Algarve Blog
This Algarve blog is intended to keep you in touch with the latest in Algarve affairs. Now that I'm living here, I'm trying to keep you updated with what's going on in the Algarve and around those wonderful beaches. So, here's my regular take on occurrences in what used to be my favourite vacation spot... The Food ChainIn its literal and metaphorilcal guises. the food chain is a mystery to most ordinary folk. At the production end, Portuguese farmers are incensed about the fuel price rises, since they've already been hit, allegedly, by the drying up of subsidies from the European Union. Just like the hauliers, they're rallying against what they see as government indifference to their plight. At the distribution end, low-paid workers staff the outlets where consumers buy the end products. Those same consumers pay a premium in the form of higher prices induced by the theft of goods from the shops (which is, apparently, rife). And, at the top end, life goes on as usual. The second richest man in Portugal is owner of a supermarket chain. Good on him, I say, but I bet he's hardly aware of what's going on further down that food chain. Meantime, if you're vacationing in Portugal or the Algarve, be aware that some of the farmer protests are blocking the access roads to major cities. Selfishly, I should state that such measures are unlikely to affect me, as I prefer to visit the smaller, more picturesque places that make the country unique. (And, I got in my major food shop yesterday, when there was no trouble to be seen). Saturday 28 June 2008 Fuel Crisis Bites (Again)It'll cost more to use the railway in Portugal (and Algarve) from July. I'm not sure what the hike is to be as I haven't seen a full announcement yet. But, I do know that TAP, the Portuguese national airline, is putting a surtax on its tickets with immediate effect. The increase will be from 35 euros for medium haul flights to a whopping 125 euros for long-hauls! Ouch... Meantime, on a related subject, I read that an investigation into oil company cartel behaviour in Portugal has been severely hampered by the disappearance of files containing vital evidence. Shame that argument doesn't work for passengers... 'Oh, sorry, I can't pay the increase, as I've lost my credit card'. Can't see it working, can you? Thursday 26 June 2008 On yer bus!In an effort to raise its profile as THE Portugal hot-spot for tourism, Albufeira has put an advertising campaign on the road! There's a hard-to-miss double-decker bus, decorated with this year's campaign logos, and similarly-decorated cars (Albufeirinhas) that will be driving around to give the 2008 programme some visibility. I only hope they're using planet-friendly fuels! The theme is 'Albufeira anima' (Albufeira gets you going?) and the livery is rather fetching hues of lime-green, puce and orange! Don't say I didn't warn you - and keep your sunglasses handy. We don't want instances of snow-blindness in the Algarve! Tuesday 24 June 2008 Festivals (Med)Don't forget, if you're due in the Algarve any time soon, to look out for any upcoming Algarve festivals. There's one almost upon us that you might like to try... Festival Med (an event that celebrates the exotica of Mediterranean life - with bits of North African culture thrown in for good measure) takes place in Loule from 25th to 29th of June. There'll be two main stages on which will appear all the big acts that have been confirmed. These include, so far as I can establish (it's an incredibly slow-loading website, and I'm a busy woman...) seventeen [17] bands from throughout the world - told you the "Med" bit was tenuous:
It's hoped the event will attract as many as 20,000 visitors to Loulé, and I wish them every good fortune. In addition to events on the two main stages, there'll be stuff happening around and about, too. Tickets are 10 Euros per day, or 30 Euros for the whole event (4 days). I'm keen to see Jimmy Cliff (a living legend) and Nev likes the look of Café Tabuca, so we should be visiting on at least two days... See you there! Sunday 22 June 2008 Frazzled!I've managed to get Nev to agree to three (count 'em) social outings this week (and that discounts going to play tennis)! How did I do it? Blind luck, probably. He's been busy with ideas for new websites and stuff - including keeping Algarve Beach Life updated when I'm out and about, so he was probably off guard... ...but, three nights in a row? Unheard-of! First, we went along on Thursday evening to watch the Portugal v Germany footie match (part of Euro 2008). We were invited by new friends from our (second) Portuguese class. It was a last-minute decision (not his favourite sort, but at least they don't tax his memory) and most of the attendees were German, apart from our language teacher, Professora Ana, who duly recruited us to sing along with the national anthem that she had printed out. Since we were officially neutral, we also had a go at singing the German anthem, too! It was a fun occasion, with flags waving and much chanting - and even proved exciting enough for this non-fan. Most of the fun was from observing Ana's reactions as the game progressed, with Portugal losing narrowly 2-3. She certainly 'lived' it, while it lasted. Tonight, we're off to try a new restaurant in the hills above Tavira, so watch out for details on my Favourite Restaurants page if it turns out as well as I hope. (You might also like to check out the new page of Algarve restaurant recommendations from ABL reader Lesley Winograd here). Then, tomorrow evening, we're off out for dinner with friends who are soon returning to live in the UK, after which we'll head off to see what Midsummer Night activities are happening in our part of Algarve. Great! I'm just hoping that the culmination of all this excitement won't be that a frazzled Nev doesn't set foot outside the house for a lengthy recuperation period! Wish me luck? Friday 20 June 2008 A Niche MarketIt'll be some time in the making, I expect, but a new hotel has been approved that will serve Faro airport. There are even rumours of a nearby retail park or business centre, but so far only the hotel is confirmed as more than vapour-ware. Due to start construction in 2009 and expected to be of medium size, the hotel will serve flight crews and passengers with early-morning departures or long-haul layovers. A definite opening for any local companies specialising in triple- or quadruple-glazing, I would guess, otherwise the poor folk starting their Algarve flights will be far from rested. Bad enough for passengers, but much more scary if it involves aircrews! Wednesday 18 June 2008
Flying the FlagYou simply can't miss them, if you're driving around the
region... Portuguese flags flapping in the breeze. There are always a goodly number of national flags on show, since the Portuguese are very proud of their republic. But, just at the moment, they're doing terribly well in the Euro 2008 football (soccer) tournament being co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria. Okay, so they lost last night's encounter with Switzerland, but they'd already qualified for the final stages, and hadn't bothered fielding a full-strength team. So - expect lots of good humour from the locals, if you're visiting Algarve any time soon. Nev even has them tipped to contest the final (though he maintains he can't afford to place a bet on it). So, as a recent immigrant here, can I just chant: Viva Portugal! Monday 16 June 2008 Algarve CrimeI've written here before about the daft figures that were bandied about concerning the crime rate in Algarve, so I won't repeat my doubts about them here. But, last week, a particularly nasty series of crimes were finally resolved with the sentencing of five Romanians to prison terms of between 10 and 23 years. The men in question (and another who is still at large) had evolved a method of operation that involved forcing their way into a remote villa or home, binding and torturing the unfortunate inhabitants to reveal their card PINs, stealing money from ATMs while still holding the hostages, and only leaving the terrified victims to free themselves after making off with their ill-gotten gains. They seemed to be a particularly nasty bunch of men, who used arbitrary violence as a means of intimidation, and obviously left their victims, some of them elderly, injured and traumatised. The Romanians ranged in age (at capture over a year ago) from 19 to 38, and operated in eastern Algarve, not far from Faro airport. Like many criminals, they seemed not to think that they would be apprehended, because they operated wearing hoods or balaclavas. When captured by police, they had stolen items on their persons, and their lodgings were an Alladin's cave of stolen goods. Forensic evidence confirmed their presence at various of the crime scenes - and they got their just deserts. The local police, whose methods have come under scrutiny
over the Madeleine McCann investigation, acquitted
themselves handsomely, and deserve congratulations and
appreciation. The Algarve remains a low-crime region, but the police force should take some of the credit for that. And the sentences might serve as a warning to other aliens who wish to import their criminal ways into Portugal. The entities that emerged with less than honourable credentials from this sorry affair were the various Portuguese banks that, incredibly, refused to write off fully the monies stolen from the victims - on the grounds that the latter had broken their contracts with the banks by revealing their PINs to the criminals. The fact that torture was used to force these divulgences seemed to mean nothing to the banks, which should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Unfortunately, none were identified in the newspapers, and so were not named and shamed They bring yet more discredit on an already discreditable industry. Saturday 14 June 2008 Internet Kid-ology?... or, who's kidding whom? I read recently where the EU is encouraging all of us good little Euro-drones to adopt a new Internet Protocol system as soon as possible, thus giving Europe a head start on the rest of the world. Intrigued, I read to the end of the short article. After all, as a website owner, I need to stay abreast of this sort of thing... And then I happened upon the dreaded statistics, which made as much sense as do most statistics when quoted by journalists who are seeking merely to fill column inches on a page. Apparently, the in-use system for Internet Protocols, version 4, which has been around since 1984, can handle approximately 4.3 billion addresses, and is running out of room! Now, last time I looked, there were something like 6.5 billion humans on the planet, many of whom are trying daily to scratch a subsistence living and have no time or use for Internet protocols or indeed any other subset of information technology. So, where have all the IP addresses gone? I don't disagree that it makes sense to have a virtually unlimited number of IP addresses available, as provided by IP version 6 (and whatever happened to version 5 if we're currently using version 4?) More to the point, how does one cajole existing users to convert, when they probably don't know (just like me) which version they're using, or why? One of the reasons cited for the extra capacity in IP addresses was the ease with which home networks, to control lighting and appliances automatically, could be installed. Given that obesity is on the increase, and we're taking less and less exercise, I would doubt that such measures are what the human race needs just now... But then, I'm not a politician, and neither am I trying to sell technology to end users, so I'm obviously unable to comprehend 'the big picture'. Thursday 12 June 2008 Summer MadnessIt's almost kick-off time for Allgarve. Yes, June 21st (Midsummer Day) is the date for the official launch of this year's tourist-themed programme. Why those who make the decisions decided to stick with the barmy name is anyone's guess. Mine would be that, in spite of the negative feedback from the majority who work in the tourism field, the bureaucrats know best! Putting my carping to one side - what's happening? There'll be concerts and street entertainment in the historic centre of Faro, and also contemporary art exhibitions (presumably for when your ears need a rest). The Ministry-funded programme will last through to October and include Portimao's Jazz Festival with luminaries such as Herbie Hancock and Lucky Peterson. Other musical treats will be concerts by Diana Krall at Albufeira Marina and The Doors (under the sobriquet 'Riders of the Storm') at Pine Cliffs Sheraton along with the great Lou Reed and Simply Red (29th July). Watch the Algarve Events page for more up-to-the-minute details. It promises to be a great summer of events and fun, despite the daft choice of name... Tuesday 10 June 2008 Peixe – não há(Or: there are no fish). It’s a stand-off between the Portuguese government and the fishermen, it seems. Joining other ‘farmers of the sea’ throughout the European Union, the Portuguese are striking for a reduction in nautical fuel tax, claiming that their burden is too great. Just last week, Spanish fishermen blockaded the motorway on their side of the Guadiana bridge, with objects set on fire that scorched the road surface. A friend who was stuck there claimed that the Spanish police did nothing, whether out of solidarity or fear was not plain! My headline referred to fresh fish, of course. There must be plenty that has gone off, judging by the recent actions of the consumer health department, the dreaded ASAE, who raided establishments in Quarteira, confiscated some stock and destroyed some that was classed as unfit for consumption. The disgruntled fishermen tried to ‘beard’ the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries when he visited Loulé recently, but he took advantage of an unofficial lift and left in a hurry (perhaps for a dinner appointment). All of which means that, if you’re visiting Algarve at the moment (or any time soon), your favourite fish restaurant might not be able to provide the sort of culinary experience that you would wish. The strike seems destined to last, since the European Commission has stressed its willingness to be flexible about the fishermen’s unhappiness, but has completely ruled out discussion of cuts in fuel duty… Hmm - which bit of ‘flexible’ don’t they understand? Tuesday 10 June 2008 Campeões?Congratulations to the Portuguese national team on their first victory in the Euro 2008 football (soccer) finals. Nev thought they were a much better team than Greece, and was able to watch the match for enjoyment only, unlike when England play, whereupon his mood is usually either dejection or disbelief ("how can a man who's paid 5 miilion a year play that badly" etc.) Fortunately, Cristiano Ronaldo and his compatriots are made of sterner stuff, and strolled home to a comfortable and richly-deserved first win (on the way to an eventual championship?) Monday 9 June 2008 More Water WoesEveryone knows that water and beaches go together… But the Martinhal beach, near Sagres, was to have ‘benefited’ from a waste water treatment plant, which is now the subject of controversy and a concerted protest. The opposition cited, as reasons to halt the project while better alternatives are sought, the proposed location of the plant, only two hundred metres from one of the many popular Algarve beaches, the inadequacy of its design, and its likely deleterious affect on Sagres’ image as a tourist magnet. Sunday 8 June 2008 Deadly DesignsThe latest health scare that might affect you if you’re considering an Algarve vacation is detailed in a report from Infarmed, a watchdog organisation concerned with pharmaceutical matters. You’ve probably seen them in Algarve and elsewhere – little stands where the proprietors offer to braid hair with beads, African style, or apply a henna tattoo design to skin. The latter are supposed to last for a week or two and then disappear, thus removing any concerns about needles and permanence. Alas, Infarmed’s findings suggest that the chemicals used to colour the henna are not as harmless as might have been supposed. Instances have been recorded of allergic reactions and even permanent scarring. The trick it seems, if you’re tempted to have one of these designs applied, is to check the colour of the paste the applier is proposing to use. If it’s greeny-brown, then it’s likely natural henna, which is relatively harmless, but won’t stay visible so long. If, however, the past is a dark brown or black, then beware! Ask the vendor to see the contents information for the substance and, if it’s not available, don’t take the risk! Presumably, the darker designs have become more popular as they’ll show up on tanned skin, but would seem only to worsen the risk involved in sporting a suntan anyway! Of course, you should be looking to relax and enjoy yourself while on vacation – but not to the detriment of your health. Be careful our there…. Friday 6 June 2008 Patriotic Consumers, PleaseThe Portuguese business associations have been running a campaign to encourage the public to buy more home-made goods. It sounds like a good idea, as it would help reduce imports and protect jobs. They’re trying to piggy-back the campaign onto the Euro 2008 football (soccer) extravaganza, as that will be dominating the news and the thoughts of the many supporters of the game here in Portugal. But, there are a couple of flies in the ointment, needless to say. Firstly, there is an increasingly globalized trading economy. Virtually all the cheap goods on sale here are made in China or the Far East. Home-made goods generally can’t compete on price, even though Portugal’s is a low-wage econonomy. Secondly, it’s not always the case that home-made goods are worth buying. I’m reminded of the long-ago ‘Buy British’ campaign that was run in the UK media. Although it had a short-term beneficial effect, the sad fact was that many goods made in the British Isles were of inferior quality and were probably more expensive than comparable foreign imports. Once the patriotism had run its course, the buying public did what it always does – bought what it thought represented the best value. And that certainly did not include one of the range of ghastly British Leyland cars, which had a small and dwindling fan-base at best. Portugal is, I should state, in a better position, as many of its home-made (or –grown) goods are of good quality and reasonably priced. I haven’t bought wine that is not Portuguese since I’ve lived here, for instance. So, although I wish them well with their ‘Cá fazem, cá se compram’ campaign (that’s ‘Made here, bought here’), I don’t foresee it changing buying habits in a radical way. We’ll see. Wednesday 4 June 2008 Portimão NewsIf the word ‘news’ can be applied to something that houses old things, that is… Either way, there’s a new municipal museum in Portimao, recently inaugurated by the Minister of Culture (who else?), which will host permanent and temporary exhibitions to widen its appeal. Regional history will be heavily featured, with a restored 1911 fishing boat on display outside the edifice. A restoration project itself, the building that became the museum is the old sardine canning factory. It’s been four years in the making, so let’s hope when I get to look around it, the work won’t prove to be a disappointment. It shouldn’t be, as the Portuguese do Culture better than most, probably because they’re quite proud of theirs. Monday 2 June 2008
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