High tension rears its ugly head again

One of the eastern Algarve’s most idyllic rural retreats, a mountainous range eight kilometres north of Stª Catarina de Fonte do Bispo (Tavira) which is affectionately known to locals as ‘the cloud factory’ and comprises a cluster of unspoilt villages, is under threat of being invaded by two large-scale energy projects that are causing residents to unite in uproar, and who are promising to go to all lengths at their disposal to ensure the projects do not follow the proposed route.

The quaint villages of Malhada do Judeu, Água de Tábuas and Aporfiosa could all be affected by the two reportedly ‘massive’ projects, which will see the installation of High Tension (HT) cables and pylons as well as a wind turbine farm.

News of these projects broke last year and caused immediate unease within the normally tranquil hub, which despite comprising fewer than two dozen properties with full time and part time residents, is home to a variety of nationalities and families, young and old.

Residents this week claimed they were not officially informed of these projects or of a public consultation phase, which they say they found out about “purely by chance just prior to its closure date”, nor were they reportedly told of the subsequent alleged approval of one of two proposed routes for the HT network.

Immediately a protest campaign was launched, resulting in a petition comprising 853 signatures, 165 official forms and an additional petition with 43 signatures opposing the proposed HT lines. These documents were all submitted to Tavira City Hall, the Ministry of the Environment, to the State Secretary for the Environment and the local Parish Council.

To date, this action has reportedly been “completely ignored”, leaving the despairing residents “furious”.

Should the planned projects go ahead they will entail a series of unsightly HT pylons, measuring up to 50 metres in height, as well as the installation of three wind turbines, each measuring 80 metres in height, one of which is believed to be positioned just 200 metres from the high voltage cables.

Health, noise and aesthetics aside, residents fear these proposed plans will not only “devastate property values” in this region, rendering them unsellable in an already shaky market, but they will also deter prospective visitors to the region, as a consequence a plan for 22 properties to be developed there are, from the offset, practically worthless.

Furthermore, given the location’s geographical position, which for most of the winter months is enveloped in mist, it boasts a unique micro-climate that nurses a native flora, an unusual moss, and lichens that are likely to be disturbed by the work and heavy machinery involved.

As a matter of urgency a Residents’ Committee has been formed and according to one of the organisers, they will “stop at nothing to protect homes, livelihoods and investments”.

A letter from the Committee was sent this week to the State Secretary for the Environment, the Minister for the Environment, the Minister of the Economy, the Mayor of Tavira and the President of national energy company REN.

In the document, to which The Portugal News had prior access, the residents said they wanted to “make it clear” that they would “do everything necessary to safeguard our livelihoods, our properties, and the future economic stability of this rare and beautiful corner of Portugal”.

According to the residents, they will be taking their protest to Lisbon, where they will be demanding an audience at the head offices of REN, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of the Economy, “who to date seem determined to ignore our protests and desecrate our environment”.

A large number of campaign posters were printed this week, which the community will be displaying along the proposed route of the High Tension pylons.

But even though they are feeling “snowed under with the threat of massive infrastructures going up around us”, the residents are adamant in stopping at nothing to eliminate this threat.

Toby Jarvis, a British-expat and permanent resident in Aporfiosa with his wife and one-year-old daughter, told The Portugal News this week, “Our dream of an ecologically sustainable, creative tourist development in Aporfiosa is shattered. With the Government’s talk of sustainable investment in the Algarve we are amazed at the complete contradiction in policy. No-one will tell us why our protests have been ignored and no-one is talking about compensation. It will definitely make people think twice about investing in rural areas”.

In previous years, two identical, high-profile cases in the Algarve made national and international headlines with High Tension network proposals for the districts of Monchique and Silves being successfully thwarted thanks to the action of locals. Both routes were altered following pressure from residents, who had the added support of their respective City Halls behind them.

After contacting Tavira City Hall, Mayor Macário Correia said in response to the issue “as nothing is as yet definite I do not want to comment on the matter”.

Another source from Tavira City Hall told The Portugal News that a letter in the name of Mr. Jarvis has been received in April 2008, though could not confirm whether or not the document in question was the petition.

Moving to Portugal - A newbie's view

Ex-pat GRAHAM DENBY continues his series on creating a new life in sunny Portugal. Today: the big move

MOVING abroad like we did, how much stuff do you bring with you? Our answer was as much as possible.

A lot of it depends on what type of house/lifestyle you’re going for. I’m talking about relocation here. If you’re buying a holiday home that’s on the Algarve, an apartment or a villa, it’s usually furnished. There’s plenty of choice but prices can be comparatively high.

In our neck of the Alentejo it’s new build – house or villa, or renovation/conversion. I differentiate between house and villa by having a pool with the villa.

In the Alentejo, if you’re going for the new build there are two types of land to build on. Ours is on Eco Reserve, which means protected land, wildlife habitat with more restrictions, the biggest being the build must be on a registered ruin, usually the same size/footprint. The second type is agricultural where the allowance is 250m² area for each dwelling and same again for storage/livestock/garaging etc.

For new build you need professional services in the preparation of design, submissions, material specs etc. The renovation can be easier regarding planning as it can usually be commenced quickly with minimum of permissions, often just via the builder. NB - Minimum in Portugal can be substantial, so take proper care!

When me and r’lass took the plunge we had two houses to clear. What we had divided into three categories – what we sold/left with the house, what was junk and for throwing (predominantly my stuff, obviously) and what we put in storage to ship over. A mate of mine kindly allocated us an area in a store he had in a unit and there it sat for nigh on two years before it was shipped, (ta again mate!)

Added to this was extra gear we bought in the UK deemed to be necessary, and it mainly was. You must assess your storage options as it can be costly and time estimates seriously overrun out here.

We had the usual furniture in tables/chairs, settees, beds, cupboards, electricals but also things like light fittings – so bring spare bulbs if they’re bayonet type! Garden furniture and folding chairs but also hoses, spades, forks, etc. You will probably need the lot.

All DIY articles came – drills, sockets/spanners, screwdrivers but also boxes of screws/nails/rawlplugs and cable extensions. Leisure items for inside and outside like loungers plus books, DVDs, CDs, games etc. Remember you’ll likely be hiring a huge wagon or a trailer and they can hold quite an amount. If you’re paying for it, fill it, otherwise the carrier will squeeze summat in for somebody else and you’ve already paid! We got a price on it by having the haulier visit and quote. Often if a phone estimate they will ask ‘how many cubic metres’ which is desperately hard to gauge. Also we did our own packing & coverage/protection to furniture etc. This is OK for some companies but others specify they have to do it for insurance purposes. Find out because you don’t want to have to unpack it all, that ‘treat’ comes later!

10 Reasons To Visit The Algarve!

If you’re looking to calm down and get pleasure from the local landscapes, Falésia is perfect for a day on the beach with its surrounding strange red colored cliffs. Bounded on three sides by pine-clad cliffs, Olhos de Água is a nice place close at hand.

Vilamoura has something for everyone. It is a place for rest and leisure, but also for acting on lively pastimes and sports; a welcoming and secure residential haven, but also maryland online courses and thrilling night-life centre. It is especially popular with sports enthusiasts because of its brilliant facilities. The wide variety of high standard accommodation facilities of Algarve makes it perfect place for all needs.

Albufeira is well-known for its beaches where the sand is fine and the sea a greenish blue, sheltered by a steep high face of rocks famous for the shades and tones, which make them, appear like painted maryland online courses In spite of this, the fine streets and whitewashed houses of this aged fishing village perched over a charming beach filled with bright ornamented fishing boats must not be overlooked.

Salgados, located between Albufeira and Armaçăo de Pera, is already one of the symbols of the Portuguese golf. The closeness of the sea and the diversity of lakes online courses it a very appealing test of golfing skills. The place has may championship level golf courses designed by many renowned names of golf.

The hilly area of Monchique is quite exceptional, and the mellowest part of the Algarve. Its attractive mountain-top village having amusing natural thermal spa is known since Roman times. It is quiet fantabulous to watch stunning eyeshots from the top.

Having profusion of picturesque shops and market places to buy locally produced goods, Algarve has many shopping centers, such as Modelo, Forum Algarve, Algarve Shopping, and Quinta Shopping at Faro, where you create online courses find stylish products and dress stores. The food here has charms from the nearby traditions of Portugal, Spain and North Africa.

Silves Castle is nice place to have glimpses of the Algarve history; the castle displays some of the details around its past times important Moorish capital, especially from the 11th to the 13th Century. online courses red sandstone castle is not only a great historical repositories comprising the famous Museum of Cork, but also famous for chic cafes, restaurants and bars and local golf and horse riding sites.

Carvoeiro is an active fishing village that has turned into popular for Algarve villa holidays in recent years. The place is great market place for fresh fish and locally produced fruit and vegetables. There are four lovely sandy beaches plus plenty of shops, bars eateries, drugstores, banks, etc.

Located at just a 10 minute drive from Casa Rosa, the Ria Formosa Nature Park is a wintering ground for many migratory birds. The Estuary has a huge variety of natural habitats, which provides sanctuary and feeding-breeding areas for an infinite number of live organisms.

Profit in the Sun

Backhand, Eleanor. Good shot! Forehand, Eleanor. Good shot! Give me a high five. Britt was my patient and encouraging tennis coach at the Pine Cliffs residence in the Algarve. In typical American fashion, he ignored the appalling shots and praised the few good ones. Given that I hadn't played in more years than I care to remember, it wasn't long before the sweat was rolling down me in rivulets and my face had turned a deep shade of cerise.

That's when he started to get worried. "You're quite athletic, Eleanor, but your face is turning very red". I assured him that I often turn that colour. It's one of my party tricks. But he was very calm and patient, and he claims that people who come to him for lessons often realise they've been missing the game and go back to playing. I may well be one of them.

I'm getting to the stage where a holiday isn't all about lying out and roasting my voluptuous body. Let's throw in a bit of action. So where better than the Pine Cliffs Golf Academy and Tennis Academy near Albufeira? It's part of the Sheraton group and is situated in the grounds of the Sheraton Algarve Hotel -- a vast resort with a variety of accommodation choices: the hotel, the golf suites, townhouses, villas and the recently built luxury two- and three-bedroom apartments, of which there are 154.

I stayed in one of the two-bedroom versions. It was all understated elegance with fabulous views. I could sit on my balcony, cigarette in one hand, glass of wine in the other, and watch the golfers struggling to get out of the bunker which was just underneath my bedroom window, secretly sniggering behind my hand.

During our stay, we sampled most of the restaurants, from Italian to sushi to Portuguese. In Il Guardino, I ate the sea bass fillet baked in parchment paper, with courgettes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes and herbs. In O'Pescador, I had the symphony of fish and seafood with champagne and tarragon sauce. Every palate and purse is catered for, and nothing is nicer than to sit outside the golf club with a gin and tonic and a sandwich. The sushi restaurant is funky, and not being up to speed on sushi, it was with some trepidation that I approached the assortment the chef recommended. To my surprise, I loved most of it. The tempura vegetables were to die for.

Given that it's a short commute from the airport in Faro, it's an ideal destination for a long weekend of luxury and activity, with everything at your fingertips. There are 10 restaurants, numerous pools, tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course (which is recognised by the Portuguese golfing federation), two gyms and a children's pirate village.

Despite the fact that it was very nearly full, at no stage did I feel it was crowded. In fact, I could walk from my apartment to the hotel, meeting only a handful of people. There's also a shuttle service around the resort. But the piece de resistance is the beach. The access is by a glass lift which descends between two spectacular cliffs, connecting to a wooden walkway, which in turn leads to a stunning sandy beach with a multitude of water sports and a beach bar. We partook of the vast and colourful buffet lunch, washed down by a bottle of wine, looking out to sea. Bliss.

Given that I have an innate fear of water, I passed on the water sports, but undertook the golf lesson with Monia Bernardo, who is the number one female golfer in Portugal. She was fantastic. We chatted about the Ryder Cup and Nick Faldo, most of it unsavoury, and then just to please me she started talking about people like Eamonn Darcy, just to show me she knew exactly where I hailed from.

I explained my lack of prowess with irons and that I prefer using the driver. She was appalled.

"You're not playing long enough to be using a driver, get used to the irons first." I played along and proved just how bad I am with irons. Fresh air, the ground, my leg. She reluctantly gave me the driver and had to concede defeat. I genuinely am much better with a driver. She assured me in a very good-humoured way that I had psychological problems. I assured her I'm aware of this fact. She was great fun and a very good teacher. I took some solace from sitting on my balcony later and watching an immaculately kitted-out glamour puss taking what to me looked like a good swing and hitting the ball two feet in front of her.

Albufeira is the nearest town and only a 10-minute drive away, so we ventured in for a spot of shopping. Originally a seaport, some of it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 18th Century. Buildings that survived have been carefully maintained, and having gone through a period of acute poverty, the town is now dependent on tourism. Its population rises hugely in the tourist season.

While there are two exceptions to the rule (our guide referred to them as "mistakes"), no building is higher than 10 storeys, by law, and it makes a huge difference to the skyline. The town is set in cliffs and the view from the promenade on to the beach down below is reminiscent of an olde worlde resort. The streets are paved with black and white mosaics. This was originally invented as a means of using up the rubble from the houses destroyed by the earthquake. We had a guide for an hour or two, who thankfully left us to wander through the old town and soak up the atmosphere.

At one stage, an elderly man was standing outside his house shouting in Portuguese. I thought he was losing the plot, but when I queried his problem with the guide he assured me he was merely calling his dog. There was very much a feeling of local life going on amidst the multitude of tourists. But if you've been to Albufeira before, there's no need to leave the Pine Cliffs resort. Everything is there. Hairdresser, beauty parlour, mini market and, above all, year-round sun, sand and pure hedonism. I still have two tokens for the driving range, so I'll be back to use them!

The Producers’ comes to the Algarve

The successful Broadway musical is coming to Portugal next year and Portimão will be the first city to see the exquisite show. The musical will take place in Portimão Arena between 4th and 11th January before heading to Lisbon’s Tivoli Theatre on February 6th.

Created by actor, producer and author Mel Brooks in 1968, ‘The Producers’ tells the story of a failed producer in Broadway and a neurotic accountant who decide to create the worst musical in history in order to make millions. The whole idea backfires when the audience misinterpret the play by seeing it as a genius satire and it turns out to be a box office hit.

The successful musical has had various adaptations throughout the world and now it is Portugal’s turn!

The cast will be performing at Portimão Arena between 4th and 11th January, from where they will move to Lisbon’s Tivoli Theatre during February and March, and in April it will be shown in Oporto’s Coliseum. Tickets can be bought at the location of the show, FNAC stores or Ticket Line.