Pedro ensures that not only is training rigorous, but it is backed up by proper nutrition. This has enabled Klaas to adopt both a winning mindset and a successful start to a career in athletics.

This year promises to be an exciting one for the young athlete as he steps up to face older and more experienced competitors. A new set of challenges and opportunities await, but Klaas remains confident of continuing his recordbreaking journey.

The race for a successful athletics career may only just be starting, but the future looks bright as he looks to make an indelible mark on the track and be an inspiration for other budding athletes in the region.

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

Photo © Francisco Pinheiro

Musings of a Mountain Biker

WORDS Gilly Grateley

Hi, Gilly here, I hope you are enjoying the trails and keeping hydrated, making the most of the multitude of terrific cafes we have for your pit stops on route.

As I write this month’s article, I’m reflecting on how much I have enjoyed the fantastic sports fest on TV over the past couple of months (opportune time to sprain my ankle!).

I have indulged in the Netball World Cup, the Women’s Football World Cup and the Cycling World Championships – happy days.

The latter, an 11-day mega event from Glasgow, is the first of its kind. Each cycling discipline held its World Championships at a single combined event and with 13 titles up for grabs across road racing, time trials, e-MTB, para-cycling, downhill, cross country, indoor track, BMX racing, and freestyle. There was a lot to tune in to.

Did you know you don’t have to go as far as Glasgow to see great racing – we have it on our doorstep? There is a very comprehensive list of local events on the website of the Associação de Ciclismo do Algar. I have dropped a link below for reference. And recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Maria Genoveva from the sports services department at the City Hall in Lagos, who was keen to share the details of the Lagoshosted leg of the Algarve Cup XCM with me.

What is XCM?

XC stands for cross country and is a specific

style/discipline of mountain biking. It is an adrenalin-filled mix of singletracks, climbs, fast descents and occasional jumps, usually through forests with mud and rocks along the way. It is more about endurance rather than technical skill, with milder trails than the downhill or enduro disciplines.

XCM is a cross-country marathon; as the name suggests, it is a long-distance crosscountry race. Depending on the course, the distance can be up to 140 km on a single lap or multiple shorter distance laps and the riders race against each other for the fastest completion time. On the route, there will be designated zones where the riders can take on refreshments and get technical support, but in between these areas, they need to be self-sufficient, carrying their own spare tubes and tools.

Like all disciplines, XC has its own specific bike geometry and is designed for agility and speed, but any mountain bike can get beginners started.

What is the VI Algarve Cup XCM – Lagos?

It is an annual mountain bike cross-country event held in and around the forest of Barão São Joao. The date for your diary this year is Sunday, 22 October.

There are two races running simultaneously: marathon (72 km with 1,700 m elevation gain) and half marathon (49 km with 1,200 m elevation gain).

Part of the Algarve Regional Championships, the competition is ‘open’, which means non-affiliated and amateur riders can enjoy the event and compete alongside the pros. There are 14 different entry classifications for men, women, juniors and para-cyclists to incorporate different age groups and levels of ability. Entry is online via the Portuguese Federation for Cycling site at www. fpciclismo.pt/calendario (inscricoes-provaregional for federated riders and ciclismopara-todos for non-federated riders).

The action starts and finishes at the BTT centre, where riders will start gathering from 8 am, culminating in the presentation of trophies for the winners of all the categories in the afternoon – with a little Algarvian hospitality thrown in, I’m sure.

The initiative is jointly organised by Câmara Municipal de Lagos and the two local MTB clubs, Grupo Popular das Portelas and Associação Amigos de Almádena – for any regular readers, you may remember I recently chatted with Luis from AAA, who rides out every week looking for and planning new routes and trails specifically for this event. Good luck to everyone participating and thanks to all the organisers and volunteers that make this event possible.

As always, reach out if you want to share your events with us at:

bikinginthealgarve@gmail.com

After successfully testing my ankle on an eMTB this week, I’ll be back in my happy place soon. I hope to see you out there. Have fun and ride safely!

COME AND SEE US TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR 2024 OFFERS Membership categories available to suit your lifestyle

“Before you say why, think why not?! Here at Espiche we can offer you a variety of memberships to suit your needs whether you are full time residents, long term stays or just regular visitors to the Western Algarve. You will find friendly and accommodating staff, superb course set in idyllic countryside, award winning clubhouse serving food and drink, membership boasting sixteen nationalities and a golf committee that offer a wide diverse range of competitions. Maybe competitive golf isn’t for you, well no problem, join Espiche to play social golf, consider lessons with the resident professional and see where it takes you.”

Jag älskar att köra upp mot Espiche Golfbana, varje gång tänker jag: nu har jag 18 härliga hål framför mig! Jag trivs verkligen på Espiche, personalen och medlemmarna är så välkomnande. Jag visar gärna golfbanan för mina vänner från Sverige när de hälsar på.

Jag tycker att golfbanan är utmanande och utsikten från klubbhuset är magisk. Espiche Golfklubb har potentialen att bli den bästa i Algarve!”

“From the first time I entered the doors at Espiche I felt at home. It’s one of the most welcoming golf courses I wandered into and I can’t praise the staff enough for having created such a great environment. The course is challenging, but I like it that way, it forces you to play differently and think your way through each hole. I feel that if you can become good here, you’ll be great anywhere else. Apart from that, there’s a lot of focus on sustainability as well, which I find important and it’s one of the reasons that convinced me even more. In short, this is not just a great golf course, but a wonderful community, with a challenging course and care for the environment. Joining was a no-brainer. If you’re ever in the area I’d recommend you try it out, though make sure to come prepared for the test that awaits you.”

Anders Jilken Espiche Golf Member since 2018

Bob van Eck Espiche Golf Member since 2023

Allan Stavert - Captain 2021/2022 Espiche Golf Member since 2015

Periocular Aging and Rejuvenation

The periocular area (eye) plays a fundamental role in our emotional expressions and the attractiveness of our faces. When we communicate with someone, it’s always eye-toeye contact at the beginning, even to ourselves looking in the mirror.

So, the periocular area is responsible for the perception of beauty, ageing, tiredness, and sadness. It’s composed of five main zones (and not just the excess of skin and eyebags): Forehead, Temple, Brow, Upper eyelid and Lower eyelid.

In the forehead, deep wrinkles, hollowness and sagging tissues are the main characteristics; the temple area loses volume allowing the lateral orbital bone to be more visible and skeletonised, giving an elderly look.

The brow is an area that is often forgotten. Patients tend to think that the upper ocular area is just the skin of the upper eyelid, but in many cases, like mine, for instance, it’s the brow descent that is causing the aged appearance. The tail of the brow also loses its convex shape, becoming more flat.

The upper eyelid has three main ageing signs: excess of skin, hollowing of the eyeball and small protruding fat pad in the internal cantus.

Drooping of the eyelid, called ‘ptosis’, is not related to the excess of skin, but the lid itself that is positioned lower than it should. Normally the lid should cover only 1 or 2 mm of the iris, but with age (or congenitally), it loses its strength and falls down.

Last but not least, the lower eyelid, where the eyebags and dark circles produce a tired look. So, to sum up, ‘periocular’ is not just eyelids, and this perception, from the aesthetic plastic surgeon and from the patient, is crucial to providing a comprehensive approach that fits the patient’s individual needs.

The main techniques are:

• Upper blepharoplasty skin excision

• Endoscopic brow lift

• Eye bag reduction

• Regenerative stem cell treatment

Some are performed under local anaesthetic, some with sedation or general anaesthesia. The patient goes home on the same day, and recovery is expected between one to two weeks.

Tiago Baptista-Fernandes is a specialist in plastic surgery.

Walk like an Egyptian

Ancient Egyptians were known to be extremely intelligent and ahead of the game, they were also conscious of preserving their youth. They used three key approaches in their beauty regime for the face and body: cleanse, treat and moisturise.

The Egyptians were obsessed with cleanliness. This could have been due to the hot and dusty climate: it’s said that they could bathe up to four times a day. Depending on class, that would have been in the Nile, in stone basins or, if fortunate enough, in stone baths. They believed cleanliness was vital for good health and warding off evil. Those with a higher status would exfoliate with Dead Sea salts and use soap made of clay and ash mixed with olive oil. Sour milk in the bath was also used to remove impurities.

To keep them smelling nice, and due to the lack of amenities that we have today, they would extract plant essences such as lavender, peppermint, rose and camomile mixed with animal fats or wax. By smelling good, they believed they would have

protection from the gods. They shampooed their hair in vinegar and lemon mixed in water.

It was very common for men and women to wear make-up. Heavy eyeliner was used by those of higher status to define their eyes but also to protect the skin from the harsh sun and prevent wrinkles. It was a combination of soot, galena and lead sulphide, which was a toxic combo, but they would purify it for thirty days so by then it would be safe to use. Burnt almonds were used to make the eyebrows darker and green eyeshadow was made from crushed green malachite stone mixed with animal fats or oils. They tinted their lips and cheeks with a red pigment derived from tinted clay that was mined and left to dry in the sun. Water was added and then applied with a brush.

Archaeological finds from this period have shown that they even kept their makeup in special containers. All their beauty products were also buried with them so they could continue to look their best in the next life.

Considering the 12,000-year gap, it is interesting to note that many of their innovative creations are still used today in our beauty regime.

Donna Groom is a beauty therapist and medical micro-pigmentation specialist. She works at the Kutting Room in Praia da Luz.

WORDS Donna Groom

WORDS Tiago Baptista-Fernandes

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Intimate Relationships

WORDS Becca Williams

In long-term relationships, we can say some pretty petty things to each other. It´s natural – intimate relationships mean we experience various moods, both our own and our partner›s. But here´s a trick called 'a do-over' that can reset prickly interactions.

My partner Ron and I have been using this technique and it works like magic. When one of us responds with a snarky or critical comment, the other simply says, "I want a doover!" This makes both people pause, with the offending partner recognising their negative response was out of line.

For example, you ask your partner if they´re going to their pickleball game this week, and they snap back, "Why wouldn't I be going? I go every week!" Instead of getting upset, you calmly say, "I want a do-over." Importantly, both of you have to agree to do-overs in your

relationship. Anytime, anywhere, one of you can request a do-over.

Here's how a do-over works: ask the pickleball question again, and this time, your partner responds more kindly, "I am! I really look forward to these games. I have so much fun, and I've met some fantastic people. Maybe you'd like to join me sometime?”

This technique helps you become more aware of your feelings, express when something feels wrong, and request a do-over. Your partner, respecting your emotions, agrees to it, and rephrases their response to be more considerate.

Remember, it goes both ways. Undoubtedly, you’ll be the one asked for a do-over at times. The beauty of this approach is that it can halt arguments in their tracks. It can also lead

Unleashing the Power of the Vagus Nerve:

to laughter as you rewind and relive the situation. Plus, it encourages both of you to reflect on what caused the reaction, leading to better understanding and kinder communication.

So, why not give the do-over a shot? It’s a simple way to keep your relationship in a place of love and respect. Let me know how it goes!

Becca Williams is an emotions therapist and clinician who helps people free themselves from emotional burdens, traumas, and limiting beliefs to live more fulfilling lives.

Your Ultimate Guide to Relaxation

Welcome to the incredible world of the vagus nerve! Brace yourself as we embark on a thrilling journey through your body’s secret relaxation superhero. Discover the magic of the vagus nerve, its importance, and some mind-blowing techniques to relax and unlock its true potential for a happier, healthier you!

Exploring the vagus nerve:

Picture this: your body has a superstar nerve called the vagus nerve. It’s like a long-distance runner, starting from your brain and running through your neck, connecting to all your major organs along the way. This nerve, known as the “wandering nerve”, is like a superhero’s sidekick, regulating everything from your heartbeat to digestion and even your emotions! It’s the ultimate communication line between your brain and your body, working tirelessly to keep you in balance.

Unleashing the magic:

When you activate your vagus nerve, it’s like flipping a switch that brings calmness and

relaxation. It reduces stress, anxiety and inflammation while boosting digestion, immune function and overall well-being. It’s the key to unlocking your body’s incredible potential for resilience and happiness.

Unleashing your inner superhero:

Are you ready to tap into your inner superhero and activate your vagus nerve? Here are some seriously cool techniques to make it happen:

• Take deep breaths: breathe in slowly and deeply, then exhale even more slowly. Focus on extending your exhale. Feel the superpowers of relaxation taking over.

• Find your Zen: embrace the power of mindfulness and meditation. Take a moment to connect with your breath or try guided meditation. Feel the calmness spreading through your body like a wave.

• Brave the cold: try a daring splash of cold water on your face or indulge in a refreshing cold shower. The shock will awaken your vagus nerve and give you an instant mood boost.

WORDS Paula Rey

• Sing your heart out: unleash your vocal prowess by belting out your favourite tunes or chanting. Feel the vibrations resonating through your body, stimulating your vagus nerve and lifting your spirits.

• Embrace the flow: explore the world of yoga or Tai Chi. These graceful practices combine movement, deep breathing, and stretching, inviting relaxation and vagus nerve activation into your life.

Embrace these supercharged practices, and prepare to soar to new heights of well-being and happiness!

Paula Rey is a holistic coach, hypnobirthing childbirth educator, cacao ceremony facilitator and embodiment practitioner.

Carolina Afonso

Forbes magazine recently named her one of the most influential business leaders in Portugal. Vaughan Willmore spoke with Carolina Afonso about her exceptional career and her life, here in the Algarve.

WORDS Vaughan Willmore

By her own admission, Carolina

Afonso is not your typical Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Born and raised in Fuzeta, near Olhão, she speaks five languages, is a published author, and a visiting Professor at the University of Lisbon. At just 42 years of age, she’s one of Portugal’s most influential business leaders and an inspiration for entrepreneurs here and abroad.

Fuzeta is a small and beautiful fishing village about 10 km east of Olhão. It’s where Carolina was born and still visits on a regular basis to see family and friends. Indeed, while our Zoom meeting took place with Carolina in her office in Lisbon and myself in the Algarve, she told me that later that Friday afternoon, she would be heading south to Fuzeta to spend time with her family and friends.

I asked Carolina about her early years in the Algarve.

“Fuzeta will always be part of my DNA,” she said. “While it’s a relatively small place, during the summer it’s somewhere where many cultures meet. In my opinion, it’s a great place to live and a great place to work. After all, we are very fortunate today, in that we can live locally and work globally.” Carolina has been with Gato Preto for three years, initially as Chief Marketing Officer and for the last 18 months as CEO.

Gato Preto is ranked as the #1 home decor brand in Portugal and employs 600 staff. It has 66 retail outlets in Portugal and Spain, along with a well-developed online shopping facility which provides home delivery services throughout Portugal, and to Spain and France.

Prior to joining Gato Preto, Carolina worked as Marketing Director for Konoca Minolta (a Japanese-based, multinational technology company) and for ASUS Portugal (a multinational computer hardware and consumer electronics company). Earlier in her career, she worked for the British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. It’s a truly stellar career based on hard work, lifelong education, and a very personal ‘open door’ approach to leadership.

Forbes described Carolina as ‘demonstrating excellence and leadership’ and that ‘her strategic vision and decisionmaking skills have driven the company’s success’. I asked Carolina what her priorities were for Gato Preto. “I work with many fantastic people and as a business, we’re focused on developing our customer offer, which would include the launch of a customer loyalty reward scheme. There will be a renewed focus on placing the customer at the heart of what we do and expansion of our offering so we deliver to more countries.”

I asked Carolina what advice she has for anyone starting out on their career. “Two things,’’ she said. “Don’t be afraid to grab and even create opportunities. I don’t mean in a selfish way. I mean, don’t be afraid to grasp opportunities, even if that means taking yourself out of your comfort zone. Secondly, make a commitment to lifelong learning. I’m still learning and I think the best leaders are always looking for opportunities to develop themselves.”

In both respects, Carolina certainly walks the talk. She’s studied in Lisbon and Madrid, and she’s worked in the Netherlands, so she’s certainly not shy of pushing herself out of her comfort zone. As for the lifelong learning, whilst working full time as Marketing Director of Asus (Portugal), she gained a Masters in Marketing at the University of Madrid. Such was her proficiency, she won a Best Student award and was invited to be a visiting professor, a position she still holds to this day.

It’s a busy working life for Carolina. Surely there must be little chance of any downtime? “I have two young children, aged one and three,” she said.

“They are my focus, along with the rest of my family. I enjoy reading and writing and going to the beach. Simple pleasures, really.”

My chat with Carolina was insightful. She is very personable and clearly proud of her connections with the Algarve and, especially, Fuzeta. I wish her every success for the future and I have no doubts it will be just as exciting (and as busy!) as it has been for the last few years.

The busy life of Gato Preto CEO

The Algarve Coffee Festival

An Inaugural Event by The Beany Bunch

their own brand and serve a selection of coffees and tasty accompaniments in their cafes. On display were some of their packaged products. Like fine wines, their coffees are described in detail. For example, the Papua New Guinea blend is described as ‘chocolate, pink lemonade, floral, poached pear’. I also learned about the region the beans come from and the altitude of the beans’ growth.

KŌYŌ was founded by Gyula Illés in 2021, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Located in Aljezur, this speciality coffee house is dedicated to presenting the best plantation coffees in the world.

The Beany Bunch team is headed by Shannon and Nick, and after a chat and a sample coffee, I had a new appreciation of the local elixir and all that it entails. Shannon, Shan for short, and I sat at a table at the venue’s Collab Bar, appropriately named since they collaborate with just such events as the Beany Bunch Festival. She explained her journey through the world of coffee with delightful exuberance and enthusiasm.

She began as a waitress in New Zealand, but when tedium became overwhelming, a Michelinstarred chef in a famous Melbourne restaurant, Chez Dre, encouraged her to train to become a barista specialist. She loved coffee and now, after many years, she is a barista instructor and consultant and has set up coffee shops in such diverse locations as Cambodia, car plants in Germany (Mercedes Benz) and hi-tech offices like Spotify. Shan describes her Cambodia experience as “a charmingly fascinating part of my coffee journey”. She had a team of six trainers in Cambodia and in the course of a year, they taught hundreds of would-be baristas.

Shan and Nick met whilst working as baristas/ consultants at two coffee shops in Lagos,

Abigails and Black and White, and a friendly rivalry developed. Now they are a team, the self-described Beany Bunch. “Most of us go to the supermarket and buy pre-packaged coffee in vacuum-packed bags or small pods of coffee for espresso machines,” she explains, “but by doing so, we are missing out on the joys of real coffee.”

Coffee beans are grown in the tropical latitudes in mountainous regions. The Blue Mountain coffee of Jamaica is famous as are coffee beans from the hillsides of Columbia, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Burundi among many others. The Arabica coffee bean, which originated in Ethiopia, is the most widely used. Experienced coffee blenders will use different varieties of Arabica to produce desirable flavours. Blends may include other beans like Robusta, which is harsher but has a higher caffeine content.

By mid-afternoon, the festival was in full swing with four stalls of coffee roasters, a ceramicist, a purveyor of coffee roasting machines and associated implements, and the Beany Bunch stall offering a selection of coffees and tastings.

Coffee roasting is an exacting and specialised art, and coffee roasters roast and grind the beans to achieve particular flavours. The coarseness of the grind is also an important factor. Coffee roasters are often coupled with cafes.

The Studio, founded in 2021, was well represented. It has two branches, one in Luz and the other in Lagos. They buy, roast and blend

Also, on display was something completely different. Zenergy is a mushroom health supplement combined with organic coffee. Produced in Portugal, it is described as increasing cognitive function, energy, memory, creativity and reduced anxiety. They don’t have a retail outlet yet but information is available at zenergymushrooms.com.

Included in the fun events were two competitions: the latte design competition and the best-tasting coffee of the day using an AeroPress. This method forces the liquid through the ground coffee directly into the jug or cup. Substantial prizes were awarded, donated by Sage Appliances, whose stand demonstrated various ways to use their products.

The festival included instruction, quizzes, kids’ events, workshops and giveaways. Speciality coffee shops and roasters have seen a huge boon in the last few years and this Algarve event will surely be the first of many more to come.

I thought I knew a bit about coffee, but after a visit to the Beany Bunch Festival, I came away more enlightened and better informed.

WORDS Julian Putley

Orange Autumn

WORDS Lita

Autumn is the time of renewal, the time to be inspired by the magic of new beginnings. It is a beautiful, fascinating time when we can discover the most magnificent natural landscapes covered in golden colours and flooded with sunlight.

The food should be light, warm and easily digestible for a mild detox to relieve your digestive system. The focus should be on alkaline foods to reduce accumulated body inflammation. Fresh and vegetarian foods are the best to nourish the body and mind. We should avoid fermented products, processed products, acidic foods, fried and heavy foods. Eating local and seasonal veggies is a “mindset” and the best for the body. I developed a light recipe made from brown lentils and pumpkin for this issue.

Health benefits of pumpkin

The pumpkin is not only suitable for Halloween decoration but also very healthy, with vitamins and minerals such as potassium and magnesium that are good for the heart, muscles and nerves. Thanks to its primarily orange colour, beta-carotene is also contained in large quantities: it has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. Combined with the brown lentils, a source of protein, other vitamins and fibre, it is a perfect dish for starting the autumn detox.

Autumn lentils

Ingredients

• 250g brown lentils

• 2–3 carrots

• Onion

• 5–6 garlic cloves

• 2 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp curcuma

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 3 tbsp of sunflower oil

• Salt, pepper or chilli

Preparation

Soak the lentils in water for 24 hours, then take them from the water and wash them. Chop the onion, the garlic and the carrots into small cubes, prepare all the spices and set aside.

Cooking

Put the oil in one pot; add the onion and, after 5 minutes, the garlic, the carrots and the spices. Stir fry for about 10 minutes, then add the lentils and cover with water. Let it cook for 25–30 minutes. Add salt.

Tip

If you have leftover lentils, you can freeze them in portions.

Greek Pumpkin

Ingredients

• 1/2 pumpkin

• 1/2 Greek vegan cheese

• 1 twigs of thyme or 1 tsp of dry thyme

• 1 tbsp of pine nuts

• 1 cup white wine

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 cup water

• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Cut the pumpkin into small slices, put in one baking tray, add olive oil, spices, pine nuts, cheese, wine and water and put into the oven at 180ºC and bake for 30 minutes.

Tip

You can get the vegan Greek cheese at the Intermarché or Celeiro in Portimão or Natur Boticae in Lagos.

A‘Quay’ Change

WORDS Tom Henshaw

There has been a change of ‘quay’ at the popular Lagos eatery Quay Lagos with a new chef joining the team.

I met with Cesar, who hails from Venezuela and has recently taken the helm as Quay’s new head chef. He comes with top credentials and spent the last five years working as a top chef on cruise ships all over the world, so he is well-experienced in high-quality catering. His other claim to fame is that he cooked for the Scout movement on a well-known Venezuelan TV show!

Cesar chose to move to the Algarve with his partner and two children because of the safety and security of living and working in Portugal. What struck me most in our interview was his total commitment to constantly improving on every aspect of his work. His passion bubbles to the surface in his enthusiasm to explain his plans. Launching the new menu is giving him the opportunity to stamp his undoubted skills and versatility onto each dish. Passion is a big aspect of his mindset and detail and colour are very important for him while aiming to bring something unique so that Quay stands out from the competition.

Cesar does not see this as just another job but as the opportunity to share with clients, new and old, his experiences as a top chef. His motto is ‘to try and be a better person’ and he definitely comes over in my meeting as a very determined man wishing to make his mark in life with integrity and work ethic.

Good luck, Cesar!

Sustainable Eating

A new dietary approach to health, weight loss and a little love for the planet

WORDS Sherry Fader

It is estimated that by 2050 we will need to produce approximately 60% more food to feed a world population of nearly 10 billion people. Food production already accounts for more than 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Our current diet pattern is also putting us at risk of developing many preventable, chronic illnesses (including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others). Fortunately, a diet that is good for our health doesn’t mean you have to consume lab-grown meat or snack on crunchy insects!

Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are healthful to our environment and our bodies:a diet that places fruits, vegetables, whole

Five easy steps to start sustainable eating:

Eat less meat: swapping out meat just one or two meals per week for unprocessed plant-based foods saves you money and could save your health.

Plant-based milk: from an environmental standpoint, dairy cows are among the biggest agricultural contributors to both climate change and water pollution.

Avoid ultra-processed foods: ultra-processed foods undergo multiple industrial processes to add preservatives, chemicals, artificial flavouring, added sugar and fats. Examples of ultra-processed foods include potato chips, soda (including zero calorie) and candy.

Eat sustainably managed seafood: we are damaging our oceans and sea life to the brink of no return. A good place to start would be to diversify your seafood choices and eat smaller fish on the food chain, such as anchovies and sardines – they usually carry fewer contaminants as well.

Eat seasonally: seasonal food is fresher, tastier and more nutritious. Seasonal foods also tend to be less expensive and carry a much smaller ecological footprint.

Sherry Fader is a certified Nutrition Educator, NE, Bauman College, Penngrove, California. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Los Angeles, California. Her passion for studying nutrition and health came about when her mother was diagnosed with colon cancer (a completely preventable disease). She currently lives with her husband and dog, Zoe in Portugal.

Thai Mango Salad

WORDS Joy Entry

This salad is meant to be bold and spicy. The pungent aroma of fish sauce mixed with sesame oil and the burn of the chilli spice is sure to whet your palate. Pair this with your favourite Asian dish, or have it on its own as a light brunch or lunch. It is also perfect as a main dish when you toss in a protein of your choice – prawns or even a seared steak on the top works perfectly here.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mango sliced thinly

• 1 cup mixed salad leaves

• 1 red onion sliced thinly

• 10 slices thinly sliced cucumber

• 5 cherry tomatoes halved

• 1 fresh chilli sliced thinly

• ½ cup coriander chopped

• ½ cup mint chopped

• ¼ cup peanuts

Dressing

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp lime juice

• ½ tbsp sugar or maple syrup

• ½ tbsp sesame oil

• 1 fresh piri chilli chopped finely

• 1 coriander stem chopped finely

• 1 clove garlic grated

Instructions

The easiest way to make the dressing is to bring all the ingredients together in a little jar with a lid and shake for a count of ten – yes it’s as quick as that. You can even make the dressing a day in advance – perfect for a busy day. Now, mix all the ingredients for the salad (reserving a little bit of the coriander, mint and peanuts) in a big bowl. A spoonful of the dressing goes over, toss for a bit. Chuck in the remaining fresh herbs and nuts and then top with the rest of the dressing. As a side portion this recipe works for two. As a main, perfect for one. Enjoy!

Top tip

If you’d like to add a protein, I would do a quick marinade of salt and pepper and a dash of fish sauce with your choice of steak, prawn or even chicken. You can dull the spice by cutting back on the chilli or removing all together.

Wine pairing

Once again sommelier Sofia of Mosto in Lagos recommends a beautiful Viosinho from Quinta de Chocapalha, a family estate in Lisbon. This 100% Viosinho is fresh with floral notes, expressive on the minerality – just how I like it. The perfect compliment to a hot and spicy Thai dish like this.

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

 Instagram: @thatasianhomecook joyentry@gmail.com

Tasty

WINE &

Signature

Iberian lynx

Back from the Dead!

Growing up in Portugal in the nineties as a keen wildlife enthusiast, I still recall the excitement over an elusive and endangered wild cat living in a remote region near the Spanish border between Castelo Branco and Guarda.

At that time, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) was found only in the Malcata National Park so, in Portugal, it was more commonly referred to as the Malcata lynx. A medium-sized feline, it shows all the common traces of the other three lynx species around the globe: short tails, long legs, beard and ear tufts. The other species are the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and the bobcat (Lynx rufus).

Of all lynx species, the Iberian has the most heavily spotted coat. Short and coarse, the coat is bright yellowish red or tawny with dark brown or black spots and a white underside – a perfect camouflage to match its habitat. Once widespread throughout the whole of Portugal and Spain, it became critically endangered in the late 70s and 80s. The 90s saw them disappear from Portuguese territory.

Although habitat loss and hunting were part of the decline, the main reason for the rapid decline of the lynx was the near complete wipeout of its favourite prey, the European rabbit, due to the uncontrolled spread of myxomatosis. This virus disease introduced by humans proved to have devastating effects in many already fragile ecosystems. It seemed as if there were not many lives left for this beautiful cat.

Conservation efforts started in Portugal in 1979 with a first-of-a-kind “Save the Lynx” campaign. The early conservation efforts, based on the preservation of habitat, were not successful and population numbers continued to drop.

Other programmes were launched and, if my memory serves me correctly, at one stage, conservationists were trying to capture a male to integrate a new breeding programme but could not find one! There were two females in captivity, but one had already passed its breeding age. The future was, indeed, looking very bleak for this unique creature.

The last lynx record in Portugal was a captured animal in Malcata in 1992. The Malcata National Park still proudly bears the lynx as its logo, but there has been no evidence of its existence since then. Technically extinct in Portugal, Spain still held a few isolated areas with “pocket populations”, such as the ones in Donana Natural Park, south of Seville. At this stage, there were fewer than 100 animals left in existence.

The turning point of this ticking time bomb disaster came in 2004. Portugal and Spain joined forces and, with the help of European funds, launched another set of projects that envisaged the creation of lynx breeding centres, the improvement and management of natural habitats and the increase of healthy rabbit populations for ultimate lynx releases back into the wild.

In Portugal, Silves saw the creation of the CNRLI (Iberian Lynx National Breeding Centre) in October 2009. It remains the only breeding centre in Portugal that works closely with five other centres in Spain to maximise genetic diversity for a healthy population as well as raising these animals with the littlest possible human interaction.

Since its creation, over one hundred animals born at CNRLI have been released in Portugal and Spain. This year alone, eight precious cubs were born at CNRLI and are growing strong. For

Iberian Lynx Fact Sheet

Habitat: Mediterranean woodland, Algarve “barrocal”, rocky terrain and maquis shrubland.

Length: 80–100 cm

Height: 90–100 cm

Weight: 11-15 kg

Lifespan: 15 years

Favourite food: nearly exclusively rabbits but also hares, small rodents and fowl

Classification: Family: Felidae (Cats)

Order: Carnivora

the last three consecutive years, the centre has achieved a 100% cub survival rate.

The last census shows a population of approximately 1700 Iberian lynxes roaming in the wild. On our side of the border, the population is estimated to be just short of 300 animals around Mértola, Serpa and Alcoutim. Other reported sightings have also been registered in areas such as Castro Verde and even Tavira.

With thirty breeding females in the Vale do Guadiana region, there won’t be any releases in Portugal this year. For the future, other areas are being considered (Malcata included) to slowly regain as much ancestral territory as possible.

Everything considered, the future now looks brighter for our Iberian lynx. It would seem that this cat jumped out of its own grave and was given another nine lives!

WORDS Luis Teves Costa

Save the Malcata Lynx Poster 1979

An Autumn

As summer ends and the weather begins to turn, a wave of birds sweeps across Europe, from north to south. Sagres is a prime place to enjoy this awe-inspiring display.

In September and October, thousands of birds fly over the Algarve on their way to wintering grounds in Africa. On land, bushes and trees are stopping points for small songbirds looking to make the ambitious journey south. Among the latter is the common redstart, featured on the poster for this year’s edition of the annual celebration of bird migration in the region: the Birdwatching & Nature Activities Festival.

When switching between English and Portuguese, this species’ name can cause some confusion. In Portuguese, rabirruivo-comum (‘common redstart’) or simply rabirruivo (‘redstart’) refers to the black redstart. The species known as common redstart or redstart in English is called rabirruivo-de-testa-branca (‘white-foreheaded’ redstart), after its white forehead, which stands out against the adult male’s dark head.

This apparent discrepancy stems from the fact that in Portugal, unlike the UK, the black redstart can be seen all year round and, having adapted to humans, is often seen in cities – making it easier to spot and earning it the ‘common’ epithet in Portuguese. The common redstart, on the other hand, only visits Portugal in the spring/summer to breed or pass by during the autumn migration, and even then, it spends most of its time in trees and bushes, making it much harder to spot.

Visitor

If you do see this elegant songbird in a tree or bush, you’ll notice it perches very straight and wiggles its ginger tail. In autumn, the common redstarts that nest in Portugal are joined by others from the north – all head to Africa for the winter, and many pass through Sagres. Most of these passersby are juvenile birds – notable by the absence of the adult males’ characteristic dark head – who haven’t yet learned that the best route to Africa is via Gibraltar.

The common redstart is just one of the dozens of species which visit the trees, bushes and hedges around Sagres every autumn. Some are just passing by en route to warmer climes, while others will take refuge here all winter. Overhead, eagles, storks and vultures ride the thermals, searching for the winds that will enable them to soar to Africa. Every year, over 4000 soaring birds – belonging to all species have been recorded.

Meanwhile, out at sea, thousands of seabirds fly by off the coast, some of them on epic journeys from pole to pole. You need to go on a boat trip to see some of them, but others can be spotted easily from land: in October, thousands of Northern Gannets can fly past Cabo de S. Vicente in just one hour.

To make the most of this birdwatchers’ bounty and discover the incredible nature of this region, join some of the over 200 activities at the Birdwatching & Nature Activities Festival.

 Registration is open online at birdwatchingsagres.com

WORDS Sonia Neves/SPEA

Photo © Diogo Oliveira

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Dog Fostering

Cats and dogs have special needs too

WORDS Anne Hodges

Chrissy and Karen's story

Chrissy was a shy, young girl and, after a year with us, she had still not fully adapted to life in the shelter: it was too noisy with too much going on. She made a lot of progress, but our trained team realised they had done all they could to encourage her natural personality. It was decided to look for a foster home because, once a dog has lived in a proper home and adjusted to modern life, it will settle far more readily into a permanent home.

At Cadela Carlota, we have over 80 dogs to care for, so naturally, the time we can give to each individual dog is limited. They all have cuddles, grooming and handling, but each dog has come to us having been either mistreated, constantly tied up, or living rough on the streets. Who knows what other terrible treatment they have previously experienced?

At the moment, we need many more foster homes – for a variety of different reasons. We have many dogs who need this extra care. Some adapt with amazing speed, while others are more reserved. Like us, each dog is an individual with different needs. Pete is deaf and he limps – because he was run over and operated on as a puppy. His owner did not follow the vet’s advice correctly after the operation and this caused the paw to heal in the wrong way. Pete is intelligent with a gentle nature, with continual care in a loving home, he will make great progress.

Chanel is full of fun, but she needs a one-to-one relationship to channel her energies. And then there is Mr Ollie, who was involved in a traffic accident as a young dog and had to have one of his front legs amputated. He cannot go on long, strenuous walks so pottering about is more his style. We do not want Pete, Chanel and Mr Ollie to spend their entire lives at the shelter – they have so much to offer and deserve so much more.

We really do need lots more foster homes to give our overlooked dogs (and cats) a better chance of a normal life. Do you have that sense of commitment and caring which could give one of our wonderful friends a foster home? If so, we would be delighted to help and guide you every step of the way.

At Cadela Carlota, we would much prefer that you take your chosen companion for lots of walks before deciding to either foster or adopt. This gives you both time to adjust to one another, making the transition from shelter to home far less traumatic for all concerned.

If you would like to consider fostering a dog or a cat, please contact: info@cadela-carlota.com www.cadela-carlota.com

+351 917 448 583

Karen worked from home and realised that she felt increasingly isolated. She had very little contact with other people and missed walking in the countryside and the physical exercise that this necessitated. She loved dogs, having owned a dog as a child, so she became a volunteer dog walker. With this aim in mind, Karen visited the various local dog shelters and walked different dogs. This greatly improved her sense of wellbeing – but she did not want to own a dog. Then, a friend suggested that she might like to foster a dog because it was not a permanent situation. Karen would be free to explore other avenues should the need arise.

Chrissy had made a massive impression on Karen, so she visited the shelter and took Chrissy for walks many, many times while making the final decision.

Once Chrissy was living with Karen, it soon became apparent that Chrissy needed to feel absolutely secure – she was such a timid soul. And love alone could not provide this security. In her new home, Chrissy needed to climb two very small steps to get into the house, but she was too frightened. With patience, observation and understanding (plus quite a few treats!), it took Karen two weeks to build up Chrissy's confidence enough for her to be able to climb the steps. Other obstacles to her confidence soon became apparent.

With love, patience, and encouragement (plus quite a few more treats), Chrissy overcame these obstacles little by little. Now she has a loving, calm foster home, her gentle nature has been allowed to blossom. Foster care has changed her life completely.

Pete Chanel

Mr Ollie

Go East the other Algarve

Armona is a charming beach escape for Olhão and Faro locals who do not have easy access to beaches. There are a few hundred small ‘casitas’ of various levels of sophistication and architectural styles and NO CARS. It is hard to describe how relaxing it is to be ‘away from it all’ so close to home. You can’t easily stay anywhere on these islands – there are no hotels, although it is possible to rent houses and there is a small campsite on Armona. They are a perfect day-trip destination, with great restaurants (Rui’s on Culatra, A3 and Lanacosta on Armona). Choose between the calm and warmer lagoon side or face the onslaught of big Atlantic waves on the other side – the vibe is so different and unique you could be forgiven for thinking you are in the Caribbean. Sunsets here are something else, so try and stay as late as you can!

Imagine a picture-postcard Algarvian beach and what comes to mind? Very likely, the cliffs, coves and bays of the central and western Algarve. Along this stretch of coastline, our sand comes with a lot of rock attached, albeit with stunning results: from Benagil and the ‘seven hanging valleys’ to Ponte da Piedade in Lagos and the less well-known Ingrina sea caves. This rugged backdrop provides the best-looking rock-adjacent beaches anywhere in the world. Things are different when you venture east of Faro: these parts have a completely different landscape of barrier islands, long sandy beaches, dunes, wetlands and not very many rocks or cliffs. Your toes-in-the-sand experience is a lot less likely to be compromised by a sharp rock just under the surface – but that’s certainly not the only reason to turn left instead of right when you leave Faro airport.

We will skip Faro itself this time and just explore a series of sandy barrier islands just offshore –each of them quite distinct in character. You can get to Ilha Deserta from Faro, but the larger and, in my view, more interesting islands of Culatra and Armona are best reached from Olhão, which has regular and cheap ferries to all of the Ria Formosa islands. From the moment you step on the ferry, you are in a very different world –goodbye to cars, roads, ATMs, and commercial tourism. These islands are truly local. Culatra has an active fishing port, oyster and mussel farming, and is the kind of place where you can see local fishermen relax from their night shift with a brandy or beer or two at any time of day.

A quick ferry back, and our next stop is all the way east to Vila Real de Santo António on the Spanish border. Vila Real is a small town with bigtown vibes – it is famous for the grid-like streets designed by Marques de Pombal, a layout he later used to great effect in the Baixa area of Lisbon. In 2018, the aptly named Grand House Hotel opened in the centre of town. A stunning but dilapidated 1920s grand hotel, it was completely renovated and now offers a sophisticated and cosmopolitan take on what a classic ‘grand hotel’ should look like in the 21st century.

WORDS Ann Botterman

Its location opposite the marina means there is no beach in front, but Grand House has turned that into an opportunity and opened a stunning contemporary beach club ten minutes away. Grand House is part of the Relais & Châteaux association of luxury hotels, a reliable indicator that you are going to eat well and be looked after with an old-fashioned eye for detail and customer service. Classic old-school hotel luxury with a contemporary attitude is an unusual combination for the Algarve and the venue is highly recommended for a sophisticated couple or girlfriends’ break.

Vila Real is on the Guadiana and is a great starting point to explore the river on either side of the border. There is a fun zip wire between Sanlúcar de Guadiana on the Spanish side and Alcoutim in Portugal. Limite Zero bills itself as the only cross-border zip-line in the world and is great fun for children and childish people of all ages – I screamed all the way!

Our next stop was in Praia Verde, a gorgeous and enormous sandy beach next to a unique forest of umbrella pines. We stayed in the Praia Verde Boutique Hotel (recently renamed to Octant Praia Verde), a small oasis hidden in the pine forest. It is very family friendly with a kid’s club. Your walk to the beach is via a picturesque tree-covered trail. The beach experience is boho-chic: Praia Verde has a great beach bar and restaurant called Pezinhos n’Areia (toes in the sand), which

caters to a well-heeled crowd of mostly Portuguese tourists. You are quite likely to bump into TV and media celebrities here – on the beach or in the hotel restaurant. I don’t often recommend eating dinner in your hotel, especially in Portugal, where we have so many fantastic local options, but A Terra is very much worth a visit, even if you are not a guest. The ‘cooking with fire’ trend arrived early here, and the kitchen produces a wonderfully contemporary take on Portuguese classics using wood-fired ovens, Josper grills, clay pots and cast iron. If there was a word for robust finesse, I would use it – a total recommendation! Our gorgeous room looked out over the tops of the umbrella pines – it felt like a world unto itself.

One last stop before returning west to repent for our sins of indulgence: a spa with a difference and a half. The SPA Salino in Castro Marim is a salt pan which has been repurposed to provide a somewhat unglamorous and rustic but super-effective and fun treat for your skin. Surrounded by traditional salt pans which are still producing delicious gourmet salt, the Salino is effectively a miniature Dead Sea experience: you float around in salty, muddy water and cover yourself with the ‘argila’ clay, which contains 80 minerals – usually an expensive and hard-tofind commodity. Here, you just slap it on and let the salt, minerals and the outdoors do their magic.

I live close to Lagos in the western Algarve, but we escape to the Eastern Algarve on a very regular basis – the difference in vibe, style, natural landscapes and unique experiences really does feel like you are on holiday in your own backyard!

Ann Botterman is a personal travel consultant.

+351 966 964 763

ann.botterman@notjusttravel.com

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