So Much Within A Week

People have asked us what is happening in Portugal and what the Portuguese are saying about the war in Ukraine.  This will be a short blog posting about our experiences and what Portugal is doing.

On Feb. 27th a simple plea from several Portuguese Ukrainians on the "Expats in the Algarve" FB group page asked for donations and stated that a truck would be leaving for Ukraine in a couple of days.  The next day Caroline offered up her yellow van with flower stickers to receive donations in a local supermarket parking lot.  She brought a book with her thinking it would be slow.  

We stopped by early to drop off what we could carry on our bikes and add money to their gas fund. Within an hour her van was jamed full. 

The next day TWO large trucks departed for Ukraine and that just was the beginning. 

 Ukrainians constitute the seceond-largest foreign community residing in Portugal behind Brazilians.  It is only natural to expidite the acceptance of refuges into Portugal, many of whom have family here.  On March 3rd a 50-seat Municiple bus left our town of Olhão for Poland with a translator and a nurse on board to rescue refugees from the war zone.  

Olhão Mayor, António Miguel Pina, emphasised that “the Ukrainian community in Olhão is one of the most important and respected; we couldn't help but support when our countrymen are going through an ordeal of this nature. I am sure that, once again, the people of Olhão will join en masse in this movement of international solidarity in favour of the victims of war in Ukraine”.

We saw the bus arrive on March 7 with 47 women & children

Within a week, Portugal widened its efforts coordinating donations and transport throughout the country, setting up social networks with translators and healthcare and developing public service webpages.  The Government Imigration Service opened additional counters staffed with volunteers and established Temporary Protection for people proving automatic attribution of a temporary residence permit (like we will have). Recognition of professional licenses, opportunities to complete higher education and even fast-tracking Portuguese language classes are established.

Humanitarian flight sponsored by TAP airlines brought over 200 people to Portugal

A government registry quickly had 20,000 jobs lined up and said Portugal can receive "tens of thousands of Ukrainians".  Subsidies are offered for people who can work in agriculture in the interior of the country where Portugal is losing population.  With a decade of declining numbers in active younger population, Portugal has a real necessity for people.  This enormous solidarity from the Portuguese society can help provide some future during these uncertain times.

We have been truely awed by the support and welcoming and how quickly infrasturcture was put in place in this small country to provide for the people of this horrendous war. 

trans: Ukrainian Mission March 13, 2022  How To Help

 

A Little Roadtrip to the Mountain

As we have mentioned before, we have made the choice to not have a car and utilize the bus & train for getting around.  But we recently rented a car to take a little roadtrip for a week to explore areas where the train doesn’t run.  Jack was initially hesitant as he hadn't driven in 4 months, not to mention the cars have manual transmission, the very narrow roads and, oh yes, the language!  

Well he did great even when I directed him down residential streets that were so narrow I had to fold in the side mirror to get through!  Hey, this isn't much different than negociating a big R.V......just a new country  

We started west along the Algarve coast which serves as a bridge between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.  

One has to search deeply for the historic centers of these high tourist and expat cities of Albufeira, Portimao, and Lagos (pronounced "La-goosh").  While these have exceptional beaches & marinas, they are as close to high-rise buildings as this area gets.  There are several premium golf resorts, fashionable condos and expat  "pubs" and cafes.  It felt to us to be a spot for a wonderful, leisurely holiday but not authentic Portugal.

We took an early morning boat tour through the fantastic rock caves and surreal grotto

Further west we enjoyed the remote and windswept Ponte de Sagres (Cape Sagres) which was called the "Edge Of  The World" by the early seafearing explorers.  (Seems like we've been to several EOTWs in our travels).  On this rugged cliffside Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) established his maritime school that trained generations of sailors to breech the seas where sea serpents roamed and hot equatorial sun melted ships.  

this a huge sun dial or wind rose unearthed in 1921

Travel guru, Rick Steves, writes, "While Henry stayed home to update maps, debrief returning sailors, order supplies, and sign paychcks, brave seamen traveled off under Henry’s strict orders not to return until they'd explored what was known as the "Sea of Darkness".  Henry ordered scared, superstitious sailors to press on.  After 14 unsuccessful voyages, Gil Eanes' crew returned (1437), unharmed, with new knowledge that was added to corporate Portugal's map library." (Rick Steves Portugal, 2021)

After Henry's death and for several generations, infamous captains during the Age of Discovery built ships and studied astronomy, botany, mathematics and languages at the maritime school to launch further expeditions.  It's said that Bartolomeu Dias (1488 rounded Africa), Vasco da Gama (1497 found sea route to India), Pedro Cabral (1500 discovered Brazil), Ferdinand Magellan crew (1519 circumnavidator), and even a young Christopher Columbus all studied at the school. 

Today there is virtually nothing left but some stones in the ground to signify the greatness that occured there.  Later an 18th century fortress was built on the site and today we are able to walk on a path along the edge of the cliffs.  At the very end of the bluff we saw a man who was fishing!  He was packing up when we arrived but we did see his very long rod and looked back at the 150 foot sheer drop.  

Here is a great YouTube that shows some Portuguese men risking their lives to catch a few fish.

Turning the corner to head north, we began to make our way up along the the Atlantic coast.  Here the seas experience high waves and every little cove that has stories of pirates and looting Moors, now seem to be enclaves for surfers.  While the waves were not big when we visited we did see some hearty souls in wetsuits.  These are not expansive surf beaches like California or Hawaii but small coves that surfers must manuver into between the rocks ledges.  

Outside of the town of Aljezur in the hills we were stopped by an older woman waving a stick.  As we slowed we realized their 2 dozen cattle were crossing the road.  They were very hefty guys and the leads had loud bells.  

We have also passed several mule-drawn carts on the roadways which are still used by farmers or gypsies/Roma people  

Our final night was at a small roadside hotel/inn that was so traditionally Portuguese.  It had a restaurant and bar that was the only one in the small "don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it" village.  The bar had spot for about 4 people at the counter and another two tables and always had customers!  

Great local cuisine and a huge collection of wine

One of the regular customers

This is cork oak tree country and we saw lots of the trees that had been harvested.  I talked to a farmer (in my very limited Portuguese) and he told me the trees can be harvested every 10 years.  

Cork trees & the harvesting is highly regulated

The trees are marked with the year it was harvested 

The cork bark is very light weight but it takes three harvests to be fine enough to be made into Wine corks 

We came across an abandoned orchard that was full of hundreds of storks in nests

The only sound that storks make is a very loud clacking of their beaks that may be for communication 

We sold our ebikes before we came to Portugal and really were missing them.  We luckily found two used folding bikes that we can take on the train to see more of our countryside.  

Folded in the bike compartment on the train

Paved and dirt bike path run the length of the Algarve (150 miles) and we hope to ride it all…in segments!