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Disappearing World
Now comes the Real Question...
.would ANY of you trade ALL that you have (and have worked all your life)... in exchange for ALL that man in the donkey cart has
(and has worked all his life)?!?..
after all, they are very happy people...
(I'll bet he would do it in a heart beat.)
And would that make your life happier?...Better in some way?
(I'll bet it will open new a whole new range of options for him.)
.would ANY of you trade ALL that you have (and have worked all your life)... in exchange for ALL that man in the donkey cart has
(and has worked all his life)?!?..
after all, they are very happy people...
(I'll bet he would do it in a heart beat.)
And would that make your life happier?...Better in some way?
(I'll bet it will open new a whole new range of options for him.)
-
Ellie
serious enough
Sorry Coop,but youre still not getting to the heart of the matter--i only wish i had those young people that i spoke to on here to answer you.
I always feel very much for the young and the problems they have to face.
Im sorry too if you feel that this topic is too serious.In the end --theres nothing you and i can do about it is there,except to listen and empathise--maybe that can help in some small way.
I always feel very much for the young and the problems they have to face.
Im sorry too if you feel that this topic is too serious.In the end --theres nothing you and i can do about it is there,except to listen and empathise--maybe that can help in some small way.
Ellie,
What you probably could do that is constructive, beyond bringing your story to the attention of the greater populus in this website, is maybe you and the people you spoke with to write letters to various local-national authorities about the situation you have just described.
This seems a positive step forward to me and something you can do?
Cowboy, there's some serious undermining of Texas culture with the demise of Lone Star Long Necks. What's this world, and I mean specifically the spinning Texas orb, coming to???
What you probably could do that is constructive, beyond bringing your story to the attention of the greater populus in this website, is maybe you and the people you spoke with to write letters to various local-national authorities about the situation you have just described.
This seems a positive step forward to me and something you can do?
Cowboy, there's some serious undermining of Texas culture with the demise of Lone Star Long Necks. What's this world, and I mean specifically the spinning Texas orb, coming to???
Bought a book called "Wild Herbs & Hapiness" a while back and in it the "poverty stricken" young adults left their homes and headed for France in an attempt to get a slice of western luxury.
Bought the sequal last May and the young locals are flooding back !!!!!!
Times change , culture has to evolve, has any country got the same culture it had 50 years ago? I bet if it has it is a product of repression .
I drink therfore I am
Bought the sequal last May and the young locals are flooding back !!!!!!
Times change , culture has to evolve, has any country got the same culture it had 50 years ago? I bet if it has it is a product of repression .
I drink therfore I am
Interesting topic Ellie, and I'm not sure if I am really contributing.
We're just back from CVO and one day we drove over to Cape St. Vincent. As we approached Sagres we came across the unspoilt Algarve - for the tourists developments haven't got this far. This was the Portugal I remember on my first trip 35 years ago. It was scrubland, with a few well spaced rickety homesteads scratching a living from a barren, dusty landscape.
Now I don't know if the people there are happier than their counterparts further East, but overall I suspect not. Tourism has bought prosperity to this part of the world, and prosperity has brought education and health and wealth. And with this prosperity, via the huge influx of foreigners, has come, in this area probably, a certain loss of national identity and pride.
It is true there have been some development disasters, like Praia de Roche, but in the main nothing compared to the Costas in Spain. Overall I think that the density of tourist development in this area has been well contained.
The Portuguese are a proud race with a strong tradition, who have not really been exposed until recently to the wider world, and they are finding it difficult in rural areas to come to terms with modern world dynamics.
Every country exposed to it has had to try to accomodate this global change, some are adapting quicker than others, and some regions better than others.
One can sympathise with these individuals you mention, it is indeed difficult for them, but in the long term they must, and will, reap the benefits, as long as their government is aware of their needs, and responds. I really don't think you met a true cross section of the population, though I appreciate that those you did meet affected you deeply, and your heart went out to them
Times change Ellie -nostalgia is not what it used to be
We're just back from CVO and one day we drove over to Cape St. Vincent. As we approached Sagres we came across the unspoilt Algarve - for the tourists developments haven't got this far. This was the Portugal I remember on my first trip 35 years ago. It was scrubland, with a few well spaced rickety homesteads scratching a living from a barren, dusty landscape.
Now I don't know if the people there are happier than their counterparts further East, but overall I suspect not. Tourism has bought prosperity to this part of the world, and prosperity has brought education and health and wealth. And with this prosperity, via the huge influx of foreigners, has come, in this area probably, a certain loss of national identity and pride.
It is true there have been some development disasters, like Praia de Roche, but in the main nothing compared to the Costas in Spain. Overall I think that the density of tourist development in this area has been well contained.
The Portuguese are a proud race with a strong tradition, who have not really been exposed until recently to the wider world, and they are finding it difficult in rural areas to come to terms with modern world dynamics.
Every country exposed to it has had to try to accomodate this global change, some are adapting quicker than others, and some regions better than others.
One can sympathise with these individuals you mention, it is indeed difficult for them, but in the long term they must, and will, reap the benefits, as long as their government is aware of their needs, and responds. I really don't think you met a true cross section of the population, though I appreciate that those you did meet affected you deeply, and your heart went out to them
Times change Ellie -nostalgia is not what it used to be
-
a guest
dsappearing world
To get back to Ellie's original thought, I do agree that the original charm
that drew me to Portugal back in 1989 is slowly fading, but I still will
return each year. I think you have to dig a little deeper to find a bit of
the old culture, but it is still there. Sitting in some bar or restaurant on
the coast is not the place to look for it. There is more to Portugal than
the Lisbon/Algarve circuit.
that drew me to Portugal back in 1989 is slowly fading, but I still will
return each year. I think you have to dig a little deeper to find a bit of
the old culture, but it is still there. Sitting in some bar or restaurant on
the coast is not the place to look for it. There is more to Portugal than
the Lisbon/Algarve circuit.
-
petermeachem
- CVO Senior
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:32 am
Ellie,
I fully agree with you. We first went to Carvoeiro 15 years ago and fell in love with the Algarve. The problem is that every time we go back, there is more buiding, more motorways, just more of everything. We really wanted to buy a house but, apart from the excessive prices, it was just getting too crowded.
So, we have bought a house (well it will be a house some day) near Odemira, http://www.ourhouseinportugal.co.uk . It is quite beautiful, very quiet, a real dream. Our neighbours are very friendly. They obviously don't have huge incomes, but on the other hand don't have huge outgoings either, most being pretty well self-sufficient smallholders. The last time we went down in the summer, we went to Albufeira for the day. Felt rather like someone from Cornwall going up to London, too many people, too much noise.
There is a tendency to be pressured into increasing earnings to buy a bigger house, bigger car, more stuff. You end up working harder and harder and whilst your monetary standard of living may increase, your pleasure doesn't.
It is much better to earn enough to live, enjoy life and enjoy your surroundings instead. This last is getting more and more difficult in the south coast of England where we live, it's just too crowded. The Algarve seems to be going the same way. It's very sad, but I don't know how to persuade people that they don't need this car or that dvd.
The majority of people who holiday in the Algarve don't move outside the hotel, apart from a tourist bus trip. They really aren't interested in keeping the place beautiful, they only want sunshine. Look at Albufeira, it's quite ghastly now, English beer, English food, English football on Sky, it's not much more than a hot version of Manchester.
I don't know what is going to happen, I can't see the situation improving.
I fully agree with you. We first went to Carvoeiro 15 years ago and fell in love with the Algarve. The problem is that every time we go back, there is more buiding, more motorways, just more of everything. We really wanted to buy a house but, apart from the excessive prices, it was just getting too crowded.
So, we have bought a house (well it will be a house some day) near Odemira, http://www.ourhouseinportugal.co.uk . It is quite beautiful, very quiet, a real dream. Our neighbours are very friendly. They obviously don't have huge incomes, but on the other hand don't have huge outgoings either, most being pretty well self-sufficient smallholders. The last time we went down in the summer, we went to Albufeira for the day. Felt rather like someone from Cornwall going up to London, too many people, too much noise.
There is a tendency to be pressured into increasing earnings to buy a bigger house, bigger car, more stuff. You end up working harder and harder and whilst your monetary standard of living may increase, your pleasure doesn't.
It is much better to earn enough to live, enjoy life and enjoy your surroundings instead. This last is getting more and more difficult in the south coast of England where we live, it's just too crowded. The Algarve seems to be going the same way. It's very sad, but I don't know how to persuade people that they don't need this car or that dvd.
The majority of people who holiday in the Algarve don't move outside the hotel, apart from a tourist bus trip. They really aren't interested in keeping the place beautiful, they only want sunshine. Look at Albufeira, it's quite ghastly now, English beer, English food, English football on Sky, it's not much more than a hot version of Manchester.
I don't know what is going to happen, I can't see the situation improving.
-
Ellie
Algarve today
Tiny Tim-an interesting idea you put forward-i intend with Steens permission,to put a story-wider version -on the Corner.with writing letters-Id have to really "clue-up" on my Portuguese for that one!
CM-ill have to read those books!I nterestingly-Ive met quite a number of Portuguese working here in Lincolnshire on the land-dont pay much -but more than Port.I suspect.
Rod-Idlove to have seen your Portugal of 35 years ago-I think you must be a lot more informed on this topic than myself and when you speak of the Spanish Costas-Im reminded of Laurie Lees tales-when he walked& lived in Spain-he said he could have bought a beach near Malaga for 5 shillings-and when he went back years later,seeing the vast amount of building-wished that he had! Youre probably right that I may not have met a true cross section of pop. Think mine was more on the intimate side-speaking with old friends particularly in Lagoa-that they werent happy-their sadness was mine too.
I think youre right guest-that we have to "dig a little deeper" .I do like to explore the interior regions -to just pull up somewhere -a small cafe-eat drink,listen ,observe and its there-the real thing !
Thanks petermeacham-your house sounds great -neighbours too --peaceful area--what more could you want-worth more than gold!I hope-Im sure --youll be very happy.
Agree totally about Albufeira -when we lived inAlgarve -I still viewed it has a fishing village-the old part.This year i got lost driving around! and on seeing the building near coast -thought I was in legoland!
By the way-speaking of getting lost--how d'you get to Krazyland?I followed the signs fromAlgoz and ended upin someones back yard with 2 dogs after me!
Boa noite -Ellie.
CM-ill have to read those books!I nterestingly-Ive met quite a number of Portuguese working here in Lincolnshire on the land-dont pay much -but more than Port.I suspect.
Rod-Idlove to have seen your Portugal of 35 years ago-I think you must be a lot more informed on this topic than myself and when you speak of the Spanish Costas-Im reminded of Laurie Lees tales-when he walked& lived in Spain-he said he could have bought a beach near Malaga for 5 shillings-and when he went back years later,seeing the vast amount of building-wished that he had! Youre probably right that I may not have met a true cross section of pop. Think mine was more on the intimate side-speaking with old friends particularly in Lagoa-that they werent happy-their sadness was mine too.
I think youre right guest-that we have to "dig a little deeper" .I do like to explore the interior regions -to just pull up somewhere -a small cafe-eat drink,listen ,observe and its there-the real thing !
Thanks petermeacham-your house sounds great -neighbours too --peaceful area--what more could you want-worth more than gold!I hope-Im sure --youll be very happy.
Agree totally about Albufeira -when we lived inAlgarve -I still viewed it has a fishing village-the old part.This year i got lost driving around! and on seeing the building near coast -thought I was in legoland!
By the way-speaking of getting lost--how d'you get to Krazyland?I followed the signs fromAlgoz and ended upin someones back yard with 2 dogs after me!
Boa noite -Ellie.
-
a guest
home on the range
Well said Petermeachem...pray tell, where is Odemira???
Checked your website...love the house and surroundings..
good luck on the renovations.
Checked your website...love the house and surroundings..
good luck on the renovations.
-
petermeachem
- CVO Senior
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:32 am