tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50482668604984998372026-04-08T09:36:04.351+01:00An englishman's take on life in a small portuguese fishing village. Santa Luzia, Tavira, eastern algarve Portugal. Includes lots of information on bars, restaurants,beaches, transport and places of interest in and around Santa Luzia.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-10130695497328772972014-04-29T08:33:00.001+01:002014-04-29T08:33:33.334+01:00

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-15856024145321913872014-01-12T16:06:00.000+00:002014-01-12T16:06:02.961+00:00

First of all let me wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. I hope to be meeting many more of my readers here in Santa Luzia during 2014. Time flies and it is mid January already yet the sun continue to shine here on the Algarve and temperatures during the day are maintaining a very respectable mid to high teens. Not so for the lovely Joan however, she jetted off to New York for a week

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-7889985656180391852013-12-17T08:42:00.001+00:002013-12-17T12:00:40.287+00:00

Christmas is fast approaching and Joan and I have been resident here in Santa Luzia almost nine months now and whilst my Portuguese vocabulary has improved significantly  my grammar has not fared so well.  The problem is simply too many people speak English and whenever attempts are made to speak the local tongue they obligingly switch and reply in English which normally puts my

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-72922004992357416722013-08-20T16:57:00.000+01:002013-08-20T17:13:47.150+01:00

The temperatures here in Portugal have been astronomical over the past few weeks and it really has been too hot to do anything. I have not cast a line into the sea for at least six weeks but some time ago a friend who had had a particularly good catch gave me about 5 kilo of fish consisting mainly of mackerel and Peixe Aranha. Now Piexe Aranha (literal translation "Spider fish") is a relative of

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-88724532320562323902013-08-01T10:26:00.000+01:002013-08-01T10:26:46.941+01:00

It is Festa Dos Pescadores time again!!! I reproduce above the itinerary.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-66815247124409131922013-07-30T13:59:00.000+01:002013-07-30T14:15:01.486+01:00

When we first moved here I actually believed that I would be posting on this blog far more often as I was confident I would have lots of time on my hands. As you may have gathered from my previous posts ( or lack thereof) this has not turned out to be the case. Our social life is one long whirl of dinner, lunch or evening drink invitations and the rest of our days are taken up with the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-69025380821795826962013-05-14T09:19:00.001+01:002013-05-14T11:32:36.603+01:00

Great news last weekend. Lifelong friend and former work colleague Les and his partner Gill are to visit and stay with us in early June. This inspired me to fire off a long e-mail describing to Les a typical weekend  in our new life. Not having touched on any of those dark secrets lifelong buddies share I am sure Les will not mind me sharing it with you and so reproduce it here in full.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-25616578629603845592013-04-25T00:26:00.000+01:002013-04-25T00:36:16.336+01:00

I have previously and elsewhere in this blog referred to Santa Luzia as “the thief of time” and now, having lived here for over a month I can absolutely confirm that description.                                      Time here is generally irrelevant and the day just bobs along at its own pace

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-688323149934397302013-04-05T11:34:00.000+01:002013-04-05T11:34:50.887+01:00

Whilst Joan and I have now been in Santa Luzia for over a fortnight we still haven’t really settled properly into village life due, in no small part, to the number of holidaying friends here during the Easter period. It was the imminent arrival last week of two of these friends, Barney and Darren, from Leeds that sparked an amusing little incident I would like to relate to you. As the two were

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-47360482255001549592013-03-26T09:17:00.000+00:002013-03-26T09:17:37.653+00:00

Last Thursday (21st March)finally saw the day arrive that Joan and I departed the UK for our new life in Portugal and the beautiful village of Santa Luzia. Arriving at Leeds & Bradford airport along with our three large suitcases and two smaller hand luggage cases we were about to unknowingly experience a portent of what was to befall the UK over the coming days.  Having already checked

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-57655885587581546652013-03-07T18:18:00.001+00:002013-03-07T18:18:39.045+00:00

Only two weeks now before Joan and I make the move to Santa Luzia and we are both eagerly anticipating the start of our new life. We are also looking forward to meeting again our old friend Donna Zeta. ((above) Zeta makes a daily excursion around Santa Luzia calling into shops or friends houses often for no more than a chat. With her thick algarvian/Santa Luzian accent it is often necessary

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-43939543466255536142013-02-06T19:14:00.000+00:002013-02-06T19:14:57.017+00:00

The recent spell of winter weather here in Leeds has set us to thinking about Portugal and the warm sunshine we basked in during our recent Christmas visit. January in Leeds We looked very carefully at our finances............. We scrutinised our lifestyle.......... We measured our aspirations. The following day I handed in  one months notice and come March we are moving over to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-41410993214420573142013-01-18T20:14:00.000+00:002013-01-19T16:28:52.079+00:00

"Out with this  assassin government" The swinging cuts being imposed in Portuguese public sector pay and conditions in the new national budget are to be challenged in court by a number of opposition parties and other organisations. Meanwhile the gloom deepens. When you speak to local people there is a definite feeling that things will get much worse before they get better and in some

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-6855554410278160052013-01-13T13:39:00.000+00:002013-01-14T18:13:53.344+00:00

Joan arrived home from SL last night and we are patiently waiting now for the forecast snow to arrive.  Our Christmas/new year visit to SL was perfect in every way. Wonderful "winter" weather, convivial company and many memorable experiences.  The village itself was as usual fairly quiet but visitors were in no short supply and every day the terraces of Ria Cafe and Cafe Santa Luzia

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-70146457248683567072012-11-10T12:22:00.002+00:002012-11-10T12:46:15.687+00:00

Many regular readers will be aware that this site was recently hacked and effectively hijacked by a rogue website called onlinefwd. After much searching of the internet I managed to find some advice on how to get rid of the problem and have spent interminable hours immersed in HTML coding. I am pleased to announce that I have finally located and deleted the offending code and things are back to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-91197548450298572252012-08-03T16:14:00.000+01:002012-08-03T16:14:43.547+01:00

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-37374705874905836762012-07-19T20:07:00.003+01:002012-07-19T20:09:47.187+01:00

Finally received details of this years Festa. I arrive in town on the 10th and will be staying until the 19th.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-43554717835373586602012-05-27T20:32:00.000+01:002012-05-27T20:39:21.791+01:00

My thanks are due to Roy Clarke, a regular reader of my blog who emailed me recently with observations and instructions on paying the controversial and pretty universally unpopular tolls which came into force  on the A22 "Via Do Infante De Sagres" motor way in December last year .  There are no toll booths on the motorway itself and you have to go into a post office or pay point shop to

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-37991148691115939882012-05-23T18:30:00.000+01:002012-05-23T18:33:57.491+01:00

Christmas and New Year have long since come and gone and Joan and I have been back to SL a couple of times since our festive sojourn.  At least I have as Joan went out with me on the 30th March and remained when I returned to England on 16th April being still there to greet me when I returned on 5th May, packing me back off to blighty on the 16th May and finally, and somewhat reluctantly

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-24112147761575063632011-12-17T14:48:00.000+00:002011-12-17T14:50:15.979+00:00

Christmas is coming,  The goose is getting fat, We're spending it in Portugal this year, How good is that? Once again I have for too long neglected the blog and once again I apologise unreservedly to those of you who follow my scribblings on a regular basis. Since my last posting we have in fact visited SL a couple of times the last one being at the end of  November as I changed my

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-80471654852396287192011-11-08T17:53:00.002+00:002011-11-08T18:03:07.831+00:00

Made it to this last year but sadly won't be in SL this year.IF you happen to be in town bob along and support Almadrava and enjoy some free chestnuts.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-42228133137265881652011-08-02T17:59:00.000+01:002011-08-02T18:02:10.368+01:00

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-41579357961488698482011-07-12T12:29:00.005+01:002011-07-12T13:21:17.956+01:00

August is almost upon us again and as ever the second weekend of the month sees the traditional fisherman's festival in Santa Luzia.This is the busiest weekend of the year in SL and the transformation is incredible. The promenade is lined with stalls selling craft items and traditional foodstuffs and a huge stage is erected on the western end where free live entertainment is provided during the

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-69943526341250529862011-06-06T12:25:00.006+01:002011-06-25T16:46:57.153+01:00

Once again I find myself having to start a post with an apology. It is far too long since I posted on this blog and as usual I have no excuse other than my own inertia. Since my last post in February we have in fact visited SL twice and during those visits noted a number of closures of established businesses and the opening of new ventures.We were particularly surprised by the closure of Taberna

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048266860498499837.post-32574759073528745152011-02-22T21:11:00.002+00:002011-02-22T21:17:45.871+00:00

The beginning of March sees carnival time once again in Portugal.Loule boasts one of the best carnivals in Portugal and Tavira usually has a pretty impressive parade. This year Santa Luzia boasts it's very own carnival event.Details below.

Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13204538484397713860noreply@blogger.com2