The Proof Ocean Club Reads Textusa

UPDATE on 14 MAR 2014 09:01:00:

There are two ways to sing fado, Portugal’s typical most traditional music: the Lisbon way or the Coimbra one.

The fado from Coimbra has a very peculiar way of being applauded. No clapping.

The spectator, if pleased, has to simply produce the sound of clearing the throat. The idea is to have the spectator pretend not to have paid much attention and having him acknowledging, very discreetly, the artistic performance.

And it can be one of the most fascinating sounds ever produced collectively.


This, just to say that volume of noise is not the only way to quantify applause or approval.

In our case we have 3 ways of judging the success and importance of a post: pageviews, silence and noise.

The pageviews number is the most obvious and direct way to judge approval.

The silence in certain quarters is an indication of a job well done. Watching people squirm around irrelevant subjects while embarrassingly pretending to ignore the elephant in the room only means that we have made our point quite clearly. We quite enjoy watching people turn over completely charred meat on the grill and discussing between themselves if it’s rare or medium-rare.

The noise, is only from very specific and really dark holes in the internet. Some posts make dogs bark more and louder than in other. The barking, as you might imagine, is music to our ears.

This post has achieved all in all 3 counts.

Due to that, we chose to postpone our next post “Stink Bombs” for next Friday and leave this post another week.

Let it be here so it further shows the evidence that not a single reporter has filmed the BRT. That not a single reconstruction has reconstructed the Tapas that night, more specifically the BRT, with minimum veracity or realism.

Every single time, gravity seems to take the best of all cameramen, forcing them to point their cameras downwards whenever they approach the area where the BRT was supposed to be.

Compare every footage about where the T9 were supposed to have that meal with the MW promotional video that we have placed in the update (courtesy of anon).

See how in the promotional video the camera is always held high. How the camera pans the open spaces and tables with no particular tendency to film low or just the floor. No fear of showing anything whatsoever. The intent is to show, to promote and not to mistify.

Apparently, when it comes to showing where the T9 had dinner, there’s always, and we mean always, a sudden urge to be artistic. To shoot low… or shoot the ground. Or as can be seen in this post, to film, like CNN did, a totally different esplanade from Tapas to show… Tapas.

To not film BRT is as relevant as not filming Apartment 5A. Imagine that every reporter, by “coincidence” would avoid picturing Apartment 5A, or the window of the kids room. Imagine that in every news report about Maddie when it came to speak about from where she was taken, the image would go up to the limit of the Tapas wall, and suddenly turn to the floor to film the tarmac on the street. Wouldn’t that be strange?

Yet, besides us, no one questions why no one has filmed openly the BRT. It’s as an important piece of the puzzle as is the Apartment 5A.

The post "The Proof Ocean Club Reads Textusa" for another week:

Here I am Baby - UB40

To our new readers, we have created the acronym BRT and it stands for Big Round Table.

Not just any BRT but the one and only that, allegedly, the T9 sat around to have dinner from Sunday 29Apr07 to the fateful Thursday 03May07.

The BRT at Tapas Bar esplanade where , allegedly, 9 adults dined 5 evenings in a row.

The BRT that the Ocean Club was kind enough to reserve for this group of 9 people for those 5 nights when, allegedly, all other guests had to sacrifice their morning activities to queue up if they wanted to get a reservation at such a sought after restaurant that offered only 20 covers a night.

In those 5 days, with the T9 booking only 11 covers were left to be reserved by those who queued. This group reservation cut in a staggering 45% the available covers for that period.

We did say in our “The Devil's Finger is in the Detail” post (11Jun2011) that Kate's book page 52 contradicts the 20 covers and says Tapas only had 15 diners in the evening, Meaning both staff ratio to diners was absolutely fantastic as well as vacancies for queued-up covers were reduced to... a mere 6. As Kate says in her book “our party of nine occupied most of the available places and I, for one, felt rather guilty about that.”

The BRT that was apparently numbered #211 in the various Tapas Reservation Sheets.

The BRT that was big enough to sit 10 people as allegedly in one of the evenings the Quiz Mistress, Ms Najoua, also sat there, briefly.

That’s the BRT we refer to when we say BRT in a nutshell. The BRT.

The BRT we say never existed.

We first started to question the existence of the BRT when we invited our readers to look with a different set of eyes at the Paraíso Pictures is our “Holiday Time!!!” post (30Nov2010) we broke for Christmas that year.

That invitation apparently sent people on an intense chase scrutinising those pictures into the minutest details.

Everyone seemed to want to know what Textusa saw in those pictures that others hadn't yet. In hindsight, it was a huge compliment paid by our readers which went unacknowledged. 3 years and 3 months later, our apologies.

But we didn't want readers to go and look for details but to look at each picture as a whole. We first interrupted our Christmas Break with an update and then with a reactive post.

In the update we said: “First I wanted you to see, for yourselves, that the space of the Paraiso is very similar, if not larger (at least has many more eating places) to the Tapas, and AS THE PICTURES show, NINE adults would be much more noticeable than said by the TAPAS employees.”

But it was in the reactive post, “In an Emergency call 112, when in a HOAX call 211” (05Dec2010), that we presented our arguments questioning BRT’s existence.

The Black Hats (BH) reacted, trying to shrug it off with their usual offensive humour, and this led to our “Textusa Meltdown” post (13Dec2010) which we advise readers to revisit.

“Textusa Meltdown” had a follow-up in our “Textusa Meltdown - "The Day After"” post (10Mar2010) when we found out that the BHs tried to rewrite history in the best Orwellian style, whereby Sidmouth's precious comment about the Tapas round tables and pergolas had been wiped off the internet.

Quite an eventful 2010 Christmas Break…

We continued with our BRT debunking with our Tapas Sheet debunking posts. If they wish to do so, readers can read them under the heading “The Tapas Quiz posts” on the right column of the blog’s front page.

The inexistence of the BRT meant there were no Tapas dinners, so the Tapas Reservation Sheets could only be fake and these posts proved that they were easily proven false by themselves.

We parodied these queued-up reservations  in our “Tapas Dining - Fawlty Towers Style” post (12Apr2011)

As we had done with the “really-very-fast-food” service provided by Tapas bar in our “Nights of the Round Table” post (16Feb2011).

We pointed out how strange it was that such an efficient and sought after dining facility seemed to have escaped any mention of relevance by tourists staying in the resort in our “Reviewing the Reviews” post (08Apr2011). 

A dining facility reserved only to Ocean Club guests so, supposedly, regularly used by guests. Go figure why they go and suggest local restaurants to avoid going to the far-off Millenium instead of Tapas.  

After all guests did queue up just to be able to dine there, outdoors, in those chilly, fleece-wearing evenings of early May. In the reviews, no one speaks of the “Tapas queues”. Go figure.

In our “Will Kate's Book Definitely Prove Textusa Wrong?” post (15Apr2011), we even went as far as defying Kate McCann, 1 month before publishing her book, to prove us wrong by asking her to publish Dianne Websters’ pictures of the BRT.

Dianne is very clear in her rogatory:

DC 4078: "Okay, so you've been back to the Tapas and you've collected bits and pieces that people have left lying around. You mentioned a camera, or cameras, had there been many photos taken that evening?"

DW: "There hadn't, I don't think there'd been any taken that evening and I think I can't remember who, it was either, it was either Kate or err Rachael, it might have been Kate, who'd brought their camera because they hadn't taken any photographs at all in the evening. I think I was the only one that ever took any photographs in the evening and that was about the second night we were there, I just took pictures of everybody sitting round the table but I didn't get any of he surrounding areas but because we hadn't been really sat there that long no pictures were taken." (…)"

So all they had to do was to publish Dianne’s photographs of “everybody sitting round the table” in Kate’s book and we would all get to see that elusive BRT,

 Unfortunately, the request went unanswered as you all know.

The fascinating thing was that although we proved beyond any reasonable doubt that there were no Tapas T9 dinners, our voice has been very lonesome.

The BRT has been an “off-bounds” issue in other sites, together with the swinging thesis and the fact there was no T9 negligence whatsoever.

The reason is very simple, not having a BRT means that Ocean Club and guests have openly lied in this case and that is something “White Hats” (“WH”) will do almost anything to avoid being openly discussed.

So no one talked about it and everyone pretended not to have read us. And we wrote a lot about as can be seen.

On August 23, 2011, our reader, Guerra, placed in a comment to our post “Tapas Quiz Question #5” post (15Aug2011) a link to a video in which Sky News' Martin Brunt appears, according to his own words, sitting at the BRT.

Mind you, we only get a partial view of it. Allegedly, that is.

This led, more than a year later, to our “Bluntly Bruntling Things Up” post (20Sept2012) where we showed that the images of the video had been manipulated.

This was followed by our “Textusa Correcting Textusa” post (03Nov2012) whereby we corrected our correction of saying Mr Amaral had been wrong when pointing out the BRT out in his book. It was us who were wrong, so we corrected ourselves.

Lastly, our “Swan Lake - Act 3” post (10Nov2012) showed the extent of image manipulation in Mr Brunts’ Sky News video.

As you can see it has been quite a quest to find BRT.

The elusive and camera shy BRT.

Until, allegedly, November 16, 2013.

The BRT finally appeared and it came from a rather surprising source.

It was when CMTV aired its special on Maddie with Gonçalo Amaral and Francisco Moita Flores in studio.

After this documentary aired we said that we wouldn’t comment about its content until a decision from the Portuguese Justice System on the ongoing damage trial McCann v Amaral in Lisbon.

Our decision was made so as not to hinder in any way whatever tactic Mr Amaral chose to undertake with the CMTV documentary.

But there’s a detail in it that is not from Mr. Amaral, but from the Ocean Club itself.

A “rub-it-in-your-face” moment that no one, to our surprise we must confess, didn’t use to… rub it in our face: the historic moment when the BRT was finally photographed!

After Yeti and the Lochness Monster, only the BRT had remained to be photographed, until that precise moment.

In the CMTV video, part 1, at 29:00, when dealing with the Smith Sighting, to illustrate where, allegedly, Gerry McCann was at the time:

Here she is!!! The BRT !!!!

Completely out of the blue and there she is! Hidden in the back but right before our eyes...

But it's been almost 4 months now and no one has told us “Hey Textusa, you (censored), Amaral has just rubbed in your face that there IS a BRT!!!”

No one, why? Not a BH, not a “WH” and not even WH, these being obviously more polite. Why?

We even have had a response prepared since that day “Yes, we noticed it and it will be subject of a future post”.

We think we have waited long enough, so here is that post.

First thing one notices is that it appears to be much smaller than we said it would be.

That’s easy to debunk. Wouldn’t it be more natural for a picture focusing on the Tapas dinners (where Gerry, allegedly, was supposed to have been) that the BRT would appear in the foreground and not in the background?

By placing it back in the background one can play with dimensions. Make a smaller table appear to allow 8/9 chairs around it simply by increasing the distance between these and the table.

But even the size of the table filmed by CMTV is sufficiently big and noticeable. Different from the other tables. Just imagine how big it would appear if it was in the foreground.

Second thing, talking about different tables... where are all the square small ones?

Noticed how the table in the front right has 6 seats? We thought table #211 (BRT) was the exception as all others only had 4 places at most.

Third thing noticed are the tablecloths. What a neat and posh little restaurant that the Tapas was. Mr Amaral in his book apparently did it no justice.

Not the resort’s main restaurant but certainly its finest. “Regular” guests please hike up to the Millenium, only premium ones for Tapas. Mill, cattle class dining, Tapas, decent human guests.

No wonder there were queues.


The only surprise was the fact there were empty seats every night like we showed in our “Tapas Quiz Night, Question #6/?” post (23Aug2011). Incomprehensible.

Look at Mr Amarals’ pictures and ask yourself if these flimsy and wobbly tables would be able to hold the weight of not only of a tablecloth but also all that is alleged to have been put on their tabletops.

Hardly.

Look at Mr Amarals’ picture above and see if the table is the same as the one that appears in the background of the CMTV documentary with so many chairs around it.

It's not.

Please realise what the CMTV BRT picture REALLY implies.

It means that anyone, and we mean ANYONE, who henceforth says or implies that the BRT did exist is in effect insulting Mr Amaral.

Because if the CMTV table is THE BRT, then it must be said he was pretty stupid in not capturing it when he took the pictures illustrating where the T9 were allegedly dining at Tapas with respect to where the apartment 5A was.

Deny the fact that BRT did NOT exist and you’re insulting Mr Amaral. Very, very simple.

But if, as we said, the BRT’s image came from a surprising source, the confirmation that the CMTV BRT is not THE BRT comes from an unexpected one: the CNN.

On October 8, 2007 CNN aired on Nancy Grace the video above, Gary Tuchman’s “Mystery of Madeleine McCann Disappearance Still Unsolved” .

Twice it ventures into Tapas esplanade.

The first one is at 1:02:

A superimposed picture of the couple over one of the Tapas esplanade. Conveniently superimposed on where the BRT would be.

Now forget the couple and concentrate on the surroundings. What in the image that is not about the couple is about the esplanade.

The little square tables missing from the CMTV BRT picture are clearly visible on the left and right. 

But where is the BRT? Shouldn't it be near that beam? It seems that it is NOT. It ran away and left a chair...

The second moment, and very unfortunate for “BRT Existentialists”, happens at 2:34:

Camera carefully directed downwards… Notice how the furniture is the same flimsy, wobbly and fragile type that appears in Mr. Amaral’s book. 

 No tablecloths. Just like in Mr Amaral’s book.

But there’s a slight problem...  where’s the BRT?!?

Yes, please look again. Where has it gone?

That table may be many things, including indeed a table. But is not the table the T9, the Ocean Club, the Quiz Mistress and guests have said existed at Tapas in those 5 evenings.

That table was put there to pass as the BRT but is as fake as the Tapas reservations and the Tapas Reservation Sheets.

Taking into account that the rest of the internet has always been silent about the BRT, this only PROVES that, like Kate McCann, the Ocean Club reads Textusa.

What did we say back in December 2010 in our “In an Emergency call 112, when in a HOAX call 211” post?

“Sure, I know you can provide one tomorrow. Or even today. But that will be today, won’t it?

You haven’t provided one up to now.

So don't do it, it's too late.”

And what did the Ocean Club go ahead and do? It did it.

The problem for the Ocean Club is that from now on THAT has to be the BRT. No other table, as far as the OC is concerned, will do.

The Ocean Club has brought BRT to life, no going back. From now on “BRT Existentialists” are stuck with this:

Say you that at 1:16 and 1:37 CNN clearly shows a Tapas esplanade in which tables with tablecloths clearly appear, meaning, contrary to what we say, Tapas tables had them:

An esplanade very similar to Tapas is indeed shown... only it's not Tapas.

Nowhere does it say it is, but then again it doesn't say where it is. But it's not Tapas. Tapas has that very distinctive white plastic and it doesn't have the tree on the right or the palm tree on the left, as is shown at 1:29 of the same video:

Why CNN chose to show this esplanade that is not Tapas, we can only guess. And for whatever reason it was we would say that it wasn't for independent and truthful journalism.

We are very curious as to where the esplanade shown was.

The chairs are identical to those used at Tapas. Unquestionably, misleading images.

UPDATE (8 Mar 2014 23:31:00):

We received a “DO NOT PUBLISH” comment from an Anonymous at 8 Mar 2014 09:38:00.

We will never publish a “DO NOT PUBLISH” comment under any circumstances but we think we can say, without breaching any confidentiality (taking into account the spirit of the comment), that in it was, among other things, a link for our analysis.

This is the link:

http://pt.hoteis.com/ho229001/luz-ocean-club-algarve-portugal/?wapa1=229001&hotelid=229001&rffrid=MDP.HCOM.PT.001.129.01.PT-I_B01.LcPhLxg.C.kwrd%3DTAIDUxb-mwreAhgAAE7nM8wAAAAK#hotel-photos

It's a hotels.com promotional page regarding Praia da Luz Ocean Club.

In it there are 27 pictures. 

As it’s a promotional page we suppose that all 27 pictures in it were either submitted or approved by Ocean Club. Promotional photos for commercial purposes.

Pictures #11 and #17 are about Tapas Bar:

In both pictures we can see that the chairs are different from the ones we have seen at Tapas up to now. However the tables are identical to those we can see in Mr. Amaral's book and in the CNN video.

Chairs suffer much more from wear and tear and are much cheaper to replace than tables, however wobbly and flimsy.

One can note that there are no tablecloths. In pic #17 we can see some placemats are used.

Both pictures just show a snack-bar/tapas kind of esplanade, not one from a grill-house.

In pic #11, we can see some tables in the background behind the tree:

As can be seen, the chairs are side by side indicating that it’s either a long table or, most likely, the joining up of 2 sets of 2 small square tables, just like the sets in the foreground.

No sign of the BRT.

In pic #17 above, we can see 2 tables between the tree and entrance to the esplanade.

Neither is the BRT.

And it’s very clear that BRT, a table for 9/10 adults, cannot be seen anywhere:

We would like to note that we are pleasantly surprised by the readership of this particular post, taking into account the awkward, even embarrassing silence, about it, from certain corners of the internet.

When we were writing this update our wonderful readership surprised us with 2 comments which we presume came from the same reader.

First comment:

“Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Proof Ocean Club Reads Textusa":

Here the link for OC PDL today :

http://www.markwarner.co.uk/sun-holidays/portugal/ocean-club?_$ja=cgid:11141944983%7Ctsid:55667%7Ccid:152523063%7Clid:13966582561%7Cnw:g%7Ccrid:45231580263%7Crnd:67952352497424989%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1t1&gclid=CK3u07Lygr0CFekBwwodcRcAcA

The video shows the Tapas bar esplanade. Looks, it had some improvement but the tables are the same type( fragille) as pictured by GA. No shadows of BRT and see how they organize tables for big groups ( square or rectangular tables ). No way, a group of 9/10 people fit on their round tables. And even on their promotional video, round tables have the chairs away from the table, while the rectangular are well organized ( noticed).

I found also interesting the information on their blackboard ( Monday - a social evening ). What means a social evening? Was that to introduce guests to each other? Why guests need to be introduced? This is something that should happen normally and following everyone wishes. Why the resort organize evenings to socialize guests if they are there for a short time?

Posted by Anonymous to Textusa at 8 Mar 2014 19:51:00”

Second comment:

“Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The Proof Ocean Club Reads Textusa":

From the OC site, if you open the adults facilities, at certain point comes that information:

....."That's why in some of our beach resorts there are certain areas that are exclusively for the use of adults, including separate family and adult beaches and swimming pools".

Now see ( on the video) the age of the guests they targeted - middle age active single or couple, to who they organize activities to socialize.

Intersting, never saw such offer on any other hotels, even in 5 stars.

Posted by Anonymous to Textusa at 8 Mar 2014 20:10:00”

The link is to a MW page.

In its promotional video it shows very clearly a family of 5 being served pizza at Tapas:

It clearly shows NO BRT:

It also shows how large groups would be catered for:

By joining up square tables. Not in one enormous BRT.

It didn’t come as a surprise that the MW video advertises tennis:

What surprised us is it also advertises two unspoken activities by the T9, sardine munching and golf:

Strangely, no mention of Quiz Nights or initial tennis lectures (and they do advertise everything):

Hopefully the bi-weekly Quiz Nights were more popular than the singers:

Thank you so much to our readers!