Santa Luzia

Natal e Ano Novo em Portugal

2011-12-17T14:48:00.000Z

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 occupation

Nuts

2011-11-08T17:53:00.002Z

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.

Festas dos pescadores 2011

2011-08-02T17:59:00.000+01:00

TRADICIONAIS FESTAS DOS PESCADORES Santa Luzia 2011

2011-07-12T12:29:00.005+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

Out with the old.........in with the new.

2011-06-06T12:25:00.006+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

Party Time

2011-02-22T21:11:00.002Z

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.

This Town Aint Big Enough For The Both Of Us.

2011-02-15T09:36:00.006Z

Action at last on the decrepit old ferry landing. A monster machine arrived in town on Wednesday 9th February and over the following two days it munched it's way through the remains of the landing and the abandoned ferryboat which had sunk beside it. All was transformed into manageable little pieces and carted away on trucks presumably to be melted down and turned into Skodas.The monster machine

Eat till you bust.

2011-01-25T15:58:00.009Z

Over a pint in the pub a couple of nights ago my old friend Les Healey took me to task and I suppose pretty much chastised me over the way I have neglected this blog since September last year.It pains me to admit my guilt but he is of course absolutely right and my dereliction of duty is unforgivable.................................I am however forgiving by nature so I have no hesitation in

Watching the birds.

2010-09-26T17:06:00.003+01:00

Another year has stealthily slipped by and on the 12th of September I became entitled to yet one more candle on my birthday cake. Thanks to a 5 o'clock flight from Ryanair and permission from my manager to finish a couple of hours early Joan and I flew out on the 10th to spend an extended weekend and celebrate my birthday in Santa Luzia.In actual fact I returned home on Monday the 13th in order

Pop goes Santa Luzia

2010-08-02T16:53:00.003+01:00

Next weekend sees the traditional fisherman's festival in Santa Luzia and work commitments mean that sadly I will be missing it. I have however discovered that the Almadrava Association have organised what appears to be a pop music festival for the month of September.Now I am not exactly a pop fan myself but if the stage is to be set up where they do it for the fisherman's festival then a comfy

Festas Dos Pescadores 2010.

2010-07-12T19:27:00.006+01:00

I reproduce above the official program for this years Festas Dos Pescadores .Every year I have tried to find and publish details but it has never been possible to obtain the information. This year however is different because Santa Luzia now has a Facebook page and that's where I found it.I have added a link to the page in my Algarve links on the left hand side of this page, visit it today and

All Change..................home and away.

2010-05-29T20:57:00.007+01:00

My career at Jet2.com has taken a new and interesting turn. I have been anointed crew bus driver due to the previous incumbent having a severe problem of "mind over mattress".Tom was a cordial, willing and pleasant young man but he could not apparently get himself out of bed on a morning with any degree of reliability and unfortunately for him, if your planes are to be on time, the crews must

Done and Dusted.

2010-05-11T10:46:00.006+01:00

I am writing this post today as a sad and poor substitute for being in Santa Luzia.Having bobbed across for 2 days last week and found it very acceptable we had planned to do the same again this week, however, Mount Flapperrapperpapperjjack or whatever it's called had different ideas.Our flight from LBA was cancelled due to volcanic ash. We thought we could circumvent the situation by switching

Opportunity knocks.

2010-04-04T16:04:00.003+01:00

Having commenced my new occupation with Jet2.com I had reluctantly resigned myself to the fact that I would be unlikely to visit Santa Luzia before mid autumn at the earliest until, that is, the lovely Joan got sight of my work roster for week commencing 25th April.A split shift 5 -00am to 5-00 pm on Monday 26th followed by a three day break and a 5-00 am start on Friday 29th provided a window of

Breaking the mould.

2010-03-05T17:14:00.005Z

Last year was the worst winter in the Algarve since records began, until this year that is.The whole world witnessed the tragedy that unfolded in Madeira with the unparalleled loss of life due to the severe winter storms and mainland Portugal has not been spared the vagaries of mother nature.While last years winter served up record breaking temperature lows this year has been warmer but

New Horizons.

2010-02-09T15:47:00.006Z

We have been in the pub business for over fifteen years and throughout that time we have experienced the steady decline of that famous and beloved institution.Increased bureaucracy, supermarket beers that are cheaper than bottled water, rocketing business rates and energy prices and finally the ubiquitous smoking ban have all conspired to see last orders rung permanently in thousands of British

On Your Bike.

2009-12-06T12:56:00.007Z

Let me immediately apologise for the lack of activity on this blog since August.I have no excuse apart from the fact that I am a lazy self centered blogger. ( You may replace that last adjective with one of your own choosing...................i deserve it.)Since Joan and I visited for the Festival dos Pescadores in August I have in fact been back to Santa Luzia twice. In October I travelled from

Summer snow.

2009-08-24T23:07:00.002+01:00

Now I know that last year I promised to post details of this year's Festival Dos Pescadores in advance of the event, and to that end I visited the offices of the Junta De Fergusia in Santa Luzia during the month of June to obtain all the gen.Despite the fact that the festival was less than six weeks away they were unable to provide me with any details over and above the start and finish

Open Roads

2009-05-10T21:20:00.002+01:00

I have read many articles by British ex-pats and tourists alike on the "joys" of driving in Portugal.They invariably give Portuguese drivers a terrible reputation which in my experience is totally undeserved.I have undoubtedly encountered far more aggressive and inconsiderate road users at home in England than ever graced any "Estrada national". It has to be said that a lot of Portuguese drivers

Designer Chic.

2009-04-27T21:22:00.001+01:00

Snack bar " O Nuno" now reopen following a 9 month refurbishment. Designer chic has arrived in Santa Luzia in the form of snack bar O Nuno.Situated two streets back from the promenade in Rua Joao Antonio Chagas Ferriera O nuno is a close neighbour to the writer.Recently reopened following a nine month remodelling the polished black marble flooring, maroon decor, silvered furniture and ultra

Pictures of the new harbour

2009-04-02T18:27:00.003+01:00

A view from the eastern pontoon where the smaller boats are moored across to the western pontoon where larger vessels lie. Looking west from the eastern pontoon an array of smaller vessels lie at anchor.The inner area of the harbour seen from the access ramp at the eastern end of the village. Joan and our friends Barry and Netta will be in the village from Easter Monday.They have booked a one

To beach or not to beach?

2009-03-05T21:06:00.002Z

Back in cold old England following our short break in Santa Luzia I have to sadly report that we took the English weather with us. Throughout our stay we were plagued by cloud, wind and the occasional downpour. Whilst the sun shone briefly during the Sunday of our visit the rest of the time was unseasonably chilly and definitely unpredictable.The locals informed us that just like the rest of

Cheap as chips.

2009-02-20T17:18:00.004Z

I'll be in S.L. from the 26th of Feb to the 3rd of march courtesy of Ryanair.Joan, myself and our friend Darran depart from east Midlands airport for the meagre sum of £62 each return.In truth we have had cheaper flights with the Irish low cost carrier (£18 return being our best yet) but still think this price is a snip. I don't know how they manage it but long may they continue.Speaking of good

Carnival

2009-02-12T17:46:00.002Z

Both Joan and I are longing for a visit to Santa Luzia least of all because Camaras all over the Algarve, and indeed all over Portugal, are busy preparing for their Carnival celebrations which will include parties, parades,dances and fancy dress competitions to take place between February 20 and 24.Traditionally, Carnival is a period of festivities including parades and dances and is fixed each

Happy new year

2009-01-04T20:11:00.002Z

May I wish everyone happy and prosperous new year. The credit crunch and the dramatic fall in the value of sterling against the euro however seem to be conspiring to prevent the prosperous part of my greeting for most of us Brits.Back in September in my post "sign of progress" I touched on the fact that a lot of business owners in the Algarve were unhappy that the authorities dictate the dates on