Madeira News Blog

Source Diário de Notícias 27/10/2007

For those who enjoyed the just completed Rugby World Cup, there are more rugby treats in store for those lucky enough to live on the island, as the Championship of the Clubs of Europe will be held here next year, bringing around 1500 players.

Between the 19th and 22nd of June, the IXth European Golden Oldies Rugby (râguebi) Festival comes to Madeira, bringing 40 teams, attracted by the venue, facilities, and the costs of staging the contest here. In Portuguese sporting and hosting terms, this is a big and important event.

The European championship for veterans (players must be over 35 years old), isn’t played for any ranking or crowning glory, but at the end there is an important trophy for ‘fair play’.

The games are to be held at five sporting grounds, should include several Portuguese teams, and will be integrated into the celebrations for 500 years of Funchal. 

Great achievement to have attracted this, but if the Rugby World Cup was anything to go by, I can’t see huge local interest, and how 40 teams of over 35 year olds can finish a competition in 4 days or less is beyond me. As an active rugby follower for some years, I suspect this is a bit of a jolly with a few beers thrown in … fair play!

http://www.madeira4u.com

Díario de Notícias 26-10-2007

The Portugueses are the most distrustful people of Western Europe occupying 25th position amongst 26 countries, a recent European study shows. It measured the strength of distrust and the lack of patriotism of the different people who took part in the census. 

This absence of confidence affects the economy and  society in general in all of the countries, the study concluded.

The Portugueses are, on average, the most distrustful Europeans, ahead of the French.  Only Turkey managed to spare Portugal the worst position.

In the other end of the scale, Swedes and Danes trust most in the other people and in its institutions. 

I am rather surprised at this, as being a foreigner, I would expect to be trusted slightly less by the locals, but I have no experience of this. Perhaps it’s just a mainland thing?

www.madeira4u.com

Source : BBC 25/10/2007

Given that in the next few days Easyjet will begin 10 weekly flights to Madeira from Bristol and Stanstead airports in the UK, its an interesting development that now Easyjet have agreed to buy GB Airways, who currently operate the flights between Gatwick and Madeira (under a franchise agreement with British Airways). The franchise will finish in March 2008.

“BA said that the deal between GB Airways and Easyjet was expected to be completed within eight weeks.

During this period flights, will operate as normal. When the deal is completed, passengers can either rebook on Easyjet or will be entitled to a full refund.”

So does that mean that BA will retain the Gatwick – Madeira route using its own fleet, or that that route will be taken on by Easyjet. I think the latter is unlikely, but if you have a ticket booked, you probably need to check.

www.madeira4u.com