Diário - Bristol-Oporto Association Website

Go to content

Diário

Diário is the newsletter of both the Bristol-Oporto Association and the Foundation. It is produced three or four times a year. It lists future events, reports on past activities and contains a miscellany of articles about Porto, both current and historical - and anything else either relevant or that might be of interest.



A few examples from the many designs of Azulejos - Portuguese traditional tiles

Diário Outuno 2020
Bristol Oporto Association Newsletter

Dear Member/s,
How good to see the ship the Gallant moored in the harbour over the late summer Bank Holiday weekend. It was a reminder of the grace of sail, and of the value of trading with our near neighbours enabling us to enjoy some of the ethically/organically produced foods and wines of Portugal. The cargo included wines, olive oil, almond, chocolate and more. Future journeys from Porto to Bristol are expected and we will keep you posted as to when the ship will return.

Kind regards Liz



WINE DELIVERY – BRISTOL FASHION !

De Gallant was launched in 1916 under the name Jannetje Magaretha having been built in Vlaardingen in the Netherlands. This shipyard was considered to have built a few of the fastest hulls around in their time. The Gallant then sailed as a herring lugger on the North Sea until 1936. In 1982 she was used as a cargo vessel by her Danish owner until 1987 when she returned to the Netherlands to be fully restored by a teaching and youth work experience project in Amsterdam. She now sails in the North Sea, the Baltic and the English Channel where she operates as a sail cargo and sail training vessel. She is also a regular participant of the Tall Ships Race. On the 7th August De Gallant left Porto laden with fine Portuguese food and wine embarking on a 731 nautical mile journey to Bristol arriving here on the 30th August. Many Bristol Oporto Association members were afforded the opportunity to visit her in glorious sunshine during the following few days. (contributed by Richard Pople )  

EVENTS   New limitations have meant plans for future events are presently on hold once again. HOWEVER MID DECEMBER, a ‘Christmas Cheers’ moment. You may remember at the start of May with cameras at the ready we raised a glass to toast our Porto members. Associação PortoBristol members reciprocated and we were able to share photos and messages afterwards. It was at the time felt particularly important not only to send best wishes to our sister organisation but also to acknowledge that our Porto members visit to Bristol had had to be cancelled without much notice. A follow up to this with a touch of festive cheer thrown in would be great. We propose a short message from you of goodwill accompanied by a photo, of course with Xmas trees, decorations, Father Xmas outfits (if you must). Photos can be in small groups if you wish or as individual members. Peter and Anabela will be taking part with their members joining in too. Details and participation dates will follow and it is hoped you will join in with enthusiasm as before.

THE OPORTO CRICKET AND LAWN TENNIS CLUB - Excerpts from an article submitted by Keith Bonham. Many BOA members have greatly enjoyed being entertained here on visits to Oporto especially when Albert and Cora Aspey were Presidents of the Association. It is a reciprocal club with the Clifton Club in Bristol. It is also known as the Club Inglês (English Club) having merged with the former British Club and Sports Club in 1967. A green oasis in the centre of a busy city with a cricket ground where David Gower and Alan Lamb, famous cricketers, have played with visiting cricketers often using the accommodation provided on site. Tennis courts and swimming pool adds to its popularity with families during the summer. The different dining areas serve many local specialities such as seafood rice, Bacalhau, and a dish of traditional tripe (remembering the Tripeiros of Porto). But being an Anglo Portuguese club you can also have bread and butter pudding as dessert and not to forget an English breakfast of egg and bacon. www.oportocricketclub.com for more details.
Received from member Liz Bramley in May after our ‘cheers’ joint project.
Thanks so much for both sets of heartwarming photos. It seems like only yesterday we were there. In Braganza I picked some poppy heads on a walk back from the town to the pousada, and I’ve been nurturing them all winter. They’ve just flowered! I’m so pleased as I never usually manage to grow poppies this way successfully.

DID YOU KNOW ...... that the EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES is held on 26th September each year and that this has been celebrated since 2001??
Here are a few facts about the Portuguese language taken from the Council of Europe’s website. Emerging from Latin, Portuguese evolved from a language called Galician-Portuguese between the ninth and the twelfth century and declared the official language of the kingdom of Portugal in 1290 by King Dinis (1279-1325). Following the pioneering discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Portuguese language was spread to many regions in Africa, Asia and America. Portuguese is the official language of:Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe; it has recently been declared as one of the official languages in Equatorial Guinea. Portuguese is the world's fifth largest language in terms of number of speakers.
PORTUGAL’S FORGOTTEN ISLANDS excerpts from an article in a Letter from Europe.
Why not join us on a quick trip to the Savage Islands? Few have gone before us and there’s not a lot there. On the plus side, though, there’s never been a single case of Coronavirus anywhere here!
The Savage Islands belong to Portugal should not be confused with an archipelago of the same name in the Hudson Strait area in the Canadian Arctic. On Portuguese maps they are shown as Ilhas Selvagens.
This Portuguese archipelago is in the North Atlantic and straddles the 30th parallel north of the equator.
The Canaries are just a short distance away to the south, so the nearest other land beyond these Islands is Spanish territory. Much further to the north is the Portuguese island of Madeira, of which the Savage Islands are effectively an administrative part.
The two islands are uninhabited. Even the largest called Selvagem Grande is only a couple of kilometres across. A rocky headland at the southern tip of Fora Islet is the southernmost point of Portugal although we suspect that many Portuguese citizens have probably never heard of these Islands, let alone appreciate Fora Islet’s status in Portuguese geography.    With the Canaries and Madeira offering safe anchorages for early voyagers, the barren Savage Islands were generally bypassed and so it has remained. Apart from a sparse source of fresh water on the largest island, the Savages are dry and inhospitable eroded ancient volcanoes, mere remnants of once much larger fragments of land. Portuguese mariners laid claim to the Savage Islands in the 15th century with ownership passing from one aristocratic family to another until in 1971 the islands were sold for a nominal sum to the Portuguese government.
No one has ever made any effort to settle on or exploit them and over the last 40 or more years, they have enjoyed protected status as a nature reserve. The Portuguese government stations a couple of wardens on Selvagem Grande for a few months at a time. It’s a lonely posting with only the seabirds for company.
While Portugal’s other islands - Madeira and the Azores - are well documented, very little has been written about these islands, the country’s forgotten archipelago.  Meanwhile, the Bishop of Funchal probably has to be reminded every now and again that his patch includes a scatter of islands far away to the south of Madeira. (The Spanish Canary Islands are nearer). The Funchal archdiocese was the largest Catholic ecclesiastical province in the world. It once included Portugal’s colonial settlements in Brazil, India and Africa. The Savage Islands are just a remnant - though one that has probably never once been visited by the current bishop or any of his priests.
Thanks to BOA member Ann Kennard for spotting this.  More info about the islands can be found on the internet.
NEW ALBUM for  CLAUDIA AURORA (former BOA member) and Fado singer/songwriter
Claudia came to Bristol from her beloved Porto in 2003 and introduced local audiences to the haunting melodies of Fado, the traditional Portuguese folk songs once sung by her grandmother. In time, she wrote her own impassioned songs of loss, love and longing. The songs of ‘saudade’, the emotion at the very core of  Fado, perhaps best translated as ‘the love that remains after something is gone’. Claudia Aurora became well known locally for her Fado performances at venues such as the Folk House and St Georges Chapel.
In 2010 she received a grant from The Bristol Oporto Foundation to support the production of a video clip to accompany her CD ‘Silencio’. A setting was found for this, not in Portugal but on a windswept beach in South Wales. The resulting video was suitably dramatic. She moved from Bristol a few years ago to pursue her career in London and to wider audiences singing Fado, with many songs written by her and Javier her partner who accompanies her on guitar. She has since sung at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Hall (Southbank Centre), Momo and Heaven, in London and in other cities in the UK. She has a new album out this June called AROORA.
If you would like to know more please do go to aurooramusic.com/
MARTIN’S QUIZ - answers can be found at the end of this newsletter.

1. Qual a maior praça de Lisboa? Which is the biggest square in Lisbon?
2. Em que cidade fica o Pelóurinho de Sé? In which city is the Pelóurinho de Sé?
3. O que fica debaixo do Jardim do Principe Real? What is underneath the Royal Prince’s Garden?
4. Quem é que projetou a Maria Pia bridge? Who designed the Maria Pia bridge?
5. Em que ano occoreu o terremoto de Lisboa? When was the Lisbon earthquake?
Portugal bids goodbye to oil and gas exploration
No more contracts for the exploration of oil and gas will be given out by the government, effectively shutting the door to the entire industry.

Portugal has effectively shut the door for further exploitation and exploration for oil and gas on its territory. After government officials announced that no new contracts will be awarded to companies looking to to prospect and research these resources.The announcement came despite the fact that a massive natural gas discovery has been made. It has been pointed out that natural gas will still have to be imported from foreign markets, and at higher prices compared to what it could have been, should the government have continued to support its concessions. The announcement that no future contracts for such activities will be granted is the culmination of many years of souring public opinion towards the exploitation of natural gas and oil resources in Portugal. In 2015 there were 7 companies working on 18 concessions, but after the last company shut down its operations there will be none.
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking ahead - some news about Foundation supported events:
THE BEDMINSTER LANTERN PARADE that takes place in early January has been grant supported for the past few years by the BOF to encourage groups of young people living in the area to make and parade with lighted lanterns they have decorated with a Portuguese theme. This has been postponed due to Covid-19 but they are looking at having some static displays in 20 locations rather than the parade. Schools and community groups are being encouraged to take part and confirmation is awaited. UPFEST 2021- will now be VIRTUALLY UPFEST when street art fans worldwide will be virtually welcomed to the streets of South Bristol for an online version of the world-famous street art festival 25th-27th September 2021. It will run from the UPFEST Gallery to the Tobacco factory giving users the chance to explore over 30 new pieces of commissioned work. BOA will support Portuguese artist/graphic designer and street artist Miguel from Porto who has been invited to take part.
Urgent – Another of Bristol’s twin cities Beira (a Portuguese speaking country) needs help to combat the spread of COVID-19 after devastation from cyclone Idai.
Please donate to the Bristol Link with Beira Covid-19 appeal to provide soap, sewing machines and materials for making facemasks in Mozambique
This appeal will provide 10,000 masks for 2,000 vulnerable families in the informal settlements in Beira.
This will mitigate the impact of the coronavirus and help create a longer-term employment and community resource.  Moses Kakanu, Programmes Coordinator, for BLB's partner in Mozambique, ADEL, reported “face masks are not readily available, a family of five or six must share one mask, exchanging with another family member when they come home – the situation is really dangerous”.

Quiz answers:
1.Commercial Square
2. Porto
3. A cistern for the city water supply
4. Gustav Eiffel
5. 1531


Diário Verão 2020
Bristol Oporto Association Newsletter

Dear Member/s,
 
This time last year committee members were participating in a series of outdoor events here in Bristol involving a group of drummers from the Douro area.  They were making a film of their project which had historic links with the port wine trade and our city.  It was called ‘767 Miles to Bristol.’  What a difference a year can make!  Communications and much else has changed because of Covid 19 and our main hope is that you continue to be well and are coping with the more relaxed ‘lock down’.                                                                                                                         
 
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

It has however meant that our planned Cheese Tasting at a farm near Bath on Thursday 25 June has had to be put on hold for now.  We will hope to run it when farm tours are once again up and running.




Diário Outuno 2020
Bristol Oporto Association Newsletter

Dear Member/s,
How good to see the ship the Gallant moored in the harbour over the late summer Bank Holiday weekend. It was a reminder of the grace of sail, and of the value of trading with our near neighbours enabling us to enjoy some of the ethically/organically produced foods and wines of Portugal. The cargo included wines, olive oil, almond, chocolate and more. Future journeys from Porto to Bristol are expected and we will keep you posted as to when the ship will return.
Kind regards Liz



A good moment to have a reminder of just a few delicious Portuguese cheeses as well:  
 
All are designated D.O.P. which means they are all awarded ‘name-protection.  It also ensures that they are produced within a demarcation area using traditional methods and ingredients.
 
Azeitão … creamy cheese made from raw sheep’s milk and delicious scooped on to crusty bread.

Cabra Transmontano … an extra hard goat’s cheese from the north -  Bragança & Vila Real.                                                          
 
Évora …. A semi-hard salty and creamy sheep’s milk cheese.  It can be found preserved in oil.
 
Serra da Estrela …. Smooth and delicate.  Because of its popularity called the ‘King of Cheese’.

 
 
For Bristol cheese lovers we have many Delis in the city selling several locally produced artisan cheeses.  Also a specialist ‘The Bristol Cheesemonger’ sited at Cargo 2 on Harbourside.
 



BOF grant funded PIN HOLE CAMERA PROJECT..…….

 
This has had to be extended due to both schools taking part, St Mary Redcliffe here in Bristol and Rio Tinto outside Porto, having to close due to the corona virus pandemic.  School made cameras have now to be collected and resulting images developed. Justin Quinnell who has been running the project already has photographs of the workshop preparations by pupils at both schools and hopes to exhibit them and the resulting pin-hole camera images at the end of the project.



PORTO NEWS from Peter & Anabela Evens:

 
Portugal eased the lockdown a couple of weeks ahead of the UK, and from our members we've learned that they are all being sensible and keeping safe. On a sad note we've just heard that Maria Helena Ferreira, one of the original members of our association, died recently at the age of 95.
 
 
Phase 3 is on and the whole country with the exception of Lisbon is pretty much on business as usual. However, masks are mandatory in every closed-in public place, and stores, restaurants, have limits of people so there queues outside in popular places such as Primark, Ikea, etc.
 
 
Beaches will officially open from Sunday 7th June with restrictions on the number of people allowed at anytime. They have created an app where one can consult the waiting time on a particular beach before leaving home. Modern technology!
 
 
Remember this group photo taken on our last trip to Porto and beyond – happy times!!

Finally keeping in contact has been the key and it has been good to speak with many of you and also to be in touch with our members who live away from Bristol.  My best wishes to you all.   

Liz.
 
Back to content