Madeira News Blog

News from Elaine :

Two articles encouraging rural tourism despite the island’s woes, with identical conclusions.

Published in the Mail Online. After the floods: Madeira’s hotels and walking trails are still magical. HERE

Three-part blog entitled, Fire and Rain, Dog Days in Madeira and Fire Alert.

PART 1                                PART 2                            PART 3

From the Manchester Evening News. Fish Bar is Chippy of the Year champion. Our competition to find the town’s best chippy has crowned its champion – Glossop Fish Bar. We started our search last month to find Glossop’s chippy of the year and tons of readers sent in their votes. The three finalists with the most votes were the Fish Bar in High Street East along with Billy’s Plaice on Station Road, Hadfield, and New Village Chippy in Dinting Vale. But after a taste test by our panel of mystery judges, we’ve picked our winner. Each takeaway was given marks for quality of food, cleanliness, appearance, service and value for money. The chippy is run by Sarah and Antonio Rodrigues who moved to the UK from Madeira seven years ago. HERE

News items, 27th/29th September

Feira de Bagageira

Illustrating Sue’s previous report on the increasing popularity of the Car Boot Fair at the Congress Centre car park, 25 photos in the Multimedia section of dnoticias. HERE

Monday, 27th September

53 nationalities in schools in the Region

Of 51,134 students enrolled in the current school year, 1,684 (3.3%) do not have Portuguese nationality. The majority of foreign students last year were from Venezuela although they fell back into second position this year. The most frequent places of birth were Portugal (49,450), U.K. (475), Venezuela (445), South Africa (189), Brazil (147), France (72) and Ireland (40).  In contrast, only one student was registered from each of the following countries: Angola, Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Finland, Greece, Guinea, Latvia, Macau, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovenia and Zimbabwe. Numbers have been decreasing each school year since 2006/7 when there were 3,120 foreign students enrolled. To enrol, evidence must be provided of previous education level attained and there is additional support and special examination conditions for non-Portuguese speaking newcomers.

—-Comparing this to a previous blog article (11th June, 2010), there were 7,201 foreign residents registered in Madeira in 2008, an increase of 3.1%. Of all foreign residents, 17.4% were Brazilian, 12.5% from the United Kingdom (900) and 11.6% from Venezuela. With the decrease in employment in the construction industry, many migrants had to return to their country of origin as they are not eligible for unemployment support. I was surprised at the large number of U.K. born students as I had assumed that the majority of expats are in the early retired/retired age range.

Madeira will present a new image in 2011

The Regional Director of Tourism said that Destination Madeira will have a new promotional image in 2011 that will ‘forget’ the current image born after February 20th. She stated that nature is one of the main reasons for tourists to visit Madeira. The Flower Festival was a success after the February 20th disaster but undermined by the effect of the ashes of the Icelandic volcano on flight bookings. The winter season needs to be promoted more than the summer season, as it is a low season. The British market, one of the most important traditionally to the Madeiran Islands, has been the biggest loss for tourism. Difficulties began in 2008-2009 with the pound depreciating against the euro and more recently, the devaluation of BP shares and many British have pensions indexed to BP. The British market is to be heavily promoted as there are more direct flights but they need to be filled. Other important markets are National (Portugal), German, Spanish, Scandinavian and Benelux. There will soon be a promotion in the Canary Islands to take advantage of the current direct flights and lure the Spanish market via the Canaries. Eastern markets include Romania and Poland and the emphasis will be on promoting Porto Santo. The ‘last minute’ bookings via the Internet are important to the hotel industry. In 2011, Madeira Tourism will have a new website, give emphasis to videos and photos posted on YouTube and Flickr and have a presence in Facebook as well as the present use of the ‘Twitter’ network. Asked about how Madeira can make greater advantage of the increased movement of cruise ships at the port of Funchal, with the modern Gare Marítima and the expectation of thousands of passengers, the Regional Director of Tourism said the strategy to capture the attention of these tourists is to “receive them well”. “If they are satisfied when they arrive at the port, and during the short time they are here, they are also satisfied by the visit, they will certainly think about returning.” In response to an APRAM questionnaire, 90% said they would return and 70% indicated an intention to return. There are European tourists who fly directly to the island, stay overnight then join a cruise ship and the Tourism Department aims to increase the combination of cruise tourism and local commerce.

Tuesday, 28th September

Natural and cultural diversity is the trunfo (trump/advantage) of tourism

The World Tourism Day was marked in the Region with a ceremony of medals of merit awarded to 15 organizations and personalities who are distinguished for their contribution to the promotion of Destination Madeira. The Regional Secretary of Tourism and Transport, Conceição Estudante, said that adding to the unprecedented financial and economic crisis, 2010 proved to be adverse for the Region due to national causes which have aggravated the situation. She predicts that recovery will occur gradually and progressively with the improvement of global and European economies, combined with efforts and investments, made both publically and privately. The past two months have shown positive indicators (1.7% rise in July and 5.5% rise in August of flight passengers into the Region and 6% growth in international flight passengers and 3.5% domestic flight passengers). Conceição Estudante added, “We are Europeans and are geographically in Africa. We have Mediterranean agriculture and tropical fruits and vegetables. It is a unique site in the world to see both grapes and bananas growing together. We sing in Portuguese and dance with Moorish rhymns. We have natural and historical heritages. We have the sea and mountains, small picturesque villages and a cosmopolitan capital. The island is rich in topical vegetation and can also resemble the desert (uninhabited/isolated).”

Wednesday, 29th September

European Commission proposes 31.2 million euros to help Madeira

The proposal submitted by the Commission on Wednesday, 29th September needs the approval of the European Parliament and Member States. The transfer of funds is to help pay for the emergency clean up following the flooding and landslides that occurred in February. The European Solidarity Fund is intended to repay the cost of emergency measures such as relief operations, cleaning affected areas and the repair of basic infrastructure. The European Commission President, Durão Barroso, visited the areas immediately after the disaster and said he was very impressed with the dynamism of the population of Madeira and the determination and solidarity of the government.

—-More details on the Europa website (link in English).

Lisbon owes 18 months IRS to the councils

The Finance Minister in Portugal, Teixeira dos Santos, is not complying with the law. The Portuguese Government has not transferred the 5% IRS funds to the municipalities of the Autonomous Regions as stipulated. He had previously argued that the IRS rebate should not be transferred from the State as it should be paid out of regional budgets. This was then challenged by municipalities of Madeira and the Azores, as it is a substantial amount for large councils such as Funchal. A new law (Lei de Meios) stipulating the transfer of IRS was formed after the February 20th disaster. The 2010 State Budget was amended to enable the transfer of the IRS rebate throughout the year and arrears from March 2009. This is not a good omen for the 2011 budget as transfer of money from Portugal to the municipalities of Madeira and the Azores is not guaranteed.

Communications system up and running

The new system of emergency and security communications is fully operational after the failures that occurred during the storm on February 20th. Such communications are essential for defense, protection and emergencies. This more reliable and efficient system involved a significant investment and was detailed yesterday to members of the Armed Forces, PSP, Regional Service of Civil Protection, bombeiros, local authorities and health services. Other issues discussed were the need for a weather radar to detect adverse conditions and a good geographical survey of Funchal. Another priority has been the formation of a regional network of defibrillators for the treatment of a sudden cardiac arrest. 67 have been distributed to health centres, bombeiros, ambulances and airports and more will be delivered to schools and commercial centres after the completion of staff training.

Culture

Orquestra de Sopros celebrate World Music Day. World Music Day is on 1st October and was begun in 1975 by the International Music Council, a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1948 under the auspices of UNESCO. The Wind Orchestra will perform at 21.30 in the auditorium in the Municipal Gardens in Funchal. On the following day, 2nd October, they will give another free concert, this time at Forum Machico. The Orquestra de Sopros was formed in 1993 and consists of 56 young musicians between the ages of 11 and 25 years. They play light music, and previously performed with the Military Band at the Day of the Region concert.

Conductor from Rome directs the OCM. Next Friday at 21.00 at the Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias, the Orquestra Clássica da Madeira celebrates World Music Day. The conductor will be Francesco La Vecchia who is the resident conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Rome. The repertoire of popular works by Mendelssohn and Mozart include ‘The Hebrides’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and the ‘Jupiter’ Symphony. Tickets can be purchased from the Tourist Information Office from 13.00 – 17.00 or at the venue from one and a half hours before the concert.

‘Arriaga em Festa’. DRAC commemorates World Music Day with the project ‘Arriaga em Festa’ on Saturday 2nd October in the Placa Central da Avenida Arriaga, between 10 and 13 hours. This coincides with the Mercado de Oportunidades. There will be four distinct areas where different genres of music will be performed: Jazz (Combo Jazz), Light Music (Consort de Bisel), Classical Music (Orquestra de Cordas) and Traditional Music (Si Que Brade). Each group will play a short repertoire sequentially, starting at the Café do Teatro, so when one group finishes, the next starts and then there will be a 10 – 15 minutes break before they begin again. 

FESTA – Festival Internacional de Tunas do Atlântico. The Congress Centre on the 2nd October holds the 10th edition of the International Festival of Atlantic Tunas. The concert is opened by the Banda Municipal de Santa Cruz and the Estudantina Académica da Madeira playing a piece of fusion music. There are four tuna groups taking part: a Hinoportuna do Instituto Politécnico de Viana de Castelo, a Real Extudantina dos Açores, Tuna de Direito de Valladolid e o Real Tunel Académico de Viseu. Tickets are on sale from 16.00 on the 1st October in front of the  Sé and at the ticket office on the day of the show at the Congress Centre, at a price of 6 euros.

——Wikipedia article on University Tuna musical groups explains they are made up of university students and occur in Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Central America and South America. Link:

More news from Sue :

Board of Funchal to lease land for Allotments

Miguel Albuquerque delivered more than five lots in Estrada João Abel de Freitas

The Board of Funchal has agreed to lease land for allotments and this was announced Saturday morning by Miguel Albuquerque when delivering five additional lots on the Estrada Dr. João Abel de Freitas.   At present there are more than 200 applications but enrollments are suspended because the Board has exhausted the pool of municipal land available.

An appeal was launched to all owners of abandoned land stating that the Board was willing to make five year leases and beyond, pay rent, undertake the cleanup of the lots and equip them.  At this point in time they are anticipating a parcel of land between the villages of San Antonio and San Roque, which will allow 30 more allotments.

Walk ‘ Auda pelo Coração’

Casa do Povo de São Roque do Faial marks World Heart Day which was on 26th September

Users of the Centro Social Municipal do Lombo de Cima, in the parish of Faial were invited, in conjunction with the elderly from the Centro de Convívio da Casa do Povo de São Roque do Faial conduct a walk between Ribeiro Frio and its branches; relating physical activity and it’s connection to the prevention of cardiovascular disease being the main objective of the initiative.  Those not participating in the activity may show their support by being in the Town Hall at 14 o’clock or at Ribeiro Frio at about 14:30, the appointed time for the start of the walk.

Week of the Elderly in San Roque

Initiative by the Health Centre in the Parish

The São Roque Health Center has initiated a Week of the Elderly 2010 between 27 September and 1^st October after professionals from this Health Unit have noticed the large number of aging population that resides in San Roque.  It will deal with the physiology of aging and its characteristics, present nutritional and dietary recommendations for this stage of life, the advantages and benefits of exercise for the elderly population, combining this information to recreational activities.

Program of activities: 

September 27, 2010 – 9:30 am: fun activities + Hiking – held at the Day Centre Penteada

September 28, 2010 – 9:30 am: Session ‘ Healthy Eating ‘- held at the Day Centre Penteada

September 29, 2010 – 9:30 am: Screening / Assessment of Health Status – held in home and day centre at Adventistain

September 30, 2010 – 9:30 am: Session ‘ Benefits of Exercise ‘+ session gym – held at the Centro Cultural e Recreativo do Galeão

October 1, 2010 – 9:30 am: Session ‘ Healthy Ageing ‘+ Closing Session of the Week – held at the Centro Cultural e Recreativo do Galeão

Car Boot Sale Wins Fans

About 30 vendors have joined the Friendship Fair, organized with support created through the British concept of the ‘car-boot sale’ in the car park of the Casino da Madeira , between 10 am and 17 pm Sunday.

Participation has been so great that Steve Bradshaw, the organisation wants to propose that in the next sale, they are always scheduled on the last Sunday of each month, the Pestana Group allows for an expansion of the area to include the space behind the building of the Centre congresses.

Every marketer contributes five Euros towards the charity.  All the logistics and installation of the exhibitors is the responsibility of each vendor who uses the car trunk open to sell secondhand products, regional products, confectionery, bric-a-brac, and clothing, among a number of products. -style concept British ‘car -boot sale ‘ i.e. if you can fit into the boot of your car you can sell it, which is gaining more interest from the locals.

The funds raised through the proceeds of a bar, contest raffle and sale from two stalls who run solely for the charity from donated items, revert to the project Sol da Esperança, located in Criamar, a charitable association which is part of the Pestana Group that supports integration of your people up to the age of 21 years into the labour market are seeking a first work experience.

The Cider Festival Postponed

The Festival Cider scheduled for today at Santo da Serra has been postponed to next weekend.  The postponement is related to the lack of ripeness of apples. The organisation thus decided to postpone the festival by one week to make the party and we all know the Portuguese love to party!

Some bits and pieces from Paul :

Porto: why go? Telegraph.co.uk reports:
“Portugal’s second city – best known as the historic home of port wine – has plenty it could shout about, not least an unrelentingly pretty old town with characterful winding streets, tiled churches and World Heritage-protected status.”

Image Caption: Porto’s  – Palau de la borsa – Sala àrab

The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) in Porto.

The Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace) is a historical building in Oporto, Portugal. The Palace was built in the 19th century by the city’s Commercial Association (Associação Comercial) in Neoclassical style. It is located in the Infante D. Henrique Square in the historical centre of Oporto, designated World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Link to full article:

 

Mourinho. “I think I will be like (Alex) Ferguson. I will be 70 years old and still be as passionate about coaching as I am now.”

image caption: José Mourinho. Portugoal.net reports.

link to full article:

.

From Sue :

I have been away for a week, I came back to a lot of problems, worries about a very sick mum in the UK, so it took me a week to get back into gear – I was not amused to see no one had added anything to the blog, except chit-chat! whilst I was absent, what is the matter with everyone – either you take an interest in the local news and do something or you should shut it down for good!  Let us set up a roster!

Municipal Fire Department Celebrates 122 Years

Bottom of Form

The deputy mayor of Funchal, Bruno Pereira, announced today that the municipality will promote the creation of an emergency plan for the city.  He was speaking at the ceremony commemorating the 122nd Anniversary of the Municipal Fire Brigade of Funchal (MFB), Bruno Pereira acknowledged that 2010 was a difficult year for the corporation, which, according to its commander, had losses in equipment in the order of 200 thousand Euros in the wake of the storm 20 February and the fires that hit the region.

Euro millions : Two winners, both Portuguese, share the jackpot of 28 million Euros  

The jackpot of 28 million Euros in this week’s Euro Millions will be split between two winners, both the Portuguese, who receive about 14 million each, said the Santa Casa da Misericordia de Lisbon. The winning numbers were 01 – 04 16 – 40 – 48 and the stars were 01 and 09

Public work dirty port of Calheta

The water inside the marina of Calheta changed colour yesterday.  Instead of the sky blue that is usually the sight to be seen it changed into a dirty brown caused the muddy waters being dragged down by the streams that flow into the marina, quickly polluting the maritime quay.

Road fatalities down this week

Fewer accidents.  Less serious injuries.  Fewer minor injuries. The weekly review made by the PSP showed that road accidents had encouraging figures, with the accidents falling from 53 to 40, serious injuries down four to one and light injuries down from 21 to 18 .

585 ‘ bugs ‘ in their pyjamas invade the Courtyard of the University of Madeira

What a lovely title did not change it!!!!

Water, flour, balloons and pajamas were the ingredients used in last Wednesday by praxis and praxistas (various translations for this costumes, customs, tradition etc. – for me I think it is the freshmen getting ready for University) for an afternoon filled with fun and games.

After lunch the students gathered in the courtyard of the campus of Penteada of the University of Madeira, i.e. the first day spent getting up steam for their forthcoming courses.

I take all responsibility for a very liberal translation – my grandson started Uni this week and apparently none of this goes on any more – against the law – what a shame.

Victims of palm slowly recovering

The two serious injuries resulting from falling from a palm tree in Porto Santo, 22 August, remain at the Hospital Dr. Nelio Mendonça. Both have a more favourable clinical profile, but still have a long road ahead in terms of recovery.

Board of Funchal has invested 294 000 Euros in three schools

The Municipality of Funchal (CMF) has invested this year, approximately 294 000 Euros in upgrading works carried out in primary schools of Nazareth, Ajuda and Ilhéus.

Figures released yesterday afternoon by the mayor of Funchal, Miguel Albuquerque, during the visit to the school of Nazareth, the largest establishment of elementary education of Madeira, with a total of 480 students and about 40 between teachers and educators.

The works in the school of Nazareth, who had a total cost over 189,000 Euros, aimed at expanding the cafeteria, building a mini – volleyball and badminton court, the upgrading of the playground in order that it could function as a sports center, were among the upgrades.

SPEA shows birds of Madeira in October

At the end -of-week the European Bird Watching , will start their annual initiative  organized  by Birdlife International, comprises; this involves two activities in Madeira Island between 2 and 3 October.  Activities will be undertaken by the Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA -Madeira), which promises to give people a thorough understanding “of some migratory birds that visit us or seabirds that are seen in our seas.”  Those interested should contact the SPEA, until September 30, by e -mail madeira@spea.pt or by telephone on No. 967232195.

From Robert : “You might like to embed this “I Love Madeira” video in your blog, if you haven’t done so already”  

Many thanks to Sue, Elaine, Paul & Robert for sending in a contribution(s) for this blog.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–
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.

Madeira News Blog / madeira4u © 2007 – 2010 All Rights Reserved

More from Paul :

‘Norway add to Portugal’s woes’. Norway 1-0 Portugal. Eufa.com reports:
Erik Huseklepp scored the only goal on 21 minutes as Egil Olsen’s side upset the Group H favourites in Olso. Erik Huseklepp pounced on an error by goalkeeper Eduardo to secure a famous win for Norway at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and add to Portugal’s early woes in Group H.

Portugal, the section favourites, drew 4-4 with Cyprus on Friday before this latest disappointment while Egil Olsen’s side have got off to a dream start with maximum points from their first two outings following victory against Iceland. The only goal of this game came in the 21st minute when John Carew blocked a clearance from Eduardo and Huseklepp pounced on the loose ball before rolling it into the unguarded net.

Image caption : Erik Huseklepp, Norwegian football (soccer) player

Portugal had actually started brightest and worked an opening five minutes in, but Raul Meireles rushed his shot when put clean through by Tiago and fired over. Huseklepp’s goal turned the momentum Norway’s way and the home team enjoyed their best spell soon after, even if the Portuguese remained a threat with Manuel Fernandes and Ricardo Quaresma both going close in quick succession.

Brazil celebrates 188 years of independence from Portugal. Demotix.com reports:
“March and parade celebrating 188 years of independence in Brazil and the events of what happened in 1822 which marked its independence from Portugal and the end of the colonial period for the Country. Porto Alegre, Brazil. 07/09/2010

image caption : Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil

September 7 celebrates 188 years of independence of Brazil, what happened in 1822, when Dom Pedro I, near the small river Ipiranga (in the city of São Paulo), raised his sword and shouted "Independence or Death!". This marked the Independence of Brazil from Portugal and the end of the colonial period to the Country” link to slideshow and official parade:

Big, prehistoric mammals roamed Portugal! Softpedia.com reports:

“Big, prehistoric mammals lived in the Iberian Peninsula more than 150,000 years ago.

The new study was conducted by a team made up of experts from the University of Oviedo (UO) and the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), in Spain.

Image caption : Woolly mammoths were driven to extinction by climate change and human impact

The new data shows that, even if in small numbers, these beasts roamed the landscape in what is now Portugal and Spain. The species include woolly mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses and reindeers. “ Link:]

What Britain could learn from Portugal’s drugs policy. The Observer reports:
A decade ago Portugal took a radical new approach to illegal drugs by treating users as people with social problems rather than as criminals. Could it work in the UK?
Link to full article:

Portugal: surfer-friendly. “Surfing is becoming one of Portugal’s national sports. Located in Western Europe, the country’s quality waves are known everywhere.
But what is truly amazing is the growing passion for wave sports like surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and bodyboarding.

The state-owned company CP – Comboios de Portugal which operates freight and passenger trains in the country, is welcoming surfers and surfboards in their railway carriages.

This absolutely surfer-friendly company has informed its passengers that they can carry boards, alongside with the obvious priority given for people with disabilities and pregnant women.

Image Caption : The first train arriving at the temporary São Bento station in Porto, Portugal, 1896 CP could have added a bicycle sign but, instead, has underlined with visible information that all surfers can travel to their favorite coastal spots with their gear.

The photography on the web pages below were taken in the beautiful São Bento train station, located in the heart of Porto, in the North of Portugal. All travelling companies should learn with CP – Comboios de Portugal and strengthen their support for our enthusiastic and eco-friendly wave sports.” link to full article

SARAMAGO’S LAST BOOK. Boston.com reports:

"José Saramago, the Portuguese novelist and Nobelist, has ended his journey with another one: a 16th-century trudge from Lisbon to Vienna by an elephant named Solomon, a present from the Portuguese King João III to Archduke Maximilian, heir to the Holy Roman Empire. “The Elephant’s Journey,” written not long before Saramago’s death in June, displays his unique mix of absurdity, sudden logic, comedy shading to melancholy, and digression that tunnels up into unexpected purpose."

THE ELEPHANT’S JOURNEYBy José Saramago

Translated, from Portuguese,

by Margaret Jull Costa.."                     link to full article:

Bullet trains are scheduled to run from Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, to Madrid in under three hours by 2014

The Associated Press reports:

"High-speed lines will eventually stretch from Portugal’s Atlantic coast, through France to Britain and Belgium, providing Europe with fast passenger transport to rival air travel.

Bullet trains are scheduled to run from Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, to Madrid in under three hours by 2014 despite budget cuts caused by the financial crisis."

image caption : Japanese fast train Shinkansen 500

"High-speed lines will eventually stretch from Portugal’s Atlantic coast, through France to Britain and Belgium, providing Europe with fast passenger transport to rival air travel."

link to full article:

From Sue :

Street procession with Grapes and Animation

Thousands of Madeira and tourists took part yesterday in the grape harvest at Quinta da Pinheira, in the parish of Câmara de Lobos. All this activity was accompanied by animation by many groups that participated in the procession. The Secretary of Tourism and the Mayor of Câmara de Lobos were present for this initiative.

Fire in unoccupied house puts others at risk

A fire in an uninhabited house of Frazão Travessa, Rua do Til, yesterday morning, caused a scare to residents endangering the population living in crowded place. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of a team of six members and two vehicles of “Volunteer Fire Madeira.”

The big concern is that other houses are also abandoned and have been intermittently occupied by ‘squatters’, foreign individuals with relation to drug addiction.  Apparently it is not the first time there have been fires there.  The come at night knowing the property is virtually a ruin and take refuge there.   It is powder keg waiting to go up as the yard is full of wood and other easily combustible materials.  The PSP has moved elements to the site.

São Martinho Allotments in Avista Navios produces giant pumpkins

The soil of the city’s urban gardens Avista Navios is truly fertile. The proof is in the case of three pumpkins, 12, 16 and 20 pounds, taken yesterday from the garden plot cared for by Manuel Teixeira.   He said it was his hobby but at the same time people should use the opportunity and the excellent location of these allotments where the sun shines all day. Manuel Teixeira, has also been amazed with his vegetables, has no explanation for their growth unless the variety of seeds brought from the mainland made a difference together the soil quality, the method of cultivation and planting season.  We are now cutting them distributing them amongst friends, especially within the group of friends who work together in harmony in these allotments. 

On a sad note however the allotments had been the target of theft where the burglars took more than 40 kilos of passion fruit.

80% of the Greenhouses have been Reconstructed nine months after the Storm

More than half of the greenhouses have been reconstructed, nine months after the bad weather in the west that caused 30 million of damage to agriculture, revealed the Inter-professional Association of Horticulture West.

Of the 30 million losses in about six hundred acres of greenhouses, the Agriculture Ministry has approved 480 applications by providing an amount of 14.5 million Euros, of which only 4.8 million were delivered, according to a source of protection.

According to the manager, a third of farmers have already received the money corresponding to requests for advance payment of half of the aid funding, but they have not submitted evidence in to order to receive the remainder of the assistance.

There are cases where this opportunity to rebuild greenhouses brought a new vitality to continue the activity by some farmers, also there were cases where producers also expanded their production area.

From Paul :

Many thanks to Sue and Paul for sending in a contribution(s) for this blog.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–
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.

Madeira News Blog / madeira4u © 2007 – 2010 All Rights Reserved

More from Paul :

UK "ASA rules that referring to the village bike or asking to borrow a friend’s girlfriend is not sexist, offensive or derogatory to women, the ASA has ruled, as long as it is done in a comical Portuguese accent.” The Register reports:

image caption : Nandos in Canal Walk Shopping Mall, Century City, Cape Town, South Africa

Columbus was “a true to life James Bond of his day” ? “Columbus was “a true to life James Bond of his day,” whose secret mission was to divert the Spanish forces as far away from India as possible. Columbus’s covert operation across the Atlantic left the actual route free for Portugal so that Vasco da Gama could sail to the Indian Ocean unhindered.” Newswire Today.com reports:

Left image caption : Daniel Craig on a yacht in Venice during a break in filming Casino Royale.

Right image caption Christopher Columbus statue at Parque de Santa Catarina, Madeira Island              Link:

Bruno Magalhaes crash Rali Vinho Madeira: videos from ‘Rallybuzz.com’:

Tango on your Madeira cruise! usa today reports: "Like to dance while on vacation? You’ll love the new offerings from MSC Cruises.

The Europe-based line this week announced it was getting into the business of dance-themed cruises in a big way with more than half a dozen dedicated voyages over the next year.

The line says the new dance sailings will feature daily dance lessons at the beginner and intermediate levels, with professional instructors teaching everything from the Tango and Mambo to Salsa, Samba and Cha Cha."

image caption : Classical dance exhibition on a ball in the Prague Congress Center.

"The MSC Musica on an 18-night sailing kicking off Oct. 31 in Venice to Rio de Janeiro, with calls in Croatia, Malta, Spain, Madeira, Canary Islands and Brazil. Fares from $969."

image caption  MSC Musica in Dubrovnik      link:

‘Guardian.co.uk’ reports: ‘José Mourinho warns worried Real Madrid fans: ‘I am not Harry Potter’.
“José Mourinho says he is the ideal person to bring long-term stability toReal Madrid, and has played down the significance of their disappointing opening-day draw at Real Mallorca.
Real were held 0-0 on Sunday while arch-rivals Barcelona swept aside Racing Santander 3-0, opening up an immediate two-point lead in the La Liga standings. The champions dropped only 15 points on their way to the title last season. "I am a coach, not Harry Potter," Mourinho told the sports daily AS.

Image caption: ‘Zan Zig’ performing with rabbit and roses, including hat trick and levitation. Advertising poster for the magician (who seems to have left no other trace behind) copyrighted by The Strobridge Litho. Co., Cincinnati & New York, 1899.

"He is a magician. Magic is fiction and I live for football which is real. I’ve only been two months in Madrid. Do you know how many training sessions I have had with everyone together, including the new signings? Not even 10." Link to full article: HERE 

‘Lacoste’ appoints Paris-based Portuguese designer as new artistic director. ‘Just-style’ reports: “Lacoste has appointed the Paris-based Portuguese designer, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, as its new artistic director.

Image caption: Lacoste Store in Munich, Germany

He succeeds Christophe Lemaire, whose move to French luxury brand Hermès was announced earlier this year. His final collection for Lacoste will be presented on 11 September in New York.  Link to full report:    Link to Caras ‘fotogallery’:

‘CARAS TV’ VÍDEO: João Cunha e Silva em família numa produção exclusiva para a CARAS

Na companhia da mulher, Filipa, e dos dois filhos, Francisco e João, o vice-presidente do Governo Regional da Madeira recebeu a CARAS na casa de férias do Governo em Porto Santo. Leia a entrevista na revista CARAS desta semana (edição 786) Link:

‘CARAS TV’ VÍDEO: Alberto João Jardim em entrevista à CarasTV
O presidente do Governo Regional da Madeira recebeu a CARAS na casa de férias, em Porto Santo. Leia a entrevista na íntegra na revista desta semana (edição 785). Link:

The Funchal Junior Open Table-Tennis Championships 2010. “At the end of the first day of play, Wednesday 1st September 2010, at the Funchal Junior Open Table-Tennis Championships, the face of Georg Imhof was once again bathed in smiles.” ITTF reports: 

image caption : Tournament level table tennis match.

News and things from Sue (Wednesday) :

Madeira Newsletter for September

In September, popular folk festivals bid a grand farewell to another summer full of energy and good times! Take the opportunity to enjoy some Madeiran traditions and join in with the religious parades that will be taking place in the parishes of Ponta Delgada and Caniçal, or simply get caught up in the spirit of one of the islands’ biggest traditions, the internationally renowned Madeira Wine Festival.
Be sure to visit the island of Porto Santo, savour the warm sea and magnificent golden sandy beach and experience firsthand one of the most emblematic festivals of the golden isle, the Columbus Festival.

1 to 5 September –

2010 Funchal Junior Open and Madeira International Open Table Tennis Tournaments

The sports pavilion of the Bartolomeu Perestrelo School will be the stage for the fifth consecutive year of the Funchal Junior Open, which will be taking place on the 1^st and the 2^nd of September.

This event, part of the World Junior Circuit of the International Table Tennis Federation, will gather 12 different countries battling it out: Portugal, Germany, Spain, Japan, Finland, Sweden, Ecuador, Egypt, Poland, Hungary, Russia and Holland.
The "14th Madeira International Open" will be held in the days that follow (between the 3^rd and the 5^th of September). This event is organised by the Madeira Table Tennis Association (ATMM), Portuguese Table Tennis Federation (FPTM) and the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

17 to 19 September – Garajau Jazz Festival

Santa Cruz, Municipality of Culture 2010, will be hosting the first ever Garajau Jazz Festival at the Hotel D. Pedro Garajau between the 17^th and the 19^th of September.

This "Municipality of Culture" project initiative aims to help promoting cultural decentralisation and stimulate existing local infrastructures.
Over three days a number of big names from the national jazz scene will perform on stage of this Hotel, musicians such as Bernardo Sassetti Trio, André Fernandes Mário Laginha and Maria João.
For more information: HERE

27 September – World Tourism Day

As in previous years, Madeira will be joining in once again in the celebrations for World Tourism Day, this year dedicated to the International Year of Biodiversity, under the theme proposed by the WTO – World Tourism Organization: "Tourism and biological diversity".

This theme is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity to tourism and the role played by sustainable tourism in preserving life on Earth.
As such, Madeira and the SRTT/DRT – Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport/Madeira Official Tourism Board will be joining in the celebrations organising a variety of activities for tourists visiting the island.  For more information: HERE

15 to 24 October – 1^st Madeira Organ Festival

The Madeira Cultural Affairs Department (DRAC) will organise the first ever Madeira Organ Festival from the 15^th to the 24^th of October. This cultural initiative consists of a series of concerts taking place at important places of worship in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, namely the Sé Cathedral, College Church and the Church of São Pedro.

There will be an array of recitals performed by master organists of national and international fame, such as Luca Scandali and João Esteireiro amongst others. The first recital is set to take place on the 15^th of October and will be performed by the Spanish organist José Luiz Gonzales Uriol. This festival aims to publicise and consolidate one of this entity’s recent projects concerning the restoration of an almost unknown part of cultural heritage, as well as enrich and promote the decentralisation of the organ-related culture on display in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
For more information: HERE

n promotes scientific tourism

Orchid Garden promotes Scientific Tourism

Originally from Austria, the Pregetter family was responsible for creating and establishing the Orchid Garden, which has a long tradition in the area of floriculture and is an important source of reference for botanists.

Thus, with the intention of encouraging a segment of the scientific research market to visit the region, the Orchid Garden is promoting its collection of more than 300 species of orchids and 5.000 hybrid varieties at various international universities. Currently, in order to boost the work realised by this entity, the Fundação de Solidariedade Social Josef Pregetter (Josef Pregetter Social Solidarity Foundation) has been established with the aim of promoting education and professional training in the area of floriculture, genetic research and creation of species, including the production of plants "in vitro" in partnership with the Ponta do Sol Centre for Floriculture.

Madeira International Airport receives ASQ Assured Certification

The ACI (Airports Council International), an independent entity that represents more than 1,600 airports in 177 countries and territories, has distinguished Madeira Airport by awarding it an ASQ Assured certification.

This certificate recognises the effective policies put in place by the airport’s managing board directed towards continuously improving performance and the quality of service provided to all its passengers.

The certification achieved encompasses three different aspects, namely services provided to passengers, good management practice and the measurement of passenger satisfaction with the airport services.

Madeira Cetaceans Project

The Whale Museum in partnership with the Municipality of Machico has announced the II Madeira Cetaceans project co-financed by the community initiative programme Life+.

The II Madeira Cetaceans project aims to identify important marine areas for bottlenose dolphins in the coastal waters of Madeira, to define areas of operation for commercial vessels observing these mammals (minimising the impact of this activity) as well as to monitor the conservation status of various species of cetaceans in the off-shore waters of the ZEEM (Madeira Exclusive Economic Zone) until 2013.

This initiative strives to continue the work of research and preservation the species in the Madeira Archipelago.

TUI Holly 2010 Honours Madeira Hotels

The Riu Palace Madeira and the Albergaria Dias hotels are the only establishments from the Autonomous Region of Madeira amongst the TUI Holly 2010 top 100.

Considered the major German tour operator, every year TUI distinguishes a number of hotels worldwide that receive the best rating from its customers.
This year more than half a million tourists voted, classifying around 15,000 hotels, using forms querying various aspects relating to comfort and service.
This award reinforces and confirms the quality and reputation of the excellent services provided by the hotels of the Madeira Islands.

Promotion of the Madeira Islands Abroad

The SRTT (Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport), represented by the DRTM (Madeira Official Tourism Board) and in partnership with the APM (Madeira Promotion Bureau), will be present, this month, at a number of major trade fairs and promotional events in the national and international markets.

Between the 21^st and the 24^th of September, the Madeira Islands will be represented at yet another edition of TOP RESA Travel Market, the most important trade fair for tourism professionals in the French market, which will be held at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles, in Paris.

The Madeira Islands will be represented by the SRTT/DRT, in partnership with the APM, at the Portuguese stand, with a section specifically dedicated to the destination.

On the 16^th of September the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) will be participating in the Oyster Meeting 2010, which will be held at Kensington Roof Gardens in London. The Oyster Group is made up of tourist offices from countries working in the Meeting Industry (MI) sector. It is an informal meeting point for various British buyers, with Visit Portugal entity invited to take part in the "Summer Party".

From the 23^rd to the 25^th of September, the Madeira Islands will also be represented at the 18th TT Warsaw Tour & Travel international travel show, taking place at the MT Polska Trade Fair and Congress Centre in Warsaw. This is one of the largest events of its kind in Poland, Central and Eastern Europe, where RAM will be making an appearance for the 5th time represented by the SRTT/DRT, with a section specifically dedicated to the destination integrated in the Portuguese stand.

From Paul :

Short-finned Pilot whales off the Calheta coast

Short-finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are being spotted of the Calheta coast at the end of August 2010. They are one of the two species of cetacean in the genus Globicephala. It is part of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae), though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales.

Short-finned Pilot Whales can be confused with their relatives the long-finned pilot whales, but there are various differences. As their names indicate, their flippers are shorter than those of the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with a gentler curve on the edge. They have fewer teeth than the Long-finned Pilot Whale, with 14 to 18 on each jaw. Short-finned pilot whales are black or dark grey with a grey or white cape. They have grey or almost white patches on their bellies and throats and a grey or white stripe which goes diagonally upwards from behind each eye.

image caption: Pilot Whales, mother and calf, off Kona, Hawaii. Image taken by Clark Anderson/Aquaimages.

Adult males may have a number of scars on their bodies. Their heads are bulbous and this can become more defined in older males. Their dorsal fins vary in shape depending on how old the whale is and whether it is male or female. They have flukes with sharply pointed tips, a distinct notch in the middle and concave edges. They tend to be quite slender when they are young, becoming more stocky as they get older.

Field ID: Stocky body, bulbous forehead, no prominent beak, long flippers sharply pointed at the tip, black or dark grey colour, fin set forward on body, fluke raised before deep dive, may float motionless at the surface, frequently seen in very large groups, prefers deep water, may be approached.

Length (metres): Adults are 3.5 – 6.5 metres in length. When they are born short-finned pilot whales are about 1.4-1.9 metres long.

Weight: At birth, Short-finned Pilot Whales weigh about 60kg (135lb). A fully grown adult will weigh between 1 and 4 tonnes. Diet: Fish, Squid, Octopus

Study of Jersey’s Polish and Portuguese migrant workers

BBC News Jersey Reports: “Portuguese immigrants are more likely to find work in Jersey without a good understanding of English than Polish people, according to research.

The study was carried out by the University of Southampton.

Because of the number of Portuguese shops and cafes that serve the community in Jersey, speaking English was not seen as very important.

Image caption: Lighthouse, La Corbière, St. Brelade, Jersey at low tide

However, the report found Polish immigrants were more likely to take courses to improve their English.

This should, in turn, better their employment and living standards in Jersey.

The study, funded by the EU, cited examples of Portuguese immigrants in Jersey who began as farm workers but were able to become successful business-owners without learning very much of the language.”

Link to full article: HERE

Many thanks to Sue & Paul for sending in a contribution(s) for this blog.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–
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.

Madeira News Blog / madeira4u © 2007 – 2010 All Rights Reserved