Saturday, April 28, 2007
Portimao News
Plans are afoot (in fact the work has started) to repair the metal bridge that crosses the Arade river in Portimao.
The authorities have issued assurances that the bridge is not actually in danger of collapse, which is good news for the banana boats that sail beneath it to visit Silves. Apparently, the bridge is long overdue some maintenance, on account of its advanced age (131 years, it transpires).
Fortunately, there are other means of crossing the river, as you can read in my page about Portimao. But do check that you know how to get about the town if you’re visiting any time before November, which is when the works are due to finish.
Meantime, there's the new retail park just outside Portimao, where you can shop 'til you drop (I spent 7 hours there, last week!) when you're taking a break from those Algarve beaches...
The authorities have issued assurances that the bridge is not actually in danger of collapse, which is good news for the banana boats that sail beneath it to visit Silves. Apparently, the bridge is long overdue some maintenance, on account of its advanced age (131 years, it transpires).
Fortunately, there are other means of crossing the river, as you can read in my page about Portimao. But do check that you know how to get about the town if you’re visiting any time before November, which is when the works are due to finish.
Meantime, there's the new retail park just outside Portimao, where you can shop 'til you drop (I spent 7 hours there, last week!) when you're taking a break from those Algarve beaches...
Labels: banana boats, bridge works, Portimao
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Nao Fumar?
A recent online poll conducted by an Algarve weekly came up with 77% of respondents voting for a complete ban on smoking in all public places.
At first, I was surprised, until the penny dropped - it’s an English-language paper! I somehow think the result would have been different if the question had been asked in a Portuguese-language periodical. More chance of getting a result in France, I’d have thought.
Meantime, we gamely search for Algarve restaurants and bars where massive doses of passive smoke aren’t obligatory…
At first, I was surprised, until the penny dropped - it’s an English-language paper! I somehow think the result would have been different if the question had been asked in a Portuguese-language periodical. More chance of getting a result in France, I’d have thought.
Meantime, we gamely search for Algarve restaurants and bars where massive doses of passive smoke aren’t obligatory…
Labels: Algarve restaurants, poll, smoking
Thursday, April 19, 2007
What's In A Name?
The government in this wonderful region of Portugal has decided to launch a PR initiative to introduce more potential visitors to the delights of Algarve.
How? By changing its name for the upcoming campaign… to Allgarve!
That's like British Airways asking people to fly Brutish Airways, and hoping that they get the point (whatever the point might be!)
Big corporations spend molto dineiro on brand-placement, with highly-paid teams of experts involved. Algarve, it seems, gets a bunch of bureaucrats to dream up a pointless variation on the famous name, then protests that it’s a great idea.
From what I’ve read recently, most local politicians and those professionals involved with Algarve tourism think it’s a crackpot scheme, offensive to the people of Algarve and incomprehensible to those at whom it’s aimed.
I can only suggest that the regional government officers who dreamed this up should stay out of the sun more, or at least wear wide-brimmed hats to protect their grey cells…
How? By changing its name for the upcoming campaign… to Allgarve!
That's like British Airways asking people to fly Brutish Airways, and hoping that they get the point (whatever the point might be!)
Big corporations spend molto dineiro on brand-placement, with highly-paid teams of experts involved. Algarve, it seems, gets a bunch of bureaucrats to dream up a pointless variation on the famous name, then protests that it’s a great idea.From what I’ve read recently, most local politicians and those professionals involved with Algarve tourism think it’s a crackpot scheme, offensive to the people of Algarve and incomprehensible to those at whom it’s aimed.
I can only suggest that the regional government officers who dreamed this up should stay out of the sun more, or at least wear wide-brimmed hats to protect their grey cells…
Labels: algarve tourism
