Madeira News Blog

Several contributions from Paul :

Portugal’s strong recovery! ‘Buy Association’ reports:

“Portugal has had the highest percentage growth in all of Europe: first quarter of this year”
“…the first country to come out of the recession”. “ It is also predicted to have a three-percent growth each year until 2017…”

image caption : The Portuguese city of Evora

“Real estate experts have noted that investors started snatching up homes last year when the property market offered good deals in a rough economy. But with the recent news of the Portugal’s strong recovery—the country welcomed 11 million tourists last year—serious investors are back and putting money down on properties, according to agents and developers.

Some of the more popular destinations are along the Silver Coast, where apartments begin at £40,000, and nine-story homes are going for £160,000. Others are heading to the countryside and buying existing developments. Rural northern and central areas, which are far away from tourist spots, are most in demand, possibly signalling that the new wave of investors that are more interested in peace than a loud, celebratory city.

Another easy draw is Portugal’s year-round sun. Brits seem especially interested in a prolonged summer, as 38,000 British expats live in the country.” LINK

The Duke of Wellington & the Iberian Peninsular campaign. BBC British history in-depth:

“Wellington is remembered as the conqueror of Napoleon and as one of Britain’s finest soldiers, despite starting life as a violin-playing Anglo-Irish aristocrat.”

Image caption : Portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

“He told a friend that he would not be chased off the continent as so many other similar forces had been, because he had made a study of French tactics, and would not be at any kind of psychological disadvantage in relation to the enemy. ‘They may overwhelm me but I don’t think they will outmanoeuvre me’, he said. ‘First, because I am not afraid of them, as everybody else seems to be; and secondly, because if what I hear of their system of manoeuvre is true, I think it a false one against steady troops. I suspect that all the continental armies were more than half beaten before the battle was begun – I, at least, will not be frightened beforehand.’ It was a brave boast, but fully justified by subsequent events.

The Iberian Peninsular campaign started off well after victories at Rolica and Vimeiro. Soon afterwards, however, Wellesley was superseded in command by two generals,

Sir Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple, who signed an armistice with the French that allowed the defeated enemy safe passage home, with all their arms and booty and even transportation in Royal Navy vessels. Back in Britain there was outrage at the terms of what was called the Convention of Cintra, and an ‘inquiry’ (which was effectively a court-martial) was heard in the Great Hall of the Royal Hospital at Chelsea. After several weeks, Wellesley was finally acquitted.

Soon after the Cintra inquiry closed, Wellesley returned to the Peninsula, once again in command. In one of history’s great coincidences, however, the time he had spent in England had coincided with the two months that Napoleon had campaigned in Spain. So the two men missed confronting one another, and only came face to face for the first and last time at the battle of Waterloo six years later.

The leadership Wellesley showed in the Peninsular campaign was exemplary…

Having resumed command in Portugal in 1809, Wellesley – aided at all times by the Portuguese army and the Spanish guerrillas – spent the next five years trying to expel the French from the Peninsula. He took not one day’s leave as he campaigned backwards and forwards across Portugal and Spain, occasionally being forced to retreat because of the pressure of numbers opposing him, but never losing a battle or even so much as a single cannon. He was almost always outnumbered by the huge French forces that were occupying Spain in the name of Napoleon’s brother, King Joseph of Spain. The leadership Wellesley showed in the Peninsular campaign was exemplary; he won a reputation for expecting the best from his men, and for being a harsh disciplinarian when he did not get it. Yet his troops also knew he never risked their lives unnecessarily.”           Link

Despite his many personal connections with Portugal, Columbus was not granted the royal patronage he sought in Portugal. BBC British History in-depth:

"According to tradition the request was denied on the ground that it was:
-too expensive
-that Columbus was only a ‘visionary’ and was
-wrong about distances and measurements, and
-that such a plan was contrary to Portugal’s commitment to finding an eastward route to Asia by travelling around Africa

Image caption : Columbus landing in San Salvador, October 12, 1492

To a 15th-century explorer, royal sponsorship was a necessity, not a luxury

Who else but a monarch could conduct diplomatic relations, colonise land and create an ultramarine government? It was no coincidence that the Age of Discovery occurred at the same time as the appearance of the first truly national governments in western Europe. In addition to royal backing, however, any successful commercial enterprise also needed the support of the bourgeoisie…"

To understand Columbus’ motives and deeds requires an understanding of the 15th-century world in which he lived. To read more:

‘O Alquimista’. "The Alchemist (Portuguese: O Alquimista) is an allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho first published in 1988. It has been hailed as a modern classic. The Alchemist was originally written in Portuguese and has since been translated into 56 languages, winning the Guinness World Record for most translated book by a living author. It has sold more than 65 million copies in more than 150 countries, becoming one of the best-selling books in history.

Image caption : Paulo Coelho

This magical journey details the amazing adventure of a young spanish Shepard named Santiago. Santiago has a recurring dream about a great treasure waiting for him at the Pyramids of Egypt. Santiago, unlike most people, decides to follow his dream in life and pursue his destiny. On the way, he encounters love, danger, opportunity and disaster."

Source: Wiki:

Everything else from Elaine, who very thoughtfully sent the material in early so I could concentrate on the football tonight :

Jet2.com Launches Majestic Madeira from Leeds Bradford for Summer 2011! Jet2.com, has launched Yorkshire’s first low cost service to the beautiful island of Madeira from Leeds Bradford Airport. Flights to Madeira (Funchal) are now on sale starting from 49.99 one way including taxes, and start on 14th February 2011 running through to 31st October 2011. The weekly Monday morning service follows hot on the heels of Jet2.com’s highly successful Manchester to Madeira route which started this year. Holidaymakers can also take advantage of holiday packages with Jet2holidays.com from £299* per person for a 7 night 3 star break starting from May 3rd 2011. HERE

Mum is saved after a mountain fall. A COUPLE had to be dramatically rescued after they fell down the side of a mountain on the holiday island of Madeira. Ron and Lyn Budulis were descending a mountain in the Nuns Valley in Madeira when Lyn suddenly lost her footing on the narrow steep slope. HERE

World Cup – is it heaven or hell? On Friday, the world’s biggest sporting event kicks off in South Africa. For some, the World Cup promises a month of delights – but for others it’s four weeks of torture. We speak to two women with opposing views. I’m really not interested in the World Cup and the best part is we’ve booked a holiday to Madeira and we go on Friday, so we’ll miss the first week!  Or at least I hope I will. As soon as my boyfriend Chris realised the date, he said we would have to find a pub to watch England’s matches. So on the first day of my holiday I’ll be traipsing round trying to find a pub showing the match. I think he’s found an Irish bar where he’s convinced it’ll be on – but I keep telling him it won’t.  HERE

UKIP in the UK, as well as MPs in Madeira, complaining about access to the EU Solidarity Fund. Millions go wanting on Cumbria flood relief. UKIP has slammed a decision not to apply for millions of pounds to help rebuild Cumbrian communities following last November’s floods….This year, the Solidarity Fund was mobilised to help Portugal because of flooding in Madeira, and Poland is in process of applying. HERE 

Family fun for all at Reid’s Palace in Madeira, Portugal.  Reid’s Palace in Madeira, Portugal introduces “Fun at Reid’s”, an affordable luxury escape for families that offers parents a complimentary second room for the kids when booking in June or September 2010, with no minimum stay. Children between the ages of two and 17 can stay at the hotel for free and have access to a fabulous range of fun activities offered at the family friendly hotel starting at only € 405 (approximately USD $495*) per night. HERE

Isango – Tours in Madeira. Discover our collection of holiday tours, sightseeing, activities, best things to do and attractions in Madeira. HERE

Madeira News. Morgan Forbes investment site with a selection of news articles aimed at the British market. HERE

Hope you are on a good commission there Elaine! Der

News from Diário de Notícias and Jornal da Madeira

THURSDAY 10th JUNE

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Rock in Rio cost only 100,0000 euros. The Regional Secretary for Tourism corrected a typing error in the information on the official website which stated they had paid one million euros for promotional events at Rock in Rio. The actual amount was 100,000 euros. To this amount, 35,000 euros needs to be added for entertainment at the promotional space.

"Red Cross also deserved to be honoured." In today’s solemn ceremony for the Dia de Portugal, Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas, the President of the Republic decided to award three fire brigades – two in Funchal and one in Ribeira Brava – for relief work on February 20th. Some members of the Portuguese Red Cross are upset that volunteers have not been acknowledged. Others state they do not need thanks or honours. The list of names sent to Portugal was drawn up by the Representative for Madeira, Monteiro Diniz, the President of the Regional Government and the Mayor of Funchal. Two honours were awarded posthumously to José Francisco Nascimento Capelo and Francisco Fernandes Belo. Capelo worked for Estradas da Madeira and he died in service at Serra de Água when his stranded car was buried in a landslide. Belo was a firefighter and saved his family from their storm damaged house then died when he risked his life to help a trapped neighbour.

Sun and beaches ‘conditional’. Cloudy days with some showers in the north are forecasted for the holiday weekend until Sunday. The map shows the conditions of the beaches around the island – closed, conditional or open.

MADEIRA

Fewer births and more deaths for the first time in 9 years. In 2009, there were fewer births and more deaths in the region resulting in a negative natural increase in the population (-0.11%). The actual increase in the population (0.10%) was from an increase in the migration rate (0.20%). The resident population was estimated at 247,161 in 2008 and 247,339 in 2009. In 2008, Santa Cruz was the municipality with the largest growth (3.2%) while Porto Moniz (-1.3%), Santana (-0.6%) and Funchal (-0.6%) had the largest negative changes. The young (0 – 14 years) represented 17.7% of the population, the working age group (15 – 64) 69.3%, and the elderly 13%. Funchal had the highest population density and Porto Moniz the lowest. There were 73.6 elderly for every 100 young residents aged between 0 – 14 years. The birth rate was 10.9 per thousand. The municipalities with the largest increases in births were Porto Santo and Santana and those with falling rates were Calheta, Ponta do Sol and São Vicente. In 2008, there were 7,201 foreign residents registered in Madeira, an increase of 3.1% holding a residence permit. Brazilians accounted for 17.4% of all foreigners residing in Madeira, those from the United Kingdom 12.5% and from Venezuela 11.6%. In the good old days when I was at school, we used to call a ‘negative increase’ a ‘decrease’ … political correctness to blame perhaps. Der

Plainclothes officer apprehends tourist’s assailants. Two individuals suspected of assaulting an elderly tourist on the access to Funchal Marina were arrested by an off-duty police officer. The officer witnessed the two grabbing the tourist’s bag and running off. He went in pursuit of them and initially lost them but he later intercepted the two at different times after they had separated. The bag was recovered but despite identifying the suspects, the victim chose not to formalize a complaint.

ECONOMY

Hotels full in Porto Santo, half full in Madeira. Today, Day of Portugal, brought to Madeira a few hundred domestic tourists. For the current week (7 – 13 June), the average occupancy of Pestana Group hotels in Madeira and Porto Santo is 60%, with Porto Santo hotels completely full today and well packed until Sunday. Next week (14 – 20 June), the percentage of occupancy declines to 45% in Madeira and 28% in Porto Santo. The Pestana Group has 1,669 rooms in regional hotels. Porto Santo suffers from seasonality, the peak time lasts from August to mid September. This summer, the weekly charter flight from the UK to Porto Santo will bring around a hundred clients each week and they might balance the fall in the national market, as last year they accounted for 80% of hotel guests. In Madeira this week, the most expensive hotels are the most penalized. Four-star hotels are on average 65% occupied whereas some of the luxury hotels have less than 50% occupancy. The Atlantic Festival this month has not attracted tourists in greater numbers than last year and the largest falls in both occupancy and income are from visitors from the UK and Germany.

TAP losing passengers to low-cost carriers. The figures for January – May indicate that since last year there has been a 9% decrease in TAP flights from Porto, and a 11% decrease from Lisbon to Madeira. Travel to Madeira still suffers from February’s natural disaster and the economic crisis in Portugal has led the Portuguese to cut travel costs. In the first quarter of 2010, TAP lost 9% of its market share of the number of flights to ‘low-cost’ carriers, 6% in Porto and 3% in Lisbon. The number of passengers fell 5% (4% in Porto and 1% in Faro). In Madeira, TAP accounted for 33% of passengers carried and 40,638 passengers flew with easyJet, Transavia and Air Berlin.

CULTURE

Madeira now has a waxwork. The footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, dressed in the Portuguese national team colours, is now on show at Madame Tussauds in London. The waxwork replica went on display yesterday alongside David Beckham and Steven Gerrard. The figure took four months to model at a cost of 150,000 pounds (181,000 euros), and needed more than 300 measurements and dozens of photographs. This footballer was modelled after Madame Tussauds was inundated with requests to see this idol close up, and is on display in time for the World Cup in South Africa. The first football coach to be immortalised in wax was José Mourinho in 2005.

The thousand words World Press Photo 2009. The 2009 winning photos can be seen from July 8th at Baltazar Dias. Slideshow of 12 photos.

XII Meeting of Cultural Groups of Santana. Slideshow from last weekend’s event in S. Roque do Faial. HERE

FRIDAY 11th JUNE

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Health tourism revives Porto Santo. Thalassotherapy accounts for 6% of hotel revenue with the Talassoterapia Baleeira used by 25% of the guests staying at Hotel Vila Baleeira. The Porto Santo Hotel has a Spa providing treatments with hot sands and the Spa is sought after by English and Norwegian tourists. Health tourism could be used to promote Porto Santo in winter months. Since the nineties, Porto Santo Hotel has run a pilot clinic providing treatments to patients who were followed up by medical and scientific teams. The sand at Porto Santo is very fine, non-abrasive and has a strong adherence to the skin. It has higher levels of calcium oxide, magnesium oxide and strontium than other sands and these chemicals are beneficial to health. The thermal properties are also unique since the diffusion of heat is high and the cooling rate is low. The hotel has commissioned another study recruiting a group of doctors so they can determine the effects of treatments with hot sands.

——Thalassotherapy uses the tonifying, hydrating and rejuvenating properties of seawater and seaweed to help you feel better and healthier.

MADEIRA

Tradition becomes a pastime. Over 30 farmers with a total of about 300 sheep gathered yesterday at the XIV Edição da Festa das Tosquias, a day long event in Ribeira dos Boieiros in the parish of Camacha. This event is to maintain the tradition of sheep shearing. In previous years, there would be 2,000 sheep but there are now legal limits on the number allowed in forest areas to prevent over-grazing. Some residents of Camacha still make traditional woollen articles including garments for folklore groups. A book is being written on the subject of barretes de lã (woollen caps).

—–After 1870, the traditional conical cap called a carapuça went into disuse and men wore a barrete de orelhas (woollen hat with ear flaps) and women a head scarf. Carapuças are worn by modern folklore groups and woollen barretes can still be bought today. Prints of barretes (carapuças) from 1821 – 1850. FOLKLORE

CULTURE

Died: Maria Aurora. Maria Aurora died this morning. She was a journalist, writer and poet and a popular presenter for RTP-M. She represented Madeira abroad through her writings.

—Many condolences in the comments section.

Jardim issues statement about ‘hatred of the Diário’. Reaction to the news about the earnings European politicians.

The Office of the President of the Madeira has just issued a statement reacting to the news published recently in the Diário, in which it was noted that European politicians are earning less, while stating that the head of government in Spain, Zapatero, receives an amount less than that received by the Madeiran President.

Referring to the news the statement announces that ‘dozens of times the Diário dwells on the wages of the Government’s legitimate president and his pension entitlement, which he has paid for during his whole life, like any other citizen."  The statement, signed by President’s deputy Paulo Pereira, believes that the news is "exploiting cheap, base feelings of envy”.

Finally, it stresses that the Jardim’s position on the payment of fair wages to those who want to work and against those who do not want to work has already been made public.

Many thanks to Paul and Elaine 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 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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