Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Canary Islands MP demands same statute as Cataluña
Anyone who has read any Spanish news or watched any Spanish TV in the last few weeks will have heard the word "statut" (statute) over and over and ... It is a serious issue, but it has got to the point of being either a) boring or b) a farce.
The statute in question, in case you are unfamiliar, aims to grant even more autonomy to the regional government. Spain already operates on this basis, where individual regions, for ease of comparison, because, obviously, it not exactly the same, are somewhat like the various States of America, each with their own governments, as well as a national government.
Those who are against granting further independence to these regions, fear that it is the end of Spain as we know it.
Those who are for these statute changes, generally cite more relevant governance locally, which is in tune with the specific needs, culture, people, economy, conditions, etc.
There can be no doubt that the Canary Islands condition as islands does suppose a very particular set of circumstances.
There's also the "if you give it one, they'll all want it" issue.
So it occurred to me that, any minute now, someone will want the same treatment for the Canary Islands ...
Think Spain are reporting that Paulino Rivero, the President of the Canary Islands Coalition, and a member of the Madrid Parliament stated that he expected the same treatment for the Canary Islands as that afforded Cataluña in the reform of the local Statutes of Autonomy. He added that he would be asking the Socialist Government for the same powers for the Canary Islands as have been granted to Cataluña.
Canary Islands MP demands same statute as Cataluña
Sunday, January 29, 2006
New wave Canaries
Harbour Breakwater At Sunset., Puerto De La Cruz, Isla De La Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain Buy this Print
Los Angeles Times reporter, Susan Spano, visited Tenerife in mid-January and got surprised by the "little island, with many climates". Having been unable to reach the Parador in the Teide National Park, because of nieve - snow, she talks of walking among the 16th and 17th Century palaces of La Laguna.
Ms Spano's account is, thus, likely to be one of the last to describe the latticework and wood balconies that hung over the streets and the blissfully peaceful and green interior courtyards of the sadly now gutted Bishop's Palace, Casa Salazar.
It also meant that she stayed, accidentally, in La Laguna, at the Hotel Nivaria, a building from the seventeenth century, which originally hosted aristocratic families and was then the starting point for those who went to discover the New World.
It is nice to read this excellent account of the better attractions of Tenerife, written by an American and which puts the island into a context that prospective US visitors will understand, by making comparisons to places they will know.
And note that she considered prices "surprisingly reasonable", even at Santa Cruz' top hotel, the Sheraton Mencey.
Read the article: New wave Canaries
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Tenerife's North South Divide
My mother was concerned on her last visit that the floor inside my car was wet after it had rained, you know, like there is something wrong with that which needed fixing. This mystified me. After all, it has leaked ever since it was brand new. I mentioned this at the garage once, but they responded with the usual, unconcerned shrug. Well, if they - the experts - don't think this is a problem, then I can't see how I can, do you?
Leslie at Scribbles from Tenerife seems to confirm that the above is, indeed, normal behaviour for vehicles here, both old and new. Leslie is also correct in saying that rain is more frequent on the north of the island. As you can see, it is wet - and thus green - enough in this valley to nearly confuse it with green and pleasant Ireland.
But are we more prepared up here in the north?
Well, not so as I'd noticed. In fact, quite the converse.
England has it's north south divide demarcated by the Watford Gap. Also as Leslie points out, Tenerife has it's own version, a humping great backbone of over two mile high mountains. For sure, there are big differences, but not in human nature.
In middle England, we'd get this horrible grey slushy stuff every winter that someone dared to claim was snow. And, every year, it arrived completely out of the blue and was treated as if it was a great big surprise. Town halls would have forgotten to get salt in - or they'd blame the previous party for not leaving a budget for it - and everything would come to a standstill.
Similarly, it comes as a great surprise to everyone when it rains heavily in Tenerife. And for much the same selection of financial and political reasons, nothing anywhere is ready to deal with it.
Actually, 15 years ago on the south of the island, you would get your two days of rain, some time between November and March. The road surfaces would wash away (by surprise), but once the sun came out again, you KNEW that was your lot for at least another six months. Now that really has changed in the last few years, so you can, just, understand why buildings in the south were never designed to cope with torrential rain. Over here in the north, that excuse wears mighty thin.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that some climatic difference was acknowledged way back in history. Yet the only real architectural difference is that the shutters are normally on the inside rather than the outside of windows, but that's probably only so you don't lose them in the high winds.
As for waterproofing anything, ha!
No, we too have inadequate roofs that leak every time.
I suppose I should count my blessings that after seven years of seriously nagging my landlords, it is only one bit of roof that now regularly leaks great lakes of water into the house. Looking on the bright side, after all the floods and damp, at least there is nothing much left of my possessions to damage any more.
Sensible people do have dehumidifiers going 24/7 over here.
Our dried up riverbeds tend to be a lot steeper over this side, but that is probably the only reason that they haven't all been developed yet. Roads still turn into rivers of rapids carrying mud, rocks and assorted rubbish. Much steeper, deeper and faster than it appears too. They regularly become impassable.
We also have less investment in roads and other facilities in these rural areas. Narrow mountain roads quickly become dangerous with both flooding and falling rocks. Light drizzle is enough to make electricity into an optional extra.
There are compensations, of course. (When I discover what they are, I'll let you know!) No, that's not true. This type of rain only happens once or twice a year, it does provide the fertile environment for agriculture, wonderful displays of year-round spring flowers, constantly twittering birdies, butterflies and more that you would not see on the south of the island. The people and their way of life over here, is far more real.
We get a different type of tourist over here too. They are more likely to be walking somewhere, so their footwear will be more suitable to cope with most weathers and they may be more adequately dressed, but they still greatly underestimate.
And where does a soggy camper, whose tent slid down a muddy hillside get help if busses finish for the day and Antonio the only local taximan retires for the night by early evening? Answers on a postcard, please. Considering that rain is expected here, I think the north is even more ill prepared than the south. Inexcusably so.
Stop Press: The World is Round!
The Canary Islands have played their part in so many important voyages of discovery, perhaps most famously when Columbus, stopped off in the neighbouring islands of Gran Canaria and La Gomera in 1492. He also visited El Hierro on later voyages.
Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese maritime explorer who led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the earth, is said to have visited Tenerife, arriving on September 26, 1519, near the start of that particular important three year voyage of discovery.
In those days, legend had it that it never rained here - my how things have changed - and there were no rivers nor springs. There was also talk of a tree whose leaves distilled drops of water, which served to supply both humans and animals.
That tree, the Garoé, thought to have been an "Ocotea Foetens", a type of laurel endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands, existed on the island of El Hierro. One example, commemorated with a plaza and six wells that collected the water, existed at about 1,000 meters above sea level near Tiñor. It's existence appeared to be mythical, because it was uprooted in a hurricane in 1610 and it's disappearance coincides with the extinction of the indigenous culture, who had dedicated a cult to the tree, from the island.
However, Antonio Pigafetta apparently added a note to his account for that day of the voyage to the effect that after not encountering a single drop of water to replenish their supplies, "at midday a cloud came down over the sky, surrounding an enormous tree that there was on that island, distilling water from it's leaves and branches." This would seem to suggest that they were, in fact, in El Hierro, not Tenerife.
The ships left the Canary Islands on October 3rd, 1519. 
Map tracing Magellan's world voyage, once owned by Charles V, 1545 Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com
Magellan himself did not complete the circumnavigation; he was killed during the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines.
Juan Sebastian Elcano, took over command of the expedition after Magellan's death - one of only 18 to return, of the 250 or so men who started the voyage - and became the first man to complete the circumnavigation of the - clearly circular - world.
Among the curiosities of their discoveries, was the need for an International date line. Of course, they were the first to notice that going round the earth westward resulted in winning one day: upon their return they observed a mismatch of one day between their calendars and those who did not travel.
That made El Hierro, also known as The Meridian island, once the western-most point of the known world and used as the reference on maps, the ideal jumping off point for this voyage.
The Juan Sebastián Elcano is the training ship of the Spanish Navy, launched on March 5, 1927. The ship has certainly visited Tenerife, in 2003 during her eighth circumnavigation of the world and again in March 2006, after a major refit.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Tenerife Auditorium by Night
This photo of Santiago Calatrava's Auditorio de Tenerife, available here at Wikipedia, comes in a high resolution version at 1024 x 768 pixels, so would also make an excellent wallpaper.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Carnaval is Illegal?
THE most emblematic and important date on Tenerife's fiesta calendar, no, in the world (after Rio) - Santa Cruz Carnaval - is illegal, according to residents of eight neighborhoods of the island's capital, who, through their lawyer, have presented a claim in the courts aiming to prevent the carnaval from being celebrated in the zones in which they reside.
Reporter, Bernardo Sagastume at ABC has the details.
The matter also made the TV news today and, I have to say, that I just HOPE it is some kind of sick joke or a publicity stunt to create interest in the Carnaval itself. Well, that is more comfortable to contemplate than that it may be serious.
Goodness, this is not the fun-loving image of Canarians that we have come to expect, is it? What a bunch of party poopers!
Now, I will be the first to admit that when there is a fiesta going on in your village and the salsa music is still making the legs of your bed dance in rhythm at 5 a.m., night after night, but you work in a job that doesn't respect the local holidays, then it can be a tad inconvenient, but you live with it.
Sure, the celebrations can be moved to another location, but there is always going to be someone within earshot ready to be disturbed, unless you move the party to mars!
Besides, it was my impression that most employers on the island understand that people will be late and not a lot gets done during Carnaval. Or is the island becoming more "efficient" and that such relaxed attitudes have become a thing of the past?
It is a VERY sad day, if that is the case.
A culture that knows how to enjoy itself is much healthier, both physically and mentally and, for that reason alone, I think it is extremely important to preserve these customs.
I wonder if the residents of Santa Cruz would prefer a Carnival on the London model, where there is (or at least there was) a 7 p.m. curfew? On the surface, that may sound great to sleep-deprived residents, until you look at the balance.
Curfews and prohibitions - that require a large police presence to enforce - lead to just the sort of tensions between party-goers and the authorities that have been known to end in riots in the British capital, but that so far, have been avoided in Tenerife, despite the large numbers who attend each year.
It may be a case of "be careful what you ask for", because the solution may be more disruptive than the original problem.
Since I am no lawyer, I cannot say whether the legislation they are quoting applies to this particular event, however, my guess would be that Carnaval is too important from the economic point of view for the action to succeed.
From what I understand of Carnaval's history, the tradition originally came to the islands with the conquistadores 500 years ago, although it is true that neither the authorities nor the church approved and dances in the streets were prohibited.
But, such was the strength of the public desire to celebrate the fiestas, that even after the Civil War (1936-1939) and the prohibition in the time of Franco, people continued to celebrate Carnival in their homes, until the 1960's when the party returned to the streets under the disguise of "Winter Festival".
It wasn't until 1976 that, finally, without the censorship that characterized the dictatorship that it was actually able to be called Carnaval and the event reached it's zenith.
Surely, no one wants to turn back the clock?
Labels: Carnaval 2006
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Yellow Window Garachico
This delightful image by Ralf Ramge shows one of Garachico's most characteristic carved wooden windows and is available as Windows wallpaper. After you go to this page, click on the image itself. The full size version will pop up for you to download and set as your wallpaper. Yellow Window Garachico
Wet, wet, wet in Tenerife
January 24 2006 will be remembered in Tenerife as the day that the rains came down – really down. It was the rainiest January day on record with the torrential rains particularly heavy in the early hours of the morning and affecting most especially the southern part of the island where an amazing 145 litres per square metre fell in Güímar, and 124 in Caletillas. Also torrentially noteworthy were Arona which recorded 95 litres per square metre and San Miguel de Abona with 80.
Wet, wet, wet in Tenerife
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Tapas : A Taste of Spain in America
OK, so there is nothing specifically Canarian about Tapas (UK visitors click here), except that the Spanish eating phenomenon is just as popular here as it is in all other parts of Spain.
But, provided one remembers to tune in an hour earlier than TVE's published time of 19:20 CET (i.e. 18:20 WET in the Canaries), one can watch Jose Andres each weekday evening.
Jose Andres inspires, surprises and delights with his passion and a sense of a living culinary tradition. He's a joy to watch and I love his explanations of the origins of food, which culture brought the influence or ingredient to Spain, how to select the best, etc. He also typifies today's Spain: absolutely steeped in tradition and avant garde in the same breath.
He clearly enjoys his work too and that rubs off.
Whilst watching, the thought crossed my mind, "Oh, I wonder if he has a book?", thinking only of myself and that it would be in Spanish. Well, heck, I hardly ever leave a remote valley - how was I to know that he's also a Washington restauranteur?
Since he is available in English, I thought you might like to be introduced to Jose Andres and his mouthwatering Tapas too.
Above Me Only Sky
"Living on the north west coast of Tenerife, it’s impossible to ignore Mount Teide.", says the author of this article in Living Tenerife Magazine. Like the author, I live in north west Tenerife and agree that the mountain's mere presence cannot be ignored, even if you can't see if from where I am.
Unlike the author though, I took the cable car on the only occasion I went up to the top of the volcano. Personally - since I had my eyes closed and my hand held all the way - this alone takes some courage, but the experience just has to be that much more authentic if you climb up on foot.
Above Me Only Sky
Residents want cables buried
Visitors to the Canary Islands can hardly miss these ugly sights that mar the landscape: the proliferation of overhead electrical cables, strung up like the islands' dirty laundry everywhere.
Well, those that are still standing after Tropical Storm Delta. For a few brief moments, when they said that the fallen lines would be put underground temporarily while the network was rebuilt, I hoped that the powers that be would "see the light".
The cables had already proven to be a danger. This was most dramatically demonstrated when a rescue helicopter became entangled, killing all five occupants, while trying to take injured away from a bus accident in Gran Canaria in March 2004.
It is also highly likely that the cables have been cause of more than one near miss, especially as helicopters are much needed for rescues, air lifts and firefighting around our rugged terrain.
What the health implications of such high tension wires are, depends on which expert you talk to. On islands that rely heavily on tourism and aesthetics of the landscape for their livelihood, then this OUGHT to also be taken into consideration, but I have never heard it being mentioned in that light.
My late father had been an electrical engineer. Not just any old "spark" mind you, he'd been responsible, during a large and fairly distinguished career in which he met with, legend, Red Adair, for designing humongous transformers and for supplying electrical equipment for the Iranian oil fields (pre-Revolution).
Therefore, I have no trouble in accepting his estimation that these hanging disasters waiting to happen are all wrong.
The fact that the cables are strung up in the manner they are, he explained, is the very cause of the disruptions to supply that we get every time there is a bit of bad weather. It only takes a strong wind - something so common in the Canaries that he was frankly exasperated by the ill considered methods - to bring cables too close together and some rain to cause a short.
Indeed, I've watched horrified as cables attached to the roof of my house created veritable firework displays with white hot sparks flying everywhere, in only a minor storm.
Not only does this cause unnecessary interruptions in the electrical supply, with all its accompanying inconveniences; inability to work, negative effects on health through lack of facilities, loss of frozen food, etc., but as all Canary Island residents will confirm, inevitably causes surges that damage appliances that then have to be replaced. I've never bothered to claim against Unelco, because I am sure it would only waste even more of my time, but I have lost count of the cost of these additional expenses and losses over the years.
Oh, I accept that once upon a time there was probably neither the money nor the capability to bury cables, given the hard, volcanic rock that makes up a goodly part of the islands' surfaces, but that was then. This is the 21st Century.
And if, as the experts predict from the warming of the oceans, that the Canary Islands are likely to see more of the weather phenomenon like Tropical Storm Delta that visited us last November, then I think we all, residents and authorities alike, really NEED to see this as the wake up call.
Recently in Madrid, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, José Montilla, promised better stability for the Canarian electrical system and, indeed, an investment of 5.5 million Euros has already been approved for the archipelago.
However, in the same discussion, Montilla explained that on many occasions projects for the improvement of the electrical system in the islands have been paralysed by "society's rejection". The minister appears to blame the poor situation in the electrical network as being the responsibility of residents' opposition to the hanging cables and sought to remind citizens that energy is transported through cables and not waves through the air. If I am reading the report correctly and I am sure I am, the minister has insulted a lot of people.
Of course we know that electricity comes through cables. All residents want, for the sake of our health, safety and that promised stability, is for those cables to be buried.
And it very much depends on how you define the word "improvement" really. Residents' definition would be focussed on stability, not just in the provision of more wires, temporarily, until the next disaster hits and brings them back down again.
For what it's worth, my judgement is that residents are not asking for these lines to be placed underground because they want to be awkward and belligerent, they are doing so because that is what NEEDS to be done. For good reasons.
Montilla also spoke of demonstrations by residents the lack of decision on the part of authorities, but was optimistic for the future. And one of the first chapters in that future promptly arrived, in the shape of around 100 residents of El Rosario in Tenerife who demonstrated, asking that the high tension cables that pass through the district be put underground.
ABC goes on to report, "What is curious is that this petition is nothing new, not just in El Rosario, but also in other districts of the archipelago."
El Rosario has 12,000 inhabitants, more than half of whom were left without electricity, water, telephones or mobiles for several days after the passing of Tropical Storm Delta in November. This event placed both the electrical system itself and the policies of Endesa Unelco firmly back into the limelight.
Plackards said "Don't play with our health", but this was not just a residents' initiative, the town hall also backed it. Indeed, all political flavours had voted for them to do so and mayor, Macario Benítez, indicated that they had been asking Unelco since 2004 for them to put the lines underground, to coincide with the widening of the motorway. The town hall says it intends to continue backing the residents of Tabaiba y Radazul in this and hope to obtain a satisfactory response.
But common sense, it seems, can be buried. Just not cables.
New look for Las Galletas
The seaside town of Las Galletas is to have a brand new Paseo Maritimo seafront walkway beginning at the fishing port and continuing until the beach of La Ballena. The Spanish Ministry of the Environment will invest three million euros in the project as well as another two million euros to compensate land owners for the loss of their properties.
New look for Las Galletas
Bustards make a comeback
There was a good news wildlife story from the Canaries this week when the region’s environment minister announced that an indigenous bird that was on the downward path to extinction has now recovered in sufficient numbers it that is now not considered to be eligible for the critically endangered list. The Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulate fueteventurae), found only in the eastern Canary Islands, is a distinctive, sand-loving subspecies similar to the better-known and slightly larger Great Bustard.
Bustards make a comeback
Bishop's Palace destroyed by fire in La Laguna, Tenerife
The Bishop's Palace on the island Tenerife has been completely destroyed by fire. The fire began on the second floor of the seventeenth century Casa de Salazar on Calle San Agustín in La Laguna, and quickly spread through the rest of the building, before it was brought under control five hours later.
Casa de Salazar used to be the palace and residence of the Counts del Valle de Salazar, who commissioned the building in 1664. The facade is the work of Juan González de Castro Illada, built in 1681 by Canary Island stone masons Juan Lizcano and Andrés Rodríguez Bello. The sober and balanced Baroque design makes this facade, in the opinion of many people, the finest example of civil architecture in the Canary Islands.
The title of Conde del Valle de Salazar was conceded by Royal Decree of Charles II of Spain on January 21, 1686 to Cristóbal Lázaro Salazar de Frías Espinosa Abarca del Hoyo y Alzola, who was born in La Laguna on March 31, 1645. The first Conde del Valle de Salazar, married María de Ayala y Rojas, sister of the VIII Count of La Gomera. Both were decendents of the merchant family of Ponte, founders of Garachico.
The Count died in Milan in 1716, without issue.
Before the palace was acquired in the 19th century as the seat of the Bishops of Nivaria and Offices of the Curia, it housed the El Porvenir Casino. The piano was used by Teobaldo Power to compose most of his Cantos Canarios. The interior, mostly of wood, was laid out around a patio with pillars that supported galleries and contained important works of art. [image]
Bishop's Palace destroyed by fire in La Laguna, Tenerife
Fire consumes Bishop's Palace in Tenerife
La Laguna: World Heritage Site
Los Titulos Nobilarios de Castilla
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Fiesta of San Antonio Abad
The Fiesta of San Antonio Abad is held in January - Saint Anthony's Day is the 17th - each year and the fiesta can be found in various small towns in Tenerife, such Arona, Los Silos, La Florida in La Orotava and here in Buenavista del Norte.
Even though the actual Saints Day is only on one day, the fiesta is celebrated over the entire week. San Antonio Abad is the patron Saint of a diverse selection of subjects which range from animals all the way through to various skin diseases. It's the animal part that provides the focus of the fiesta.
People bring their animals, mostly livestock, but also a goodly number of pet dogs these days, down from the villages in order to have them blessed. Hundreds of them first gather on open ground, then parade down the main streets of the town.
I have it on authority that if one registers one's animal(s) in advance with the Town Hall, then they get a number and after the parade, some sort of gift, such as a trophy or even money.
The most striking result of this event is that by mid-afternoon the streets are literally carpeted, wall to wall and knee deep in something that would probably be very good for the roses! 
The Icon of San Antonio Abad heads the parade.
Not surprisingly, this horse won 1st prize for its hairdo.
What a load of bull ...
There should have been many arrests for drunk in charge of a horse. This guy didn't even bother to dismount to buy his beer and is seen here accepting his change! 
The Three Amigos, Buenavista stylee ...
You can lead a horse ... always provided it wants to go! 
Then sometimes, belligerent ones head straight for the camera.
A shy little kid isn't quite sure about posing.
Prize winning burros.
Amazingly, each herd stuck close together and no one went out of line, even when making turns around the busy streets.
There were humans too dancing all through the parade.
Ride a white horse ...
A large number of horses gather before the start of the parade.
Goats packed like sardines into a pen.
This handsome black goat sports the very latest in bleached hairstyles.
We're OK, what about those people behind the barrier?
An ox cart full of kids - the human type.
Hand cart and man in typical Canarian costume.
The various folk groups walk with the parade.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Travellers Chronicles Reveal Invisible History of Canary Islands Women
The chronicles of the travellers who visited the Canary Islands in the centuries XVIII and XIX have been helping investigators to uncover details of the daily life the women of the archipelago, who had surprised the foreigners with their beauty, but also by their ignorance, poverty and superstitions.
University professor and investigator in History of Education at the University of La Laguna, Teresa González, has investigated texts written by Elizabeth Murray, Piazzi Smyth, Olivia Stone, Verneau, Berthelot, Humboldt and others, to publish a book, "Las mujeres canarias en las crónicas de viajeros" (Canary Islands women in chronicles of travellers).
Outsiders' accounts have been an essential source of information about Canary Islands women in centuries past, about whom there are scarcely any historical accounts, because the past of the women of the islands is invisible: hidden.
González says it was interesting to observe how the travellers analysed Canarians from their European viewpoint. They value but also underestimate and, in some cases, ridicule the behavior of the islanders. (Something we are still guilty of today.)
These travellers were mostly British, German and French and were of a "cultured class", with money, which made them look from a "position of superiority", analysing the island population as living in extreme poverty and intellectual misery.
The chroniclers described people who were rough, but because they had been kept far away from knowledge. They particularly noticed that better off women were kept inside, infrequently going out into the street, unless accompanied.
Many of the travellers visiting La Laguna, La Orotava and Garachico in Tenerife, as well as Gran Canaria and Lanzaorte, spoke of empty streets and silence.
They also described scenes with peasant women laden with fruit and milk who went to market in groups, engaged in animated conversations, accompanied by children.
English chronicler, Whitford's attention was drawn by the belief in witches, ghosts, apparitions and even curses, superstitions, which until recently pervaded among country women.
(From my personal experience, I'd counter that these beliefs and rituals still exist in various, mostly, rural pockets.)
Many also spoke of the moral order and in this respect, Brown confirmed that the morality of Canarian women was quite elevated, for instance if they were married they were almost always faithful, even when their husbands emigrated and they were left alone for a number of years. Single girls rarely had more than one boyfriend. (Now there's something that has changed drastically in the last generation!)
For Pegot-Ogier, the women of the Canary Islands were "uncultured, ignorant, had much less knowledge of the outside world than the men and were incapable of being the center of attention, despite their beauty".
Some travellers also spoke of how misery drove many island women to prostitute themselves in exchange for a few coins, mainly those who did not have a man to look after them. And there are stories of how women offered themselves to sailors or a group of thirty girls, accompanied by their old mothers, who begged insistently for "the favour of an intimate conversation".
La belleza y la miseria de las canarias sorprendía a los viajeros del siglo XVIII y XIX
Crisis? What Crisis?
The idea of natural gas, as opposed to humping those butane gas bombonas around, might seem a very tempting proposition. Of course, there are always two sides to every story and the installation of gas tanks on the island is generating plenty of opposition - as this cartoon shows with "Do you know they want to put a bomb next to your house?". While the tourist on the beach, unaware, is saying "Crisis? What Crisis?"
Prensa Alternativa suggest this is the Canary Islands poster at the International Tourism Fair, FITUR, in Madrid.
Meanwhile, it doesn't help that the price of butane gas bombonas has risen yet again. On January 1 the price already leapt by a whopping 10.2% and this hike was just the latest in a series of price rises which has seen the cost of a domestic gas cylinder increase by exactly 31.2% over the past two months.
Bombonas head for 12 euro watershed
Interview with Don Ricardo Melchior, President of the Cabildo of Tenerife
In this, the first of a two-part conversation between Ricardo Melchior, and David Gilroy-Jones, executive editor of Tenerife News, Sr. Melchior - who likens his role to that of a member of a football team - explains why there are two governments in the Community (The Presidency and the Cabildos), their functions, responsibilities and degree of authority each has.
Interview with Don Ricardo Melchior, President of the Cabildo of Tenerife
Friday, January 20, 2006
Number of Foreign Residents in the Canary Islands Tripples in Five years
Two districts in Tenerife, Santiago del Teide and Adeje, are amongst the top 10 in Spain with the largest foreign populations. In the last year alone in the Canary Islands, the foreign population increased by 37,000 - some 20 percent - to 222,260 bringing it to 11.3 percent of the population.
The Canary Islands occupy seventh place among Spanish communities with the largest proportions of foreign population. Though the increase in the Canaries was of 20 percent in the last year, the average rise nationally was 23 percent.
Nevertheless, the Canary Islands have always traditionally been amongst those regions with the highest foreign populations (You could say right from the days of the Spanish conquest in the 15th Century) and even at the moment are still overtaken by various communities such as the Balaeric Islands, Murcia, Valencia, Madrid and Cataluña.
The increase in the foreign population continues to be the principal characteristic of the demographic evolution of the Canary Islands, especially in some areas of the south of Tenerife, where, for the first time in the district of Santiago de Teide, the number of registered foreigners (51.5 percent) is greater than the number of Spanish. Not far behind is Adeje where foreign residents make up 46.1 percent of the population.
The progression though, in the last few years, has been continuous. In 2000, a total of 77,193 foreigners were registered in the islands, which number rose to 107,930 in 2001, 143,138 in 2002, 179,493 in 2003 and 185,781 in 2004, to the total in 2005 of 222,260.
In the province of Santa Cruz there are more foreigners registered (113,469) than there are in Las Palmas. In total, there are eight districts - four per province - where the number of foreign residents is greater than 25 percent.
Santiago de Teide has a population of just 11,212 people, of whom, 5,786 are foreign residents. However, 32.8 percent of the foreign residents of Santiago de Teide and 27.6 percent of those in Puerto de la Cruz are over 65 years of age. There are no Canarian districts among those with a high proportion of foreigners, where those residents are of working age.
Adeje increased its population by 3,300 in the last year, of whom 3,000 were foreigners. There are a total of 33,722 inhabitants, 15,556 of whom are foreign residents.
Arona had the largest increase in absolute numbers of population in the last year, with almost 6,000 additional inhabitants, of whom 5,300 are foreigners and now represent 41 percent of the total of 65,550 inhabitants.
Meanwhile, at national level the largest numbers of foreign residents are from Morocco, followed by those from Equador, Rumania and Columbia, in the the Canary Islands, the greatest number are German, followed by English, Columbians, Argentinians, Moroccans and Venezuelans. Also, the number of Bolivians in the islands has duplicated in the last year to 2,000.
Of the total of 1,968,280 people registered in the Canary Islands on January 1, 2005, 1,689,700 were born in Spain. Of those, 1,512,752 in the Canary Islands themselves - 1,481,519 of whom were born in the same province where they currently reside. Only 278,580 were born outside the country.
Canarias triplica la cifra de extranjeros en 5 años y en Santiago del Teide son ya el 51,6%
Canary Islands and Domestic Violence
Another social disgrace is that violence against women continues unabated in the Canary Islands, which, as in previous years lead the national statistics in the percentage of cases reported in relation to the population figures. The islands come second in the number of cases and would probably come top in this too, but we know that not all cases are reported.
In the Canary Islands, 5.58 cases per 1000 women were reported in 2005. The Balearics are already far from this figure, with 3.47 reports per thousand inhabitants and the lowest, Aragon with 1.22 cases per thousand.
The situation was addressed by the government with the new law against Violencia de Género, which left nobody indifferent to the problem and gave special protection to women victims. Nevertheless, around seven cases of domestic violence are reported every hour and more than five women are assassinated on average each month.
Maybe the Canarian population in particular should be reminded of their Guanche roots, under whose political system, "... women appear to have been respected, an insult offered any woman by an armed man being a capital offence."
Malos tratos: el año más duro
Canary Islands head the list for Unwanted Pregnancies
Political party Alternativa Popular Canaria is asking the Canarian Government to put a plan into action for the prevention of unwanted teenage pregnancies.
The Canary Islands head the list of statistics in on underage pregnancies, with more than 10 percent of all cases in the whole of Spain. According to official figures, around 1200 girls under the age of nineteen give birth each year.
This already alarming statistic is worsened by facts revealed in recent studies - that those numbers literally explode in certain neighborhoods at the margin of both capitals and in pockets of poverty in various parts of the Canary Islands.
The Canaries also head the list in numbers of premature births (7.8 per thousand in 2003) and more than 400 abortions yearly.
Alternativa Popular Canaria consider it a priority for the Canarian Government and Town Halls to invest in the prevention of unwanted, underage pregnancies and, in specific campaigns in the areas where there are the largest incidences, including giving access to free contraception.
Embarazos no deseados
EU says Granadilla port should go ahead
After much controversy surrounding the proposal to build a new port in Granadilla de Abona - and many protestations from citizens and Green Groups - EU Environment Commissioner, Stavros Dimas, pointing out the necessity of the port for future development of the Island, concluded that there were no viable alternatives that would adequately fulfil the requirements.
EU says Granadilla port should go ahead
Labels: Puerto de Granadilla
Olives, the new Tenerife farming alternative?
It was a red letter day for the Cumbres de Abona bodega in Arico with the first pressing of locally grown olives. Although the bodega won’t be geared up for commercial production until the next harvest, there are already some 2,000 olive trees planted out and flourishing in the island. And for producers in south Tenerife, hit hard by labour costs, storms and pests, the olive represents a good bet for the future.
Olives, the new Tenerife farming alternative?
The ongoing crisis of illegal immigration for the Canaries
While the numbers of rickety boats making life-or-death dashes across the narrowest strip of sea between Africa and the Canary Islands in 2005 were dramatically down, by some 44%, on 2004 with just under 5,000 boat people apprehended, more islands are now being affected by the phenomenon as people traffickers change tactics and targets and become ever more sophisticated in their methods in order to keep their profitable trade ticking over.
Steady as they tow
What Wine Goes With Grilled Grasshopper Salad?
As tapas they were certainly different, but it’s hard to believe roast grasshoppers or grilled scorpions will catch on in the Canaries – even when served up by two leading Spanish chefs fast gaining a reputation in the circles of insect haute cuisine.
What’s shiny, crunchy and tastes a bit like – er - wood?
Tenerife South Second Runway to Wait Untill 2014
A total of 191.5 million euros is to be spent on updating Tenerife South's Reina Sofia airport in order to respond to the ever-changing and growing demands of the new tourist market. However, conclusions from a recent study indicate that the second runway should not be a necessity before 2010 and for that reason work on a new terminal will take priority. Over 74 million euros has been budgeted for the terminal.
No second runway for Tenerife’s Reina Sofia Airport until 2014
Police arrest 33 in operation against internet child porn
Police carried out raids across Spain on Wednesday to smash a gang which was organised from Florida in the US and Belarus.
Ten people were arrested in Barcelona, five in Madrid, two in Asturias and Tarragona and one each in Seville, Cádiz, Huelva, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Girona, Lugo, Pontevedra, Baleares, Navarra, Vizcaya, Guipúzcoa, Palencia, Alicante and Castellón.
Police arrest 33 in operation against internet child porn
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Terrific Tenerife
An article in the Hornsey and Crouch End Journal espouses the delights of Terrific Tenerife, setting out to prove that there can be more to a Canaries holiday than the popular image of just lying on a sun bed as you slowly do an impression of a ripe tomato!
The writer headed north to the capital of Santa Cruz to the five-star Sheraton Mencey Hotel - also visited by Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and a host of European "nobility".
Then, after taking in the breath-taking Atlantic views from Mount Teide and some fine food in the restaurants of El Monasterio, Los Realejos, they headed south to experience a walk through architectural history at the hotel Gran Tacande on the Costa Adeje.
Terrific Tenerife
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
On The Busses: Strike Looms
Residents and tourists alike who use the busses to get around the island could come to a bit of a standstill later in the month.
The more than 260 employees of Tenerife bus service, TITSA, announced Friday that they will call an indefinite strike starting from January 28th, unless negotiations can be reopened with their employers to avoid the planned stoppage.
General Workers Union (UGT) indicated in a communique, that the company had failed to organize a dignified service for users and criticized the breaking of workers' agreements on various points, particularly in relation to the working of excess hours.
Los trabajadores del servicio urbano de Titsa irán a la huelga
La empresa tinerfeña TITSA anuncia un preaviso de huelga indefinida
The Heart of the Matter
A grieving husband is accusing Spanish doctors of stealing his dead wife’s heart and selling it. His wife died from a head injury after slipping on steps in Tenerife last March. The 48-year-old’s body was brought back to Britain for burial after a post-mortem conducted by Spanish doctors. But her heart did not return with her.
However, travellers should be aware that, according to information for travellers to Spain, supplied by the British Embassy in Madrid, organs removed at autopsy are stored for a month before being destroyed. The advice reads: “During an autopsy, organs can be removed for testing, including toxicological studies, at the discretion of the doctor, without consent of next of kin.
BARROW MAN: SPANISH STOLE MY WIFE'S HEART
Taking The Gran out of Canaria
Whilst Gordon Brown is busy, trying to put the Great back into Britain with his National Day proposals, here meanwhile Tenerife newspaper, El Día, put forward a proposal, in their editorial on Sunday, to have the name of neighbouring island Gran Canaria changed to just "Canaria" in the Statutes of Autonomy.
From the point of view that both Tenerife and Fuerteventura are larger, area wise, than Gran Canaria, then I suppose - in the avoidance of ambiguity - there is some logic to the suggestion. You might imagine that Gran Canaria was the larger otherwise.
Naturally, this has created a bit of a ho-ha within the population of Gran Canaria, most taking it as a joke, but also accusing Tenerife of getting "a bit big for its boots" in defence of the island's name.
Currently, 89 percent of participants in a poll hosted by Canarias 7, consider the name changing proposal to be totally unacceptable.
El periódico El Día propone cambiar el nombre de Gran Canaria
La isla defiende su nombre
Tenerife’s winter wonderland
The first heavy snowfall of the year in Las Cañadas signalled the start of a rush up the mountain last weekend.
Police estimate that some 100,000 snowseekers took to the roads to get a piece of the icy action and once again the authorities put in place special traffic restrictions to avoid the anarchy of former times. Yet, one 26-year-old man had to be rescued after engaging in some extreme sliding on a humble bin liner.
Tenerife’s winter wonderland
Road access to the Parque National de Teide was again closed yesterday morning because of ice on the road surface. Cerrados los accesos al Teide por el hielo. Canarias 7 is also reporting "irregular" rain and winds from the north, with very strong gusting.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Can Bar Crawls Be Sophisticated?
There seems to be a general push, both in the travel industry and here on the island, to improve the image and make holiday travel more upmarket for today's more demanding holidaymaker.
But maybe bar crawls are something that can not be made to look anything other than what they are, if rumours are true. It is said that Thomas Cook, who is currently carrying out a review of its UK operations, plans to offload four parts of its business including Club 18-30 - famous for its bar crawls in places like Ibiza and Tenerife.
Travel Firm Confirms Review
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Keeping an eye on Teide
Tenerife Cabildo has decided to extend the Teide 2005 project, which has been investigating the reduction of volcanic risk on the island of Tenerife. Text of a recent document recognizes that the Canarian archipelago lives in the shadow of an active volcano and explains that risk has increased over the last twenty five years due to the growth in the islands' population, economic activity and increased infrastructures on the island.
Keeping an eye on Teide
20/20 Airport Vision
More information has been released about the Canarian Airport Plan, which will provide funding for improvement work in all the airports of the Archipelago until 2020. At Tenerife South's Reina Sofia airport, as well as the construction of the second runway, due for completion by 2008, will be the construction of a second terminal building to meet growing passenger demand.
20/20 Airport Vision
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Canary Islands Count Their Sheep
We sincerely hope these statistics don't put you to sleep, but you may be interested to know what other activities go on in these islands to support the local economy, apart from tourism.
Canary Island wines have certainly been enjoying a renaissance in recent years and this is reflected by the fact that, in ten years, the area of the Canary Islands dedicated to the cultivation of vines grew by 7,648 hectares, from 11,277 in 1994 to 18,925 in 2004, which works out to an increase of around two-thirds, 68 percent.
In the same interval, the area designated for the cultivation of bananas increased by 1,138 hectares, while the area devoted to the cultivation of tomatoes decreased by the greatest amount, 1,898 hectares or 65 percent, from 4,830 in 1994 to 2,932 in 2004. Potato growing also dropped by more than a quarter in the ten years.
In 2004, the total cultivated area in the Canaries was 51,191 hectares, of which 37 percent (18,925) was utilized for vines, 19 percent for bananas, 11 percent for potatoes, 9 percent for fruit, 6 percent for tomatoes and 1 percent for ornamental plants and flowers. The remaining 17 percent had other types of crops.
The figures, from the regional government's department of Agriculture, Farming and Food, also reflect increases in the areas of land dedicated to raising ornamental plants (170 hectares) and flowers (72 hectares), between 1994 and 2004.
Casting an eye over the livestock, the numbers indicate an overall increase of 35.2 percent. In 1994 the total head count was 363,450, while in 2004, this had risen by 128,141 to reach 491,591.
(With the human population of the Canary Islands currently oscillating at around 2 million, that means there is, on average, approximately one head of livestock for every four people.)
By far, the greatest number are goats - all 326,807 of them - whose number increased by 42 percent, up from 228,723 in 1994.
A quite different reality exists in pig farming, where the numbers have decreased by 13 percent, down to 69,653. Meanwhile, the number of cattle showed a slight (3 percent) increase to 21,118.
How many sheep? Their number has risen by the greatest amount, a massive 108 percent rise, in the ten year period. There were 74,013 counted at the time of the study. What Secret Tenerife would like to know though, is how did the civil servants stay awake to do it?
La superficie destinada al viñedo crece dos tercios en diez años
Friday, January 13, 2006
Summer 2006 - Canaries from £154
We hope that some of our stories and photos have wetted your appetite, or made you think that Tenerife might be worth a second look after all. If so, take a look at these fantastic holidays we have on offer for Summer 2006 - By booking online with Airtours you can save upto 5% 10% per adult plus we have Adult Savers and Free Child places available on selected holidays. But hurry these early booking offers won't be around for long.
Summer 2006 - Canaries from £154
Places of interest on Tenerife
CanaryIslas has a page of information on Tenerife, which includes various excellent photos of Teide, Vilaflor, La Orotava, Los Gigantes, Icod de los Viños and Masca. Well worth a look.
Places of interest on Tenerife
Media Attention on Icod Festival
Image: Ayuntamiento de Icod de Los Viños
The unique and, some might say, slightly crazy custom of the Tablas de San Andrés held in Icod de los Viños in north Tenerife each 29 November, has been attracting a lot of media attention recently.
Whilst many of the official acts of this annual festival had to be suspended last year, owing to the passing of Tropical Storm Delta, the celebration of las tablas is so popular among the local people of Icod that they carried on anyway, self-propelled, as it were.
A team from Mediareport Producciones was despatched to Icod, therefore, to film one of the most peculiar fiestas in the country. However, the storm prevented news magazine program, España Directo, transmitted by TVE, from running the item.
Images of the event were distributed, via satellite, to the principle TV channels and news agencies, reaching more than 152 television channels worldwide, among them SKY News in Britain, RTL in Germany and CBS in the United States. The Eurovisión network in Geneva also recieved the images via two satelite links.
National news agencies and television channels also recieved the images, which Euronews distributed to more than 50 European television networks. Icod Town Hall say there is considerable interest in providing special coverage of the event this year.
As well as this event, everything related to San Andrés, Icod wines and the environment around the town of Icod will be shown.
Owing to the great success of the images of las tablas at an international level and, as a result of requests for images from independant and national producers, Mediareport is currently working on a 30 minute report on the tradition, which will be transmitted on the International Channel of TV Canaria.
It is also the intention of the Town Hall that the fiesta of the Tablas de San Andrés will be declared as being of national cultural interest.
Las tablas de San Andrés obtienen una gran cobertura mediática
Las Tablas de San Andrés llegaron a toda Europa
* The curious tradition of las tablas, which is unique in the Canary Islands, was born from the need to transport wood from the highest areas of the town down to the workshops where it was used in handicrafts and in naval construction. Youngsters make an annual suicidal slide down near vertical streets on boards with nothing but a pile of old tyres to break their fall at the bottom.
Stores Open To Cruise Shoppers
The Parliament of the Canary Islands yesterday, unanimously, approved a proposal that aims to make it possible to open stores and other commercial establishments in the islands' capitals, whenever there are cruise ships in the ports.
The objective is to avoid the present situation in which, if tourists arrive on a Sunday, they find stores and restaurants closed. Besides preventing them from "leaving money in the archipelago", this creates a terrible impression and leaves tourists bored.
La Cámara insta al Gobierno a permitir la apertura comercial los días de cruceros
Repairing Tenerife's Delta Damage
Today, the Island Corporation of Tenerife has released information to town halls on the grants established by the various administrative departments to cover the costs of repairing the damages caused by Tropical Storm Delta that hit the island in November.
Help is for repairs to roads, water and other public buildings and services, with the State proving up to 50 percent of the finance, local government 45 percent and 5 percent from the town hall.
There are also provisions to give financial aid for the repair of damages to homes and businesses, which have been previously reported to the corresponding town hall, plus help for entities and professionals in making claims to UNELCO for cuts in electricity supplies. The last items on the agenda were comments on aid destined for private individuals.
El Cabildo de Tenerife informa a los ayuntamientos sobre las subvenciones por la tormenta 'Delta'
Labels: Tropical Storm Delta
Consumer Information for the Sales
Now that Christmas and, especially Los Reyes, is over, the Sales (Rebajas) are in full swing in Spain and the Canary Islands.
The Consumer Information office in La Orotava (though this information applies to all points on the islands), have therefore published some guidelines to help consumers when buying in the sales, which, they say, aims to prevent people from making unnecessary purchases, simply because the price is right.
It is important to remember that next to the sale price, the usual price of the goods must be shown. Also, if the store usually allows credit card purchases, they must also do so during the sale period.
During the sales, as at every other time of year, you do have the right to demand the exchange of the goods or the return of your money, always when there is a defect in the item acquired.
La OMIC de La Orotava lanza 2.000 dípticos para informar a los consumidores sobre las rebajas
Tenerife Joint Promotion
The Island Corporation, Town Halls and local businesses in the south of Tenerife are looking into the possibilities of a creating a joint commission to promote tourism in the area.
The project aims to build upon the similar project created last year by the Corporation, together with the town halls of Arona and Adeje, to include Arico, Vilaflor, Granadilla, San Miguel, Guía de Isora and Santiago del Teide. Pooling strategies, knowledge and resources will allow them to better promote the whole area.
Cabildo, ayuntamientos y empresarios del Sur estudian crear una gran comisión de promoción de Tenerife
Friday The 13th in Tenerife
Many people across the globe may be a little edgy today, since it is Friday the 13th, but if you are in Spain or the Canary Islands, don't worry, you may be safe against this popular superstition.
A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in many superstitions around the globe. Similar superstitions exist in some other traditions. In Greece and Spain, for example, Tuesday the 13th takes the same role.
The negative connotations that are attributed to Tuesday (Martes in Spanish) the 13th have no scientific nor religious bases, and one should be clear it is based strictly on myth. "Marte" [Mars], according to Greek mythology, is the God of war, for which the day Tuesday is controlled by the red planet, that of destruction, blood, and violence. Also, the legend says that a Tuesday the 13th produced the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel.
However, in these times, there are those who consider both days - Tuesday 13th and Friday 13th - as days of "bad luck".
By the way, there is only one Tuesday 13th in 2006. It's in June.
The Superstition Behind Friday the 13th
Why Are We Afraid of Friday the 13th?
Friday the 13th myth makers
Friday the 13th
Looking for a Date in Tenerife?
Media company in England's north east, n-e-life.com, recently interviewed Hilary Jones, founder of Elegant Introductions dating service. In the interview, Ms Jones said, "We cover the Borders, down to North Yorkshire and across to Cumbria, however, we’ve recently matched a local lady with a gentleman in Tenerife."
So, if you live in Tenerife and are looking for a partner, or dream of finding the love of your life on our sub-tropical shores, it looks like there may be hope for you yet!
Five minutes with Hilary Jones
Tenerife, the greenest Canary Island
A title previously attributed to the neighboring island of La Palma, today Tenerife is given the accolade of "Greenest Canary Island".
The tireless efforts of the island council to reforest Tenerife have resulted in the island being by far the leafiest in the entire archipelago. It’s an all-time record for Tenerife and far outstrips the forested areas of the other green islands of Gran Canaria, El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma put together.
Tenerife, the greenest Canary Island
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Pueblo Chico - Tenerife in Miniature
Niumba reminded me of Pueblo Chico and what a great day out it was. I went there a while back, shortly after it opened.
"Pueblo Chico in Valle de La Orotava takes the best of Tenerife - and then condenses it into a park. The village has been crafted using authentic materials and also features interactive displays. Its a more interesting and fun way to learn about the island’s architecture and culture. The village is spectacularly lit up at night making it the best time to pay a visit."Yes, I do have photos, that are sure to follow.
Boxing - Magee To Prepare For Title Fight In Tenerife
Belfast's former IBO Super-middleweight champion Brian Magee will take in altitude training at Tenerife next month, in the countdown to his match against British and Commonwealth champion Carl Froch, at the King's Hall, Belfast, on March 31.
Boxing - Magee To Prepare For Title Fight In Tenerife
As well as sporting events on the island, an increasing number of sports men and women come to Tenerife to train; boxers, cyclists, football clubs and more. You never know who you might bump into!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Canary Islands Have Least Heavy Smokers in the whole of Spain
With cigarettes in the Canary Islands as low as 70 Euro cents (85 Cents US or 48 British pence) - yes seriously - and new cheap brands entering the market almost daily, this statistic seems unlikely.
However, according to the Barometer of Consumo 2005 survey, the Canary Independent Community, has the least percentage - 18% - of habitual or heavy smokers in the whole of Spain, below the national average (25%). Anti Tobacco Law hits Spain.
Personally, I have a feeling that the rest didn't admit it. Also, a long-standing joke amongst the British community in Tenerife is that you have to take up smoking in order to save all that money!
Mystery Solved: High-Energy Fireworks Linked to Massive Star Cluster
Call it the Bermuda Triangle of our Milky Way Galaxy: a tiny patch of sky that has been known for years to be the source of the mysterious blasts of X-rays and gamma rays. Now, a team of astronomers, led by Don Figer of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Md., has solved the mystery by identifying one of the most massive star clusters in the galaxy.
Amongst the science team that studied the star cluster is Artemio Herrero from the University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
Mystery Solved: High-Energy Fireworks Linked to Massive Star Cluster
Loans to Adapt to New Anti-Tobacco Law
Financial institution Caja de Canarias has launched a special loan package, aimed at establishments that, owing to the new anti-tobacco law that came into force on January 1, 2006, have eight months to adapt areas for smoking and non-smoking.
Bars and restaurants, mostly owned by sole traders and small busineses are the most affected by the new law. Although the number of such premises with over 100 square meters represents only 10 percent of the total registered in the Canary Islands, they are obliged to make the separation and cannot elect the option available to smaller premises, which allows them to choose all smoking or all non-smoking.
The loans, of between 3.000 and 30.000 Euros, will be available (to qualifying applicants, obviously) until August 31st, at competitive interest rates and to be repaid within a maximum of eight years.
Préstamo para adaptar locales a la nueva Ley del Tabaco
I'll never go back to ...
Broadcaster, Johnny Vaughan, says he'll never go back to Tenerife "I went on a cheap last-minute holiday for some winter sun and it was awful. The brochure showed one hotel, but in reality there were three forming an unholy triptych around the pool. Sun worshippers lay around the pool like grilled cocktail sausages. And everyone was wearing their team's away strip - well, they were abroad."
Which is a shame and also shows you how uniformed the general holiday-buying public are about Tenerife's real attractions.
However, I am not the least bit surprised by this. When I first came to Tenerife, those were the only things I could immediately find too and, I remember asking people where I could find something typically Canarian (i.e. not typically British) myself. The answer, in the end, was that I had to get off my own backside and look.
Yes there are too many concrete hotels, but for one, most are concentrated into a very small area of the island and, two you don't have to stay there, other than to sleep. Certainly, the sunworshipers look like grilled sausages too, but, just a few miles outside of the resorts you can be eating real Canarian grilled sausages instead.
If you want to know what there really is to see and do in Tenerife (or anywhere else for that matter), who would you like to listen to: a holiday brochure that is certain to give you the "glossy" view, or someone who has lived and worked in the place for well over a decade? If you chose the second, watch this space.
Tags: Tenerife, Canarias
Defiant: Jet man dumped on island
A holiday jet passenger dumped on a remote isle off Africa after a drunken tirade has accused airline staff of "over- reacting".
Mr Wilson, who lives in Tenerife, as well as owning a property in Britain, was released from custody soon after his arrest and was allowed to continue his journey to Tenerife with another airline. Police in Madeira say he could still face charges.
Wilson admits he has an alcohol problem.
Defiant: Jet man dumped on island
Tags: Tenerife, Canarias
SeaWorld to send four whales to Loro Parque
SeaWorld, in Orlando, Florida and its sister park in San Antonio are making final preparations to transport four young killer whales to our own zoological park, Loro Parque, here in Tenerife.
Before you think I am biased, I have been both to SeaWorld, albeit in Miami and to the Tenerife Loro Parque. I like ours best, because they seem to put animals before entertainment and profit.
SeaWorld to send four whales to Loro Parque
Spain must change land-grab law
The European Commission has given Spain until the New Year to change the controversial 'land-grab' law, or it will face legal action in the European Court of Justice. The move follows a recent resounding vote against the law by the European Parliament.
Spain must change land-grab law
Extreme weather points to future changes
The dramatic visitation of Tropical Storm Delta at the end of November was just the latest in a growing number of extreme weather incidents that meteorologists are convinced are pointing the way to climate change in the Canary Islands.
For once, I'd say that the meteorologists are right!
Tropical forecast
Labels: Tenerife Weather, Tropical Storm Delta
Limited access but the Barranco carries on attracting thousands
The Barranco del Infierno in Adeje continues to be one of Tenerife’s biggest natural attraction draws. Almost 100,000 people visited the ravine over the past two years since it was re-opened to the public under a new limited access arrangement put in place by the Cabildo.
Limited access but the Barranco carries on attracting thousands
Wages in Spain
According to a report published yesterday by the Inland Revenue Office in Spain about the Spanish labor market, men earn salaries which are on average 30 percent higher than those of women. The average annual salary of men in 2004 was 17,964 euros, compared to 12,464 for women - a difference of 5,500 euros per year.
Wage levels in the Canary Islands are among the lowest in the country.
Wages in Spain
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad Originally uploaded by uu974.
Here's something I certainly hadn't seen locally - maybe because I do not drink beer. It is a can, in the usual Dorada (from the Compañía Cervecería de Canarias) livery, complete with logo featuring Mount Teide and the Drago tree from Icod de los Viños, but saying Feliz Navidad (Happy Christmas) on the lable.
Labels: Christmas
Canary Islands Music Festival
Tenerife News reports that "The annual Canary Islands Music Festival will take place again in January and February, and this festival, the 22nd, will see some illustrious ensembles coming to Santa Cruz and Las Palmas." Among the Illustrious visitors are the London Symphony Orchestra, the Hague Philharmonic and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw Orchestra.
The Canary Islands' Music Festival (official site, in English), runs from 7 January - 18 February 2006.
Tags: Tenerife, Canarias
Exhibition at Los Silos on Pedro García Cabrera
Poet and writer Pedro García Cabrera is being paid homage by the CajaCanarias social and cultural division, with an exhibition of photographs and texts by the artist. This exhibition has already taken place in La Laguna and La Gomera, and will now be at the Sala de Arte Sebastian Pérez Enriquez, Los Silos, until January 13.
Exhibition at Los Silos on Pedro García Cabrera
Grape with a difference!
The Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera) or Uva de Mar, as it is known in Spanish, is a familiar sight in parks, gardens and along the roadsides of Tenerife. It is good to eat just like the ordinary grape but it also has a lot more uses including medicinal ones.
Grape with a difference!
January In Spain is balm for the soul
Don at Tienda.com says, "Ruth and I find that this time right after Christmas is a nice time to visit Spain. Leaving the throbbing marketplace of America and walking the cobblestone streets of Spain’s delightful traditional towns is balm for the soul. Christmas festivities in Spain span almost two weeks: Christmas Day is but the beginning of twelve days of family celebrations that climax with the arrival in Bethlehem of the Three Kings on January 6th." Labels: Christmas
After reading my account of the Three Kings Parades in the Canary Islands, I thought you might like to read his account of some others in Spain, even though, sadly, there was not a camel in sight.
Click here to subscribe to Tienda.com's monthly newsletter and explore their catalogue of scrumptious Spanish goodies.
Tags: Tenerife, Canarias
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Spain to spend three billion euros on Canary Islands airports
Spain will spend 2.90 billion euros ($3.50 billion) between now and 2020 upgrading the airports of one of its best known tourist regions, the Canary Islands, the government said on Monday. Work will be carried out at all eight airports on the archipelago.
Spain to spend 3 bln euros on Canaries airports
Canary Banana Corporation conquers mainland, turnover rises 500%
"As we have just ended a year in which Canary banana growers have strongly protested against the implementation of a banana import tariff of € 176, there seems no reason to feel sorry for these growers on subtropical islands (80% of which do not own a plantation larger than 1 hectare or roughly 2,5 acres, but do receive a significant EU subsidy) who, with their shares in Eurobanan, are facing a bright financial position.", say FreshPlaza
Canary Banana Corporation conquers mainland, turnover rises 500%
NB: This is not the story I am hearing "on the ground", where complaints are that the subsidies are still insufficient.
British crew of four cross Atlantic in record time
A British crew of four men set a world record for rowing across the Atlantic, crossing the ocean in 39 days. Aboard a boat named All Relative, the team won the Atlantic Rowing Race that runs between the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco and the Caribbean island of Antigua.
British crew of four cross Atlantic in record time
Sunday, January 08, 2006
First effects of anti-smoking laws in Spain
Much of the Spanish media has been obsessed with the new anti-smoking laws in Spain which in theory came into effect one second after midnight on New Years Eve. Radio, newspapers and television gave the new laws massive coverage during the last week of December and during the first few days of January, interviewing people with all sorts of opinions, smokers and non-smokers alike.
Euroresidentes travelled to north-west Spain last week for a short trip and it was interesting to see the regional differences in how the law was (not) being applied.
Here in the Canary Islands, not much appears to have changed.
Smoking in the workplace is forbidden, however, while you can no longer buy tobacco in supermarkets in Madrid, there is a special dispensation in the new law which allows this to continue as before on the islands. The products just have to be out of the reach of minors. Otherwise, only the provisions over vending machines (many have just been removed) have been implemented.
As far as local bars and restaurants are concerned, we have yet to find one that does NOT have ashtrays on tables - which leads me to believe that they allow smoking on the premises still - but we have not yet seen any of the er, "obligatory" signs on the door of the premises that clearly announces the smoking policy.
First effects of anti-smoking laws in Spain
First transatlantic Row Boater arrives
The first Rowing Boat in the Woodvale Events transatlantic “Row4Life” venture will arrive in Antigua tomorrow at the historic Nelson’s Dockyard. The race began on November 30, in La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain.
First transatlantic Row Boater arrives
Budget Tenerife Flight Unveiled
A TOP budget airline today announced new flights to Tenerife from Blackpool. Jet2.com is adding the Canary Island destination to its four routes already flying from the resort's rapidly expanding International Airport. The twice weekly flights will start in November, and bosses are hoping to extend the run to a daily service by the start of next year.
Budget Tenerife Flight Unveiled
Holiday jet fury as 130 stranded
HOLIDAYMAKERS yesterday faced a nine-hour wait when their flight was mysteriously delayed. Around 130 passengers were effectively robbed of a day of their holiday in Tenerife. Travellers claimed Spanish charter company LTE knew the flight from Glasgow would not leave on time but did not tell them until they checked in.
Holiday jet fury as 130 stranded
Saturday, January 07, 2006
No Lottery Luck for Fortunate Islands
For the first time in many years, both of the big Spanish lotteries of the Christmas season - El Gordo and El Niño - left very little to be happy about in the Canary Islands.
In some quarters, the popular belief is that, after a tragedy of any size - i.e. the recent Tropical Storm Delta - then it should be compensated by one of the big prizes from either draw.
But, it would seem that the Goddess of Fortune does not think that the Canarian case warranted it. El Gordo in December brought no more than a total of 50,000 Euros. Yesterday, the year's second largest draw, El Niño, didn't even come close to the archipelago, as none of the numbers assigned to the Canaries came up.
El «Niño» sigue la senda de «El Gordo» y pasa de largo en las Islas
Friday, January 06, 2006
Cabalgata de Los Reyes Garachico 2006
Wrapped up in too many layers against a wind that never blew, thankfully, we made it down to Garachico last night to join all the other kids to await the arrival of The Three Kings. Most people - Christian or not - will be familiar with the basic story and the order of business for the annual parade varies little from year to year (we have already described it here), but this still remains a really entertaining night out for kids of all ages.
Everyone turned out: from sleeping toddlers in push chairs (right through fanfares and fireworks) to a certain old lady of 80+, going on eight. Even teenagers - those people who, in most situations, "wouldn't be seen dead" at organized activities - helped line the streets and gleefully cheered on their favorite monarch.
One cannot really get across in mere pictures the true atmosphere, excitement and expectation, but, nevertheless, above are some shots from the Cabalgata de Los Reyes in Garachico 2006. For my money, the little goat - who had around half a dozen shepherds to watch over him - was the star of the show.
The humble and half-ruined stable, complete with manger, was erected outside the church of Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles, while an arabesque facade was added to Garachico's Town Hall to convert it into the Kings' Palace for the night. Roman Centurions stood guard outside the Castillo San Miguel and a Mounted guard, provided by Herod, were sent to accompany the Kings to the outskirts of the city of Bethlehem and the little drummer boy shows that even a Roman army needs a beat to march to. And attendants take care of camel transportation, for Gaspar, Melchor and Baltasar.
Armada Sur Official Merchandise
Armada Sur, the International Supporters of CD Tenerife Football Club, now offer a range of goodies for the discerning soccer supporter!
Armada Sur, which translates literally as 'Southern Army', was formed in 1992 with just 10 members.
Since its formation, Armada Sur has grown in membership to include people from many different nationalities who are resident in Tenerife South and, on average, have around two coaches of supporters travelling to each home match. Read more »
If you are a soccer fan in general, you might like to join the 'Southern Army' of supporters to watch a Tenerife game, therefore, you'll be wanting to bone up on the footy songs and correct phrases to shout at linesmen and other officials from the terraces.
And, of course, you'll be needing the right gear to wear at matches! Get this wrong and, heaven forbid, you could be mistaken for a Gran Canaria supporter. Take care also to drink the right brand of beer!
Related Links:
CD Tenerife Official Website
Armada Sur International Supporters of CD Tenerife Football Club
Club Deportivo Tenerife From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peña Internet fanzine of Club Deportivo Tenerife
Armada Sur Official Merchandise
Tenerife tournament gives Madrid Hopes to Cameroon kids
TribalFootball reports that Real Madrid have offered trials to ten of the 12 youngsters from Samuel Eto'o's Foundation that represented Cameroon at the Tenerife tournament over the festive period.
Real Madrid trials for 10 Cameroon kids
Tenerife once a week from Cork
Aer Lingus has announced the launch of six new routes to Europe, including a new once weekly flight to Tenerife from Cork.
Boost to routes from Cork and Dublin
Jumbo bill for drunken castaway
Monarch Airlines sent out a clear message to travellers: behave, or pay the consequences. The airline is to present a bill for £3,000 to the drunken traveller who they were obliged to cast away on the remote Portuguese island of Porto Santo in December, after he was allegedly abusive to both flight attendants and fellow passengers.
Lawyers for the airline are making a formal complaint against, David Wilson, 53, from Preston, Lancashire, to Greater Manchester Police, and have also prepared a civil action to recover the costs incurred by the diversion, including; landing charges, navigational charges, handling charges and the cost of the additional fuel.
Police in Madeira say he is now being investigated over accusations of disruptive behaviour on an aeroplane, an offence which carries a maximum two-year prison sentence under Portuguese law.
Jumbo bill for drunken castaway
Air rage castaway sent £3,000 bill for detour
'Drunk castaway' faces air costs
Weather Threatens Canary Tomatoes
The rains of the past weeks, the low temperatures and the winds will not be without effect on the quality and production of tomatoes on the Canary Islands. Growers are content with the fact that water reserves are now replenished, but on the other hand they do not want to see any danger threatening their crops.
Canary Islands vigilant of tomato diseases
Hotels wake up to urban blight as tourists desert Spanish resorts
"Foreign tourists remain for shorter and shorter periods in Spain. This change coincides with the accelerated process of urbanisation along the Mediterranean coast and in the Balearic and Canary Islands," according to a report from Exceltur, which represents Spain's biggest tourist companies.
This is the first time major players in Spain's biggest industry have echoed criticisms long voiced by environmental campaigners.
Hotels wake up to urban blight as tourists desert Spanish resorts
See the Canary Islands from a Tall Ship
The Chilterns branch of the Tall Ships Youth Trust is celebrating its 50th anniversary, by organising a special voyage for adults. The package includes a return-flight to Tenerife where the 59-metre brig, Prince William, will be docked in March this year. From the port in Santa Cruz, the tall ship will spend a week sailing around the sunny warm waters of the Canary Islands on an entirely wind-driven itinerary. For more information on the voyage, or the Trust in general, call 01491 639311 or email thowardj@currentanalysis.com or visit the website: www.tallships.org
Bucks Free Press: Come and sail with us
Roscón de Reyes (Crown of Kings)
This traditional confection is eaten on the day of Los Reyes - The Kings - January 6th and people come from all over the island to buy the very best Roscón de Reyes (pictured) from Pasteleria El Aderno in Buenavista del Norte, Tenerife. If you can't get there, you can have a go at making your own.
Ingredients:
1/2 kg (1.1 lb.) flour
Glacé Fruits
40 gr (1.4 oz) bakers' yeast
100 gr (3.5 oz) sugar
150 cc. (1/3 pint) milk
1 small cup vintage rum
3 eggs
1 small cup orange blossom water
120 gr. (4 oz) of butter
grated orange and lemon rind
10 gr. (1/3 oz) of salt
1 heat-resistant "surprise"
(The ones from El Aderno have three small ceramic figures of the Three Kings and one white kidney bean, wrapped in foil inside. Some say the bean is "bad luck". I prefer El Aderno's suggestion that the person who gets the bean should pay for the Roscón.)
Method:
Knead half of the flour with the yeast and 100 cc. of lukewarm milk. Make a ball, make cuts in the top part, cover with a cloth and leave rest for 90 minutes in a warm place.
Beat the eggs with the melted butter, then add the salt, sugar, rum, the rest of the milk, orange blossom water, the orange and lemon rind, binding it with the remaining flour and knead for a good short while. Add this mixture to the rest of the dough and work everything together (energetically, it says) until you obtain a fine and elastic mass. Make it into a ball again, place in a container, cover with a cloth and leave it to rest, this time for three hours until it's double its size again.
Grease an oven tray. Take the paste, knead slightly and make it into the form of a crown by making a roll, twisting and joining the ends, then place it on the tray. Cover it with a cloth and leave it to rise for another two hours.
Paint with beaten egg, adorn with the Glacé fruits, place the surprise somewhere inside and place in the oven, preheated to a medium-high temperature for about 40 minutes.
If it browns quickly, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil until the baking finishes.
NOTE: It is very important that air cannot get to the dough at any point during the fermentation process.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Los Reyes Magos: Epiphany, Jan 6th
UPDATED: Cabalgata de Los Reyes Garachico 2006
The real high-spot of the holiday season in Spain and the Canary Islands is when the gifts arrive with Los Reyes Magos - The Three Kings - (this seems logical, if you follow the original story) on their camels.
In case you forgot the three are:
* Melchor: An old man with a white beard. His gift to Jesus is gold, representing his royalty.
* Gaspar: A swarthy skinned young man. His gift is incense, which represents Jesus' divinity.
* Baltasar: A black man. His gift to Jesus is myrrh, which represents his suffering and future death.
On the night of January 5th, you should put water and straw out for their camels and leave your shoes in a prominent place in a main room before you go to bed, next to which The Kings will leave your gifts - only if you've been good. If not, you may get coal instead!
(You can buy little sacks of black-dyed honeycomb candy for the little rogues in your family.)
In many towns there will be parades through the streets on the night of January 5, with the Three Wise Guys arriving from the Orient on their camels. They throw sweets into the crowd for the children of all ages.
In Santa Cruz these popular characters can fill the football stadium and I believe these modern monarchs have been known to arrive by helicopter. In ports, such as Los Cristianos, the last leg of their journey from the Orient is on one of the inter-island ferries.
Their Cabalgata in Garachico, Tenerife, was slated to begin at 7 p.m. (yes, but where the "caravan" began, on foot, way up in the mountains) and carried on until after midnight.
Accompanied by the whole town's youth, many dressed as Roman soldiers - carrying out their duties VERY seriously indeed - "Their Majesties" are received by Herod at the entrance to the town by the Castle, before making progress along the main streets & culminating in a Regal Pageant in the town square.
Fireworks crackled, drummers drummed (loudly), a fanfare resounded to announce the arrival of the cavalcade ... As horses and camels speed into the arena - real close between the seating laid out for the audience! (Guess who had an aisle seat?)
After a live reenactment of the entire Christmas Story, complete with real live donkey, goats, sheep, human baby ... the Kings address the crowd from the castle Town Hall balcony, then take their thrones to begin dishing out gifts to a long list of kids, not just from Garachico, but from all over the island and abroad.
Before that, the local children put on some sort of show and, just to make sure this doesn't become an entirely spoilt "commercial venture", a film reminds us all of less fortunate kids in Africa, Asia, South America and other parts of the world.
Us grownups were way too tired to hang around right to the very end of the line, but it's such fun and we go back every year!
For photos of the parades in Puerto de la Cruz, visit Reyesmagosweb and click on Cabalgatas
Traditional to eat on January 6, is Roscón de Reyes, a "crown" or ring-shaped bread, decorated with "jewels" of glacé fruits, which contains surprise gifts and a supposedly unlucky bean somewhere inside.
The year's second largest Lottery - this year with 700 million euros (817 M $) of prizes - El Niño, is also drawn on this day. This certainly creates a bit of excitement in the Canary Islands, because, historically, this draw has been more likely than the big Christmas Draw, El Gordo, to drop the odd decent prize on the islands.
With Los Reyes being on January 6th, it seems that Spanish Christmas holidays go on forever, but this is the Big Day when everyone will have time off to be with their family. Many in the tourist sector worked on Christmas Day.
Santa Claus, better known here as Papa Noel, is gaining popularity in Spain, appearing in the shops alongside Los Reyes Magos and he does now bring a few presents on Christmas Eve. The justification is that it gives the kids more time to enjoy their new toys whilst they still have school holidays to amuse themselves in.
The custom on the 6th is you get taken around to see what everyone got (with adults naturally feigning surprise all over the place), which is great because you get to play with everyone's toys!
These celebrations are similar to those held in Mexico: Making Merry in Mexico, Ya Vienen Los Reyes Magos
Now I must go and get some straw ...
Labels: Christmas
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Smoking Wins In The Canary Islands
In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, at least, tobacco has won the first battle in bars with an area of less than 100 square meters - those which had to decide whether to allow smoking or not on January 1st, when the new anti-smoking law came into force in Spain.
The figures speak for themselves. Out of some thirty bars of less than 100 square meters in the center of the capital of Gran Canaria, only three have opted to NOT permit smoking. The rest decided to continue as before and allow smoking on their premises.
La mayoría de locales de menos de cien metros permitirá fumar
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Van Morrison at Auditorio de Tenerife
Tenerife has the privilege, tonight and tomorrow, to hear the Northern Irish genius, Van Morrison, in concert at the Auditorio de Tenerife. Perhaps best known for his solo debut, Brown Eyed Girl, Morrison, 60, who first stepped on the stage at 16, will be presenting a review of his musical career, his latest album, Magic Time and some jewels from his upcoming work, Pay The Devil, which will be released on March 7th.
El artista irlandés Van Morrison aterriza esta noche en Canarias para hacer repaso a su trayectoria
Reforestation in Tenerife
Tenerife forests are growing by 350 hectares every year, which brings the current area to 50,000 hectares of forest, the largest amount since reforestation campaigns began 11 years ago began. An additional 260,000 trees have been planted to increase forest areas, including more than five million square meters in Teno. A new reforestation campaign will add another 220 hectares in the north and in the south of the Island.
Tenerife cuenta cada año con 350 hectáreas nuevas de masa forestal
Buenavista Golf Course Tenerife
"The rather unknown Buenavista Golf Course in the northern part of Tenerife was just featured on CNN’s Living Golf with special guest and golf course designer Seve Ballesteros. Good show that really promoted Buenavista Golf." Source: Tenerife Guide.
Giant lizard numbers up
There’s a good news story to kick off the year and it concerns one of the world’s most endangered species, the giant lizards of La Gomera, which are slowly but surely clawing their way out of the extinction hole, courtesy of a local, regional and EU funded breeding programme and a lot of hard work by a dedicated team of biologists.
Giant lizard numbers up
King of Craft Fairs in Santa Cruz
Almost 60 artisans & crafters are taking part in the VIII Feria de Artesanía en Reyes in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz this week.
Textiles, footwear, pieces of jewellery, objects in wood, leather and ceramics, amongst others, can be purchased as unique and original gifts for Los Reyes - The Three Kings - in a marquee situated in front of the Cabildo building in the city's Plaza de España.
Hours are from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. daily, except the final day of the fair, Thursday, January 5th, when shoppers have right up until midnight to get those, literally, last minute items.
Casi 60 artesanos exponen desde hoy hasta el día 5 en la VIII Feria en Reyes de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Celebrating New Year With Dip
It has often been said that one of the best ways to shake off that New Year's hangover is to take a dip in cold water. Well, maybe the water wasn't THAT cold in Gran Canaria, but local members of the Green Party - Los Verdes - had other reasons for participating in the tradition.
What's more, they did it naked!
They were exercising their right to bathe, with or without swimming costumes, in a protest against the local corporation's aims, which, they say, would limit personal rights and criminalize nudism.
Miembros de Los Verdes celebran la entrada del año nuevo bañándose desnudos en Las Canteras
New Year 2006 Babies in Tenerife
The first new baby in the Canary Islands in 2006, was born at just 35 minutes into the year - a little girl - born at the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, in Tenerife and weighing in at 3.390 kilos.
Los primeros nacimientos en Canarias en el 2.006
