Madeira News Blog

Dolphin water chute in Santa Cruz.

From Paul :

The Portuguese divide football coaches into two types: the smart and the scientific and the analytical, detailed, more programmed. The UK Telegraph newspaper reports…

Jose Mourinho is both. He does not separate “the physical, technical, tactical and psychological” although the latter is “fundamental”.

Alex Ferguson is smart; his former deputy, and now Portugal’s coach, Carlos Queiroz, is scientific. The first is instinctive, passionate, but also intensely human. The second is analytical, detailed, more programmed.

Mourinho is more like the great Austrian coach, Ernst Happel. Happel was one of only three managers to have won the European Cup with 2 different clubs, along with Ottmar Hitzfeld and either Louis van Gaal or Jose Mourinho dependent on the result of the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final. link to wikipage on Ernst Happel:

The article assesses: “where Mourinho stands now in the pantheon of great football managers depends on the definition of greatness. Is it about innovation, breaking new ground, creating beautiful, aesthetically pleasing football and winning? Or is it simply about winning? About gathering trophies? Is it about regarding football as an artist or an artisan? Or is it a combination of all of these things?” Link to the complete article:

Expo 2010 Shanghai opens! “The 2010 World Expo has opened in the city of Shanghai in what China hopes will be further proof of its rising global influence.

Almost 250 countries and international organisations are showcasing their culture in an event themed around sustainable development. Many are doing so in pavilions with radical architecture.World leaders, including France’s President Sarkozy, are attending the lavish opening ceremony.”

FACTS

“-China says cost is $4.2bn – others say costs reached $58bn

-Theme is "Better City, Better Life"

-70 million visitors expected, mostly Chinese

-192 countries and 50 organisations on show

-20,000 cultural performances

-First Expo in a developing country

-Site is 5.3sq km, twice the size of Monaco

-Standard day ticket costs 160 yuan ($23: £15)

-Runs from 1 May to 31 October”

Above image caption : Tour map of the Expo site            Link to BBC Article:

Cork Portuguese Pavilion. “Exterior curtain walls and interior attaching veneers of the pavilion are all decorate with walls of cork, a Portuguese-sourced, recyclable and environmentally friendly material. Image caption: Portugal pavilion

Highlight 1: A date between Portugal and China. "Moment One" showcases lasting dates between Portugal and China in the past five centuries.

Highlight 2: Portugal, a Square for the World. "Moment Two" plays a short video of "Portugal, a Square for the World."

Highlight 3: Sustainable Development Philosophy. "Moment Three" focuses on the theme of "Portugal, a whole world of energy" to showcase sustainable development philosophy in modern cities and the philosophy’s role in Portuguese economic and environmental policies.

The exhibition area is divided into four sections of "moments," while supporting facility areas include a dining area and wine tasting area. Entrance halls, digital screens and theme exhibition areas showcase history, culture, economy and daily lives of Portugal.

The relationship between Portugal and China during its history of about five centuries and its influence on modern Portugal are also presented in the pavilion.”

Link to official expo site          Link to Portuguese Pavilion

Everything else from Elaine :

Saturday May 1st, Labour Day. A public holiday.

Buy holidays in Madeira from ASDA supermarkets (UK). Advertising 14 nights B&B in August, including flights from Heathrow, from £433 per person. HERE

Fears Portugal may be the next to fall in debt crisis. A single motorway that cuts through Lisbon’s eastern suburbs connects Europe’s longest bridge, the 10-mile Ponte Vasco de Gama, with two of its most dazzling soccer stadiums, both built with the aid of public money when Portugal hosted the European Championship six years ago. The stunning José Alvalade and Luz arenas are now home, respectively, to Sporting de Lisboa and Benfica soccer clubs, but they are also white elephants – monuments to the country’s inability to use a flood of European Union funding to modernise its economy. As markets looked for the next European domino to be toppled by Greece’s debt crisis this week, all eyes turned to Portugal – a country that has become relatively poorer, in European terms, over the past decade. It was no comfort that neighbouring Spain also came under the spotlight today as the debt crisis threatened to engulf the eurozone’s fourth largest economy. Portugal’s Socialist prime minister José Sócrates called in opposition leader Pedro Passos Coelho, of the centre-right Social Democrat party, for an emergency meeting. "This is the most difficult moment in their political life," Publico newspaper declared in a solemn editorial. ARTICLE

News from Diário de Notícias and Jornal da Madeira

THURSDAY 29th APRIL

MADEIRA

Residents isolated after rockfall two months ago. For more than two months, the residents of Larano and Maiata are forced to travel six kilometres more than usual to access local public services in Porto da Cruz. A large rockfall has blocked the road, a consequence of the February 20th storms. According to the Mayor of Machico, the problem is not the size of the rockfall or lack of interest by the council, but that the road cannot be guaranteed safe. The road was closed in January 2008 after several landslides but motorists removed the cement blocks that were placed to prevent access, as they did not want to take the longer alternative route. At the meeting of the Parish Council of Porto da Cruz last Friday, a petition was presented calling for an urgent reopening of the road. A temporary solution found by the president is to provide pedestrian access. The Mayor of Machico said the Regional Government needs to intervene as a permanent solution is expensive, to either stabilise all the slope or cut a tunnel through.

CULTURE

International Museum Day in May.  Free admission on May 18th with this year’s theme, Museums and Social Harmony. From 17 – 21 May, Photographia Museu ‘Vicentes’ will run a Museums Week with special events. On May 18th, Casa-Museu Frederico de Freitas will have a photographic exhibition of the construction of the Port of Funchal and at the Museu de Arte Contemporânea, an exhibition by Ângela Costa will be inaugurated. In the garden of Casa Colombo – Museu do Porto Santo, activities will be held for school children. From 6 – 30 May, the exhibition ‘Madeira em Tradição’ runs at the Museu Etnográfico da Madeira. On May 9th, the XXVII Encontro Regional de Bandas Filarmónicas da Madeira is held in Ribeira Brava. The  Feira do Livro opens in Funchal on May 20th.

FRIDAY 30th APRIL

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Clinical Director changes hospital visiting system. The Clinical Director of the Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital in Funchal has decided to improve access for people visiting patients. From tomorrow, no visitor cards are needed nor is it necessary to leave ID at the entrance. There will be a person at the entrance desk to direct visitors to the correct floor and ward, and security personnel to bar anyone likely to be disruptive. The nurses are dissatisfied with these arrangements on points of safety and security. The policy will be reviewed in six months time.

Bank debts cost 200 million euros per year. Madeira will pay a high price for the downgrading of Portugal’s credit rating as most regional bank debt is contracted to national banks. As Portugal is considered a high credit risk due to the debt crisis, investors who loan money require a higher interest rate. At the end of 2008, the Regional Government, councils and public enterprises had bank loans totalling 3,300 million euros, which have to be repaid by 2013. The banks charge two hundred million euros in interest and charges annually, which will now rise substantially, as will any new loans. Loans for the reconstruction will be more difficult to pay back at a time when goods, services and salaries will be more expensive. At the end of last year, public sector debt increased with residents owing 8,332 million euros to banks, 4.2% more than the previous year. Deposits (savings) were reduced by 5.1% since the previous year to 6,462 million euros. This includes a 7.5% fall in deposits by emigrants to 2,411 million euros. 3.7%  loans were in arrears, and new loans and mortgages are now at higher interest rates.

Madeira advances natural gas project.  To partially replace petroleum fuels in energy production, the EEM has studied the feasibility of using natural gas. This will provide a safer, cheaper, cleaner and more stable supply than intermittent energy production from wave or wind power. A Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal (LNGT) is to be built for the storage and regasification of LNG to natural gas on the left bank of the Ribeira dos Socorridos. This is near the Central Termoeléctrica da Vitória, the main centre for electricity production on the island. Three new generators have been ordered for the expansion of this Electricity Generating Station and from 2010, it should produce 262 GWh from 50 million cubic metres of gas. The objective is to produce 36% of energy from renewable sources by 2016.

MADEIRA

Club for the elderly. Quinta d’ Avó is a new project in Funchal designed to improve the quality of life of the elderly population. The building in Rua Padre Pita opens on May 7th. The idea is to prevent people feeling isolated and there will be health care, meals, accommodation and hairdressing provided. Activities include the teaching of English, French, Portuguese, music, dance and aerobics. There are three levels of membership. The Gold Card (20 available) costs 1,350 euros a month and is for those requiring residential accommodation and all the services, double room en suite, to share with another person. The Silver Card (20 available), 750 euros per month, is for day care services. The Pink Card is for those who only use the facilities occasionally. Transport can be arranged. The majority of the 12 people employed are aged over 45 years old. There are currently 800 people on the waiting list for residential care in the region.

Friends of the Botanical Garden honour Rui Vieira. The Associação dos Amigos do Jardim Botânico honour Engenheiro Rui Vieira, the first director of the institute, by the provision of a bronze bust. At present, the sculptor is making a clay model which will be cast in bronze on the Continent, then situated in the Botanical Garden.

Stick insects in Madeira. Through importation, stick insects have become a recent addition to the regional fauna. They are harmless to the native flora and fauna and are commonly found in Mediterranean countries. Most observations have been made in Neves, Monte and Santana. Stick insects are easily missed due to their ability to merge unnoticed with dry twigs, staying motionless for hours. Adults grow to 22 cm in length, the males are smaller and thinner than the females and are capable of short flights.

‘Holiday Fun’ for 300 children. ‘Looking for a sponsor for my holidays’ is the slogan for a fund raising campaign to give 300 children a summer holiday this year. These children, aged between 6 and 15 years of age, have been affected by the storms of February 20th. Summer activities will cost 120 euros per month per child. To become a ‘godparent’, donate personally at a community centre or at the headquarters of the Associação de Desenvolvimento Comunitário do Funchal (ADCF), Rua da Alegria nº 14 B. Alternatively, through a bank transfer to the account of ADCF: NIB 0038 000121070821771 81 (BANIF). Please e-mail with details of the transfer for a receipt: adcfunchal@gmail.com

Renovation works at Caniçal should be finished by summer. These are for the recuperation of the praia da Ribeira do Natal and consolidation of the slopes overhanging the promenade to Caniçal. Diário previously reported that the debris from the clearance of the ribeira de Machico is being deposited on this beach, but the debris and runoff entering the sea are from these renovations.

New plant nursery. Two hectares of land are being prepared in Matur, near the airport, for a new Regional Government nursery to grow ornamental and regional species to supply public and private spaces. There is an urge to increase green areas to make the region more attractive and increase the quality of life on both Madeira and Porto Santo.

Many thanks to Elaine (West) for the photo, and Elaine and Paul for sending in a contribution(s) for this blog.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please only send in ‘exceptional’ or very topical photos by email attachment, as they take quite some time to process. Links to photos that are already online take much less time. Anything submitted for inclusion will be ‘cut and pasted’  to the blog very likely unchecked and unaltered, so please check anything through before sending it in, especially ‘automatic translations’, to avoid any ‘afterthoughts’. Blogs will be published when there is sufficient material to make one worthwhile. I can’t always respond to emails, so please accept my thanks in advance, and the attribution on the blog itself. Der.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any articles etc., but to save time and delays, please use the comments for minor contributions and to ask any questions. Please don’t send in copyrighted / restricted material.

Madeira News Blog © 2007 – 2010 All Rights Reserved

North Coast at Ribeira da Janela

Several contributions below from Paul :

EU PASSENGER RIGHTS LAW. Volcanic eruption is proving a major test for EU law, while many travellers have still not returned home. Some airline passengers are still stuck on the other side of the world two weeks after an eruption from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano shut down Europe’s skies. How long it takes them to get home and who pays for their enforced stay is turning into a test for European Union law on passengers’ rights.

Airlines are obliged to:

? Inform passengers about their rights;

"The Special One" is NOT "The Translator"? Offer stranded passengers accommodation and meals;

? Give passengers a choice between a refund or re-routing if their flight has been cancelled or delayed by more than five hours;

? Pay compensation of €125- €600 when flights are cancelled or delayed by more than three hours, unless this is caused by ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

Is the law enforced?

Numerous problems with enforcement were found when the European Commission investigated how the law worked during its first two years, in a report published in 2007. Food, drinks and accommodation were often not offered, while some airlines wrongly invoked force majeure to avoid giving passengers this assistance. The Commission also found that low-cost carriers seemed unwilling to organise re-routing with another airline, which meant passengers could be left stranded for days.

image caption: Zaventem Airport Brussels

Where is the best place to experience a cancellation?

Belgium and Denmark were judged to be the countries best at enforcing the law, according to the 2007 Commission study. In Belgium, airline staff can even go to prison for a year for flouting the rules. But in other member states (not named by the Commission), national authorities lacked the resources to investigate complaints or were not carrying out detailed investigations.

The above is a fact file. Here’s the full article:

"The Special One" is NOT "The Translator". "The Special One" is NOT "The Translator" so probably he won’t be contributing to the blog! The BBC website reports:

“Mourinho’s reaction at the final whistle said it all as he sprinted around the Nou Camp pitch with his hands aloft, a pointed salute to the Barca supporters and media critics who had labelled him "The Translator" in mocking tribute to his time at the club in the 1990s.

This was further testimony to the Portuguese manager’s claims to be "The Special One" as his side’s tactics, belief and resolve withstood a home onslaught that saw Barca run out of ideas until Pique’s goal.”  Link to UEFA.com video of match:

Defensive masterclass. “Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan produced a defensive masterclass after a first-leg 3-1 lead to reach the Champions League final at the expense of holders Barcelona at the Nou Camp.”

Inter played for more than an hour a man short but, Barca failed to score before Gerard Pique’s shot set up a frantic finale. Barca’s Bojan Krkic then scored in injury-time but, saw the strike ruled out.

So, Inter held on for the European Cup final and will now face Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu on 22 May as Mourinho attempts to lead them to European football’s top prize for the first time in more than 40 years. Link to full BBC article:

Snippets and news articles from Elaine :

Madeira Island Flowers Festival. Six photos in China Daily, an English-language newspaper for Westerners in Chinese territory. HERE

Mad about Madeira. No one has done more to resurrect the passion once enjoyed by Madeira than Mannie Berk, founder of Sonoma, Calif.’s Fine Wine Co… Berk’s company created the Historic Series to help modern oenophiles reclaim interest in the wine. The series stood at three –  Boston Bual, New York Malmsey and Charleston Sercial – but now has a fourth member: Savannah Verdelho. HERE

New tax reasons to invest in Madeiran prime locations. The Portuguese Government is keen to increase the country’s attractiveness for ultra and high net worth individuals (UHNWI), for Centres of Excellence of multinationals, R&D departments and for the entertainment industry.  It has launched a new advantageous Personal Income Tax (PIT) set of rules for so-called Non Habitual Residents (NHR). This New Regime – possibly more advantageous than either the UK or Swiss regimes for UHNWI’s, or the Dutch, French, Spanish regimes for expatriates – will be granted for a period of ten (renewable) years to new residents if they have not been Portuguese tax residents in the previous five years. HERE

Funchal Multipurpose Pavilion. The building is situated in a very enclosed valley with a steep north/south incline, and the site as a whole is bordered by roads to the north, east and west. Funchal Multipurpose Pavilion forms part of an urban intervention project that seeks to break down the existing isolation of the Technopole. HERE

News from Diário de Notícias and Jornal da Madeira

MONDAY 26th APRIL

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Image does not enter the church in Ribeira Seca. The pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima will be in the parish of Amparo (Ribeira Seca) but contrary to expectations, there will be no celebration held in the local church. The pilgrim image arrives in Machico on the 5th May and goes to Amparo on the 8th May, fulfilling a promise by the Bishop of Funchal. Canon Manuel Martins, the Priest for Machico, cannot enter the church by force as he is not employed by the parish of Nossa Senhora do Amparo, (suspended in 1977 by the Bishop of Funchal but still administers to the faithful of Ribeira Seca who reject the suspension and the Diocese of Funchal), and there is still no reconciliation between him and the Diocese. An alternative venue to receive the statue is the local school grounds. The closing ceremony for the visit of the pilgrim image is on Sunday 9th May with a fireworks display in the Bay of Machico and the Church of Machico will be open all night. The pilgrim image leaves Madeira on Monday 10th May when she will go to the airport in a Popemobile. 50 coaches have been booked for the closing ceremony.

MADEIRA

Sugar plantation falls into disuse. With the recession, there is not enough money to recuperate the former sugar plantation at the mouth of the ribeira do Porco in the parish of Boaventura. The Society of Northern Development (SDN) and previous mayors of the county have discussed recovering the area and rebuilding the mill for sugar cane and aguardente production. The mayor Humberto Vasconcelos wanted a museum built, as outlined in the election manifesto for 2005/9. The SDN has not enough funds for the project and the present council, led by Jorge Romeira, does not know if it will have enough funds over the next three years. Élvio Sousa, the former head of ARCHAIS, insists there are EU funds available if a project is submitted.

TUESDAY 27th APRIL

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Sewerage in the streams close Barreirinha. Because of sewerage entering the ribeiras de João Gomes, Santa Luzia and São João, Funchal Council does not recommend swimming in the sea between Barreirinha and Pontinha, with the exception of the praia de São Tiago. The beaches to the west of the port are of a good quality, especially between the port and Doca do Cavacas. The sewerage problems should be resolved before the summer season opens on June 21st.

Half a million trees for reforestation. Next Friday, Funchal Council will celebrate a protocol signed with 35 Portuguese companies, each guaranteeing to donate 10,000 euros for the reforestation of the serras overlooking Funchal. The EU will contribute two million euros, 85% of the total amount needed. The area to be covered, 250 hectares near the ribeira de Santa Luzia, will be planted at a density of 2,000 small trees and shrubs per hectare, taking two years. Over the past 15 years, 908 hectares have been reforested in Madeira and Porto Santo. Recently, another 600 hectares of serras have been purchased in Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol and Câmara de Lobos for planting indigenous species.

Free cement does not guarantee reconstruction. For reconstruction after the storms, ‘Cimentos Madeira’ has delivered to households in Câmara de Lobos (Curral das Freiras) and Santa Cruz, 40 bags of cement each. Some home owners complain they cannot afford labour costs for the renovations. The cement is worth 300 euros but labour costs per day are approximately 70 euros for a builder and 50 euros for each workman.

POLITICS

Porto Santo is the only council with good accounts. In 2008, Porto Santo Council was the only county with good financial results. Funchal Council was in the seventh place nationally for the most debt, but finances should improve from this year with the transfer of 5 million euros annually from Portugal, (5% IRS).

WEDNESDAY 28th APRIL

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Judge transferred for participation in Carnivals. Judge Dias Costa has been compulsory transferred to the Continent for having a public life incompatible with the dignity necessary to carry out his duties. He regularly participated in Carnival Parades from 1987 to 2007. The samba school he joined has Jardim, lawyers, doctors and the chief financial officer as members. At the end of the 2007 Carnival, Dias Costa was involved in an incident where the police had to intervene. Other aspects of his social life were incompatible with safeguarding confidence in the judiciary and a breach of professional duties.

4.6 million have used the Loja do Cidadão. Since it opened in April 2004, this citizen’s shop now contains 26 services. Attendance numbers surpassed those on the Continent, the success attributed to the quick resolution of issues. It might be decentralised to allow branches in Porto Santo, Ribeira Brava and Machico. The busiest day is Monday and the quietest period is from 18.00 onwards.

Learning to conserve is the message of sport. The eleventh edition of the Festa do Desporto Escolar opened yesterday evening at the Estádio dos Barreiros. 5,000 spectators watched thousands of school children performing in the opening ceremony, with the theme Biodiversity. Choreography used dance, theatre and gymnastics. Throughout the week, 5,493 students from 36 schools will participate in the annual event, alongside visitors from Luso-descendant international communities.

MADEIRA

No one will represent the Region in London. In Britain, Madeira Day is normally celebrated on May 3rd but as it falls on a public holiday this year, the event will take place on May 2nd. There will be no Regional Government representative at the celebrations in Kennington Park in London. It is the first time this has occurred to the disappointment of the the local Madeiran community. The Regional Executive wants to avoid the expense of sending a representative although the local population supported Madeira after the tragedy of February 20th. The original festa was for half a dozen emigrants, progressed to 200 people gathering for a dinner and for the past two or three years, has been held in the park with 20,000 participants. The festa is supported by Lambeth Council and 10 food and drink stalls will be erected in the park. After an open air Mass, musical entertainment will be provided by folklore groups from Madeira and Portugal. Lambeth Council officials, the Portuguese Ambassador, the Consular General and the Advisor to the Madeiran Communities will attend.

350,000 euros to recover Frente Mar. This is the amount that Funchal Council has spent to quickly restore the beaches and lidos after storm damage and enable them to reopen this summer. 150,000 euros on repair work and 200,000 euros on improvements. Charges to users will not alter this year. The Lido will not reopen this summer as it will cost 650,000 euros to restore it, and the Council has decided there are other priorities.

Going to the lidos at Machico will be more expensive. At Caniçal and Porto da Cruz swimming complexes, repair work is expensive so entrance charges will probably increase by 50 cêntimos to one and a half euros. This is at a time when the number of free beaches has been reduced by the dumping of inerts on two beaches in the area. In Santa Cruz, entrance to the complexo da Boaventura, next to the Aquaparque, will cost one euro for all ages.

Free access to the west coast. Beaches on the west coast near the mouths of streams, such as Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol, will have free access due to muddy discharges into the sea. The beach at Madalena do Mar is the least affected. The Complexo Balnear das Salinas will remain free due to an arrangement between Câmara de Lobos Council and Clube Naval de Câmara de Lobos. In Calheta, the council hopes to restore the sandy beach.

North without alterations. Charges at lidos will remain the same. At Porto Moniz, 1.25 euros for adults and 0.80 euros for children and seniors. In Ponta Delgada, 1 euro for adults and 0.50 euros for children and pensioners. Free access in Fajã da Areia (Clube Naval de São Vicente) and Seixal. At swimming complexes in Santana, access to São Jorge costs one euro and the one by the mouth of the Ribeira do Faial is free.

Many thanks to Dave (photo) Paul and Elaine for sending in contributions for this blog.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please only send in ‘exceptional’ or very topical photos by email attachment, as they take quite some time to process. Links to photos that are already online take much less time. Anything submitted for inclusion will be ‘cut and pasted’  to the blog very likely unchecked and unaltered, so please check anything through before sending it in, especially ‘automatic translations’, to avoid any ‘afterthoughts’. Blogs will be published when there is sufficient material to make one worthwhile. I can’t always respond to emails, so please accept my thanks in advance, and the attribution on the blog itself. Der.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any articles etc., but to save time and delays, please use the comments for minor contributions and to ask any questions. Please don’t send in copyrighted / restricted material.

Madeira News Blog © 2007 – 2010 All Rights Reserved

Spring flower

3 News stories from Paul :

Portuguese success at the European Judo Championships, Vienna!

Portugal’s Joao Pina has won the gold medal in the -73 weight category with a waza-ari. And Telma Monteiro won a bronze medal in the –57kg category.

image caption : Telma Monteiro

Link to official site of championships:

José Saramago: Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, playwright and journalist

image caption: José Saramago

José de Sousa Saramago, born 16 November 1922) is a Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, playwright and journalist. His works, some of which can be seen as allegories, commonly present subversive perspectives on historic events, emphasizing the human factor. Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1998. He founded the National Front for the Defense of Culture (Lisbon, 1992) with Freitas-Magalhães among others. He currently lives on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain.

‘The Notebook’ : The Notebook is a compilation of the postings by Portuguese novelist-turned-blogger José Saramago.

Saramago’s views : “The Nobel laureate’s thoughts make for intermittently stimulating, if predictable, reading. A militant communist, Saramago’s views on the current financial crisis (“a crime against humanity”) are about as surprising as his views on Catholic bishops (“parasites on civil society”). Admiration for his heroes – they include Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón and former Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio – runs as deep as disgust with his chosen villains, such as George Bush (“the high priest of all liars”) and Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi (“this thing, this disease, this virus that threatens moral death to the land of Verdi”).”

"..after the publication of The Gospel According to Jesus Christ Members of the country’s Catholic community were outraged by Saramago’s representation of Jesus as a fallible human being. Portugal’s conservative government would not allow Saramago’s work to compete for the European Literary Prize, arguing that it offended the Catholic community. As a result, Saramago and his wife moved to Lanzarote." Source: Wikipedia

The Notebook, by José Saramago, translated by Amanda Hopkinson and Daniel Hahn, Verso £12.99, 256 pages, FT Bookshop price: £10.39

Review of the Notebook in the FT:                        Link to wikipage on José Saramago:

Portugal not amongst Europe’s top coffee drinkers! “study conducted by the International Coffee Organisation (OIC), defying popular belief, has shown that Portugal is not amongst Europe’s top coffee drinkers.

It has been estimated that each Portuguese citizen consumes, on average, around four kilograms of coffee every year. While this seems a large quantity, it is a third less than the European average, which stands at six kilos per year.”

Portuguese consume between one and two coffees a day and prefer to drink their coffees outside the home, though making an espresso or latte in the home is gaining popularity.

Image caption : Interior of the famous "A Brasileira" Cafe in Lisbon, Portugal. Drinking coffee is a profitable business.

It is calculated that the national roasted coffee bean market is worth around two billion euros and is dominated by four main brands: Delta, Nestlé, Nutricafés and NewCoffee (a joint venture made up of Bogani, A Caféeira, Caffeccel, Lavazza and Sanzala).

Last year pure coffee sales in the immediate consumption food sector raked in more than €315 million; ground coffee sales suffered a drop of six percent, pure coffee sachet sales rose by 612 percent.

The sale of ‘coffee-bags’, another new form of making coffee, also grew by 123 percent.

But at present, the coffee industry is also suffering setbacks because of the economic crisis.”

And a couple of later additions, again from Paul :

"The Special One" calls Barcelona "obsessed" and warns referee Frank de Bleeckere to act on their gamesmanship. The UK Guardian newspaper reports that:

“Inter coach, Jose Mourinho, has added to the tension ahead of tonight’s (Wednesday’s) Champions League semi-final second leg by calling Barcelona "obsessed", and the warning referee Frank de Bleeckere to act on their gamesmanship.

Inter, who lead 3-1 from the first leg, enjoyed the rub of the green in terms of refereeing decisions last week in Milan – it was even reported that Mourinho dined with the Portuguese official Olegario Benquerenca. The Portuguese coach was suitably vague when asked about that allegation.

"I work so much that I don’t have time for any such business," he said on Tuesday night. "Where was the dinner supposed to be? Porto? They said Oslo before – I don’t have time for such business."

"We want to follow a dream," Mourinho said. "But it’s one thing to follow a dream and another to follow an obsession. For Barcelona it’s an obsession. Our dream is more pure than obsession. A dream is about pride. Our players will be proud to reach the final in Madrid.

"For Barcelona, they reach the dream by winning [the European Cup] in London, Paris and Rome. Now it is an obsession called Madrid and Santiago Bernabéu. Link to full ‘Guardian’ article:

"The Special One" Source: Wikipedia:

José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho, born 26 January 1963, is a Portuguese football manager. He is the current manager of Italian Serie A team Internazionale, to whom he is contracted for the following three seasons. He has the nickname "The Special One", a self-proclaimed title which was later taken up by the British media.

The son of Portuguese goalkeeper José Félix Mourinho, Mourinho started out as a player but he was dissatisfied with his career and switched to management.

Madeiran Real Madrid player Ronaldo says he wants the elimination of Barcelona to Inter in the semi-finals of the Champions League, “because I’m from Madrid”.

The Real Madrid’s Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo said he wants the elimination of Barcelona to Inter in the semifinals of the Champions League, “because I’m from Madrid,” he said.

image caption : Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Manchester United v Chelsea in 2006

The Real Madrid player said in relation to that shock “will be a great match, it will be difficult for the two because the club has to go back and Inter has to defend both goals. It’s hard to tell who will win,” and He added: “I prefer that Barca lose because I’m from Madrid and I like the Madrid because he is my club.”

Link to the Daily News:

Many thanks to Tobi (photo) and Paul for sending in contribution for this blog.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please only send in ‘exceptional’ or very topical photos by email attachment, as they take quite some time to process. Links to photos that are already online take much less time. Anything submitted for inclusion will be ‘cut and pasted’  to the blog very likely unchecked and unaltered, so please check anything through before sending it in, especially ‘automatic translations’, to avoid any ‘afterthoughts’. Blogs will be published when there is sufficient material to make one worthwhile. I can’t always respond to emails, so please accept my thanks in advance, and the attribution on the blog itself. Der.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any articles etc., but to save time and delays, please use the comments for minor contributions and to ask any questions. Please don’t send in copyrighted / restricted material.

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