Coming Up - Paderne Medieval Festival

1 to 3 January, 2010 with exhibitions, stalls and traditional medieval music throughout the village of Paderne. A trip back to the 14th century - the different cultures, beliefs, religions are all brought to life with tournaments, musical performances and parades.

Programme

1st January:

14.30 – Opening

16.00 – Official Tournament
23.00 – Market closes
.

2nd January:

12.00 – Opening

23.00 – Market closes
.

3rd January:

12.00 – Opening
16.00 – Historic parade
23.00 – Market closes
.

Organised by the Town Hall in Albufeira Tel.: 289 599 500 www.cm-albufeira.pt

Calendar of Events - 2010

Events in the Hotel

Friday, 12th February, 2010 - An Introduction to Travel Photography
Friday, 12th February - Bike Tour
Saturday, 13th February - Valentines Night Dinner Dance
Sunday, 14th February - Carnival Fancy Dress Party in Bar Boa Vista
Tuesday, 16th February - Pancake Racing on the Beach
Tuesday, 16th February - Carnival Fancy Dress Party in Bar Boa Vista
Wednesday, 17th February - Royal British Legion Monthly Lunch
Friday, 19th February, 2010 - An Introduction to Travel Photography
Friday, 19th February - Bike Tour
Friday, 19th February, 2010 - 'Oops we forgot Valentines' Dinner Quiz Night
Wednesday, 24th February - Theatre Dinner - Raj Indian Restaurant
Thursday, 25th February - Theatre Dinner - Raj Indian Restaurant
Friday, 26th February, 2010 - An Introduction to Travel Photography
Friday, 26th February- Bike Tour

Monday, 1st March - Charity Quiz

Monday, 8th March - International Women's Day Dinner

Friday, 19th March - Father's Day Dinner
Saturday, 20th March - Old Time Musical Evening
Monday, 22nd March - Marketing Workshop with the Marketing Magician
Tuesday, 23rd March - Marketing Workshop with the Marketing Magician

Easter Sunday, 4th April - Charity Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bonnet Parade

Tuesday, 6th April - Algarve Ladies Lunch

Sunday, 2nd May - Mother's Day Lunch

Saturday, 25th December - Swim for Shoes - Dip in the Sea for Charity
Saturday, 25th December - Christmas Day Gala Dinner
Friday, 31st December - New Years Eve Gala Dinner and Dance
Saturday, 1st January - Swim for Shoes - Dip in the Sea for Charity

Events Nearby
Sunday, 14th February - Carnival Parade - Armação de Pêra
Tuesday, 16th February - Carnival Parade - Armação de Pêra

5th and 6th June - Algarve International Fair - Lagoa
23rd June - Traditional Dancing through the streets of Armação de Pêra
24th - 26th June - Caldeirada (Typical Fish Dish) Festival - Armação de Pêra
7th - 15th August - Medieval Fair - Silves

Sunday, 8th August - Procession in Honour of Our Lady of the Fisherman

20th - 29th August - Fatacil - Lagoa

16th - 19th September - Lit. Algarve (International Literature Festival)

Sunday, 19th September - Procession in Honour of Nossa Senhora dos Aflitos

21st - 29th August, 2009 - Fatacil in Lagoa

August White Night - Loule

Treasure Hunt Success

An afternoon of bright sunshine greeted the 14 teams who took part in the first Boxing Day Treasure Hunt from the Hotel Garbe in Armacao de Pera. After a brisk walk around the town and a small excursion to the beach the contestants returned to mince pies and drinks in the hotel bar.

Cap’n Whitebeard happily shared his treasure with the winners (Mary King and Mardie Cunningham) and also presented a mystery bottle to the team in second place before announcing that the event had raised nearly 200 Euros for Castelo de Sonhos in Silves.



More photos can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/HotelGarbe/BoxingDay2009TreasureHunt#

Swimming in the Rain.........

Congratulations and thanks to all those who participated in the Swim for Shoes on Christmas Day.



Despite not very good weather conditions, more than fifty Father Christmas came along to take part in the Swim and help to raise more than 650 Euros to buy new shoes for children in an Algarve Orphanage.

This year it was a swim with a difference - due to the enormous waves of the Atlantic Ocean on Christmas morning, it was decided that the dip should be in the Hotel Garbes' outdoor swimming pool, which was much warmer than the sea. However, there were still a few, who followed up the pool dip with one in the sea.

From Christmas Day, 2009 - Swim for Shoes

Certificates were awarded to all those who got wet and everyone enjoyed a very welcome glass of Mulled Wine in the Hotel Garbe bar afterwards.

A big thank you to everyone who participated.

In order to raise more funds - there is another "Swim for Shoes" on 1st January at 11.00am - just the way to recover from the festivities of New Years Eve - welcome in 2010 by paddling or swimming in the Atlantic Ocean - what an achievement !

Please join us - Fancy Dress Optional.

More photos at http://picasaweb.google.pt/HotelGarbe

Christmas Quiz Winner

Congratulations to Mrs. Stephenson who is the winner of a weekend for two at the Hotel Garbe.

Please see below the answers to our 2009 Christmas Quiz.

1) Holiday Inn

2) 9

3) Ghost of Christmas past, present and future and Marley's ghost

4) 34th Street

5) Capricorn

6) 3 - Dasher, Donder and Dancer

7) Nutcracker

8) 1700's

9) Christmas tree

10) 1895

11) The early Church banned mistletoe, so holly was substituted

12) Turkey

13) Santa Claus is coming to town

14) Wenceslas, Ohio

15) 16 points

16) Come all ye faithful

17) Stone of Scone

18) Please to put a penny in the old man's hat

19) Noel

20) Perfume

Newsletter

Our latest newsletter is now available - please click here

2009 Christmas Quiz - Win a weekend for two

1) From which original film did the song "White Christmas" come?

2) According to the song "12 days of Christmas", how many ladies were dancing?

3) Name the ghosts that appear to Scrooge.

4) Finish off the title of of this seasonal film "Miracle on ?th Street.

5) What is your star sign if you were born on Christmas day?

6) How many reindeer start with the letter "D" and can you name them?

7) What is the name of the most famous Christmas ballet?

8) Most Christmas carols today were first composed in the 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700 or 1800's?

9) Traditionally, German children are not allowed to see what before Christmas Eve?

10) Electric Christmas tree lights were first introduced in 1776, 1835, 1895, or 1925?

11) What significance is holly in celebrating Christmas?

12) The real Saint Nicholas lived in Turkey, canada, Denmark or Germany?

13)Work out the famous Christmas song from this anagram "To snog a clown is a must cant I"

14) Which of the following places is NOT a real US city or town - Wenceslas,Ohio, Noel, Missouri, St. Nicholas, Florida, or Santa Claus, Georgia?

15) In scrabble, what is the face value number of points of the word "Christmas"?

16) From which Christmas carol do the following lyrics come " Come and behold him, born the King of Angels"?

17)What was stolen from Westminster Abbey on Christmas day in 1950?

18) What is the next line - "Christmas is a-coming, the goose is getting fat........."?

19) What is Christmas called in France?

20) According to the bible, the three wise men brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. What is myrrh?


Send your answers by e-mail to info@hotelgarbe.com before 3.00pm on 26th December, 2009 - all correct entries will be placed in a draw. The first one drawn will win a weekend for two in the Hotel Garbe. Answers will be posted in early January.

Our thanks to Mrs. Anne Shiel for submitting this quiz.

Theatre Dinner - 20th and 21st January, 2010

Raj Indian Restaurant

Presents

A comedy

“ANGELS FEATHERS ”

written by Nicky Moran

Starring

Nicky Moran

Thomas Hartmann

Gladys Roper, a 75 year old widow, lives alone with her tabby cat, Bobby.A little forgetful, she often finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings butshe has come to accept these lost moments without distress orapprehension and on the opening of the play, we find her inone of these moments…..

Stage Manager - Midge Ridgley

Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st January 2010 7.00 for 7.30 pm

3 Course Indian Dinner with Wine and Coffee

€ 30,00 per person
Don’t miss it book now.

Tel: 282 320260 Fax: 282 315087 e-mail - info@hotelgarbe.com

Nicky Moran and Thomas Hartmann

Hotel Garbe – 8365-909 Armação de Pêra – Algarve - Portugal

December and January Special Rate

€22 per person per person per night - valid until 31st January.

Relax and unwind for a few days
Twin or Double landview room from only €22 per person per night inclusive of full buffet breakfast and afternoon tea and biscuits

Blog Index

We have been asked if we can index some of the posts on this blog - so they are easily available at all times:-

Hotel Services
Golf Holidays
Breakfast at the Hotel
Dinner menu - tonight
Junior Suites
Wedding Receptions
Raj Indian Restaurant
Television Channels
Afternoon Tea and Biscuits
Our Lunchtime Salad Menu
Summer Lunches
Barbeque Nights
Boa Vista Sandwich Menu

Useful Information
Directions from Faro Airport
Car Hire

Christmas and New Year
Christmas Programme
New Years Eve Programme
Christmas Day Swim for Shoes
Swim for Shoes Video
Boxing Day Treasure Hunt
Christmas in Portugal
Company Christmas Parties

What's On - Hotel Garbe
Bridge Club
Exercise at the Hotel Garbe
Folklore Dancing
Introduction to Travel Photography
Bike Tour Every Friday
Quiz Nights

Reviews and Comments from our Guests
In our mail box this morning
From our golf desk
Review - Perfect
Great Hotel in Great Location
"Great for relaxing beach holiday"
"excellent hotel cannot wait to stay there again"

Places to Visit
Days Out - Lagos Zoo
Krazyworld
Algarve Shopping
Zoomarine
Days Out - Costume Museum - Sao Brás de Alportel
Algarve Karting
Days Out - Aqualand Water Park

Armacao de Pera
Fisherman's Beach - Armacao de Pera
Armacao de Pera Market
Nativity Scene - Armacao de Pera

The beach
A perfect day
View from Hotel Garbe at 8.30pm
The view this morning
The beach this morning


THE WAY IT WAS
THE WAY IT WAS - 1962
Nearly Forty years on

You can also search the Blog by using the search facility at the top of the page.

Comments and Suggestions pleaseIn order to improve this blog - we would be very pleased to hear from you if there is any information you feel we should add to the blog.

We also accept "contributions" - eg. something you specifically enjoy about our Hotel, a "don't miss" activity, or just general information about Portugal - all of which will be very useful to our future guests. These will be marked as a "contribution" and carry your name.Please send comments, suggestions and "contributions" to info@hotelgarbe.com

Bank Holidays in Portugal - 2010

Friday, 1st January - New Year Day
Tuesday, 16th February - Carnival
Friday, 2nd April - Good Friday
Sunday, 4th April - Easter Day
Sunday, 25th April - Dia da Liberdade
Saturday, 1st May - Dia do Trabalhador
Thursday, 3rd June - Corpus Cristi
Thursday, 10th June - Dia de Portugal
Sunday, 15th August - Assunção de Nª Senhora
Tuesday, 5th October - Implementação da Republica
Monday, 1st November - All Saints Day
Wednesday, 1st December - Restauração da Independência
Wednesday, 8th December - Imaculada Conceição
Saturday, 25th December - Christmas Day

90th Birthday Celebrations

We thought you might enjoy this picture of Stan Williamson in our Bar Boa Vista celebrating his 90th birthday yesterday.

Network Christmas Fair at the Hotel Garbe

Contributed

This is always the Algarve Christmas fair with everything for everybody, and was very well organised. That makes a big difference to those of us who had stands, so many thanks to all concerned.

There was a range of stands offering all the cards and gift-wrap you could ask, and all sorts of foodstuffs for the season, together with a great choice for presents and stocking-fillers. Of course there were also books and jewellery, wines and pies, meaning almost everybody left with something, and the raffles & tombola were well supported by all.

From my own point of view, having a travelling shop, I am used to setting up and packing up, so I appreciate the organisation put into this fair each year. We were all in the main dining-room this year, which I'm sure was easier for the hotel, and left the bar free for those who needed a break!

I loved having the opportunity to put on a ' Fashion Flash ', and had 12 ladies happy to wander round showing off some of my party outfits, and would like to add my thanks to Chris Winstanley, who seemed to have been dragooned into a sideline as MC!

Mention of Chris leads me nicely on to thank those members of The Algarveans who came in costume or otherwise to promote February's pantomime - ' A Boy and Some Beans'.

Happy Christmas to all,

Alison
Collections

Christmas Fair Film

Our thanks to Algarve Channel 5 for filming the Network Spirit of Christmas Fair, which can be seen at http://www.algarvechannel5.net/ click on the NEW CLIPS button and it's #1 on the list.

OR the direct link http://www.algarvechannel5.net/clips/evcr038.html

What's On - December, 2009

“Boa Vista” Bar

Happy Hour - 20% - Every Day From 6.00 To 9.00pm Daily Entertainment – 9.00pm

Tuesday, 1st December - Arte Viva – Music For Dancing
Wednesday, 2nd December - João Caracol- Music For Dancing
Saturday, 5th December - Sandra & Jorge -Music For Dancing
Tuesday, 8th December – Ilze – Singer
Wednesday, 9th December - João Caracol-Music For Dancing
Friday, 11th December – Xico – Guitar Player
Saturday, 12th December-Sandra & Jorge- Music For Dancing
Sunday, 13th December - Carlos Pontes – Music For Dancing
Tuesday, 15th December - Arte Viva - Music For Dancing
Wednesday,16thdecember - João Caracol-Music For Dancing
Thursday, 17th December - Nuno - Resident Organist
Friday, 18th December – Nuno - Resident Organist
Saturday, 19th December - Sandra & Jorge- Music For Dancing
Monday, 21st December - Nuno - Resident Organist
Tuesday, 22nd December – Nuno - Resident Organist
Wednesday, 23rd December- João Caracol- Music For Dancing
Thursday , 24th December – Ilze - Singer
Friday, 25th December – Nig Ericson – Music For Dancing
Saturday, 26th December-Sandra & Jorge-Music For Dancing
Sunday, 27th December - Carlos Pontes – Music For Dancing
Monday, 28th December – Nuno - Resident Organist
Tuesday, 29th December - Arte Viva - Music For Dancing
Wednesday, 30th December - Nig Ericson - Music For Dancing
Thursday, 31st December – All Night Dancing To Live Music

The facilities and entertainment featured may change without notice.