Friday, March 31, 2006
Nature and Adventure
The Cabildo (Corporation) of Tenerife has organised a series of nature walks and activities for nature lovers of all ages. The activities take place at different levels to suit every person, and prices are reasonable (between €10 and €21), which includes transport, insurance and material (depending on the activity). For those interested in participating, phone 922 239 511 for more information. If you do not speak Spanish make sure you let them know, and they will provide an English-speaking monitor for you. Reservations should be made two weeks beforehand, to ensure your place in the excursion.
Activities in April:April 1: Nature walk from Trevejos until Taucho
April 2: Climbing and absailing in El Volcán (Fasnia)
April 22: Special route for observation of the stars (Las Cañadas)
April 23: Nature walk in Chipeque, La Caldera (Orotava)
April 29: Nature walk in Ruta de Los Cabreros (Arico)
April 30: Descent of Barranco del Rincón (Araya)
Nature and Adventure
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Tenerife stepping out in London
The “Health and Beauty” sector of Tenerife’s tourism professionals will be promoting what they have to offer at the 2006 STEPS travel event in London on 29th and 30th March. Taking the latest trends in tourism into account The Tenerife Tourist Board “Turismo de Tenerife” will be concentrating on presenting the luxury spas and wellness centres of Tenerife as one of the main tourist attractions of the island.
Tenerife stepping out in London
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Tenerife as a Film Location
Actuphoto report that, "Miwa Yanagi is one of the most important Japanese photographers and video-artists in the world. She has made prestigious exhibitions, such as Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin, Museum Marugame in Japan, or Museum Hara in Tokyo. Her short film "Suna Onna" (2005), was shown also in Arco'06 at the Galeria Leyendecker.", and they continue, "The visual intensity of the DVD's images, shot at the Teide's Natural Park of Cañadas in Tenerife, drive us to the field of supernatural."
There is no doubt that the entire island is eminently photogenic, not that my "holiday snap quality" photos will have done anything to convince you of this! :)
Tenerife often turns up in films, both short and long and, sometimes in disguise. The landscape surrounding Mount Teide is said to resemble the surface of the moon and has been used as a film location for movies such as Planet of the Apes and Star Wars.
Andy McLeod, who is probably the only British cameraman based on the islands, reports that, "Tenerife, has a growing film and television industry which supports numerous commercials, movies and all types of television productions being made by production companies from all over the world." And the news that "There is also a major film studio being built on Tenerife, due for completion in 2007". He's the guy who would know.
Just reading through the HUGE LONG, impressive list of credits to his name, I see that one project Andy (who is also a qualified diving instructor), has worked on was Lonely Planet; Pakistan and Ethiopia (Ch4). It really shouldn't be, but it is always a pleasant surprise to discover that we have people of this calibre "hiding" here on this island paradise.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Citizens of Texas impressed by sand carpets
San Antonio in Texas is in the midst of celebrating the 275th anniversary of its foundation in 1731. Sixteen families from the Canary Islands founded the city then, and regional and national authorities, as well as personalities and historians from mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, including eight “alfombristas” (sand carpet makers) from La Orotava, travelled to San Antonio to take part in the celebrations.
Citizens of Texas impressed by sand carpets
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Power plant plan for north
As the problem of meeting Tenerife’s energy needs becomes ever-more urgent, the pressure is on for the authorities to come up with a long-term solution.
Now comes disturbing news they are giving serious consideration to the idea of building yet another huge power plant, this time in the north of the island. Inhabitants in the north will not be best pleased by the revelation and although no location has as yet been indicated, the not-in-my-backyard brigade are expected to mobilize and join forces with greens and common-sense citizens who think it is time for an energy rethink.
Power plant plan for north
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Sharp increase in Canary Islands aid to Africa
The government of Spain's autonomous Canary Islands has looked through its economic aid to West Africa - mostly nearby Morocco - during the last ten years and found that it had totally co-financed 165 projects with euro 17 million. Aid levels have steadily grown, and for 2006, the Canary Islands have budgeted euro 8 million for Africa. Now, transport links between the archipelago and north-west Africa are to improve.
Sharp increase in Canary Islands aid to Africa
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Finding a lady of negotiable affections in Tenerife
Hookers, whores, prostitutes, tarts .. These days they call them sex workers, so that it seems an acceptable "employment service" to contract and, clearly, there are plenty of er, "gentlemen" wishing to do so.
One such visitor from Finland used Google to search for "tenerife prostitute price" and the unfortunate fellow ended up here.
So, always aiming to give satisfaction (though I would emphasize that my own street walking adventures are of the purely non-prostitute kind), I thought I would carry out a little research into this, erm, niche of the service sector. What price for pleasure, eh?
Certainly, there isn't and never has been, a shortage of prostitutes in Tenerife.
Getting directly down to business, the World Sex Guide (don't go there, unless you're a grown-up open minded enough to read explicit content), quote prices for these services in Tenerife, in pesetas, from 2000. Undoubtedly, these will have risen (no pun intended) since then, as they seem to have in everything since the introduction of the Euro.
The price for a 5' 10", blonde, "porn star quality" prostitute in Playa de Las Americas in Tenerife back then, apparently, oscillated around 30,000 Pts per hour. That equates to 180.00 Euros in today's money, which is roughly £120.00 sterling or US $220.
World Sex Guide also (WARNING: The following link contains explicit images tell us) that "The word "whiskeria" is often used for brothel. So in Santa Cruz de Tenerife you can find the "Whiskeria del Luna" and that "Barra americana" (American bar) are bars with a very long bar where you can find girls. They say the best was the "bar de la rosa" at a highway exit shortly after the Tenerife South Airport northbound in direction Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They don't say when or for what, but they say they paid 15.000 ptas (90 Euros/£60).
Nightclubs, The Matrix Club and La Florita in Playa de las Americas, as well as Club Cleopatra in Callao Salvaje, Tenerife, offer a variety of euphemistically named relaxation and escort services of varying levels of luxury and exclusiveness.
Out on the street, there are bargains to be found, although one man "blew his top at the €20 price charged by a prostitute for oral sex and tried to denounce her for over-charging", say The Western Sun Newspaper, under the headline of Blow me! That's a bit steep!
They go on to say that, "The 48-year-old Spaniard was still complaining about the rising cost of loving as he was arrested and charged with drunk driving", after he arrived at the police station in Santa Cruz in his car, with the prostitute still in the passenger seat.
(Oh boy, never let it be said that we journalists write predictable phrases. :-)
Of course, the world's oldest profession is nothing new, even on this island. 
Tenerife manages to get a mention in this book, The Floating Brothel (UK punters) by Sian Rees, set in the 1780's and sub-titled "The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and its Cargo of Female Convicts".
The female convicts antics are compared to the notorious dock-women of Tenerife in Chapter 8 of The Fatal Shore (UK), which contains the following passage:
"Since the liaisons were free of legal ties, a settler could simply throw a convict woman out when he was tired of her. This caused a troublesome floating population of whores and unattached "disorderly women" to accumulate around Sydney Cove, whose westerly arm, "The Rocks," soon acquired a well-deserved name as the rowdiest and most dangerous thieves' kitchen in the colony. As early as 1793, these women were offending all who met them, including a Spanish lieutenant who stopped in Sydney on an exploration vessel, the Atrevida: They made "continuous seductive advances" to his crewmen, slipped them Mickey Finns, robbed them blind, and were so "degraded by vice, or rather greed" that the notorious dock-women of Tenerife paled in memory beside them."
Mostly British, French and German travellers chronicles from the 18th and 19th Centuries also reveal the invisible History of Canary Islands Women, in which, "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"."
The history of prostitution in Tenerife gets even darker when it gets linked to politics and cult religion with "the ancient practice of religious prostitution" and the story descends even further into the murky depths when Tenerife sex cult messiah turns killer.
The Canary Islands get a fictional link to the sex trade in Christophe Honore's film Ma Mère, but it isn't always all it's cracked up to be. The critics said that the Hooker's Oedipal romp was boring. Upon reflection, perhaps this shows that reality is preferable to fiction.
But, speaking of fiction, it must be remembered that not all "happy hookers" wind up with their "Prince Charming" like Vivian (Julia Roberts) in "Pretty Woman".
It is not my place to judge and I am not against someone voluntarily providing services for which there is obviously a demand - and it should be underlined that this is also perfectly legal in Spain - however, there is an increasing problem, where "around 80 percent of prostitutes working in Spain are immigrants, many of them illegal, from Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa, as seen here in the Canary Islands. There is little doubt that many of the foreign prostitutes have been coerced into the trade by criminals who lured them to Spain with false promises of other jobs", as reported on numerous occasions in The Paper and, now 'Europe's brothel' Spain seeks solutions to prostitution.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Food & Drink : Canary Islands Staple, Gofio
Gofio is a flour made from roasted sweetcorn and other grains (e.g wheat, barely or oat) . Gofio was first eaten by the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands, as the main staple of their diet. Gofio is still an important ingredient in Canary Islander cooking, and Canary Islander emigrants have spread its use to the Caribbean and all of Latin America. Gofio can be added to soups, stews, desserts, ice cream, sauces, and more.
Gofio From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Condestable de la Quinta Roja
Later today at a presentation to be celebrated at the Garachico establishment, the Hotel La Quinta Roja, José Rodríguez, the publisher and director of the newspaper EL DÍA, is to be awarded the honorary title of "Condestable de la Quinta Roja".
Condestable means High Constable or Commander-in-Chief.
This recognition is based upon Rodríguez', whom they describe as "a liberal, a humanist and a man eminently tinerfeño", many merits. The title is registered with the ministries of Culture and Tourism, with the aim of recognizing "people who do things with love".
Garachico born writer, poet, journalist, Carlos Acosta García, received the title of "Condestable de la Quinta Roja" in March 2005, the first time the award was conferred.
The Hotel La Quinta Roja was formerly the 16th Century mansion of the Marquis de La Quinta Roja, title that was conferred upon the descendants of Garachico's founder, Cristóbal de Ponte, by Royal Decree of Carlos II on July 17th, 1689.
José Rodríguez recibe el título de Condestable de la Quinta Roja
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Air Crash Tenders in Tenerife
Just in case you are one of those people who fears flying to Tenerife because of the island's crash record, you may like to know what help is at hand these days.
The tender pictured, plus other models, have been supplied by ROSENBAUER, to the Spanish Airports' Authority (AENA), including to both Tenerife South and Tenerife North airports.
ROSENBAUER reassuringly say, "In case of a crash situation, the run across the airport must not only be as fast, but also as short as possible, whereby small obstacles, fences and hedges will be driven over, traversing difficult ground and the tarmac at over 100 kph. This is the reason why ROSENBAUER uses not only standard chassis but also military and special for its air crash tenders, to be capable of meeting the selective demands made by major, top category international airports."
Air Crash Tenders
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Tenerife Air Disasters in Perspective
Whilst much has been written about the March 1997 crash at Tenerife's Los Rodeos airport - and not to worry anyone here - but did you know that four air crashes had occurred on the island since 1965?
And, three of them, lamentably, make it into the Top 100 Aviation Disasters. Those three, in order of severity, are:
March 27 1977 - 583 killed - KLM Boeing 747-206B collides with Pan Am Boeing 747-121 on the runway at Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport.
December 3 1972 - 155 killed - Spantax Covair 990-30A-5 Coronado, carrying West German tourists, lost control on take-off from Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport.
April 25 1980 - 146 fatalities - Dan-Air Services B-727-46 flying from Manchester crashed into a mountain south of Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport on approach.
All three accidents happened in fog conditions.
Tenerife's Los Rodeos airport is situated on a 2,000-feet-high plateau, which is subject to cloud descent and sudden dangerous crosswinds, say the British Council.
Of course, it should be remembered that not only does Tenerife now have another, much larger, airport (Reina Sofia) on the south of the island that enjoys much better weather conditions and is further from mountains, an awful lot has changed in the last 26 years, since the date of the last major accident to occur at Los Rodeos.
Logic, if not actual reports, tells us that radar and communications will have come on leaps and bounds since then, so that taking off or landing, even if Los Rodeos is prone to fog (and it is), is no longer quite the danger it was over a quarter of a century ago.
Tenerife Air Traffic Control was implicated (giving wrong directions) in the 1980 Dan Air crash, according to the accident report referred to in comments here, although, neither they, nor the airport itself were found to be to blame in the other two major crashes.
It seems wrong that they are never allowed to "live it down", when this is the proven case. Yes, there are still people who fear flying there. There are those too who think it a disgrace that there is no memorial to crash victims at the airport and accuse the Tenerife authorities of wanting to forget. Whom would it help? Certainly not passengers passing through!
Of course, four crashes is four crashes too many, but the world is not perfect. Four crashes in over 40 years, when, for instance, you take into account the fact that Tenerife's airports combined are set to handle over 73,000 flights during this year's seven month summer season alone, puts the matter into a much better perspective, I think.
Tenerife / Los Rodeos, SPAIN Weather
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Labels: Tenerife Disaster
Flying on the Canaries - Tenerife
Paragliding enthusiasts and, indeed, visitors of all persuasions, will enjoy this report on a flying visit to Tenerife.
They have this to say about the northwest cliffs at Teno Alto, "Although the terrain near the high mountain village of Teno Alto on the northwestern tip of the island is somewhat out of the way, it is that much more worthwhile seeing, and that even if it didn't happen to be possible to take off. The beautiful grassy meadow at an altitude of 720 meters above sea level, just asking to be camped on, including the perfect stone fire pit, terminates in a sharp cliff edge. The view from the edge down to the ocean is enthralling and the crash of the breaking waves is heard all the way at the top." It is spectacular.
However, visitors who wander off the beaten track and into banana plantations should heed the warnings of their experience with an unripe banana, which they found shares a number of properties in common with Czech glue, Kanagom. :)
The whole report Flying on the Canaries - Tenerife is a delightful read, because it contains many keen, seemingly small, but very accurate observations. There are also numerous photos and, like many things written by non-native English speakers, is written so much better than those of us lazy sobs who are native speakers would be inclined to do.
Flying on the Canaries - Tenerife
Tenerife Photos: Reflections of Mount Teide
Even though Tenerife is a relatively small island and I have spend almost a decade and a half on it, there is still a LOT I haven't seen myself. There are even sights that I never imagined that you could see, like Mount Teide and the unmistakable Roques de Garcia up in the cañadas, reflected in an enormous lake that has formed on a spot that is normally a vast, dry desert.
54fotos.com (I didn't count them) has images of just such sights, plus amazing sunsets, spectacular seas of clouds and many more art quality images of the island. Just go to the site and click on Paisajes (Landscapes). There are more gorgeous photos under Otras (Other) and, for those interested in paragliding, yet more under Parapente.
54fotos.com
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Birdwatching at Punta de Teno & Teno Alto
Mentioned before on these pages are various birds that I've spotted locally, even without trying, since living here.
The birds mostly just come to visit me, however, some people come from far and wide to get the chance to add interesting local sightings to their lists.
Some of the birds you might see in the Teno areas are; Barbary Falcon, Rock Sparrow, Plain Swift, feral pigeon, Kestrel, Raven, Buzzard, Cory's Shearwaters, Pallid Swifts, Berthelot's Pipits, Linnet, Spectacled Warbler, Sardinian Warbler and flocks of Island Canaries.
This Birding Trip Report for Tenerife will tell you more.
It is interesting to note what they say about the road to the Punta de Teno itself, "Once we had arrived a sign appeared to say that the road around the cliffs was closed! However, a lot of people seemed to be ignoring this and so we did likewise." Yes, I have also arrived there and found the road seemingly blocked, yet everyone drove onward. Whilst I don't know the "official policy", it is believed that this is to deter large numbers of people from going down the, frankly, eerie road with long tunnels and to the peaceful point itself. It seems that when "too many" people have gone down, the police will suddenly turn up to the barricade and start meaning it. Maybe they have a counter thingy in the road? 
Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands by Tony Clarke, Chris Orgill (Illustrator), Tony Disley (Illustrator). 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.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Thursday, March 30, 2006
The Lost Pyramids of Guimar
Speaking of Tenerife beauty spots, as we were earlier, one visit that should not be missed in Tenerife is to the Parque Etnografico, built around the Pyramids of Guimar by the late Dr Thor Heyerdahl and shipping magnate Fred Olsen.
Like every single aspect of Tenerife's history, there is truth and there is myth and the two have become almost indistinguishable over the centuries, which combine to make this one of the most fascinating places, not just on the island, but on earth.
For me, it was not just magical to see the pyramids themselves and the other extremely well-presented exhibits, but also to see the replicas of the reed boats that Paulino Esteban in Bolivia had helped make for Heyerdahl. Viewers of Michael Palin's journey, Full Circle, will have "met" Esteban when he took Palin for a test-drive on Lake Titicaca.
Yesterday, I came across a wonderful article that describes The Lost Pyramids of Guimar.
"Although well known in Europe, few people outside the continent have even heard of the Islands let alone the mysteries they hold. The Canary Islands could contain definitive proof that ancient people crossed the globe by sea long before Columbus ever did."
"That proof might well lie in a large pyramid complex on the biggest of the Islands, Tenerife; and in the research of the Norwegian explorer, anthropologist and author, the late Dr Thor Heyerdahl. Realising that the pyramids were extremely similar to the step pyramids found in Peru, Mexico and ancient Mesopotamia, Dr Heyerdahl spent the last few years of his life living in Guimar, supervising the archaeological mission to survey and preserve the six step pyramids and the complex they were part of. "
Read more: The Lost Pyramids of Guimar
There are also over 70 photographs of the pyramid complex of Guimar in their Gallery. Check them out, by clicking here.
Parque Etnografico Website
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Mobile Information for Buenavista Residents
Over the next few weeks, the town hall in Buenavista del Norte, Tenerife will launch a new service via mobile phone that will improve communication of information about various events and initiatives promoted daily from the local corporation.
The service will be provided by sending text messages to phone users who subscribe to the system, also allowing them to distribute relevant information, targeted according to age, employment or place of residence within the district.
Similar systems are already in use in Garachico and Los Silos.
Good job I got myself a new mobile phone when I was in Icod de los Viños on Monday!
This is excellent news, because I have often missed fiestas, the irregularly scheduled Sunday Farmers' Markets and other local events, because, despite them being on the doorstep, there was no way to know when they would be taking place. Up until now, only when there have been sizeable events coming up, the town hall would send round a van with a loudhailer, but that requires that one is awake and has no other distractions on in the house and, even then, is most difficult to catch from here on this ridge.
If I actually know what is going on, this will give me not only more opportunities to go to events, but also record and photograph them for your enjoyment too.
El ayuntamiento de Buenavista del Norte recurre a móviles para informar a los vecinos
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Treating Minor Injuries in Tenerife
Just a small traveller's tip here: which it occurred to me to write, since I have just been stupid enough to stab myself in the hand with a kitchen knife!
This applies to anywhere where the climate never gets cold enough to kill germs. No matter how small the cut, abrasion, etc., don't ignore it. Yes, in northern climates it might work to wash (or perhaps lick) and leave a small scratch, but not here. You may be lucky, but I've had some nasty swellings in the past when I've tried to ignore my own advice.
Get the antiseptic out straight away when the skin in broken, even for minor cat scratches (and I get a LOT of those, with five of them). If you need to go to the Farmacia (chemist), ask them for some old-fahioned iodine, which is sold under the brand name of Betadine.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Tenerife Photos : Looking down on El Palmar
Gerald England, who made a trip to Tenerife and La Gomera earlier this year with his wife, took some lovely photos, including this one looking down on the El Palmar valley.
You'll find an Introduction to Tenerife Photographs and a Sequential List of Photographs from which to browse.
Actually, I've been in touch with Gerald since I found his photos on the web - wouldn't you if you found one that your house is in? Lovely man and well-travelled too. While you are at his site, take some time to browse those of the British Isles and the rest of the world.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Tenerife's Beauty Spots
Islas.com says, "Tenerife's Beauty Spots are, as you might well imagine, er, beautiful. (Got a way with words, haven't I?) During the long daylight hours, if you need a rest from the rigours of sun, sand and sea, you may find yourself sightseeing around the fascinating and beautiful island of Tenerife, whether on an organised excursion or in your own rented car. We highly recommend that you do!" Here are some of their favourite places.
Tenerife's Beauty Spots
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Excel Airways to cut fuel costs
Excel Airways is planning to install winglets on the wing tips of four of its leased aircraft in a bid to cut fuel costs. A growing trend in the aviation industry, the technology will be installed on the company's 737-800 airplanes and is expected to be particularly beneficial for some of the airline's longer flights. These include flights from Gatwick to Luxor in Egypt, Tenerife and Spain, which could require up to four per cent less jet fuel, saving 115,000 gallons per plane. It remains to be seen whether the savings will be passed on to Excel's passengers in the form of cheaper seats. Excel Airways to cut fuel costs
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Canary Islands; the trilogy
Top30 has installed a climbing wall/tower 12 meters in height, made entirely using 3D Real Rock panels. With this wall Top30 has delivered 3 first class climbing walls (Las Palmas, Breña Baja and Granadilla) and seemingly the three are not the end of it.
The climbing tower installed by Top30 in Granadilla has a platform on top and an internal staircase. The installation is located next to the municipal sports pavilion. Canary Islands; the trilogy
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
EU gears up to overhaul banana subsidy regime
Europe's banana growers will soon face big changes to the way they receive the lavish EU subsidies that keep many of them in business, as the 13-year old policy comes in for a long-awaited overhaul, officials say.
After introducing a single-tariff import duty from 2006 that was the deal to end the 1990s "banana wars", which Europe lost at the hands of Ecuador and the United States, the EU has now turned its focus towards reforming its internal subsidy system. It will be of prime interest to France, Spain and Portugal, the EU's main banana growers in some of its remotest islands: Guadeloupe, Martinique, the Canaries, Madeira and the Azores. The Canary Islands are Europe's largest banana producer, turning out 412,000 tonnes in 2004.
EU gears up to overhaul banana subsidy regime
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Full English Breakfast
Do people honestly travel to foreign climes, only to search for "the comforts of home"?
Personally, I prefer to sample the local delicacies wherever I go, but perhaps I am more than averagely adventurous in my culinary tastes. You would think so if you spend much time in Tenerife's resorts, especially those on the south of the island with their plethora of English cafes.
And, those which serve this particular combination (OK, chips may not be a breakfast food, but English breakfasts in Tenerife do usually include the beans - I think, to fill the plate cheaply) are being documented by Russell Davies at eggbaconchipsandbeans. But, says Davies, "... it's gradually dawning on me that I'm not going to be able to visit every cafe in the world." Quite right too: imagine the effects on his health from such a diet.
And it dawned on me that if you are a connoisseur of Tenerife's many fried English offerings, then you might like to contribute your reports to his "open sauce" blog.
eggbaconchipsandbeans Via: Jaunted
Tenerife Offers Greatest Fiscal Advantage in Europe
President of the Island Corporation, Ricardo Melchior, said yesterday, that after the opening of the Zona Franca (free economic zone ) in Tenerife, the island will become the European location which offers the best fiscal advantages. The free economic zone was approved in January 2006, but awaits approval of it's internal regulation from the Ministry of Economy, expected in about two months. The article also notes that a maritime link between America and the Canaries will begin functioning within a month.
This is the second open free economic zone in Europe and covers the whole of the port of Santa Cruz and would be extended to the proposed (contentious) port of Granadilla.
Melchior: "Tenerife será el lugar con las mayores ventajas fiscales de la UE"
A free port (porto franco) or free zone (US: Foreign-Trade Zone) is a port or area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location. Most commonly this means being free of customs or being a special customs zone with favorable customs regulations. The free economic zones are usually called free ports.
Destination Culture : 50% Off Travel Between Islands
There's no excuse to stay at home any more, because the Canarian Government has launched a project, "Días C de Cultura" (C for Culture Days) in which residents can get 50% discounts on all tickets from Canarian air and ferry companies; Binter, Islas Airways, Garajonay Express, Fred Olsen y Naviera Armas, for those who wish to travel to cultural events that are held on an island other than the one on which they reside.
The fundamental tool, says Canarian President, Adán Martín, is the internet. Through the new website at www.diasc.com, you can find listings of the cultural events that are part of the program. Once you've bought a ticket for the event, or obtained an invitation there in the case of free events, you may be able to acquire travel tickets at half price.
Not all cultural events are included and there will generally be (sometimes flexible) limits on the numbers of discounted places available at the discretion of the carrier.
La mitad del billete será gratis para quienes viajen para asistir a actos culturales
Viajar entre Islas con destinos culturales será desde ahora un 50% más barato
(NOTE: on the website it seems that only Fred Olsen is participating at the moment)
Tenerife Airport Traffic to grow 9.5% this summer
Traffic in Tenerife's airports is set to increase by 9.47% during the 2006 summer season, which began this week and prolongs until October 28. Movements programmed for the two Tenerife airports amount to 73,072, which is 6,324 more than in the same period last year. The airports authority predict a 10.22% increase in flights in the south (Reina Sofia) and 8.7% in the north (Los Rodeos), figures which are above the national averages.
El tráfico aeroportuario en Tenerife crecerá un 9,5% durante este verano
The way these sailor descendants speak
"The extensive use of coño throughout the Iberian Peninsula, however, is well documented. It’s the one swear word – well, at least the nastiest – that seems to slip effortlessly into the daily conversations of fellow Spaniards from the Canary Islands to the Pyrenees Mountains. I think that because it is used so often, the word has simply come to lose the power of insult and vulgarism that its English equivalent still possesses."
Pichas and Chochos
The Hedonist's Approach to Labor Unrest
Interesting observation by The Spanish Cockpit, "Given the Spanish propensity for coming together in large groups (to drink and chat, to protest educational reform, to run with the bulls), you'd think that labor actions would be more dramatic here." And they aren't: protests seem like any other fiesta and are always conveniently planned.
The Hedonist's Approach to Labor Unrest
Face lift for Santa Cruz’ City Center
Tenerife Cabildo has begun to cordon off Santa Cruz’s Plaza de España in preparation for the remodelling project which is to take place in the central area of the city. Over 14 million Euros will be spent on the the woks in which the Plaza de España is to be given a new look, which will permit a good view of the sea from the central area.
Face lift for Santa Cruz’s “zona centro”
(Sarcastic quip: Maybe if they can clearly see all those cruise ships in port, this "good view" will finally persuade Santa Cruz' shopkeepers to open for shoppers' benefit.)
Media Markt Coming to Santa Cruz
German electronics multinational, Media Markt, is planning to open its second branch in the Canary Islands, after opening the first in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 2002, this time in the Tenerife capital, Santa Cruz. Specializing in low prices (and advertising scandals), the greatest probability is that the store will instal itself in Santa María del Mar, close to Carrefour. Media Markt, who are already recruiting executive personnel, already have more than 30 branches in Spain and 350 throughout the world.
La alemana Media Markt planea abrir una sucursal en Santa Cruz
Media Markt - Spainish website
Skywatchers await total eclipse
The Canary Islands may not be a too bad place to see a partial eclipse this morning. The BBC report that the path of totality will traverse parts of West and North Africa and that the point of greatest eclipse will occur in southern Libya at 1011 GMT (1111 BST).
The UK can expect to observe the sun between 10 and 20% eclipsed, while in mainland Spain, Madrid will see the sun 24.7% eclipsed and in Barcelona, 32.5%.
Skywatchers have been warned against looking directly at the partially eclipsed phases.
Skywatchers await total eclipse
Eclipse parcial de Sol el próximo miércoles 29 de marzo de 2006
See the Total Solar Eclipse Here - NASA streaming webcast .
No Room at the Inn
Jaunted travel blog reports on Bed and Breakfasts all across England, where proprietors are protesting against the new UK Equality Act, because there are those who would deny a room to visitors on the basis of religion or sexual orientation.
Imagine if that were to happen in the Catholic Canary Islands. Where would predominantly Protestant Brits stay then?
You'll be thankful to know that I do not believe anyone in hospitality here would even think of "cutting off their nose to spite their face" and turn away business. Indeed, I generally find that Catholic priests are perfectly happy for anyone to attend or visit their churches here, no matter what religious beliefs you hold (or don't hold, as the case may be.)
No Room at the Inn
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
New Animal Species Discovered in Teno, Tenerife
Cat looks out over the Teno mountains and asks, "When can I go catch these new grasshoppers?" Answer: You can't, it's a protected species.Members of the department of Animal Biology of the University of La Laguna have discovered a new species of animal, a grasshopper without wings, called "cigarrón áptero tinerfeño", in the area of Teno, in the north of the island of Tenerife.
The grasshopper measures seven centimeters and its great capacity for camouflage has made its discovery previously difficult. The find has been included in the Data bank of Biodiversity, which gathers 60 new species per year.
The grasshopper discovered in Teno has cousins on the islands of La Palma, Gran Canaria and La Gomera, but each one has specific peculiarities. This endemic species has a great capacity to adapt to insular life, which is the reason it lacks wings.
Pedro Oromí's team discovered the little beastie in 2001 and, after a lot of exhaustive research, the discovery was published in a scientific magazine in 2005.
The species will be included in the Catalogue of Threatened Species of the Canary Islands, that constitutes the public registry in which those species, subspecies or populations of wild flora and fauna that need special protection are included. The great majority of the species discovered lately in the Canary Islands have this in common: that its cataloguing as a protected species is probable. In fact, any species that lives in an area inferior to 2.5 square kilometers is considered a candidate for protected status.
A new species every six days: A new species is discovered approximately every six days in the Canary Islands, of which 93% are animals and 7% plants. The greater percentage of the species discovered in the last decade are of small size, mainly invertebrates. Tenerife is the island with largest amount of species.
Descubren una nueva especie animal en Tenerife
Descubierta en Teno una nueva especie animal, la más grande de las halladas en Canarias durante 2005
Agricultural Museum in Icod de Los Vinos
The Tenerife Island Corporation is to employ 20 people for a workshop specializing in agriculture at the Finca Boquín in Icod de los Viños.
The project, presented by the Canarian Employment Service, aims to provide employment for unemployed people between the ages of 25 and 35.
The object of the workshop itself is to help modernize the agricultural sector of the area with new techniques of cultivation, as well as recuperating and conserving traditional forms of agriculture in the island. Members of the workshop will collaborate with the Center for the Conservation of Agricultural Biodiversity in Tenerife, in planting crops of particular agricultural interest and to prevent the disappearance of these crops.
The Corporation, which hopes to conserve traditional agricultural with this center, acquired the finca with the intention of creating an agricultural museum to promote the traditional culture. The 174,573 square meter smallholding also contains several houses of traditional architecture, which have been restored as complimentary to the museum.
El Cabildo promueve la contratación de veinte personas para la finca Boquín
Psychological Study Reveals that there is no typical profile of an abused woman
A study, partially sponsored by the Canarian Women's Institute and carried out at the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, has revealed that there is no "typical profile" of an abused woman, in that abuse can occur to woman of all ages, with any number of children, whether they are married or single and, independent of their educational level. The results have been published in the "Journal of Applied Social Psychology".
Some 240 abused women, most of whom had requested help from various local services in Tenerife, were interviewed and subjected to psychological testing in order to elaborate the study. In order to show the psychological impact of abuse, the symptoms of long term effects were compared with a control group of 240 women of the same social and demographic characteristics, but who had not suffered violence from their partners.
The report indicates that women who have been abused show more symptoms of anxiety, insomnia and depression, as well as having lower self-esteem. Those who had suffered the most intense abuse by their partners and those who had suffered abuse more recently, showed more marked symptoms of depression.
More than half of the group had suffered physical as well as psychological abuse, where a third has suffered physical, psychological and sexual abuse, 15% psychological and 5% psychological and sexual abuse. The ages of the women who has suffered abuse was anywhere between 17 and 68 years. The age at which the women began to be abused was between 13 and 54, although only 10% began to be abused over the age of 33. Whilst more than half of the group only had a secondary school education, there were also those with higher education and university degrees. The study took three years to complete.
Estudio Psicología revela no existe perfil mujer maltratada
Canary Islands to get Second Local TV Channel
InfoNorteDigital.com report that the regional government are launching a second Televisión Canaria channel in May. It's primary content will be educational, particularly, language teaching. President, Adán Martín, says that one of the objectives is that, at least, all children and young people in the Canaries speak a second language fluently.
The second channel will be transmitted openly, initially 8 hours per day, but in TDT (digital) format. This means that, initially, it will only be available in the seven island capitals. Permission was denied for Televisión Canaria 2 to be broadcast in analogue format.
CANARIAS CONTARÁ CON UNA SEGUNDA CADENA DE TELEVISIÓN
Spanish search for African migrants lost in Atlantic
Spanish rescue services resumed their search on Sunday for a boatload of illegal immigrants lost on the Atlantic, as reports emerged that fishing canoes carrying Africans desperate to reach Europe were now setting out from as far away as Senegal, almost 1 600km to the south. Between 1 000 and 1 700 people are thought to have died trying to make the crossing over the past five months. Up to 300 illegal immigrants a day have reached the Canary Islands in recent weeks.
Spanish search for African migrants lost in Atlantic
Happy slapping arrives in Tenerife
The first known case in the Canary Islands of so-called “happy slapping”, a youth craze in which video phones are used to record attacks on unsuspecting victims, took place in Puerto de la Cruz this month when three local teenagers recorded the beating they meted out to a classmate outside Puerto de la Cruz’s IES secondary school, on camera.
Happy slapping arrives in Tenerife
Monday, March 27, 2006
Today's Highlight in History : Tenerife disaster
Associated Press (via Yahoo News) reminded me that today is the 29th anniversary of the Tenerife disaster, which occurred on Sunday, March 27, 1977. The collision between KLM and PanAm Boeing 747's at a foggy Los Rodeos Airport on the north of Tenerife, in which a total of 583 people lost their lives, is still the world's worst aviation accident.
Recently, after finding more material, including the video of the reconstruction of the crash, made by National Geographic, I updated my report on the accident. It never fails to amaze me that, even 29 years on, there is so much interest in the disaster. Every single day, the largest number of search queries used to find this site are related to that accident on the Tenerife runway. Is this an unhealthy preoccupation with the tragic, or born out of a fear of flying? I guess we'll never know, however, I hope that having the facts to hand will help.
On This Day 1977: Runway collision kills 583
Labels: Tenerife Disaster
Encouraging Kids to Read in Buenavista del Norte
Starting today, a total of 190 children will be taking part in an initiative organized by the public library in Buenavista del Norte to encourage them to read and cultivate a love for the world of books. Daily sessions of story reading and composition run until March 31.
La Biblioteca Municipal 'Anima a leer' a 190 niños de Buenavista del Norte
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Spy Camera in Girls' Loo
A restaurant owner has been arrested after a camera was found hidden in the women's toilets. The 50-year-old Brit and the restaurant's manager were caught after a string of women told police they suspected they had been filmed. The camera was found in an air duct of the toilet in Playa de las Americas, on the holiday island of Tenerife.
Spy Camera in Girls' Loo
European clocks advance one hour today
Worth taking into consideration when you communicate with people all around the world. Hey Europeans! Remember that today's the day to roll your clocks forward for British/European/Irish Summer Time. Hey everyone else: Europe is now one hour in the future until Daylight Savings kicks in -- that means that London is 6 hours ahead of New York and 9 hours ahead of San Francisco. Paris is 7 hours ahead of New York and 10 hours ahead of San Francisco.
European clocks advance one hour today
NB: Just to add to the complication, here in the Canary Islands, we are on the same time as London but an hour behind the rest of Spain.
Documentary Teno: Man and Nature
A new documentary film, Teno: Hombre y Naturaleza (Teno: Man and Nature) has been well received by the 500 or so who attended it's premiere at the Cine Victor in the island's capital, Santa Cruz.
The production has been sponsored by the Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation) departments of the Environment and Landscape and their counterparts in the Canarian Government, with collaboration from town halls and museums.
Councillor for the Environment and Landscape, Wladimiro Rodríguez, voiced his satisfaction with the high quality of the film and hopes that it will be given a similar welcome by the public at national level. The documentary is to be broadcast by various national channels and at international festivals and, will soon be shown at various points around the Teno Rural Park. The object of the promoters is to get as much coverage as possible so that the public can get to know the importance of this national cultural treasure, that has been marginalized for many years, first hand.
The film is a reminder that it is well worth fighting to defend this inheritance and the need to leave it to the next generation in the same state we received it. The documentary aims to pay homage to all the efforts and sacrifices of successive generations of men and women who have lived and worked, morning to night, in such difficult and remote conditions.
The 50 minute documentary, filmed in Super 16 mm cinematographic format, is the result of two years of intensive work by production company, Alascine. Many of the images show the great difficulty it was to capture them in an enclave characterized by a non-uniform geography and almost permanent fog. Others expose the natural predisposition of the villagers to pose before the camera and to recount their experiences, bringing the cultural inheritance to present and coming generations before it vanishes forever.
El Cabildo espera una gran acogida nacional del documental ‘Teno: Hombre y Naturaleza’
Maybe It's Not Such A Whale of a Time?
Ben Magec, the Tenerife members of the federation, Ecologists in Action, are of the opinion that the situation of the four new whales at the Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz, may not respect the law. The ecological group say that, given their size, this species need really large pools in which to live and consider it an aberration to condemn them to live in spaces so ridiculous, where it is impossible to obtain adequate conditions for their physical, mental and social well being.
Animals kept in captivity suffer a high level of stress, sadness, boredom and a shorter life expectancy than those in the wild, for which the law states that such animals should be kept "in conditions that permit the satisfaction of their biological necessities".
A spokesman for Ben Magec says that the importation of these whales, with commercial intent, sets a dangerous president, being the first importation of this species into the European Union in more than ten years, overturning the trend of more countries prohibiting this kind of commercial operation. The federation say there are no scientific, educational or conservation motives which justify keeping these animals in captivity as attractions.
The Loro Parque Foundation is, however, well known for it's animal conservation work.
La situación de las orcas en Loro Parque incumple la Ley
More IT needed for Sustainable Tourism
The tourist sector in Tenerife needs greater investment in technology to better develop tourism that is respectful to the environment, said a tourism work group during a meeting which took place in La Laguna last week. The experts say that a closer collaboration is needed with private companies to allow the most efficient use of resources; such as alternative energy, recycling and re-utilization of resources. The round table, which meets three times a year and in which both the Central and Canarian governments participate, includes ministers of Agriculture, Environment and Tourism.
Medio Ambiente aboga por impulsar el desarrollo sostenible del turismo
New successes for Tenerife wines in one of the most important prizes in the world
Wines from the Valle de Güímar and Tacoronte Acentejo were recently awarded medals in the international wine contest Bacchus 2006, recently celebrated in Madrid. Some 1,500 wines from 15 countries were represented. White wine, Brumas de Ayosa from the SAT vineyards in the Valle de Güímar was awarded a coveted gold medal. Their Brut Nature was also awarded a silver medal. Wines from the Tacoronte Acentejo region: Cráter, from the Buten bodega, as well as Viña Norte and Humoldt red, from the Bodegas Insulares, together with Tágara white, from the Bilma winery of the Ycoden Daute Isora (Icod de los Viños and Isla Baja) region, all obtained silver medals.
Nuevos éxitos para los vinos tinerfeños en uno de los premios más importantes del mundo
Have you lost a brown hen?
Somebody on a Canary Island has, but they are not admitting it. But if you think that is a strange way to act, you should read about the animal behavior in the family of with Daisy, the speckledy hen, and her fearsome black spouse of previously uncertain gender.
If you've never kept farmyard animals - nor have I but my family have and I live next to many - their antics will amuse you and open your eyes. It is still very common for people to keep livestock in backyards, even on town house roofs here, although that got a bit much at one point, so this may now be mostly banned. My neighbours - both directions - have quite an assortment, with chickens, bantam hens, ducks, and a gaggle of geese that have often escaped and come to say good morning to me under my bedroom window.
They may not again, as Granny says, "Because of bird flu they are checking everyone. In due course, probably, the chickens will no longer be allowed to roam the land."
Animal behaviour
New Plaza for El Molino in Buenavista del Norte
A new plaza is to be built in the Buenavista del Norte neighborhood of El Molino, partly to revitalize and area that has seen some of the greatest increase in population recently, but also to improve the area for visitors. The tiny 720 meter square plaza will have a small cafe, plus an esplanade and a central fountain. In parallel, the ancient Molino de Gofio (gofio mill), which gives the neighborhood it's name is also to be rescued and reconstructed, as befits one of the most emblematic buildings of the area.
El programa ’Paisaten’ dota al barrio El Molino de su primera plaza pública
Canary Islands descendants hold 30th festival in spite of Katrina
Hurricane Katrina wrecked their museum, their homes, and their lives. But that couldn't keep descendants of Canary Islanders who came to St. Bernard Parish in Luisiana more than two centuries ago from celebrating their heritage with the 30th Islenos Fiesta.
Canary Islands descendants hold 30th festival in spite of Katrina
Saturday, March 25, 2006
The Musical Whims of Isla Baja
The north of Tenerife has launched a new project to promote tourism and attract visitors to the area. The program, which runs from March 25th, until July 29th includes 20 concerts to be held in the four districts of Buenavista, Los Silos, Garachico and El Tanque.
The concerts include individual vocal and choral music, with musicians from various points around the island. The first was held on March 25th in the former Convent of Santo Domingo in Garachico with soprano Raquel Lojendio and pianist Sophia Unsworth.
As the report at the Albergue de Bolico website says, this is another great excuse to come and enjoy their exclusive facilities and the surroundings of the Teno Rural Park and the Isla Baja area.
Los Caprichos Musicales de la Isla Baja
Easter Celebrations Begin In Tenerife
The Brotherhood of the Santísimo Cristo del Calvario will begin their acts for Semana de Pasión (Passion Week), leading up to Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Icod de los Viños.
Easter Week this year starts on Sunday, April 9th Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and ends on Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday) which falls on April 16th. The Easter holiday dates in Spain are Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday) and Viernes Santo (Good Friday).
These events in Icod start today, Saturday, March 25th and continue until April 2nd.
Easter is another religious festival that is celebrated mighty grandly here in Tenerife. During Easter Week, there are likely to be various processions in almost every town and village. Two of the largest celebrations are held in La Laguna and in Adeje.
The former involves processions through the streets with the Nazarenos (Nazarenes) in their peculiar pointy hoods. This item about the events in Seville in Spain give you an idea.
In Adeje there is a reenactment of the Easter story through the streets of the town and it was important enough to be televised last year. It was the fist time that I had noticed the white lines of parking spaces pained on the road just below the Mount of Olives :), but the whole town was transformed for the event that was certainly well attended. Excellent operatic singers played the parts of the main characters. Jesus did, indeed, carry his own cross and his acting of his own crucifixion and death were almost too realistic!
Whether you are religious or not, these events make great things to see and days out.
Comienza la Semana de Pasión de la Cofradía del Santísimo Cristo del Calvario de Icod
Foreign workers in the Canary Islands passes 20%
The majority are from the European Union, followed by Latin Americans, other Non-EU Europeans and Africans, according to this report. The main sectors in which they work are tourism, services, construction and agriculture. Union, Comisiones Obreras Canarias (CC OO), say that 198,000 foreigners work in the Canary Islands, which is 20.5% of the total workforce (966,220) in the islands, or 10% of the population of 1,968,280 in 2005.
This doesn't count immigrants who work illegally, which is incalculable. CC OO also say that there is a long way to go towards acceptance among the local population and social integration, for which projects are necessary to guarantee immigrants respect and rights.
Unos 198.000 extranjeros trabajan regularmente en Canarias
Dog Show With A Difference
No matter how long I live here, one aspect of the "country ways" is never going to be something I can embrace easily: hunting. During the season, from Augiust to November, we're overrun with hungry looking dogs and blokes playing cowboys/soldiers, dressed in camouflage. Today in Icod de los Viños "the best examples" of hunting dogs congregate for a dog show arranged by the town hall and the local hunting association. Dog and hunt lovers welcome, between 10.30 and 14.30 at the Polígono de Las Almenas, La Mancha.
Icod la III Exposición de perros de caza - with photo
Empanadas de Atun Anyone?
OK, tuna fish pie to you then, because mylifeinspain has posted the recipe for this delicacy that is also very popular here in the Canary Islands. They say, "... the empanada, which essentially means "in dough". :-) An empanada is basically any sort of savory filling baked in a bread-type dough or pastry; Americans, think calzone, and Brits, think pasty."
I have to make an admission here, I buy mine ready to eat. I can't work out why, but in England, I used to make mince pies every Christmas and make my own pastry from scratch of the type that was so light you had to hold it down to stop it levitating off the plate. Try making pastry here and I get less "dough" and more sole of old boot or rubber tyre. :)
Tuna Empanadas
A Better Kind of Rubbish
For once, I'm not talking about the better quality tourists we tend to attract in the north of Tenerife, but a pilot refuse treatment program that is to be implemented, initially, in seven districts; San Juan de la Rambla, La Guancha, Icod, El Tanque, Garachico, Los Silos and Buenavista. It is a new model for waste management, decentralized and integrated, that the Corporation intends to apply throughout the island. It looks like a lot of work is being put into finding suitable sites for local refuse treatment plants, which also include things like compost making plants, which I can see could benefit local agriculture.
Siete municipios del Norte de la isla se suman al nuevo Plan Territorial Especial de Residuos
Friday, March 24, 2006
Irish expatriate found dead in Tenerife
A 26 year old Irish man has been found dead on the island of Tenerife in the Canaries. John McConnell from Dublin was found at the bottom of a ravine in a mountainous area of the island, it is believed that he tripped and fell more than a thousand feet. He was discovered yesterday by rescue teams, involving the Civil Guard mountain rescue, firemen and two helicopters, after his Spanish wife reported him missing on Tuesday.
Irish expatriate found dead in Tenerife
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Buenavista del Norte Approves 500 New Dwellings
Somebody is going to have to explain this to me, because, for sure, there is a screw loose in my logic. However, a new town plan approved by the local council in Buenavista del Norte on Tuesday, which, they say "will eradicate urban speculation and the proliferation of residential areas", also allows for the creation of 500 new dwellings, partially "protección oficial" (low rent, like council housing) and of "autoconstrucción" (self-build).
El pleno de Buenavista del Norte aprueba un PGO con cabida para 500 nuevas viviendas
EU issues 'unsafe' airlines ban
The European Union has issued a blacklist banning 92 airlines from operating in the region, saying they fail to meet international standards. The Spanish news says that none of these dodgy carriers operate in Spain and thus, neither do they do so in Tenerife or the Canary Islands. However, for your total peace of mind, the the BBC do have that list available online and say it will be updated at least every three months.
EU issues 'unsafe' airlines ban
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Time in a bottle
A Belgian couple leaves the harbor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands in a bottle-shaped sailboat, starting a 14-month expedition to draw attention to child poverty. Margarita "Kee" Arens and her husband, Fons Oerlemans, said yesterday that they expect to sail on the boat Message in a Bottle until May 2007, when they arrive in New York.
Time in a bottle
Dolphins: Good Friends to Disabled Children
"Dolphin therapy, in support of traditional treatments, has been offered in Tenerife - for free - for the last 13 years. More that 1,500 patients have passed through the aquatic park in Adeje and hundreds more are on the waiting list.", Bernardo Sagastume reports.
Those responsible for the program at Aqualand in Adeje are quick to underline that delfinoterapia (dolphin therapy) is not a cure. They have no wish to deceive, because that would be playing with people's illusions. However, working with these dolphins in support of traditional treatments has shown to be a great help, especially to children with developmental difficulties, cerebral palsy and genetic syndromes.
Los delfines, buenos amigos de los niños con discapacidades (Translated)
Are You Being Served?
Shopkeepers in Buenavista del Norte, are being sent on a 20 hour course between March 27th and April 7th, aimed at improving the quality of service and attention to customers. The course, organized by the Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation), through the Consumers' Office will take place in the Isla Baja Occupational Center. As the town's commercial center has seen considerable growth lately and more new customers are arriving, especially tourists, this can only lead to improvements for all concerned.
El Cabildo organiza en Buenavista un curso para mejorar la atención a los clientes en los comercios
Govt. Studies Measures to Protect Canary Island Palms
The Government of the Canary Islands is considering making a decree that will establish measures for the protection, conservation and preservation of the genetic identity of the Canary Islands Palm (Phoenix canariensis). These measures aim to prevent hybridization with other exotic palms and to halt the transmission of insect infestations.
The Canary Island Palms, of which many of the currently last surviving wild examples can be found right here in the El Palmar (it means palm grove) valley, have a special interest for the islands, being one of the most representative examples of the biodiversity of the Canarian landscape, as well as being of economic interest.
As well as establishing limits, such as the prohibition of altering or destroying examples found in the wild, or of planting and cultivating other species of palms that would hybridize with it, measures to promote and increase the use of the endemic palm are included.
In parks and gardens around public buildings, town squares and roads, etc., the use of foreign palms is to be avoided and where other exotic palms have already been planted, these are to be gradually substituted with pure native Phoenix canariensis palms.
El Gobierno de Canarias estudia emitir un decreto para proteger la palmera canaria
Tenerife flights may be hit by strike chaos
UK passengers to Spain could face disruption as Spanish transport unions have voted to strike over the Easter break. The Times reports that unions representing up to 65 per cent of airport workers will take industrial action at a time which is thought will cause maximum disruption for passengers. Reports suggest that in Tenerife's Reina Sofia airport alone, around 10,000 passengers could be stranded by action taken in the Canaries.
Spanish flights may be hit by strike chaos
Grey Wagtail Spotting in the El Palmar Valley
Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea. Photograph by J M Garg at Kolkata, India, November 2005.The Teno Rural Park area and the El Palmar valley are havens for bird watchers and my friends joke that I have become a right regular twitcher since living here.
How can one not, when one is surrounded by them? Despite a household of five cats, we get Great Tits playing in the trees in the garden right next to the house, sparrows, wrens and other small brown birds I have yet to identify, by their dozens, swooping swallows and various birds of prey that hover and scream overhead.
And wild canaries are ever present in great flocks of hundreds. The nearby fig trees appear to have leaves, even when they don't because of their sheer number and, the grand choral serenade is, at times, almost deafening. Please understand that I am not complaining.
One morning, I was greeted by a pair of birds with exceptionally long, constantly twitching tails that I later identified as Grey Wagtails. What a friendly pair too. That first morning, they were hopping about on the water tanks in the lane and I said hello to them, as you do.
The next morning, they were balancing on the telephone wires above our patio. The third morning, they were hopping about on the patio floor, just feet from the door and those five cats. For their own safety, I pointed out the danger and shooed them off. But, like the writer at Flanerie.org, it pleases me too that they travel as a pair and that they keep returning.
Some time later, I saw one grey wagtail about 50 yards further up the lane, just as it disappeared behind some dead foliage and into the side of a high bank. I feel sure that this was one of that same pair and they had build themselves a home there.
That this "insectivorous bird of fast flowing streams" would be here at all, tells you how damp it gets here in this valley, compared to other climates in Tenerife.
Islands lead Spain in shopping frenzy
Time was when shopping in the Canary Islands – whichever Canary Island – was a limited activity to say the very least. Old timers and long-time residents can even recall the heady days when the first modest little supermarkets put in their first appearance here. But things have changed drastically.
Now, some 48 per cent of all islanders admit to going on a serious shopping and browsing expedition at least once a week, way ahead of the national average of 37 per cent.
Islands lead Spain in shopping frenzy
European Parlament Delays Decision on the Port of Granadilla until May
Yesterday, various groups who oppose the project for the construction of a port in Granadilla in the south of Tenerife - The Platform Against the Port of Granadilla, Atan, Ecologists in Action, Greenpeace, SEO/Birdlife and WWF/Adena - met and presented their case at the European Parliament. Also there, by invitation, were representatives of the Canary Islands' Government, the Ministry of the Environment and of the European Commission.
It is the first time since the commencement of the project that there has been any official debate and the petitioners lament that this had to be in the European Parliament and not in the Canarian Parliament, as was requested repeatedly by Canarian citizens.
The arguments of the petitioners appear to be backed by various representatives of the European Commission. Especially significant was the intervention by the Regional Executive, who underlined the fact that no funds exist to finance the Granadilla Port during the period 2000-2006, meaning that the Spanish Government will have to apply for funds all over again during the 2007-2013 period, taking into account that the financing of large infrastructures is not a priority for this period.
Finally, the European Parliament has agreed to hold off its resolution over the matter until the month of May, once they know the final decisions of the three Executives of the European Commission in respect to the project.
The various groups who are against the project saw the meeting as a success, in which the information offered by the European Commission supports their thesis.
EL PARLAMENTO EUROPEO RETRASA LA RESULOCIÓN DE GRANADILLA HASTA MAYO
Labels: Puerto de Granadilla
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Tenerife place names on the moon
Tenerife and the Pico del Teide both have places on the moon, thanks to two European astronomers, one German and one British. A German scientist, by the name of Schroeder, dubbed a mountain he identified with the name of Teide. Years later a British astronomer, William Radcliff Birt, christened a mountain range on the moon the Tenerife Mountains.
Mountains of the moon include island place names
Monday, March 20, 2006
Communications With The South
A month after a a bridge collapsed in Los Menores in the south of Tenerife, creating traffic chaos never before seen in the Canary Islands and seriously affecting communications between the north and south of the island, work has commenced to construct a new retaining wall that will allow the route to be opened to traffic once again within a few weeks.
Prensa Alternativa report that the failure of the bridge should never have happened and was a result of neglect and abandon. Local people are frankly surprised to see the work progressing so slowly and so little going on towards the repairs.
Full reports, with photos can be found here.
El Cabildo de Tenerife y las comunicaciones en el Sur, no tienen vergüenza ni la conocen
Also apparently, the Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation) had already concluded the first phase of a study of the condition of 300 bridges on the island between September and January, before the collapse. What can one possibly add?
Concluye la primera fase del estudio de los puentes de la Isla
Foreign Kids in Canary Islands Schools Quadrupled in the last decade
In the last ten years the number of foreign born children registered in Canary Islands schools has seen an spectacular increase. Statistics indicate that the numbers have quadrupled, from 6,500 children whose origin was not Spanish in 1996, to a total of 25,844 last year. Of those, 13,618 were registered in the province of Las Palmas and 12,226 in the province of Tenerife - 10,033 of those on the island of Tenerife itself. Not surprisingly it is the resort towns where schools have the highest number of foreign pupils. A quarter of the schools population of Arona in south Tenerife, for example, is of foreign parentage.
In Lanzarote and Fuerteventura there was a 75% rise in new registrations from families of foreign origin during the course of the 2004-2005 school year alone.
The children's origins are from 140 different nationalities, although the larger part (approximately 55%) of those registered in Las Palmas province are from Spanish speaking countries in America. Another 25% come from various European countries, 13% from Africa, 8% from Asia and just nine from Oceana. Their predominant countries of origin are Columbia, Venezuela, Germany, Argentina, England and Morocco, in that order.
The education system in the Canary Islands is one of the pioneers in programs aimed to cope with such a multi cultural environment and provide classes for children affected by a language barrier. The budget for such programs has risen to 900,000 Euros for the 2005-2006 school year, against just 60,000 Euros in 2003.
As well as reflecting the phenomenon of immigration in the Canary Islands and concerns with the integration of the students from abroad, the authorities also wish to promote - to the maximum - the rich benefits for Canary Island children from learning in multi cultural classrooms. The authorities say that, "Many parents are not yet conscious that studying and mixing with classmates from other countries makes children more tolerant and become 'citizens of the world'."
Tenerife schools reflect a changing society
La cifra de alumnos extranjeros se ha cuadriplicado en la última década
Aloe Vera
The producers of Aloe Vera in the islands have protested over the lack of support for the sector given by the Regional Government.
The producers explain that instead of supporting what could be an extremely positive industry for the islands the government has preferred to give importers of foreign Aloe the go ahead, allowing them to “harvest” hundreds of millions of euros while limiting the sale of the plant products in the islands alleging that they are not as safe as the powdered counterpart from the USA.
The producers even comment that some products are marketed as Canarian Aloe Vera when this is simply not true.
Aloe Vera
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Buenavista del Norte to be spruced up
The Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation) has put a project out to tender for the reconditioning of the historic heart of Buenavista del Norte. The works, which will be carried out in a 10,000 square meter area surrounding the plaza and the church of Los Remedios, including all new pavements, will cost the corporation 1.2 million Euros and will take 18 months to complete.
Other improvements are included in the works, such as the installation of new drainage and water supplies and burrying electricity, telephone and street lighting cables. We're also getting all new "urban furniture" - park benches to you. :)
Salen a concurso los trabajos de mejora del casco histórico de Buenavista del norte
Bring a Bottle Party in Spain
Puerto de La Cruz, the location chosen for Tenerife's Macrobotellon large-scale booze-up, will, no doubt, have a rather a lot of extra street cleaning to do today.
The Macrobotellon phenomenon - Botellon means a big bottle and Macro, in this case, means a huge, countrywide bring-a-bottle party, arranged via the internet: a fiesta of uncontrolled outdoor drinking to see which city is able to muster the largest party.
Spain braces for countrywide binge drinking jamboree
UPDATE: Spanish mass binge leads to riots
At least Tenerife didn't get another bad report on this one. The most serious violence was in Barcelona, where police used batons and rubber bullets and youths set fire to rubbish bins.
The Spanish Cockpit has a better perspective on the issue, I think, pointing out that, "In fact, the mayor of Granada went on TV saying that the city had to respect young people's right to enjoy themselves, so there you go. Only in Spain."
And it does seem that it was only the places where there was police intervention that any trouble broke out.
Friday, March 17, 2006
A Canary Islander In Arizona
What’s about 45 feet tall and has a 44-inch waistline? It sheds a lot and gets regular checkups. But it never moves from its spot?
It’s a pistachio tree at the Arizona State University Research Park in south Tempe. The tree has been there almost a century, planted in 1908 after ASU botanists brought it back from the Canary Islands. That means this near centenarian has stood on the site since before Arizona became a state.
The prized tree has had at least $100,000 worth of special care lavished on it in the last 20 years and Motorola even adjusted its construction plans so as not to disturb the tree.
ASU babies Canary Islands tree
Heaven in hell’s ravine
The torrential rains which hit south Tenerife in recent weeks at one point forced the closure of one of the island’s most popular beauty spots, the Barranco del Infierno in Adeje, for a week. But the rains brought about a small miracle in the ravine. Locals said they hadn’t seen its waterfall and stream so swollen for 22 years. And with the rains came fresh new foliage, wild flowers and a definite feeling of spring in the air. This has to be one of the best of times to hit the spectacular Barranco del Infierno trail.
Heaven in hell’s ravine
La Orotava to become the “Garden of the Fortunate Islands”
This historic town will host the creation of floral and sand carpets with representatives from Germany, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Tibet and the U.S.A, as well as different parts of mainland Spain and the Canary Islands, and will join the towns’ prestigious exhibition of traditional carpets during the month of June.
La Orotava to become the “Garden of the Fortunate Islands”
Tenerife authorities face immigration emergency
Tenerife’s holiday hotspot Los Cristianos found itself in the eye of the African migration storm when a total of five Mauritanian fishing boats arrived during the course of a single day this week when, on March 14, a record 224 people landed, six of them children.
Tenerife authorities face immigration emergency
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Spain offers boats to Mauritania
The Spanish government is to offer patrol boats to the Mauritanian authorities in an effort to control a rise in illegal immigration. The offer comes after a Spanish hospital ship recovered the bodies of around 18 Africans in the sea 400 miles (640km) south of the Canary Islands. Earlier, around 400 Africans were found in boats trying to reach the islands.
Spain offers boats to Mauritania
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
On the trail of Tenerife’s wild dog packs
Wild dogs are becoming an increasing problem in Tenerife where they have attacked – and in some cases killed - sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and even, on one occasion last year in Cruz del Carmen, tourists.
The good news is that authorities plan to hunt and track down the animals with dart guns and have undertaken that all captured animals will be taken to animal refuges.
On the other hand, if, in the meantime, you find yourself with a dead goat on your hands, expect a Pythonesque scenario while everyone says its removal is someone else's responsibitly!
On the trail of Tenerife’s wild dog packs
Discover Your Natural Spaces
This coming Saturday, March 18th, is the date for the second route under the XII edition of a program entitled, ’Descubre tus espacios naturales’ (Discover Your Natural Spaces), organized by the sports department of Santiago del Teide town hall.
Saturday's walk is around the Las Mercedes to Punta del Hidalgo area of north east Tenerife. The six walks began on March 4th, with a route around Los Cristianos and a visit to the Malpaís de Rasca. Future routes, between now and the end of May, take in Arenas Negras and the Parque Rural de Teno, among others.
Inscription to join any of the walks should be made via the sports department, which can be found in the new ’Pancracio Socas García’ sports complex in Santiago del Teide.
El próximo sábado se realizará la segunda ruta del programa ’Descubre tus espacios naturales’
Traditional Irish Music In Tenerife
Yes, the headline surprised me too, but local newspaper, Diario de Avisos report that tonight from 20:30 hrs, in the Cultural Center of CajaCanarias in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, will be a recital of traditional Irish music with entrance free to the public.
Three groups The Chakras, Clasac and The Big Jigs, who have come to Tenerife to commemorate St Patrick's Day, in honour of the Irish community on the island, form the lineup for the show, which has been organised by the center with collaboration from the Asociación Amistosa de Irlandeses en Tenerife (Association of Friends of the Irish in Tenerife.)
The Chakras is a five member group from Dublin, Clasac are representatives of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, while The Big Jigs are a duo, who will close the show in a style that combines traditional Irish music with contemporary.
La música tradicional irlandesa se acerca hoy a CajaCanarias
Gourmets Express, distributor of wines and specialities from the Canary Islands
By accident I found some lovely photos of this area by José María Rodriguez, Director General of Gourmet Express Tenerife.
The company, as the title suggests, are the main distributor of wines and specialities from the Canary Islands. What's more, they have an online shop, where you can discover a whole world of Canary Islands Wines, as well as other products, such as liqueurs, dried fruits, honey, jams, cigars and much more.
Parts of the site is presented in English and there is a client hotline, which suggests that English help is available there.
Gourmet Express Tenerife
Eighteen die at sea as immigration crisis mounts
Eighteen would-be immigrants died at sea trying to reach the Canary Islands as the Spanish government held an emergency cabinet meeting over the rising tide of African arrivals.
More than 400 African immigrants reached Spanish territory the day before after crossing the waters of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, authorities said. In the Canary Islands, authorities said the archipelago received the largest wave of immigrants in its history when 331 migrants arrived there aboard nine vessels.
Eighteen die at sea as immigration crisis mounts
Llega a Canarias el mayor número de inmigrantes por el mar en un día. Tenerife, en emergencia
Solar energy coming to Santa Cruz?
The Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation) is awaiting a decision from the European Union on a proposal to build a solar energy plant in Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz. The Cabildo is hoping for EU funds to finance the ambitious project that would be located in the car park area at the Parque Maritimo Cesar Manrique, just beside the Auditorium. With a budget estimated at just under six million euros, the Cabildo hopes that the EU will agree to pay 85% of the cost. Authorities are optimistic that the EU will approve the plan, in view of the numerous benefits to the environment and the employment opportunities it would provide.
Solar energy coming to Santa Cruz?
Winter rains replenish Tenerife stocks
Heavy winter rains have not only got the usually arid landscape of south Tenerife blooming, they have also given a welcome boost to reservoir and tank levels. There had been considerable pre-winter concern about falling reserves but now they’re - quite literally - brimming. But, of course, it is not all good news.
Winter rains replenish Tenerife stocks
Las Portelas gets a 'Telecentro'
Not exactly the startling international news scoop of the century for visitors to this blog, but this story, which caught my eye recently, could well be for me and, hopefully, will allow me to do more, faster and thus provide a better service around here.
An earlier report concerned the installation of an internet service center in the nearby remote village of Teno Alto recently and, now similarly, one has been installed in the library in Las Portelas here in the El Palmar valley. (Of course, I didn't know we had a library up here, which is something else to check out later. :)
First of all, it is useful to know that I have backup facilities; like internet access, document printing and data storage, all within walking distance instead of the previous nearest public facilities that would be a half to three-quarter hour drive away.
Where I am is immediately below Las Portelas and the part of the report that caught my attention was that this new center is there to allow us folks who live in "disfavored rural zones with difficult access", broadband access to the internet.
For many years, I have been told that I cannot have broadband here because I am too far from the exchange, which was down in Buenavista. However, recently, I had heard rumours that they were going to instal perhaps another exchange so that we can get broadband up here. Additionally, the Rural Park Management conducted a survey recently about what we needed in the area. Top of my list, knowing that there's a current Internet Rural project to help with funding, was to ask for broadband.
Seems I was one of many with the same demand.
Some years ago, I had an RDSI (ISDN) line installed to help alleviate the problems of a really poor connection here, but while it's given me the extra line for talking, I'm still connecting over dialup that is meant to be 56k, but which, when I have tested it, occasionally limps along at 14k, when it doesn't die completely.
You can imagine the swear words I shout at it at times and how little work I can get done, when it can take an hour or two to submit a form or access a page that should take 30 seconds.
Seeing the news item that mentions broadband, suggesting it is in use in my immediate area, I phoned Telefonica, the phone company, today to find out if ADSL (DSL) is now available for my phone number. The answer, for the last 7 years had been NO.
Today, it was the word I had long been waiting to hear, "YES"!
They say it is is going to take 15 days for the ISDN line to be taken out and another 15 for the DSL kit to arrive, but, within the space of a month (I do not kid myself that this will occur entirely without incident), we should be rocking!
The DSL (which will include all phone calls within Spanish territory) will cost roughly the same as I am paying now for the ISDN line (which does not include calls). Currently, I also pay another 20 Euros a month for the crappy limping connection, which is also money I will save. For once, it seems that it pays to speak up!
El Cabildo Insular y el Ayuntamiento de Buenavista del Nortedotan a la biblioteca de Las Portelas de un ’telecentro’
How others see British Tourists
Travel blog, Jaunted, says (speaking of fares to Seville, but they could just as easily be talking about tourists to Tenerife):
"They also have Spanish sun, and the sun is a dangerous thing this time of year, especially for the fair-skinned Brits. Along with mad dogs, Englishmen are the only ones who are to be found in the noonday sun, crisping themselves. It's melanoma waiting to happen. This will only result in a plague of lobster-Brits, snapping their claws and wielding their dry wit while suffering their peeling skin in silence. Never would so many burn so much for so little."
Not really wrong, are they? :)
Tan Ban
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Carry on camping
With Easter week fast approaching, local Municipalities in the south have finally decided to attempt to provide authorised camping areas along the coast. As regular readers of The Paper will be aware, the issue has long been a controversial one, with literally hundreds of tents springing up every year in unauthorised zones. The local Town Council of Arico has been the first to announce that it will permit camping, but only in certain areas.
Carry on camping
Half a million immigrants wait to enter the Canary Islands
Half a million would-be immigrants are waiting to make the journey to Spain's Canary Islands then on to the rest of Europe, authorities said. Diplomatic sources in Mauritania and Spain said they are dealing with a rising tide of illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa who, following tightened security imposed last year in two Spanish enclaves in North Africa, are opting for a sea route to the Canary Islands. Various incidents in recent days have confirmed their fears.
Half a million immigrants wait to enter Canarys
Monday, March 13, 2006
Stolen treasures returned
Treasures stolen from churches in northern Sweden over a period of twenty years have been returned to the country after being found in an apartment on Tenerife. But the return of the treasure threatens to create new problems for churches, many of which have received insurance money after the thefts.
Stolen treasures returned
Pollution blamed for dust mite explosion
The concentration of allergy-inducing microorganisms known as acarids has doubled in Tenerife over the last twenty years. The reason for the startling hike is increased levels of pollution rather than any change in climate which is, despite global warming, much the same as it was two decades ago.
Pollution blamed for dust mite explosion
(There was me thinking it was just my lack of housekeeping! :)
Carnaval 2006 Photos
In the absence of first hand carnaval photos from yours truly, how about everyone else's submissions to Las Palmas' newspaper, La Provincia? Although this leans towards the eastern province, rather than Tenerife, there are images that you won't see elsewhere, including of Gran Canaria's Drag Queen.
Carnaval 2006 Photos
Labels: Carnaval 2006
Rincones del Atlántico
The third annual issue of the magazine, Rincones del Atlántico (Corners of the Atlantic) has been published with 284 pages and 40 articles written by recognized professionals, most of them islanders, that deal with subjects related to the conservation of the landscape and the natural and cultural patrimony of the Canary Islands archipelago and of Macaronesia.
This issue contains articles on the traditional architecture of the islands, such as the Casa de la Carta en Valle de Guerra, by well-known architect-restorer, Sebastián Matías Delgado.
The Mosaico section on this occasion is all about windows, with an ample and varied repertoire of examples from all around the islands. There are two PDF documents you can download, the first of which contains fascinating architectural drawings of the various, traditional window styles and their construction.
There is also an interesting article titled Rincones de San Borondón, illustrated with maps and antique documents, about this famous, legendary island and much more, available at:
http://www.rinconesdelatlantico.com/
(In Spanish, but well worth looking at the pictures.)
Aparece el tercer número de la revista ´Rincones del Atlántico´
Major Tenerife Maps Collection Launched
The folks at Tenerife Guide have been researching the Tenerife maps services on the web and collected what they feel are some of the best Tenerife maps sites out there. The collection of maps will expand to the other Canary Islands later on.
Tenerife Travel Guide - Maps
New look for Los Cristianos Promenade
At long last Los Cristianos promenade, which was originally constructed back in the seventies, is to be given a well needed facelift. The announcement from the Spanish Coasts Department regarding the remodelling of the promenade was gratefully received by Arona Town Hall’s beaches department last week.
New look for Los Cristianos Promenade
Spain intercepts 211 African would be immigrants off The Canary Islands
Spanish authorities said Sunday they had intercepted 211 clandestine African migrants in boats off the Canary islands this weekend, some apparently from the west African state of Mauritania. They included 41 would-be immigrants stopped early Sunday off the island of Tenerife.
Spain intercepts 211 African would be immigrants off canaries
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Training Ship Elcano in Tenerife
The Spanish Navy's training ship, the 79 year old Juan Sebastián de Elcano, docked in Santa Cruz port on Friday, the ship's second stopover on it's first voyage since undergoing a major refit.
As well as making improvements to security systems, cabling and air conditioning, the interior of the ship has been substantially modified to make conditions better for the crew. Previously, they had to collect their meals and take them down two decks on trays. Now they have a dining room right next to the kitchen.
Of the 228 crew on board (32 of whom are women), 38 are trainees. Ten are from the Canary Islands (eight men and two women). There are also six civilians on board, among them; a hairdresser, a sailmaker, a carpenter and two cooks.
The Juan Sebastián de Elcano has already sailed around the world ten times. The ship leaves Tenerife on Sunday, bound for Brazil.
El Buque Escuela ’Elcano’ inicia su primer crucero tras una gran reforma
The sailing ship is named after Juan Sebastian Elcano, who took over command after Magellan's death and became the first man to complete the circumnavigation of the world.
Tenerife Port Authorities attend Seatrade
The ports of Tenerife will reinforce their strong position in the cruise sector at the 2006 edition of "Seatrade" which will be held in Miami from 14th to 16th March
Participating under the banner of “Cruises in the Atlantic islands”, which includes Madeira and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife will be given the opportunity to make a positive impression to a captive audience from the international cruise sector.
Tenerife Port Authorities attend Seatrade
There are no shoe shops in mid-Atlantic
Three years after Seb Clover, at the age of just 15, became the youngest skipper to sail across the Atlantic, his mother Dolores is re-tracing his tracks on her own single-handed transatlantic odyssey. She set out from Puerto Colon in Tenerife on February 12 and is set to make landfall on Antigua at the end of next week — making the Clovers the only family whose every member has sailed single-handedly across the Atlantic.
Dolores's sailing instructor husband, Ian, said:
"On the down side, the woman I love is out there facing the possibility of storms, rig failure, hull failure, lightning strike, whale attack and a whole list of other dangers. But let's look on the bright side — there are no shoe shops in mid-Atlantic."
MUM MAKES IT A TRANSATLANTIC TRIPLE
Friday, March 10, 2006
Carnaval On The Small Scale
While Santa Cruz was once in the Guinness Book of Records for holding the biggest ever street party, over here at the other extreme of Tenerife, things are done on a much smaller scale.
Perhaps not preceded by processions, last Saturday, March 4, residents of the hamlet of Teno Alto (there are only 100 of them in total), just as they do in Santa Cruz for the end of carnival dance, held their traditional Piñata de Carnaval de Teno Alto.
Organized by the local community with the collaboration of Buenavista town hall, it is an authentic relic of Canarian folklore that continues to be maintained in the village.
The traditional baile de cuerdas (literally, dance of cords or ribbons), something like the Maypole dances in England, is a reminder of the origins of our carnivals.
One village man, Pedro González, has been in charge of making the piñata each year that gives the name to the dance, a tradition he has now carried out for more than 50 years.
Piñata de Carnaval de Teno Alto
Labels: Carnaval 2006
Global anti-war protest in Tenerife
If anti-war protest is your thing, Socialist Worker Online list Santa Cruz de Tenerife (geographically correct, listed under Africa) as one of the locations for marches to be held as one of a series of events taking place across the world, marking the third anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Irak.
(Don't be mislead by the Madrid poster (right). It's the only image available.)
The anti-war protest march in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, starts, aptly, from the Plaza de la Paz (Peace Place) on Saturday, March 18th at 12:00 hours.
Global anti-war protests
International mobilisation against the war and invasion of Iraq
Plataforma por la Paz
Spain surges ahead
"Spain is set to be the big winner for the summer 2006 season, according to tour operators and tourism officials. German bookings for Majorca, the Canary Islands and the Spanish mainland are soaring as consumers switch from eastern Mediterranean destinations. Growth rates are hitting double digits ..."
I always love these statistics, not on their face value, because, I think we all know that they never quite likely tell the whole truth. This article, for once, does nod towards "the continuing rise in importance of low-cost carriers." In other words, yet again, we can expect lots of tourists, but no real profits for the islands.
Spain surges ahead
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Record profits for Thomas Cook
Two days after German-owned parent company Thomas Cook AG announced it had overturned four years of losses, the UK business said pre-tax profits rose 63.3% to £83.3 million for the year ending October 31. The most popular resorts for this summer are Egypt, Greece and Cyprus while Spanish resorts are enjoying a recovery, Thomas Cook said.
Its parent company, owned by German flag carrier Lufthansa and German retail group KarstadtQuelle, is Europe`s second biggest tourism firm. It owns the Club 18-30 tour operator famed for its bar crawls in places such as Ibiza and Tenerife.
Record profits for Thomas Cook
Christmas With Queen Victoria
Christmas 2007, that is, when the new ship, Queen Victoria of the Cunard Line makes a 16-night voyage south to the Canary Islands, departing December 21 and calling at Vigo, Lisbon, Malaga, Funchal, Las Palmas, Arrecife, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Casablanca, and Gibraltar. Christmas Day will be spent at sea, which is probably just as well, because, if they'd stayed in Santa Cruz, no doubt, they would still find the shops closed! :)
Cunard Sells Out Maiden Voyage of Queen Victoria
North Tenerife Wines Honored in Paris
Bodegas Insulares, the company which receives investment from the Cabildo (island corporation) should feel justly proud to have received two new silver medals from the International Wine Organization at the XII edition of the International Wine Contest in Paris.
Their red wine, Tinto Maceración Carbónica, described as being cherry red with distinct violet overtones and aromas of fruit (raspberry and blackberry), has already been awarded at international level and in various countries, for its different vintages.
Another red, Viña Norte Tinto Barrica, was judged as the best wine from the Canary Islands in 2005, as well as having been awarded the gold medal in this same contest for its 2003 vintage and other prestigious international awards.
Viña Norte obtiene dos nuevos galardones en el concurso internacional de París
In Defence of Public Television
State media company, RTVE, recently announced its intentions to close its production facility on the Canary Islands. It has two, in Las Palmas and in Tenerife.
This year, TVE is celebrating it's 50th Anniversary (1956-2006) and, if I am not mistaken, has had a presence in the Canary Islands for around 40 of those years.
During their recent coverage of the islands' carnivals, presenters have mentioned the fact that they and colleagues are collecting signatures to support saving these facilities.
Camera operators and other technicians were all wearing T-Shirts with logos like the ones shown here, saying "Yes Please" to TVE in the Canaries and "No" to the closure.
That they were able to do so, uncensored by their bosses, is, I think, quite an important testament.
Of course, there are those worker's livelihoods at stake. There is also the quality of programming for viewers to consider. TVE's continuous coverage of local events, especially the recent carnival parades, is generally of the best quality. Whilst those are mostly of an entertaining nature, what happens when something important occurs on our islands and needs to be reported impartially?
The Canary Islands now have a population of over 2 million, so this is no sleepy backwater any more. The islands also have an unique character and culture, that just isn't reflected in "generic programming". We may be in the same country, but Spanish news from the mainland, is largely irrelevant to us here.
Yes, we have local independent stations too and there should be healthy competition. But, perhaps, because I have grown up with the institution of the BBC faithfully reporting the most impartial news, I think there is a place in that mix for public media.
It is my opinion that we need TVE's presence here.
This afternoon, again actually within an TVE broadcast, a most touching letter from representatives of the workers was read out in which they said they had never expected to receive so much support, which they have received from many points around the globe, including; from Texas and Florida in the United States, Venezuela and most countries of Europe.
A website has been set up where you can find images and other material to download in support of the action and, also to add your signature to the petition, electronically.
Every signature is important.
If you believe as I and, obviously, those many supporters feel that the public TV should remain in the Canaries, please add your support to the cause. Their website can be found at:
http://www.desde-canarias.com
How to sign
Just in case you don't speak Spanish, here is an explanation of the electronic signing process. From the front page of the above site, click the button marked FIRMAR (To Sign).
It will bring you to a form that looks like this:
Only two pieces of information are mandatory, (shown in bold text), your name and your ID number. Folks outside of Spain could use a passport number here.
Put your first name and surname(s) in the top box and your ID number in the bottom central one (D.N.I.). Optionally, in the second box (poblacion), you can enter your location, i.e. the town and country where you live. Your email address and website (if any) can be added in the third and fourth, optional, fields.
Click the button to "Add my support to TVE Canaries".
That's it. Quite painless. Just your name and your website address (if any) show up on the site after you have signed. Neither your ID number, nor your email address are shown publicly, so you have no worries about privacy issues.
(NB: Please feel free to pass this on. Given that there is unlikely to be much coverage of this issue, in English, if it is appropriate to you or your audience to do so, please feel free to quote from or copy this post in it's entirety.)
Related:
Empleados RTVE y RNE exigen la continuidad del servicio público en Canarias
Let Them Eat Cake
Celebrations were the order of the day at Haywards Heath town hall to honour two dedicated young record breakers.
Bristol University graduates, Tom Bright and Charles Bairsto, set out from La Gomera in the Canary Islands in November last year in their 24 foot rowing boat for Antigua.
The pair completed the 2,900 miles Atlantic Rowing Challenge in 59 days, 12 hours and seven minutes, setting a record for the youngest double team.
The icing on the cake came when town mayor Richard Goddard unveiled a detailed cake, made by his wife, depicting the two naked rowers in their plywood vessel Atlantic Warrior.
TANKARDS were raised at Haywards Heath town hall to honour dedicated young record breakers Tom Bright and Charles Bairsto.
Shuttle Direct Airport Transfers Now Available For More City Breaks and Beach Holidays
Airport transfer company Shuttle Direct announce an expanded range of destinations served. The addition of services to thirteen more airports across France, Italy and Portugal ensures even greater coverage of European holiday resorts and city breaks. The new airports bring the total number of destinations served to 43, in ten countries. Later this year Shuttle Direct will announce further destinations to be served; turning the spotlight on holiday transfers to the Canary Islands and additional city break destinations across Europe.
Shuttle Direct Airport Transfers Now Available For More City Breaks and Beach Holidays
Seventy-Six Immigrants Saved
The Mauritanian coast guard rescued 76 Senegalese would-be immigrants who were adrift off Mauritania, officials said in the port of Nouadhibou. It was unclear whether the migrants were on board one or two vessels.
Nouadhibou governor Yahya Ould Cheikh said the immigrants were located 150 kilometres southwest of Nouadhibou as they were attempting to reach Spain's Canary Islands. Spanish reports said they had been adrift for three days.
SEVENTY-SIX IMMIGRANTS SAVED OFF MAURITANIA
Migrants saved after Canaries bid
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Canary Islands Sports Fans Will Love The Formula 1 Season 2006
Microsiervos remind us that the 2006 Formula 1 Season is about to start with the Gran Prix in Bahrain this coming Sunday, March 12th. I know, you are struggling to imagine what possible Canary Islands connection this could have, aren't you?
Nope, there isn't going to be a Canary Islands Gran Prix, though some might say we have that daily on our roads and my dad once suggested we should have one locally for the pivis.
Current F1 Champion, Fernando Alonso (who actually lives in Oxford, England), was, of course, raised to God-like status in all of Spain - including the Canary Islands - when he won the title last year: the youngest ever, the first ever Spaniard to do so.
However, the local link is that, according to the magazine Diez Minutos and reported hither and thither, Alonso is to set to marry his girlfriend, singer, Raquel del Rosario, in October.
She originally hails from Gran Canaria and being the future husband of a canaria must surely qualify him as a "local boy", to be followed and supported with all the relevant fervor.
The reports also note that Alonso is just as fast in love as he is on the track. The couple had only been dating a little more than three months when they became engaged in February.
This year too, the Renault F1 Team has a blog.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Fiesta of The Potato Harvest
Don't you love the way the manage to turn everything into a fiesta in this country? Even the simple act of digging up your spuds. And, you have to admit that getting the family and the neighbours round to share the work and pay them with a good lunch is an excellent way to make it seem a lot less like hard work, without the cheap labour feeling they've been had.
This is exactly what happened on Sunday in Las Portelas in the El Palmar valley, when 20 or so farmers got together to harvest the potatoes and then had a knees up in the village square, with a lunch consisting of some of the potatoes they had just collected, gofio, fresh fish and local wine.
The report says that they worked a kind of human factory conveyor system to get done "under the threat of rain".
The media are darlings of the understatement, aren't they?
While I was watching the parade of the Puerto de la Cruz Carnaval on TV - they had sunshine and blue skies - this valley was in thick fog and it was persisting it down, yet again!
More reason for the Tenerife Scribbler to gloat. We'll also have to rely on him to provide us with some proper carnaval pics, just as soon as he sorts out his effing techbloodynology.
Not to go all romantic and nostalgic on you, but the potato fiesta (one of several similar events in the valley) reminds me of days of old, when people actually used to help each other.
Even if it has to be given artificial respiration by the town hall these days, I am glad they are keeping such things alive.
Una veintena de agricultores de El Palmar en Buenavista reedita la tradicional ’recogida de la papa’
Forty-five illegal immigrants drown on their way to Canary Islands
At least 45 illegal immigrants, amost all of whom were sub-Saharians, were drowned in waters off the Western Sahara yesterday when two small boats sank in choppy seas, according to Red Crescent Moon volunteers in Mauritania.
Five boats with a total of 210 immigrants on board were intercepted off the Canary Islands on Saturday, while 158 on board four boats were picked up on Friday.
45 immigrants drown on way to Canary Islands
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Who's Behind This Site?
On the off chance you might be curious as to who is behind this site and our Tenerife Daily Photos, here's a rogues' gallery:
Pamela Heywood, has lived in Tenerife since 1992, is (ir)responsible for written nonsense on this blog and website design, as well as most recent digital images.
Pamela has reported for several local newspapers in Tenerife, was recently interviewed by Bernardo Sagastume for Spanish daily, ABC, has provided local information for a major major UK travel company and, was honoured to have taken part in a live linkup with BBC Radio Norfolk during their 25th BBC Children in Need Appeal. (Norwich football team is nicknamed the Canaries, because of their yellow strip.)
Stacy Stafford-Brookes can be credited with various photos, mainly from around Teide, as well as snapping the photo of Pamela without breaking the camera.
That isn't one of the camels that the Three Kings came on, by the way. Stacy, who has backpacked around the world and thinks Tenerife is "too British", now lives in South Australia where she once worked as a cameleer. She'll even tell you how to worm a camel! (Madness, obviously, can be passed on to your friends as well as your relatives.) 
Pamela's late father and all round clown, Frank Stone, took many of our, non-digital, library images and, was who captured this chance Double Rainbow in the El Palmar valley.
Pamela's mother, Ivy Stone, whose birthday, like Pamela's, is also on March 5th, is the big kid responsible for the gorgeous photo of the Arrival of the King, amongst various others on the site. Ivy usually spends several weeks a year in Tenerife. She is a consummate expert on the island's cake shops and her dedication to keeping the Canary Islands wines and liqueurs industries afloat is almost professional, nay, legendary.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
How to Slice a Banana ...
Before It Is Peeled. Well, there is certainly no shortage of bananas in the Canary Islands - around 405,000 tons of them at the turn of the century - on which to practice this party trick.
Go on, amaze your friends and fool little children with "magic"!
How to Slice a Banana Before It Is Peeled
Some Who Wander Are Lost
As more and more people permanently leave Britain (and plenty of other countries) for Spain and the Canary Islands, it's as well to point out a few of the realities of the expat life.
"An expatriate is cut from different stock. Expatriates do what many forever dream of attempting: they leave everything that is familiar to them and trek to foreign lands for compassion, love, adventure, religion, escape, Military mandate, career advancement, enlightenment and self discovery or a host of others reasons."
Sometimes life abroad is idyllic, but what happens when the expatriate finds themselves alone and, heaven forbid, sick?
Employers are certainly very quick to distance themselves from the potential costs of such unproductive workers. You might think that this is a situation that could only occur in "human rights challenged" China, but you would be wrong.
It is illegal in this country to dismiss someone while they are officially signed off sick, but employers have no qualms about "persuading" doctors to declare the worker fit, even when they are not, in order that they can be released from contracts. Some threaten or bully the employee into resignation.
In Spain, dole (unemployment) is paid out so many weeks per year of job contract you have worked. Once that runs out, there is no supplementary benefit, as such, only a discretionary award that you can apply for from your local town hall.
Whilst, I am sure that no official policy exists to prevent these awards from being given to anyone resident and in need, I truly have no idea if this is ever awarded to foreigners. You certainly don't get it if you are foreign, single and even waving a medical certificate that proves that you are incapable of working.
As they say, been there, done that, worn out the T-Shirt.
This discretionary award is only available to families and, even then, is a flat rate of around €375 (£250) a month. You could bearly feed a dog on that. It is absolutely not available to single people, who, by law in Spain are "the responsibility of their families". Doesn't matter what age you are, you better hope you have parents, children or other relatives with means.
If you don't, you are up shit creek, basically!
This, of course, applies to Spanish singles as well as foreigners, but Spanish nationals don't have to prove their means to gain paperwork, etc., and might have family to live with. For an expat, it could mean deportation with nowhere to go.
THE EXPAT FILES: SOME WHO WANDER ARE LOST
Making Tenerife a friendlier place
Tenerife Amable (Friendly Tenerife) presented their latest initiative to an excited audience at the prestigious Plaza del Duque Commercial Centre, Costa Adeje, recently. The group have produced a video, entitled ‘Somos asi’ (This is how we are), as part of their drive to increase tourism and encourage businesses to improve the service they provide for visitors.
Whilst I harbour the odd reservation about the level of transparency over just how much of the real "This is how we are" that will be shown, at least you know they're trying!
Making Tenerife a friendlier place
Remembering Tenerife’s first trams
As the massive task of laying the lines for the new tranvia continues apace in Santa Cruz and La Laguna, excitement is mounting over the new form of transport and the effect it will have on the two cities. The authorities are certainly hoping for a quiet revolution on the traffic front. They are hoping it will decongest the roads and clear the air of exhaust fumes, but taxi drivers fear for their future.
Remembering Tenerife’s first trams
Corruption in the Canary Islands
Want to know how the political wheels are greased on these islands? No, I don't blame you. I scan the Spanish headlines and try my best not to, though sometimes you can't ignore it.
Years ago I read Los Cristianos lawyer, Pedro Ripol's book, "Corrupcion, Indiferenceia y Cobardia" (the last word means cowardice, the rest is obvious.) Not a quick reference guide, but it reads like a "Who's Who" of who is in who's pocket.
There was a time when this would have been alarming. Now that we are beginning to see that all is not quite as Kosher in the rest of the "civilised" world as we were once led to believe, one starts to understand the indifference aspect. There is a certain "honesty" in knowing that this is "the system".
And it is certainly not a new one, as nineteenth century traveller, Olivia Stone, reported describing the sought after post of mayor, following her travels round the islands in the 1880s.
It is rare, however, to find something current in English, which explains how day-to-day public services and pocket lining are organized to the obvious benefit of an "old boys network".
Corruption did Granny say
Carpet too pretty to walk on
This weekend San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas gets a 275th anniversary gift from the land of its founders, the Canary Islands. Alfombras, "carpets" of flowers and brightly colored soils celebrating the historic link between the islands and the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the United States.
Carpet too pretty to walk on
Local dolphins give up their secrets
Groundbreaking studies of dolphins in the straits between La Gomera and Tenerife are helping in the understanding of how groups of these animals communicate between themselves and other groups and even “eavesdrop” on each other, according to a recent report in according to a recent report in an internationally renowned nature journal.
Local dolphins give up their secrets
Friday, March 03, 2006
Hiking in the Parque de Teno
The occurrence of tourists in these parts certainly does seem to be a growing trend, as my colleague down south suggests.
This is, in part, due to the Albergue de Bolico, which is a hostel here at the head of the El Palmar valley, located in an old, converted finca. By the looks of the photo, that is where this group of people are headed.
After a few tweaks in their marketing strategy recently, the albergue managed to increase their occupation level by 45%.
I should point out, reading from their leaflet here in my other hand, their capacity (in dormitories of 14, 12 and 10) is a total of 36 people. This is by no means mass tourism. Thank God!
Nevertheless, their prices are pretty keen: 14 Euros a night (about 10 quid). They'll give you breakfast for another couple of quid (€3) and a lunch or dinner for six poundsish (€9).
So, even if you've already booked a package holiday to the south of the island (or you live there), it would hardly break the bank and could be fun to spend a couple of days exploring the north with this as a temporary base for a night or two.
Info and booking: http://www.alberguebolico.com/reservas/
As for the rest of the facilities in the area, the Canarian government, through their environmental services department are currently reconditioning five of the old routes between hamlets as hiking trails within the Teno Rural Park, 65% of the budget for which is coming from European Union funds.
As well as restoring damage done by human intervention and erosion, they will be installing tourist information panels.
Medio Ambiente mejora cinco senderos en el Parque de Teno
Desktop Wallpaper of Tenerife
You may, or may not, have noticed that we offer a range of free Windows desktop wallpapers of Tenerife images - one for each month of the year and in three popular sizes.
So, what if you are like me and you can't choose. You want them all! No problem, there is a solution at hand.
Simply download them all in your size to a directory on your computer, then download John's Background Switcher.
It will periodically change the the background image on your computer (like every hour or every day, as you specify). You can specify which pictures to choose. To rotate our images of Tenerife, simply point it at the directory you saved them to.
Los Silos Geriatric Residence
So, maybe the old folks home of Nuestra Señora de la Luz in Los Silos was not high on your list of tourist attractions and places to visit in Tenerife. (Some of us may be getting towards the age group that would make us suitable as an inmate! :)
Nevertheless, the building, which is currently being renovated is a little jewel with old carved wooden doors, windows and the cutest little Canarian balcony and, sits in a quiet little corner of the back streets of the town. Click here for photo.
If you start or end by the square in Los Silos, you can get a very decent cup of coffee there in the kiosk. Alongside is the town hall, across the road is the former convent and now museum and cultural center and opposite that, the lovely white church that, to me, belongs on the top of wedding cake.
Take one of the paths from the backside of the square. You can climb the hill to overlook the town (easy for all ages).
To find the geriatric residence, just follow the main road from the church in the direction of Garachico. You'll find it at the end of the small Constitución square in a turning to your left, probably no more than 100 yards or so along.
Adjudicada la primera fase de la reforma de la residencia geriátrica de Los Silos
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Telescopes 'worthless' by 2050
"Ground-based astronomy could be impossible in 40 years because of pollution from aircraft exhaust trails and climate change", report the BBC. Gerry Gilmore, University of Cambridge, says, "You either give up your cheap trips to Majorca, or you give up astronomy. You can't do both."
He might as well have said cheap trips to Tenerife. In fact, with one of the largest telescopes in the world located the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma next door and the Teide Observatory right here on Tenerife, it would probably have been more apt for him to do so.
And it is no loger pure marketing hype to suggest that you need to rush to see it while you still can, but at least you can do that from wherever you are in the world ...
Slooh, whose observatories are on Mount Teide in the Canary Islands, run over 50 missions nightly from the mountaintop telescopes and start as soon as it gets dark in the Canary Islands - which is right about now. Click here to discover how.
Do you take this man, and do you want fries with that?
ABC News report, "A couple decided to get married under the golden arches, as customers continued to place their orders for Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets."
This ultimate in class (sarcasm) makes even the worst elements of the tourist traps of Las Americas on the south of Tenerife seem positively up market! Thankfully, I doubt if fast-food weddings will become the latest chav trend, because getting married on these islands involves far too much red tape.
They are still romantic enough to be the destination of choice for many mainland Spanish honeymooners, whom I suspect will not go to the Golden Arches for their wedding breakfast.
Ohio Couple Tie the Knot at McDonald's
Win a trip for two to Tenerife and discover the cultural jewel of The Canary Islands
GMTV say, "The sun is beginning to shine and the winter blues are starting to fade. What better way to get yourself in the mood for summer than a holiday for two to Tenerife, the paradise island of unspoilt, tranquil beach landscapes and cultural diversity." Well, yes, we couldn't agree more! They are also hosting a contest to win a holiday to Tenerife to discover two of Tenerife's cultural jewels: Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
Win a trip for two to Tenerife
