Meet the Locals – The Love of Aljezur

If you were to travel back in time to the 1960s in Aljezur, you might be surprised by what you saw. The Beatles were rocking the world and motor vehicles were a common sight. But not in Aljezur. There, oxen ploughed the rice fields while donkeys were the main method of transport. Helen Daniel spoke to Claudio Faustino, whose ancestors have worked the soil in this up and coming west coast town for centuries. 

“My ancestry and roots are firmly established on Aljezur soil,” explains Claudio Faustino proudly. “Both my parents’ families have resided in the area for as far back as anyone knows.” His predecessors were farmers who kept animals and worked the land. Coming from salt-of-the-earth, sturdy stock, he feels proud of his heritage. Up until the late 1960s, Claudio’s family farmed rice fields near Amoreira beach. 

All the land on the road to Amoreira up to the bridge was once full of rice fields. Today, this land is now teeming with fish farms. Claudio`s paternal great-grandfather rented the fields from a landlord who took a share of the profit. Both his grandmothers also worked the land. Everything was done by hand, even picking the grass from between the rice plants. Oxen were used as it required strong animals to pull the ploughs through the water. 

The harvest was loaded onto carts drawn by horses or donkeys and taken to Aljezur. Once there, the grain was extracted from the plants and then sent to factories to be processed into Carolina rice. On the last day of the season, they all used to gather at the farmhouse and celebrate the end of the harvest with a dance. 

In those days, the sea offered great riches and the locals would harvest the ocean for abundant seafood. “I still remember going every two weeks with my grandfather to gather mussels and perceves, and we would have our own seafood banquet. This was before it became illegal to take seafood without a license.” 

Another resource they had to add to their table were the grapes that grew abundantly in the area. Each year they were harvested to make wine. 

“Although my family eventually stopped growing rice as it ceased being profitable, they continued farming in the area,” adds Claudio. There was no Intermarche! The locals would never go to a shop for food. Everything they ate, they either grew themselves or raised as livestock. The market behind the church was the monthly gathering place for those wishing to trade produce. It was a very hard existence with barely any money. Claudio’s grandfather did not even own a pair of shoes until he was 13. 

It is no surprise, therefore, that the younger generation sought an easier life. Claudio’s parents moved to Lagos when he was three.

 “My mother tells me that frequently upon waking, I would ask to see Avó Amelia, my grandmother in Aljezur, as I loved going there to see her. We often went to Amoreira beach throughout my childhood. Nearly always, we were the only people there, even in August, besides an occasional cowman with his herd of cows. Incredible when you think of how busy it is these days.” 

Claudio completed his schooling in Lagos and then attended the University of Algarve in Portimão, where he gained his degree in Tourism and Management. For 16 years, he worked in the hotel business, starting in reception and progressing into management. “For four years, I was with the Oceanic Group. I was also an integral member of the opening team of the fabulous Martinhal Hotel and I later worked at Cascade.” In 2013 Claudio married Filipa, a work colleague, and they now have a five-year-old boy, Rodrigo. When his father-in-law sadly died, Claudio took over his pool cleaning business. 

His mother, meanwhile, had been working for the real estate agency Remax in Lagos. Eventually, she purchased the franchise there. In July 2020, she launched the Aljezur branch. Claudio explains, “In September 2020, I sold my pool cleaning business. Taking over from my mother, I assumed the responsibility of both the Lagos and Aljezur offices with my business partner, Ana Martins. Between the two agencies, we have a team of 20.”

Although he now lives in Lagos, throughout his life, Claudio has longed to be in Aljezur. He has yo-yo-ed regularly between Lagos and the town he loves. Over his 37 years, he has seen considerable changes in the Algarve due to the influx of foreign residents and tourists. Aljezur, up until a few years ago, was relatively undiscovered. Recently there has been a surge of young families arriving. “I have mixed feelings about the inflow of so many newcomers. On the one hand, I am concerned that Aljezur could lose its Portuguese traditions, culture and ambience, but on the other, more positive side, I am proud that many people love my town and my country. Also, as it is with many Portuguese people, my livelihood has relied on and continues to rely on tourism and resident foreigners. They are beneficial to the Portuguese economy.” 

Working as an estate agent Claudio has first-hand experience of the meteoric rise in house prices over the last two years as Aljezur became the new property hotspot. Offering an easygoing atmosphere and beautiful landscapes, foreign buyers and Portuguese folk from the north have flocked to the historic town. “A house in Vale da Telha that was 250,000€ to 300,000€ two years ago is now selling for €500,000. It is impossible for the local families now to buy or even rent property here.” 

Claudio admits that he misses the hotel business. “My ambition is to own and manage a small boutique hotel, bringing back the personal touch that is so often missing. First, I intend to expand my Remax team, increase the number of offices, and widen my firm’s services, incorporating an in-house lawyer, an architect, and property management. My goal is to get the right balance of managing the Remax offices and running a hotel, which could well be in Aljezur!” 

Happily still alive, Claudio’s grandmother Amalia, now 78, is amazed and proud at how her daughter and grandson have become successful business people. Does some regret exist among the older generation that a way of life has disappeared in such a relatively small period of time?

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