Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Tobi … New year 2010 fireworks of course

Tess, who has lived here for two years, has just started her own new blog, sort of a diary really. I don’t mind giving the competition a plug, so here’s the LINK.

"To identify the chemical changes, Marques and his team used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to analyse Madeira wines produced from the four main grape varieties, with each wine aged for either five or 10 years. This analysis revealed that the wines contained varying concentrations of 37 different volatile compounds, including alcohols such as butanol, organic acids such as malic acid and esters such as ethyl citrate". A SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF MADEIRA WINE

"Ronaldo became Manchester United’s first-ever Portuguese player. Initially, he requested for the number 28 as his jersey number because he didn’t feel that he could live up to the pressure of previous players such as George Best and David Beckham who wore the number 7 jersey". CRISTIANO RONALDO – BIOGRAPHY AND TRIVIA

Many thanks to Sue for some of yesterday’s news stories :

My apologies Sue, but I was out yesterday in the afternoon and it was too late to post this when I arrived back, hence some past tenses needed. Der

Singing of the Kings – The Municipal Garden suspended the ‘Singing of the Kings’ in the Quinta Vigia: The aunt of a Government official has died who was also the mother of one of the musicians and composer.  Tried to find this back again – so not 100% sure but if anyone was intending to go maybe you should check first.

Madeira remains on yellow alert – Due to wind and rain strong Institute of Meteorology put Tuesday on yellow alert, the third most severe of a range of four.   According to forecasts, in the afternoon the wind will intensify and mountainous areas of northwest there will be strong gusts up to 90 km / h.  Also the rain far will fall later and intensify during the night which may be by thunder. The state of the sea, the north coast to northwest the swell will be 3.5 to 4 meters. On the south coast the waves are from the southwest with 1.5 to 2 meters.

‘Choupana Hills’ nominated for ‘Best International Resort’ – Condé Nast selection of 25 resorts around the world the ‘Hut Hills’ is the only Portuguese

Choupana Hills Resort & Spa is among the 25 hotels selected by the Spanish edition of Condé Nast Traveller as candidates for its annual awards. The hotel units in Madeira are the only Portuguese representative and are candidates for the Condé Nast Traveller Award 2010 in the category of ‘Best International Resort’. The Condé Nast Traveller awards are chosen by voting on-line ‘on the’ site.

Marina closes indefinitely

The two accesses to the Marina do Lugar de Baixo have again been sealed. Judging from the damage caused by the relentless surf – two leaks in the protection wall in the marina dock area and is unlikely to reopen later this winter. The president of the West Point Development acknowledged Thursday that the ban on access to the marina will remain in the near future. "We are waiting for the time (sea conditions) to improve, so we can assess the damage caused and only then can a decision be taken accordingly," explained Paul Sousa. The marina has closed after the wave heights of the last weeks, three months after the end of September, when the president of the Regional Government has declared its opening in the municipality of Ponta do Sol giving orders to remove the fences and open the marina to public. However, while it was open, the beach area was little used.

Public good despite the rain for Circus – The return to school eased the demand recorded during the Christmas and end-of-year

It was felt that the weather during the Christmas season did not help to bring more public to the circus, but still, overall, the feeling was one of satisfaction, so much so that those responsible for these three circuses this year in the region are already planning to return next year. However, after the feast days, the audience decreased due to back to school and back to work, which means that at this stage discount campaign have been instigated.

Fernanda Alves, owner of Circus Brazil, located in Machico, says that attendance of people exceeded expectations. The rain and wind complicated performances a little, but the balance was positive. "Everything is going better than we thought. Due to the competition we have, we thought things were getting weaker, but no. During the week, the number of visitors did not exceed an average of two hundred, but after the weekend, all the daily sessions ranged between 1,000 and 2,000 spectators. Circus Brazil has conducted a session on weekdays, four on Saturdays and three on Sundays, but this week there will only ne one show on Friday. On Saturday, the hours remain the same but on Sunday the show will be held from 21:45 after this the tent will be dismantled. Although close to the farewell it is their desire to return next year, same location but with a different show.

The same desire was expressed Renato Alves, Circus Dallas. Mounted along the Madeira Technopole, the tent has a capacity of about two thousand people, but the average per show was around of 300 to 400 people. "For a few days was positive," said Renato. With the end of the holiday, the daily spectacle of 15 hours becomes more difficult to achieve, but nonetheless, it is expected a good crowd for 18 hours and 21h30. This week, the circus is distributing discount coupons, which allow the purchase of tickets for the 5 million adults and 2.5 for children. Although the rain has been above average and circus Dallas has already secured the contract for the next five years, at the Technopole. "There will be big surprises for next year," promises Renato Alves not only in the show content but with the animals. "We will try to bring something else, perhaps a white tiger or a white lion and more broad appeal." In Ponta do Sol, the rain was also the main enemy of the Circus Jorge Cardinali. "People want to come, the problem was the bad weather," noted John Azevedo. "We’ve been here 26 days and it rained 22 days." Some performances had to be cancelled as a precaution and the revenue will almost only to cover expenses. Still, John Anderson will return, but to Funchal and a groundbreaking show. One idea is to do a show with penguins. To attract more public, the circus Jorge Cardinalli is promoting two-euro discount on each ticket.

Circus Brazil – Machico. Circus Brazil, mounted next to the stage of Machico, promotes performances until 10 January. During the week, the sessions take place at 21.45. Saturdays, at 10, 15, 18 hours and 21:45 and Sunday at 15, 18 and 21.45, however, this week, only one show will be held on Friday and Sunday will be the last session. The great attraction is for the pair of clowns, but one of the big spectaculars is ‘The Magic of Harry Potter’ which is depicted in the poster. There are discounts for groups.

Circus Jorge Cardinalli – Ponta do Sol. This circus is installed at Giga Park ‘, which is in the residential area of Ponta do Sol for 11 days, the Circus Jorge Cardinalli greatest novelty is the ”Water Show, which includes the Pacific Ocean sharks and seals in Alaska. From Tuesday to Friday, there is a daily show starting at 21:30. On Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and holidays, are held three sessions: 15.30, 17.30 and 21.30. Tickets cost 14€ for adults and children over 12, but there is now a 2€ discount.

Dallas circus – Madeira Technopole. The Circus Dallas, located on land anticipated for the expansion zone of Madeira Technopole, says with many animals, including lions and horses and for the first time, macaws, cockatoos and parrots that ride scooters and even perform in a small theatre. Three sessions are held daily, at 15, 18 and 20:30. The shows continue until 17 January. Tickets for the general audience is 15€ for adults and 7.5€ children, but there are coupons available that reduce the price to 5 and 2.5€.

Rather a long article but it shows how people try to survive against the elements and a plug or two probably would not harm – not a circus person myself, but the kids always love it.

Appointments via the Internet – For hospitals and health centres in the Region.

The Health Service of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (SESA) will, by the end of this term, put in place a project that involves the scheduling of appointments via the Internet as announced the JM president of that body, Almada Cardoso. In other words, users can dial "on line" to be consulted when the project is complete, from their homes or jobs or offices provided by the local media. The president emphasized the SESARAM project will also allow for users of the Regional Health Service to consult their consultation process, with confirmation of time delays or anticipation of any delay. On the other hand, the body is considering the implementation of a project some national hospitals, which would allows people registered for the surgery to monitor their position on the waiting list. It is anticipated that this project would advance during the term of the current administration SESARAM. The Ministry of Health announced in late December, that people scheduled for surgery can now consult the Internet as to their position on the waiting list and know how much longer they have to wait before their operation. To check the e-SIGIC, you must register with the Health Portal with the number of users, which entitles you to a password that allows access to the file. The Minister of Health recently said that several people had entered with an indication for surgical intervention approximately 170 thousand patients. In Madeira, the waiting lists affected, as reported recently were plastic surgery, vascular surgery (on the veins, in part because there is no blood) and otolaryngology as well especially removal of tonsils. This situation could be improved greatly with a second room for outpatient surgery, which will be launched next year. According to Almada Cardoso, "the lists” are only for surgery where there is less risk of life or loss of quality of life. In comparison, however, the example of oenological surgery, a patient is operated on average, two weeks after joining the list, "that is well below the national average, which is three months in more regions and 1.5 months in one or another regions.

… and more top stories from yesterday’s newspapers from Elaine … many thanks :

New Year’s Eve ‘positive’ The initial half of the night was for dinner and the fireworks display and then there were the post-midnight celebrations. In the main areas of Funchal, the public live performances were successful. According to the different organizations contacted, the major events in Funchal on New Year’s Eve were well attended. At the Casino, the three nights from the 29 – 31 were all a full-house with more than 400 people each evening. The revellers were well-dressed with spirits to match. For 2010 – 2011, the Casino will have a different format but with live bands again. The three night clubs on the Avenida Sa Carneiro began to fill from 3 am onwards when other parties finished. The Wine Institute (photo) had a good night and feedback was positive and although it was mainly young people, older age groups joined the party. The Molhe club was favoured for its view of the amphitheatre of Funchal and the night "went crazy", according to the manager. The Cafe do Teatro had 2,000 visitors that night and the manager stated, "It failed in nothing, the house was full." — Der heard that the Casino dinner and events cost 180 Euros on New Year’s Eve. I make that around 72,000 Euros takings plus drinks plus Casino bets.

Bad weather continues to punish cruise ships visits  The inaugural visit of the Silver Spirit today has been cancelled due to the conditions in the Atlantic. The captain had to reduce speed between Lisbon and Funchal, so the visit would have only lasted for four hours from 13 – 17 hours. The ship sails directly to La Palma in the Canaries instead. The Volcan de Tijarafe ferry was also delayed during the crossing from Portimão and arrived at 16.00 yesterday. A large wave higher than 9 metres damaged the bow of the ship but the journey to the Canary Islands was still possible at 19.00. All 230 passengers and the cargo of 140 vehicles were not affected, the captain received no complaints and said the passengers did not seem to realize what had happened. (Photo of ‘cosmetic’ damage).

Tree falls on top of car rented by tourists The accident occurred yesterday afternoon at Queimadas and slightly damaged the car but caused no injuries to the occupants as they were not present at the time. The car was parked in the car park of Casa de Abrigo das Queimadas and the Voluntary Firemen of Santana had to ask the Forestry Police for equipment to cut the tree to allow the car to leave. The car park is now shut and should reopen tomorrow when the area has been made safe. The portion of the highway in Madalena do Mar which was closed after a wall collapsed has now reopened.

Falling crane traps man. The crane was transported on a lorry when it toppled off onto another lorry travelling in the opposite direction. This accident occurred on a curved section of road in the area of Levada do Poiso, Ponta do Sol. After intervention by the Fire Brigade, the trapped man was freed, still conscious and taken by ambulance to hospital.

Fallen wall still causes concern A wall that collapsed on December 23, damaging a motorcycle and car, still leaves a house at risk. The accident happened in the Beco das Courelas in Santo Antonio in Funchal and damage to the street lighting has not been repaired despite the residents complaining to the council.

Madeiro still cannot discharge all of the fuel 17,000 tons of fuel was the tanker to supply the islands. The tanker originally arrived on Christmas Day but bad weather has hampered the delivery of fuel to Madeira and Porto Santo. Some fuel was delivered at Caniçal on the 2 January. Since then, she has gone to Porto Santo and will return on Wednesday for another attempt to transfer fuel to Socorridos.

Impact of the Geneva Agreement on Madeiran bananas The PCP (Communist Party) MEPs are visiting on the 15 January and are studying the marketing of bananas. They want to gather information which can be used to alert Brussels about the consequences of the impact of the Geneva Agreement. The EU pact with countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela leads to a substantial cut in import tariffs. The communists have asked the EU to support European producers as they are concerned on the impact of this agreement. They will also discuss concerns about GESBA, the organization which processes bananas in the region.

SPAR in Santa Cruz This will be the fifth, and for the present time the last of the Dutch-owned chain of stores to open in Madeira; the others are in Porto Moniz, Pilar, Funchal and Gaula. The shop should have opened on the 4 January but has been delayed due to the weather and will open sometime this week, date not yet known. The shop is in the Plaza da Cerveja and has a butchers, bakery, ready-meals, take-away and also sells magazines/newspapers and SPAR own brand groceries. The shops are placed in areas of tourism as the brand has a good image in countries such as the UK, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands etc. There are also a lot of Madeiran residents in South Africa where SPAR is a leading firm.

160 metres of Bolo Rei. This afternoon in the Praça do Municipio, the traditional Bolo Rei Gigante was larger than last years, reaching 160 metres. This tradition has taken place over the past five years. It contained hundreds of eggs, hundreds of kilograms of flour and many kilograms of crystallized fruit and sultanas and was baked according to tradition. Despite the weather, which improved this afternoon, the free slices were enjoyed by both residents and tourists. — SAPO video from last year – 150 metres and 300 kg cake. BIG CAKE

From Madeira Tourism – Events for January

from 12th to 16th – Madeira Islands Walking Festival
This is an organised group walking programme, along man-made waterways (levadas) or special trails (veredas), with specialised guides throughout, lasting for a period of 5 consecutive days. A total of 20 different walks have been selected, all having been classified and recommended by the Regional Government of Madeira. The participants have at their disposal a choice of 4 walks per day, these being of different duration and various levels of difficulty. Stay aware of information about this festival by checking out the official site, MADEIRA WALKING FESTIVAL

15th – Feast of Santo Amaro – Santa Cruz
Every year the saint’s day of Santo Amaro is celebrated throughout the entire island of Madeira, in a particularly festive and ceremonial way, when Christmassy delicacies are laid on every table. This is the day when families dismantle the Nativity scenes (lapinhas in the Madeira Islands), and "sweep the larder clean" – a tradition in which people visit family and friends to share the last of the Christmas season’s delicacies. The feast of the patron saint of Santa Cruz – Santo Amaro – is the most important religious feast of this borough. It’s a very lively three-day festival, which marks the end of the Christmas holidays.

from 26th to 28th – Madeira Orienteering Festival (Festival de Orientação da Madeira)
This is organised by the Funchal Mountain Club with the support of some official Madeira tourist organisations. It is held on the hills of Madeira and has the participation of both national and foreign athletes. This is a competition that blends in well with leisure activities and takes place in a setting offering permanent contact with Nature.

** Now it’s time, and with great pleasure that I can introduce Vanessa Swesnik. Vanessa is a recently qualified translator and interpreter, and fluent in Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish. Vanessa has joined the ‘team’, and will produce several articles a week for the blog in similar areas to the one below (preferring government, politics, economy, business, and environment). She is very busy, so the effort is much appreciated, but we have also talked about another exciting possibility that I may be able to share with you in the future, going in a quite different direction. Unfortunately, we are still way short of the number of contributors needed, so please don’t sit back and relax … or the blog will still have to close … yes seriously. Many thanks Vanessa for this article from yesterday’s Diário :

The last three months of 2009 confirmed that which was already a certainty: last year, with 89 insolvency proceedings of businesses, as individuals, collectives, or persons (also possible according to the law), broke all records in the Madeira Regional Authority.

In the last quarter, the rise levelled off with just 15 insolvency proceedings between October and December. In the three proceeding quarters (January to September), 74 insolvency proceedings were initiated by business owners or creditors. On average, that turns out to be 22 proceedings each quarter and 7.4 businesses publicly assuming financial difficulties for each of the 12 months in 2009.

During the first nine months of last year (according to the latest findings from Coface, a French multinational that publishes information on insolvencies and creation of businesses in Portugal), there was an increase of 184.6% in insolvencies compared to the homologous period of 2008, from 26 to 74.

According to unofficial accounts from the Portal Sitius of the Ministry of Justice- we had a total of 89 insolvency proceedings in 2009 compared to 36 in 2008. This increase of close to 150% reflects the initial idea: that despite everything, the last quarter showed a decrease in the number of insolvencies to enter into the 5 existing courts of the Madeira Regional Authority.

Funchal Stands Out in Front. Not all insolvency proceedings end in the dissolution and closing of a business. Naturally the majority of businesses that file for bankruptcy with the county court are in Funchal.

In the last quarter of 2009, there were 9 filed from Funchal, 4 from Santa Cruz and one each from Sao Vicente and Porto Santo.

Looking at the numbers from the entire year, Funchal “monopolizes” the grand majority of proceedings with 66. The other cases are distributed throughout Santa Cruz (19), Ponta do Sol (2), Sao Vicente (1) and Porto Santo (1).

Many times insolvency proceedings have served as a way to settle accounts and restart business activities, even if it’s at the expense of jobs as is indicated by unemployment statistics (also at record numbers in 2009).

But, as was reported earlier in the Diário (see edition 21/06/2009), according to Ruben Jardim Freitas, one of the principal administrators of insolvency proceedings in the region, there are fraudulent bankruptcies and others that end up being forced by the law or the heavy hand of Social Security.

Of all the businesses, either collectives or in individuals’ names, that are having difficulties and have closed their doors in 2009, there is a growing and still undetermined number of them that will no longer be part of the International Center of Madeira Businesses (or CINM). Practically every week there were dozens of businesses listed in the Regional Official Journal under “dissolution and closing of the liquidation of a business society” according to the Zona Franca’s Conservatory of Commercial Registry of Madeira, or Conservatória do Registro Comercial da Zona Franca da Madeira.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

Year end helped the tills of the big hotels – They are just a few days, but the period around new year pleased the hotels and improved on the previous.

Today’s main news headline : Birth rate in 2009 was a record low -  The year ended with just 2,386 babies born in the Region, the lowest number ever. The decrease of 12% relative to 2008 is also a record.

São Vicente contract a company to dump mud in the sea – Mayor Jorge Romeira says that he has authorisation from the Regional Government and that he is complying with the standards :  dumping downstream. Quercus condemns the solution that has been polluting the coastline of Passo da Areia. No really, it’s a serious headline! The Diário front page photograph today shows exactly what the headline says, with a lorry having emptied it’s load, and a digger pushing the load down off the roadside onto what seems to be a beach. Nothing surprises me anymore about our government, nor its PSD politicians in São Vicente or anywhere, and the best I can hope for in this story is that the Diário has got it wrong and the picture is a fake, but the truth is I am bl**dy fuming. The article says that there are hundreds of truck loads, taking thousands of cubic metres, being the muck and sludge from the recent storm damage, for dumping in the sea. The environmental agency Quercus say that the action will have tragic consequences for marine life. Personally I would have used that mud etc. to construct a very useful grassy knoll quite near to the council offices in São Vicente. At times Madeira’s claim to be a ‘green’ island is an absolute mockery of environmental issues. Imagine the message that this action sends to the population, who are regularly reminded of the evils of dumping rubbish in the sea (and indeed rivers).

Humiliation in ‘Idols’ pricks islander – The young Madeiran Carlos Costa says the attack of jury member Moura Santos is going to backfire. The controversy started on Sunday live on the TV channel SIC, when Manuel Moura dos Santos said he hoped that the Madeiran Carlos Costa does not win the ‘Idols’. "I hope that you are not the winner of this competition because you are the idol that we do not need," he said after harshly criticizing the selection of music that the Porto Moniz competitor is doing in shows and in particular the song ‘I’m Here’. I have never watched one of these programs, but I remember our local celebrity Vânia Fernandes won this stupid competition one year, and went on to represent Portugal in the Eurovision song contest (… what a gal! … did I ever tell you that she gave me a big hug once?).  Anyway, isn’t the whole idea that the judges are controversial and are expected to harshly criticise the contestants who present them with such an opportunity? Stupid competition, and no doubt many stupid people enter, but I bet the judges earn a hatful of dosh, so maybe they are not so stupid. It seems that now there are several Facebook groups set up both for and against the singer. What a weird world we live in!

In sport : Today there is and exciting derby in the juniors – The captains of Nacional and Marítimo show ambition.

Hard to believe the report from Elaine earlier about that ship getting hit by a 9 metre wave and buckling the top rail (as shown in the photo above). The Naviera Armas ferry, ‘Volcán de Tijarafe’, was also damaged during the last journey between Portimão and Funchal, which although turbulent and far from pleasant, "there was no panic on board". The hull was damaged at the bow of the ship, but it will not prevent it from continuing its journeys.

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

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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 photo or video, 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 don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s photo – Many thanks to Martin

One of Martins more abstract contributions of a rather unhealthy looking breakfast.

"First visit was to see the Madeira wine Story in the Old Blandy Wine Lodge in the centre of Funchal. Their museum has many historical items [letters from Winston Churchill ] and artefacts on winemaking in Madeira. Wine is still made in the lodge and we followed the progress of the production of the wine with the added pleasure of wonderful smells coming from the maturing wine in the barrels". ANOTHER WINE BUFF’S STORY

A few great photos from the New Year 2010 firework display FUNCHAL FIREWORKS 

And from Tobi from New Year night in Funchal … "My photos were rubbish and to much smoke, there are a couple that are passable" :

I really liked this video of a TAP flight taking off from Madeira Airport, especially the close up shots. Even watching it on a computer screen, I felt my right foot ‘pressing the accelerator’ as it sped off down the runway (am I the only person who does that when taking off, are there like minded ‘foot on the gas’ people?). But was the pilot playing Bingo?

"Arthur Pita presents his new dance-theatre creation God’s Garden, which will tour this month and next (from Jan 23, Jerwood Dance House, Ipswich). The volcanic paradise of Madeira provides the setting for a piece based on the parable of the Prodigal Son, here imagined as the golden boy of the Costa family. The piece boasts live fado music". From the UK TIMES Newspaper, a chance to see Madeira without getting on a plane perhaps.

Tobi found this one … "this is a good vid of the fireworks, its filmed from high up , and you can really see the shape of the fireworks a lot better". Thanks Tobi.

GOLF : One for the diary : Europe.- Men, PGA European Tour  – Madeira Islands Open BPI-Portugal (Porto Santo). 15-18 April : tbc

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top new year news stories :

Postman attacked with pepper spray. The attack occurred in São João in Funchal. He was distributing mail when approached by a group of individuals who asked him for money. After a negative reply, they threw an orange liquid at his eyes which temporarily blinded him. The bombeiros gave first aid then transported him to hospital. The PSP were informed and are investigating. Pepper spray is illegal for civilian use. It irritates the mucous membranes and the effects can last from 30 minutes to nearly two hours.

PSP agent prevents a suicide in the old zone of Funchal. On December 20, the speed and ‘cold blood’ of a policeman prevented a tragedy. Near the cable car, around 13.00, a 34 year old man was leaning over the sea wall and screaming that he was about to kill himself. He said he would throw himself into the sea if anyone approached him. As there was not enough time to wait for the trained negotiator, the PSP agent approached the man, undetected, grabbed him and pulled him to the ground. The man was eventually taken to hospital. The 33 year old officer has been in the force for 11 years and said, "It was the first time I came across a situation like this, I knew I had to act quickly and fortunately it ended in the best way."

Transfer of fuel. The tanker ‘Madeiro’ arrived on Christmas Day and has been unable to unload due to bad weather. Now with a break in the stormy weather, the island’s power supply is guaranteed with the stocks re-inforced. The ‘Madeiro’ has discharged part of the 18,000 tons of fuel in its tanks, which are vital for the supply of major power companies and other industries, and should finish unloading today. On Sunday, the tanker is expected to visit Porto Santo but the forecast is for 4 – 6 metre waves, which might prevent unloading. The Porto Santo ferry is not scheduled to sail today, but the passengers who came to Madeira for the New Year should be able to return tomorrow.

PND want Toco in the rubbish bin. The damage caused in the recent days by the bad weather justifies the suspension of the project for Toco in Funchal, according to the PND. The recent storm damage to the swimming pool complex at Barreira necessitates the Government to readjust its coastal policy. As well as the lack of money, the fact that other promenades and the Barreirinha swimming complex were badly damaged, means that the project for Toco should go into the dustbin.

Day of the City of Santana without anyone from the Government present. There will be no members of the Regional Government present at today’s official celebrations of the Day of the City of Santana. Rui Moses explained that invitations were sent out later than expected. Also, the date is not very convenient and needs to be changed. Santana was elevated to city status in 2001.

Left Bloc proposal for the centennial of the Republic. On 5 October 2010, Portugal will have been a Republic for 100 years. As well as national celebrations, the Left Bloc wants regional events. A draft decree for a regional commission to be set up, will be delivered to the Legislative Assembly for discussion in January. It is justified as the region is part of the Republic and both Madeira and Porto Santo should be proud of this fact. The autonomous regions were created by the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic and this fact should be highlighted throughout the year. The regional committee should report back in April for celebrations to be held in the second half of the year. There should be events honouring the spirit of the Portuguese although President Jardim no longer harbours strong feelings for the Portuguese.

OCM aims for new record. The Classical Orchestra of Madeira want to record a new album in 2010, having launched last November a compilation of five discs dedicated to Mozart. The conductor Rui Massena wants to release a more commercial disc. It could be fusion or film music or Vienna Waltzes. The Orchestra is still without a residential base. They will depend on negotiations with Pestana about continuing the use of the Casino before they can plan beyond March. The island requires a new hall with acoustics suited to concerts.

Eurico Martins wants more regional interest in the Bandolins. Eurico Martins is the director of the Recreio Musical União da Mocidade, (Bandolins of Madeira), a group made up of nine youngsters from São Roque. The director wants to hold more public concerts in 2010. They aim for a tour of the UK this year, including Bristol where they have had a good reception in the past. Performances will be held weekly at 21.00 on Fridays at the English Church in Funchal. There is a performance tomorrow at 21.00 at this location.

Free performances of Cantar os Reis. 6 January is the Dia de Reis, and to celebrate it in Madeira and Porto Santo are the performances ‘Cantar os Reis’. At the auditorium in the Municipal Garden in Funchal, the Associacoa Cultural Encontros da Eira will host a free show at 21.30 on Tuesday 5th January. In Machico, the performance will be on Saturday 2 January at 20.30 in the Largo da Praça. At Porto Santo, the show will start at 21.30 on the 5th January, in the Largo das Palmeiras. All shows are free.

Thousands of Euros in gold stolen. Thieves burgled a jewellers shop in Rua do Bom Jesus in Funchal on the night of  25 – 26 December at around 1.30 am. They stole 60 gold necklaces, some worth 1,500 Euros, despite triggering the alarm. They disappeared before the police arrived.

Elaine also found these articles in the New Year’s Day edition of the Jornal da Madeira. Many thanks.

Cuisine combines with the New Year’s Eve party. New Year’s Eve in Madeira, or reveillon, as many prefer to call it with the use of foreign words, typical of a tourist region par excellence, is an event appreciated by Madeirans. Inevitably, as the festa was celebrated at the table with plenty, New Year’s Eve is another reason to gather family and friends. But those who have neither home or family living in the district of Funchal, overlooking the amphitheatre, continue to celebrate New Year’s Eve by carrying food and drink to the chosen location to see the fireworks display. There is not an exact menu for New Year’s Eve, however being a special night and traditionally cold, one cannot miss the delicacies to "warm" the body and soul.

At the table there are many liqueurs with various aromas and flavours, new wine and our traditional Madeira Wine. In small dishes are served the "teeth" (dentinhos), normally pickled vegetables, stewed beans, pig’s feet, stewed offal of chicken, and meat in wine and garlic. In terms of sweets, home made bolo de mel, cheese, and broas de mel. Under the influence of large areas of food distribution, the "bolo rei" is also present.

At the time of celebrating New Year’s Eve, superstitions come to the fore. A piece of new underwear, money in the pocket, raisins and champagne are among others. The famous 12 raisins represent the 12 months of the year. It is believed that if you make a wish with every piece of dried fruit you eat, they will become a reality. After the euphoria of New Year’s Eve and fireworks, it is an ideal time to enjoy reinvigorating chicken soup, served hot and according to tradition, accompanied by chicken sandwiches. All around the region, New Year’s Eve supper is not much different, although in some counties a festive tradition leads many families to taste other delicacies.

In Porto Moniz, the Festa is seized by many families for the traditional "Carne Santa", a mixture of beef and pork marinaded overnight, mainly consumed on Christmas Eve but also tasted during this festive season. Alongside this traditional dish, on the table in the north is "Semilhas Bêbedas", potatoes cooked in wine. Also in the north, "Carne da Noite" cooked with potatoes, pork products from the recent "funcao" made with dry wine, accompanied by vegetables. On the south coast, particularly in Machico, the emphasis is on tasting "Bucho de Porco Recheado". Traditionally served at Christmas, this delicacy is enjoyed at the table until the festivities of Santo Amaro. In Santa Cruz, the tradition is the "Carne Frescal" which is somewhat similar to meat in wine and garlic. With white wine, red wine, Madeira Wine, herbs and garlic, the meat is marinaded for three days then baked in a pan. In Funchal, the lead role is taken by two dishes; roast pork with potatoes or chestnuts and chicken in the pot, following the traditions that pass from generation to generation without major changes.

Funchal welcomed thousands in the farewell to 2009. Thousands and thousands of people descended into Funchal. With the help of good weather, the capital of Madeira "was alert" already with some movement, and the tourists were the largest "slice" of those who thronged the streets of Funchal. Our news team made a circuit of the city and found that, indeed, the "smell" of the new year was already in the air. We started by going to the Mercado dos Lavradores where flowers, typical or not of Madeira, were the most photographed and acquired. The flashes did not stop going off.

After a walk around the space which that night would be the scene of celebration, we went down Rua do Visconde de Anadia to the Praça da Autonomia. Of the six stalls located there, two were already open by 10 am, selling the bolo do caco and bread with chorizo. Ahead of us on the promenade by the sea, the seller of roasted chestnuts was doing business with the tourists from the three ships which were already docked in Funchal, "Queen Victoria", "Boudicca" and "Aida Luna". Three more ships would arrive later, the "Amadea", "Oriana" and "Saga Ruby". Next to the stall of chestnuts, company officials responsible for the fireworks display tended to the material already placed at the stations ready for the stroke of midnight. On the pier hundreds of people watched the bay from the capital of Madeira and some posed for photos.

We walked up the Avenida Zarco and travelled throughout the central area of Avenida Arriaga. There the movement was even greater. Many, many people visited the various Christmas projects that the Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Culture, conceived for that space. In front of the building of the Regional Government, in the bandstand put there, a band played "Adeste Fidelis".  At the tables on the nearby terrace, as well as on the concrete benches scattered around the avenue, the avenue was crowded with people. "Fantastic" we heard a foreigner, probably British, say to her husband as she photographed the crib next to the Se.

On the return to JM, we passed along the streets João Tavira, Queimada de Cima e Baixo and the Largo do Chafariz. No time to enter the establishments, we launched a sneak peek inside some of the shops, noting that many had chosen to buy a new item of clothing for the entry into 2010. There are many superstitions, one of them for example, enter the new year wearing a piece of yellow clothing. The Rua dr. Fernão de Ornelas was also full of people. Increasingly, we heard the words "Bom Ano". Already at the end of the morning and near the closing hour of our edition, folklore groups roamed the main streets of Funchal leaving an increasingly festive atmosphere. As we guessed, a great New Year’s Eve, as always.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

(The truth is I didn’t expect a newspaper today, so I will have to keep it short as I have other things planned).

Most of today’s front page is taken up with a magnificent photo of the night sky over Funchal, lit by an abundance of assorted colour fireworks : Luck with the weather helped fortunate firework display – The magnificent spectacle ‘Ilhas Afortunadas’ was the usual success and counted on the help of São Pedro. But the night saw several fires, an injury through a ‘bomb’ and some people in alcoholic comas. 19 thousand tons of fireworks and 97 thousand explosions guaranteed the success of the night of the new year, but the show had luck on it’s side through the weather which eased off for the night. Somehow I doubt if it was 19 thousand tons of fireworks, but the Diário seems to be littered with mistakes today, but hopefully not through alcoholic comas. Not many photos, but you can see some small but excellent ones HERE in the Diário.

Today’s main news headline : Heroin at the front of the fears – At least in this decade, it is the first time that heroine tops the list of various types of drugs seized on Madeira. This hard drug causes greater damage than cocaine and the others of the type.

Socialist against gay marriage – The parliamentarian Carlos Preira  concedes on the union of people the same sex, but is against the PS from there on the idea of marriage.

Lara was born in Funchal in the first hours of 2010. The first baby of 2010 was born at 1.35 in the morning of 1st January, weighing 3 kilos and 700 grams. She is called Lara, and already has a three year old sibling. Mum even managed to watch the Funchal fireworks before the birth, albeit through the windows of the maternity unit.

And finally the sports / football headline : Public return timidly to the stadiums. More than half of the growth of spectators derives from the influx at the Stadium of Light [Benfica]. The overall crowds at the first 14 matches throughout Portugal saw a growth of spectators of 5.4% compared to the same period in the previous season. The 7 home games of Nacional have so far attracted just 14,680 spectators (9,275 – 2008), whilst Marítimo fared better as always with 27,651 paying fans but with a considerable fall (38,294 – 2008). There’s a chart with all the figures HERE, but again it has a few obvious mistakes.

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

Another daily blog visitor record set yesterday, with a whopping 594 visits, mostly looking for information or footage of our new year firework display.

I reckon the nets at the offshore fish farm at Campanário must have broken again, as looking down to the beach there are loads of fishermen there again this morning, and the numbers seem to be growing daily. The fishing bonanza now seems to be an annual event, always after rough seas,  and must cost the owners of the fish farm a small fortune in losses.

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Today’s photo – Many thanks to Eiryl … Roasted chestnuts / castanhas

"Have just returned from Madeira, super weather except for one very wet day. It was lovely to see the Xmas lights and displays. Sending 3 of my pics, first, fish drying on a boat at Câmara de Lobos, second, the roasted chestnuts – I can still smell them when I look at the photo, and third, sailor spotted at the top of the mast. There were so many cruise ships in this time and it was good to read on the blog about the history of the old yacht with funnels which we saw coming into harbour. We have a long wait to our return in February". Eiryl.

Apologies to Eiryl, as that was sent in nearly 3 weeks ago … you remember, when we used to have good weather? The other photos mentioned will follow in the next few days.

On the 1st of January 2010 the owners of classic cars and motorcycles will meet together at 4 pm in Praia Formosa to take part on a new year’s parade through the streets of Funchal. This is the first time this event takes place and it was named "Funchal ON". So if you will be wondering around Funchal do not miss this opportunity to admire some old beauties riding along the city. Thanks to Madeira Help for that little snippet.

What 2010 might have in store for the travel industry – TravelMole Guest Comment by Thomson and First Choice managing director Dermot Blastland. "… As for destinations, we’re expecting the top short haul destinations for summer 2010 to be the Balearics, mainland Spain, the Algarve, Italy and Madeira". LETS HOPE SO!

"In 2008, Italian and European investigators uncovered a €3 million fraud over subsidy claims for fictitious tobacco, involving at least one cooperative, putting 80 individuals under arrest and recovering the cash. Meanwhile, on the small Atlantic island of Madeira, which is part of Portugal, two banana cooperatives benefited from almost €1 million in illegal subsidies or nonpayment of duties during a decade of scamming, according to court judgments. In the harshest of a series of sanctions, the president of one of the cooperatives, Fernando Gonzalez, received a five-year prison sentence and €1,000 fine, under appeal, after being convicted of looting €316,000 in subsidies. Some of his cooperative’s claims were made in the names of farmers who died years earlier". This was published in some American newspaper WHAT CORRUPTION ON MADEIRA – WHATEVER NEXT!

Elaine (East) sent in the final article from the Christmas traditions series that was running in the Jornal da Madeira in the run up to Xmas. Many thanks.

Traditional food at Christmas. Delights to mark this season are bolos and broas de mel, liqueurs, meat in garlic and wine, chicken soup, ‘torresmos’ and pork cooked in many forms. Christmas Eve guests are offered typical seasonal sweets, like bolo de mel, broas and home-made liqueurs. Lunch on Christmas Day has a very special significance for the vast majority of local people. It is a time for the immediate family to meet and those who have departed to eternity remembered, and not to forget those who are absent in countries of emigration. The main menu integrates chicken and pork, and especially meat in wine and garlic, which is made in different ways according to the parishes. Modern families use restaurants. In the past, meat from animals raised at home had a special flavour. The fruit for dessert is traditionally pineapple, both for flavour and aroma. Pickles are made at the beginning of December, an English condiment based on an assortment of vegetables (or fruit) pickled in vinegar, whose origin refers to the time of British rule over India. Good cider vinegar is flavoured with cinnamon, black pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Spring onions in sauce are often included, and the meat seasoned with wine, wine vinegar, garlic, cloves and bay leaves. Also on the table there should be pao jamon, bolo de rei, stuffed turkey and bacalhau.

Local specialities are as follows. Porto Moniz, ‘Carne Santa’ – pork and beef marinated overnight. Santana, ‘Carne da Noite’ – pork from the animal killed a week before in the ‘função do porco’, with wine, bay leaves and pumpkin accompaniment. Santo António da Serra in Machico, ‘Bucho de Porco Recheado’ – pork entrails stuffed with rice, garlic and parsley. In Santa Cruz, ‘Carne Frescal’ – meat marinated in white and red wine, Madeira wine and garlic for three days. In Funchal, ‘Sarapatel’ – pork blood and pork liver cooked with onions, tomato, parsley, pears, nuts and raisins.

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :

The web-cam photographer has been down to Av. Arriaga again. A good photo of the camels on Sunday, CAMELS Today it’s Santa’s train.  TRAIN

Sales started yesterday. December 28 to February 28, the official dates of the winter sales. Some shops are waiting until January. There are discussions to reduce the period as two months is too long for the size of the population here, and to have a later starting date.

Communists note Funchal is less competitive. The Assembly of the Municipal of Funchal will vote this afternoon on a proposal of the CDU for an immediate formation of a working group to investigate alleged loss of competitiveness of Funchal, even in the regional context. The proposed study will take a year to report back. The Communists propose that representatives from the Municipal Assembly should form the group. The data has been collected by the National Institute of Statistics in a study called, ‘Local Purchasing Power’, which indicates that Funchal looses purchasing power compared to other municipalities in the region. Funchal Council is also discussing its budget today and plan to reduce running costs and maintain investment in priority sectors. More rigour will be applied when assessing investment projects. The accounts need to balance with a decrease from a 114 million Euros budget this year to 108 million Euros next year. They expect to save 3 million Euros in operating expenses – a large sum. 48% of the budget is retained for investment. They want to take advantage of low interest rates in the international money market and only spend 75% of the budget by the end of the year. The Socialist Party indicate they will vote against the budget as it lacks rigour in defining priorities when the Council has less money to spend. Half of the investments are in public works and bureaucracy instead of the environment, culture and social action.

8,000 to see the fireworks. 8,000 tourists and 3,300 crew will take the opportunity to see the fireworks on New Year’s Eve. The increased port traffic starts tomorrow, December 30, with the cruise ships Queen Victoria (2,000 tourists, 900 crew) and AIDAluna (2,250 tourists, 634 crew) due at 7.15 and 12.00 hours, respectively. The Cunard ship will stay moored until the early morning of December 31 and then has to go out to sea at 6.00 am to make room for another ship. The lifeboats will be used to ferry tourists ashore, weather permitting. She finally sails at 1 am on January 1 2010. The AIDAluna normally calls on Sundays but the timetable has been altered for the fireworks spectacular and will also leave at 1.00 am on January 1 2010. On December 31, the Oriana  (1700, 760) will occupy the position vacated by the Queen Vic., arriving at 07.00 and the Boudicca  (793, 363) will be alongside until 2 am the following day. At 22.00 on the 31 December, the Amadea (600, 244) will moor behind the AIDAluna and remain until 18.00 hours the following day. The sixth and final ship to arrive to watch the display is the Saga Ruby (650, 379) which approaches at 23.00 on December 31 and stays offshore until 7am on January 1 2010.  The Lobo Marinho ferry will join other boats at sea at 23.00, for spectators to obtain a sea view. — Hopefully, the Oriana will not miss out this time.

Porto Santo may have ‘anopheles’.  Continuation of yesterday’s report about malaria in the region. Anopheles is the mosquito which can transmit malaria, if infected with the Plasmodium parasites. A detailed study about climate change in the region since 2006, discusses the possibility that the mosquito is present on the island of Porto Santo, although it is not found on the island of Madeira. It is thought the risk of contracting malaria is very low as the the local population of mosquitoes on Porto Santo are not infected with the parasite. Climate change will make it more favourable for the development of the parasites in the region but they need to be introduced by infected vectors, and all cases of malaria between 1996 and 2004 have been contracted abroad. The Department of Social Affairs ensures there is no cause for alarm as there are no vectors present in Madeira and malaria cannot be transmitted from person to person. The labs here can test for malaria. The relatives of the man in intensive care are upset about the way he was ‘shuttled around’ for four days before admittance. The hospital originally sent him to Santo Antonio Health Centre for a test and immunization against influenza A, then on feeling worse the following day, he went to Machico Health Centre and sent home. He was finally admitted on Christmas Eve and is showing signs of organ failure. The other two infected men are responding well to treatment and should be released soon. — No mention of the number of malaria cases that have been brought here over the years. The symptoms of malaria – fever, headaches and malaise – are typical flu symptoms, especially prominent at the present time. Why didn’t the men take precautions against malaria if they were working in a highly infectious region (Equatorial Guinea)?

Tickets and passes increases – confusion! Someone cannot do their sums or the information is too vague. Bus tickets and fares will increase next year, as usual on January 1. According to the Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport, the average increases will be 1.85% for interurban buses and 1.19% for urban transport. An average increase of 5 cents per ticket. A 1.55 Euros ticket will cost 1.57 Euros, according to the Diário but a 1.55 Euros ticket in Funchal will increase to 1.60 Euros (3.2% ?), according to the J. Madeira. A 35.50 Euros social pass will increase to 40 Euros (12.7% ?). More detailed information will be published later this week. Better news is that milk and bread will not increase until at least March. CTT has published details of new prices for the postal service. PT will reduce fixed line prices by about 10.5% and offer unlimited calls within their network at weekends, from January 1. It is thought that mobile phones will have the same tariffs.

Vandalism puts gas tank at risk. The gas tank that supplies a block of flats situated near the Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint in Santo Antonio, was yesterday at risk of exploding. Two rubbish bins were destroyed by fire and damage to the infrastructure meant a temporary interruption in  ZON and Portugal Telecom cable television and Internet in the area. Immediately behind the rubbish collection containers is a gas tank, which could have easily caught fire. Vandals set fire to the area at 1.30 when there was poor visibility in the high zone. The Funchal bombeiros extinguished the flames but the charred remains are an eyesore for visitors to the viewpoint. There have been similar acts of arson at ecopoints recently, all at night, in the area of Courelas and near this viewpoint.

Urbanization Plan for Santa Cruz to be released on January 7. The plan is for the Portinho area. There will be installation of new equipment, transfer of public facilities and the creation of several recreational areas and green spaces. A new kindergarten and a new school are planned. Changes also planned for Vargem; some areas of the centre of Caniço will be closed to traffic with new litter bins and seats to make the area pleasanter for pedestrians, with new roads and areas of health and leisure. The cemetery, which is being repositioned, will become a garden.

Regional Government announces support to agriculture ranging from 85% to 100%.  At last, a statement from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources announces financial support for storm damage which can cover between 85% and 100% of eligible expenses. The office of Manuel Antonio Correia said the Executive would use EU funds and the Regional Budget. The support will cover the costs of restoring agricultural land and infrastructure, eg crops, walls, buildings, irrigation systems and equipment. To cut bureaucracy, call centres have been set up from today and claims are a priority for processing. The CDU want the Government to  immediately use the Insurance Fund created in 1983.

Socialist lodges a complaint against the Regional Director of Forestry, Tamega and Coito Pita. The Socialist Party leader Joao Gouveia wants prosecutions against the Regional Director of Forestry (Rocha da Silva), the construction firm Tamega, as well as the Social Democrat Coito Pita, for storm damage. The construction firm is accused of illegal activity in the area of Ribeira Grande. The Director of the Forestry Department has direct responsibility for the construction of the road between Rosario and Encumeada. The Director of Forestry permitted Tamega to put stones in unsuitable areas as illegal landfill. Coito Pita owns the land situated below the Chao-dos-Louros, contiguous to Rocha da Silva’s property. Coito Pita blocked access to farmland via his road and after negotiations with Rocha da Silva, an alternative road was constructed. This involved removal of trees which were carried down the slopes in the storm.

Hectic day at the airport. Yesterday, due to strong gusts of wind, several hundreds of passengers had long waits to fly from Madeira. 17 cancelled flights (departures/arrivals), and delays in all flights scheduled to land on Monday morning. Some passengers had to wait more than eight hours and criticized the lack of information. Reporters could not find a satisfactory answer to the fact that charter flights from the U.K., Helsinki and Copenhagen were landing but not those of TAP and SATA. Ground Force could not explain why and the TAP headquarters in Lisbon could not be contacted.

Storm leaves families poorer. In Ribeira do Porco in Boaventura, the storm leaves stones deposited on the highway. Downstream, there is major damage. Five cars in Lombo do Urzal were damaged and walls and agricultural land have been destroyed. In Falca, machinery and a warehouse belonging to a construction firm have water damage. Heavy rain still falls in Ribeira Grande and Rosario, where there are more landslides and swollen rivers. The Councils have not yet drawn risk maps, which would take political courage, due to land becoming devalued and many present buildings disallowed.

Bad weather stories round-up. In Vasco Gil, the electrical cables were ripped down by a storm-felled eucalyptus tree. In Funchal, various roads closed, especially the Estrada Luso-brasileira, due to landslides. Officials had to use chainsaws to remove buganvilia (bougainvillea) from the Ribeira de Santa Luzia, after heavy rain caused it to fall into the water and block the water course.This plant also caused problems and had to be cut back on the Rua 5 de Outubro in Funchal. The only access to Curral das Freiras, the Estrada da Eira do Serrado, was cut off by falling eucalyptus trees, destroying power lines. Rubbish discarded thoughtlessly has washed down to the coastline, especially in Serra de Agua and Ribeira Brava. Falling trees destroyed the roof of a residence in Camacha (photo). Three eucalyptus and two pine trees fell onto the roof of the unoccupied Villa Viera Cardosa in Rochao. The owners live in South Africa. Neighbours had asked the family to cut the trees two years ago, as they recognized the potential danger. The family displaced at Monte yesterday will be temporarily housed in lodgings by Funchal Council. A landslide near the electricity station at Serra de Agua left about a dozen families isolated at Achada dos Aparicios. The only access road to the power station and their houses was blocked by the landslide. The Council unblocked the road by the end of the morning. The sea invaded at least one bar on the esplanade at Praia Formosa. The bar Barra Azul was affected last night and the bar is half destroyed. In front of the Atlantic Gardens, the footpath has been closed due to waves threatening the beach area. According to the IM, the coast of Madeira will be hit by strong waves until the end of the year. Two large ships are sheltering from the weather off the north coast and are being monitored by the Harbour of Funchal to ensure they do not come too close to shore. One is a large container ship, en route to Rotterdam, the other is a tanker.

—– The Bishop of Funchal reassures parishioners that the Church is still here for them during this terrible time. The Government has other matters on its mind; Jardim has put his ex-journalist skills to work by writing another preface to a book – this time about tax systems in the Region. New Year’s ‘Sexy Party’ at the Farmers’ Market will be safeguarded against the weather, already 500 tickets sold, mainly to the VIP area. The prices are 10 and 15 Euros whereas the Wine Institute’s Hollywood party tickets are 20 Euros.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

The sea makes difficult the unloading of fuel – The tanker-ship ‘Madeiro’ has been waiting 5 days for suitable sea conditions to unload 18 thousand tons of fuel. The time is uncertain, but there are stocks to last at least a week. The three fuel terminals located at Caniçal, Socorridos and Porto Santo have been inaccessible due to weather / sea conditions, and supplies are running low for products like diesel and other fuels. The tanker-ship arrived here on Christmas day, and when conditions allow will unload firstly in Caniçal, and then Socorridos, before heading off to Porto Santo. At least that is the plan, but the reality is likely to be quite different as only safe unloading conditions will determine. The ship has been ‘sheltering’ unanchored off the north coast of Madeira, between Ponta de São Lourenço and Porto da Cruz. Most of the fuel is destined for electricity production, where existing stocks should last until 6th January. Around 1,000 tons are for petrol stations. EEM spokesman Rui Rebelo said "Only a lot of bad luck will prevent the ship from docking in the next ten days," after which a break in electricity supply will be possible.

Today’s main news headline : Sócrates pays the electricity bill – Lisbon decided to end the stubbornness and deliver to EEM the value of the convergence rates. The process was started in 1998 by an agreement between the central and regional executives. But the money was burning until now. €26 million arrives today or tomorrow. This was an agreement to ensure that Madeirans were not disadvantaged in terms of the prices they pay for electricity consumed. The Electricity Company of Madeira produces electricity at a higher cost than in mainland Portugal, because of the cost of importing raw materials, transport costs, and the fact that that the Madeira market is comparatively small. A payment agreement made in 2003 was to ensure that the state contributed an amount annually until the year 2013, but until now any subsidies have been funded by the Madeira Government. Now, after a long struggle the state has agreed to pay the subsidies along with late payment costs (interest), after the matter was referred to the courts.  The money will be used to settle bank debt incurred due to the delay, and will not affect the prices paid by EEM customers.

French Tourism grows in times of crisis – ‘Top of Travel’ brought 16 thousand French in 2009 and wants to bring 20 thousand next year.

Classical Orchestra gives three concerts in Lisbon.

Storm insists on punishing Ponta do Sol. The sea has been relentless in the West zone – The force of the waves partially destroyed the beach bar at Ponta do Sol. The bar named ‘Maré Alta’ was damaged as the high waves ‘threw rocks’ at the structure.  Also Marina do Lugar de Baixo has two more ‘leaking’ fissures in the wall, and Calheta golden sand beach has returned once again to be a pebble beach. The president of Ponta do Sol council has said that he wants to enrol in the 2011 government programme to completely transform the protection for the town sea front. WATCH THE VIDEO Who said "water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink" … was it someone in Ponta do Sol?

Today’s top sport / football story : Marote doesn’t know the future of the ‘Series Madeira’ – The president of AF Madeira alerts to the uncertainty around the regional clubs. Marote wants to see three Madeirans at the 2010 World Cup Finals. No time to delve into the full story, but I am certain Sr. Marote will see his wish come true. For sure Uncle Bertie will wangle a few top match tickets for his pals and cronies, and no doubt the taxpayer will need to assist in this essential diplomatic mission. Whether the Madeiran footballing trio of Ronaldo, Danni and Micael will be there I have no idea.

An extra article from Elaine (East) from yesterday’s Jornal da Madeira, an  interview with the Manager of Macedo’s Fireworks. Many thanks Elaine.

Fireworks stations begin to be placed tonight. The placement of the launching stations for the fireworks display at the end-of-year in Funchal will start from tonight. According to Carlos Macedo, Manager of Macedo’s Fireworks, tonight they will begin to put the fireworks stations at the Avenida do Mar. He said, roughly at 00:00, one of the lanes of the Avenida do Mar will be cut off to traffic, for the placing of containers at the fireworks stations. This operation will continue even through the course of tomorrow, when there will be placed stations at sea (in areeiras) and the closed stations. Finally, on December 31, the remainder will be placed, particularly those that "are in more public areas, such as parks, streets, parking lots, etc.", to avoid bottlenecks and impediments to movement. It should be noted that this year, there will be 39 stations to launch fireworks in Funchal and one in Porto Santo. Compared to last year, there is one more fireworks station, namely the one that will be located at the Garrison of the Regiment No. 3. In total, as already announced, there will be 97,172 firings, that over eight minutes will bring a lot of colour and magic to this important tourist attraction of Madeira. "Fortunate Islands" is the theme of the show, which, as Carlos Macedo stressed, is inspired by the International Year of Biodiversity, which starts precisely on the 1 January. According to him, "our designer decided to set up a project to honour this jewel of nature, that is the Floresta Laurissilva and the fauna associated with it." As such, he stressed, "we will have a very colourful show, very noisy, with themes and effects related to nature and fauna." A variety of colours including green, orange, violet and white will cause a great show, which will be accompanied by a variety of sounds such as whistling, whooshing and crackling. "Let’s have a bit of everything," says Carlos Macedo.

The manager says that everything is being prepared for a great show and hopes the weather conditions will not ultimately harm it. This is because, he said, rain and humidity will not allow the smoke to lift. Moreover, he hopes that the sea is not choppy, so as not to hinder the process, also as regards the placement of fireworks. "We really fear the rain and the storm that’s going around," he confessed. It should be noted, however, that as Lusa (News Agency) said, citing the Regional Secretary of Tourism and Transport, weather forecasts point to an improvement in conditions from today in the archipelago of Madeira, "and there is expected a pleasant temperature and good weather for the last day of the year."

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

I think I have found another website that will show the world record attempt (breaking it’s own record) for the 2010 new year fireworks tomorrow night in Funchal, Madeira. I am still checking it out, and if I don’t confirm it later today I will ensure it is on tomorrow’s blog ready to click on and watch.

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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 photo or video, 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 don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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