Category Archives: Amovate Events

Summer Solstice – 21st June – Update

Summer Solstice 2015

TAXI Arrangements

We have now spoken to Luis the taxi man and have made these arrangements: 

Luis will arrange for two or three taxis to begin the service at 6.00pm on Sunday evening. Don’t forget that although the doors of O Paulo will not be opened until 7.30pm to allow diners to take their (unreserved) seats there will be an outside bar serving drinks beforehand, so getting there early is not a problem.  

The cost will be €10 per taxi each way, so if four people travel in each taxi the cost per head will be €2.50 for each journey. If only two people are in the taxi the cost will still be €10 for the vehicle, so it obviously is best to arrange to have four people making each trip. 

Luis tells has tickets for the Summer Solstice and will therefore be on the premises at O Paulo all evening.

Please e mail info@amovate.com if you require a Taxi for the evening, so that the correct number of Taxis can be secured.

Amovate Summer Solstice 2015

It’s the longest-running party in history—the Summer Solstice.

The first one ever recorded took place 5,715 years ago in Egypt and people have been partying at the solstice—one way or another!—ever since.

Back in 3700 B.C. at the Temple of Amen-Ra in Karnak alongside the River Nile a beam of light illuminated a sanctuary in this temple’s interior for about 2 or 3 minutes on the solstice.

The day of the solstice, typically June 21st which signals the start of summer, has the longest period of sunlight in the calendar year—16 hours and 38 minutes, for example, at Greenwich in London.

That means the day ends with the shortest night.

But we’ll be doing our best at this year’s Summer Solstice party on Sunday June 21st at O Paulo on the Fortaleza headland at Arrifana to make you enjoy it so much it will feel like the LONGEST night of the year!

As we said last year, we can’t promise you Druids—unless any of you wish to don the appropriate regalia—but we do hope for one of Arrifana’s most spectacular sunsets to highlight this year’s event.

And, of course it is worth pointing out once again that prior to last year’s event Paulo had glass walls fitted permanently all around the exterior parts of the restaurant, so the wind will not be an issue should it spring up.

So, why not join us?

Tickets cost €20 for Amovate members, €22.50 for non-members (a reduction on last year’s prices) and again, for reasons of comfort, we have reduced the number of tickets to 90, so it is important you book early if you wish to attend.

The dinner comprises a three-course meal (set menu with course options below), plus a complementary sunset drink.

There will be a seating plan to direct you to your table, and as people purchase their tickets we ask that they inform us of their choice between meat or fish. This way we can then give the restaurant the accurate numbers for each dish.

 

Throughout the evening there will be entertainment provided by the highly-recommended singer Emma Louise.Emma Louise

Emma is a 23 year-old professional singer based in Lagos, and she has a varied repertoire consisting of mainly pop, country and soul genres, so there is plenty of music to appeal to all tastes.

Once again, following on the success of last year’s operation, we will be arranging a shuttle taxi service with Luis, so you can enjoy the evening without worrying about having to drive home.

More information about that to follow, so keep watching this space.

PLEASE NOTE:

The evening starts at 7.30pm when the doors will be open, with dinner being served from 8pm.

If anyone wishes to arrive before 7.30pm they will be guided to an outside bar that is being provided for the evening.

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What and when is the Summer Solstice?

The solstice heralds the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. In 2015, the solstice falls on June 21 at 6:51 A.M. EDT.

The word “solstice” literally means the stopping or standing-still of the sun, as it is derived from two words “sol” meaning sun and “sister”, to cause to stand still

This is because, as the summer solstice approaches, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky on each successive day. On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared to the day before. In this sense, it ”stands still.”

Amovate Summer Solstice Menu At Restaurante O Paulo

Couvert (Bread, Olive and carrot Salad, Butter, Tuna pate)

Starter

  •          Cooked Shrimp
  •          Fish and Meat Canapés
  •          Octopus Salad

Main Course

  •          Grilled Mixed Fish or Meat with French fries, mixed salad, vegetables

Dessert

  •          Mixed cake plates
  •          Coffee and Medronho
  •          Sunset Drink.

 

 

Hoedown Update

by Matt D'Arcy

by Matt D’Arcy

 

 

 

 

 

Christina Walks Tall…

…Over Her €2,000 Charity Donation

Christina (centre) with, from left, Amovate President John Bergstrom-Potter, Leo Vandermeulen, Donna Fernanda Agapito, Rick Hursthouse (Amovate), Antonio Ramos (pétanque association), Steve Scott (Amovate) and Caterina Rodrigues Pereira.

Christina (centre) with, from left, Amovate President John Bergstrom-Potter, Leo Vandermeulen, Donna Fernanda Agapito, Rick Hursthouse (Amovate), Antonio Ramos (pétanque association), Steve Scott (Amovate) and Caterina Rodrigues Pereira.

Christina Vandermeulen was the headline attraction at Amovate’s Country and Western Hoedown held at the Pétanque Club in the Churasqueira Mendes last Saturday, May 23rd.

Christina was walking tall after raising €2,000 for needy children and their families with her epic trek from Cape St Vincent to Fatima.

The Amovate member, 61, and from Vale da Telha, received the final donations following her 400km walk which began at the Cape on April 18th and ended in Fatima on May 2nd.

Cheques of €100 from Amovate, €50 from the association’s Keep Fit Club led by Bob Packham and €50 from Antonio Ramos, head of the Pétanque Club, were presented to her.

And all of this came on the heels of sponsorship during the walk and from well-filled collection boxes in our local bars and restaurants (Christina sends her heartfelt thanks to the owners of these establishments), and of course deposits in the account she opened at the BPI bank in Aljezur.

The presentations at the Hoedown brought the total up to €2,000, which Christina then handed over to Donna

Christina with Donna Fernanda Agapito (left) and Caterina Rodrigues Pereira (right) from the Conferência de Nossa Senhora D’Alva, Aljezur.

Christina with Donna Fernanda Agapito (left) and Caterina Rodrigues Pereira (right) from the Conferência de Nossa Senhora D’Alva, Aljezur.

Fernanda Agapito and Caterina Rodrigues Pereira from her target charity, Conferência de Nossa Senhora D’Alva, Aljezur.

This is a purely local division of the international St Vincent de Paul Society, set up to help Aljezur families in urgent need of support.

“I am overwhelmed,” said Belgian-born Christina, whose husband Leo accompanied her on the walk, driving ahead to organise meals and overnight stops.

“The final total exceeded my wildest expectations and I am so grateful for all the support I received before, during and after my walk.

“This made all the exhaustion—and all the blisters!—really worthwhile.”

Steve Scott, of Amovate’s Entertainment’s Committee hosted the presentation ceremony, describing Christina’s charity walk as “a magnificent feat—on her magnificent feet”.

He joked that Christina was already prepared to sign up volunteers to join her in a similar walk next year!

Almost 100 people attended the Hoedown and BBQ which began at 3pm and went on until after sunset, with dancing and singing to the country and 60s music of Just John.

The event, which was also warmly embraced by the Portuguese members of the Pétanque Club, was a huge success and Amovate’s entertainment committee promised to do all they could to repeat it next summer.

Amovate announce upcoming Events

eventsToday Amovate has announced it’s Events Calendar for 2015. If you go to the Amovate Events Calendar on this site and click the button it will take you to the events and dates.

The Events Team have attempted to vary the individual items but it’s difficult, as several are favourites, and our members always ask for these to be repeated.

More details will be announced nearer the dates as the Team will be working closely with the venue owner / manager to finalise both content and price.

The first event on Saturday 23rd May at the Churasqueria Mendes Petanca Club will be a BBQ with Just John supplying the Entertainment. A fun event that could turn into a Barn Dance.

Details and ticket prices to follow shortly.

Health Talk on Diabetes

Diabetes talkAs we said before now that we have all walked away from our working lives to enjoy a life in the sun we want to make sure we stay fit and well in order to enjoy our well deserved retirement for as long as possible.

That is why Amovate and Solange Escobar from Aljezur’s Farmacia have linked up with our “Health in The Community” initiative to make sure we all have the best available advice to stay in the best health we can manage.

Solange contacted us to say she was keen to promote good health among the local Expat community and to talk them through the various aspects of prescriptions and the Portuguese Health Service.

She proposed a visit, or a series of visits if so required, to the Old School House to meet with residents and talk about ways of achieving this, and perhaps run some tests on individuals if so required.

Her first talk at Amovate on Wednesday November 19 was a well-attended success as she talked about cholesterol and prescriptions.

Now, after a request from a member of that audience, she plans a second talk on living with diabetes which is a condition that affects a good number of people in the area. And even those who are not diabetic can benefit from Solange’s advice on how to avoid the risks of developing the condition.Solange,  Farmácia De Aljezur (3)

This latest “Health in the Community” talk will take place at the Old School House Vales on Wednesday January 21, beginning at 2pm prompt, as Solange is arranging these talks to coincide with her lunch hour. 

Amovate committee member John Williams, who organised the event with committee colleague Alan Nightingale, said afterwards:

“Solange’s talk was excellent and those that attended have asked her to come back and next time talk about diabetes, which she has agreed to do on January 21.

“So, once again we would ask residents, not just Amovate members, to contact us at the e-mail addresses and phone numbers below for either Alan or myself, in order to let us know if they would like to attend this second meeting about diabetes and any other issues they would like to raise.”

John added: “We would like to thank Solange for the generous use of her time, and for the valuable information and advice she was able to give to those who attended that first meeting. We are sure this second meeting will prove just as valuable to the community.

“She is prepared to hold these briefings monthly or-bi-monthly or at any intervals suitable to the residents and is ready to discuss a wide range of health issues with those attending.

“Everyone is welcome to ask her any questions on issues they are not sure about, so we would appreciate it if as many residents as possible would let us know of their willingness to attend on future occasions.

“Remember, this is a broad health issue organised by Amovate but by no means restricted to Amovate members. The meetings are open to all residents.”

For your information, and contact books, details of the Farmacia are:
Email address: farmaciafurtado@gmail.com

FARMÁCIA ALJEZUR
Av. General Humberto Delgado S/N
8670-001 Aljezur
HORÁRIO: 2ª a SÁB.: 9.00-​20.00H
HORA DE ALMOÇO: 13-15H

Tel No: 282 994 430
Mobile: 91 887 3019.
Anyone interested in attending this next meeting, and discussing their health issues with Solange should contact John Williams or Alan Nightingale from the Amovate committee. Their contact details are:
John Williams –     Email address, sandraandjohn@lycos.com Telephone 282 997 194
Alan Nightingale –  Email address, alamo38@btinternet.com    Telephone 282 997 059
Alan says: “Whilst everyone would be welcome to just turn up on the day, if people could advise their attendance to either of the above this would assist us in preparations for Solange’s talk”