Madeleine McCann 3 year old missing in Portugal - Part 12

[colomom]

Hello All:

My friend in PDL reports that the walk from the Tapas Bar to the back door (patio doors,which are at the top of the little stairs, behind the gate) takes about a minute and a half. To the front door, which is on the opposite side, by the parking lot, next to the bedroom window, takes two minutes, tops. The Tapas Bar is inside the complex which is surrounded by a wall that is about 6 feet tall. The only way in or out of the complex is through the reception building. The apartment is located just outside the complex. They report that from the bar you can only see the top of the patio doors, a poor view at best. They also said to tell you that the shutters are very difficult to open and almost impossible to leave in the open position. You have to tie off the cord used to raise or lower them. They are made to leave down but still allow you to open the window and get air to pass through.

My friend reports that it is very hot which makes the "searching" really tough. They said that there is so much remote, barren land very close by that a proper search would be very difficult. They have not yet seen the McCanns "in person". They leave for home on Thursday....2 more days.

~Peace

 

[Texana]

Thank you, Colomom, for your friends' comments and your posting them here.

The shutters sound like plantation shutters...same purpose of design.

 

[colomom]

http://ben-fairhall.blogspot.com/2007/08/darkness-falls-on-beach-of-light.html

Darkness Falls on the Beach of Light...

I seem to be for posting looooong reads tonight.....

 

[CaliKid]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/... their missing sister at mealtimes/article.do

Madeleine: Twins insist plate of food laid for their missing sister at mealtimes

 

[englishleigh]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/... their missing sister at mealtimes/article.do

Madeleine: Twins insist plate of food laid for their missing sister at mealtimes

That's so sad. :*( Those children are all so beautiful. Where is Madeleine????

 

[Texana]

That's so sad. :*( Those children are all so beautiful. Where is Madeleine????

Agreed.

:banghead:

So frustrating at this point in time.

 

[april4sky]

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2379833.ece

Madeleine: one fact, many lies, endless grief

"It’s now 124 days since Madeleine McCann disappeared. Our correspondent charts a story that became global, lurid and often invented – and hears how the McCanns learnt to think positively after imagining the darkest scenarios and suffering uncontrollable grief."

Thanks for posting this article Colomom. I hadn't come accross it.
Very interesting and explains well how and why the press lie.

 

[Taximom]

It just makes me sad that it's been this long and she's still missing.

You guys do a good job at keeping up on things here. Thank you for all the interesting links. :blowkiss:

 

[CaliKid]

I'm disgusted with the entire case. I wish they could just find Madeleine.

 

[mrsmousemat]

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2379833.ece

Madeleine: one fact, many lies, endless grief

At least this article shows all the signs that it has been written and researched by a journalist, as it has named sources and direct quotes.

The statement is made that the apartment was broken into - I take this to mean that it must have been locked and therefore a key used.

 

[mrsmousemat]

Thanks for posting this article Colomom. I hadn't come accross it.

Very interesting and explains well how and why the press lie.

Journalists are often on short-term contracts. That is - if they don't come up with a story or a new angle, they are out through the door.

Newspapers are in competition with one another, so the pressure is on for the journalist from his or her editor to come up with something - even if it may not be true. Solid newspapers have cautious lawyers who will stop libellous, unsubstantiated material from reaching the public.

But, if you were a journalist, ask yourself how long it would be before you start writing embellished stories in order to stay in a job - particularly if you have a family to support.

And, as the public continues to buy, read and believe faction, it all rolls along - until someone sues.

 

[Shazza]

Thanks Colomom for relating the news to us through your friends, and to all the posters who have contributed their information and their opinions, this case for some reason has really touched me as I am sure a lot of you too. I need to take a break, but will visit and read and pray for dear little Madelaine, I get too frustrated and it has started to affect my health, so carry on with the great sleuthing and I will be popping in to see if there are new developments in this case.

 

[mrsmousemat]

I'm still interested as to why the McCanns turned down the babysitting service.

Does anyone know exactly what this service was?

Was nice little old ladies, who read bedtime stories and knit - or was it teenage girls who listen outside the apartments every half hour whilst texting their boyfriends? Or anything in between?

If it was the teenage girls outside the apartments, it makes sense that the McCanns would do the same job themselves - if the service was responsible, proper babysitters - no.

And no, I wouldn't have left them anyway, even with a fully trained nanny, so I'm not arguing that it was a sensible thing to do.

 

[jacobean]

Thanks jacobean, it wasnt just your post that I fully didnt understand but there is other information which I have read that needed to be clarified. Sorry if I came across harsh, that was not my intention.

Hi Shazza, no worries, i didnt take it harshly or anything, was just worried id written some well confusing post that didnt make any sense, alot of the articles and sources conflict, so i think i pretty much ended up more confused than before, there is so much i dont understand about this whole case, its so frustrating!

 

[jacobean]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/... their missing sister at mealtimes/article.do

Madeleine: Twins insist plate of food laid for their missing sister at mealtimes

Bless, isnt that just heartbreaking!

Im a bit frustrated that the DNA results still arent back, i understand that they want to be careful and make sure the results are accurate (as much as they can be) and that they have to separate all the different sources, hair/ fibre/blood etc, ....ive tried to find a resource for how long it should take, but i just end up getting offered paternity tests! does anyone know a bit more about DNA testing and how long we can realistically expect it to take??

 

[Shazza]

Hi Shazza, no worries, i didnt take it harshly or anything, was just worried id written some well confusing post that didnt make any sense, alot of the articles and sources conflict, so i think i pretty much ended up more confused than before, there is so much i dont understand about this whole case, its so frustrating!

No worries mate, this case is very frustrating, I have a bit going on in my life at the moment, so just having a little break, will still be reading and posting and catching up with friends, but just need to distance myself for a little while.

 

[colomom]

No worries mate, this case is very frustrating, I have a bit going on in my life at the moment, so just having a little break, will still be reading and posting and catching up with friends, but just need to distance myself for a little while.

I will miss you Shazza, take good care of yourself and put your health first.



I can relate to wanting a break, especially as the "news" is non-existent. My "real" life is also busy, busy, busy these days.

CYA soon!

 

[april4sky]

I'm still interested as to why the McCanns turned down the babysitting service.

Does anyone know exactly what this service was?

Was nice little old ladies, who read bedtime stories and knit - or was it teenage girls who listen outside the apartments every half hour whilst texting their boyfriends? Or anything in between?

If it was the teenage girls outside the apartments, it makes sense that the McCanns would do the same job themselves - if the service was responsible, proper babysitters - no.

And no, I wouldn't have left them anyway, even with a fully trained nanny, so I'm not arguing that it was a sensible thing to do.

This is something I have wondered too because I know hotels do or did offer babylistening services with moniters in bedrooms connected to reception. This is not safe either IMO.

It would be interesting to hear if anyone knows if this is still a common practice in hotels today.

If a similar service was on offer on their holiday it could be a reason, "wrongly" why the McCanns felt it was safe to do their checks themselves.

I don't know if its less safe today or if its just that we are more aware because information is instant and far reaching.

mrsmousemat I fully agree with your last paragraph though. Its not something I would even have considered so it was never an option for me either.

 

[CaliKid]

Hi Shazza,

I hope you feel better soon, but don't forget about us. Post when you can but not so much that you make yourself sick. Love ya.
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http://www.anorak.co.uk/twitterings/176231.html

I wonder if this Penny Wark is any relation to Kristy Wark who interviewed GM in Scotland?

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2379833.ece

In any case, this is a response from Paolo Reis to the above Times article when asked about Portugal's secrecy laws:

Right. But you know that these damned secrecy laws also exist in many other European countries, namely those countries on the other side of the British Channel, like Sweden, Netherlands, France, Spain, Greece. I would say the "segredo de justiça law", as you wrote, exists in some 24 of the 25 countries of the European Union. Now, maybe you can help me with something that has puzzled me, since the begging of this case: in UK, there is no secrecy law, right? Journalists are informed any time British Police has a new suspect in a crime investigation, right?

 

[CaliKid]

I'm still interested as to why the McCanns turned down the babysitting service.

Does anyone know exactly what this service was?

Was nice little old ladies, who read bedtime stories and knit - or was it teenage girls who listen outside the apartments every half hour whilst texting their boyfriends? Or anything in between?

If it was the teenage girls outside the apartments, it makes sense that the McCanns would do the same job themselves - if the service was responsible, proper babysitters - no.

And no, I wouldn't have left them anyway, even with a fully trained nanny, so I'm not arguing that it was a sensible thing to do.

From what I've read about this case, the McCanns had two options in regards to childcare for their children.

1) They could've taken them back to the creche service up until 11:30 p.m. The creche, which they used during the day, apparently employed young British women trained to British standards in childcare- nannies, so to speak. I may be wrong, but I believe this service was free.

2) Someone from the creche service would have gone to their apartment and stayed until the early a.m., I think 1:00 or 1:30. This service cost extra.