Madeira News Blog

re building the levada do Caniçal high above Machico May 2010

"We did this beautiful walk in May 2010.The starting point is opposite the Bar A Calcadinha at the western end of Marocos. The scenery is spectacular as you walk in and out of each of the valleys. You look over the rooftops of Machico and get views of the Desertas islands and Pico do Facho. Wild flowers adorn the sides of the levada and the mimosa trees were in full bloom. The valleys are terraced and every available strip of land has some crop growing on it. After passing the bar O Jacare we found a group of dedicated workers re building the levada which had suffered during the floods of February, they were walking along the levada with wheelbarrows of cement which had been mixed on a road above the levada and sent down a shoot. It certainly makes you stop and think when you see just how much work goes into building and maintaining these water channels, I have done many a mile on the levada walks and enjoyed the scenery, wild flowers etc but seeing the work that goes into making this possible makes me appreciate them even more." Carol Ann UK.

This is from Robert :

It’s rugged, it’s narrow, it’s slow and it’s old.

So why does the regional authority in Madeira maintain the Old North Coast Road, even though a new, wide, fast highway has been built alongside it?

The answer is, of course, tourism.

The Old North Coast Road, or Antiga ER101 as it is known locally, is a favorite with many of the tourists that flock to Madeira every year.

And, why is the Antiga ER101 such a tourist favorite? Simply, because it’s rugged, it’s narrow, it’s slow and it’s old.

For many visitors to the island, the original coastal road in the north west tip of the island offers the opportunity to experience Madeira in the raw, exactly how it was before the need for speed prompted the blasting of endless kilometers of tunnels through the volcanic rock that gave birth to the archipelago.

View this video of a journey along the Old North Coast Road Full article can be found here on  SQUIDOO

How nice that this blog we have two more contributors than usual. Wouldn’t it be great if more people ‘chipped in’ once in a while? Der

Several contributions from Paul :

‘The Sagres’. SDNN.com reports:

The historic Portuguese tall ship Sagres is in San Diego Bay for a one-week stay.

“The ship was built in 1937 at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. It was captured in 1945 by U.S. Forces during World War II and was later given to Brazil for use by its Navy as a training ship.

Image caption : photo by Lopo Pizarro

In 1962, the ship was purchased by Portugal for use by its Navy as a training ship and renamed Sagres, after a historic port that was the starting point for many Portuguese explorers and navigators.

Below image caption : Downtown San Diego Skyline at night, viewed from Coronado towards Downtown

It is the sister ship to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Eagle.” Link:

Portugal, the Philippines & Portugal’s National Day. mb.com.ph reports:

“The National Day of Portugal marks the date of Luis de Camoes’ death in June 10, 1580. Camoes wrote the Os Lusiadas, Portugal’s national epic poem celebrating Portuguese history and achievements.

Portuguese citizens and Portuguese immigrants around the world celebrate this holiday. In London, England, this year’s celebration will be held on June 21, 2010, in Streatham Common Park. In the United States, the most recognized Portugal Day celebration is the Portugal Day Festival in Newark, New Jersey.

As a European Union (EU) member state, Portugal actively participates in EU programs of cooperation in the Philippines. Portuguese exports to the Philippines amount to about US$5 million a year.

Octopusses. Portugal’s main export to the Philippines are semiconductors, octopusses, holiday decorations, automotive parts and textiles, machinery, wood and dairy products.
The Portuguese Parliament approved a set of reforms that strengthened free enterprise and denationalized industries on June 1, 1989. Portugal’s economic upturn in 1996 was due basically to EU transfers and the removal of trade and other barriers.
These were decisive influences on growth in the last decade. The main industries of Portugal include textiles, wine, footwear, cork, paper, chemicals, and fish canning.
Like Spain, Portugal is historically and culturally linked to the Philippines.

image caption : An anonymous portrait of Ferdinand Magellan , 16th or 17th century (The Mariner’s Museum Collection, Newport News, VA)

The first Portuguese to set foot on Philippine soil was Ferdinand Magellan. He came to our islands in 1521 in the service of Spain. The Portuguese and the Filipinos share the same predominant religion; some 97 percent of the Portuguese are Roman Catholics…” LINK

Know your Jellyfish! Times of Malta reports:

Differences between Portuguese man-o-war, the by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) & common mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca)

“A potentially dangerous Portuguese man-o-war or blue bottle (Physalia physalis) jellyfish was spotted off Xlendi, Malta last weekend and reported to the authorities as the Spot the Jellyfish study got underway.”

Image caption : Portuguese man-of-war

Portuguese man-o-war are rare around Malta, and the International Ocean Institute and the University of Malta, which are conducting the study said that most of the reported sightings involved large numbers of the common mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) and of the harmless by-the-wind sailor (Velella velella) which is in fact a floating colonial hydroid colony with its own sail."

"The aim of the initiative, which is conducted in a large number of other countries, is not to scare locals and tourists off the beach but to gather much needed scientific records and to generate public awareness about the ecological role played by jellyfish and the changing nature of our seas." LINK

EU mobile phone charge cap is legal. BBC website reports:

“The price of calls between European Union countries will remain capped. Caps on mobile phone call charges made while travelling within Europe will stay in place after four phone giants failed to have them overturned.

The four – Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange and Telefonica O2 – challenged rules put in place by the EU in 2007.

Image caption : Two women text messaging on their cell phones in a coffee shop on the campus of California State University, Fullerton.

These put a maximum limit on charges for calls and other mobile services.

The EU said that by 2011, the maximum charge for making an inter-Europe call would be 35 euro cents (29p) and for receiving a call, 11 cents.

These charges apply to customers who are in one of the 27 European Union countries but out of their home network and therefore passing through a rival system.” LINK

Portuguese water dog runs circles around Obama. Daily Mail reports:

"It was meant to be a walk in the park. But, with his hands gripped tightly around his dog’s red leash, Barack Obama is clearly struggling to show Bo who’s boss. Dressed casually in a white open-neck shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the stressed U.S. president gritted his teeth in embarrassment as he failed to gain control of the family pet…"

image caption : Per this photo’s caption from the official White House website, "The Obamas welcome Bo, a six-month old Portuguese water dog and a gift from Senator and Mrs. Kennedy to Sasha and Malia, recently at the White House".  Link to article and photos

And the rest from Elaine :

Brit Holiday Makers Head Back to Eurozone with Jet2.com. Last summer saw a rise in the Great British Staycation, with holiday makers choosing to stay within UK shores for their annual get away’s or head for less-pricey resorts in Egypt and Turkey, outside of the costly Eurozone. But now, with more paella for their Pound and extra sangria for their Sterling, Brits are once again flocking to their perennial favourite sunshine spots. HERE

Madeira: recipes and information from BBC website. Madeira is a fortified wine that comes from the island of the same name. Different grape varieties are used to make the four types, which range from dry to sweet. It can be served chilled and drunk as an aperitif, but is also used extensively in cooking in the same way as you would dry sherry. HERE

Postugal – Portugal on stamps. Postage stamps in the category: Madeira. HERE

News from Diário de Notícias and Jornal da Madeira

TUESDAY 8th JUNE

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Large crowd at the opening of Pingo Doce. The Pingo Doce supermarket at Anadia reopened yesterday after renovations, with the new look. The February 20th floods completely destroyed the shop. People filled the store and surrounding areas – to a lesser extent at Dolce Vita – as a proof of brand loyalty, as noted in the inaugural speech of Pedro Soares dos Santos of Grupo Jerónimo Martins. He said the reopening is a symbolic sign of recovery after the tragedy and of confidence in the future of Portugal and the Region. Also, loyalty rewards loyalty, because of the years of support of madeirenses. The President of the Regional Government in his opening speech highlighted the immediate availability of the Executive President Soares dos Santos – the first private call he received on February 20th – offering help to the Region and this gave him "extraordinary strength" at a difficult moment. He hopes to personally thank the portuense (from Porto) entrepreneur with an honorary decoration on the Day of the Region on July 1st. Jardim suddenly stated that those who do not want to work will lose social protection, which should be directed to those who really need it. Negotiations are still underway with the insurer AXA Portugal for the two destroyed supermarkets although the amount claimed has not been disclosed. There were no employees made redundant and more staff have been employed. Pingo Doce has 900 employees in the region and a third have served the company for over 10 years. There are 15 stores in Madeira, the first opened almost 20 years ago. Over 25,000 customers visit regional Pingo Doce stores daily and the store at Anadia is the most successful branch in Portugal. The Executive President of Jerónimo Martins made one million euros immediately available after the storm of February 20th. This served to buy an apartment block for those made homeless.

60 shops yet to reopen. In lower Funchal, reporters counted more than 60 commercial establishments still closed after the consequences of the storm of February 20th. Some enterprises will not reopen, suffering a lack of capital and unable to comply with the rules of the business recovery helpline. The Association of Trade and Services ensures that 20 – 22 companies are waiting for approval of funds by the support line so they can reopen. Photo slideshow: HERE

Water unpaid for 11 years. Since 1999, debts owed to Funchal Council by IDRAM for water consumption at sports facilities in the county have reached 2.5 million euros. With the council’s budget squeezed by the reconstruction effort, council officials and the Regional Secretary of Finance met the President of IDRAM to try to find a solution, but any outcome has not been disclosed. The President of the club Marítimo said they were also owed thousands of euros by IDRAM.

MADEIRA

Seasonal fruit sold on the streets until 31st October. In downtown Funchal, 16 licensed traders have started selling regional seasonal fruit. They are authorized to operate on weekdays with one stall holder licensed to trade in São Martinho at weekends. Among apricots, strawberries, bananas and papayas, the fruit most sold despite being the most expensive is the cherry. There are lower yields this year with the consequences of the bad weather, which is reflected in the price. Sales of cherries do not differ much from last year despite the increase in price and they sell for 4.50 euros per kilo.

ECONOMY

Yacht of the Year in Funchal. The MY Ingot has moored at Funchal Port during a repositioning cruise from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, where it will be chartered for summer. It was built in 2008 in the Burger Boat Company shipyard, one of the most prestigious shipyards in the United States. The aluminium super structure measures 46.56 metres long and 9.04 metres wide. The yacht cruises at 13 knots with a top speed of 15 knots and has a navigational range of 4,000 miles. This mega yacht has nautical leisure equipment on board to allow guests to enjoy kayaking, jet skiing, windsurfing and game fishing. The Ingot received the International Award in 2009 for the best yacht in the category of yachts up to 50 metres in a ceremony at Ft. Lauderdale in Florida last October. The interior area is 5,025 square metres with 4,150 square metres of exterior floorspace, including recreational areas. There are four king-size VIP cabins with heated floors and finishes in rare marble, granite and onyx.

ECM launches special labels on ’7 Natural Wonders of Portugal’. With the aim of supporting the two regional candidates in this contest – the beach of Porto Santo and the Laurissilva forest – the ECM (Beer Company of Madeira) has launched special labels today. They contain information on these two applicants and how to vote. Coral will have six million bottles with labels and for Brisa, Brisol and Laranjada bottles, there are one million labels printed. Voting on the 21 finalists ends on September 7th. Details on the site: HERE

CULTURE

“Feira do Mel” in São Vicente. São Vicente Council, the Secretary for the Environment and Apimadeira (Beekeepers Association) present the first Honey Fair on the 25th – 27th June. With five beekeepers in the county, more than a tonne of honey is produced annually. There will be a honey exhibition in the town centre where the beekeepers will sell their produce and a photography exhibition on the subject of honey production.

Regional artists in “Festas de Verão” in Câmara de Lobos. Program of Summer Festivals from the 25th June – 4th July. Incorporates the Festa do Peixe Espada Preto and Marchas de São Pedro. Regional artists will be performing: Vânia Fernandes, Sofia Relva, Denisa, Cristina Barbosa, os Karnak Seti, os Seis pro Meia Dúzia and Kontra Band. Marches on Monday June 28th at 21.30 followed by a fireworks show at midnight.

Santos Populares in the city of Machico. Popular saints are celebrated in Machico and the emphasis is on São Pedro with marches on the 27th June. The Festas dos Santos Populares commence on the 20th June with the 5º Concurso de Joeiras. These traditional creations (photo) are made of paper and scallop cane and the contest is held on the promenade in the city of Machico. At 18.00 on the 23rd June, the 14º Concurso de Fontanários commences when 25 – 30 decorated fountains are visited for judging by the Casa do Povo and the Parish Council, accompanied by Machico Municipal Band. On Sunday 27th June, São Pedro is honoured by marches at 17.00 along the principal roads. From 18.30, there is entertainment provided by Tuna da Banda Municipal de Machico, Grupo de Folclore de Machico and Grupo de Fados de Machico, followed by a show by Jorge Canha at 20.00.

TODAY’S USELESS FACT

Portuguese are the third largest consumers of fish. Octopus and sardines are the favourite fish of the Portuguese who consume 57 kilos of fish per year per capita, more than double the European average of 21.5 kilos. This requires two thirds of the fish to be imported to Portugal. Top global consumers are the Icelanders and Japanese. In Portugal, octopus, sardines, redfish, tuna, swordfish and cod are the most common fish eaten. Mackerel, prawns, bream and grouper are next on the list of 20 preferred fish. Today is World Oceans Day and this survey by the League for the Protection of Nature is to highlight that consumption must be sustainable. Source: Diário Digital

WEDNESDAY 9th JUNE

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Region spent a fortune on Rock in Rio. The presence of Madeira in the festival Rock in Rio has cost a million euros. The firm Better World paid this amount to rent advertising space at the site where the concerts took place. This is equivalent to 200,000 euros per day, far beyond the amount spent on other events to promote Madeira as a tourist destination. The Socialist Party believe this is money wasted by the Regional Government in the present time of crisis. The sum seems excessive when the SIC gala accumulated 535,000 euros and the Portuguese Red Cross raised 1.3 million euros and the Regional Government contributes 970,000 euros to the Association for the Promotion of Madeira. Rock in Rio cost an additional 800,000 euros to the Region through the organization of FeVinho. The Socialists have written to ACIF and APAVT for their comments on this promotion, especially the cost/benefit involved. Raquel França said they were pleased with the outcome as the Tourism to Madeira stand had 15,000 – 20,000 visitors per day, calculated on the number of t-shirts distributed. The event promoted Madeira to a younger audience than usually targeted.

Port receives 35,000 more and airports lose 20,000 passengers. For May, the number of cruise ships visiting Funchal was 5.8% higher than last year and the number of tourists grew 25.5%. There were only 3 cruise ships from which passengers could start and finish their journey in Funchal – Island Escape, Seven Seas Mariner and the Ruby Princess. There was an increase in the number of tourists in all of the first five months of this year and they generated 11.6 million euros for the regional economy. The effect of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud caused 9.5% fewer passengers disembarking at Funchal and Porto Santo airports. Over the five five months of the year, Madeira Airport had a 10% fall, and Porto Santo Airport a 18.9% fall in passenger numbers and ANAM (Airports Authority) lost 1.8 million euros.

MADEIRA

Recovery is ongoing without receiving any money. The Vice-President of the Regional Government, Cunha e Silva, visited the channeling of streams that overflowed on the 20th February in the county of Santa Cruz. He said the rapid promulgation of the Lei de Meios by the President of the Republic is needed to pay companies and workers. He said they have not received any solidarity money from either the EU or Portugal to pay for this type of work. Cunha e Silva was visiting the sites of Ribeiro Serrão (Camacha) and Eiras (Caniço). He does not know how much has already been spent on works in progress which are based on trust.

Many thanks to Carol Ann (photo), Robert, 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.

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