Lagos Lagos is the last stop on the Via do Infante – and since the motorway tolls came into force on 8th December, it has taken on ghost-town proportions. The palm-tree lined avenida that used to be filled with parked cars is now a long road yawning with […] »Lagos Anchored in Lagos where she’s had her own mooring in the canal at the mouth of the Bensafrim River since 2005, the caravel Boa Esperança continues to attract attention from visiting holidaymakers. Made from 140 tons of wood, she is a modern replica […] » Houses made of gingerbread, to play with and eat. Cakes in the shape of a pregnant tummy “to announce the good news”. Childhood characters that look like toys or works of art, but are actually delicacies made by hand. “Bomboms” made with piri-piri, […] » Fernando Nobre, founder and president of “Assistência Médica Internacional (AMI)” in Portugal knows some of the planet’s harshest realities. Born in Luanda in 1951, the doctor has dedicated the last 30 years of his life to humanitarian causes; he’s […] »Idálio Martins Ramos Almost every day, Idálio Martins, 28, produces between 400 and 500 little fresh goat cheeses. They’re made by hand, the traditional way, just as they were made 60 years ago in the Algarve’s “serras” (hill ranges). The recipe is simple – milk, salt […] »Porca Preta, Monchique In a fast-paced, very dramatic decade, Monchique’s “Galeria Porca Preta” has come to mean many things to many people. It began simply as an arts centre – a place where artists could show and sell their work without having to give any percentages […] »Associação Salvador In Portugal, the vast majority of disabled people don’t have the money they need to enjoy a good quality of life. Many, simply because they can only get around in a wheelchair, are prisoners in their own homes due to a lack of accessibility to public […] »Ecoaidalgarve It’s not a sporting event but more an act of solidarity. The idea is to cycle from Albufeira to Cape São Vicente in Sagres – a total of 110 kilometres in deep country – over the two days of 7th and 8th November. And the reason is to raise money […] » On Monday 21st, the left-wing Bloco de Esquerda (BE) held a public debate on the consequences of the exclusive ‘monoculture’ of tourism in the Algarve. The discussion, under the title «For tourism, fish die! What’s the alternative?» centered on the […] »Guillaume Leroux - Monte da Casteleja It’s winemaking time again… End of August/ beginning of September is traditionally the period when vineyards throughout the Algarve fill up with grape-pickers, and the adegas (wine warehouses) throughout the region become hives of activity. […] » As Swine Flu continues to spread across Europe (affecting the Algarve over the last couple of weeks - with cases confirmed from Faro all the way to Portimão), health services are in a constant state of evolution, trying to keep pace with the accelerating […] »Ferox surfboards The modern day surfboard is a lightweight, resistant and flexible object. But it’s not enough for a board to ride the waves well. It should also adapt to the style and experience of the surfer. And if possible, it should have a personalised design […] »Movimento de Defesa do Pontal The sense of citizenship is getting ever stronger in the Algarve. After a four year break, the «Movimento de Defesa do Pontal» (Movement for the Defence of Pontal» is in action once again. It’s a group open to all citizens, environmental associations, […] » Last Friday 29th May, the recently inaugurated Centro Autárquico de Quarteira hosted a seminar entitled «Contextos & Pretextos» - an initiative promoted by Loulé’s Comissão de Protecção de Crianças e Jovens (CPCJ) (Commission for the Protection of […] » It happens everyday in the Algarve. A huge percentage of fish caught by fishermen and their nets are thrown back into the sea – already dead – without being made use of, either commercially or otherwise. This is not just an issue of waste – it alters […] »Kit and equipment ‘musts’ Before every leg of the journey, you should do some stretches and resistance exercises. It’s essential to keep your body in balance, as well as your mind – and for this, you should always put five to 15 minutes aside every morning to simply appreciate […] »Where to begin? Whoever goes on a journey has a lot to talk about. But, where to begin? Crossing the Algarve on foot, from the northeast to the southwest in 13 days, is an absolutely exceptional trip. Against the forces of the elements. A few days before we began […] »inovsea In Loulé, «Inovsea» is a business started by three young marine biology graduates who are pooling their expertise to breed worms. It’s a form of bio-technology developed at CRIA (the Algarve’s regional centre for innovation) – but which, according […] » It plays out daily. Streams of cars and people are devoured by the hypermarkets of the Algarve – while the high streets of all the major towns become more and more deserted. Empty shops with papered-up front windows bearing “For Sale”, “For Lease” […] »LAPS (Lagos Animal Protection Society) Traditionally, Christmas is a time of mixed blessings for animals of the so-called ‘civilized’ world. Some get lucky and are received enthusiastically as presents, to be cherished to the end - while others are not so fortunate, and find themselves […] »Land in Portugal! This is not a book about planes. It is a book about people whose stories span several decades and continents. Thanks to the interest of Algarvian journalist Carlos Guerreiro who has just brought out «Aterrem em Portugal!» (Land in Portugal!) following […] »Radar Station of Fóia Anyone who has been to Foia will have noticed the concentration of antennae and domes. The one that attracts the most attention is the military-grey dome of the No. 1 Radar Station of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP – Força Aérea Portuguesa). […] » | Joana Celine Guerreiro Many houses and buildings making up the Algarve’s architecture and popular culture are simply vanishing. They’re either empty, rundown or in ruins – and those that remain are often “tarted up” in the worst possible way, with cement and modern mass-produced […] »Cups for the Community - New project in Aljezur We’re all familiar with the new Millennium’s “3 Rs” - “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” but when it comes to plastic this is simply not enough. Plastic does not degrade – and contrary to what many people think plastic doesn’t disappear, either. Every bit […] »«Deep Divex 2010» For the first time, the international military diving exercise «Deep Divex» has been held in Portugal. Organised by the Portuguese Navy, it took place between 27th August and 8th October, five to ten miles southwest of Portimão. Divers from Portugal, […] » For the moment it’s to be called “Casa do Compromisso”. Once up and running, it will be a residential home for 24 young mentally handicapped people. The project comes from the “Associação Algarvia de Pais e Amigos de Crianças Diminuídas Mentais” […] »Gelvi, OlhãoThey’re ice creams that have been “made in the Algarve” since 1951 – the year in which Virgílio Martins learnt the art in Vila Real de Santo António, and took it to Olhão where he opened the ice cream business that still functions today in the “Mercado” […] » Lynxes are back in the Algarve! The first is a 5-year-old female who arrived last Monday 26th October at the National Iberian Lynx Captive Reproduction Centre (CNRCLI) in Silves. She came from Jerez de la Frontera, is called Azahar (the Arab name […] »Efficient use of water At a time when changes in the climate are all the more evident and global warming is very much an issue, clean “drinkable” water is more and more a resource to be protected. This precious natural phenomenon is a concern that unites the governments […] »Better Living in Portugal BLiP actually stands for Better Living in Portugal – but this year, the exhibition that has become a veritable institution in the Algarve, took on a whole new meaning. Against ongoing economic uncertainty - and during a key election weekend – the […] »Graffiti – art or vandalism? Nobody can remain indifferent. The town of Olhão is getting more and more colourful - and there are those who would like to call it the graffiti capital of the Algarve. All thanks to real works of art from the capable hands of 22-year-old Dário Silva, […] » A marvellous landscape awaits whoever climbs to the top of the hill known as Revelim de Santo António, right next door to the castle of Castro Marim. Here, you get a breathtaking 360º view, taking in the Guadiana, the frontier with Spain, the mountains […] »Portuguese Water Dog The long, silky hair gives it something of a rascally look, and those who know the breed well talk about this dog’s good temperament and gentleness. We visited the largest Portuguese Water Dog event, in Olhão last weekend, and learnt something of […] »Paraglinding in the Algarve No-one needs to jump from a moving plane hundreds of metres above the ground, but you’ll definitely get an adrenaline rush if you do. Paragliding - the idea is to jump for unadulterated pleasure, with nature’s helping hand: a rising breeze of warm […] »Project Madrugada Madrugada – a word full of music that signifies the moment in time just before the sun comes up: a brave new dawn, an empty canvass where anything is possible. It’s the name chosen for a pioneering multi-cultural project designed to help anyone and […] »Picture Portugal Portimão Portimão is getting closer and closer to Hollywood. The latest form of megalomania to appear on the borough’s horizon is a state-of-the-art film studio complex, to be built next door to the Autodrome. Also, in the pipeline are plans for a new theme […] »Highlights & Low points There is no better way to lose weight than walking the Via Algarviana. Forget all the misleading advertising you get about weight loss – which simply makes us spend unnecessarily. Walking is the most natural, healthy, and certainly the cheapest, […] »Where to stay the night – what to eat? In Portugal, walkers are still regarded as beings from outer space. There aren’t many Portuguese prepared to pull on hiking boots for their holidays and embrace Nature on foot. Many modern citizens don’t see why they should make any physical effort […] » At a time when hoteliers are bemoaning the crisis and the drop in profits, there’s someone who sees light at the end of the tunnel. Success, it seems, is all down to finding the right clients…This is how Afonso Horta, 28, explains his 45 thousand-plus […] »Ana Cristina Oliveira Words, stages, dreams and philosophies are the essence of Ana Cristina Oliveira (Lisbon 1963). She is a teacher, playwright, actress and theatrical animator. Besides giving lessons, she co-ordinates a school theatre group «Tapete Mágico»; regularly […] »Second-hand shops in the Algarve At a time when the financial crisis and unemployment is forcing many Algarvians to change their spending patterns, the few second-hand shops available in the region are increasingly sought after. They provide solutions to our needs at unbeatable prices. […] » Over the last few weeks the country has witnessed a wave of protests against current educational policies. Schools have become places of controversy and unrest. Teachers are overloaded with bureaucratic tasks – each one more divorced from reality […] »Civil Protection Every time it rains heavily, there’s an accompanying torrent of devastation in the majority of Portuguese towns and cities – floods, mud- and landslides, occasionally even buildings collapse. In the Algarve, this scenario is commonplace. […] »Professional School in Alte The current state of education in Portugal worries parents and exasperates teachers. Chaos reigns and there is no solution in sight for an old problem that never seems to go away, forever compromising the country’s future. But, fortunately, young […] » |
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