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.