RUA shared with us their second prize winning proposal in the Ideas Competition for the Re-qualification and Redevelopment of the Beach and Seafront of Figueira da Foz and Buarcos Their proposal is for a light concrete structure that “fly’s” over the dunes allowing for a gradual and controlled re-naturalization of the area between the existing promenade and the waterfront More images and architects’ description after the break Courtesy of RUAAlong this new path, one is confronted alternately with both the sea and the city. This gesture takes people to the beach and brings them back to the city. The new promenade is structured in such way that it approaches the city at the intersections of the main streets, and projects itself in intervals between those points. The new promenade generates new “pockets” with specific atmospheres and programs that relate alternately with the city or the sea. You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email NEW BEDFORD — Fado singer Ana Vinagre will help the ZeiterionPerfomingArtsCenter kick off its 2017-18 Stage Door Live series on Thursday by bringing the national song of Portugal to life in the intimate setting for which this music was intended She will be accompanied by Manuel Leite on the Portuguese guitar and Viriato Ferreira on the viola when she sings “the soul of the Portuguese people,” as she likes to describe fado Vinagre began singing fado at the age of 13 as a member of her hometown folk dance group “Cantarinhas de Buarcos.” she toured extensively with this group throughout Europe until immigrating to the United States in the 1970s with her husband José Vinagre began to perform the New England circuit of Portuguese restaurants and social clubs singing fado she is one of the area’s best known and most respected fadista She has made appearances at the National Folk Festival the Northwest Folklife Festival and the Lowell Folk Festival The Zeiterion’s Stage Door Live series transforms the theater into an intimate concert club with audience members seated on stage with the performer Some reserved seats at premium tables are available for purchase Entrance is through the theater’s red stage door on the corner of Spring Street and Acushnet Avenue Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900 As a wave naif you expect wriggling into a gut-accentuating wetsuit to be the biggest problem of the day Carrying the board is awkward - like dirty dancing with a wardrobe Getting into the sea is tricky - it's cold Then you must learn to lie straight on your board without wobbling and paddle hard until you reach the battleground - the white water where angry marine walls batter your bonce Unless you can master the trick of seesawing over them or diving bravely straight into their face beneath the briny you'll probably be dragged back towards shore you sit and wait for eternity until that sweet big wave arrives and (if you recognise it manage to turn around in time and stand up) attempt to catch it for a few seconds of blissful exhilaration but a bit hard; choose the right place to learn and the path to surf-dudedom will be smoother but Figueira da Foz on Portugal's central coast sounded sunnier Unlike the more famous Peniche an hour down the coast where the pupils of dozens of surf camps compete incompetently for waves claims to run the cheapest surf camp in Europe - from just €351 a week for 10 hours' tuition accommodation - plus dinner for a few euros more As I understand as much about the intricacies of swells breaks and off-shore breezes as I do quantum mechanics "There must be at least 12 surf spots within 20 minutes drive of Figueira," said Jacques Woolston who runs the hostel with wife Kate in between ski seasons There are a few unlovely buildings along the seafront and a main road separates the town from the beach But turning into Figueira revealed steep cobbled streets lined with beautiful old townhouses many tiled doorstep to roof in floral or moorish patterns their wrought iron balconies overflowing with potplants was bought by the original owners (Jacques and Kate's mates) while appearing on A Place in The Sun five years ago it has all the necessary slacker accoutrements - free internet a couple of dorms and several tall airy double rooms stylishly done on the cheap - Ikea furniture I spent the first night in the cute courtyard bar out back with the other guests baked expertly by Jacques in the outdoor bread oven had been at the hostel for two weeks having planned to stay only one night "Last winter a group who intended to be here for just a day or two ended up staying for months." and various travellers who'd booked lessons We headed off to whichever surf spot he decided would be best - cleverly calculated using an equation of wind near the main beach (also one of Europe's widest) was our first spot running up and down the beach in a wetsuit I caught a few waves - kneeling rather than standing opting to spend the afternoon on the beach eating peaches from the streamer-hung mercado before going for a run along the coastal walkway past a funfair where locals licked ice creams Overhead a plane circled with a banner: "Stop fat south over a massive bridge spanning the Rio Mondego to Leirosa I've heard of locals punching tourists who got in their way in busy French resorts The only other surfers were a couple of boys from Coimbra who offered nothing more than "well dones" and encouragement sitting and bobbing among a friendly group I understood a quote from pro-surfer Kelly Slater: "surfing's like the mafia After morning lessons under the brilliant tutelage of Felipe Ignoring Jacques' recommendations to eat at Johnny Ringos or McDonalds ("it's a good one!") I searched the backstreets for the perfect place puffy garlic baked potatoes and heaps of salad at Restaurante Boca Cheia with fresh mango and beers cost €15; an all you can eat fish barbecue at Vinha das Garcas €7.50 as did fantastic Douro wines from the supermarket for €3-4 We ruined one day's surfing by having a big night out on the main drag which morphs into a giant outdoor club after dark Kate had to give up and return to shore to be sick One afternoon Jacques drove me to the more popular surf beach Cabadelo teeming with the surf shops and cafes lacking elsewhere then up what locals optimistically call "the mountain" I'd walked it in a couple of hours the day before crunching over pine cones for views south down the coast rising through pine forests to a lookout where the sand and surf stretched north into invisibility at the horizon "Before we worked here we drove down the whole Atlantic coast in a camper van," said Jacques "We'd just turn off down random tracks and end up at amazing surf beaches with no one on them Figueira may not have that unspoilt beauty including an infamous mile-long right hand break "I got in touch with a guy from a surf mag a while back," explained Jacques "When I mentioned this place he suddenly remembered surfing here as a kid 'The Forgotten Land of the Never-ending Right Hand Break!' It's funny; there are serious Aussie and Californian surfers who travel across the world to ride it By last morning at Buarcos I still hadn't ridden a wave while properly standing - no matter how many I threw myself onto "You have no fear." But she was wrong It was sheer desperation to crack this before leaving career along then find myself suddenly lost again underwater just after the others spotted a pod of dolphins out to sea "We're getting tired," warned Filipe Just one more." I had a train to ride The Paintshop (00351 2334 36633, paintshophostel.com) offers a seven-day surf camp from €351pp including B&B, 10 hours of lessons and seven days board hire. Fly to Porto with ryanair.com, and book trains to Coimbra at cp.pt/cp Portugal’s Supertubos is one place you absolutely cannot miss, no matter how fast you’re going. Photo: Tozzi Portugal is fast becoming Europe’s favorite surf destination It is not an exaggeration to say it just about has it all – every kind of wave imaginable baking hot sun for a good part of the year uncrowded breaks (at times) and best of all an endless supply of custard tarts I have been coming to Portugal since 1996 and often spend half of my year there  While the below is not a definitive list it is a glimpse at what Portugal has to offer This sleepy fishing village along the centre of Portugal’s coastline has become home to the country’s most famous wave Nazaré has always had a difficult relationship with the ocean many of the locals are fisherman and a lot of families have all lost friends and relatives at sea due to the heavy waves and storms Come winter time the ‘North Canyon’ starts to break against the cliffs Locals started tow-surfing it around 2005 but it wasn’t until 2011 that it caught people’s attention when Hawaii’s Garret McNamara towed into the wave and made the Guinness Book of World Records by riding the biggest wave in history Portuguese surfer Antonio Silva and England’s Andrew Cotton amongst others have also surfed it when it has been at its biggest, and Brazilian female charger Maya Gabeira  was knocked out cold and nearly died there Many people visit the spot just to watch some of the world’s best big waves surfers it has some of Portugal’s most consistent surf Supertubos was Portugal’s best known surf spot it is an open unprotected beach break that can still work at up to 20 feet Supertubos is part of the Peniche peninsula which has waves wrapping around it meaning no matter what the wind and swell there is surf almost every day of the year Peniche  has become Portugal’s most visited surf destination While it doesn’t have a beautiful old traditional town like some of Portugal’s others spots it makes up for it with surf for every standard and a consistency that cannot be found elsewhere Every October Supertubos hosts the world’s best surfers in the Rip Curl Pro The contest is usually one of the last of the world tour so it is always very competitive and incredible to watch from the beach Supertubos is a very fast barrel that breaks on a shallow sandbank It is definitely for experienced surfers only It has a great café for a bit of aprés surf and easy access with a large car park Considered by many to be the best wave in Portugal Coxos (pronounced Ko-shus) is just north of the traditional Portuguese town of Ericeira It is a right hand barrel that breaks over flat rocks Works best on low tide and when it works it really works but there is a big walk with a lot of sharp rocks and a good few Sea Urchins so tread carefully Ericeira has recently gained status as a World Surf Reserve What this essentially means is that it is recognized as one of the world’s best surf areas and that any land development that could impact the surf has to be voted on by a local committee of surfers Ericeira is a delight to wander around turn down a few old cobblestones streets and you could be taken back 100 years That is until you stumble around a corner and see someone surfing below the towns cliffs There are at least another 3 or 4 waves that could have made it into a top 5 from Ericeira alone Head further west along the coast and you will find many different surf break a few great long board and SUP set ups and a few sheltered spots great for winter surf