cobra voadora
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Literary and Philosophical Cafe Friday 9 November

It is that time of year again, a time of celebration in Tavira when events and workshops mark a birthday. It is when artists and creative people come together to recall the work of Fernando Pessoa and his heteronym Álvaro de Campos. This year the birthday party takes place without the financial support of Algarve…

theory-u
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Leading from the future as it emerges – U-lab course

Jim and I have recently become interested in taking a course called U-lab and fortunately the course is going to happen in Tavira.How cool is that? The U-lab course created by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is being rolled out across Portugal beginning in April 2018 and Tavira is on the list for it to…

Books in Lotus Cafe Battambang Cambodia
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Cambodia: the circus and plastic – Eco-tourism

I have fallen in love with Cambodia. We have been here for over two weeks, and I feel rejuvenated in a way that I find difficult to understand or articulate. I am trying to work out why Cambodia has enlivened my spirit. The intense oranges and greens of the landscape and the solid temples, mixed…

Edward-Lear-Prize-winners 2017
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Sri-Lanka – Edward Lear Prize for poetry – winning poems

With kind permission of the Edward Lear Prize for poetry, here are the 2017 winning poems. Winning Poem by Ashwin Dias The Funny People of Sri Lanka  There was a young woman from Galle Who’s name no one could recall Whomever she metHer name they’d forget The pretty young woman from Galle There was an…

Edward-Lear-Prize-winners
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Sri Lanka – Edward Lear Prize for Poetry

Edward Lear was a 19th Century English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet. He is known mostly for his literary nonsense poems and prose and especially his limericks. His poetry takes an irreverent view of the world. Lear’s nonsense poems delight in the sounds of words, both real and imaginary. A stuffed rhinoceros becomes a…

Galle Fort Festival Opening Elephant
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Sri Lanka – Galle Fort Literary Festival begins

An evening of culture, featuring an extravaganza of dance and movement opened the Galle Fort Literary Festival in Sri Lanka. Guests sat in front of an iridescent red stage, while a crowd of onlookers stood behind newly erected barriers as an orchestra played music. Dressed in traditional costumes performers from the army, airforce and navy,…

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Scared of Shakespeare? Puzzled by Poetry?

Birkenhead-born writer, David Roberts has a passion for shipyards and literature.  A mix of metal, blood and tears came to mind as we talked about his life and the literature course he has been teaching in the Algarve.  I had seen the course advert at São Brás de Alportel Museum, and I had it in the…

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Burguer King Lear – tumultuous play and an opportunity for reflection

As part of the commemoration of Shakespeare’s death 400 years ago this year, a film version of the play King Lear was shown on Wednesday 22 November in the library in Tavira. Produced in 2006 by Director João Garcia Miguel, this interpretation conveys an inner and outer turmoil that arguably reflects current global themes. While…

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International literary evening at Tavira library – Wednesday 16 November

A mixture of Portuguese, Swedish, German and English, poems, stories and songs will be shared tomorrow night in Tavira Library (Wednesday 16 November) (6:30 doors open for 7:00 start). A few of the 15 Swedish writers visiting Tavira this week, will share their latest work alongside local writers and six students from the Escola Secundária Dr. Jorge Augusto…