The Boa Esperanca sets sail
The Boa Esperanca caravel, meant to promote the Algarve throughout Spain has started its journey on a high note with over a hundred people aboard taking part in a special ‘show cooking’ event centred on the Algarve cataplana.
The guests were mostly representatives from various Spanish entities, as well as the trade sector and journalists and they all web aboard the 16th century replica caravel in Seville.
This show cooking event is organized by the Algarve Regional Tourism board and focuses on cooking and servring the Algarve cataplana – a traditional stew cooked in a clam-shaped copper utensil. In this case the one preparing the food onboard was Chef Augusto Lima from Faro’s Tertulia Algarvia restaurant.
Desiderio Silva – president of the RTA – declared the event a success when speaking to Spanish journalists from Sur Radio, EsRadio, Cadena Ser and Diario de Huelva.
The caravel will be moving on to Cadiz, Malaga and Almeria, the programe is expected to extend to September thanks to tourism protocols and frienships being forged along the way. One thing is remaining a mystery though, the costs of the endeavor.
The problem of cost is a very relevant one, especially in Portugal’s current economic climate and even moreso when you consider that back in 2012, the former tourism boss Antonio Pina wanted to sell the caravel because it cost ‘far too much’ to maintain it.
The ship was purchased the by the tourism authority back in 2000 for 75,000 Euro, but it has been costing well over a hundred thousand Euro per year ever since.
Up until recently Lagos tax payers had been footing this maintenance bill but now it’s back with the RTA and they are keeping quiet about the cost of this promotional summer trip.
There are of course easier ways of seeing the Algarve or Spain so don’t forget about some worldwide car hire services.
