What has happened ?

Guest - Sharon · Post by **Guest - Sharon** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 2:23 pm

OK so I returned last week from our 10th visit to CVO. Fantastic villa on the cliffs and idylic. But on visiting the town I was horrified by the graffitti on absolutely everything. I have noticed it before but this time it seemed like nothing was left untouched. Then the beaches....a real draw to CVO but they were covered in litter and I found them to be dirty. How often are they cleaned? I think the worst culprit was Marinha beach and I left after just an hour feeling dirty. Then I was upset by seeing a bunch of gypsies(?) all dressed in black hanging around by the N125. A man lay flat out by the side of the road very obviosuly either drunk or drugged and one of the women was holding a small baby. What needs to be done to have the authorites to take a child away from that sort of life? I just couldn't get it out of my head....and whilst I'm having a really good moan...how tacky are the pictures of boobs on the side of Adega club on the main hill??? The once beautiful CVO has lost it's way.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:35 pm

its called tourism

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 5:47 pm

"its called tourism"
++++++++++++++++

You gotta be kidding!

Tiny Tim · Post by **Tiny Tim** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 6:06 pm

I could have sworn I saw those same boobs in the GALP station in Faro. Matter of fact, I am sure I saw them in the BP station in Dorking, UK!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 6:39 pm

The main culprit for the spray paint"art" round Carvoeiro is a boy called Marcos (his family own and run Colombo's, but they probably don't know that he's such an artist!!) and his friend Freddy from Boliquem. I know because I saw them painting near my house, called the G.N.R and nothing happened! The president of the Junta also knows but can't do anything unless they are caught doing it. Aparently there is no law against it and it all depends what the owner of the wall/house wants to do!! Pinkiebluesky

croeso · Post by **croeso** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:19 pm

I posted an item on the CVO site last year saying how the increasing amount of graffiti was spoiling CVO. It was everywhere - bus shelter, telephone kiosks, litter bins, walls etc. In fact anywhere the little toe
rag(s) could find enough space to post their 'tag'. The 'tag' was very distinctive so why hasn't someone got off their backsides to catch the 'artists' & take appropriate action? I'm sure it wouldn't take too much effort. If the local Police haven't bothered to take positive action - why?

If the problem is not nipped in the bud the CVO we know & love will soon lose its charm.

Regards to all in CVO from a very wet Wales

digger · Post by **digger** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:11 pm

In my opinion the police, the GNR (Republican National Guard), are reluctant to enforce the law for fear of being branded authoritarian. Thankfully Fascism is dead in Portugal; problem is, since the revolution things have gone too far the other way.

The Centro de Turismo (Algarve head office in Portimao) are the ones to target. Perhaps they will understand that it’s their job to understand the relevance of all this. (Incidentally, I was there in February this year and a seemingly informed official told me that responsibility for cleaning the beaches was no longer with the town halls but with them!)

Who’s with me?

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:08 am

Seeing as how we seem to be stuck with it, mabe we could call it "Folk Art", or "Local Culture" or some such thing.

Seen in that light it could become an attraction instead of an eye-sore.(

Gambrinus · Post by **Gambrinus** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:26 am

would be nice if it were actual grafitti, Coop - something that takes time and energy to design and transfer onto a canvas of the artists choice.

These guys just use a marker pen to scribble a signature on everything - those works of art have the cultural value of shredded wheat...which is probably also about their IQ level.

Personally I would like to do nothing more than to make these guys clean up every last bit of scribble in this town - with their tounges

Eva · Post by **Eva** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 12:19 pm

You are so right. The best way of making them stop is to let the so called "artists" clean their work.
The people in town can see who did it and next time they will recognize them and they know what will happen if they do it again.

In Amsterdam this works very good. They have special projects for the non-artists to help and clean the city.
Graffiti stays, but these boys get paid for making art on shops. So it is nice to see.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:01 pm

Croeso (meaning "welcome" in the Welsh tongue I believe) --gives a very vivid description of the graffiti scarring Carvoeiro. Idid notice some on recent hols -up by GNR--but we saw more in Lagoa particularly the back streets.
I agree in part -with Cowboy & Gambrinus----as G says if its the work of talented artists it can be very pleasing to the eye--as Coop says -a form of Folk Culture--we,ve all--I suspect --contributed/scrawled our moniker /drawings in our youth--to say "I was here" --on school desks --toilet walls havent we ?
What is graffiti? We have records--found carved scribbled on walls going back into history---pre-historic cave drawings-----carved our initials in a heart on a tree when we fall in love

Does it all boil down to identity --maybe kids who indulge in this could be being ignored by society--want someone to notice them perhaps

What Eva says about Amsterdam is interesting--what worries me --is if we become to "clinically clean" we will lose something---how boring

Friends of mine visiting Sweden said this --the absolute clinically cleanliness --so bland--boring------

give me a little "seediness" / character -----something different /uexpected --oh dear --what am I saying---stand by---for----
suspect Im in a very small minority here

Tiny Tim · Post by **Tiny Tim** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:16 pm

Friends of mine visiting Sweden said this --the absolute clinically cleanliness --so bland--boring------

Ellie, the Masters of the Universe for this are the Swiss, bar none. Not a cigarette butt out of place, and women's agendas booked at least one month in advance for a friends' visit..dare not knock on the door for a natter w/o having first an appointment, one month in advance...

cowboy · Post by **cowboy** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:13 pm

.....And I'll bet they vote stright ticket Republican too.

Tiny Tim · Post by **Tiny Tim** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:39 pm

matter of fact they did, this Blocher dude (meg-rich). Extreme right-wing

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:51 pm

Ellie,great stuff,i,m right behind you on this .i,m sure their parents and extended family would be delighted to offer them the walls of their houses ,apts and restaraunts to allow them free rein for their artistic endevour.Now i,m sure your going to be bombarded by "swedish thinking people"who are under the impression that we are all entitled to a say in the state of our enviornment,some people huh.

What has happened ?

What has happened ?

Art?