Postcard From the Algarve - December 05
One of the quickest growing organisations in Sao Bras is The Friends of the Museum of Sao Bras or, to give its full name, the Ethnographical Museum of The Algarve. Some 200 members have signed up and paid their membership fees in five months - English, Scots, Irish, Germans, Portuguese, Americans (but no Welsh?). So what’s the attraction?
The museum is housed in a former Cork Merchant’s Mansion and in the stables in which he used to house his donkeys. Well worth a visit in itself, if only to see the 100ft deep well which, driven by mules, supplied constant water to the house. But not the sort of institution to attract such a quick growing following. No. |
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The Friends of the Museum while supporting the institution itself (one of its objectives is to buy a grand piano for future musical events) incorporates, a history society, a literary group, weekly keep fit classes, belly dancing and salsa lessons, Tai Chi, Language classes, art classes, all of which are held in the Museum galleries. It has held two open-air picnics in the Museum grounds, and has arranged a recital by a string quartet.
Nothing very exciting for those who live within driving distance of the cultural events on offer in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but a breath of fresh air in a community living on a diet of vigorous, but monotonous folk music and dancing.
All this has been made possible by an enthusiastic partnership between a local art shop run by an English couple, the Portuguese director of the Museum, and a Scottish lady with fantastic organisational skills who was looking for a challenge. And the real challenge for the Friends of the Museum will be to involve our Portuguese hosts. A number have already joined the History Society, and the instructors in the Salsa classes are Portuguese, but the real motivation for the Friends is the extension of links between the locals and the Ex-Pat Community.
There is still an embarrassingly high proportion of the latter who refuse to learn Portuguese, and whose social life is bounded by English bars, and English golf clubs.
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