PortugalChevron but he feels most at peace in the countryside You can see the edge of the empty land,” he says Last year you moved from Berlin to rural Portugal I arrived in Portugal without any knowledge of the country and my father received a medal from the president of Portugal many years ago which he presented to him at the Portuguese embassy in Beijing I had lived in Berlin for the last five years before moving here but in the end the Berlin winter is too long And I don't like that the days are always gray The first thing I noticed was all the sunshine Nature is so generous; it gives you everything for free I saw this house and told the owner I wanted to buy it One Saturday I went to the market in Montemor-o-Novo “Why did you choose Montemor-o-Novo?” When people choose a place But in my case I'm going by my intuition Now that I've lived here for a year during this pandemic Ai Weiwei at home in the Portuguese village of Montemor-o-Novo there is a huge tidal pool with all these crabs What are some other highlights in Alentejo Évora is a very beautiful city: the architecture I really like markets in the places that I go here because they reflect the history of the area You see a lot of things that are no longer used What do you think of the work of Portuguese architects like Álvaro Siza Vieira I have been following his architecture for a long time To give someone under the age of 30 that freedom is incredible With “Rapture,” you collaborated with heritage tile house Viúva Lamego in Sintra I have had a great interest in porcelain and ceramics since the 1970s My compatriots make super-fine-quality porcelain So here I saw the tiles and understood that there is tradition I always try to integrate different kinds of language to give tradition a new interpretation This article appeared in the March 2022 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Mykor uses biotechnology to produce insulation from industrial residues and mycelium aiming to decarbonise the construction industry is an acoustic and thermal insulation panel made entirely from renewable MykoFoam has undergone rigorous testing in certified laboratories and competes both economically and physically with conventional insulation materials It can cost up to 35% less than other environmentally friendly insulation products while offering superior thermal performance and enhanced fire resistance compared to other sustainable alternatives the Mykor insulation sheet is designed exclusively for interior applications Founded in 2021 by Olivia Page and Valentina Dipietro a Sicilian recognised in Forbes 30 Under 30 and named a UN Young Champion of the Earth Mykor was created to meet the growing demand for zero-emission building insulation “Mykor materials recreate the feeling of being in nature even indoors Mushroom mycelium has been utilised to bind wood waste with natural dyes The mushroom strains bond the waste material and The company's research and development team comprising materials scientists and biotechnology engineers This facility utilises industrial residues sourced from the nearby Alentejo region and is powered by over 75% solar energy Supported by Innovate UK and Horizon Europe the company raised £825,000 last year in a pre-seed funding round led by Sustainable Ventures and Green Angel Ventures As one of the winners of The Green Tech Fund 2024 Mykor has recently begun an acceleration process with the Holcim MAQER Ventures Accelerator www.mykor.co.uk Digital design and bio-fabrication of building elements inspired by nature Insulators based on industrial residues and mycelium powered by biotechnology This article is also available in Italian / Questo articolo è disponibile anche in Italiano Latest UpdatesCountries Why Join?IL MagazineFree Daily E-LetterVideoOur ExpertsTestimonialsFAQsTopics Living overseas since 2011 Terry and her husband went on a housesitting assignment to Portugal in 2018 and they knew they’d found a place they wanted to call home There is the road less traveled that cuts through the center of the country for those looking for more adventure is the longest national road in Portugal at 739 kilometers One of the longest national roads in the world it is outdistanced only by Route 66 in the U.S below the Spanish border in the city of Chaves and ends at the city of Faro in the Algarve Driving the N2 without stopping along the way takes between six and seven hours but offers little to no enjoyment stopping briefly in some towns while lingering longer in others a charming city with a population of about 42,000 complemented by a medieval castle with gardens offering mountain views in the distance and restaurants dot the city while a well-preserved Roman bridge crosses the Tâmegariver Pick up an N2 passport at the nearby tourist office and have it stamped officially marking the start of this iconic road trip The passport book includes a map and suggests 35 stops along the route with indications of places to have the passport stamped as a nice keepsake Vidago and Pedras Salgadas are both known for their thermal waters and famous spas that date back to the 19th century Vidago has a former palace which has been turned into a pricey spa and hotel while Pedras Salgadas has an expansive park and natural area Since we found no free spots to access the thermal waters Vila Pouca de Aguiar was by far one of our favorite stops along the N2 one of the must-see’s here was a castle situated in the mountains we realized that the castle was nothing more than a small ruined tower and decided it was not worth hiking up to we stumbled upon a tiny village of granite homes where time had seemingly come to a standstill A small community of mostly elderly farmers lived in this village called “Castelo,” aptly named for the castle that once stood nearby we asked permission in Portuguese to take photographs has a population of 51,000 and is composed of stately old homes adorned with wrought-iron balconies A lively central plaza is lined with shops On the outskirts of the city is the House of Mateus a stately private mansion with extensive gardens open to the public by tour only The Mateus family has been producing quality wines for the past 75 years and the opulent house attests to their success Discover why we love a slower pace of life Portugal and info on other European countries in our daily postcard e-letter Simply enter your email address below and we’ll send you a FREE REPORT – Explore the Old World in Laidback Portugal The city of Porto is a popular destination for those who desire to see the spectacular views of the Douro Valley and river by the same name the lesser-known area called the Alto Douro sits virtually unnoticed in the center of the country Tourists here can take day trips along the Douro River Some offer round-trip voyages while others offer train rides back from Porto This was another favorite stop on our road trip Breathtaking views of lush vineyards climbing the impressive hills that surrounded the area Jaw-dropping scenery as far as our eyes could see I could almost taste the fragrant wines that filled the air but that indulgence would need to wait until later a city of 17,000 that sits alongside the Douro River The city once served as a vital component in the country’s wine production and the sale of port wine It was here that the wine was put into barrels and shipped to Vila Nova de Gaia Today the area is dotted with elegant mansions perched on hills terraced vineyards bearing signs with the names of the families who own them sits nestled among the terraced vineyards of the Douro rocky streets leading up to its medieval castle A few handsome churches still exist nearby while locals mingle with friends at nearby cafes The stunning Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedios is where tourists climb the imposing baroque staircase (which has 686 steps) Those who make it to the top are rewarded with a panoramic view overlooking the area Castro Daire is a small village with a cobbled old town and a handful of churches and historic buildings to see historic town center that offers stately fountains and historic buildings A bustling cafe culture offers an animated mix of tourists and locals Not far from the city center is a large university that gives the city a youthful An adorable wooden bridge crossed the river as we watched ducks float by from the wooden walkway The streets were lined with traditional granite houses where locals peered out from open-shuttered windows wondering who the strangers in the neighborhood were Góis is a sleepy village offering a swimming area along the river surrounded by a nice family-friendly green space A riverfront cafe offers cold drinks or a place to chill on a hot summer afternoon Penacova features a family-friendly natural area and beach along the Mondego River Nearby windmills offer a picturesque remembrance of the past are hidden communities in the mountains where homes are constructed from schist a type of flat rock commonly found in the area Although there are 27 schist villages in Portugal We took a brief detour off the N2 to visit a few of these magical gems Some offered lodging for hikers passing through the area on marked trails but most did not offer anything in the way of restaurants or shopping Abrantes is a working-class Portuguese city of about 40,000 that sits on the hillside of the River Tagus Although the city has a castle and some historic remnants livable city with a large shopping mall and a modern vibe Penedo Furado is an area known for its river beach with a waterfall surrounded by green hills and mountains We passed through and moved on to our next destination Água Formosa was a pleasant surprise that took us away from the N2 for a short detour here locals live off the land as they did so long ago Geodesic Center of Portugal is a museum and monument that denotes the center of Portugal Nothing more than a quick stop—this is one of those touristy spots in which to stop and take a photo to prove we have been there Sertã is a municipality in the Castelo Branco district that sits along the Zêzere River this typical Portuguese city has an unusual five-cornered castle that offers views of the Serra da Estrela mountains Another favorite stop along the N2 is the city of Évora in the Alentejo region of Portugal the city of 56,000 has a charming old town the best-preserved Roman temple on the Iberian Peninsula an extensive wall that once served to protect it Évora has a youthful feel because of its large university was a jaw-dropping experience and certainly one of our favorite stops Step back in time and stroll along the streets of this medieval village and just imagine what life was like easily walkable road to see the remains of a castle and even a jail surrounded by breathtaking views of the Alentejo Our trip to Beja was a slight detour off the N2 to find accommodations for the night and to explore this other liveable city in the Alentejo region the city is surrounded by extensive plains of nothing as far as the eye can see Ferreira do Alentejo is a sleepy little village with a few shops and restaurants Right on the main street of the village is a small Aljustrel is another stop in the Alentejo region that was well worth the stop The town is famous for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus which has 577 zig-zagging steps with 17 landings adorned with elaborate statues Upon closer look we found a road that reached most of the way and offered some of the most stunning views of the Alentejo region we had ever seen has a traditional cobbled town center with a few shops The 18th-century Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição has a stunning interior with a golden altar that serves as a contrast to the blue- and white-tiled walls that surround it Almodôvar is a peaceful little village with a Roman bridge former Chinese-style palace in the center of town it was time to pass from the expansive plains of the Alentejo to the Atlantic coastline of the Algarve But first we would need to tackle the 365 curves of the Serra do Caldeirão a mountain pass which was not nearly as bad as we first thought This area offers nothing in the way of stops for breaks or food Algarvian village with a tiny town center with a church and park A handful of cafes and shops line the streets Faro is a traditional working-class city with less of a touristy feel than the rest of the Algarve it features a small marina surrounded by restaurants The large town center offers an array of cobbled streets lined with shops My final thoughts about the N2 are as follows: Because the N2 is an older road we often had to detour to larger towns to find food and lodging for the night While there are some rural accommodations along the way that provide a room in someone’s home These are not places visited by most tourists so we often found there was no English spoken and had to rely on our Portuguese For travelers with no knowledge of the language Even though it uses the Brazilian version of Portuguese The good news is that even the smallest towns in Portugal have grocery stores and most have a cafe where you can stop for a quick meal they serve as the perfect place to pick up snacks Taking the road less traveled is quite often a rewarding experience and the scenery—from both our travels and the interactions we had with the people who are always warm and wonderful The Best Places to Live in Portugal From $1,600 a Month Portugal Itinerary: How to Spend 7 Days in Portugal Is Portugal a Safe Place to Live? Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Thanks for visiting the Australian Open Website. We can see you’re using Internet Explorer, and wanted to let you know that we will no longer be supporting this browser in future. We’d recommend you download a new browser if you'd like to continue keeping up with all of the latest tennis news she has been especially devastating on grass winning back-to-back WTA titles in Nottingham and Birmingham after being ranked outside the top 200 this time last year could the 26-year-old left-hander – who will now be seeded at the All England Club – be a threat for the title SERENA'S WIMBLEDON RETURN: She's dangerous, but recovery key We begin charting her rise from June last year where she won a title just before Wimbledon 2021 to return to the top 200 Tennis Australia acknowledges that the AO is held on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country and we extend our respects to Elders past and present and to all First Nations People From medieval villages where castles stood proud to quaint mountain hideaways where no tourists were found The ravishing Douro where terraced vineyards surround Roman ruins There were so many special delights to see and although it was challenging here’s our favorite three Sometimes the best adventures begin while getting lost and that is exactly how we came upon our first favorite spot we followed the signs that took us up a steep While the castle was nothing more than the ruins of a tower we suddenly realized that we were in the middle of a tiny village and decided to get out and have a look The welcome committee consisted of three dogs who came out to greet us barking loudly to alert the town folk of the strangers in the hood A few elderly men peeked around the corner at us and then continued with what they were doing “Bom dia,” and in typical Portuguese fashion golden-haired dog approached me from the side and nuzzled my leg As soon as I began to pet him we became friends and he proceeded to follow us through the village This magical little mountain village was a picturesque collage of tiny homes constructed from granite Aptly called Castelo for the ruined castle that loomed over it the villagers who lived here were farmers who lived off the land as their ancestors probably did for generations Some of the homes were built into rock or had large boulders as neighbors while others were decorated with colorful potted plants and flowers A handful of teeny buildings on cement posts caught my eye The sides were covered with wooden slats and a rustic I asked a man in Portuguese what they were used for but Upon later research I found out these are used to store grains Planted crops and a few chickens nearby provided food for the town folk since there were no grocery stores in sight Surrounding this mystical place were panoramic vistas of the valley below and suddenly we realized just why these people lived here Because we were invading their personal space we did ask permission before taking photos and they all happily obliged Our second favorite stop was the world-famous Douro Wine Region, but not the one in Porto that most tourists visit this area in northwest Portugal was declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site because of its cultural landscape Sumptuous layers of terraced vineyards climbed high above the Douro River and I could almost taste the sweetness of grapes in the air Framing some of the rows were groves of orange trees while hand-crafted walls built from flat Landowners in the Alto Douro have been producing wine here for the past 2,000 years it was here that the wine was produced before being stored in barrels and then shipped to Vila Nova de Gaia Among the vineyards are stately mansions owned by the wine-making families who proudly display their family names on nearby signs for all to see Although I had always heard how impressive the Douro area was I never imagined that it could be this stunning Situated among the extensive plains of the Alentejo region our third favorite stop was the medieval village of Montemor-O-Novo As we passed through the grand portal we were encompassed by the expansive wall Our jaws dropped open as we looked around this impressive village that once was full of life My mind wandered as I envisioned how it would have been red gown embellished with gold-lame trim that covered the petticoat below which fell gently over my high-buttoned boots The golden locks of my hair were perfectly coiffed and donned with decorated ribbons ruined village that offered us a 1.5-kilometer path through it the area included a palace where nobility stayed while traveling through the area and even a prison dominated much of the landscape the vistas opened to a vast plateau of plains and rolling hills that seemed to meet the gray sky above Portugal is a compact country that offers visitors and those who live here so much Travel opens our hearts and minds and the more I explore Portugal the more I come to love and appreciate all that it has to offer Learn more about Terry Coles' road trip on the Estrada Nacional 2 below: Road Trip Along Portugal’s ‘Route 66’ Beja, Portugal Viseu, Portugal Abrantes, Portugal Vila Real, Portugal Peso Da Régua, Portugal Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email take me (to my second) home.’ - Words by Filipa van Eck Maxwell An early departure from Portugal’s effervescent capital Our day-bags are packed - bathing suits are essential Prepare to be left breathless as you take in views of the river Tagus Luisa Sobral’s “Maria do Mar” is stretching her wings and ready to soar through the radio We have our playlist ready as Lisbon disappears in our review mirror: Zambujo Bethânia and the ever-iconic Amalia Rodrigues Join us on this journey from Lisbon to the bohemian chic villages of Comporta and Melides and then on to the vineyards and olive groves of Montemor-o-Novo A road trip of a lifetime where the journey is almost as beautiful as the destinations themselves This is a triangle we’d choose to get lost in Lisbon has been the leading lady in Portugal for many seasons Not only is the capital city steeped in history and charm but it has had a re-awakening of sorts in recent years The renovation of historically significant buildings has given Lisbon an intangibly cool edge that appeals to all - from digital nomads to retirees from around the world has been a believer in Lisbon’s magic for several years now He has added an impressive roster of apartments Much of Lisbon’s magic lies in this ideal combination of modernity and tradition and colourful tiles that adorn the exteriors of buildings Lisbon is fast making a name for itself in international food circles The world has discovered Lisbon in all its glory but where do locals and foreigners in-the-know go to escape One hour south of Lisbon lie the beach villages of Comporta and Melides their quiet sophistication has long attracted renowned artists Even Christian Louboutin has chosen Melides as a place to kick off his heels The French designer has recently launched a hotel named Vermelho (red) inspired by his signature red-soled shoes Comporta and Melides are located on the West Coast of Alentejo and form part of the Sado Estuary One can spot over 200 bird species in the estuary wildflowers and olive trees surround the collection of villages that make up the Comporta region The self-proclaimed epicenter being Comporta Village This is a place where the traditional farmer’s and fishermen’s huts are celebrated Perhaps the most appealing thing about this region is the anonymity it affords even the most famous celebrities there is nothing plain about the region’s gastronomy and boutiques Cavalariça and JNcQUOI are firm favourites with locals and foreigners alike the beaches are the most fragrant of cinnamons on top of this delicious “pastel de nata” Untouched coastline as far as the eye can see Luiz has a profound understanding of the region and what it is that makes something prestigious He has cherry-picked several Villas for consideration Several of them located in a high-end resort named Spatia (space or room in Latin) Developments in the area are very carefully planned to preserve this feeling of serenity and seclusion The architecture at Spatia is contemporary with a nod to Comporta style always with large windows and high ceilings that invite nature in at every turn The five-star services and amenities allow one to erase maintenance headaches out of the country homeownership equation The only logistics to consider are how best to relax Nowhere else in Europe does coastline development feel so private all a short buggy ride to an immaculate beach Our favourite stretch of road in Portugal is the drive from Comporta into rural Alentejo might be a good choice of soundtrack for this section of the roadtrip Meander in smooth zigzag motion – ethereal beauty at every turn - an ancient cork tree the sun running its fingers through the grass wildflowers’ choreographed dance in the breeze one for those who love to be alone with their thoughts The third location in our timeless trinity is Montemor-o-Novo grow on a tranquil south-facing valley with the medieval castle of Montemor on the horizon Montemor region is well-known for its full-bodied red wines Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah varieties of grape all thrive here Alentejo is the best-preserved region of Europe menhirs and dolmens - some dating back to Upper Palaeolithic times Amongst the olive groves and orange orchards lies an exclusive retreat and a five-star hotel very close to Luiz’s heart - L’AND Vineyards The design concept is ‘Mediterranean Patio-Living’ - patios that feel like private oases and represent the core of the home “Introverted” yet unfurling into the surrounding countryside The awe-inspiring developments encourage stargazing and residents can even produce their own wines with the help of skilled enologists but Montemor is only 45 mins to Lisbon Airport Short trips within the region are greatly encouraged Alentejo’s cuisine is comforting and hearty Wine tours are recommended for connoisseurs and amateaur wine drinkers and Quinta do Quetzal rank highly on our list How about ending the day with a hot air balloon ride We are heading back towards Lisbon and her famous red bridge that welcomes us with open arms Cristo Rei statue mirroring this gesture time and time again it is always a treat seeing your twinkling lights A galaxy of nighttime reflections in the river below We might have arrived back in time for dinner and drinks in Principe Real Maia International Properties is much like Portugal - unique We pride ourselves in understanding our clients’ needs We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal Ai’s house was the first property he visited in Portugal similar to those of traditional Chinese buildings who bought the former holiday home on the spot ‘I didn’t know anything about Portugal I always make big decisions before I know it; it gives me joy to gradually discover everything’ Ai’s Design Museum show will feature Spouts (2015) a ‘field’ of discarded antique teapot spouts (Ai mobilised an entire village in China to amass these)  which refers to Lego’s refusal to supply Ai with bricks to be used in ‘political works’ a symbol of Ai’s 81 days in detention made using traditional Chinese joinery techniques  which questions the lasting environmental impact of disposable objects  a symbol of the plight of migrant construction workers  with Self-Portrait in Lego (2017) in its presentation box Ai is building a replica of his Shanghai studio (torn down by the Chinese authorities in 2011) working with local construction workers and using traditional Chinese techniques Ancient olive trees await replanting around Ai’s new studio on his property  Ai Weiwei gathers everything from Neolithic tools to Lego bricks for his new show at London’s Design Museum (until 30 July 2023) We visited him at home in Portugal for a preview Ai Weiwei is not known to do things in half measures. For his installation at Documenta 12, in 2007, the artist famously brought 1,001 Chinese citizens to Kassel, Germany using his blog to recruit volunteers between the ages of two and 70 the ambitious artwork seemed to herald his homeland’s arrival on the world stage (‘To explore the world is a right that you acquire when you are born and these travellers were exercising this right for the very first time,’ he wrote in his recent autobiography) while speaking to contemporary global issues such as mass migration and dramatic population growth invited to take over the Turbine Hall at London’s Tate Modern Ai commissioned 1,600 ceramicists in the pottery town of Jingdezhen to handcraft 100 million sunflower seeds in porcelain which he then poured into the cavernous exhibition space to create a seemingly infinite landscape – a simple motif elevated into a powerful statement on the rise of ‘made in China’.  which collectively offer a snapshot of design history across eight millennia That notion of design as a survival tool was turned on its head when Ai moved to the US in 1981, becoming one of the first Chinese students to study in the West during an era of reform. He wound up in New York (where he briefly attended the Parsons School of Design) which gave him his first experience of ‘extreme capitalism’ when Ai returned to Beijing to visit his ailing father he found that China had become a capitalist state too and was pursuing economic growth at all cost: ‘Even though I’d returned to my native land It was then that he began to frequent antique markets with his brother. ‘We spent at least four to six hours every day, going through thousands of pieces and trying to imagine the past. Because of the Cultural Revolution, we never had a history education,’ he explains. ‘And in the United States So these markets gave me the chance to really look into each object and to understand the past through material culture I developed an interest in human efforts [at shaping objects]: how they made sense And how styles completely changed from the Han dynasty to the Tang dynasty or from the Tang dynasty to the Song dynasty Then I understood that even a perfect language can completely disappear under different political circumstances That gave me a lot of perspective on the human mind.’ Ai’s collecting has become more prolific over the years While he says that he only collects things that fascinate him without regard to their potential usage in art installations his collections now form the basis of the five fields at the Design Museum Still Life comprises around 1,800 Neolithic stone tools Spouts features over 240,000 spouts from the Song dynasty (960-1279) believed to have been cut off from teapots that didn’t meet quality standards Nearby is Untitled (Porcelain Balls) (2022) featuring 100,000 porcelain projectiles from a similar period ‘What fascinates me is that they’re not machine made and none of them are exactly the same size but they’re made to the greatest possible degree of perfection,’ enthuses Ai The final two fields are filled with contemporary materials. The blue porcelain fragments were salvaged from destroyed artworks in the artist’s Beijing studio, which was razed by Chinese authorities in 2018. (His Shanghai studio had likewise been torn down in 2011 Ai is now rebuilding that studio on his Portuguese estate.)  escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox Lego bricks have been a favoured material for Ai since 2014 when he created Lego portraits of activists and advocates of free speech from around the world for an installation at Alcatraz the toymaker declined bulk orders from the artist citing a policy that prevents its bricks from being used in ‘political works’ Ai responded with a crowdsourcing campaign: ‘People supported me by sending in their sons’ and daughters’ Lego bricks It became a little social movement,’ he remembers the bricks ‘show my understanding of how design not only comes out of our minds but also exists as a product of human struggle’ In his use of readymades, Ai pays homage to Marcel Duchamp whom he calls ‘the engineer and designer of modern cultural activity’ He first encountered the French conceptualist’s work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art when he arrived in the States a wire hanger bent in Duchamp’s profile along with three more recent pieces that resemble hangers alluding to the 81 days in 2011 that Ai spent in secret police detention He petitioned for a month before the police would allow him six plastic hangers I thought I would be imprisoned for 13 years,’ says the artist who has since remade his symbol of oppression in wood the show includes handcuffs in hardwood and in jade a material with great historical and spiritual significance in China who taught him that ‘what we do every day has profound meaning’ The plight of the dispossessed is a recurring theme for Ai in spite of economic and technological progress humans ‘remain a species with no compassion he was spurred to action by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in Sichuan province whose schools collapsed due to shoddy construction to which corrupt government officials had turned a blind eye Ai channelled his despair into a citizens’ investigation published on his blog and began to use backpacks and steel rebar as motifs for his artwork On view at the Design Museum will be two calls for remembrance – Snake Ceiling (2008) a 16m-long serpentine installation made of backpacks which sees three pieces of mangled rebar remade in marble and entombed in wood five boys were found dead in a dumpster bin in Guizhou province They are believed to have lit a charcoal fire in the bin to keep warm and been poisoned by carbon monoxide The piece ‘is like a Ming-style classic cabinet made with the finest materials by the best craftspeople just hidden joints.’ But by modelling its form after the dumpster bin Ai is also making a powerful political statement about the people who are left behind while China becomes more prosperous ‘It comes from my understanding of “it could have been my life”,’ he explains A similar logic has inspired the more recent installations in the show comprising life vests collected from the Greek island of Lesbos bringing to light the global refugee crisis Alongside Ai’s sculptural and design output there’s documentation of Beijing’s rapidly evolving built environment in the early 2000s when the government eagerly knocked down older buildings and replaced them with looming towers Four films take the viewer on a journey across the city’s main streets shows the construction of the Bird’s Nest stadium ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics Ai worked with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron on its design but later dissociated himself from the project and boycotted the opening ceremony ‘I realised that architecture is political It doesn’t matter how good the building is it becomes an element of state propaganda,’ he says we’ve seen more flagrant instances of sportswashing – among them last year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing and World Cup in Qatar does Ai still believe that his disavowal of the stadium was worth the personal cost he has endured because the powers you’re against are so massive You have to remember this one line in the movie All The President’s Men: “Just follow the money” Then you can understand most political intentions,’ Ai replies he insists on taking a stand against misinformation and the loss of human life: ‘You always have to be prepared to speak out to protect the most profound meaning of being human.’ and in standing up for one’s convictions informs Ai’s Study of Perspective series The innocuous title belies the images’ defiant intent: it shows the artist pointing his middle finger at sites of political and cultural power such as Tiananmen Square and the White House A selection of these studies will be on view at the Design Museum.  Free speech is likewise the theme of The Animal That Looks Like a Llama But is Really an Alpaca 2023 (2023). Previewed on the limited-edition cover of Wallpaper's April 2023 issue, the colourful pattern is being made into a wallpaper that will wrap around the museum’s atrium The alpacas are a reference to a Chinese meme that pokes fun at internet censorship and a testament to humour as a tool against authoritarianism the birds reflect Ai’s unwavering faith in the power of social media He became a household name in China thanks to his blog which started in 2005 and had 17 million readers in its four-year lifetime and remains an avid user of Instagram and Twitter today Though he acknowledges social media’s deleterious effects on individual attention spans and its potential as a vehicle of misinformation Ai points out that ‘we don’t have another choice This is the only time in human history which equips us to be individuals The overflow of information means we can make our own judgments and express ourselves independently.’ While drawing on specific contemporary concerns ‘Making Sense’ speaks to universal human themes ‘It takes a step back from the detail of design and really looks at design as a way of being that hasn’t changed Weiwei shows us that design is a language that communicates to us across generations through which we can understand something about our ancestors.’ Ai is measured in his assessment of his own impact that he’s not hopeful he will see a democratic China in his lifetime he is ultimately optimistic that things can change for the better: ‘My work may just be one drop of water in the ocean We have to see humanity as one.’   ‘Ai Weiwei: Making Sense’ is showing from 7 April – 30 July at Design Museum TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23) where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series visually-driven content while championing diversity international representation and social impact TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013 and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20 winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University Italy) is an Italian-Brazilian curator and researcher living in Lisbon Philosophy and Economics (P.P.E) from LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome and studied Culture Studies at U.C.P in Lisbon Since 2019 he is the director of Monitor Lisbon Recent curatorial projects include the exhibitions Don't Believe in Modern Love by Lucrezia de Fazio at Rua das Gaivotas 6 (2019) Para Sempre Prestes a Terminar by Carolina Serrano at Galeria Foco (2020) Subscribe to the Newsletter (EN Version)! I accept the Privacy Policy Subscribe Umbigo Metrics details The sex profile estimation of pre-historic communities is often complicated by the commingled and scattered nature of skeletal assemblages Demographic profiles are usually lacking and provide very truncated representations of these populations but proteomic analysis of sex-specific amelogenin peptides in tooth enamel brings new promise to these studies The main objective was to obtain the sex profile of the human assemblage recovered from the Neolithic cave-necropolis of Escoural (Montemor-o-Novo southern Portugal) through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry The secondary objective was to analyse sex-specific linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH) and to test the reliability of canine odontometric sex estimation Sex estimation through peptide analysis was carried out in 36 left permanent canines which were macroscopically examined for the presence of LEH The canine buccolingual diameter was used for odontometric sex estimation probably due to cultural factors since the natural sex ratio of the human population falls between 0.95:1 and 1.02:1 (M:F) but with no significant sexual differences (p = 0.554) The mean LEH age of onset occurred at 3 years of age with no significant differences between the sexes (p = 0.116) and was possibly related to the weaning process Odontometric sex estimation revealed a correct classification of 80% with a high number of males mistakenly attributed to females This study is one of the largest samples subjected to peptide analysis and thus demonstrates its usefulness on the research of commingled and scattered skeletal assemblages for which the sex profile is discussed in this paper it is often not sufficiently preserved in collective tombs with commingled and scattered remains to allow for the widespan estimation of sex The main objective of this paper was to obtain the most complete as possible sex profile of the collection of human remains from the Neolithic cave-necropolis of Escoural Secondary objectives were to assess potential sex differences regarding LEH-monitored physiological stress events and to test the reliability of canine odontometric sex estimation by comparing it with the sex classifications obtained through the peptides analysis this paper provides a comprehensive portrait of the sex profile of the Escoural Cave-necropolis which is inclusive of both adult and non-adult individuals a feat never before achieved for Neolithic human populations inhabiting this Portuguese inner Alentejo region Location of the Escoural Cave in the Alentejo region southern Portugal (A,B) and photo of its main room I (C) (© M plan of the intermediate floor used for funerary purposes The colored circle shows the area of greatest concentration of human remains Lacroix under the responsibility of Ana Cristina Araújo) Generally, the human remains were commingled on the surface layers and were clustered in “groups” (Fig. 3), attaining a MNI of 109 (42 immatures and 67 matures). Apparently, bones from each individual were not scattered onto multiple clusters, since bone pairs were always found intra-group. Group 7 from Room 1 photographed in the 1960’s PT/MNA/APMH/2/11/32/18-49 ©DGPC/MNA—Farinha dos Santos/Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/National Museum of Archaeology Escoural Cave, Group 1 from Room 1 (the white circle shows an individual in anatomical connection) housed in National Museum of Archaeology in Lisbon, Portugal (© Raquel Granja). Escoural Cave, cranium on a shelf in Gallery 7 photographed in the 1960’s. PT/MNA/APMH/2/11/32/21-49 ©DGPC/MNA—Farinha dos Santos/Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/National Museum of Archaeology, Lisbon, Portugal. cranium in a niche in Room 1 photographed in 1960’s PT/MNA/APMH/2/11/32/30-49 ©DGPC/MNA—Farinha dos Santos/Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/National Museum of Archaeology but there is no graphic or photographic documentation of this putative funerary practice in the archives of the National Museum of Archaeology Human remains were found also outside the cave next to the south-western natural entrance Radiocarbon results from bone samples retrieved in this outer area do not differ from those obtained inside the cave pointing to its funerary use during the Late Neolithic (~ 3600 to ~ 3000 cal BC) some skeletal remains display on their surfaces the same carbonate concretions that characterize the material from inside the cave suggesting that their primary origin was also most likely this same both samples from inside and outside the cave were brought together and studied as one for the purpose of this study Three of these canines were not completely formed (root mineralization was ¼ complete in two teeth while initial root formation with diverse edges was presented by another tooth) eight had a broken root and 25 were mature or in mature mandibles The wear was described as 10% if the tooth presented a grade-2 wear as 5% if it presented a grade-1 wear and 0 if no wear was present (c) Maximum ion intensities of peptide SM(ox)IRPPY (AMELY; [M+2H]2+ 440.2233 m/z) vs peptide SIRPPYPSY (AMELX; [M+2H]2+ 540.2796 m/z) this latter reported as log10; males (as estimated through proteomics) are orange dots while (possibly) females are dark-green dots; the red dashed line is the male with the lowest 540.2796 m/z signal the overall sex ratio of 0.52:1 in favour of females Bearing in mind that the sample outside the cave was relatively small a higher number of males was observed outside the cave compared to females A more complete sex profile of the assemblage was obtained by adding one other female individual whose sex estimation was achieved through the hip bone morphology of the individual in anatomical connection a more female-prone sex ratio of 0.5:1 (M:F) was obtained overall 75%) with no significant sexual differences found between both sexes (χ2 = 350; p = 0.554) Most individuals displaying only one LEH defect (females: 9/15 Two defects were observed in 27% of females (4/15) and 17% of males (2/12) while three defects were observed in 13% of females (2/15) and 8% of males (1/12) The mean LEH age of onset was 3.5 years in 12 females and 3.9 years in 7 males the difference being non-significant (p = 0.116) The youngest age of onset was 2.6 years in females and 3.2 years in males while the oldest age of onset was 4.4 years and 4.6 years the highest number of LEH cases occurred during the third year of life it is possible to conclude that there are no significant differences between sexes (p = 0.554) both sexes were equally affected by physiological stress events The intra- and inter observer variations of the buccolingual diameter provided %TEM below 2%, demonstrating the good replicability and repeatability of this standard measurement (see Supplementary Table S2 for details) The high coefficient of reliability (≥ 93%) indicated that only a small portion of the measurement variance in the sample was the result of measurement error Assuming that peptide-based sex estimations are correct the reliability of odontometric sex estimation was calculated The buccolingual diameter allowed for 80% correct sex classification of the overall sample the agreement between the peptide and the odontometric sex estimations was moderate (0.53; p = 0.001) and 91.3% of females (21/23) and only 58.3% of males (7/12) were allocated to the correct sex It should be noted that all but one of the male teeth presented dental wear incompatible with a non-adult age the well-marked imbalance in the sexual profile of the dead deposited in the Escoural Cave seems to be more related to anthropogenic choices of a socio-cultural nature and may reflect: (i) the contemporary demographic pattern also unbalanced or (ii) choices dictated by cultural perceptions regarding the dead and death sex-ratio was exclusively obtained through odontometric evaluation; so Other Portuguese cave-necropolises offer little data in terms of sex-ratio the number of individuals on which sex estimation was achieved is much lower than the minimum number of individuals (MNI) recorded in each of these cave-contexts This problem becomes even more complex if the discrepancy in the assessment methods used for sex estimation (and not always fully available) is added to the debate the set of cave-necropolises recorded for Portuguese archaeology does not meet the conditions to support the hypothetical sex-ratio imbalance suggested by the data from the Escoural Cave based on several radiocarbon results (more than 30) points to their use mainly during the Late Neolithic (~ 3600 to  ~ 3000 cal BC) although three additional values deviate from this chrono-cultural framework (this subject deserves a much deeper discussion Bom Santo remains the best reference for comparisons although it is somewhat older than Escoural these studies suffer from the issues mentioned above and/or are from later chronologies As for hypothetical scenarios explaining the unbalanced sex profile in the Escoural Cave no archaeological evidence is particularly instructive We were unable to build a comprehensive age and health profile for this assemblage so it was not possible to assess if the male population was particularly old or unhealthy compared to females this could be suggestive of a scenario in which younger or more active men were dying somewhere distant from the cave (and the settlement) This would possibly be the case in situations involving warfare or transhumance assuming that those activities were mainly performed by males no strontium isotope analyses were performed to check for possible migration patterns which could have contributed to the sex profile here observed the Escoural Cave was not restricted to one of the sexes since both female and male individuals were found in it the possibility of a sex restriction rule having occurred at some point of its utilization as a necropolis cannot be entirely discarded even if implemented during a shorter period could result in the unbalanced sex profile obtained by our forcibly synchronic analysis If a sex restriction was in place at some point in time this would mean that specific funerary ordinances were applied to segments of the community the dolmens in the region did not preserve organic material that can be used for comparative purposes The LEH frequency in the Portuguese prehistoric necropolises is below 42% in most of the sites The ones with the highest LEH frequencies (above 60%) are also the ones where fewer individuals were assessed (below 40% of the MNI) Regarding Neolithic caves (Escoural and Caldeirão) LEH was observed in more than two thirds of the individuals these frequencies appeared all to be under or equal to 30% in dolmens due to the scarcity of data is not possible thus precluding the estimation of LEH onset age Only used here as an illustration of the benefit of using sample-specific metric references that are more adjusted to the population under study the informal testing of the sample-specific cut-off point would result in a more balanced correct sex classification (females: 77%; males: 75%) the odontometric approach does not guarantee a reconstitution of the sex profile as reliable as those obtained from DNA and peptide analyses Some degree of error should be expected from sex ratios obtained through canine buccolingual diameters 20 to 25% of the sample was incorrectly sex estimated following the application of sample-specific cut-off points in the Escoural assemblage the use of intervals taking into account such magnitudes of variation appears to be recommendable This research sheds new light on the way of life of the Neolithic community that used the Escoural Cave 5000 years ago this is the largest Portuguese sample subjected to peptide sex estimation the cave played a differential role in the funerary processing of women and men of this Neolithic community which mirrors the one reported for communities from northern Iberia the LEH analysis suggested that stress physiological episodes in the infancy were probably equally frequent and transverse to both sexes The large presence of LEH can possibly be explained by a stressful weaning process which equally affected all analysed individuals at similar ages independently of their sex The new and important data gathered in this research were only possible to obtain thanks to the uniquely good preservation of the numerous human remains of this archaeological site which is culturally homogenous the large number of recovered teeth enabled the proteomic analysis of sex-specific amelogenin peptides This new methodology is ground-breaking and overcomes problematic issues related to the sex estimation of immature and mature individuals especially in contexts where remains are commingled as is often the case in prehistorical necropolises Peptide analysis allowed us to go further in terms of a more holistic assessment of funerary practices this approach can promote the active re-visitation of other emblematic Portuguese Neolithic sites and it would be interesting to extend this approach to the individuals deposited in other coeval tombs Peptide analysis appears to have an advantage over the forcibly reductive osteological examination of commingled and scattered remains as well as over the considerably more expensive aDNA analysis thus constituting an appealing resource for bioarchaeological research The generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available in the Zenodo repository (https://zenodo.org/record/8188927) A gruta-necrópole neolítica do Algar do Barrão (Monsanto Evangelista, L. 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Preprint at https://forensic.sc.mahidol.ac.th/proceeding/52_Sittiporn.pdf (2011) Sexual dimorphism in permanent teeth of modern Greeks An assessment of sexual dimorphism and sex estimation using cervical dental measurements in a Northwest Coast archaeological sample Download references Raquel Granja has received research support from Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through a PhD grant (grant SFRH/BD/146991/2019) The authors thank the director and all technical staff of the National Museum of Archaeology for providing access to the collections and for allowing us to carry out the sampling programme for these investigations The authors also thank Rita Peyroteo-Stjerna for reviewing the manuscript and for her efforts in taking the MoreEscoural forward The authors thank the ‘Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena’ for funding the nLC-MS system at the Centro Interdipartimentale Grandi Strumenti of UNIMORE Filippo Genovese are deeply thanked for the assistance during LC-MS analyses Laboratory of Archaeosciences (LARC/CIBIO/InBIO) Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS) Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences Centre for Functional Ecology-Science for People & the Planet (CFE) contributed to the study conception and design data collection and analysis were performed by R.G. The first draft of the manuscript was written by R.G and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript All authors read and approved the final manuscript The authors declare no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47037-4 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology The current and visible social discrepancy ecological devastation and global automatism driven by capital allow (new) aesthetic paradigms We are always at the frontier where the self-consistency of artistic practices must be (re)affirmed in relation to specific local and global elements without running away from the looming issues of each time Art must be a place of experimentation for the involvement between people and of the latter with the place; this is the ability to invest resources in regeneration and not so much in production This will only be possible by uniting different disciplines whose visions and ideals are tangible enough to protect us from a destructive alienation leading us into a permanent space of transformation towards our inevitable reinvention and our relationship with place Mafalda Ruão – The intention of addressing the environment and discussing it starts with the festival’s name. Why Ponto d’Orvalho? MR – Being a regenerative, creative, and renewing space, how can the festival broaden awareness, inspiring behaviour and change in Portugal? PdO, Joana Kramer Horta – Today we see successive ecological mutations with planetary impact. In PdO, we want to address the importance of learning new ways of inhabiting the Earth through a transdisciplinary research program to map, thematize, understand, question, and contextualize ecological issues, shared with the public to widen the network of cultural action, and show that artistic practices enable a dialogue between discourses and investigations from natural and social sciences. One of the proposals is the collaboration between biologist António Mira, specialist in landscape ecology and community ecology, and visual artist Gabriela Albergaria, who uses the relationship between human beings and nature as a starting point for her works. We will be led in a collective exercise of landscape recognition to reflect on the impacts caused by humans on biodiversity and ecosystems. To complement the programme, in November 2022, with the support of Montemor-o-Novo City Hall, we will organise a planting action with children and young people from the municipality to encourage ecological awareness and stimulate learning about syntropic farming techniques in agroforestry systems. As Bruno Latour says in the book ‘Down To Earth – Politics in the New Climate Regime’, it’s time to get down to earth, land somewhere and resist this loss of common orientation. We must relearn how to position ourselves in this new landscape that forces us to redefine and reflect on how we exist on the planet. MR – As Portugal is becoming more and more visible abroad, the Portuguese coast is demographically and culturally overcrowded. What are the main reasons to choose the Alentejo region? MR – What is the role of Montemor-o-Novo in the festival programme? Is the project mostly related to the local context or is the city an example or starting point for universal issues? MR – On the eve of the third edition, what’s new this year? MR – There are many entities, people, and knowledge from different areas at Ponto d’Orvalho, all with a common goal. Is the festival for professionals, experts in the different subjects explored, and activists, or can the general public play an active role? PdO, Leonor Carrilho – We are doing a festival for the public and not for cultural professionals or experts. The objectives can vary according to the same “motto”: to think of a more sustainable collective future and look at Nature as the main source, focus and ally in building this future. Listening to a reading under a starry sky, surrounded by this ecosystem, is a different experience to listening to it on the radio, in a gallery or a performance hall. *Alluding to Joana Kramer Horta’s reference to Bruno Latour’s ‘Down To Earth – Politics in the New Climate Regime’ (2017). and with a degree in Photography from the Portuguese Institute of Photography in Porto Mafalda develops her work in the areas of production within the scope of Photography Festivals and Visual Arts - Encontros da Imagem She also collaborated with Porto / Post / Doc: Film & Media Festival and Curtas Vila do Conde-Festival Internacional de Cinema and she was one of those responsible for the curatorial project of the exhibition “AEIOU: Os Espacialistas em Pro (ex)cess” she was involved in laboratory projects of analogue photography and educational programs for Silverlab (Porto) and Passos Audiovisuais Associação Cultural (Braga) while dedicating herself to photography in a professional format or Ai Weiwei at the garden of his country house in Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal Dissident Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei is taking heart from recent public protests in China over the authorities’ strict COVID-19 policy, but he doesn’t see them bringing about any significant political change. “I don’t think that’s possible,” he told The Associated Press in an interview at his home in Portugal. The recent unrest in several Chinese cities that has questioned Beijing’s authority — in what have been the boldest protests in decades — is “a big deal,” Ai acknowledges. But it is unlikely to go further, he says. Challenges to Chinese Communist Party rule are routinely snuffed out with whatever “degree of brutality is required.” Ai points, for example, to how Beijing cracked down on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement two years ago. In his view, some “realistic thinking” is required. “Everything is about control … to guarantee the whole nation will follow (Xi’s) direction,” the 65-year-old said in the interview yesterday [Macau time] at his country house about 100 kilometers east of Lisbon. His 2020 documentary “Coronation,” about the lockdown in Wuhan, China, during the COVID-19 outbreak, illustrated the country’s ruthlessly efficient and brutal official response to the pandemic. The Chinese government’s “zero-COVID” policy included harsh measures that, according to Ai, kept some people confined to their apartments for 100 straight days. Three grueling years of lockdowns and other severe restrictions, along with Xi’s scrapping of civil liberties, built up “tremendous pressure” in Chinese society, Ai says. The balloon popped on Nov. 25, after at least 10 people died in a fire in an apartment building in China’s northwest. Though officials denied suggestions that firefighters or victims were blocked by locked doors or other anti-virus controls, the disaster became a focus for public frustration. Ai sees an inevitability in the public’s exasperation, and is cheered by the questions it has raised. “Of course, they start questioning the leadership and the social structure, the political structure,” he said. Beijing has in recent weeks relaxed some measures, and yesterday announced a series of steps rolling back some of its harshest pandemic restrictions in “an apparent nod to public frustration.” Ai warns, however, that the relatively small protests, some of which have involved just individuals or neighborhoods, shouldn’t be overstated in a country with a population of 1.4 billion people. And he recalls that the Chinese Communist Party has some 100 million members, all loyal to the regime. “What (is) clear is the new generation of young people from China — students or young workers — they start to be more clear about what kind of government China is and maybe also (demand) political change,” Ai said. “But that would take a long time.” Long an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, Ai was detained by the authorities for almost three months in 2011. He has lived in exile since 2015, most recently in the countryside of southern Portugal where he says he has now settled. He is building a 3,000-square-meter studio on his land, with a view of the crumbling 13th-century castle of Montemor-o-Novo. BARRY HATTON, MONTEMOR-O-NOVO,  MDT/AP Copyright © Macau Daily Times 2008-2022. All Rights Reserved 2016Save this storySaveSave this storySaveThere’s something magical about sleeping outside but we’re not talking about a sleeping bag on the ground in a tiny tent in a plush bed with the comforts of any five-star suite Located at various points around the globe there are several high-end hotels that offer this very unique amenity Whether you want your sleeping quarters to be completely immersed in nature or if you only want a view of the stars via a retractable roof the six hotels below are the ones to book this summer for a truly spectacular alfresco snooze L’AlberetaLocated a short drive from Lake Iseo the current host to Christo’s new work The Floating Piers L’Albereta is situated within the hills and vineyards of Franciacorta which features a retractable roof above its cozy In case that particular view wasn’t enough which looks out over the gorgeous landscape surrounding L’Albereta NkwichiThe lodge at Nkwichi sits on the shoreline of Lake Malawi in Africa and is bordered by Malawi This stunning hotel property offers what they call star beds which offer guests the chance to sleep on a deserted beach or on a private rock island close to the water’s edge The secluded beds are decorated with plush pillows and blankets L’andL’and is a contemporary five-star resort surrounded by a vineyard in Montemor-o-Novo in Portugal modern sky suites with fully retractable roofs Elqui DomosThe Elqui Valley in Chile is known for its astrological observatories so it makes perfect sense that they’d cater to such stargazers and curious adventure-seeking travelers with the Elqui Domos hotel guests stay in either domed structures that are outfitted with a zip-away ceiling panel and a raised bed or in architecturally impressive cottages situated on the highest part of the property and each with a sky window and terrace Adrère AmellalThis desert hotel in Egypt may not be so easy to get to (it can take nearly a day by car from Cairo) but if you’re seeking stunning yet secluded accommodations The Berber-inspired eco hotel in the Siwa Oasis has no electricity and offers outdoor beds on the roof for stargazing before you sleep Portuguese Communist Party Brief note on the May Day celebrations in Portugal CGTP-IN’s May Day commemorations took place in 40 locations from the north to the south of the country in a clear signal of consciousness of the seriousness of the moment the country is undergoing Grandiose demonstrations were held in Lisbon and Porto but also demonstrations and convivial and sports events that marked the International Day of Workers in Álcacer do Sal Forty years after the April Revolution and the memorable day of struggle on May 1st following the overthrow of fascism in which the worker’s movement and the people united and indelibly marked the course of the Portuguese Revolution the day of struggle of the Portuguese people was a clear response to the impoverishment of the country and the attacks on their rights perpetrated by right-wing policies reclaiming the fulfillment of the values of April and making this year’s May 1st the largest in recent history In the various CGTP-IN actions pointed towards an unrelenting struggle of the workers in their workplaces and in the streets throughout this month Several struggles were saluted: in Amarsul in INCM and the Panasqueira mines; a week of struggle for inclusive education promoted by Fenprof until the 10th; a strike in DURA from the 8th until the 16th; a strike in GSET and the demonstrations in Strong on the 7 th and 8 th; the strike in Cel-Cat on the 9 th; the national demonstration of local administration workers The institution of a national minimum wage demanding the minimum wage increase to 515 euros starting June 1st Two large demonstrations were also announced on June 14th in Porto and June 21st in Lisbon as moments of confluence of the most urging demands of the workers and united trade-union movement Receba a newsletter e outras actualizações do PCP Dorina Lindemann pictured during her visit to Macau Quinta da Plansel cellar was created in 1997 by Dorina Lindemann Graduated as a winemaker from the University of Geisenheim Lindemann became interested in Portugal through the influence of her father Quinta da Plansel produces only Portuguese wine varieties the 75-hectare winery is expected to produce 500,000 liters Interviewed by the Times during a promotional visit to Macau Lindemann praises the Portuguese wine varieties and explains that the company’s focus is on quality Macau Daily Times (MDT) – You studied viticulture in Germany and later you established yourself in Portugal Dorina Lindemann (DL) – When my daddy was 18 years old he had the fantastic idea to buy a boat together with three students and to travel around the world I think my father stayed there for two or three months– it was impossible to go out because they lost their passports which changed his mentality and he didn’t want to go back home The idea stayed in his head: ‘One day I’m going to live in Portugal’ I think he passed that to me: the passion for Portugal I got two children and a brother – and when he reached 40 [years of age] he sold everything in Germany and decided to follow his heart and go back to Portugal Dorina Lindemann (center) with her daughters MDT – Your family was already involved in the wine business back in Germany He [Hans-Jörg Böhn] tried to always import Portuguese wines with too much acidity or just color and no fruitiness It was impossible to import Portuguese wines I have to make something else for Portugal.’ Before he went there he studied [winemaking] for four semesters at the University of Geisenheim He bought a piece of land 100 kilometers east of Lisbon in a beautiful old town named Montemor-o-Novo Around 40 years ago there was nothing there He began a fantastic project with the University of Geisenheim in order to find out how many native varieties exist in Portugal It was my father who discovered that the most hidden varieties were still in the dark together with a professor from the University of Évora who marked the plants to observe them over [many] years and discovered that Portugal has got more than 380 native varieties he selected 150 and brought them to Alentejo We made microvinification from each of these varieties for over 10 years I always came and visited him during summer and I loved his work I loved the grapes and loved the vineyards Everybody was always: ‘You are a winemaker there are no female winemakers.’ It was in the hand of men at that time MDT – You mentioned that Quinta da Plansel was set up as a “women power” company DL – I finished university and only after that I went back to Portugal in 1993 My father already had his company established and a nursery where he produced wine plants for those I worked a bit in the nursery and I started to make my own wines at the University of Évora They had some vessels and they gave them to me and I could work there and start to get my first experiences we started to make the first wine in Quinta da Plansel and we started to build up the winery I built up new stuff or bought more vessels my husband sent two men to work with me but it was impossible… macho men in the Alentejo At that time it was usual for women to be having a coffee or be at a bar women were eating in the kitchen and the men in the living room At that time I decided not to work with men anymore I had experience working with some women in the field She and another one started to work with me in the winery MDT – How large was the staff when you began DL – We were a staff of only three persons in the beginning [producing] 20,000 liters and we did everything by ourselves He was very young but very nice and [a] kind man Most of the people [in the company] are women I still have 20 women working in the field MDT – Is your wine made only with Portuguese wine grape varieties I’m just working with Portuguese wine varieties The most important brand we have is Plansel The name comes from ‘planta seleccionada’ [selected plant] so I’m only using the plants we have selected MDT – What is it that’s so special about these Portuguese wine varieties but [with] most of them you have to plant them together to make a good wine But we [Portugal] have some special variety I believe it could be like a pilot variety for the whole world The number one [variety] at the moment is Touriga Nacional because it is adaptable to all regions worldwide There’s only one other variety that can adapt as well which is well known all over the world because you plant it in Africa and in America and it always makes good wine Touriga Nacional always makes [a] very interesting and different kind of red wine adding on to the fruitiness and the berries acidity and alcohol always is in a perfect performance [arrangement] you can easily make a monovariety with Touriga Nacional I have other two varieties I really love: Touriga Franca and Tinta Barroca Touriga Franca gives a lot of color and tannins and dark fruit These are the three main varieties I’m focusing on MDT – You mentioned that around 50 years ago the Portuguese wine was not good There was a massive development and it is now becoming famous internationally There was no sophistication in the wine production before DL – There was no section in the vineyards They had sometimes 20 different varieties in one vineyard and they were harvested at the same time You cannot harvest different varieties at the same time Each variety has a maturation [that becomes] ready in a different time They had no control at [over the] vineyards with young people coming [to the industry] You look first to the field and to the vineyards and then you look at the winery lot of the vineyards have been taken over and replant[ed] with new vineyards and new varieties I just feel sorry for the Lisbon and Tejo region because many immigrant varieties are coming in They are planting the international varieties because they think it is better in marketing and sales We should focus more on the native varieties There are varieties that are just good for the north of Portugal but we have varieties that can work all over Portugal and make really great and special wines MDT – Do you think the Portuguese wines will get more varied and internationally recognized We can’t forget that in Portugal Aragonês is a dominant variety Those varieties have 50 more synonyms and are planted all over the world So Tempranillo and Aragonês is the most planted variety all over the world the first variety at the moment is Aragonês second is Touriga Franca and third is Touriga Nacional MDT – Two thirds of Quinta da Plansel wine production is exported I’m native German and I think I’m a little bit the ambassador for Portugal in Europe wine tasting and I’m also teaching in the University of Geisenheim I’m really trying to bring the Portuguese varieties to Germany and Switzerland Nowadays I’m selling about 150,000 wine bottles just to small wine shops and retailers The second market for me is Switzerland and I’m everywhere a little bit in Europe I think we work quite well in Hong Kong and Macau and I have a very good partner in Taiwan I’m working quite well with Canada and Brazil but I’m not focusing there because all the Portuguese people are focusing in Angola and the competition is so high at the moment… The price is dropping down and that is not where I want to go I try to focus on high quality level wine and I want to show the people the passion of our company I see that my daughters want to come into the company too so I think it is very important to stay as a family and do something special To show the people that we have something special – the monovarieties –and we focus on the native Portuguese varieties MDT – The property also hosts an eco-tourism project especially the European people are increasingly coming to Spain and Portugal because of the crisis we had 17 million touristic visitors in Portugal People are not just coming to enjoy the seaside they are really interested about culture and wines and olive oil. The sales from wining estates in Portugal have been increasing extremely in the last two years People come there [to wineries] to buy and also take wine home We made the decision two years ago to build up a new tasting room We created space for people to taste the wines in nearby a garden and next to the swimming pool because there are a lot of people passing by and buying wine There are many international visitors such as a lot of people from Canada which is very important: people have to find you but I want people to see a little more of what we are doing MDT – In Macau there is a large offering of Portuguese wines many of which are available in supermarkets Do you see Macau as a platform for Portuguese wines This is an old Portuguese colony and if you look at Portugal’s economy and the building up of wineries… It’s crazy what happened I think it was okay for Portugal to come to the European Union in 1986 but the European Union did a lot of mistakes They sent enormous amounts of money to Portugal and it wasn’t really controlled A lot of people from the banks were very clever because they could fill out all these documents to get subsidies you find that many wineries were built up in the last 10 years just with subsidies They had no time to build up a brand or create a marketing strategy They just got the money from the European Union and they built up enormous wineries What are they going to do with such amount of wine [they produce] overloading everything and losing a little bit [of] the standard it was normal that you had very expensive and high quality wines here in Macau Nowadays people go to the supermarket and they have MOP30 wines… So I think my competitors are all losing money It is not possible to produce a bottle of wine and sell it for EUR1.50 – that’s what most people are doing At that price you don’t pay for the bottle It is really ridiculous what’s going on at the moment MDT– Do you think these big producers may swallow the small ones DL – What I’m a little bit frightened [of] is that the big ones are absorbing the medium and small ones So I think the future in winemaking will be very big companies which holds 70 percent of the Port Wine market is buying a lot of wine in the Alentejo and Lisbon areas We are talking about 400 million bottles of wine The smaller brands have to build up a personality and make something special Like [us,] we focus on the family and we try to put our family into the label so that the people see the family relation you try to introduce new types of grapes and mixes and that is why we have this family estate we do a special blend and we name it with my name Probably we are going to have a new red special wine named after Luísa [one of Lindemann’s daughters] using Alicante Bouschet together with Touriga Franca Probably this will be the news for next year But that wine looks great and I believe we will do something very interesting there MDT – How does this Macau partnership with Adega Royale work DL – I think Haigan [director of Adega Royale] tries more to work with the good restaurants Because if you put the wines in wine shops Especially in Hong Kong I see that if the wine is in the shop Food and  wine distributor Adega Royale is distributing Quinta da Plansel in Macau The company’s director Haigan Wong told the Times that Dorina Lindemann’s high quality wine is distributed in the region for restaurants “Everyone is very enthusiastic about the wine because it is a single variety and it is more special you can taste the region and the hard work that she [Lindemann] has put into it We can feel the heart and soul that you sometimes lose on a wine You can feel what is the aim of the wine,” he said Wong says that the market is challenging:  “At the end of the day it’s hit and miss Sometimes it goes very well and then something changes.” The two students selected for the AJ Student Prize by University of East London Project description Portugal has the world’s third-highest aging population which has considerably lower standards of education and quality of life in comparison with their younger counterparts Montemor-o-Novo is a rural town in Alentejo where daily life is slow and moves organically Its municipality has been targeting younger generations to bring in tourism and revenue into the town meaning many of its programmes may not be of interest to the majority of the existing dwellers there is a need for communal spaces to be provided for those who have lived here historically this project proposes a series of small incremental and collective changes – it is always in the making as daily life continues to change meaning that people have to keep developing their relations to one another and the space around them Tutor citation This year we asked students to formulate projects based on the theme of ‘civic space for cultural production’ Hanna’s project successfully addresses the potential of supporting and enhancing local activities for the community to gather The proposal forms a positive response while asking open-ended questions about the future of a rural town with an aging Project description Located in Central Athens the Fruit and Vegetable Market is a redesign of an existing informal fruit and vegetable market and underground car park The building offers a variety of functions that exceed traditional markets it is part of a new urban street network and public space system has sport and educational facilities and integrates local communities with urban farming Based on the existing underground car park grid structure a shifted forest of columns creates room for these activities a series of educational and recreational facilities offers spaces to local communities that range from cooking and urban farming schools to multi-purpose rooms On the top of the building a series of greenhouses provides hydroponic farming and their rhythm and variation allow different plants to grow within their favourable light conditions while creating a pattern that organises the market spaces below students explored how public spaces and buildings can be Urban Rooms that facilitate this change and invigorate the city Lenny’s design expands on existing market forms yet is uniquely recognisable – an elegant expression of a variety of functions that would invigorate local communities It is part of a new network of public spaces infrastructures and facilities that carry the idea of an Urban Room deep into the city TagsAJ Student Prize University of East London The two students selected for the AJ Student Prize by the Liverpool… The student selected for the AJ Student Prize by the School of… The two students selected for the AJ Student Prize by Edinburgh School… The two students selected for the AJ Student Prize by the School…