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."
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 : ‘Zara’ online in Portugal. FrenchTribune.com reports: .jpg/450px-Zara,_Briggate,_Leeds_(27th_May_2010).jpg)
“Spanish firm Zara has launched its online retail stores in the UK, Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. The clothing retailer Zara sells its products online but now it has announced that its website will offer the fashion products which were only available in the store only until now.”
Image caption: Zara on Briggate in Leeds, West Yorkshire
Portugal’s diesel second most expensive in Europe. Portugal News reports:
“Despite being subject to taxes that are inferior to the European Union (EU) average as well as the recent rise in IVA, diesel in Portugal is the second most expensive in Europe and the reason has been attributed to the fuel’s base price”
image caption : Cepsa Petrol station in Portugal Link to full article:
Eurovision Party Portugal 2010! Eurovision.TV reports:
“Setúbal, Portugal – Many Eurovision Song Contest stars are set to appear at one of the biggest contest related fan events, held in Portugal. This year the number of performers have doubled for the big party to celebrate Europe’s favourite TV-show.
Now the organisers have launched the full list of artists who will come to Setúbal in Portugal to perform at the event, scheduled to be held on the 11th of September.
Promotional video. Page with link:
One of the main stars of the gathering is the youngest ever winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Sandra Kim. She was just 13 when she won for Belgium in 1986 with the song J’aime La Vie. The singer will arrive in Portugal on Thursday, 8th of September.”
‘Future of Europe’s rarest seabird under threat’. Independent reports on:
“Europe’s rarest seabird, the Zino’s Petrel, found only in Madeira, has suffered potentially devastating losses from a forest fire which struck the birds’ breeding area on the Atlantic island.”
Image caption : Watercolour pencil sketch of Zino’s Petrel, Pterodroma madeira
“Conservation teams have reinforced nests with surviving birds, and removed the bodies of the dead ones. "Burnt bushes and trees have been removed to avoid the risk of adult birds colliding with them on their nocturnal visits to feed the chicks," said Paulo Oliveira, director of the Natural Park of Madeira.” Zino’s Petrel is one of the rarest birds in the world. Birds restricted to islands are particularly susceptible to extinction. Link to full article:
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
Thanks Sue and Der for the latest news.
1Does anyone have a recipe for espetada? none of the recipes on the web agree about the ingredients for the marinade or how long it should be left
2Yet again, another warm and balmy summers eve with the horizon dotted and speckled with the lights of the small local fishing boats, out all night, looking for lulas – squid. The returning Porto Santo Ferry seemed to pick it’s way through the many haystack needles, littering the barn of the bay….it seems to be a longer season this year, at least a months worth, throughout the coming and going of the full moon….
Tracie, as regards the espetada…..we just drizzle the (lombo) beef with olive oil, add some finely chopped fresh garlic and medium cut bay leaf, stir/mix with ones hands, then leave to sit for maybe one hour or two (whilst the coals warm and the beer chills) then BBQ over a medium heat until all sizzles and drizzles = lovely!
Hope that helps!
3…. and maybe sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt before cooking!
Warm, sunny, calm and lovely again then……enjoy.
4Yes, super weather, am off to UK this weekend am dreading it the weather forecasts are terrible! Hope someone keeps the news going whilst I am away will make it back on the 18th so hope to make the last night at the Dom Pedro for the jazz!
5Sue They been weather warnings in uk with rain. take a brolly
6Martin You dont get bosses like this any more. one reason when word got round to buy local. I rem.ember the products well. nice radios and tape recorders
http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Tandberg_Vebjorn.html
7Thanks Jon, I am having a BBQ on Friday, 35 mile an hour winds and monsoon rain forcast, good friends, espetada, cold beer and rainproof thermals, lovely!
8Good luck with the BBQ Tracie, sorry about your weather forecast though! Hope that you enjoy your friends company, the espetada, beer and breezy showers!
9A quick note to apologise in advance if there are any problems with the blog over the next few days. We are bringing the latest web server technology on-line, and replacing completely the old server. Whilst this upgrade should be seemless, we all know that the best laid plans …………………………..
10(AP:LISBON, Portugal) Portugal has raised euro1.04 billion ($1.3 billion) in a debt auction that drew strong investor interest, but the sharply higher borrowing cost reflects market concerns that Europe’s debt crisis may be flaring up again.
The country’s Public Debt Management Agency said it sold euro378 million in 11-year bonds and euro661 million in 3-year bonds on Wednesday.
The agency said there was demand for more than twice the amount available.
However, the average interest yield on the longer bonds was 5.973 percent, up from 5.312 percent on 10-year bonds at an auction last month. The 3-year bond yield was 4.086 percent, up from 3.62 percent in a 4-year bond auction in July.
Though one of the eurozone’s smallest economies, Portugal’s problems could aggravate international fears about the continent’s broader financial problems.
11There is a festa in Canico this weekend – it is the one where they lay flowers in the middle of the road and they carry the statue from the Church around the town. This happens on the Sunday worth going early to watch them lay the carpet – Tobi probably knows more details – my hairdresser is on holiday! so have no personal update!!
12Hi all. Chuva chuva chuva, yes its raining omg must be the first time since may.
13Hope bbq goes well Tracie, but espetada never tastes the same when away from madeira, cant explain why
But tried it many times, so be interesting if you think the same.
Yes another festival in canico and I think the parade is sbout 4 – 5 pm on the sunday but get there early early to see the flower carpet.
Markets may have liked the fact that governments in Greece, Ireland and Portugal among others have started slashing their spending. But investors are also realising that the starting point for these countries was so dire that it’s becoming a near-impossible task to balance the books.
For example, Portugal’s combined private and public sector debt adds up to well over 200% of GDP.!!!!!!!!
14Canico Parish Church festa is held on the second Sunday in September. Starts at midday on Saturday with the usual food and drink stalls. Romagens arrive from the four corners of the parish with agricultural, food and drink offerings at 16.30 at the Junta de Freguesia then go to Canico Shopping (17.00). These will be sold at the bazaar. Saturday evening musical entertainment starts at 20.00. Sunday festa starts at 16.00 with a procession then performances by a folklore group from Gaula, philharmonic bands and Os Mariachi. Monday evening has a Mass at 20.00 followed by the same processional route and then entertainment.
Free English and Portuguese lessons at the Clube Social das Communidades Madeirenses at Caminho do Poco Barral, No 139 in Sao Martinho. Registration from Monday to Friday between 17.00 – 21.00. The University of Madeira is also advertising free Portuguese Language and Culture Courses for Foreigners at three different levels of competency (Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced). I think a fee might be involved. Details on the UMa website.
15Well I have to say since we started at The English Centre where we are two to one we can feel the progress after three lessons, unfortunately whilst we know quite a lot of vocabulary it was always the problems of pronounciation and speaking. It is really now making sense, what a pity we did not start like this and pick up bad habits by trying to pronounce something and doing it wrongly and not being corrected or reading aloud and forcing you to say it properly. The size of the classroom must limited in order to advance, it is no good to mix varied levels, the teacher then unintentionally uses the ones who can do it best – whereas the others just listen and hope for the best! We are paying 28.50 per hour and it is really money well spent.
16Best of luck in England Sue.
17The weather is very autumnal.
Wet, warm and windy or is that me.
Chesnut trees lost a lot of leaf and conkers already mainly due to disease.
Traffic seems reduced, maybe the recession is biting.
More and more ladies in England wearing total headcovering, noticable on lots of them even in Anglia.
Is this cosmetic, religous, or political reasons you think?
Miss seeing nuns in full covering their replacement is not so elegant.
Nice to see you back Der
18Hi Martin how is things going?
19Slow
20‘morning all…….and another nice gentle sunny one at that – after a little overnight rain, doing the garden good….
Gaula Festa this weekend … full of music (trad, folk & mod) flowers, food and drink – situated by our Mother church (Nossa da Luz) in lower Gaula – see you there!
21Morning Jon, nice to have a bit of rain , and thank god the ash seems to have stopped blowing around, as the balcony has been clear of it for 2 days now.
I have mum arriving tonight for a week, so looking forward to that. Enjoy the festival.
22Well I hope she did not fly from Bristol Tobi – we had a three hour delay!!! Last Saturday on the outward trip a two hour delay – a little fed up and tired but glad to be back. The weather in UK was good to us with only one wet day and really quite nice, could plod around in my sandals and thin clothes and don’e seem to have caught anything nasty!!
23Bem Vindo Sue!
Re (not so) EasyJet …. we also had a three hour delay back in July on our return from Bristol and it seems that the trend is on going ……. with many recent EJ flights delayed, disrupted or even cancelled. Looking at the “wider” picture it seems that they may well have overstretched themselves in the summer season and that all is not well within the Airline – no slack in the system, no backup or spare airframes or crews and all planned to be airbourne all of the time ……. oops?
GREAT Festa in Gaula – superb atmosphere (no rain) with music and smoke still drifting down the valley after the Church service, fireworks, BBQ Chicken, Espetada and Beer …… people still strolling around, listening to the sound and looking at the lights – a lovely family eve.
24Sorry not to have done any translation news. Lots of excuses.
Wil ltry to do better when I have mastered some new software which is so good I am totally confused
Wish i had had lessons or a mentor when it comes to office word or note pad or any of the blessed things that microsoft have cripp;ed the world with
25Another quick note warning of possible downtime over the next couple of days as further server upgrades are implemented.
Martin – if you have any software problems please get in touch directly – Der has all our contact details.
26Hi Sue,
Yes glad mum came from Gatwick , i had guest last Saturday from Bristol, the plane diverted to Porto to refuel as the were over weight with baggage and didnt have enough fuel…useless, and i saw the delay this saturday i feel soory for the poor people going back to Bristol as the couldnt have landed till nearly 2am…
27Easy jet is a nightmare every flight I’ve been on since coming to live in Madeira over a year ago has been delayed or cancelled. That also includes the flights my husband takes once a month, so if you have a connecting flight it gets even more stressful
28The airline authorities have told EJ they have the worst airline record for delays and have to improve their service or they’re in trouble…… who knows? I’ve not seen any improvement yet.
Before moving here it was never a problem…but now I take my e-reader with max 160 books downloaded and it keeps me going through the hours of waiting or occasional overnight delay!
What else can you do????
Angie, you may be interested in this.
I have to pop out to Funchal for a quickie visit so I checked flights with TAP and EJ.
TAP is cheaper than the basic EJ price.
TAP include within their already cheaper price:-
Free pre-allocated seats
Free meals
Free drinks
Free Baggage up to 20kgs
Free golf club bag carriage in addition.
Frequent Flyer bonuses
No surcharge for debit or credit cards.
All of these features either are not offered by EJ or are charged for in addition.
Although I would have to move from Stansted (becoming so unfriendly no prob) to Gatwick I must give them a fair try next flight.
It would seem I can do no worse.
I have heard no bloggist complain about TAP
29…only that TAP tend to lose baggage when arriving/connecting at Lisbon en route to Madeira …… several guest testimonials!
Morning Martin – see you here soon?
30Thanks for info Martin. I have tried TAP but can’t always find the flights which are cheaper than EJ….just depends on travel dates etc.
31But do enjoy having the free food……….:o)
In overall price TAP are competitive, when you buy the discount ticket.
32Planes are good, crews excellent, but the ground staff leave a lot to be desired.
Book on line, but be aware that their web site is not as good as EJ.
It is a nightmare changing a booking, the ground staff qoute very different rates to the web sight.
I fly regularly back and forth, flying via Lisbon can be a nightmare as the Groundforce staff have no idea on how to treat customers.
Yesterday was a good example, the flight from Heathrow was late, leaving 45 mins to transfer, I arrived at the gate as the last passengers were boarding and was refused boarding because my luggage would not be on the flight. They would not accept that I only had hand luggage! Had to Wait 3.5 hrs for the next flight to Funchal. Nice plane but no service as they were one crew member short!
We were not told of the problem until we were boarding the plane.
My recommendation for regular travellers, not much between EJ and TAP, fly direct, book early and with EJ buy an annual Easy Jet plus card, this plus on line check in takes away most of the agro.
Why are standards dropping so/
33Stelios should kick bottoms.
Perhaps we could arrange private charter once a week?
Going general aviation.
I’d drive but my licence expired late last century.
I was dreadful at plane driving and the bane of USAF/RAF camps as I dropped in from time to time virtually unannounced.
But fun.
Only an excuse for ‘em to brandish their machine guns at me.
Sublet seats to the other 10 or so
Expensive but nice
I do not like Groundforce. They need support from their management.
34Made us queue for several hours during the volcano troubles.
I am still trying to work my revenge
Just had garage bill for some repairs for the annual test-MOT items.
35Will have to sell car to pay for it .
Inflation certainly is a problem
Know any reasonably priced garage workshops in Madeira?
Could be cheaper to ship the car out for repairs?
Yes Martin. A superb garage workshop on the outskirts of Funchal that not only charge a very decent labour rate but have much expertise in dealing with “classics”…. one of the mechanics uses a 60,s Ford Escort 1300E as his daily transport – have also seen a Capri 1600GTXLR lurking in the shadows and various other “oldies” being worked on. Super chaps, meticulous service, every job annotated and recorded by hand in your own service book and replacement parts given to you as “evidence” together with invoices for the new parts ….. we’ve used them for x6 years and will continue so to do ….. at least half UK labour costs and they like you to pop in from time to time for a chat, see how your car is going and give it a quick “once over” for free ….. Details on request Sir.
36Hi Martin,
TAPs slogan…
Take Another Plane, or Tourcher Another Passenger, or Tits and Pricks, but im sure they are better than sleezy jet. Jon is right about lost baggage though, if your on a connection its gonna go missing….
37The IMF itself has become the problem as Europe’s woes return … Once a quorum of big names says the game is up in a debt crisis, events move fast and furiously. Portugal neared the line on Friday when Diario de Noticias cited three ex-finance ministers warning that the country might have to call in the International Monetary Fund (IMF). One spoke of a “reckless reliance on foreign debt”; another spoke of “runaway public spending”. No matter that all were complicit in euro membership, the policy that incubated this crisis and now traps Portugal in its depression. Portugal was a net foreign creditor in the mid-1990s. EMU has turned it into a net foreign debtor to the tune of 109% of GDP. That is what happens when you cut interest rates suddenly from 16% to 3%. Be that as it may, the comments struck a nerve. Yields on 10-year Portuguese debt surged to 6.15%, back to May crisis levels when the EU faced its “Lehman moment” and launched a €750bn (£625bn) rescue blitz. António de Sousa, head of Portugal’s bank lobby, said his members are in dire straits. Banks cannot raise funds abroad, remain “extremely fragile”, and “quite simply” will have nothing more to lend unless foreign capital returns. “The brutal truth is that Portugal lost competitiveness on a grand scale on joining EMU and has never been able to get it back. … Ireland has shown what happens when you grasp the fiscal nettle, slashing public wages by 13pc – to applause from EU elites – without offsetting monetary and exchange stimulus Portugal, Ireland and Greece continue to struggle with the overwhelming public debt and austerity is not the solution to public debt. In fact, the fiat-money distortions that the PIGS suffer from run like fault lines throughout the entire economy; devaluations are an appropriate solution but not one that the EU contemplates. Why not? Comes the answer at the end of the article: “In fairness to EU policymakers, perhaps the problem really is so big that if they let Greece, Portugal, or Ireland restructure debt they risk instant contagion to Spain, and from there to Italy. Perhaps they really have no choice. If so, monetary union has created a monster.” We can state definitively that a regional monetary union (the EU) that has not carried forth an internal audit for perhaps half a decade or more and has taken to regulating such obscure matters as whether British farmers can sell eggs by the dozen (they cannot) is not an entity that will support “prosperity, long life and good health” in the long run. In fact, we would argue that these admirable qualities were generated not by the EU but by individual countries themselves. That the EU has inherited this state of affairs is indisputable; let us see how long it takes for the Brussels’ bureaucracy to ruin it. The EU itself a product of massive sociopolitical and economic manipulation. That manipulation has ended in tears and potential sovereign defaults. The solution? Embark on yet another EU manipulation! (Austerity, etc.) How long can such strategies remain viable? Do trees grow to the sky?
38I have been going trough the comments on easyJet with a little astonishment. I have been flying to Madeira from Stansted many times last year up to this spring, and, apart from the volcano disruptions never ever had any delay, let alone cancellations. TAP on the other hand really is champion in arriving late and loosing luggage. And if you check http://www.skyscanner.com you will find that TAP is quite a bit more expensive than easyJet on most days, and outrageously expensive at some. Yes, they do serve free food – but don’t expect anything special – and they offeer free 20 kg of luggage, but if one travels with hand luggage only, it really is not worthwile. Only in case of major delays, they do offer to refund expenses like hotel, meals and transfers where easyJet lets you take care of yourself…
As I started to worry, because really the only cheap flights for my partner and myself from the Netherlands are via STN, I have been keeping an eye on the ANAM website to check if these delays of easyJet are true and, in al fairness, I find that usually all easy flights arrive and leave on time. I think delays up to 15 minutes really do not count on longer flights like STN-FNC. Maybe it was different in the high season, that I do knot know but anyway, I don’t think one should try and get on or off the island in July or August.
39almost forgot: In Brasil, TAP is called Tamancos Aereos Portugueses (Portugese Air Clogs).
40Why has Sterling taken a dive in value against the Euro?
41Month of arrival or departure academic.
Easyjet even with internet checkin still makes us wrinklies and cripples and nursing mothers and everybody else stand in a bloody great queue at departure and destination.
Often 30minutes and longer despite arriving before checkin time by quite a margin.
Not enough effective checkin girlies.
Then the walk starts (at stansted)
Half a mile to the train thing.
Then up and down to the gate. Another half mile.
Staff only have to twitch and there is a rush to queue again at the gate even when the plane has yet to arrive.
Then down the stairs out on the apron and up the stairs again.
We are knackered by the time we find a seat.
The cheek of the prices for a cup of coffee or whatever.
No film
No earfones just looking at the scruffy staff and anything you have to read for 3.5 hours.
Please please please do better!!!
Martin I been wondering the same on £ to the €, perhaps it some the crack pot idear what this Con/Dems been comming out with. What do you tho this story that come from the media? http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/sep/20/hmrc-centralising-tax-system
42Martin,
the BoE minutes revealed that the central bank was leaning toward additional quantitative easing.
The British Pound fell back from a high of 1.5714 during the European trade as the Bank of England held a cautious outlook for the U.K., and the exchange rate may trend lower throughout the day as interest rate expectations falter.
The BoE minutes showed the MPC voted 8-1 to hold the benchmark interest rate at 0.50% and maintain its asset purchase target at GBP 200B, while board member Andrew Sentance voted for a 25bp rate hike, which was largely in-line with expectations
simply no rate rise as expected
43If Brown was still in power we would be seeing the euro at parity to the £!
44THat high Richard?
45From the tourism site:
World Tourism Day, 27th September.
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.
Programme
- Free admission to gardens:
Botanical, Palheiro and Quinta da Boa Vista.
Orquid Gardens offers guided tours in Portuguese, English and German at 10 am, 1 pm and 3 pm
- Free admission to museums:
Museu do Bordado, Museu Quinta das Cruzes, Museu Henrique e Francisco Franco, Museu Casa da Luz, Museu de Arte Contemporânea, Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas, Universo de Memórias, Photographia-Museu “Vicentes”, Arte Sacra.
Madeira Story Centre (50% discount).
Museu Etnográfico da Madeira (Ribeira Brava), Centro de Ciência Viva (Porto Moniz), Casa Colombo (Porto Santo).
- Cable car Funchal/Monte/Funchal
10% discount in the fare (one way or round trip)
- Funchal:
Distribution of flowers and souvenirs in the Information Desk of the city centre;
- Airport:
Distribution of flowers and souvenirs to tourists on the Arrivals Lounge.
- Port of Funchal:
464.30 pm – Folklore performance at the departure of the cruise ship MSC Armonia (for the cruise passengers only)
Pity that they cannot organise a Levada clean up campaign as well – especially on those levadas that they have adopted as show pieces – oh woe, the number of guests that complain about the rubbish strewn about the countryside ….. biodiversity? More like the tourist board jumping on the band wagon for acclaim without addressing the real issues … sustainable tourism is NOT just about handing out a few flowers on one day! Do you ever get the feeling that you are banging your head against a brick wall in an attempt to help the tourist board to get it right?
47What a waste of time they really are …. and they will NOT listen. Ask our guests!
Spencer Dale warns of ‘aggressive’ rise in rates if Bank of England loses credibility on inflation
48Interest rates will have to rise “aggressively” if the Bank of England loses its credibility on controlling inflation, its chief economist Spencer Dale has warned.
Aggresive rise in interest rates—Jolly good!
49Sterling will rise in value.
Imports of oil and gas will cheapen, reducing the household bills.
Inflation should drop
Savers will start to receive some income/inflation protection.
Growth will only occur when English manufacturing starts to cut the amount of foreign manufactured goods imported and re-employs the many English paid by the State not to work.
Stronger Pound means it’s easier for me and others to buy abroad and get out of a severely damaged country.
Received by email (to Der):
why doesn’t the new blog updated every day. I have been going on the site for a while and it is still on the 13th September. Bring back the old site. From Pauline (England)
——————————————————————————————————
50You’re asking the wrong person Pauline, these days I am just the administrator and a casual contributor. Der
Martin More importing becuse pound high, our exporting becomes less as goods become less attactive. We cant win, though I am not against what you said. Ho national debt will go up on higher intrest rate rise, mixed bag eh!
51Pauline – thanks for that, I have just this morning done some news and asked Der to add my feelings on the subject – hopefully that does not go against editorial licence! I left for the UK on 11th September and returned late on th 18th and today found time to do an update, where are all those who have been around? OK today is my moan day.
52