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 (on Portugal's southern coast) and around those
wonderful beaches.
So, here's my regular take on occurrences in what used to be my favourite vacation spot...
but is now my favourite place to live. 
Dawn Raids
It seems that ASAE, the organisation that looks
after the public's health in Portugal, has decided
that UK foodstuffs are potentially poisonous!
And it all has to do with a few shops in
Algarve that style themselves as 'English' or 'UK'
supermarkets. In truth, most are probably not much
bigger than your average food shop, but a little
exaggeration never did anyone any harm, eh?
So what heinous crime have these outlets
committed, that they should have been visited and,
in some cases, temporarily closed, while the boys
in blue rifled through the stacks of tins, bottles
and jars? They have goods that are labelled only
in English, that's what!
Now, given that they're aiming at a
predominately, if not exclusively, British and
Irish market, one might think that the labelling
is perfectly adequate. After all, I would imagine
that most 'specialist' shops in the UK, selling,
say imported foodstuffs to Chinese or Indian
communities would get away with non-English
labels...
I may be wrong there, but I doubt it.
Back to the dawn raids - the question arises:
what if the jar, bottle or package is too small to
accommodate two sets of labels, in Portuguese and
English? Do you stick the Portuguese label over
the English one, thereby rendering it
incomprehensible to its likeliest consumers?
So, what's the beef? Apparently, it has to do
with ASAE itself.
The labelling must be in Portuguese, so that ASAE
inspectors can read it without requiring
translation. I can just see the headlines now:
"Algarve Tourists Poisoned By Food Police! -
Inability to understand cooking instructions cuts
down holidaymakers in droves!"
So just remember to check, when
you're buying any favourite 'home treats' in
Algarve. You might need to hire a translator
before you can prepare your
meal...
Or, perhaps it's just a ploy to make
non-Portuguese speakers eat out more often when in
Algarve?
Tuesday
14 July 2009
Back to Blogging
Long time no blog! It seems like ages since
I've been in Algarve (even though it was April).
I left the rainy, cool UK very early this
morning and arrived in sunny Faro in time to do a
supermarket (mini)-shop and reach home for lunch.
It's sunny, it's warm, it's lovely... it's
Algarve! Wow, how I've missed it.
And the good news is that my stray cats
still remember me (well, those that were here when I left -
the new pair don't know me from Eve, of course).
More news when I've settled in and mapped
out how I'm going to spend my time.
I really felt like a tourist again, and was
as excited as most others on my flight from UK. Now all I
have to do is acclimatise to this lovely heat!
And, watch out for my pics once I've visited
Fiesa 2009!
Sunday 12 July 2009
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