FiESA 2009: Discover It!
The annual offering of sand spectaculars at Pera, in Algarve, is back. FiESA 2009 has 'Discoveries' as its theme, and is once again running from 22 May to 22 October. This will be the seventh outing of what is widely regarded as the world's premier sand sculpture exhibition and yet... ... I've been in the UK so much that I've only managed to get there in July! I missed the very first FiESA, back
in 2003, but I've attended every one since, and usually more
than once! It's a great place to take your guests, if you
live in Algarve, since such a small region has few global
'firsts' it can boast. There's the fantastic weather and the wonderful beaches of course(!) but the sand sculptures are certainly a must-see. Last year's theme concerned aspects of the movie world. That meant finding a distinctly Portuguese feature was all but impossible, since home-grown cinematic talent is not world-renowned. But, 'Discoveries' is another matter, of course, since Portugal was a world-leader in sailing far and wide and putting the unknown world (unknown to Europe, that is) firmly on the map! The picture at the top of the page is purportedly showing the 'discovery' of banqueting (I suppose it's the enjoyment of food as a luxury - but look where that's got us, nowadays!) FiESA 2009One of the problems with putting pictures of these events onto a web page is in displaying the sheer scale of some exhibits. That's why husband Nev often places little me (5 foot 6 inches tall, or around 1.68 metres) in front of them. I normally don't mind, so long as I'm wearing something presentable and haven't left the 'Sale' tickets attached! This time, I'm settling for a couple of anonymous ladies of average height who will set the scale of the event for you.
If you've not encountered it before, you might wonder: "why the weird 'FiESA' name?" It's from "Festival Internacional de Esculturas em Areia", which translates as International Festival of Sculptures in Sand. It's 'international' because the artists who create the exhibits hail from around 14 different countries, and perhaps because the visitors represent places even further afiield! This year, as usual, the Pera site (near the lovely beach at Armacao de Pera) had undergone a transformation over the two months leading up to the opening on 22 May. More than 35,000 tonnes of sand will have been transformed into the exhibits for this year's event. It must be difficult, deciding on a new theme for the sculptures each year. I know I'd find it difficult, so I try not to be too critical. After all, whatever you may think of the theme, the displays themselves are amazing. I was a bit nonplussed, for instance, to learn that the Industrial Revolution had been 'discovered', as per the picture below.
This one seems to represent the 'discovery' of Capitalism... Generally, there seemed to be some confusion between the concept of discovery and that of 'invention'. No matter, when the outcome is so impressive! If you haven't been to FiESA this year (or at all) then you've a treat in store while, on the other hand...
... if you have been to Fiesa 2009 and you'd like to help me show others why they should visit, please contact me via the form below and let me know if you'd like to send some pics of your own from your day out. I'll give you the credit, of course, if you let me have your details... It's always nice to get others' opinions about such things. FiESA 2009 PricesEntry price is 8 Euros for adults, 4.50 Euros for youngsters between 6 and 12 years of age, and is free for children up to 5 years. Over-65s qualify for a 15% discount, which I calculate makes a ticket 6.8 Euros. For those prices, visitors can come and go all day, which means you can check out the sculptures in the daylight, leave and have dinner somewhere nice, then return to chill under the stars, among the mood music, live bands, circus acts and, of course, the illuminated exhibits (see picture below).
And I'll repeat my money-saving tip from last year: find a copy of the free English- language newpaper "The Portugal News" (or visit any Turismo office) and you can get a coupon for a 10% discount on a Fiesa 2009 ticket (up to 5 adults per coupon). FiESA 2009 - the Cast ListNev had a deep suspicion that the steam locomotive below had been the Hogwarts Express, in the Harry Potter display from 2008. True or not, it was pretty impressive when illuminated at night.
I'm just going from memory here, but I recall the Discoveries included: Space Travel; the Voyages of Discovery (especially the Portuguese variety); Fire; Radio; Television; Telephone; Ecology (they're a very liberal lot, these sand artists); Industrial Revolution; Submarines; Electronic Music; Mediaeval Castles; Air Travel... ... not to mention Electricity; Silk; Writing; Printing; Archaeology; Psychology; Music; Ultrasound for medicine; Human Anatomy; Roman Banqueting; Egyptian architecture; Mummification; Elvis (I suppose he was discovered?/), Cinema; Railways; The Wheel; Evolution; Mathematics; Science... I'm sure there were more, but it was too hot to take notes! Favourites at FiESA 2009There was a definite flavour of 'cat' about the exhibits this year. That was fine by me, as I've rediscovered my enthusiasm for moggies after looking after our local strays for a while now. It was amusing, walking around the Fiesa site, to see yet another 'cat' form sneaked into an exhibit, whether of the TV-viewing family, or the Lumiere Cinema, or Tutunkamoun's tomb! If I go back to Fiesa this year, I may just count them! Top of the list had to be the Cinema exhibit, since it had a cat sitting at the bottom of the screen looking up at a cat perched on top of the upper curtain (and which was looking right back at him). It looked even better when we went back after dark, since the lower cat was throwing a real shadow on the screen, as well as the sandy indentation that represented its shadow during daylight hours.
For that exhibit, I was also able to admire the audience (a single row of viewers, each with a different expression or reaction to what what on screen) and the projectionist, who was stationed on the other side of the sandy walkway, and looked alarmingly real (but sand-coloured). The head of Charles Darwin was remarkable: craggy features and a long beard. Not terribly easy to execute in clay, leave alone sand! Of the larger exhibits, we all enjoyed the representation of Sigmund Freud practising psychotherapy on a patient. Instantly recognisable and totally descriptive. Nev also liked the spaceman (second pic from the top of the page). He though it was intentionally politically neutral, since the man's space suit had a Soviet Union badge on the sleeve, while he carried a Stars and Stripes flag in front. He tried to get a night-time shot of the astronaut but, alas, he'd had a beer by then and his hand was a bit shakier than during daylight hours! Your FiESA 2009 FavouritesIf you've visited FiESA 2009 (or intend to), why not send me your own favourites (pictures and a bit about why you liked them) using the form below and you can feature on an Algarve Beach Life page!
The FiESA 2009 exhibition is open from 10.00 to midnight, and runs from May 22 to October 22, 2009. Younger visitors can enjoy free lessons in how sand sculpting is done (only at certain times) and there are always other amusements, as well as plenty of shaded areas in which to cool off. One word of warning: the toilets are a bit 'industrial', so do 'go' before you go (if you know what I mean). If you are caught short while at FiESA 2009, make sure there isn't a bus-load of schoolchildren visiting at the same time, or you'll have to queue for ages, since they use the facilities one after another! Near the entrance/exit area (which since last year has sported a space-age turnstile) there are tents and stalls at which you can inspect and buy crafts, simple jewellery and clothing. FiESA 2009 - How Others Saw ItI'm always happy to include your own impressions of everything Algarve - including the annual exhibition of sand sculptures.
The link(s) below will take you to pages of experiences and pictures submitted by Algarve Beach Life visitors: And, here's the form if you want Algarve Beach Life to feature some of your own impressions and photographs from FiESA 2009: About ProSandArtThat's the name of the company responsible for producing FiESA 2009. Its founder, Alper Alagoz, is a self-trained sand sculptor from Turkey. It is claimed that he devised the method of producing large, vertical sculptures of the sort that feature so strikingly in the FiESA exhibitions. Stay up-to-date with 'everything Algarve' by subscribing to my free monthly newsletter, Algarve Beach Life News. Just click on the link below ("For Lovers of Algarve Beach Life") or on the button at top left ("Subscribe to ABLN") -- I'll keep you updated, every month, about what's new on the site, as it's added.
Or, see other years' sand sculpture festivals here:
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