Madeira News Blog

This Onion Festival photo is from Tobi’s website HERE. Thank you.

Some contributions from Paul :

Rambo or Ronaldo? Kansas City.com reports:

on a  photo supposedly released by the Portuguese Soccer Federation

image caption : Sylvester Stallone in Sweden in 1988 promoting "Rambo III

Ronaldo is training in the Estrela mountains in preparation for the World Cup soccer tournament taking place in June and July in South Africa. Link to full article:

"Jose is like me, a winner. His arrival makes me very happy..”. reports Portugoal.net

… on Portuguese football’s two most recognisable faces Mourinho teaming up with Seleccao captain Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu next season.

right image caption : José Mourinho

below image caption : Cristiano Ronaldo playing in 2006

Jose Mourinho will be presented as the new coach of Real Madrid on Monday. Link to article:

First female Portuguese pilot to loop the loop?

Expresso video

Portuguese mechanics are among the best in the world! Miguel Cunha e José Azevedo are mechanics of world championship drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonnen who recently competed in the ‘Rally de Portugal’

image caption : Eddie Stobart rally car in Portugal 2009

Video: watch the boys bring Jari-Matti’s car back to life on day two Expresso video

Madeiran driver is youngest Portuguese rally driver to compete in the World Rally Championship (WRC). “Bernardo Sousa, 22 years of age, was the youngest portuguese rally driver to compete in the WRC. He began his sports career kart driving in 1999, reaching the fastest drivers in every championship he raced.

This fine results allowed the young Madeira Island born driver to jump in to a new world of rally competition, and in 2005 he began his rally career at Bingo Faial Rally. Disciplined, he engaged a fast adaption to this new driving style that allowed him to choose to pursue a rally career. In 2006 and 2007 he entered The Portuguese and Madeiram Rally Championships…

Image caption : Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII IN 2009

Recognized as one of the biggest world rally promisses, Bernardo Sousa, wants in 2010 to proceed in his international career returning strong to the WRC…”

Video: Interview in English with Bernardo Sousa in 2008

Source Bernardo Sousa’s website:

Bernardo Sousa’s ID card
Surname::            Sousa
Name:            Bernardo
Date of birth:            May 16th, 1987
Place of birth:            Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal
Place of residence:            Lisboa, Portugal
Height:  1m74
Car:      Smart for two
Heroes:            My parents, Ayrton Senna, Colin Mcrae
Alternative job:            Motorsport engineer
Most useful gadget: My laptop (mac), i think is one of the best gadgets I have, where ever i go, it always goes with me
Stranded on a desert island, with who?            My girlfriend
Dream holiday:            Bora Bora
Favorite travel destination:            Rio de Janeiro
Favorite food:            Pasta
Favorite drink:            Wine
Who would you enjoy talk to?  Unfortunately is not possible, but it would surely be
Mcrae or Senna.
A live person maybe Lewis Hamilton
Best feature:            I am a fast learner
Superstitions::            Nothing special
Situation that most scared you?     An accident in karting european Championship. I thought that i was going to remain in a wheelchair

Source Bernardo Sousa’s website:

Everything else from Elaine :

Cream Tea Birding blogspot includes photos of wildlife found throughout the world. Madeira Birds have definitely got a great thing going out in Madeira and they certainly know what they are doing when it comes to where to find those sought after seabirds. With Catarina’s sailing expertise, Hugo’s beloved and unique frozen chum blocks and both their knowledge of petrels at sea, together they can produce some of the best pelagics in the Western Palearctic. HERE

Spanish EU Presidency – Outermost Regions speak up for their strategic role and call for more EU support. The President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Paulino Rivero, closed the First Forum for Outermost Europe on Friday by calling for greater flexibility in the administration of European funding, as well as greater support for traditional products and help in combating unemployment. Rivero defended the “new strategic role that the most distant regions of Europe must play… from the point of view of security… in controlling illegal immigration in their geographical setting, and as platforms for cooperation and development with neighbouring countries”. HERE

Collection of travel blogs and tourist information. Madeira 2010    PHOTOS

(Link from Madeira Blog.) Set of creative photos on flickr.

News from Diário de Notícias and Jornal da Madeira

SATURDAY 29th MAY

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Creditors give serious blow to Colombo’s. The three main creditors – BCP, Banif and Casais – of Sociedade Imobiliária e Turística do Campo de Baixo, the promoter of Colombo’s Resort, have applied for insolvency to recover the 110 million euros of debt. This is despite 16 million euros made available by the State (10 million), the Region (1 million) and Porto Santo Council (5 million) if the creditors transformed 35 million euros of debt into equity but there has been disagreement over the assessment of work undertaken and value of the asset. There will be one of two solutions: either a buyer emerges who is interested in completing the project or alternatively, the acquisition of goods in order to pay the creditors. Banif and BCP lent 70 million euros and Casais lent 40 million euros but it is suspected that some of the money was diverted to other projects by Sílvio Santos and Joaquim Coimbra. 9 million euros approved by the Government of the Republic under the PITER incentive will be diverted to another project in the region. Dozens of companies that have provided materials and equipment might have their debts repaid. Alberto Jardim has always considered Colombo’s as a private investment but the increasing degradation of the unfinished tourist resort is a problem to Porto Santo Council for land management, environmental quality and tourism. The Madeiran Silvio Santos was the principal promoter of Colombo’s, the most ambitious resort to be built in Porto Santo, and will have lost 7 million euros.

MADEIRA

Average temperatures increased by half a degree. Between 2005 and 2009, the average annual temperatures increased by slightly more than half a degree centigrade. Last year, the annual mean temperatures ranged from 19.9 degrees centigrade in São Gonçalo to 20.4 degrees centigrade in Quinta Magnólia, in comparison with the temperatures in 2005, 19.3 and 19.7 degrees, respectively. In Porto Santo, annual mean temperature increased from 19.7 degrees centigrade in 2005 to 20.3 degrees last year. June to October were the warmest months and February the coldest. The region has a temperate climate with average summer temperatures not above 25 º C and average winter temperatures above 5 º C. Average annual solar radiation values have been consistent over the past five years and air quality has improved with fewer air pollutants (nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and particulates).

Bus lost its wheels on the road. A tourist bus lost two rear wheels whilst on the motorway and eventually managed to stop without causing any injuries to the passengers. The bus was in the area of Cancela, travelling between Santa Cruz – Funchal, taking tourists from the airport to their hotel. Neither the tour operator who rented the bus, JC Tours, nor the bus company, SAM, would comment on the accident apart from stressing that there were no injuries.

500,000 euros for the Atlantic Festival. Three new features this year. Some of the fireworks will be launched from floating platforms in the bay of Funchal. There will be no jury for the fireworks contest. The public can judge by placing votes in the tombolas in the Avenida do Mar, at hotels or on-line at festival atlantico. The third difference is that only Portuguese companies will take part, in a show of solidarity following the storm of February 20th. The fireworks displays on Saturday evenings will be: June 5th, Pirotecnia Minhota, "Colour and Light Emotions"; June 12th, HC & Filhos, "Magic in the Air"; June 19th, Luso Pirotecnia, “Madeira, Flower Name”; June 26th, Macedos Pirotecnia, "Charms". All displays start at 22.30 and last for 20 minutes. The Atlantic Festival incorporates the Madeira Music Festival and an exhibition will be held in the space InfoArte of SRTT.  Also included are the Festas de São João, with the Altares de São João from the 18th and Parade Marchas de São João on the 23rd. Of note, the Antique and Classic Car Show from the 14th on the Placa Central da Avenida Arriaga, and the XXIII Volta à Madeira – Classic Rally 2010 between the 23rd and 25th June.

Porto Moniz chose the best wines of the region. The Regional Competition of Bottled Wines took place in Porto Moniz yesterday. For white table wines, the winner was Rocha Branca 2007 and in second place, Barbusano 2008. For red table wines, the winner was Quinta do Moledo 2008 and in second place, Terras do Avô 2008. In the Madeira Wine category, HM Borges Sercial 10 Anos won and in second place, Justinos Sercial 10 Anos. For rosé wines, there was only Atlantis 2009. 11 producers entered 4 fortified wines, 1 rosé, 9 whites and 11 reds.

ECONOMY

Replenishment of the sand at Calheta. 3,800 tonnes of yellow sand are being unloaded at the port of Caniçal. The sand has been transferred from Morocco on the West Side bulk carrier. It will take about 120 lorry journeys to transport it from the port to Calheta beach. The last operation to replenish the beach was in June 2008 with 2,800 tonnes of sand.

EIB lends 75 million euros to EEM for ‘green energy’. The European Investment Bank has approved a loan to the Electricity Company of Madeira for investment in modernizing the infrastructure, improving energy efficiency and the greater use of alternative energy sources. This loan should guarantee the power supply to more than 135,000 customers in Madeira and Porto Santo. At present, 77% of energy consumed in the region is from petroleum derivatives and by 2016, renewable energy sources (wind and wave) should contribute to over 36%. The first loan from the EIB to the EEM was for 190 million euros in 2005. The EIB has previously granted two other loans to the region: 40 million euros to modernize the ports of Funchal, Caniçal and Porto Novo (total cost 100 million euros) and 200 million euros to the Regional Government to co-finance EU projects from 2000 – 2006 (total investment of 1,200 million euros).

Madeira Wine wins medals.  6 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze medals were won in the category fortified wines at the London International Wine Fair held between the 18th and 20th May. This is one of the most important wine fairs in the world. In 2009, the total amount of Madeira Wine exported to Britain was 305,722 litres, representing 1,728,082 euros. Britain is the second export market and accounts for 11.88% of total exports. There were two Madeira Wine tasting seminars at the event. The first was titled Disaster Relief and was led by Charles Metcalfe, the founder of Wine International Magazine. The aim was to promote wines from regions affected by natural disasters, such as Madeira, Turkey and Chile. The second seminar, Madeira Blends, was led by Trevor Elliot, a member of the Association of Wine Educators. This association will publish a book later this year dedicated to Madeira Wine. 

CULTURE

Urban artisan exhibits on-line. Cláudia Gouveia owns a mini-shop in a stairwell at Rua do Bom Jesus,14 in Funchal. She creates original objects using traditional techniques and exhibits them on-line: COLOR HUGS

Festas de Santo António begin on the 12th. The tradition of celebrating the patron saint of this parish begins next Friday and continues until Sunday June 13th, the day dedicated to this saint. The highlight is the procession/contest of popular marches with three prizes of 1,000, 500 and 200 euros. The parish council has a budget for this festival of 14,000 euros this year, which is a reduction of between 10,000 – 12,000 euros from previous years, with extra funding provided by Funchal Council.

Calendar of Events.

4 de Junho, 21 horas, Os Lordes
5 de Junho, 21 horas, Los Cubanitos
6 de Junho, 21 horas, Kontraband
7 de Junho, 21 horas, Os Animatura (música tradicional) e TUMa (animação de rua)
8 de Junho, 21 horas, Banda Cró
9 de Junho, 21 horas, Xarabanda
10 de Junho, 21 horas, Grupo Folclórico do Centro Cultural de Stº António. E às 22h30, os Black Dog Blues Band
11 de Junho, 21 horas, Galáxia e Tuna D’Elas (animação de rua)
12 de Junho, 21 horas, Marchas Populares, comos ginásios de Santo António, S. Martinho, Casa Saúde João de Deus, casas do povo do Estreito, Ribeira Brava, Juventude Antoniana, Banda Filarmónica de St.º António, casas do povo do Monte, Imaculado Coração Maria e Geringonça. Às 23h30, Casino Summer Trio
13 de Junho, 15 horas, sessão solene. Às 21 horas, Banda Filarmónica de St.º António.

SUNDAY 30th MAY

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Price of fish increased 13%. In the first quarter of this year, there were 25.8% fewer tonnes of fish caught compared to 2009, leading to a price increase of 13% per kilo and the fishermen lost 14% revenue. The largest fall in income arose from 21.7% fewer tonnes of peixe espada caught. There were 37.7% fewer tonnes of tuna caught but due to the price increasing, the fishermen lost less income. Also, less mackerel (51.5%) and horse-mackerel (41.7%) landed. Investments by regional companies increased egg production by 22.6% and chicken meat by 10.1%. 26.5% fewer tonnes of pigs were slaughtered and 6.4% fewer tonnes of cattle. The trend in production over the past decade has been: -17.7% eggs, +50% chickens, -22.3% pigs, -16.15% cattle and -5.8% less fish although revenue to fishermen increased by 29.2%.

MADEIRA

Fewer beaches monitored at Machico. Four of the seven beaches and bathing complexes in the county of Machico will not have SANAS lifeguards present at numbers indicated in the new national surveillance laws. This is possible as there will be no beaches in this county with Blue Flag designation this summer season. The beaches with a reduced number of lifeguards but with some supervision are: Praia de São Roque, Praia da Ribeira do Natal and Prainha no Caniçal, and Praia da Lagoa no Porto da Cruz. Bathing areas with an increased number are: Praia de Machico and the bathing complexes of Porto da Cruz and Caniçal. This reduction of lifesavers at four beaches will save the authority 12,000 euros but the total cost still reaches 38,000 euros. It is difficult to use the Praia do Natal because of consolidation of the slopes north of the beach.

OCCURRENCES

Fall into ribeiro reveals danger. The fall of an individual into a ribeiro in Câmara de Lobos, in between Castelejo and Casa Caída, revealed a lack of safety for passing pedestrians. The man showed some degree of intoxication, according to witnesses, and was sitting on the wall of the bridge over the stream. He overbalanced and fell 10 metres, resulting in deep lacerations to his head and suspected internal injuries. The bridge was damaged by the storm of February 20th, allowing the stream to overflow and severely damage neighbouring houses. A large part of the wall is still temporarily replaced by wood despite this being brought to the attention of the council who still have a lot of repair work outstanding.

A late addition by email from Mike :

This is just out of interest, and I’m sure it would be to some people?

On Britains got Talent last night there were a dance troupe by the name of "Dance Flavourz" and they were led by a guy called Francis.

When we first started to go to Madeira some 12/14 years ago, Francis used to do the round of hotels with his dance troupe "Francis Dancers",after a few years they became known as something else? The last time we saw him in Madeira he was dancing at the Casino,that was until we saw him on TV last night.

The actual clip is now on Youtube.  (Dance Flavourz is easily googled ) I don’t know if anyone recognised him but the clip has been viewed 105000 times already.

We are always looking at your website / blog. regards Mike

Many thanks to Paul, Mike 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 dermadeira-blog@yahoo.co.uk 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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