TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Eiryl … “we could almost wave to the pilot!”
Front Page News : source : Diário de Notícias 15/8/2008
In 2006 a council worker mucked up the sewerage system in a street in Funchal, the result being that a house was flooded with unspeakable things (there is a picture if you do want to look at the newspaper, but I wouldn’t recommend it). The problem was fixed, but the clean-up never took place. Over €2,500 worth of damage was assessed. It seems the 78 year old lady who lived there had to move away … and 2 years later the clean up still hasn’t been done, and the lady is still being charged for all her bills.
The other 3 front page stories were about a minor politician getting axed, the fun of Monte festival, and a football story.
Other News :
A sad tale about a man aged 71 who was confined to a wheelchair after a leg amputation, but he really struggled to get around, and so really needed an electric wheelchair to become properly mobile. 2 years later he got one … not from the state but as a kind gift.
If you want a copy of the book ‘Maddie – The Truth of the Lie’, you can get a signed copy today in the store Fnac (Madeira shopping). The book about the investigation into the missing Madelene McCann is written by the inspector and coordinator on the case, Gonçalo Amaral, who claims that the youngster died in the apartment and that the body was taken away and hidden by the parents. I won’t be buying one, that’s for sure.
The old sea road between Tabua and Ribeira Brava remains closed after at least 2 years, with falling rocks cited as the main reason, and seemingly nothing being done to rectify the matter (I can confirm that as I walk that road regularly). Businesses in Ribeira Brava complain that it is losing them trade, and at night nobody comes that way because the lights are not working, a trader likened the scene to a horror film set. The town council here are good at street cleaning and putting up street lights for special occasions, but that is as far as it goes. They don’t see themselves as having any role to play in generating business in the town and in several ways discourage it, and as for attracting tourist revenue they really don’t have a clue.
Great news for the festival in São Vicente during the final week of the month, as they have signed up Mariza, the famous fado singer, to perform. She is probably the best known real celebrity in Portugal, and even for those (like me) who aren’t great fado admirers, she is just so talented that it is hard to turn away. Her appearance has been sponsored by the bank ‘Caixa Geral de Depósitos’, and the big day is set for 27th August. If anyone doesn’t know about fado music, it is supposed to be unique to Portugal, and is the supposedly the saddest music you will ever hear. It’s like catching your lover in bed with someone else, you break your leg, your dog dies, and your car gets stolen … all on the same day.
The Porto Santo Ferry is having a busy time … they claim to have transported 8,000 people in just 5 days up until Sunday. Apparently Porto Santo is now officially ‘full up’.
Employment law and workers rights for Portuguese people working in the UK are now available in Portuguese. I eagerly await the reciprocal action here on Madeira.
The bus company of Funchal has revamped it’s website at www.horariosdofunchal.pt . The link on madeira4u will no longer work, but I will alter it in the next few days. I had a quick look, and it appears that the site is no longer available in English. They claim the new site is much better than before … please let me know what you think?
Two weeks after capping the price of petrol and diesel in Madeiras petrol stations, the government has intervened again (as it said it would, every 2 weeks) and knocked another 2% off the price of petrol. The change is immediate, and means the maximum price chargeable for a litre of ordinary petrol is €1.319.
On last nights news on channel TVI they ran a report about the disappearing ‘Casas de Colmo’. Probably most foreigners know them as the old triangular farm-workers houses, or ‘A’ frame houses, as seen in Santana for example. I guess that’s what they call progress …
By the way, if anyone wants to put it in their diary for next year, Thursday night was the night of 7 festas or festivals. As well as Monte (Festa de Nossa Senhora) and Serra da Água, I was told last night that there are also celebrations in Ponta do Sol, Porto da Cruz, Estreito da Calheta, Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, and I forgot the other one. I popped out for a quick tipple that night, and with a public holiday to follow I was expecting to see some people on the streets here in Rib. Bra., but it was as quiet as always.
Finally, a plea for help from Lynn : “I would like to arrange for SKY TV here in Madeira. I still have my digi-box and old sky card from the UK. I don’t know who to contact though to arrange the dish etc. Can you help? do you know who we can contact to do it?” I think I know the answer but my information is a couple of years old … can anyone help Lynn please?
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’2008 : The Worst In 30 Years – The weather helped production in Jardim da Serra that has it’s festival this weekend’. The cherry harvesting in the area has begun, and if the rain doesn’t come and spoil things, then it should be a much better year than last year. It’s an interesting article about the life of a cherry farmer, who not only has to worry about the crop and the weather, but also about the dangers of the job, and cherry thieves. If you know where to look, you can buy cherries at the moment at €1.80 a kilo, whereas last year, maybe because of the poor crop, the cheapest ones you would have found would have been €2.50 a kilo. 
