September Supermoon: no strangers in the night

 

 

Odilia Marques Fernandes, who found mysterious footprints and circles imprinted on the flat roof of her Algarve home during the night of the August supernoon, was greatly relieved not to experience anything weird during yesterday’s Harvest Moon, the last supermoon, of the year.

A friend joined her for dinner, but she was on her own for the rest of the night in her countryside cottage.  She felt extremely anxious because of her strange experience during the previous supermoon.

She bravely waited into the early hours , but heard no footsteps on the roof and saw no more imprints when she climbed up her ladder and checked the tiles during the daytime.

The Harvest Moon was a beautiful sight to all in the Algarve and everywhere else without cloud cover.

The many thousands of readers of our last report on Odilia’s frightening experience during the August supermoon no doubt wished her well and this provided comfort while she was alone.

The police declined her urgent request to investigate last time. There is still no reasonably sound explanation for the phenomenon during the last supermoon, though some people, including Odilia, wonder about the possibility of supernatural visitors.

 

When asked for an opinion on our previous report, CHAT GPT offered the following: 

The story you've shared is indeed intriguing and mysterious. It seems to describe a series of unexplained events involving footprints and circular patterns on the roof of Odilia Marques Fernandes' cottage during the supermoon. Let's break down some possible perspectives on this story:

1.    Supernatural Beliefs: Odilia herself appears to have considered the possibility that these events may be related to supernatural beings. Footprints and circular patterns that appear suddenly and cannot be explained by natural causes can lead some individuals to attribute them to supernatural forces. Such beliefs are often rooted in cultural or personal beliefs in spirits, fairies, or other supernatural entities.

2.    Skepticism: On the other hand, skeptics may suggest that there could be more rational explanations for the footprints and circles. It's possible that someone, possibly a prankster or a curious individual, accessed the roof during the night without Odilia noticing. However, her claim that the roof had not shown any marks since it was installed adds an element of mystery.

3.    Natural Phenomena: Sometimes, unusual patterns and markings can be attributed to natural phenomena, such as weather-related effects or animal activity. However, it's important to consider whether such explanations are plausible given the circumstances.

4.    Lack of Investigation: The fact that the local police did not investigate the incident further may raise questions about the credibility of the story. Some may argue that a thorough investigation could have shed more light on the situation.

Ultimately, whether one believes in supernatural beings or not, this story highlights the human tendency to seek explanations for unexplained events and phenomena. It's a reminder that people's beliefs, experiences, and perceptions can vary widely, and what might seem supernatural to one person may have a more mundane explanation to another. Without additional evidence or investigation, the true nature of the footprints and circles on Odilia's roof remains a mystery.

 

 

 

 

Immigration and emigration

An increasing number of people in recent years have been coming to Portugal for a better life than they have been experiencing in America, the United Kingdom and a number of EU countries.

At the same time, many Portuguese residents have been leaving for the same countries immigrants are coming from.

The number of foreign residents in Portugal is now more than 6% of the total population.

Some, especially those from former Portuguese territories such as Brazil, come to study or work. Many of the English-speakers are elderly and wanting to enjoy their retirement in Portugal. 

For those seeking further education or work opportunities, Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra and the other main cities are very attractive. The milder climate and less busy environments in the Algarve region is the preferred option for many retirees. 

More than 285 passengers disembarked  at Azores airports last month, almost a 10% increase on August the previous year, but it is not clear now many of those visitors may have been lured to remain and reside on one of those beautiful islands.    

The number of foreigners living on the Portuguese island of Madeira was about 10,600 at the beginning of last year, an increase of nearly 20% since 2019 and the COVID pandemic.

Immigrants are obviously drawn to mainland Portugal and the autonomous islands by conditions they consider better than in their homelands. Among the most important is the fact that the Portuguese are generally a welcoming people and while English is not an official language, many Portuguese understand and speak it fluently. Also of great significance is the fact that Portugal is one of the most peaceful countries in the world. 

There are plenty of English-speaking property agents, lawyers and health professional available to offer their services. All sorts of advice is also available in English and other European languages for members of the Association of Foreign Property Owners (AFPOP). 

The cost of living throughout Portugal has risen a lot in recent years, but it is still moderate compared with many other places. On the negative side, property rental and purchase prices have soared, causing a shortage of affordable accommodation for locals who are earning in many cases €1,000 or less a month.

The housing situation in the cities and low incomes are two of the main reasons why so many young Portuguese are emigrating in search of a better life abroad, mainly in the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and the Nordic countries.

More than two million Portuguese-born citizens are living elsewhere at present. Together with the descendants of Portuguese emigrants, the number around the world is about five million, more than 40% of the home nation’s total population. 

There is no suggestion that the comings and goings will reduce let alone stop in the years ahead.

Strangers in the night during the supermoon

A perfectly rational Portuguese lady living alone in a remote cottage in the Algarve countryside is worried that another weird stranger may visit her on the night of the next supermoon, September 29.

During the last supermoon at the end of August, footmarks and circles appeared on a flat portion of her roof. Having considered all possibilities, she has  concluded that they may have been made by some supernatural beings.

Of course this sounds utterly ridiculous, but a close look at the facts may make even sensible sceptics wonder.

Odilia Marques Fernandes, 67, is originally from Lisbon. She moved to the Algarve 26 years ago and is still working as a physiotherapist. Family and friends regard her as a remarkably happy and kind-hearted person with no odd characteristics.  

Her cottage is set a little back from a quiet road, well apart from neighbours, amid beautiful natural countryside going up towards Marmelete and Monchique in the hills. 

Her small kitchen-sitting-room, bedroom, bathroom and garage offer perfect tranquillity. It was while she was working in silence on her computer at 2.30 am on Thursday August 31 that she heard what sounded like footsteps on the roof.

The footsteps were on a flat section of the roof covering quite a few square metres that she had put in place above the bedroom and bathroom a year ago to stop rain coming in from leaking tiles. 

As it was so late and she was tired, Odilia dismissed what sounded like footsteps as just her imagination. She went to bed and slept well.

In the morning, curiosity persuaded her to fetch a metal ladder from her garage and place it against the wall leading up to the flat part of her roof. Once up there, she was shocked to discover footprints clearly marked in the dust all over the flat surface.  They seemed to have been made by two pairs of bare feet, both just a little bigger than her own, but with unusually large outer toes. Even more amazing were a number of large, perfectly circular patterns spaced among the footprints.

Odilia was not only shocked, but frightened. It was impossible that anyone could have climbed on to the roof without her knowing that night or at any other time since the flat section had been fitted. She was certain that the workmen who fitted the flat roofing a year ago had not left any marks whatsoever – and if they had they would have been washed away by the winter rains.

Without delay, she phoned the GNR police in Monchique. They showed no interest. They did not send anyone to investigate.

On the phone, Odilia shared her fears with family and friends. None, including two who have climbed up with her and taken photographs on the roof since the August supermoon, have come up with a plausible explanation.   

 

Photos by Ana Lourenzo

Douro wine producers demand reform

 

Wine producers in Portugal’s Douro region now have the backing of the country’s President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, in demanding urgent reform to the long outdated regulatory system that is threatening the economic viability of their renowned vineyards.

The president has followed up on an open letter signed by the leaders of all the top wine companies, such as Symington Sogrape, Sogevinus and Cran Cruz, as well as a number of medium and small-sized premium producers. The letter has also been endorsed by about 1,000 protesters insisting on rapid change.

The Douro’s regulations were put in place about 100 years ago. Some minor adjustments have been made since then, but a full review and more essential adjustments are now desperately needed “so that the region adapts to today and tomorrow’s reality,” the president has said. He noted that changes were in the interests not only of the Douro in the north of Portugal, but the whole country.

Paul Symingtom, of Symington Wine Estates, has pointed out that Douro wine regulations were designed last century almost exclusively for Port, but other wines now account for almost half of total grape production. “We need more intelligent use of the rules on maximum yields per hectare,” he said.

For those unfamiliar with Douro vineyards, they are planted on remarkably stony soil on terraces on the sides of 30 degree hills. The grapes have to push their roots deep into the ground because the soil does not retain much water.

Vines have been grown here at least since the Romans made wine during their long occupation of the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal has been exporting wine from the spectacular Douro Valley since the nation’s founding in the 12^th century. Exports were hugely enhanced after Portugal and England signed the Treaty of Windsor in 1386.  Port has been the best known type of Douro wine since the mid-17^th century.

Portugal is now the fourth largest grape-growing country in the world and the ninth largest wine producer. But in recent times the Douro has been especially vulnerable to global warming causing a mixture of floods, droughts, and scorching heat waves with temperatures reaching more than 104 degrees F.  Diminishing yields, rising costs, low sales prices, a decreasing number of farmers and other factors have impacted the industry.

The Drinks Business, a European trade journal, has issued a translation of the Portuguese open letter headlined “The Douro Deserves Better”: Some of the highlights:

 + The Douro demarcated region is known for being one of the marvels of the wine world. It contains more than half of the world’ steep mountain vineyards and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There is no comparable wine region.

+ More than 19,000 grape farmers and 1,000 companies are committed to working in these challenging vineyards, producing two renowned wines: Port and DOC Douro wines.

+ Over the past 20 years there has been a 25% reduction in total Port volumes to 7.8 million cases in 2022, while DOC wines have grown to 5.2 million cases.

+ Despite these profound changes, the regulatory structure has remained unchanged and is now creating serious distortions that have impacted not only the price of grapes, but also the socio-economic sustainability of the farmers, the companies and the future of the region’s wines in international markets.

+ Many grapes are sold below cost. The loss to farmers is obvious, resulting in the abandonment of vineyards and depopulation of the region.

+ Equally serious is that too many wines are being sold internationally at prices comparable with the cheapest wines in the world – something that would be impossible if farmers were paid a fair price.

+ Over the past 15 years various studies have been produced by highly reputable organisations. All concluded that the Douro is not sustainable under these circumstances and that regulatory reform is necessary. But nothing has been done despite repeated promises by the State.