The Algarve Resident ??

[EMM]

Does anyone take this " expat " paper seriously anymore ?
Apart from " lifting " almost word for word articles from the " FREE " papers it is now taking on an almost joyous approach to the occaisional vilolent crimes against expats ( it never mentions events in the local community ).

We have stopped buying it, We can find out far more about what is happening in the Algarve and Portugal by picking up the Portugal News ( Free ) or Get Real ( Free ).

The Resisdent was once informative it is now just seeking to be a very poor impression of the Daily Express.

[maccasa]

hi emm - well they did find out about the illegal tapping of small birds and I don't buy it - I view online!

[Ellie]

You can get free newspapers at the bookshop (the Algarve Book Cellar) on the in road on the left.....but its polite to buy something as well

[Bristle Si]

Does anyone take this " expat " paper seriously anymore ?
Apart from " lifting " almost word for word articles from the " FREE " papers it is now taking on an almost joyous approach to the occaisional vilolent crimes against expats ( it never mentions events in the local community ).

We have stopped buying it, We can find out far more about what is happening in the Algarve and Portugal by picking up the Portugal News ( Free ) or Get Real ( Free ).

The Resisdent was once informative it is now just seeking to be a very poor impression of the Daily Express.

Emm. Your continuous support for anything portuguese never ceases to amaze me.
Face up to the facts that Portugal is fast becoming no different from the rest of europe in terms of living experience.

[martin]

I stopped buying it a while ago when faced with the economic problems and having to cut back realized that I was spending 78 euros a year on the paper, (which I can read online free anyway)..all such small items add up and can be done without

this and the fact has been mentioned that get real and the news are free, means that the resident is not something I buy anymore

[EMM]

We spend up to 20 weeks a year now and therefore have much more than just a " holiday " experience and feel a little qualified to draw some comparisons between our tow countries.

Do we feel safer in PT . YES
Do we buy better quality , fresher . cheaper food in PT . YES
Is the general social climate better in PT .. YES
Can and do we venture out at night into town centres in PT , YES

Would we dare do this in the UK . of course not we are not that stupid.

The RESIDENT is adopting that all to familiar ( EX PAT ) approach of knocking Portugal.

When it reports that some one was mugged or robbed in Albufeira in the early hours, they do not say that the victim was usually drunk and almost incapable and that such events happen several times night in most UK towns.

[blue]

The report in the resident this week was of an elderly Swiss couple robbed in their own home, they were beaten & the poor woman was seriously sexually assaulted. Should the Resident not have reported this? It is very frightening but I would rather be aware of the dangers than not. I have to say I haven't noticed any 'gleeful' reporting, I'm not a huge fan of the Resident but it would not be in their interest to cast the Algarve in a bad light if anything it's too lightweight.

[Bristle Si]

We spend up to 20 weeks a year now and therefore have much more than just a " holiday " experience and feel a little qualified to draw some comparisons between our tow countries.

Do we feel safer in PT . YES
Do we buy better quality , fresher . cheaper food in PT . YES
Is the general social climate better in PT .. YES
Can and do we venture out at night into town centres in PT , YES

Would we dare do this in the UK . of course not we are not that stupid.

The RESIDENT is adopting that all to familiar ( EX PAT ) approach of knocking Portugal.

When it reports that some one was mugged or robbed in Albufeira in the early hours, they do not say that the victim was usually drunk and almost incapable and that such events happen several times night in most UK towns.

Absolutely love our annual visits to CVO (been going for 8 years now). And in recent years we've made friends with a few of the residents (some are expats who love it), but whether i could live long term in CVO i'm not sure.

As for the answers to the Qs you pose with both a PT and UK slant:

Safer in PT or UK - depends where i go i suppose. A tough borough of London v CVO - I'd feel safer in CVO. A tough borough of London v a Lisbon backstreet - i'd guess there would not be much difference. There are many many parts of the UK where i'd feel just as safe as CVO.
As for better quality food and cheaper - well in my experience my local sainsburys wins hands down.
Social climate -
CVO relaxed, beach, sun, good value restaurants, decent bars.
UK - mixed weather, good pubs/restaurants, footie, rugby and cricket matches, horse racing, Bristol harbour festival, London, theatres, cinema, trips to Dartmouth, the Cotswolds, Wales, Scotland, the Lake District, friends, family...
Venture out at night into town centre - CVO great. BTL - great; curry houses, bars, clubs, restaurants - and in the main safe. It's not much different than when i was in the centre most weekends in my late teens and 20s.

So all in all; absolutely love CVO, but still love the UK as well (yes, there are things i'd change, but then wouldn't we all?)

[EMM]

Would you venture into the centre of Bristol at night, we certainly don,t, public urination, vomiting ( and that is just the girls ).

[Bristle Si]

Would you venture into the centre of Bristol at night, we certainly don,t, public urination, vomiting ( and that is just the girls ).

Yes EMM I still do, either with friends or my wife. Bristol academy for the odd gig (The Damned, Buzzcocks, Stiff Litttle Fingers), Waterside, Whiteladies Rd, Corn street or Gloucester rd.

I'm not saying we go in every weekend, because we don't. But although i'm 48 next month, i'm still young at heart.

Must say though, urinating or vomiting in public is not something i partake in!