Harbour progress.

Work on the new harbour is well advanced and things look set for completion long before next year's tourist season.

It would seem that the facility itself is to be no more than 2 L shaped floating pontoon type deckings, one protruding out into the Ria Formosa from the existing fisherman's pier and the other from the existing boat landing at the eastern end of the village. Huge steel posts have been driven into the bed of the Ria Formosa and the floating decks will be secured to these so they can rise and fall with the tides.

Opinions on other work still vary greatly but it certainly looks to me like the fish market will remain where it is which will mean there is little chance of widening the promenade in front of it.

I have also been informed by one local businessman that the Camara are considering importing thousands of tons of sand and constructing a small artificial beach in front of the new moorings but only time will tell the veracity or otherwise of that.

The pictures below will hopefully give some idea of events unfolding here.

The sun rises over the Ria Formosa and the huge posts which will hold the decking of the new harbour stretch into the distance where the floating pile driver that hammered them home stands ready for another days work.

The new harbour decking sections fitted with their flotation boxes wait on the beach to be floated out and secured in position.
Broad decking sections and huge prefabricated concrete blocks each weighing many, many tonnes stockpiled prior to installation.Workmen construct the concrete base where the decking will be anchored at the eastern end of the village beside the boat slipway.

Removing the pile driving machine from the Ria Formosa



Click here to view more photographs

People 3. Fergus, bar Mundo.

In this the third of my "people" series I would like to introduce you to Fergus the only ex-pat bar owner in Santa Luzia.

Fergus

Fergus operates Bar Mundo which you will find on the promenade opposite the pier and fish market next door to restaurant Baixamar (fresh fish, nice steaks and excellent english spoken).

Hailing from north of the border Fergus offers typical Glasgwegian hospitality and is known to partake in the odd dram himself. Open from around 7-00pm till late Bar Mundo offers local drinks at reasonable prices plus a selection of imported canned beers.

Fergus' taste in music is a little obscure but if you can find something you like among his huge collection of CDs he is usually more than amenable to requests for a change.

Despite being an ex-pat's bar Fergus is determined not to let Mundo become a cliched and cliquey foreigners hang out and strives to attract local custom along with the more lucrative tourist trade.

Often on Sunday nights live music is provided by Peiter a friendly and approachable Dutch resident of Pedras Del Rei along with any other Local or visiting musicians he can muster.

The smoking ban can be a bit of a nuisance here as there is no outside terrace but Fergus makes a bench available and the public shelters are just a few strides across the road beside the public toilets.

Fergus has mastered the basics of the Portuguese language and is a great reference source for those who are struggling with simple phrases.

A range of imported beers are on sale subject to availability.

Try Abbot Ale or John Smiths.

During my recent visit with friends Barney and Darran we enjoyed a couple of very pleasant evenings in a bustling bar Mundo in the company of several different groups of Irish visitors.

It seems now that every time I am in Santa Luzia I run into readers of my blog. This time was no different so hello to Willie and Trish from Dublin, hope to see you again soon in SL.

It is sometimes a strange feeling to be talking to someone you know nothing about but who knows lots about you. I think I can now understand when big celebrities bemoan the fact that we all want to poke our noses into their private lives.

Blood and guts.

Returned from Santa Luzia yesterday to a very grey and overcast Leeds.

Despite the lateness of the year English voices were to be heard in most of the bars and restaurants of SL.

Many businesses have taken advantage of the quiet time to enjoy a well earned break after the rigours of the summer season. Casa De Polvo, Casa Do Abade and restaurant Sol Y Mar among others were closed for the month.

Bar meia Pipa on the other hand reopened on 31st of October following something of a remodel.

The bar has been moved forward 20cms and extended by a couple of meters and a food preparation area has been added so the range of snacks available can be widened. Along with refurbished toilets, replaced woodwork and a generous splash of paint, proprietor Alvaro has invested more than 10,000 euros............no small beer by Portuguese standards.



On this visit we were determined to behave less like tourists and more like residents so there were more meals taken at home than in the excellent eateries of the village ( we have however to admit to treating ourselves to a slap up dinner at Vincents on our last night in town).



The Portuguese tend to eat out far more often than we English and when you use what in Portugal is called a snack bar or Casa do Pasto you can see why.

With a far more limited menu and much less of the frills of a restaurant these establishments provide wholesome value for money meals with genuine informal hospitality.

One of the best of these in Santa Luzia has to be Snack Bar Tridoce.

Situated in Urbanization Gilberto Ferro just on the left hand side of the road from Tavira at the very beginning of the village this friendly little place is sadly overlooked by many visitors though well patronised by residents both Portuguese and foreign.
Much of the produce used to prepare the dishes at Tridoce is sourced from the family farm so freshness and quality are assured, no oven chips here.
Returning early one afternoon from a shopping trip in Tavira we elected to lunch at Tridoce and duly ordered a portion of grilled chicken, a portion of grilled belly pork a mixed salad and a generous helping of their delicious home made chips.

As we were hungrily enjoying the traditional bread olives and sardine paste starter we were approached by the proprietor Virgilio who enquired if we would like to try a little home made chourico. We willingly accepted and our lavish praise of this moorish tidbit encouraged Virgilio to confide in us that the family had in fact slaughtered a pig only the day before and he had in his kitchen something very special prepared from the beast's blood.
This information was imparted to us in hushed tones as, Virgilio confided, many English people seem a little unsettled when confronted with the fact that animals have to be slaughtered to provide their lunch.
We in turn informed Virgilio that back home in Yorkshire we have a saying that when it comes to the pig "we eat everything but the squeal" and we would be delighted to try his delicacy which we know as black pudding.
Minutes later what can only be described as a plate of congealed blood with a dressing of chopped herbs, onion and oil and vinegar was proudly presented for our delectation.
Unlike English black pudding it was not formed, sausage like, in a skin along with pork fat and seasoning but rather appeared to be simply boiled pigs blood spooned straight from pan to plate.
With a very creamy almost blancmange like consistency it suddenly became evident to us how this dish came to be called a pudding.
Slightly bland in comparison to it's heavily seasoned english counterpart it was nonetheless very palatable when salted and consumed with a morsel of chopped onion.
Probably not to everyone's taste and definitely not for the squeamish this dish however is truely an eating experience worth repeating.
You just need to be fortunate enough to arrive the day after the pig has departed.

All in all an excellent lunch and at just 18 euros (including a very acceptable bottle of white wine selected for us by Virgilio) outstanding value for money.

For un-rivalled Portuguese hospitality, authentic local cuisine and exceptional value for money Tridoce has to be very close if not at the top of the list of places to eat in Santa Luzia.

VISIT..........EAT.........DRINK.........ENJOY.

Bar Joan

It is not true, if it were I am sure I would know something about it!

People 2 - Alvaro, bar Meia Pipa.

Alvaro.

No matter how casual he dresses Alvaro is one of those men who always looks smart and well groomed. Rarely to be seen without a broad smile on his face Alvaro is the archetypal pub landlord. Having lived and worked in France for a number of years Alvaro speaks fluent French as well as English and of course his native Portuguese.

Whenever I recieve official mail such as tax demands etc. my first port of call is Meia Pipa where Alvaro cheerfully interprets the document for me and usually gives me instructions and directions on how to deal with it.

During quieter periods at Meia Pipa you are guaranteed Alvaro's personal attention as there is nothing he enjoys more than to socialise with his customers. Alvaro is a mine of information and delights in sharing his local knowledge.

Serving draught Guinness and Sagres lager plus a wide range of bottled beers Meia Pipa is the nearest thing in Santa Luzia to an english pub. With live music three times a week and open until the wee hours it is also the nearest thing to a night club.

A wide range of soft drinks, coffee and bar snacks are also always available and the bar is always busy during important football games which are shown here on a giant screen. The bar is also very popular with the local youth on music nights but don't let that put you off, Portuguese youths are generally well behaved, polite, well mannered and respectful of their elders and I have never yet seen one of them drunk.

Having full air conditioning Meia Pipa is also the only establishment in Santa Luzia where you can enjoy a cigarette along with your beer without the need to step outside.

Try cerveja preta (Portuguese stout).

Open daily from 7-00p.m. Closed Sunday

People 1 - Berto, Snack Bar Ana-Raquel.

This is the first in what will be a series of articles on people you are likely to encounter in Santa Luzia. I have done my utmost to ensure any facts reported are accurate but in truth most of what I will have to say is merely my opinion for which I take full responsibility.

"Feliz" Berto

As reported in a previous post, last year Snack Bar Ana-Raquel underwent a transformation at the hands of new owner Berto, former manager of Taberna Bibica.

It is not unusual for Portuguese men to have some kind of nickname to distinguish them from all the other men in the local community with the same christian name and what I have gleaned with my meagre Portuguese is that Berto earned his moniker "Feliz" (happy) because of his constant serious to worried expression.

Despite that sombre appearance you could not wish to meet a more amenable man and in the odd moments when Berto manages to stop dashing around doing for his customers and relaxes, his smile is broad and infectious.

Berto's english is pretty good and improving all the time, much better than my faltering Portuguese which he tolerates with great patience and forbearing.

Ana-Raquel opens early (about 8-00am) and closes late depending really on what time the last customers leave.

An excellent range of snacks is available all day including a range of sandwiches, toasties, salads and delicious home made soup.

Draught Heineken and Sagres beers along with a variety of Portuguese and imported bottled beers are always available and at very reasonable prices.

Tea and coffee and a wide range of soft drinks can be had along with a tempting range of Portuguese cakes and pastries.

Very popular with both locals and tourists alike Ana-Raquel is the perfect place to make new Portuguese friends or just sit and soak up the ambiance of Santa Luzia and watch the world go by.

Closed Thursday.

Try:- Galao (pronounced gallon) and pastel de nata. (a long milky coffee in a glass and a Portuguese custard tart)

or Sagres and rissois de camarao (A bottle of Sagres Portuguese lager and a prawn rissole)

http://www.freewebs.com/ana-raquel

Sign Of Progress

At last a sign (literally) of progress on the new harbour.

Erected in the last couple of weeks this sign depicts the area to be converted into the new "Porto De Pesca De Santa Luzia".

Back in April I reported that the Camara (council) had issued a decree that all moored vessels should be removed from the affected area by the 10th of the month on pain of impoundment for non compliance. The majority of the boats were removed and a number of steel portakabins were erected as a site office, since then nothing and slowly but inexorably the boats have crept back to their old moorings.

Everyone in the village seems to have their own inside knowledge into what is impeding progress. Hence 'Joao' will tell you "They wait for the digging machines from Cabanas", where real building work is actually occurring on a small harbour, whereas 'Luis' will knowingly declare "They wait for the dredger from Lisboa".

The real truth seems to be that "They wait" which seems to be the one thing Portuguese and English builders have in common as those of you who have had occasion to hire a builder in either country will well know.

There is also much disagreement over what will actually be done with one party declaring that the fish market is to be demolished and relocated while another declares this to be rubbish and the fish market is staying where it is with perhaps a lick of paint. Time will tell.

The one thing they all noddingly accept and agree upon is when someone sagely declares "Noa Faz mal".

Closer detail of the sign of progress.

I suppose it could just be possible that someone, somewhere has had a sudden fit of common sense and decided that the work would be less disruptive if carried out during the closed season.

Talking about closed season, there have been some rumblings this year from business owners and water taxi operators.

They are unhappy that the powers that be insist the season opens on the 15th of June and closes on the 15th September. They argue, quite rightly in my opinion, that given the Algarve's climate and the huge increase in visitors the season could commence a month earlier and terminate a month later.

All the indications are that tourists from the colder climes of Europe will still be arriving in droves throughout the cooler months of October and November.

I for one certainly intend to be among them!

The one that got away.

Back in April in my post "Life of Brian" I recounted how on my first ever Portuguese fishing expedition I encountered a line snapping monster of a fish.

After detailing my successful capture of Brian, I declared in that post that I had formulated a plan for the capture of the one that got away which I would execute on my return to Portugal.

I can now reveal that the plan was not really that sophisticated and consisted basically of Big hook, Big Bait, Big cast.

IT WORKED!!!

Blazing August

Arrived in Santa Luzia around lunchtime Wednesday 6th August with friends Don and Lynda. The midday sun was blazing hot but the village was nonetheless abuzz with preparations for the annual Festival Dos Pescadores (Fisherman's Festival).

Preparations for the festival in full swing despite the searing heat.

The festival this year was organised on similar lines to last year with all the main action occurring in the west of the village on the newly developed section of Avenida Enginero Duarte Pacheco which I always refer to as the promenade.

The street leading up to the stage area where various artistes will perform throughout the four days of the festival is lined with stalls selling local and international craft work and each evening the transformation is unbelievable. Visitors flock in from far and wide and the sleepy promenade becomes akin to the thronged streets of Albufiera, Pria Da Rocha or Monte Gordo.

The acts which were free to watch once again this year included Viviano, on the Friday, a young Portuguese vocalist. The Saturday featured Brazilian band Edna Pimenta & Bambiana, whilst Sunday was as ever Noite De Fados starring four different celebrated Fado singers.

This is for me the best night of the festival and is very well attended by the inhabitants of Santa Luzia who in my opinion seem to still regard this very much as "their night".

The concluding night this year featured a Brazilian Hip Hop band Irmados Verdades which, being the original grumpy old man, I listened to from the comfort of a table outside Bar Mundo a very acceptable 500 meters or so from the stage.

Entertainment commenced each evening around 11pm and concluded around 1am with the usual massive fireworks display on the final night.

This year as well as the land based fireworks a magnificent display was mounted from boats moored out on the Ria Formosa.

Our friends Don and Lynda have accompanied us to Santa Luzia before, indeed Don assisted in the replacement of the roof (see Hard Slog November 2007)

http://santaluzia-portugal.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

We were determined that this time we would show them more of Portugal and during our seven day stay we visited Mertola, Alcoutim, Cabanas, Tavira, Monte Gordo and a day trip across the border to Ayamonte in Spain enabled our guests to purchase their copious supply of tobacco at half Portuguese prices.

For me the highlight of our trips was the visit to Mertola. We have visited this Alantejoan gem on many occasions but each time I am amazed at the feeling of peace, safety and tranquility experienced standing atop the Castelo Dos Mouros surveying the vast wild emptiness of the Alentajo.

You really do get the feeling that nothing can touch you here and it would surely be a safe place to be come even Armageddon.

Alcoutim nestled on the banks of The Guardiana river somehow manages to be tranquil and vibrant at the same time and whilst you can take in all it's attractions in 45 minutes or so this little hamlet has the ability to steal three or four hours of your time.

The main square of the little border town of Alcoutim.

Despite our trips out I still managed one morning and two afternoon fishing sessions and by carefully watching and emulating the methods and techniques of the locals my rate of catch is increasing in both frequency and size.

My freezer is now stocked with sufficient fish to provide a handsome barbecue for the first person I can convince my catch is edible.

There is still no sign of work commencing on the new harbour facility but as can be seen in the photo above the new pontoon is in full swing and the water taxis were doing a roaring trade ferrying visitors back and forth to the magnificent sandy beaches of the Isle de Tavira.

As I predicted in my last post there were many more foreign tourists evident in the village this year though I am informed by Jorge Hermann of Ria beach apartment rentals that the majority of his units were occupied by Portuguese visitors with Brits making up the bulk of his bookings for October onwards when the temperature is a more comfortable 75 to 80 ish.

Throughout our stay we kept track of the great British summer via the pages of the Daily express and sure enough on our return to Leeds and Bradford airport on the 14th of August we were greeted by grey skies,cold wind and drizzling rain.

The Sunday following our return Stephen and Julie (Joan's ex-partner's brother and wife) flew out for their first visit to Santa Luzia. I am pleased to report that they were totally captivated by the place.

We often worry when sending friends and family to our little Portuguese paradise that it will not be to their taste and they will not experience the magic we do each time we visit and it is enormously satisfying when they do.
Almost as good as going yourself....................but not quite.

Festival time

Seems like this year has simply flown by as it is already festival time in Santa Luzia again.

I have diligently searched the web for details of this years festival and have drawn a complete blank. This is something I will definitely have to put right and whilst it is now too late to publicise this years festival you can be sure I will post plenty of info on next years bash.

The festival takes place usually on the second weekend in August starting on the Friday evening and ending on the Monday.
The full length of the promenade is lined with stalls selling local crafts and all manner of merchandise and a large stage is erected at the western end of the village for the nightly outdoor entertainment.
We will be arriving in Santa Luzia on the 6th of August and staying for 8 days so as well as enjoying the festival I will have plenty of time to check out any progress on the new harbour and any other developments in the village.

Traditionally the festival attracts thousands of Portuguese visitors to the village but this year we are confidently expecting many more foreign visitors.
When we first discovered Santa Luzia it was a closely guarded Portuguese secret, a search engine enquiry "Santa Luzia" would bring up nothing on this village. Try it now (go on there is a search box on this page) and you get a plethora of sites offering holiday accommodation and, hopefully pretty high in the ranking, this blog.

If you want to catch the festival this year it commences on 8th of August and flights are still plentiful and if you search hard enough reasonably cheap. By booking our outward flight with Jet2.com and our return with Thomas Cook we have achieved it for just £136 each........not bad for the height of the season.

I just have to say though that the day the law is changed so that airlines have to simply tell you the price and not add on all those not so little surprises at each stage of the booking process can not come too soon. You waste hours looking at £29.99 flights that turn out to be £129.99.

I run a pub and if I advertised beer for sale at £1-00 a pint then when you got to the till added 50p for getting it in a glass 50p for sitting on a chair 50p for gas and electric and just for good measure 10p for actually taking your payment I would get the book (and probably the beer) thrown at me.

Movers & Shakers

In my last blog "A tale of two pontoons" I touched on some of the changes in business ownership in Santa Luzia. In the years that we have been visiting the local economy has undergone something of a transformation with the old industries of fishing and agriculture slowly shrinking and the new tourism and commerce sectors advancing.

A number of new businesses have been launched and some existing ones have undergone or are undergoing refurbishment and transformation.

I wrote in a previous blog,"Developments" about the little Cafe Santa Luzia on Av. Enginero Duarte Pacheco (The Promenade), which under new ownership has been transformed into a vibrant inviting bar compared to it's previously dark foreboding and frankly quite shabby persona.

Customers take the cool evening air outside the transformed Cafe Santa Luzia

Next door to Cafe Santa Luzia a similar transformation has occurred at Snack Bar Anna-Raquel under the stewardship of Feliz Berto (Happy Bert). Berto has done a sterling job on the formerly vastly under trading bar by introducing reasonably priced snacks, including soups which the Portuguese adore, an Internet terminal , large screen TV and brighter lighting.

Berto himself is a very accommodating, warm and friendly man but always seems to have a slightly worried look on his face which is why he presumably earned the nickname happy Bert.

Further down the promenade stands Casa Do Polvo, opened in late 2006 it was an immediate success, unlike the next door O Marinarho which opened in 2007 and traded for barely one season, the premises then being acquired by Casa Do Polvo who trade there under the logo Casa O Lado (literally meaning The House Next Door).

A semi derelict property on Largo Da Igreja, The Church Square, was completely refurbished by local builder Manuel in 2006 and opened as Cafe Da Villa selling freshly baked bread, snacks, coffees and drinks and quickly established itself as a favourite haunt of Local Portuguese, tourists and ex-pats alike. Feliz Berto acquired the lease on this business in 2007 adding it as the second string to his Santa Luzian business empire.


Cafe Da Villa where locals tourists and ex pats alike spend the hours sipping coffee and watching the world go by.

Freshly baked bread can be obtained here every morning and Berto has also installed the villages second internet terminal.

Just around the corner on Rua Marchal Gomes Da Coasta stands Arco Iris (Rainbow) a small coffee and snack bar opened in 2007 by the former owners of Cafe Kate Kero the popular bar on the social housing complex to the rear of the village. Joan and I were among if not the first customers and call in every time we are back in Santa Luzia. The owners are very accommodating and also very tolerant of my non too perfect attempts at conversation in Portuguese.

Back on the promenade meanwhile both Snack Bar Stop and Cafe Infante Henrique are undergoing refurbishment and Capelo the largest and busiest restaurant in the village has had a complete re-fit and seems certain to maintain it's position as the No.1 eatery in town.

A newly refurbished Capelo awaits the summer crowds who will patiently queue to dine here.

The new apartment developments at the western end of the village, which appeared to have all but stalled a couple of years ago, are all back on course with many of them complete or very near completion.

The former owner of Casa Da Ria, the villages only bed and breakfast accommodation, (Now trading under the name of Casa Oriente), Jorge Herrman, has, along with English partners established an apartment management company to promote and let the new buildings.

The occupation of these units along with the removal of the old sewage treatment plant and its associated stench from the western end of the village and the redevelopment of the western end of the promenade last year should give this part of the village a new lease of life.

The sign outside Jorge Herrman's Ria Beach office.

As reported in my last blog "A tale of two pontoons" the ferry and water taxi landing point has also been moved up to the western end of the village to facilitate the installation of a new harbour in the east and the re-construction of the eastern end of the promenade.

This will create opportunities for bars, cafes, shops and restaurants which due to the previously mentioned sewage stench are sadly lacking at this end of the village.

All told things are moving apace in santa Luzia which looks set to become a real tourist magnet though hopefully the lessons learned during the development of Cabanas to the east of Tavira will be applied to prevent the village loosing it's essential charm and character.

A tale of two pontoons

We have very recently returned from a quick visit. We arrived early June just as the region came to the end of a sustained bout of dreadful weather. Everyone we spoke to in the village declared they could barely recall a May of such extremes with the weather lurching between pleasant and downright horrible but mainly downright horrible.

The one bit of consolation I can take from the descriptions of the driving rain and howling winds is that my replacement roof has now had a thorough testing and has come through with flying colours.
On the upside the Portuguese weather office are saying that according to the model they use for long range forecasting they expect the months of June, July and August to be the hottest and driest on record.
We were anxious to see if a start had been made on dredging for the new harbour and were disappointed but not altogether surprised to find that most of the boats that had been removed from the area concerned were back there bobbing on the tide and in typical Portuguese fashion no work had commenced.
However a number of portable cabins have been erected near the boat yard and a new pontoon has been installed further up the promenade to replace the existing ferry and water taxi landing which is situated bang in the middle of the proposed new development so things are starting to happen.

A view onto the new pontoon which has been installed up on the new end of the promenade.

All that's needed now is an inspection by the Ferguesia and resolution of the dispute about who is to operate the ferry franchise and we are up and running.

Here we see the ramshackle old ferry landing which is to be removed to make way for the new harbour.

Moored either side with ropes and otherwise free floating you certainly needed sea legs to use it when the heavy tidal currents were running up and down the Ria Formosa.




Once the new landing point is operative the owner of the Little "Cafe Alentejo" will find himself the first port of call for ferry and water taxi users, a privilege previously enjoyed by "Casa da Polvo".
If her gears up for it he will be minted.

Talking of minted, a few changes have occurred in business ownership in the village, more of that later.
Meanwhile I am seriously considering complaining to the manufacturers of my fridge freezer.
According to the ratings on the door a fish should last 3 months in the freezer.
I put Brian in there in mid April and on my return in early June (less than 2 months by my reckoning) the poor creature was stone cold dead.

Developments

Now that a little time has passed I have managed to shake off the euphoria of the struggle against the elements and creatures of the deep that lead to the capture of Brian and turn my mind to the changes and developments in Santa Luzia.

Casa de Polvo appears to have taken over the premises of O Marinhero the new restaurant that opened last summer. We had a meal there before it closed and while there was nothing to complain about there was also nothing to justify the premium price charged.
Little Casa de Polvo on the other hand has gone from strength to strength being popular with visitors and residents alike.
The acquisition of the O Marinhero site (which is incidentally right next door) more than quadruples Casa de Polvo's size and I am pretty confident that with their focused offering and reasonable prices they will make a huge success of it.

During our visit we noticed that almost every commercial premise in the village was displaying an order from the Camera (council) showing a large area of the Rio Formosa from which all moored vessels had to be removed by 10th of April and with typical Portuguese aplomb the owners of quite a few seemed to be contemplating complying.
The reason for the removal of the vessels is so that dredging work can begin on the new marina to be built there and I am looking forward on my next visit to seeing if (a) the boats have been moved and (b) the work has commenced.
Along with the construction of the marina the Eastern end of the promenade is to be widened and improved. A section of local opinion is also in favour of pedestrianising the promenade and lobbying is in progress to achieve this.

The tiny Cafe Santa Luzia has also been dragged into the 21st century.

This one room bar was run by a lady about ten years older than The Royal Navy, she spoke not a word of English and the only Portuguese I ever coaxed from her was "Nao tem" ("I have none"). She has apparently finally put up her feet and handed over to the younger generation who have introduced such innovations as refrigeration,lights and some outside furniture. These, the new coat of brightly coloured paint and the smiling helpful young Portuguese man behind the bar have transformed the place.It is just past the Farmacia, if you visit Santa Luzia, as one day surely you must, call in and enjoy, you will be made most welcome.

Life of Brian

It has been a long time since I have had the time or inclination to sit down and write.
My mother finally succumbed to the cancer she had been fighting for the last 2 years and began to decline rapidly in early December, numerous admissions to hospital and doctors visits culminated in her admission to Saint Gemmas Hospice, Leeds, where she died on the 7th of March this year.The huge sense of loss and grief were somewhat tempered by a feeling of relief that at last it was all over both for her and for the family who had spent four months awaiting the inevitable. The funeral service though heartbreaking was quite beautiful and it was enormously gratifying that about 150 people turned up to pay their respects and wish her a last farewell.
We had promised ourselves that when it was all over we would flee to Santa Luzia at the earliest opportunity and let the magic of our little Portuguese paradise ease all the stress, pain and tension but the formalities of probate etc. meant we were unable to escape until early April.
Thus we arrived with friends Barry and Netta on the 4th of April at a now completely no smoking Faro airport. I never really believed that the Portuguese would swallow this nanny state stuff and embrace the smoking ban but early indications are that they have, most bars, restaurants etc are now non smoking and people are begrudgingly complying, however that is what happened in Spain for a few months and now you can have a cigarette with your drink just about anywhere there and I strongly suspect the Portuguese will follow suit.
Arriving at the house in the early evening we quickly realised that the aftermath of my roof repairs in November was going to take a lot of erasing and a massive cleaning operation was launched there and then. This major operation was to continue on and off throughout the entire 9 days we stayed.
Now I have been promising myself for the last seven years that one day I would do some fishing from the pier and, during a visit to the local Aldi to stock up on cleaning materials, I took the opportunity to abrogate all responsibility and immerse myself in the special offers section, particularly the fishing tackle sets. We came away laden with bleach, brushes, scourers, sprays, powders and a 39 euro fishing tackle combo.
The weather on Friday and Saturday was excellent, clear skies, a hot sun and a cool refreshing breeze so on Sunday afternoon I ventured down to the quay and set up my gear.
Bliss....... the tide was running fast and heavy, the breeze was blowing gently and the sun was shining. Not for long.
When I started my quest for a seafood supper I was sat on the pier with my legs dangling over the side casting my line into the fast running tide some 3m below but within an hour the combination of rising tide and wind had me bathing my feet in the waves and sitting on my various bags boxes etc. to prevent them blowing into the briny. Being an intrepid Englishman I continued my struggle with the elements and finally as the tide reached its peak (almost at the top of my now beleaguered pier) I hooked into a fish. And what a fish......... my rod bent double and the spool of my reel screeched against the clutch as the monster of the deep realising he had swallowed something decidedly dodgy made a run for the ocean. The thrill of the contest was however quickly over as the beast contemptuously snapped my line and departed the arena.
If I were to make a guess I would suggest my intended but now departed supper was a fine sea bass. On this disappointing note and with the waves now actually beginning to break over the edge of the pier I finally realised I was bloody freezing cold so packed up my gear and returned dejectedly to the house with my never to be believed tale of "the one that got away".
The strong winds are often the portent of a storm in Portugal and sure enough the rain arrived around lunch time Monday and fell torrentialy until late Thursday afternoon which was bad news for the group of English tourists we met in the new Indian restaurant in Tavira on Thursday night. They arrived on Monday as the deluge began and were departing Friday morning just as the sun returned. Each time we visit now we are amazed at the number of Tourists in evidence at any time of the year.
We spent most of Tuesday in Faro at the Forum Algarve shopping centre and once again the special offers at Jumbo supermarket got the better of us and we returned home the proud owners of a 26" flatscreen LCD TV which I busied myself installing as the clean up operations continued unabated all around me.
During this stay we kind of did the holidaymaker thing and enjoyed meals in some of the more upmarket restaurants, Vincents.......rack of lamb, Canto Azul................duck breast with fruits, and Casa Do Abade.............fillet steak but we did not forget to visit our favourite local eateries Mourao..............Prato do dia only €7.5, Tridoce..................three course meal including wine and coffee for four €28.00, and Bica.....................authentic local cuisine.
We also spent the best part of a day attempting once again to get the local water company Tavira Verde to put the water bill in our name and thankfully (after 2 years, 3 disconnections and innumerable visits to their office) we succeeded. The big stumbling block was that you have to get the previous owner of the property to sign a form transferring the right to be the billpayer????? We simply fibbed and said they had emigrated to Brazil.
Anyway come Friday and the re-appearance of Mr. Sun I determined to relaunch my assault on the denizens of the deep and late afternoon saw me back at my hunting sight on the pier.
My octopus tentacle bait had dwelt in the fridge all week and was frankly pretty slimy and quite smelly and whilst the fish seemed to be biting well it quickly occured to me that they were spitting out my offerings in disgust as I simply could not react fast enough to hook into the blighters. After some time I took myself off to a local shop and purchased a small bag of frozen prawns. Re-tackling with my new bait and a growing confidence I once again entered the fray.
The bites came thick and fast, my quarry were certainly much happier with my new offerings but were damned quick to nick them off my hook and leave me wildly striking at nothing.
Then on one particularly vicious strike ( oh I was determined) I felt that familiar knock and jag of a fish firmly on the hook, this was not the monster who tormented me 5 days ago, the rod had a barely discernible curve and the clutch on my reel was unquestionably in command of the creature attached to my line. Never the less it was a fish and I excitedly reeled him in and pulled him up onto the pier. He turned out to be a maxarra, a type of small bream, and had a row of vicious looking spikes on both his dorsal and pectoral fins, not to mention two rows of razor sharp little teeth which made the unhooking process a little complex and slightly perilous. Having unhooked him and placed him in the carrier bag Ihad brought along to carry my haul off in Idecided that as my first catch in Portuguese waters he should have a name by which I could recall him when recounting the tale of his capture. BRIAN seemed to me an excellent name.
I fished on for a while in the company of a small Portuguese boy who insisted on chattering away despite my constant "Sou Ingles, Noa falar bem portugese". His father eventually called him and he trotted off with a cheery " Ate amanha aqui" , I had neither the heart nor the necessary portuguese words to tell him I was flying home to England tomorrow..........bet he was disappointed when he turned up.
Brian meanwhile was carried home in triumph to be displayed to all who would look.
I am told had I managed to land a few of his pals they make very good eating so he was consigned to my freezer where he awaits his companions.
Since returning home my exploits catching Brian have entered local legend (and Brian has grown considerably as things do in fishermen's stories) and I have already formulated a plan to capture the monster who evaded me on my first expedition.
I have however found that you should hold a license to fish in the sea in Portugal, this was apparently introduced in 2007 and is even harder to come by than the fish, so my first expedition on my return will be once more into the realms of Portuguese officialdom and bureaucracy.
I have added a fishing in portugal link on this page for anyone who needs to know the law.