Inside Algarve Magazine – Algarve News

Category: Must Read

How moving to the Algarve changed Wendy Beugels’ artistic expression

Painting the world

– September 9, 2022

A versatile artist, Wendy Beugels went through an incredible artistic transformation as she settled into Algarvian life. From realistic and expressionistic artworks, using oil and acrylic paint, to colourful and happy watercolours inspired by her surroundings.

Originally from the Netherlands, since childhood Wendy had a passion for drawing and painting. “Art was my favourite class in school,” she says. “I’ve been paid to do commissions since I was 11 years old and I’m still as nervous now as I was then!” She received her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Maastricht University, Netherlands, and soon moved to the USA where her career began.

She worked with oil and acrylic paints and made realistic portraits and expressionistic sports art for private and corporate clients. Wendy was based in a military camp, so the community was small and well connected and the word spread as she was inundated with requests.

After her stint in the US, Wendy returned to the Netherlands, where she used her versatility and turned her hand to graphic design for a Dutch newspaper. She created layouts for the lifestyle editions and created marketing tools and digital illustrations.

After this, her journey as an independent artist and graphic designer really developed. She combined the techniques that she had learned from traditional painting with digital skills and developed a new way to make her art with pen and tablet and started to make digital hand-painted portraits.

Four years ago, she embarked on her journey to Portugal. “I got rid of my house and all my belongings, even my car, and came to Portugal with only a few things.” She quickly settled into the relaxed way of life and soon became inspired by everything Portugal has to offer. “I feel that I have everything I need now. My life feels a lot lighter and free and, therefore, my work is becoming more flowy and simplistic.”

This is also when she started to develop “happier colours”, as she explains. “The sky is so blue, and the colours are so different and vibrant in the sunlight. I am from the Netherlands, where everything is grey, so it makes a massive difference to my outlook on life and my art.” The colourful buildings, daily life, street scenes, boats, beach scenes and landscapes are all featured in her recent successful series of Happy Watercolours. “In this new phase of my career and life, the purpose and essence of my paintings is to bring happiness, to give a happy vibe and positive feeling.”

Soon, Wendy will be opening a studio and setting up a base in Armação de Pêra, where people can view and purchase her paintings. Her client base is mostly expats who live in the Algarve, so the location is perfect as it is right in the centre.

Her paintings range from €50 to around €2,000 depending on the complexity of the creation. She currently runs two social media pages dedicated to her work, one for her portraits and digital portraits and one for her watercolours. Wendy started off her career mostly taking commissions, but she is keen to start painting what she wants and going on to make multiple copies of each piece. She can also take requests through her websites, where her pieces can also be purchased.

As Wendy spends more time in the Algarve, she is growing increasingly fond of the place. “I think my style will change again,” she says. In the future, she would like to combine her new colourful and ‘flowy’ style with her old techniques such as using oil and acrylic as well as moving to larger scale paintings. Currently, Wendy’s paintings are more in demand than ever because they are accurate and beautiful interpretations of the many reasons why so many choose to holiday or live in the Algarve.

Visit Wendy Beugels website or follow her on Instagram and Facebook!

Text Alex Brennan

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September 9, 2022
Discover the special birds that help plant trees in the Algarve

Whilst a lot of attention in the autumn is aimed towards migrating birds, a common bird here in the Algarve is busy collecting its food supplies for the colder winter months

– September 9, 2022

The jay, or to be precise, the Eurasian jay is a common bird throughout the Palearctic Region and thrives in Portugal. They belong to the Corvid family (otherwise known as the Crow family) and are unmistakable with the complex colour of their plumage. Most of the plumage is pinkish brown with a white crown, forehead and rump, and the wings have bright blue colouring with black stripes. Their length is around 35cm with a wingspan of up to 58cm. It may be my imagination but, here in Portugal, they seem slightly larger than those found in northern Europe.

Often you hear jays before you spot them. They are very vocal with their loud angry-sounding screech call. They often mimic other birds, particularly the calls of birds of prey. I have had debates in the past whether the call, which is similar to a common buzzard, is indeed a mimic or, as I think, one of their natural voices that sounds similar. For me, the debate continues.

Although populations of jays seem to be thriving in Portugal (they are protected from hunting which helps), they do not usually form flocks but prefer to live a solo life. Even mating pairs do not seem to spend much time together but will form an alliance to defend a territory. I often see jays mixed into flocks of Iberian magpies during the spring and summer months, possibly due to a share in the food source and, of course, safety in numbers from birds of prey.

During mating, both the male and female will build a nest in a tree branch fork where a clutch of up to six eggs are laid, with only one brood being raised annually. Only the female sits on the eggs whilst the male feeds her. Almost three weeks later, the eggs hatch and both parents share the duty of feeding the young. The young fledge after another three weeks and are fed until around eight weeks old.

Garrulus glandarius, the noisy acorn harvesters

Their scientific name is interesting, Garrulus glandarius. Garrulus meaning ‘noisy’ and glandarius meaning ‘acorn harvest’. Jays are well-known for helping the spread of oak tree forests and it is during the autumn when this occurs. Oak trees are rich with acorns in the autumn with a limited lifespan on the trees before they fall. Jays are omnivorous, however, although in the winter and spring months prefer protein rich acorns.

Due to the limited timeframe of an acorn on a tree, they spend autumn collecting as many as they can and store them in caches for consumption later. Studies have shown that they can cache 5,000 acorns and remember where most of them are! The ones that are forgotten or not consumed may germinate and grow into oak trees making them responsible for the increase in woodland.

You’ll often see jays with what appears to be a single acorn held in their beak. However, they usually have quite a few more inside their gullet to enable them to harvest, move and store them efficiently. I have recently read a study that shows they are particularly fussy over the acorns they select from a tree.

Next time you spot an oak tree which is solitary to others, it is possible it may have been planted by a Eurasian jay!

Text & Photos Craig Rogers

Craig Rogers is a Wildlife and Nature photographer from Wales now living in the Algarve providing Photography Workshops in Parchal. More information, photographs, and blog can be found on his website at

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September 9, 2022
What’s on: Summer may be slowing down but the Algarve is not

Venturing on the Tapas Route or listening to international musicians is among the suggestions for the coming autumn in the Algarve

– September 7, 2022

Although the whirlwind of activity typical of this season in the Algarve is slowing down, there is still plenty to see and do in the area. Inside Carvoeiro offers some suggestions here.

Rota do Petisco with around 220 restaurants to explore across the region and three themed routes

Algarve gastronomic event Rota do Petisco is back to bring tapas-sized dishes, at accessible prices, to around 220 restaurants across the region. The event, which is being held between September 14 and October 16, celebrates the tradition of eating ‘petiscos’, small portions which give you an opportunity to try several different dishes for the price of a normal-sized dish. Rota do Petisco has grown year after year, being initially held only in Portimão but expanding to most of the Algarve’s municipalities.

Lagoa Hotel

This year, the event will take place in 11 boroughs: Aljezur, Vila do Bispo, Lagos, Portimão, Monchique, Lagoa, Silves, Albufeira, Loulé, São Brás de Alportel and Tavira.

Each establishment can either serve a ‘petisco’ (savoury dish) or a ‘doce regional’ (regional sweet), as well as a vegetarian option to attract even more visitors. Savoury dishes cost €3.50 whilst sweets cost €2.50 (each option includes a drink).

Within the event, there are three themed routes: ‘Rota dos Chefes’ (Chefs Route), ‘Rota do Mundo’ (World Route), and the new ‘Rota da Memória’ (Memory Route), which will challenge restaurants and eateries to recreate traditional dishes from the past.

Tradições (Monchique)

9th Lagoa International Guitar Festival welcomes national and international musicians across diferent locations to promote the local heritage

Between September 10 and October 1, Lagoa will once again set the stage for a programme filled with musical languages, interpreted by national and international musicians, in concerts that start at 6pm.

Aside from the musical spectacle, the festival aims to promote local heritage, showcasing public sites, monuments and infrastructures of the city.

“The event offers the opportunity to promote the municipality’s heritage. Therefore, the concerts take place in different areas, providing knowledge and contact with some of our most emblematic places,” said the Council. Local wineries Quinta dos Vales and Arvad and the Municipal Park Sítio das Fontes de Estômbar are amongst the venues selected for this year’s edition.

Tickets for each of the concerts cost 10 euros (20% off with cultural passport, Lagoa Social card or Rota do Petisco Passport 2021/22, available at the Lagoa municipality ticket offices) and are already on sale online and at CTT, FNAC, Worten, Auditório Carlos do Carmo, Centro Cultural Convento de S. José and the Balcão Único da Câmara Municipal de Lagoa.

Kasia Wrona and Fernando Lobo look beyond divisions in Silves

The Centro de Estudos Luso-Árabes de Silves (CELAS) is hosting an exhibition of paintings by Kasia Wrona and Fernando Lobo entitled Além da Divisão at the Casa da Cultura Luso-Árabe e Mediterrânica, Largo da República, Silves, until the end of September. According to organisers, “although technically different, the two artists complement each other in the way they interpret the world and in their spiritual experiences”.

Polish-born Kasia Wrona graduated from the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts and has exhibited work in several countries and been awarded several prizes. Her work, whether in drawing, painting, graphic design or installations, reveals Arabic influences in its colours and themes, often referring to the work of the architect and artist Victor Borges as a source of inspiration. Since 2011 she is the co-founder of the Marina de Lagos Art Academy, where she teaches drawing.

Fernando Lobo was born in Faro but lived most of his life in Holland, where he acquired knowledge and experience in the graphic arts. He is an artist with an essentially abstract tendency, who has been spreading his creativity both in drawing and in the graphic arts, having his work exhibited in several European countries.

Algarve Classic Festival, the biggest classic car event in the Iberian Peninsula

A staple for car lovers and motorheads, the biggest classic car event in the Iberian Peninsula will return to the International Algarve Racetrack, from October 28 to 30.

The festival will host Classic Championships, which will attract the best cars and drivers of the speciality to AIA. “This is a unique event that celebrates all the success and elegance of historic cars. It is the perfect weekend for those who are in love with classic cars,” said organisers.

Aside from the action on the track, the soul of the festival is also well present in the paddock. This is because the public has access to the teams’ garages and can share their own passion for classics with the owners or drivers. They are usually extremely friendly and they soon start sharing stories about the achievements of their racing cars when they represented the pinnacle of motorsports.

Adding to the party, the classic car park is usually the stage for the most beautiful road cars, whose owners can sign up through their respective clubs to be able to drive two laps around the track.

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September 7, 2022
Artist Tom Leamon presents exclusive collection at Vila Vita Parc

Vila Vita Parc has teamed up with artist Tom Leamon to present a curated collection of exclusive paintings inspired by the design and atmosphere of Bela Vita Bar & Brasserie

– September 7, 2022

In the context of the resort’s 30th anniversary, this challenge to the English painter is in line with Vila Vita’s philosophy of being a platform for artists and promising projects in the Algarve or in the country.

The collection Chamber of Secrets consists of 20 individual paintings, which together function as a whole and pay tribute to Modernism and Avant-Garde artists such as Picasso, Miró and Kandinsky, with a strong symbolism and subtle references to our physical universe and the human condition. “This series aims to engage the viewer and invite them to dive into the depths of each painting, to discover a world of playful symbolism,” says the artist.

The creations of Tom Leamon, established in the Algarve for over six years, are an expression of freedom in a heavily conditioned world, exploring the symbolism of his surroundings in a series of mark-making techniques.

Part of the Art in the Parc events included in the 30th anniversary calendar, Chamber of Secrets can be enjoyed by diners at Bela Vita Bar & Brasserie until the end of the year.

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September 7, 2022
Tivoli Carvoeiro’s The One restaurant shines at Wine Spectator’s Awards

The North American magazine Wine Spectator has once again distinguished the restaurant in Carvoeiro for its wine selection

– September 5, 2022

The One Restaurant, at the Tivoli Hotel in Carvoeiro, was first awarded back in 2020. Now, the restaurant has once again won the Award of Excellence, integrated into an exclusive list of 3,200 restaurants distributed across 70 countries and territories, out of which only seven are from Portugal.

Winners of the Wine Spectator’s Awards go through fierce competition, having to prove their variety and quality (with at least 90 wines), their balance with the different menus, and also their price-quality relation.

“It’s a privilege to receive this highly prized international award that recognises the quality of the selection of wines we present daily to our diners. Our wine menu has a focus on Portuguese wines, particularly from the Algarve, in a diverse selection of wines from the most classic to the most recent producers. All in all, we suggested 160 national and international labels with a very good quality-price value blending in seamless harmony with the menu of our chef Bruno Augusto,” said The One’s sommelier Francisco Meira.

The stunning view of the Carvoeiro cliff goes perfectly with the wine cellar of The One, offering a true and immersive gastronomic experience. Along with the different options to accompany the menu, the wine list also offers special wine pairings from national and regional producers.

The One’s menu is also inspired by regional products, maintaining its authenticity and respecting the seasonality of each produce. This summer’s menu features its successful dishes, such as the oven turbot or the tempura octopus with berbigão malandrinho rice, while also offering some new dishes like the foie gras with rhubarb, peach, bela luz and pistachio or the carabineiro shrimp with avocado, cocoa and passion fruit.

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September 5, 2022
Lagoa’s FATACIL Fair makes a grand return this Friday with daily concerts and horse shows
The long-awaited return of Lagoa’s FATACIL begins this Friday 19th with daily concerts by some of the biggest names in Portuguese music, as well as Equestrian daily shows, entertainment and much more!

– August 19, 2022

The municipality of Lagoa is ready for the return of the Handicraft, Tourism, Agriculture, Commerce and Industry Fair (FATACIL) and has once again invested heavily in the equestrian sector “to attract visitors to the fair”, with organisers promising the “best edition ever”.

FATACIL will take place between August 19 and 28 at the Parque Municipal de Feiras e Exposições de Lagoa, between 6pm and 1am.

Economy minister António Costa Silva will attend the event’s opening ceremony on Friday at 7pm and make a speech at the fairground’s main entrance.

The last edition of FATACIL held in 2019 – the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic – was hailed by the local council at the time as the best ever in its 40-year history, having attracted over 195,000 people, a 10% increase compared to 2018.

FATACIL, which has established itself as “an internationally-renowned equestrian fair”, will present an extensive programme with a headlining act from Spain with equestrian showman Paco Martos. There will be a daily performance by Polish act La Pattat Stunt Show, as well as displays with several national champions, an Olympic duo, and many more.

Daily concerts by the biggest names in Portuguese music and the Gipsy Kings

FATACIL is renowned for its concerts with some of the biggest names in Portuguese music, and this year is no different: Expensive Soul, João Pedro Pais, Quim Barreiros, Bárbara Bandeira, Resistência, Tony Carreira, and Gipsy Kings from Spain, are the headliners that will take the main stage.

Entertainment in the restaurant area will include DJ sets, fado moments, folkloric groups and popular music, and lots of typical Portuguese food, such as bifanas.

The long list of entertainment is accompanied by dozens of stalls, showcasing businesses from a wide range of sectors as well as craftspeople, who sometimes perform their craft live for visitors to see up close. There will also be plenty of traditional food and drinks to enjoy.

Main stage
- August 19 – Expensive Soul
- August 20 – Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo
- August 21 – João Pedro Pais
- August 22 – PROFJAM
- August 23 – Quim Barreiros
- August 24 – Plutónio
- August 25 – Bárbara Bandeira
- August 26 – Resistência
- August 27 – Fernando Daniel
- August 28 – Tony Carreira
Lagoa Stage (Restaurant area)
- August 19
  - 6pm-7pm– Sunset DJ Alexandre Ramos Feat Luís Raposo (sax)
  - 7pm-10pm – Folkloric Ranch from Calvário and Faro
- August 20
  - 6pm-7pm – Sunset DJ Alexandre Ramos Feat Luís Raposo (sax)
  - 7pm-10pm – Brasa Doirada
- August 21
  - 7pm-10pm – Xico Barata
- August 22
  - 7pm-10pm – 5EX Band
- August 23
  - 7pm-10pm – 1001 noites of accordion with accordionist Luís Mira
- August 24
  - 7pm-10pm – Beto Kalulu Band
- August 25
  - 7pm-10pm – Fado with Pedro Viola & Adriana Marques
- August 26
  - 6pm-7pm – Sunset DJ Alexandre Ramos Feat Luís Raposo (sax)
  - 19h00-22h00 – US2
- August 27
  - 6pm-7pm – Sunset DJ Alexandre Ramos Feat Luís Raposo (sax)
  - 7pm-10pm – Ricardo Sousa
- August 28
  - 7pm-10pm – Sounds of Gadanha and Group Cantares Fonte Nova de Estômbar
Equestrian Programme:
- August 20 (Saturday) | 21:20 – Equestrian opening show
- August 21 (Sunday) | 18:00 – Working Equitation – Teaching trial
- August 22 (Monday)
  - 18:00 – Ease of Handling trial
  - 21:30 – Speed trial
- August 23 (Tuesday) | 21:00 – Inauguration of the Fernando Oliveira arena, by Bruno Cavalinhos
- August 24 (Wednesday) | 21:30 – Cavalgarve Equestrian Show, with Paco Martos (Spain) and Portuguese riders
- August 25 (Thursday) | 21:30 – Iberian Night with Spanish Doma Vaquera champion, Rafael Arcos, Portuguese champion of working equestrianism, Miguel da Fonseca and Portuguese Dressage champion, Manuel Veiga
- August 26 (Friday) | 21:00 – Masterclass with the Olympic duo João Torrão and Coralie Baldrey
- August 26 (Saturday):
  - 18:00 – Portuguese Riding Event
  - 21:30 – Cavalgarve Show
- August 28 (Sunday) | 21:30 – Cavalgarve Show
Tickets are already on sale with daily tickets costing 4€, daily family tickets 14€, and the 10-day pass 25€. Children up to 12 years of age (inclusive) do not pay entry upon presentation of the Citizen Card.

Tickets can be purchased at Fnac and Worten, online on BOL, at the Centro Cultural Convento de São José, the Balcão Único (in Lagoa) and at the entrance of the fair.

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August 19, 2022