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On New Year's Eve, Nochevieja (which translates better to Old Year's Night), or San Silvestre as it is called in Spain, celebrations revolve around the eating of the grapes at midnight.

The idea is to eat 12 "lucky" grapes (Uvas de la Suerte), one grape on each stroke of the clock - all suitably and necessarily (it is extremely difficult to do) washed down with Cava: Spanish bubbly - a tradition that is believed to come from ancient wine-growers.

The New Year is heralded in Spain via the twelve chimes from the Puerta del Sol in Madrid: an hour later in the Canaries (actually, the same time as the UK) (Twice on TV, depending which channel you watch!) with those of the Cabildo (Island Corporation) in Santa Cruz in Tenerife or their counterpart in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The two locations take it in turns and, this year, it's Gran Canaria's turn to say adios to 2005 and welcome in 2006, which will be televised from the historic and emblematic Gabinete Literario.

New Year's Eve is a night for going out. After the chimes, there will usually be fireworks and in many places, there will be a Verbena: all-night street-party with dancing to a Salsa band or a disco.

The custom at New Year is to wear your very best, new clothes.

In Santa Cruz, the Plaza de España will be packed with people and atmosphere if you're looking for fun, as will the church square in Los Cristianos, if you happen to be in the south.

But most large and even small towns have New Years' parties. In Garachico, we've danced to an open air disco (yeah, Jan 1 in the open air, at night, te he) in the town square in front of the bandstand and watched the fireworks set off from the Town Hall roof. There were "party bags" (consisting of the obligatory silly hat, noise makers and packet of grapes) laid on for anyone who turned up. And you get to keep company with the big fish in these small ponds, as the Mayor of Garachico was host.

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The creator of the poster for the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnaval 2006 is Karina Beltrán, an artist born in Buenavista in 1968. Karina obtained a degree in Fine Arts at the University of La Laguna in 1991 and a Postgraduate Diploma at the Chelsea College of Art and Design in 2001, where a year later, she also obtained her Master in Fine Arts. Karina currently lives and works in London.

Creadora del Cartel del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2006

Labels: Carnaval

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Banana cultivation - for which these islands are best known, after tourism and, which forms an important part of the insular economy - has fared best in 2005, thanks to good prices on the mainland, although European aid has not been sufficient.

Increases in gas prices, plus various weather phenomenon, culminating with Tropical Storm Delta, which hit the Canary Islands in November and affected 14,000 plantations, turned 2005 into one of the worst years for agriculture in the archipelago in the last decade. Banana production was 65 million kilos less than in 2004, owing to the bad weather, with costs of production rising.

Agriculture was the worst hit by the recent storms and the highest costs, although they run into millions of Euros of monetary value, are human. The year 2005 has been classified as a year of crisis and uncertainty - to the point that 300 family firms have disappeared.

La agricultura de las Islas despide uno de los peores años de la última década

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Inter-island ferry company, Fred Olsen have announced a 2.4% rise in their tariffs consistent with the general rise in the cost of living, however, as from January 1, their FerryBus service will be free on all of their lines and its use exclusive to ferry passengers.

Olsen have also announced that buying return tickets, passengers will enjoy a 10% discount over single-journey rates. The Canarian Government also recently announced an increase in the discount available to residents, which rises from 35% to 45%.

Fred. Olsen sube de nuevo sus tarifas y anuncia la gratuidad del FerryBus en todas sus líneas

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A drunken air passenger was cast away on an island more than 1,000 miles from home after abusing cabin staff. The unidentified man swore at crew and passengers after being refused a bottle of wine on the four-hour flight from Manchester to Tenerife. In the interests of all the passengers, the pilot diverted the Monarch Airlines Airbus to Porto Santo island off West Africa, where after the plane touched down, the man was marched off by police.

Pilot dumps drunk man on island

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Our intrepid reporter caught up with the jolly old chap in a red suit on December 28, while he was taking a well-earned, post-Christmas holiday at a secret location in Tenerife.

Good old Santa (a.k.a. Papa Noel) has been gaining popularity in the Canary Islands in recent years and, like many millions of other Northern Europeans, Old Nick apparently likes to take a winter sunshine break after the busy season, to get some temporary relief from his rheumatism.

(Look, if Santa can get right around the world in a single night, he certainly deserves a vacation!) But just HOW does Santa get to the Canaries if the airports are so busy at this time of year? As you can see, he enjoys the surf, but even he can hardly catch a wave all the way from the North Pole, can he?

Perhaps he rides down on the back of a whale? No, I think not really. He probably just went on a Whale and Dolphin Safari from Los Cristianos!

There are many places around the islands where Santa can learn to scuba-dive and see the paradise that lies beneath Canarian waters, but the idea of Submarine Santa travelling any distance ... Nah!

A boat, especially a speed-boat, would be a much more efficient option and Santa could park his at one of the many sports marinas. But trailing behind for about 3,875 miles - even if Santa is accustomed to very great speeds - still seems a bit much.

Aha! Perhaps Santa comes by camel, just as the Three Kings do? We'll ask at the Camel Centre in El Tanque if they've ever carried a sober tourist wearing a red suit and white beard, shall we?

How Santa Gets to The Canary Islands

Well, we asked Santa himself and discovered that, actually, it's none of the above - maybe you'll have guessed - and here's exclusive photographic evidence to prove how Santa gets to the Canaries.



Of course, he flies here on his sleigh, just as he does to get to any other location on the planet - as can clearly be seen in this photo taken on Santa's approach to the islands from the North West.

Gracious thanks to NASA (who probably don't use reindeer, camels or burros for propulsion) for the use of their photo. This story is best read on Dec 28.

While you are here, Visit Santa's Tropical Grotto

Labels: Christmas

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El Día de Los Santos Inocentes, falls on the 28th December. What does it mean? Well, it is the Spanish equivalent of April Fool's Day.

And, just like it's counterpart, jokes abound and tricks will be played.

At Ibi, near Benidorm on the Costa Blanca on the Spanish mainland, the tradition is for the workers from the local toy factory (in fancy dress) to take over the administration of justice in the streets from 9 a.m. to midday on this date. Any 'fines' they collect (extort) will go to charities and, they are not subtle. They have been known to handcuff the bank manager and have removed the wheels from a vehicle. Even the police won't stop them.

December 28 in the Catholic church commemorates the assassination of all the male babies: thus The Innocent Saints, on Herod's orders in a vain attempt to kill the child Jesus. Since the Middle Ages, the sacrilegious have remembered this mournful event with humour and, the jovial tradition has continued.

In olden days, bakers made salted tarts, people nailed coins to the floor, etc. The most usual was to cut out a paper effigy and stick it to the back of a passer-by, which they would wear without knowing and, many people will make jokes in bad taste.

On TV and in the newspapers in Spain, bogus stories will appear (a UFO terrorizes the Royal Palace; the President runs off with the daughter of the opposition leader; a new planet has been discovered; all cars with registration ending in 7 must report to the police, etc., etc.), only some of which are later acknowledged to be "inocentadas" - hoaxes in the name of Los Santos Inocentes.

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At this scale, I realize, it is difficult to tell a bird from an aircraft, let alone an canary from a seagull, however, with luck, when I get the soon to be published Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde - the first comprehensive field guide dealing exclusively with the birds of this spectacular region - (that my mum has promised me for my birthday), I shall become a right regular "twitcher" and be able to tell you with 100% certainty what this bird is.

There are many birds of prey here including; Egyptian Vulture, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Eleonora's and Barbary Falcons, however, having seen it's white underside, with the characteristic spot at the top of the "elbow" on the wing's underside - that no way is my small digital camera about to capture - I am certain that these birds, which soar over the El Palmar valley every day, are (Pandion haliaetus) osprey.

These birds are under threat as a result of intense changes in the coast caused by the fast-growing tourism and fishing industries although they were recovered throughout the 1990s.

Normally I see them flying around in pairs, but I have been watching closely over the last few weeks and nearly always seen a group of three. Sometimes one leaves the pair temporarily and much screaming ensues. It is my guess that this is typical teenage behavior and my hope that this is mummy, daddy and chick.

Curiously, I have read online some misinformation that the Canary Islands no longer have canaries. This is poppycock, of course. I see and hear hundreds of them, all day, every day that they have almost become "ordinary". Of the more exotic spottings, I once saw a Hoopoe (pictured on this page) in Los Cristianos.

Locally, there are a pair of grey wagtails nesting in a bank. The first time I saw them, they were hopping around the water tanks in the lane. Naturally, I introduced myself. Next day, they were on the telephone wires above my patio. The third morning I met them, they were on the patio floor and looked as if they were about to wander in the house. (The odd pigeon already has). This is all very well, but not with five cats around, so I had to shoo them off to safety.

It makes it all the more fascinating to watch and there are certainly plenty of species of both flora and fauna to observe around here. As you can tell, I bearly have to go out of the front door to see it.

Related links:
Kent Ornithological Society - Tenerife, The Canary Islands
Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife
Where to watch birds in Spain
One busy day's spotting in Tenerife
Pandion haliaetus (osprey)
Current status and distribution of birds of prey in the Canary Islands

Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde
This is the first comprehensive field guide dealing exclusively with the birds of this spectacular region. It covers all resident, migrant and vagrant species found in Macaronesia which comprises the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde. Over 450 species are illustrated with full details all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Concise text describes identification, status, range, habits and voice. This authoritative book will not only be an indispensable guide to the visiting birder, but also a vital tool for those engaged in work to conserve and study the avifauna of this region. The Atlantic Islands shelter a remarkable diversity of birds, many seriously endangered with small and vulnerable ranges.

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In Tenerife and the Canary Islands, the gift-buying season is only just about to get fully underway. Gifts, you see, come with Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) at Epiphany on January 6th.

Whether you wait until then or spend a little of the money that was perhaps given to you by the jolly old chap from the North Pole, there are lots of items - in all price brackets - with Canary Island flavour for you to choose from. This article from ABC, Los Reyes Magos del Archipiélago [translation] will give you lots of ideas.

Everything from Canary Island wines that are currently enjoying a renaissance, craft items such as pottery or baskets (look for the artisan basket shop on the road through the El Palmar valley), gastronomical delights, "politically incorrect" hand-made cigars, right up to shoes from La Palma born designer Manolo Blahnik.

This was news to me too. Unlike Blahnik, you won't find me making shoes for my pet dog and, I would be far more likely to go the the army surplus to buy suitable footwear for stomping around muddy fields with her.

But the favorite designer of Sarah Jessica Parker's Sex And The City character Carrie Bradshaw, was born in 1943 in Santa Cruz de la Palma in Spain's Canary Islands to a Spanish mother and Czech father and raised on a banana plantation.

It is often said here that Madonna's song, La Isla Bonita, refers to the island of La Palma, which is just a few miles north west of Tenerife. In the past, I had scoffed at such a notion and thought, with some amusement, that it was probably unlikely she had even heard of the place. Perhaps I was wrong, however, considering that Madonna apparently once called Blahnik's designs "as good as sex" and added that, "what's more, they last longer". (Source)

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Many locals and tourists alike visit Mount Teide on Christmas Day - which is likely to be snow-capped at this time of year - that it is almost a ritual.

The trip - only an hour or so's drive - is a real "Christmas experience", passing through the Canary pine forests, seeing the vast number of wild poinsettias & other natural Christmas decorations en route.

You can just stay in the resort and have a "traditional Christmas dinner" at one of the many bars and restaurants catering to the mainly British trade, but it seems such a shame to do that, when you have all this natural, real Christmas stuff on the doorstep.


As you can see from the still (taken from the Canarian Institute of Astrophysics webcam early on Christmas morning), there was a little snow in 2005.
Wrap up in a jacket, but if you get cold, call into one of the mountain's bars for churros con chocolate ... that's hot chocolate with sort of donut things.

Provided you are not the day's designated driver, you might also like to try a Lumumba, which is hot chocolate and brandy. Be warned though, this is pretty lethal stuff at high altitude.

Just an hour or so later, you could be back on the beach, enjoying the average 22-26º C (71-79º F) year-round temperatures.

Where else in the world can you do all of this on Christmas Day?

Christmas Lunch

Whilst you can get a traditional Christmas Dinner in the resorts, don't expect there to be a Christmas menu at the few Canarian restaurants you may find open. Many will close, except those in areas where they expect there to be any number of tourists. In homes, rabbit was the traditional fayre, a Canarian staple, but the quantity of turkey being sold in supermarkets has risen sharply in the last couple of years.

One year, before their commercial arrival, two turkeys were acquired, having been brought up in someone's mother's back yard. I'm not really keen on personally knowing my dinner in life and thought it apt, poetic justice when the chap who had been given the job of ... well, you know, presented his finger, all bandaged, after the unfortunate bird had put up a bit of resistance. But you really haven't tasted turkey until you have experienced this extremely fresh and free-range variety. :)

Labels: Christmas

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Detail of the Nativity at El PalmarThe main celebrations in Spain and the Canary Islands, as in many European countries, are on Christmas Eve, Nochebuena, when the family will get together to share an evening meal.

Food at Christmas revolves around the sweet stuff, with Truchas de Batata (sweet potato pies) and a mountain of fruit, nuts and sweets, especially polverones, turrones and mazapan.

For many years I've spent Christmas Eve, Nochebuena, in 'El Pueblo', Canarian style. The typical fayre, generally, is barbecued meat with boiled potatoes. Yams are usually eaten after the meal, sweetened with sugar or honey (palm honey is good too!).

If resources permit, a whole goat kid or suckling pig is preferable as tradition dictated that this meal should not be of fish. For many poor families here, Christmas Eve is one of the few celebration times when they will have any quantity of meat, so it is very simply prepared, quickly enjoyed and followed by the vast array of sweets.

Celebrations may go on quite late and the gathered family will probably start singing and playing Canarian Folk music. This isn't traditionally a time for the exchanging of gifts. That comes later, at Epiphany, or for the fortunate few, it might be both.

Long ago the meal was served after attending the Misa de Gallo (Midnight Mass): the 24th being a day of fasting and abstinence, but that has tended to change these days. The mass, at which carols may be sung, being left out altogether by a large majority.

In Los Cristianos and other multi-nationally populated areas, there are usually carol services in a wonderful pot-purri of Spanish, English, German and Latin. In smaller villages, local children perform the Nativity (with often interesting and humorous interpretation). Folk groups provide the accompaniment.

One year at El Palmar, the dialogue went, roughly:

Joseph: (speaks to innkeeper) "Can we come in, only my wife isn't feeling too good."

Innkeeper: "Well, if she's ill she can't come in here. Take her to the health center!

I don't remember that being in the original version. It was truly unexpected and had everyone rolling in the isles at the Nativity in the little church.

This year the mass was more traditional, with a visiting priest from El Salvador, which was an opportunity to see another viewpoint.

Carol singing, Villancicos
Selection of carols in Spanish and Latin http://www.navidaddigital.com/villancicos/
La Navidad Latina Carols, Christmas Music, Traditions, History, Recipes, Stories, Postcards and loads of kids' stuff. In Spanish, but you'll enjoy the music! http://www.navidadlatina.com

Labels: Christmas

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Today's Christmas Lottery Draw, El Gordo (The Fat One) made millionaires in Barcelona and Valencia, but, yet again, none of the top prizes brought any fortune to the "Fortunate Islands".

Almost eight percent of the consigned numbers for the Canary Islands were returned, unsold. Nevertheless, 390,000 ticket holders in the archipelago were today hoping for a first prize. If they'd got one, it would have been only the forth time in the history of the draw.

This is a phenomenon that leaves the Canary Islands population with little faith in the big draw, compared to that which they have in "El Niño", the next extraordinary draw that will be held on January 6th, which seems to be more favorable to the islands.

The El Gordo Christmas draw is the most traditional in Spain and it's a habit that everybody plays the lottery on December 22.

This year Spaniards spent an average of 73.00 euros in the draw that shares most prizes in the world, with 13,334 individual prizes and 2,023 million euros total prize money up for grabs.

Yet, hopefulls in Tenerife seem to have scored a big, fat zero in the Christmas draw and only a total of 50,000 Euros in minor prizes were reported to have been distributed in Gran Canaria.

The Christmas 2005 first prize of 3 million Euros per ticket (300,000 Euros per décimo) went to holders of number 20085.

As they do every year, children from the 500 year old Colegio de San Ildefonso school for orphans in Madrid, draw and sing out the numbers of the winning tickets.

The El Gordo draw is part of the National Lottery managed by the Spanish government, which was created in 1763. The first draw in which boys from the school took part, was in March 1771. Since 1984, girls have participated too.

Mention must be made, however, of the numerous scams that have operated in recent years. Email "spam" and letters have been sent to many people around the world claiming they have won an "El Gordo" prize, but, if you didn't buy a ticket, you did NOT win.

El Gordo Lottery 2005
Más de 390.000 billetes aspiran hoy al cuarto «Gordo» de Navidad en Canarias
LOS NIÑOS DE LA SUERTE
HISTORIA DE LA LOTERIA NACIONAL
Advice about scams

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This year, the Town hall of Adeje in south Tenerife has launched a Christmas campaign, that aims to guide the population to local outlets for their Christmas shopping, to boost local commerce. The Department explained that by shopping in the borough of Adeje, not only will the shoppers save petrol, time and effort, but they will also be contributing to local development. San Miguel has also launched a similar promotional campaign for the festive period.

Residents urged to shop locally

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The population of the Canary Islands at January 1, 2005, was 1,968,280 people, some 2.8% more than in 2004, according to information released by the Canarian Statistics Institute.

Tenerife and Gran Canaria have the largest numbers of inhabitants, with 838,877 y 802,247, respectively. Tenerife saw a rise of 3.2% in the population between 2004 and 2005, while, in Fuerteventura the numbers rose most rapidly with an 8.3% increase in the year.

La población residente en Canarias se sitúa cerca de los 2 millones de habitantes, un 2,8 % más que en 2004

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"Passengers are much more adventurous today than they were just a few years ago, so while the traditional sunspots like Tenerife are popular as ever, more and more people are travelling even further afield this Christmas.", says this BBC report.

Festive getaway set to take off

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How aviation hobbyists put vital evidence about secret CIA flights on the Web—and provided evidence for lawsuits about detainee abuse. Plane spotters have played a key role keeping the issue of so-called “torture flights” — and images of the aircraft themselves — in front of the public eye. When Newsweek reporter, Christopher Dickey, finally got him on his cell phone, Javier Rodríguez had his Canon trained on Tenerife airport in the Canary Islands.

Plane Spotting

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When Thelma Fenn sat down to write a postcard from Tenerife to her close friend in Norwich, little did she realise it would take so long to reach its destination - nearly five years in fact.

Postcard arrives five years late

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"According to Travel Counsellors, Tenerife is the top destination for Britons this Christmas, replacing Barbados which was number one in 2004 and 2003.", say the Manchester Evening News.

Tenerife is top Christmas destination

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The life of Celia Cruz is being made into a musical, which is set to premiere in 2007 in Tenerife, Spain. It is then projected to play off-Broadway. The theme to Tenerife's Carnaval in 2004, also paid homage to the salsa queen, who died at 78 in 2003.

Musical celebrates life of salsa queen Cruz

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Even though most supermarkets offer online shopping, airlines and other transport services offer online booking and most Spanish banks offer electronic banking, the vast majority of Spaniards still tend to do the weekly shop at the supermarket, book their holidays at the local travel agent, and visit their bank to do transactions. Judging by the results of the recent WatchMouse survey, retailers in Spain still have a long way to go if they are to pursuade an Internet-reticent population to embrace online services.

Online shops in Spain

Whilst this may be the situation in mainland Spain, online ordering from supermarkets is still not available, to my knowledge (a real inconvenience, living in such a remote area) in the Canary Islands. I was also disappointed to discover yesterday that Al Campo in Los Realejos has even suspended their home delivery service due to lack of demand. It seems Canary Island shoppers too, still like to do their shopping the hard way. Stores still have a long way to go if they hope to impress those of us who have embraced the internet.

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Spanish consumers are expected to spend an average of 833 euros on their Christmas this year, with people living in Madrid spending most on Christmas (an average of 941 euros per person). At the other end of the scale, people in the Canary Islands spend least during the Christmas season (on average 777 euros per person).

The cost of Christmas in Spain

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"This year has been the warmest on record in the Northern Hemisphere, say scientists in Britain. Ocean temperatures recorded in the Northern Hemisphere Atlantic Ocean have also been the hottest on record.", say the BBC. Could this be the reason for the increase in bad storms to hit the Canary Islands this year?

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The European Commission said it has approved 270.5 million euros in aid earmarked to promote business in the Canary Islands. The commission said the aid, which will act as an 'incentive to business creation and expansion', complies with EU rules. EU Approves 270.5 Million Euro Aid for Canary Islands Business Development

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An unidentified woman became the first fatal victim of a violent storm that affected the Canary Islands on Tuesday. She was washed away in Fañabe Alto in the south of Tenerife. The whole of the archipelago was put on severe weather alert, although the worst affected area was the islands to the southeast. Local authorities advised people to equip themselves with torches and battery-operated radios in case there was a repeat of the power cuts experienced during tropical storm Delta.

Canary Islands storm claims first victim

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Here's another really quick and simple seafood soup (warming for every day, impressive enough for entertaining too) from my own kitchen.

The recipe is based on a soup I was served once at the restaurant El Rubio in the small seaside village of La Caleta de Interian, near Los Silos on the north coast of Tenerife.

Ingredients:

Assorted seafood (I used prawns and muscles)
1 liter fish stock
a handful (1 tablespoon approx.) rice
Herbs & seasoning to taste

Method:

Put the fish stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the seafood and cook for five minutes more. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with crusty bread.

(NB: This doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg either, because you can be mean and count out the number of muscles or whatever to the exact number of portions. One liter serves 4 approx.)

Of course the fish stock can be made from a cube. Tienda.com have the authentic Pescado, Fish Bouillon cubes from Gallina Blanca. (You'll find them under paella ingredients, but they are just as suitable for this purpose.)

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This typical Christmas sweet is simple to make even for kids.

Ingredients for one bar of turrón:
250 grams of butter
250 grams of cake
100 grams (4 Oz) of almonds
100 grams (4 Oz) of walnuts
1 x 150 gram (6 Oz) tablet of chocolate
8 tablespoons of sugar

Method: Put the chocolate in a basin over a saucepan of hot water and leave it to melt. Work the butter with the sugar until you obtain a creamy consistency. Add the tepid chocolate to the cream with the crumbled cakes and mix the whole lot together well. Add the almonds and walnuts, well chopped. Turn the mixture into a rectangular mold, lined with greaseproof paper that has been spread with butter. Leave it to set in the fridge or a cool place for 24 hours before removing from the mold. (Waiting 24 hours is the hard part!) Cut into squares to serve.

On the other hand, if you are in the US and prefer to buy authentic turrón ready made, the fabulous Tienda.com have it in many popular flavours.

You're still in time to order now for Christmas delivery and they have Fresh Christmas Turrón! Their latest shipment of turrón candy was freshly made just weeks ago, guaranteeing the freshest, tastiest turrón possible.

Labels: Christmas

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I found a lovely German website which has a set of photos covering a circular route, walking around this area, particularly Teno Alto.

They end up at the same restaurant, Mesón del Norte, that we ate at yesterday and there are lots of happy, free-range goats to see on the way, like the one pictured above and her cute little kids.

Teno is famous for it's truly fresh and wonderful goat's cheese.

You will not need a translation to see the photos. The main page is here and you can click on any of the photos at the bottom of the page to start the route. Zurück means back and Weiter means forward, but I'll bet you'll have worked that out from the arrows.

Teneriffa-Wandern also have reports and details of many other walks and sets of photos from other areas of Tenerife.

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It's a curious thing, but the British have a (deserved) reputation for only ever talking about the weather. It is our preoccupation. What you probably don't realize is that we are far from being alone.

Canarians talk about the weather too, they always have, but the incidence of conversations about the weather has certainly grown over the last few years, as the weather has become more varied and less predictable on these islands. And when one realizes how much more dependent upon the climate we are here, for the fate of crops in particular, then you see why it becomes a justifiable concern.

Depending upon which forecast you consult, there is a chance of thunder storms either tomorrow, Wednesday and/or Thursday. The wind speeds forecast are not particularly high and certainly do not indicate the likelihood of a seriously bad storm. Don't panic!

But, this morning, although fairly clear, the winds did get up - in gusts - with pockets of warm air that are characteristic of a brewing storm and conversation with folk one meets out walking turned to the weather and the hope that the electricity would remain working.

(I'll avoid a long rant, but the reason why a tiny bit of bad weather can cause the electricity to fail here is because the installations are basically third-world. My late father was an electrical engineer, so I am speaking from a position of being "informed" on this.)

What was of interest this morning was in learning that the valley of El Palmar has only had electricity anyway for approximately 35 to 40 years. (I understand they have only had roads that long too.) Prior to that, they had only candles and camping gas lanterns for lighting.

To think that this is within my lifetime is, well, a revelation.

The lady I was chatting with this morning said that one man eventually figured out a way to generate electricity using an old car engine and her dad went out and bought a TV right away.

That too is characteristic of developments on these islands. One day you are ambling along in the 19th Century, the next you run slap-bang into the 21st. There is no gradual development.

Likewise, when I came to the island only 13 years ago, there was no mobile phone network at all. Once it was installed, every goat herder and his dog had a tiny mobile phone on his belt.

They did not live through the gradual development of car-phones to lugabble huge mobile phones, through those chunky Motorolla's that were a good security device - not for phoning for help but for thumping attackers with - to eventually arrive at the minute mobiles of today that take pictures, surf the net, sweep the floors and make the coffee. (Well, maybe the last two are wishful thinking :)

(Please, will someone make one that makes phone calls and has buttons that middle-aged folk like me can actually see!)

When you think about it, the Canarian people have an unique ability to assimilate new ideas and adapt quickly to new inventions.

However, this lady, like me, said that the only thing there is to do here, once the electricity goes off, is to go to bed. What you've never had, you don't miss, but once you've become used to the "luxury" (and it still is here), there is no going back.

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The most important Christmas symbol in Spain and the Canary Islands is the Nativity or Belén (Bethlehem), which in most homes, is arranged under the tree. Oh and this is a truly family affair: don't expect "historical accuracy" in homes. I've seen both Jedi and Barbie dolls attending the baby Jesus, along with shepherds and Magi!

Organized Nativity displays are something else. Town Halls and Associations produce massive works of art each year.

Not just stable scenes, but whole Holy model towns - often, inexplicably, depicting the Canarian location they're at - with working windmills, lights & everything! If you can get to see one in person, it's well worth the trip. If not, here is a sampling.

Belenes Paso a Paso (Beautiful photo galleries)
http://www.iespana.es/belenes/fotosmenu.htm
La Página Navideña - Belenes (Links)
http://www.navidaddigital.com/belenes/
Belenes hogareños (Nativity displays in homes)
http://www.navidaddigital.com/galeria/v/pesebres/

In Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz, there are two famous Belén displays that are opened to the public each year. The first is in the Cultural Center of CajaCanarias at Plaza del Patriotismo, 1, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Open from December 2, 2005 until January 5, 2006 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. only on Saturdays. Source.

The other is organized by the Cultural department of Santa Cruz Town Hall and can be found in the exhibition hall (Aula Magna) of the Cultural Park, Parque Cultural Viera y Clavijo. This Belén can be visited from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. daily, from December 16, 2005 until January 6, 2006. Source.

The latter, made by José Fariña Bethencourt, covers 55 square meters and has more than 600 hand-made pieces, plus numerous lighting effects and movements, such as the breaking of dawn, nightfall, a storm with winds, thunder and lightening, the apparition of an angel, rivers and canals, the baby crying, etc.

Labels: Christmas

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More indispensible sweet things for Christmas are Polvorones. (Spoil yourself, it's only once a year!) So, here's a simple recipe for making them. If you don't feel so inclined, La Tienda have polvorones ready made. They also have an alternative recipe in their current newsletter.

Ingredients:

500 grams (1 l.b.) of sugar
500 grams (1 l.b.) of lard
1 KG (2 lbs.) of flour
A good pinch of ground cinnamon
The grated rind of a green lemon
A good pinch of ground aniseed

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with the hands until it forms a paste. To make the polverones, take small handfuls of the mixture and make into small ovals, something like cookies. Place the polverones onto a baking tray, greased with butter or lard, and bake them in the oven until golden brown.

Labels: Christmas

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One of my, admittedly many, favorite sweet things of the Christmas season are these delicious little sweet potato pies. Since you may not have them available in the shops near you, here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
3 tablespoons of lard
1 small glass of olive oil
500 grams (1 l.b.) flour.

For the filling:
500 grams (1 l.b.) sweet potatoes
250 grams (8 Oz) almonds
1 small cup of caster sugar
3 egg yolks
A teaspoon of aniseed
A dash of rum
A dash of aniseed liqueur
A teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Grated lemon rind
Oil for frying.

Preparation:

Filling: Boil the sweet potatoes in water with a little salt. When they are done, peel them, pound to a pulp and mix them with the almonds, flavourings and liqueurs.

Pastry: Mix together lard, oil and flour until a mass is formed and leave to rest for a short time. Cover a surface with flour and roll out the pastry until very thin. Cut out small rounds with a cup and put a small amount of filling into the cent