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This year, the town of La Orotava, in the north of Tenerife, is holding its traditional Corpus Christi celebration on the 22nd June. On this occasion and to conclude the commemoration of the 500 anniversary of Orotava's foundation, the town is organizing an International Congress of Tapestry Artists (Congreso Internacional de Alfombristas) with participants from other Spanish towns and representatives from Europe, Asia and America.

The congress, entitled “El arte efímero de las alfombras de flores y tierras en el mundo” (“The ephemeral art of flowers and soil tapestries in the world”), will take place from the 20th to 22nd June and will bring together artists from Muhlenbach (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), Genzano di Roma (Italy), Kobe (Japan), Huamantla (Mexico), Texas (U.S.A.) and representation from Tibet.

Tapestry Artists from all over the world come together in La Orotava to celebrate their Traditional Corpus Christi Festival

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Many people find the Nuestra Señora de Africa market in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz, but perhaps less well known is the Mercado de La Laguna.

WebTenerife say, "La Laguna Market is situated in the historical center of the city in the "Plaza del Adelantado", next to the Hermitage of San Miguel and the Court House. Of significant commercial and tourist interest, the La Laguna market is visited each day by a large amount of the public. Enjoy or even taste the quality of the products and see their spectacular display especially in the flower section that you can see when you enter; the fruit and vegetables are situated on the central patio, the fish at the end of the building and the meet and dry goods are distributed on the sides of the two patios."

Open: Monday to Sunday until 1400 hours.

Mercado de La Laguna

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Who does these translations? :)

This sign, which I am absolutely certain is on the road between Buenavista del Norte and Punta Teno (haven't been down there lately), says, boldly: "Road Closed HIGH DANGER OF EARTH FALLING DURING WINDING OR RAINING DAYS"

The road certainly isn't straight on any days, so is that days when you are wound up (as in stressed) or, do they think they mean, no passing on days when you've eaten too many beans? :)

The Union Jack is a nice touch tho', just in case you have no friggin idea what they are on about in what language! :)

Earth falling? They mean bloody great rocks!

Honestly, I do, I despair of them. Great big corporation sign in bright yellow - you would imagine, wouldn't you, that someone would think to have it properly checked - by someone who actually speaks English - before it is put up there at the side of the road, all big and bold, for our pure entertainment.

Labels: Translation Hooters

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Backwards Clock, available for purchase at FadToys.com

During the whole of the day today for Día de Canarias, news reports on Spanish radio networks will give the time in Canarian time, report the Canarian Government in this press release.

Confused, you will be! :) The time in the Canary Islands is the same as it is in London - Western European Time - an hour behind the rest of Spain who operate on Central European Time.

An agreement was reached with four national stations; SER, COPE, Punto Radio and Onda Cero to confuse the hell out of listeners. Sorry, no, the aim is to "augment the notoriety of the archipelago" as a tourist destination to the mainland market. The confusion information will reach almost ten million regular, daily listeners of these four private stations throughout the length of the day.

I only ever listen to radio over the internet and mostly English, so I won't hear this. However, it is worth noting that this hour of difference is most convenient, especially for British nationals resident on the islands and who have relatives back in Blighty. On the other hand, when you watch national Spanish TV stations here, you have to remember that when they say a program will start at 7 p.m., what they actually mean is here, it will start at 6 p.m. Don't ask me to count the number of times one switches on, only to remember - too late - that the program you wanted to watch is already over. Meanwhile, local TV stations in the Canary Islands use all Canarian time. National news reports usually give the current time in Spanish (Central European) time, followed by the statement, "una hora menos en Canarias" (an hour less [behind] in the Canaries).

Today, there will be no "hora menos", they will only give the Canarian time.

At New Year, we get double celebrations in the Canaries, because those from the mainland are televised at our 11 p.m. and our own at midnight.

Mañana no será una hora menos en Canarias

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A new record was set yesterday as more than 700 immigrants arrived in 11 boats to five different islands in the Canary Islands archipelago. Meanwhile, another 400 migrants had arrived in the islands by boat over the weekend, four of which brought 266 into the port of Los Cristianos in Tenerife.

Más de 700 inmigrantes llegan a bordo de 11 cayucos
Cuatro nuevos cayucos dejan en el puerto de Los Cristianos a 266 inmigrantes
Europe Vows to Help Spain With Crisis

And, on a related note, Guardian Unlimited have the full story detailing how, After four months at sea, ghost ship with 11 petrified corpses washes up in Barbados. My advice: don't read it just before or after your lunch.

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The number of foreigners resident in Tenerife increased more than double the amount that it did in Gran Canaria during 2004, according to data from the Canarian Institute of Statistics (Istac). From January 1, 2004 to Jan 1, 2005, a total of 36,479 foreigners registered in the islands, principally; English, Germans and Italians. Seventy percent of all new inhabitants of the islands during 2004 were foreign. New registrations of foreigners in Tenerife during 2004 amounted to 17,340, against the 8,191 in Gran Canaria, raising the total on the western island from 84,606 to 101,946 - an increase of 20.4%.

In the Canary Islands as a whole, there were a total of 222,260 foreign residents, of whom 102,509 were Europeans. This is a 19.6% increase on the previous year. The largest number of new registrations in the period were English (4,487), followed by Germans, Italians, Moroccans, Venezuelans, Columbians, Argentinians and Uraguans. Though there are still more German residents in total (28,957) than English (25,013), 16,460 of the latter who live in Tenerife, 2,309 in Gran Canaria and 4,091 in Lanzarote.

The Canary Islands' foreign resident league table is led by:

1. 28,957 Germans
2. 25,013 English
3. 21,096 Columbians
4. 15,044 Italians
5. 14,984 Moroccans
6. 13,301 Venezuelans
7. 11,446 Argentinians
8. 10,110 Cubans

Meanwhile, Scandinavians seem to prefer Gran Canaria, with 1,049 Norwegians choosing the eastern island, against just 291 in Tenerife. The same occurs with Swedish nationals, who, of a total of 2,079 who live in the islands, 1,007 do so in Gran Canaria and 808 in Tenerife.

By continent, new residents from Europe occupy first place with an increment of 16,952 in 2004. From America came 12,304 newly registered, Africa (5,102), Asia (2,084) and Oceana, just sweet 16.

Among curiosities in the statistics, is that one singular citizen of Vanuatu - an archipelago situated to the north of Australia - has made their home on the Canary Island of El Hierro.

Los extranjeros residentes en Tenerife subieron el doble que en Gran Canaria

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Yesterday, nine detained crew members (all with Venezuelan papers), the haul of 2,500 kilos of cocaine and two firearms that were found aboard the Venezuelan ship, Fabio Galípoli that was sunk off Cape Verde on May 24, were brought into port at Santa Cruz in Tenerife. The other ten detainees had been operating in the Balearic islands and the Spanish mainland.

Arriba al muelle la ´Cazadora´ de la Armada con 2.500 kilos de cocaína

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Fire that ravaged 35 hectares of pine trees in north Tenerife last weekend has prompted authorities to consider restrictive measures aimed at safeguarding the island’s mountain forests this summer. Access to a number of key forest tracks and protected areas will be severely limited if not completely banned.

“Our efforts are not only directed at recuperating eroded and otherwise damaged territory, “ said a spokesman for the Cabildo’s environment department, “but also at protecting and defending the existence of local people living in specific areas such as the rural parklands of Anaga and Teno. After all, it’s not just plants and trees that live in these places, but people too.”

Protecting Tenerife’s green mantle

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If Carnaval wasn't enough Brazilian-style entertainment for you, then Tensamba III Edición del Festival de Música Brasileña de Tenerife - the third edition of Tenerife's Brazilian Music Festival - the most important in Spain - from June 1 to 10, might make up the difference. Seven Brazilian bands of international renown will be taking part and there are also samba classes.

Samba is undoubtedly the most internationally famous of Brazilian music.

The festival, organized partly by the town hall in La Laguna and which has support from the Brazilian Embassy, kicks off with a concert from Erismar do Espiritu Santo at the Instituto La Laboral in La Laguna, Tenerife on June 1.

El festival Tensamba llevará siete bandas brasileñas a Tenerife

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Canary Island tomato growers this week were seeing red over an increase of 600% in Moroccan tomato exports to the European Union, which has not only flooded the market, but has also provoked a premature end to this year's Canarian exports.

A spokesman for the Federación de Exportadores de productos hortofructícolas (Federation of Exporters of Horticultural Fruity-type Products), says Morocco has exported 3,125 tons of tomatoes, affecting profits negatively and harming agreements the association have made with the EU.

After weather threatened the sector in January, exports had been on the increase this year, despite the fact that the area devoted to the cultivation of tomatoes had decreased in recent years - by 1,898 hectares or 65 percent, from 4,830 in 1994 to 2,932 in 2004 - and difficulty in finding anyone to pick them.

Los tomateros canarios denuncian que Marruecos ha hundido el mercado europeo
Tomato exports Tenerife decreased 54% in 10 years

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This saucy book, More Ketchup Than Salsa: Confessions of a Tenerife Barman, is, obviously, written about the tourist areas of Tenerife.

Never mind the Union Jack T-Shirt that bloke's got on in the cover photo, have you seen the colour of the third woman's sunburn? Typical, silly ....

I only came across this title today, by accident, so I will admit to not having seen a copy yet. However, it is described: "This comical book lifts the lid on life in a busy Tenerife resort." and as "Spiked with humour and sharp observation."

It's the "sharp observation" aspect that attracts me, because, the truth, no matter how embarrassing, though even better when it's about someone else, always makes the best comedy. So I think this may well be a fun read.

But do remember that there is whole lot more to Tenerife than this, at first glance, appears to suggest. We wouldn't want you thinking that Tenerife is just a tacky tourist destination for tacky tourists, now would we? :)

More Ketchup Than Salsa: Confessions of a Tenerife Barman

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Jaunted blog, talking about the run up to the World Cup, report that, "The English have gone so far as to revoke the passports of 3,500 of their worst hooligans. Does FIFA rank the hooligans? The Brits are also sending policemen and judges to the event, so that they'll be able to prosecute on the spot."

Excellent news. If these nethanderals don't have passports, they wont be running riot around Las Americas either.

Hooligans Denied Passports

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Came across this site of photos, many of Tenerife, by Fernando Gómez Viñarás today and I was especially taken by this gallery of Puertas y Ventanas (Doors and Windows) on Casas Viejas (Old Houses).

Despite most of them being in really advanced states of disrepair with rust, peeling paint and rotting wood, as well as clear evidence of damp in the brickwork, to me, there is still a romantic beauty in their faded colours.

Somehow, in spite of their condition; getting stuck will bills or being defaced with graffiti, these buildings manage to cling proudly to small details that were once their crowning glory. A dash of fancy ironwork here, some decorative carving there: signs that they were once "the height of fashion" and that their owners had "arrived" in society. Pay attention though. While most of them look to be in a state of total ruin and uninhabitable, there are cases where the door is ajar and the shutter open, in a manner suggesting they are still in use.

Puertas y Ventanas

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When I talk about anything to do with Tenerife's Auditorio with my mother, I have to say, "You know, the one that looks like an iron." A steam iron, that is, standing up on its haunches, because that is what it looked like to her. (On her behalf, I would like to convey sincere apologies to Sr. Calatrava.)

While the building was under construction, mind you, I think many people wondered what the heck (to use a polite term) was going up there.

Now, in it's full glory, it is almost difficult to remember what Santa Cruz ever did without this emblematic, eye catching, awe inspiring, majestic - do you get the impression that I love it - symbol that has come to represent the city.

And, in this set of photos and some further ones tagged with auditorio, you can begin to see for yourself just what causes such emotions.

Auditorio de Tenerife

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All countries have them, it seems. Tenerife's is somewhat more obvious in that Mount Teide and the dorsal mountain ranges split the island into two distinct climates. And at times, the one we have in the north is positively trying.

There is also the division that, the more historical, rural and less over developed areas of the north attract a more Germanic clientele, while the excesses of the south draw that certain kind of party Brit. From this, deduce that Germans are better informed and know how to find the good places.

This is, perhaps, in both cases, a question of what you are used to.

On my one visit to Germany some years ago, I was particularly struck by the houses in rural villages, because you simply could not tell which ones had been there since the 12th Century and which ones had been built the week before. The old ones being kept in such good repair and the new being built with such precision and artistry and following the traditions of centuries.

This is something which became most evident to me here too when I visited the newly reconstructed church of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, in Buenavista del Norte. There is a section of carpentry on the underside of the gallery over the main entrance, which is stunning. That it was completed by craftsmen working in the 21st Century and not the 16th leaves one speechless.

Nevertheless, it is always a bad thing to generalize. It can backfire on you too, especially when you (alright I) go down to the main road one Saturday morning to assist a group of tourists, clearly properly dressed for walking, who are studying a map and looking lost, greeting them with "Hallo. Kann ich bitte dir helfen?", to which they respond, in English, with broad Mancunian accents.

But it does remain that these English tourists are a rare breed around these parts. You are far more likely to come across Germans who love nature and history - who are not the type you have to be up at 2 a.m. to beat to the sun longer - and who definitely do have a sense of humour.

Lost in translation Via: Flanerie.org

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Julio Sánchez Domínguez, parish priest of the church of Nuestra Señora de Las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows) in El Palmar de Teror, Gran Canaria, has for the last six years been touring Latin American countries in search of personalities born in the Canary Islands or with Canarian ancestry, who had gained some reputation in those far away lands.

Up to the present, his attention has been focussed on three Servants of God, who are in process of beautification: Jacinto de Vera Durán, whose parents were from Lanzarote and who became the first Bishop of Montevideo (Uruguay); Fray Andresito (Friar Andresito), born in Fuerteventura, who is venerated in the Uraguayan capital for his humanitarian work; and Hermano José Marcos Figueroa (Brother Figueroa), born in Lanzarote, who left his mark in Uruguay as a model of humility, simplicity and help.

Julio Sánchez has worked hard to document these three Canarian figures, with the aim of gaining them recognition in the islands where their lives and works had previously been little known. An ignorance, which he says, contributes to the scant interest shown by the diosis in spreading their stories.

El Vaticano quiere canonizar a tres canarios

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Electricity provider in the Canary Islands, Endesa-Unelco, has been sanctioned by the Government with a recently proposed, 450,000 Euro (£307,000) fine after it was discovered, by simple sight inspection in the aftermath of last November's Tropical Storm Delta, that pylons carrying the 66 kilowatt supply between Caletillas and Granadilla in the section which passes the Güímar Industrial Estate, were in an advanced state of deterioration. The pylons were found to be in an "elevated" state of oxidation.

The Council for Industry then commissioned a study, undertaken by the University of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, which concluded that the pylons subject to these sanctions showed a loss of charge of 48 percent of their capacity and compared to other pylons in good condition; evidence of inadequate maintenance. The sanction is independent of the costs of the damage caused by the strong winds which whipped the islands last November, bringing down, literally bent in half, 32 of the 63 pylons on this section.

Endesa-Unelco es sancionada con 450.000 euros por el mal estado de la red detectado tras el Delta

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Not everything to come out of the auditorium and the instruments of the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra was to the taste of Tenerife News' reviewer, who described one peice as "utterly discordant and extremely difficult to listen to", nevertheless, the day was saved by Mozart's Concerto number 23 for piano and orchestra K.488 in A major, "famed for its elegant structure and gracefulness."

It looks to be that the final concert in the current season is tomorrow night, May 26th, however, it is good to know that these alternative cultural offerings are available here on the island. More details from the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra website or from their "home ground", the Auditorio de Tenerife.

A three part recital from the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra

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The Canary Islands Government, with collaboration from individual island corporations is, for the first time this year, going to bring us a coordinated program of acts to celebrate Día de Canarias (Canaries Day) on May 30th.

During the day of the 30th, Canary Islanders (and visitors) will have the opportunity to participate in an ample program of events related to Día de Canarias, in their place of origin. Events will include tastings of the local gastronomy, folklore, music, arts & crafts, literature, cultural items and native sports. In Tenerife, the location for these events is at the Castillo Negro (Black Castle) in Santa Cruz. Events are programmed to begin at 16:00 hours. Various workshops, aimed at youngsters, will run until 20:00 hours.

The Castillo de San Juan is the best preserved on the island. It was constructed in the first half of the 17th Century and reconstructed in 1765. Popularly known as the Castillo Negro (Black Castle), because it is adjacent to La Caleta de Negros (Black Creek), the circular castellated building has volcanic masonry in tones of grey and is very close to the Parque Marítimo "César Manrique".

Also on May 30th, six local newspapers will be distributing a book, entitled, "Conocer Canarias: Mil preguntas y respuestas para disfrutar" (Get to know the Canary Islands: One thousand questions and answers to enjoy), which summarizes the attractions of the islands as well as their cultural heritage and history. The price of the book will be a token one euro (68 pence).

El Día de Canarias se celebra en todas las islas de forma paralela con actividades folclóricas, musicales y culturales
Los seis periódicos de las Islas distribuirán el día 30 el libro "Conocer Canarias"
Castillo de San Juan at PuntoInfo

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Something I have yet to see is the Plaza General Eulate in Buenavista del Norte. This square is alongside the church of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, which was destroyed by a fire in 1996, restored and re-opened in 2004. (On the other side, the Plaza General Eulate fronts onto this wide street.) During the interim (and I came to this area in 1999), the adjoining plaza has been hidden behind a high wall of barriers and building materials.

A press release from Buenavista town hall announces that the first phase of the remodelling works in the plaza have been completed, with the aim of "dynamizing tourism in the area". Although, making the historic center of the town a prettier place to walk around, I think will be nice for all of us.

The plaza will be able to be seen in all its splendor, once the rest of the phases have been completed, which mainly focus on a children's play area and gardens and, which will be carried out shortly. (Photo at the site below.)

Concluidas las obras de la primera fase de remodelación de la Plaza General Eulate de Buenavista del Norte

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Over the next few weeks the European Commission will mobilize, via its European Border Agency, Frontex, planes and patrol launches from eight member states to help watch the Canarian coasts to control the current situation in respect to the constant arrival of immigrants from Africa.

The Commission is also sending a mission to the Canary Islands to obtain detailed information on the situation in the archipelago.

La UE movilizará un dispositivo aéreo y naval para vigilar las costas de las Islas

Frontex (from French: Frontières extérieures, legally: European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union), headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, is the external border security agency of the European Union. It is responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the national border guards in ensuring the security of the EU's borders with non-member states. Source: Wikipedia

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This month, new rules have come into force for gaining access to the peak and crater at the top of Teneife's Mount Teide. Amongst other changes, it's now possible to obtain a permit without having to go in person to the National Park offices, as had been the case in the past, making it more convenient for visitors.

It is now possible to obtain a permit by fax to (+34) 922 244788 or email to teide@oapn.mma.es. Permits must be obtained at least seven days before the date you wish to ascend (one month if requested by ordinary post).

These permits are for the 700 meter Sendero Telesforo Bravo (footpath), which connects La Rambleta (3.555 m.) with the highest point of Spain and of all the Atlantic archipelagos, to the top of the 3,718 meter volcano.

Only 50 people are permitted to be on this footpath at one time, owing to the extreme fragility of the area and to guarantee security for visitors.

In 2005, the National Park administration issued 11,001 access permits covering 36,804 persons, a figure that was significantly lower than the previous year (43,198 people), given that conditions made the ascent impractical for several months. At the beginning of 2005, the footpath was closed because of heavy snow and accumulated ice. Extreme high winds at that altitude can add to the difficulty, so don't be too disappointed if the weather doesn't play the game. Nevertheless, it's worth trying and great to be able to say you've been!

Entran en vigor las normas que restringen el acceso al Pico del Teide

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Alpharooms.com, website operated by Alpha Accommodation Limited in Sheffield, England, makes choosing your holiday accommodation that bit easier.

Alpharooms currently offer a choice of 378 establishments in Tenerife. Their site is laid out to show a brief summary, highlighting the major facilities at each establishment, so that you can quickly see which ones offer what you need.

The major difference, is that they also allow you to select apartments only, or you can also refine your search to just the establishments in the resort of your choice. These are mostly the usual places on the south of the island, but also included are Puerto de la Cruz in the north and the capital, Santa Cruz.

Descriptions are nicely detailed and include the address of the establishment - so you can locate it to ensure that "sea view" is not from five miles back! They also include customer reviews. Next time you are looking for holiday accommodation in Tenerife, you might like to give Alpharooms a try.

More information from Alpharooms website »

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European Space Agency scientists are using a new camera to monitor the continuing disintegration of Comet, 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, in an effort to attempt to see into the comet's interior. The Superconducting Camera, or SCAM - now operating from ESA's Optical Ground Station on Tenerife.

ESA Camera Catches Comet Break-up In The Act

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Illegal immigrants from Africa arrive on the shores of Tenerife ragged and bleeding, lashed by the waves after days at sea pointing their small and battered craft at the distant peak of the Teide volcano, Spain's highest mountain. "We don't know why they choose Tenerife, or why the south coast, but the Teide (3,700 metres, 12,100 feet) can be seen from 50 or 60 nautical miles away, which makes it a good target," said Luis Carillon, the local police chief.

Volcano's peak guides African emigrants to Canaries

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"They had been eight days at sea and some of the newly arrived immigrants were staggering about on the dock, a dramatic image that set cameras clicking and whirring in unison as dozens of tourists captured the moment for holiday albums. It is not what the authorities had expected, but far from putting people off, an invasion of African boat people has proved an unlikely tourist attraction in the Canary Islands where daily arrivals of dug-outs packed with immigrants attract crowds of spectators.", reports the Sunday Times.

African boat people, a tourists' must-see

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The BBC report that, "Senegal's navy stopped more than 1,500 people trying to sail to Spain's Canary Islands over the weekend, it says. Navy Captain Jean-Baptiste Faye said the migrants had been in 19 wooden boats and 60 people traffickers had been arrested."

Senegal 'seizes 1,500 migrants'

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Already famous for a variety of artisan basket work objects, could this be the next wicker product to be produced in the El Palmar valley? Since it uses environmentally renewable resources, this would fit nicely with the current trends towards green farming.

Flowers look so good with wicker and I can't help thinking that it would make a funeral just a little bit more of a "picnic". Maybe I should print the photo and take it to the local basket maker? In the meantime, Britain's Somerset Willow Company sells these biodegradable, handsome wicker coffins.

Via: BoingBoing

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Begin battening the hatches, because the BBC reports that, "This year's Atlantic hurricane season will be "above normal", according to the US climate agency."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) predicts there will be 13-16 named storms, four of which will be "major storms". Last year's season saw an unprecedented 28 storms, 15 of which went on to become hurricanes. Noaa had predicted that there would be up to nine hurricanes.

The US hurricane season starts on 1 June and lasts until 30 November. On November 28th, 2005, the Canary Islands were hit by Tropical Storm Delta (the 25th of the season), which caused widespread damage in the islands.

"Remember, it only takes one hurricane in your neighbourhood to make it a bad season," Noaa administrator, Vice Admiral Lautenbacher, remarked.

'Above normal' hurricanes in 2006

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A visitor yesterday asked the question, so I thought I'd give you the answer:

"Known to the Romans as Nivaria (from the Latin nix, nivis, "snow"), a reference to the snows atop the volcano known as El Teide, Tenerife bears a name that is also a reference to this volcano and was used for the island by the Guanches of the neighboring island of La Palma; “Tene” signifying “mountain” and “ife” white (the “r” was added by the Spanish). To the natives of Tenerife, however, the island was known as Chenech, Chinech or Achinech."

Source: Wikipedia.

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Photo: Peter Sinfield
Click here or on the image to visit Peter's site to see full size.Whilst mooching around the web for information and more photos of the local area, I came across this image (right), which shows the ancient Puerta de la Tierra (literally, Door to the Land) in Garachico, originally used to control passengers and goods that came in and out of the port.

The image was of particular interest to me, because unlike my own snapshot - my image is taken from the front and above and, makes the gate look too low for its former use - placing the man in the shot shows the perspective and size more clearly.

It is also of great interest from the point of view that you never quite know whom you might bump into in the back streets of Garachico ...

For the good reason that the gentleman in the picture, it transpires, is none other than Peter Sinfield, self-described "hippy without portfolio" (a title I could probably borrow with reasonable impunity) and former wordsmith for King Crimson. Peter has also worked with such greats as Roxy Music, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Cher and, amongst others, won an Ivor Novello award for his part in co-penning Celine Dion's “Think Twice” in 1992 (I shall think of Peter next time I belt it out on the karaoke), as well as putting the lyrics to “21st Century Schizoid Man", which is reputed to be Tony Blair’s favourite song.

I've worked out from other references on the site that this photo was taken last winter - seeing the poinsettia, probably around Christmas - which is when I spend a lot of time in Garachico. In future, I should keep my eyes open!

And my message to you is, of course, that this is proof positive that you definitely get a better class of visitor here in the north of Tenerife.

Under the town gate at Garachico

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One of the next major anniversaries in the Canary Islands is the annual celebration of "Canarianess" that takes place every May 30th.

As every year, there will be various acts of celebration from the private to the institutional and including a varied menu of sporting, musical and cultural offerings. The most important, however, of this year's acts will be the plenary session anticipated to be celebrated in the Chamber on May 30, for the approval of the project of reform of the Statute of Autonomy.

El Día de Canarias (Canaries Day) celebrates the anniversary of the first session of the Canary Islands Parliament, which took place on May 30th, 1983, ten months after the publication of the Estatuto de Autonomía (Statute of Autonomy) in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (Official State Bulletin).

The Statute, published on August 10, 1982, gave the Canary Islands greater powers of self-governance and recognition on the part of the Spanish Constitution of the concept of "Canarian nationality". This had been the aspiration of the Canary islanders since the days of the Second Republic, however Civil War and Franco's regime intervened and it took 46 years before an Autonomous Government in the Canary Islands became a reality.

There have been profound changes to the politics, economics, society and culture of the islands in these last 23 years. At the end of 1982, the islands had 1,431,045 inhabitants, which, 20 years on had risen to more than 1.8 million. (It is estimated that numbers now to have reached 2 million.)

The community budget multiplied by 36 in those first two decades and production per capita had multiplied almost five times.

In 1982, the Canary Islands received some 3 million tourists per year. Twenty years later, this had risen to around 10 million, providing 70% of the archipelago's income, valued at 24,553 million Euros.

El pleno sobre el Estatuto, el acto más importante por el Día de Canarias

El Día de Canarias
Nacionalidad Canaria
Estatuto de Autonomía de Canarias (PDF 47,8 Kb)

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It must have been one of the most costly weddings Tenerife has ever seen and it took place last month at one of the island’s top hotels, the Abama in Guía de Isora. The happy couple, Tenerife-born Sandra García Sanjuan and Ignacio Maluquer of Cataluña, flew their 500 guests into Tenerife on board six privately chartered planes for a slap-up long weekend, no expense spared.

Guests came from as far away as; Paris, London, Montecarlo, Munich, Viena, Lisbon, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Mexico and Moscow ... and included amongst them the prince and princess of Bulgaria; Alejandra Alemán, daughter of the former Mexican president; María Zurita Borbón, niece of the Spanish King and Isabel Sartorius, a former girlfriend of Prince Felipe.

The glamourous four-day bun fight included lots of sight-seeing trips, an exotic beach party with an African theme and, there can be very few weddings too that could boast its own private golf tournament on the Abama greens.

Jet-set wedding in south Tenerife
La boda de los famosos