Steve moved over to Portugal with Sunseeker as it makes a lot of sense for this international boat builder to have a presence down here in the Algarve. I got to chat to him about how it all started for Sunseeker in the Algarve and what life is like for Steve in Europe's favourite holiday destination. Listen along!

• Steve has been here for three years and relates the story of how Sunseeker came to be in Vilamoura.
• He was selling a boat to a client on the marina and the client was hesitating as there was no representation in Portugal. He suggested it to the Sunseeker Group and they did it in 2014.
• Hunting for an office, hiring staff and having high standards in the Algarve business environment. Steve mentions how to adapt to the working environment down here.
• Choosing a location to move the business to: Vilamoura and then Boliqueime.
• That pub in Boliqueime is called Pub 37.
• We discuss finding long term rentals and how tough it is. We have a lovely lady in our Algarve Addicts Facebook group who has a business helping people find long term rentals.
• The Algarve from a boat owners perspective and naturally the weather plays a big role (as any seagoing person should know :) ).
• 6-8 restaurants run boat tender services:
  • Estamine Restaurant
  • Restaurant A Sardinha at Praia Arrifes near Albufeira.
  
  
• Gibraltar isn't far away, Lagos is 2 hours away from Vilamoura, Faro is a fantastic destination to cruise in the Ria Formosa.
• Steve mentions how much fun you can have on a boat as a floating platform and he mentions a Seabob (a type of underwater mini jet ski).

• The Guadiana River for cruising and we talk about Vila Real Santo Anonio and the proximity of Spain.
• Can you just drop anchor wherever you want?
• Motorbiking in the Algarve and off-roading buggies. If you'd like to do the same thing get in touch with Maverick Tours and Vista Experience.
• Great motor cycling road between São Brás de Alportel and Tavira - EN270.
• Steves recommendations:
  • Beach: Praia do Carvalho and the West Coast.
  • Restaurants: The Shack and Pure in Quinta do Lago.
  
  

You can find Steve online through Sunseeker Portugal or axoparlondongroup.com

Alexandra Vanstalle is a mother of four kids, husband of one and runs unbelievable distances along rural tracks. Her latest adventure is to train for a 111km long trail run… Listen to her story:

• Alex was born in Oeiras, close to Lisbon, studied in Lisbon and worked at a Mexican restaurant, before setting off for Mexico and heading back to the Algarve!
• Holidays in her youth were spent in Manta Rota in the Algarve. Teenage party times!
• We talk about Praia Verde and Pézinhos na Areia.
• Her first few months living in the Algarve just outside Loulé near Boliqueime.
• Trail running and how she became addicted to it and the free group Corridas a Sexta Feira
• She joined ATR (Algarve Trail Running) and helped with the Rocha da Pena race and ended up entering the 50km run which is held in August in 40ºC temperatures.
• Alex trains 50, 60, 70 kms a week before a big race.
• We discuss the ALUT which stands for the Algarviana Ultra Trail which is a 300km race from one end of the Algarve to the other (Alcoutim to Sagres).
• If you’ve just arrived in the Algarve and want to do some great trail runs, Alex suggests heading for Querença, Salir or Falesia or even Monchique! We talk about the Cerro do São Miguel above Moncarrapacho.
• Alex’s Algarve recommendations:
  • Loulé – schools, hospitals, restaurants and safe to live in.
  • Beaches: Ilha Deserta and Restaurant Estamine
  • The west coast (Costa Vicentina).
  
  

You can find Alex online on Facebook or at http://byvanstalle.com/ where she does image consulting. She helps people build self confidence through clothing and body language among other things.

I interviewed Maria in the new Centro de Congressos do Algarve and we managed to sneak into an empty conference room as the sound was GREAT in there. Her life is really varied taking in a lot of projects like online tourism startups, the Lagos Food Fest, other big events, food tours, the Rota de Petisco (read all about it as we didn't have time to discuss it).

• Born in Lisbon, moved to Macau, China when she was 2 due to her fathers involvement with Portugal broadcasting.
• Her first impression of the Algarve was at Cabanas de Tavira when she was really small. The next time she visited was Vilamoura in her teens... (!)
• Typical vacation spot for the whole of Portugal.
• Escaping from the Algarve in August.
• How she moved to the Algarve.
• First job in the Algarve and then working for Eddie Murphy!
• Algarve Tech Hub makes its way into one more of our conversations.
• Share Algarve is coming soon and we discuss the new vision for the conference.
• Maria has a food tour company which started "by accident" over three years ago. Canned food from Maria do Mar in Portimao.
• Culinary Tourism as an incentive from the Tourism Boards, both the Região Turismo Algarve and Portugal Tourism.
• Lagos food fest 25,000 people come to Lagos for one weekend. It's in July 2019.
• Gastronomic Conference has been designed to build a strategy around the food and beverage industry in the Algarve. The web site is coming soon and will be here: http://congressogastronomiadoalgarve.com/
• Maria's top spots! Beaches (all Google Maps links):
  • Camilo,
  • Ingrina,
  • Amado,
  • Arrifana,
  • Tavira
  
  
• Restaurants: Polvo e Compania (Santa Luzia), Come Na Gaveta (Tavira), Ferradura (Lagos)
• Coastline: Walk the cliffs of Lagos from Ponta da Piedade to Burgau
• (about 10kms)
• Monchique: Find a medronho distillery and then enjoy the different food. Maria talks about the origin of Carne de Porco Alentejano (pork and clams).