UK Justice Forum 🇬🇧

Disappeared and Abducted Children and Young Adults => Madeleine McCann (3) disappeared from her parent's holiday apartment at Ocean Club, Praia da Luz, Portugal on 3 May 2007. No trace of her has ever been found. => Topic started by: Brietta on July 08, 2014, 09:07:30 PM

Title: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: Brietta on July 08, 2014, 09:07:30 PM
... the wind does blow in Luz as much as it does anywhere else ... curtains most certainly must whoosh ... and doors slam, particularly when another door is open.

Deborah F                                                                                                                                                                 Chepstow, Wales, United Kingdom
Spoilt by the restaurant”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 August 2013
Lovely apartment, excellent flight by easy jet and good airport transfer. However, the whole holiday was spoiled by the appalling restaurant which was definitely not 4 star. It was not helped by the fact that every evening there was a cold wind and we didn't have any hot food all week apart from the Bar-b-q night which was excellent. (probably because the food was cooked in front of us and we served ourselves rather than waiting for the very nice but extremely slow serving staff). For example, one evening we all had mushroom soup which was served luke warm, My son then ordered pasta of the day as his main course which turned out to be pasta with the very same mushroom soup poured over it!!! Several nights we had blankets around our shoulders because it was so cold and we had to chase our serviettes which kept being blown away. Clearly the wind was not unusual, so why was better shelter not provided? We couldn't face spoiling our last day by going to the restaurant so we ate out and had a lovely meal. Completely spoiled what otherwise was a good holiday. We booked with Thomas Cook.
Stayed August 2013, travelled with family
Ask Deborah F about Luz Ocean Club
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g776012-d229314-Reviews-or10-Luz_Ocean_Club-Luz_Faro_District_Algarve.html
Title: Re: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: jassi on July 08, 2014, 09:11:28 PM
I don't think it is 'made up' at all ... the wind does blow in Luz as much as it does anywhere else ... curtains most certainly must whoosh ... and doors slam, particularly when another door is open.

Deborah F                                                                                                                                                                 Chepstow, Wales, United Kingdom
Spoilt by the restaurant”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 August 2013
Lovely apartment, excellent flight by easy jet and good airport transfer. However, the whole holiday was spoiled by the appalling restaurant which was definitely not 4 star. It was not helped by the fact that every evening there was a cold wind and we didn't have any hot food all week apart from the Bar-b-q night which was excellent. (probably because the food was cooked in front of us and we served ourselves rather than waiting for the very nice but extremely slow serving staff). For example, one evening we all had mushroom soup which was served luke warm, My son then ordered pasta of the day as his main course which turned out to be pasta with the very same mushroom soup poured over it!!! Several nights we had blankets around our shoulders because it was so cold and we had to chase our serviettes which kept being blown away. Clearly the wind was not unusual, so why was better shelter not provided? We couldn't face spoiling our last day by going to the restaurant so we ate out and had a lovely meal. Completely spoiled what otherwise was a good holiday. We booked with Thomas Cook.
Stayed August 2013, travelled with family
Ask Deborah F about Luz Ocean Club
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g776012-d229314-Reviews-or10-Luz_Ocean_Club-Luz_Faro_District_Algarve.html


If people will go to such places, they only have themselves to blame.
Title: Re: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: John on July 15, 2014, 02:33:16 PM
A lot of tourists think that Spain and Portugal are hot all year round and are disappointed when they arrive in April or October to find it quite cold when it clouds over.  Then again I have had many an al fresco on Xmas day with snow on the mountains beyond.  Basically, you take it as you find it.
Title: Re: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: Alice Purjorick on July 15, 2014, 04:44:55 PM
... the wind does blow in Luz as much as it does anywhere else ... curtains most certainly must whoosh ... and doors slam, particularly when another door is open.

Deborah F                                                                                                                                                                 Chepstow, Wales, United Kingdom
Spoilt by the restaurant”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 August 2013
Lovely apartment, excellent flight by easy jet and good airport transfer. However, the whole holiday was spoiled by the appalling restaurant which was definitely not 4 star. It was not helped by the fact that every evening there was a cold wind and we didn't have any hot food all week apart from the Bar-b-q night which was excellent. (probably because the food was cooked in front of us and we served ourselves rather than waiting for the very nice but extremely slow serving staff). For example, one evening we all had mushroom soup which was served luke warm, My son then ordered pasta of the day as his main course which turned out to be pasta with the very same mushroom soup poured over it!!! Several nights we had blankets around our shoulders because it was so cold and we had to chase our serviettes which kept being blown away. Clearly the wind was not unusual, [/color]so why was better shelter not provided? We couldn't face spoiling our last day by going to the restaurant so we ate out and had a lovely meal. Completely spoiled what otherwise was a good holiday. We booked with Thomas Cook.
Stayed August 2013, travelled with family
Ask Deborah F about Luz Ocean Club
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g776012-d229314-Reviews-or10-Luz_Ocean_Club-Luz_Faro_District_Algarve.html

Merciful heavens. Fancy a trip the Atlantic coast and it being windy and cold. I would wager they would go to the Caribbean in September and be confounded by the hurricanes.
Title: Re: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: John on July 15, 2014, 06:00:37 PM
Could it be that the evening of 3rd May was chosen because it was cold and windy and so there was less chance of anyone sitting out on a balcony and seeing too much?
Title: Re: Praia da Luz can be windy and cold out of season.
Post by: Carana on July 15, 2014, 06:18:59 PM
Could it be that the evening of 3rd May was chosen because it was cold and windy and so there was less chance of anyone sitting out on a balcony and seeing too much?

No idea.

Burglaries or other crimes might be committed at times when a) it's chilly and thus fewer people would be likely to be sitting out chatting on their balconies, aside from the odd ciggie, b) when the place is crowded in summer and thus any perps might not be noticed, c) when local construction/ roadworks are underway and thus unusual "traffic" might not attract attention.

ETA: In the event of a burglary gone wrong, there is also the possibility that the beginning or the end of the holiday stay may be a target date. E.g., if, as in many places, the rental period is from Saturday to Saturday, new tourists may simply want to wander around and may not have security in mind. Towards the end of the holiday, Thursday may be the last evening to venture out (if they choose to stay in on the Friday to pack, prior to an early Saturday departure).