Thursday, August 14, 2008
Up Santa Cruz creek without a paddle
You may have seen images of the lovely new lake in the Plaza de España in Santa Cruz and you may have noticed that in many of them that there are people paddling.
Well, don't go getting any bright ideas about pausing there to cool your tired feet during an amble around the city, because, according to this report in Canarias7, the police are already fining people for bathing in the Plaza de España.
Municipal police patrols in Santa Cruz have been given express instructions to fine anyone who bathes in the lake, so "the fun of dipping your toes could cost between 60 and 300 euros."
At least, that's how the Canarias7 news report puts it, though I'd rather hope that common sense is applied (mind you, we are talking about Tenerife: it's not a natural association) and that they only really mean to stop people who are heading for the water with their swimming trunks and towel.
For me, it's still a genuine WTF? ... I mean, what did the Tenerife authorities expect? They get a huge water feature built in a busy public space, right in the middle of a city, in a sub-tropical climate and then they expect people NOT to show any traits of human nature? How likely is this going to happen?
Come on, never mind that this delightful water feature is virtually guaranteed (unless it's drained) to become a mucky cesspit of drunken bodies, empty beer bottles and used condoms floating in the drink at carnaval time. :)
1. Plaza de España en Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 2. Plaza de España,Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 3. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 4. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 5. Untitled, 6. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 7. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 8. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 9. Lago Plaza España
"Up shit creek without a paddle" (Idiom) To be in an undesirable situation. In dire circumstances with no hope of help.
