Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Brian May's favourite place on earth
The message, written by Brian May, on the front of the BangUniverse site, says "Our book, modestly entitled "BANG! - The Complete History of the Universe" is now available". (Actually, it was published in October.) We mentioned that May had been in the Canary Islands around that time - we like you to know that we do get the occasional celebrity visitor - and that May is writing some music for a telescope.
This post, which mentions the book and has photos of and by Brian May, quotes (presumably from the book) under an image that May took of Mount Teide:
"My favourite place on earth ...well, close to it ..... The magnificent National Park of Las Canadas, Tenerife .... the volcano is El Teide. This is where I spent many months observing the Zodiacal Light when I was a student, working on my PhD thesis. As soon as I am up there, above the clouds once more, I feel I am home."
Hey, that's not a bad endorsement. :)
Oh and, Brian May has a blog.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Other Carnaval 2007 Dates in Tenerife
Whilst the Carnaval in Santa Cruz is undoubtedly the biggest and most famous, those who want a taste of the fun with a little less bustle, can head to any one of the many other carnavals held in just about every town and village on the island - even the tiny 100 inhabitant hamlet of Teno Alto gets in on the act.
Carnaval 2007 in La Orotava
In La Orotava, where the theme this year is "Fiestas in Egypt", the Gran Coso (Main Parade), is being held on Tuesday, February 20th. An Old Car Rally starts the day off at 10 a.m. that morning from the Plaza de la Constitución and, at 4 p.m. the carnaval parade begins from Cruz del Teide to Plaza de la Paz (El Calvario). Malibu Band and others are in charge of the knees up from 7 p.m. onwards.
On Thursday, February 22nd, there is also a Drag Queen Festival at 9 p.m. in La Orotava, featuring some of the best drag acts from Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
La Orotava Carnaval 2007 Program | Photos of La Orotava Carnaval 2006
Carnaval in Puerto de La Cruz 2007
The theme in Puerto de la Cruz this year in "Paris in the 20's" and the most important event of this international carnaval is their Gran Coso Apoteosis del Carnaval (Main Parade), which is held on Saturday, February 24th, from 4 p.m. onwards in the streets; Avda. Colón, Plaza de los Reyes Católicos, Calle Obispo Pérez Cáceres, Avda. Generalísimo, Calle Zamora, Calle Santo Domingo, Calle La Marina, Plaza del Charco, Calle San Felipe and Paseo Luis Lavaggi.
More Events in Puerto de la Cruz Carnaval 2007 listed here
Carnaval in Los Gigantes 2007
Tenerife Sun tell us that, "In Los Gigantes the Carnival runs from March 1-5 and the theme for those wishing to get heavily involved is Mexico." More info here
Carnaval in Los Cristianos 2007
Whilst I cannot find details on Los Cristianos carnaval for 2007, yet, this is the biggest in the south and never far from your hotel if you are staying in one of the resorts. One note, LastMinute do issue the warning that event details can change, but I think it very unlikely that the dates of Los Cristianos Carnaval would be, as they list, as being from the 20th to the 24th of February (well, I know they wont).
That week coincides with the dates in Santa Cruz and, Los Cristianos always holds theirs at least a week or two later. One of the reasons that carnaval is spaced out in different towns is so that everyone can attend everything, of course. The other is that fair ground rides and hot dog stalls, etc., cannot be in two places at once. :)
Or, as Tenerife Sun Newspaper says, "Towns and villages all over aim to put on their own displays of street partying as soon as the Santa Cruz Carnival has run out of steam." To be honest, even that is not an entirely accurate analysis: Santa Cruz merely takes a short respite before beginning on organizing the next!
Calendar of Events for February 2007
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Teno Natural 2007
The Albergue de Bolico, with the collaboration of the Council for Sports of the town hall in Buenavista del Norte, present a program, Teno Natural 2007. A total of 11 guided walks, beginning with Casas de la Cumbre (Houses on the Summit) on Sunday, February 4th.
This program, will allow both residents and visitors to get to know some of the most singular natural and cultural attractions in the Teno area, with laurisilva (cloud forest), cliffs, coastal areas and popular traditions all included amongst the routes, with specialized guides, being offered to areas such as Abache, Cumbres de Bolico, La Fortaleza, Teno Alto, Monte del Agua, Guergue or the Barranco de Masca, among others.
Booking is via the Central de Reservas Albergues de Canarias (Central Booking Office) on 902 455 550, with special prices for guests staying at the hostal.
El Albergue Bolico y el Ayuntamiento de Buenavista del Norte presentan un programa anual de rutas en el Parque Rural de Teno
Buenavista del Norte sees rise in tourists
Not huge numbers, as in the resorts, but nevertheless an increasing number, with 3,952 visiting the Tourist Information Office, which opened in the summer of 2005, in the corner of the town's central, Plaza de Los Remedios during 2006.
The majority of these visitors, some 2,255, according to the tourist office' figures were British or German, while the rest were from the Spanish mainland.
Surprisingly, November was their busiest month so far, with a total 484 visitors, which works out to an average of 23 people per day. Pop in before they get too busy!
As well as providing information on things to see and do in the Buenavista del Norte and Teno areas, in various languages including English, their shop - a replica of the village stores that are traditional in the islands - offers local produce, such as cheeses from Teno Alto or wines from El Palmar.
Un total de casi cuatro mil personas visitaron el punto de información turística de Buenavista del Norte en el año 2006
Nick Cave at the Auditorio de Tenerife
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
Photo: Steve GullickBritish based, Australian musician, best known for his work in the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, is to perform at the Auditorio de Tenerife on April 21st, 2007. Marchaymas call it an essential concert from one of the big names in the panorama of British pop-rock.
More details from the Auditorio de Tenerife. Via: Marchaymas.com
Folklore and Costumes of the Canary Islands
Princesa Iraya Via: BienMeSabe
The Mountain at the End of the World
Mount Teide, the largest mountain in the Atlantic and the third largest volcano in the world, has a new website to present its case for inclusion as an UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can support the proposal and learn about Teide's history and natural values.
To be particularly recommended is the TVE video (you'll see the blue button, bottom left of the page) available at the site, which shows Teide's singular nature - nowhere else is there such variety and diversity in such a reduced space - with a look at all the different formations, various colors and shapes of the rocks, a walk through the four seasons on the mountain and its unique and singular flora and fauna.
WWW.TEIDEPATRIMONIOMUNDIAL.COM
El Hierro's Worst Ever Natural Disaster
The storm and heavy rains that affected the Canary Islands over the weekend caused the worst ever natural disaster in the history of the island of El Hierro, with damages higher than those left by Tropical Storm Delta in 2005 or the forest fire in 2006.
Report with photos showing the damages: ¿Quién ayuda a El Hierro?
The deluge, in which close to 500 liters of water per square meter was registered in the worst affected area of El Pinar, washed away roads, destroyed homes and vehicles and caused catastrophic damages to agriculture and livestock.
The ecological disaster also left 178 of the island's critically endangered Giant Lizards dead, when rock falls half buried the lizard recuperation center. Some parts of the building are beyond repair and the lizards lost were those born between 2001 and 2005. Only sixty adults and 43 young, born in 2006, were able to be saved, which presents a serious setback, both for the species and for the work of the center.
Whilst, in Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with only isolated cases of damage, the water has been beneficial to agriculture, in Gran Canaria too, the rains caused many people to be evacuated after containing walls collapsed near their homes.
Not all of the blame can be attributed to the weather, but also to the poor state of infrastructures and the lack of preparedness to cope with events of this magnitude. One year on from Delta, it seemed that authorities were wishing and hoping that nothing like it would ever occur again and, as this shows, it can happen.
It was anticipated that the access roads to Mount Teide, that had to be closed owing to the snow which fell over the last few days, would be reopened yesterday.
La borrasca causa el peor desastre natural de la historia en El Hierro
Tomás Padrón pide auxilio ante la peor catástrofe natural que ha asolado El Hierro
El temporal también deja en El Hierro un total de 178 lagartos gigantes muertos
Graves daños en la agricultura y la ganadería herreña
El invierno llega con un mes de retraso
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Fashioning a Grand Gala for Santa Cruz
EL DÍA publish details of the order of events for the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz. Directed by dancer, Rafael Amargo, the gala takes place at the Fairs and Congress Center in the Tenerife capital on February 14th. The approx. two hour gala and will be televised both locally and around the world.
Singer, D'Noé, will open the gala to the rhythm of hip hop. After D'Noé, there will be appearances from Edith Salazar, continuing with transsexual actress and model, Bibiana Fernández, also known as Bibí Andersen and then, Cuban singer and presenter of children's programs, Lucrecia, who last performed at the Santa Cruz Carnaval that paid homage to the late Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz, in 2004.
Hailed as one of the gala's "main dishes", is a performance from the ex of bullfighter, Jesulín de Ubrique, Belén Esteban. Normally more at home nude, on the cover of magazine, Intervieu, Esteban will again be covering a Madonna number.
Belen Esteban singing Madonna's "Hung Up" in the program, Ana Rosa
The gala's introduction will then continue with "triunfitos" (participants from reality-show talent contest, Operación Triunfo), Soraya and Rosa, before a performance from 70's and 80's diva, Gloria Gaynor, who, two days later will be appearing for the second time at the Drag Queen Gala in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
After the presentation of the judges, the 18 candidates for Carnaval Queen 2007, will parade in their huge costumes. While the jury deliberates, there will be a performance by the winning murga group and by an "international artist". No details on who that is yet, as initially Jennifer López was pencilled in, but didn't have space in her diary.
After failed attempts to contract comics, Los Morancos and presenter, Paz Padilla, the director has included the name of Willy García as presentor of the spectacular gala, although, say EL DÍA, García denies having received any offer.
ASÍ SERÁ LA GALA
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Magnificent Teide gets a winter coat
The snow may be all gone in Britain and winter came late to Tenerife this year (causing some pretty negative effects too), but the pretty part can be seen in this still capture from the Canarian Astrophysics Institute's webcam (found on this page) this morning.
Mount Teide looking truly magnificent in a thick white winter coat. Mind you, enjoy the view from afar: the temperature on that page is registering MINUS 3.8 degrees centigrade.
Weather at the Teide Observatory
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Tackling exotic flora in the Teno Rural Park
Not for the first time, the Tenerife Island Corporation is undertaking a project in the Teno Rural Park to try to get the "exotic" species of invasive plants under control.
There was also a report recently that the regional government it to bring in measures to penalize owners of exotic plants and animals, which are threatening the islands' native species and doing environmental damage in the archipelago.
What has never been clear (to me anyway) is what constitutes an unwanted "illegal alien" in the plant world. This press release about this years eradication campaign names some of those species and, there are a few surprises amongst them.
The twelve month plan, which will cost the Cabildo almost 85,000 Euros, is targeting "exotic flora" such as Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum), Sticky Snakeroot (Ageratina adenophora), Prickly pears (opuntia sp) and Gorse (ulex parviflorus).
The cactus, or prickly pears, had, I thought, been originally introduced as a cash crop. There is white gorse (pictured above) in the El Palmar Valley, but on the way to Teno Alto in spring, the roadsides are absolutely lined with pretty yellow gorse and damaging it may be, but it also makes this one of the best times to visit.
However, the environmental folk say that it's necessary to remove these invasive plants, because they are competing with native species in the most valuable areas of the park, which are distributed amongst various areas of the Teno Rural Park in the valleys of Santiago del Teide, El Palmar, the Teno Plateau, Punta de Teno and in Masca, Erjos and the mountain areas of Bolico and the Monte de Agua.
They don't intend to take prisoners either: The elimination of the exotic flora, says the report, will consist of first manually pulling them up by the roots, then burning them. The soil will also be cleaned to attempt to remove any remaining seeds.
The Teno Rural Park does have areas of very high natural value with a variety of important ecosystems, among them the laurisilva (cloud forest) and the remains of ancient woodlands in the area of the Monte del Agua that must be protected.
El Cabildo ejecutará un proyecto de control de flora exótica en el Parque Rural de Teno
Bad weather causes Canary Island chaos again
The heavy rains for which the Canary Islands have been on orange alert since Friday, have been felt most of all in the smaller islands of El Hierro and La Gomera, where both airports had to be closed for almost a day. Meanwhile, at Tenerife's north airport, ten flights had to be diverted elsewhere, while another 19 were cancelled.
The heavy rains that fell from Friday afternoon left a large part of the inhabitants of El Hierro without electricity and the island's authorities decided to evacuate the state-run Parador hotel that is close to the coast, in case the sea became an uninvited guest.
In many places the amount of water brought by the rains reached 300 liters per square meter, causing many vehicles to be dragged off by flooding and numerous roads became blocked by fallen rocks. On the rest of the islands there have also been various rock falls and traffic accidents, although none have been fatal, nor caused serious injury. Nevertheless, the government maintained the alert and their recommendations, particularly, not to leave home unless absolutely necessary.
In Tenerife, the Oceanographic Institute's building was damaged on three floors and a vehicle turned over in the TF-5 motorway near El Sauzal.
The bad weather also caused the cancellation of various planned events on the islands, such as the pilgrimage to Candelaria or the presentation of the candidates for Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz that was due to take place on Friday night. According to Marchaymas, this will now take place tomorrow, Monday, January 29th.
A family concert was cancelled at the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz, while games, in which some 3,500 children were due to participate, had to be called off.
In Güímar, authorities decided not to hold the traditional romería in honour of San Antonio Abad, while in Buenavista del Norte, their celebrations for the saint went ahead, but on a smaller scale than the originally planned program.
The good news is that today, Sunday, the rainstorm should begin moving off the islands towards the east and, I hear, that Teide is completely white with snow!
El temporal cierra aeropuertos y vías en las islas occidentales
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Temptation island
Anna Watson has obviously been to Santa Cruz for the Carnaval - not this year, mind you, because the Carnaval Queen hasn't yet been chosen: that takes place on February 14th - and says, "... I bought an owl mask made of real feathers, which, coupled with a brown winter coat, made me a dead ringer for a giant tawny owl. But in a town where grown men are walking around dressed as girlish goatherds, complete with milk pail, pinny and plaits, a giant owl doesn't stand out too much."
Too true! It's a nice article about the nature of Carnaval and about Santa Cruz.
Temptation island
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Canary Islands Begin 2007 with a big push
The Canary Island began the year with an intense promotion at 11 travel fairs during the month of January to markets, such as Holland, Austria, Norway, Finland, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark and Spain, thanks to cofinancing from the European Fund for Regional Development. Of the eleven fairs, one was of nautical nature, while the others were general tourism and travel.
Canarias inicia en 2007 su intensa promoción en Europa con la participación en 11 ferias en enero
Canarian Government changes Public Holidays
And, not everyone is happy about it. Travel Agents in the Canary Islands say that the Canarian Government's decision to make Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday), the day before Good Friday, which has always been a holiday as part of Easter's Semana Santa (Holy Week), into a normal working day this year, in order to make Canaries Day, on May 30th into a holiday, will have a serious effect on the economy.
La declaración del Jueves Santo como laborable afectará a la economía isleña
Public Holidays in Spain - festivals and celebrations
Staff woes hit EU border agency
"Recruitment problems are plaguing the EU's border agency Frontex and may hamper its efforts to curb illegal immigration", report the BBC. Frontex director says "this might cause projects to be cancelled and even endanger the lives of migrants making risky sea crossings", such as those almost daily to the Canary Islands.
Staff woes hit EU border agency
Spain resizes clothes for women
The BBC reports that "Spain is to standardise its clothing sizes for women as part of a government drive to ease pressure on young girls over their body size. Clothes currently on sale in Spain often vary in size from shop to shop, despite carrying the same size label." If that's not enough confusion for you and, if you are only visiting and want to buy something in your size, then you also have to learn a different numbering system than you would have found, for instance in the UK or the US.
What is your equivalent size? See this list of International Clothing Sizes
Compare European, British, American and Japanese shoe sizes here.
Spain resizes clothes for women
Friday, January 26, 2007
Orange Alert for rains in the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands government has declared a state of orange alert in the archipelago with the prediction that a big storm is on it's way towards us that will affect the western islands, including Tenerife, from tonight and stay for the duration of this weekend.
Rains are expected to be heavy: a lot of rain, in a short space of time, more than is habitual and for which, they estimate, precautions are necessary.
Civil protection and emergency services are alert to the possible consequences and recommend the population to avoid leaving home, have candles ready in case of interruptions in the electrical supply, disconnect electrical appliances in case of storms, not to touch electrical appliances that are wet and avoid areas that are susceptible to flooding, amongst other common sense precautions.
The eastern islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, will be less affected, but they still recommend taking the same precautions. They anticipate that the storm will begin to move away from the Canary Islands, initially, on Sunday and also expect snow in La Palma and Tenerife above an altitude of 1,900 meters.
Alerta naranja por lluvias en Canarias
Police Hold Sit-in at Tenerife Sur airport
Typically Spanish report that, more than 120 National Police held a sit down protest at the Tenerife Sur airport on Tuesday. Police are angry over planned cuts in the payments they receive for accompanying immigrants on repatriation flights and, allege a lack of coordination between the Spanish Interior and Employment Ministries that is resulting in chaos in the repatriation process of the illegal immigrants.
National Police sit down at Tenerife Sur airport
El Hierro, the eco-friendly island
Lonely Planet's Sarah Andrews is in the Canary Islands, researching the guidebook and learning to live sustainably ... in the smallest Canary Island, El Hierro, a rural island where tourism has yet to descend, where chickens (not pesticides) keep pests away from banana plants, sheep (not herbicides) keep fields weed-free, and crops are rotated every season, easily making El Hierro the most eco-friendly place in Spain.
El Hierro, the eco-friendly island
Tickets go on sale for Tenerife Carnaval
Tickets go on sale today for the various Carnaval events that take place in the Fairs and Congress Center in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. This is something I've never bothered to attend in person - the big Gala, like many international sporting fixtures, is probably better seen on TV for a good view - but I have always been curious about how much it costs. Entrance to the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen, to be held on February 14th, is a very reasonable 15 euros (around £10).
El viernes salen a la venta las entradas para los actos del Canaval de Tenerife
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Dust Blowing over the Canary Islands
Saharan dust blew off the west coast of northern Africa and over the nearby Canary Islands on January 13, 2007. NASA's Terra satellite was there to photograph the phenomenon and the especially thick dust to the north and east of the islands.
Dust Blowing over the Canary Islands
Body of Briton found off Tenerife Identified
The body of a British man, recovered off the coast of Tenerife on Friday, has been identified as Lee Fitzgerald, 47, from West Sussex, who is believed to have fallen from rocks close to the resort of Playa de las Americas.
Briton's body recovered off Tenerife
Sussex man found dead in sea
Monday, January 22, 2007
Music for Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Carnaval 2007
Shrove Tuesday, February 20th, the big day of Carnaval 2007 in Santa Cruz, when the Gran Coso (Main Parade) will fill the streets, Avenidas de Anaga and Maritima, in the afternoon, has been reserved, in the evening, for Cuban "Timba" orchestra, NG La Banda. "NG" stands for "nueva generación" (new generation).
Formed by José Luis "El Tosco" Cortés, who had previously written and played for Los Van Van, "NG La Banda amalgamated the innovations of the groups that came before it with many of its own to create a type of music that wasn't Son, Songo or Rumba - nor was it Rock, Jazz or Funk. It had ample amounts of each blended in, but its most potent component was something entirely new - something that was born in the streets and barrios of Havana in the late 1980's. Cortés called it "Timba".
You can judge for yourself from the video above, but NG La Banda is certainly considered one of the best. Reportedly, the organizers had set Los Van Van as their primary objective, however they were already booked to play in Venezuela.
Santa Cruz town hall had also looked at the possibility of contracting other artists, such as Rubén Blades, Gloria Estefan and Don Omar. In the case of the first two, the huge fees they demanded caused the negotiations to be aborted.
Paulina Rubio at Carnaval de Tenerife
Although, there are still a few contractual details to be worked out, Mexican singer Paulina Rubio is to perform at the Santa Cruz Carnaval on Saturday, February 24th. Ms. Rubio last visited the island in October 2006, to promote her latest album, Ananda, and had promised then that she would offer a concert in Tenerife.
There will, of course, be many other orchestras and groups performing at various points in the capital, over the various nights of the Carnaval. Among them, is local girl group Nueva Línea. Watch their video clip here and at their website.
PAULINA PARA LA PIÑATA Via: Marchaymas.com
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Spain sends Senegalese migrants home again
Spain repatriated to Senegal several hundred would-be migrants on Sunday as part of a joint effort to stem the tide of illegal job seekers trying to reach Europe from Africa. "Three flights have arrived from Tenerife with a total of 213 people on board. Three more flights are expected this afternoon with about the same number of people," an airport official in Saint-Louis told Reuters.
Spain sends Senegalese migrants home again
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Marching to different beats around the world
The Telegraph.co.uk has an article on "Where to party this carnival season" and include Santa Cruz in Tenerife as the first of their "Six sizzlers". They say, "Tenerife in the Canaries holds what is widely believed to be Spain's biggest carnival parade. As elsewhere, the dominating spectacle comprises floats, samba schools and other musical dances and fancy dress parades, particularly on Shrove Tuesday."
Of course, if this year's Gala director, Rafael Amargo, gets his way, those "other musical" themes will also include more music in English. Now, I don't know about you, but even though I am English and, primarily, listen to English music at home, when I watch carnaval, I expect carnaval music; latin music, samba, salsa, something exotic ... That, seems to be, to me, the whole point. It's carnaval!
Does it really need "watering down" for acceptance by an American TV audience?
But it's great that Tenerife gets listed first and, not that you would want to go anywhere else, but the article also tells you about other carnaval party fun.
Marching to different beats around the world
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Diving with Rays in Las Galletas, Tenerife
Short Tenerife Diving Video: Tenerife Times diving with Rays in
Las Galletas, Tenerife along with Chris from Tenerife Scuba.
Gilberto Gil to Perform in Tenerife
Singer, composer and, since 2003, Minister of Culture in Brazil, Gilberto Gil, is to play at the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz on February 25th, 2007, as part of one of the biggest dance, drama and music festivals in the last few years.
Arrested by the military government of Brazil for anti-government activities, in 1969, Gil moved to London on his release and began playing with groups like Yes, Pink Floyd and the Incredible String Band. He also worked with Jimmy Cliff and, in 1980, released a cover of "No Woman, No Cry" (Bob Marley & the Wailers) that was a massive hit and introduced reggae to Brazil.
Gilberto Gil at the Auditorio Via: VOY
New British Consul for the Canary Islands
Spanish Sun Newspaper report, "The British Ambassador, Sir Stephen Wright, announces the appointment of new British Consul for the Canary Islands, Stephen Jones, who will replace Consul David Ward in Santa Cruz Tenerife, who is retiring on 31 January, and Consul Peter Nevitt in Las Palmas Gran Canaria who retired earlier in 2006."
Stephen Jones will direct all consular operations in the Canary Islands, and manage both the British Consulates in Santa Cruz Tenerife, and in Las Palmas. "This is the first time that the Consular role in both Tenerife and Gran Canaria have been combined and will appear to many to be a logical step.", says Barrie Mahoney at Round Town News.
Stephen was born and grew up in Manchester, has a wealth of relevant experience in the tourist sector and already knew the Canary Islands well.
New British Consul for the Canary Islands
British Consulate in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Bichon Tenerife
Wikipedia tells us that, "Because of their merry disposition, they traveled much and were often used as items of barter by sailors as they moved from continent to continent. The dogs found early success in Spain and it is generally felt that Spanish seamen introduced the breed to the Canary Island of Teneriffe. In the 1300s Italian sailors rediscovered the little dogs on their voyages and are credited with returning them to the Continent, where they became great favorites of Italian nobility."
History of the Bichon Frise Via: The Pet Museum
Palm shadow in Tenerife
Tenerife 2006/2007
Body of British man found off Tenerife
The Civil Guard in Tenerife, yesterday, located the body of an, as yet unnamed, British man, who had been missing since Monday, on the coast of Costa del Silencio, in Arona. Apparently, there were no signs of violence.
Aparece en el mar el cadáver de un británico, sin signos de violencia
Warning over Canaries migration
The BBC report that, "An internal Home Office report has warned of a potential threat to UK border controls from illegal immigrants arriving in the Canary Islands."
This is based on the loose association that, since the routes have changed, the migrants were starting to come from English-speaking countries, so somebody has put two and two together and come up with the idea that they'll head to Britian.
It's utter invention! To reiterate what gaymengc.com say, "Visitors, having seen TV and newspaper reports, often ask residents if the towns away from the tourist resorts are now crowded with people who’ve arrived in open boats. The answer is a firm no. In fact, the vast majority of illegal immigrants arriving in the islands have been sent back to the countries they came from. Very few remain here."
Of course there's a problem! People in Africa need help, not shunning, but then that's just my opinion. But the fact is, if they are being sent back, which they are, then I really can't see how they are going to be more likely to try to reach the UK.
It's as if the UK Home Office has nothing better to worry about.
UK worries about illegal immigrants to the Canaries
Friday, January 19, 2007
A taste of the Drag Queen Gala
While we're on the subject of fiestas and carnavals, here is a video that shows the performance of one of the drag acts - actually the winner in 2006 - of the Drag Queen Gala at the Las Palmas Carnaval, in Gran Canaria. I know we don't usually cover items from Gran Canaria - this site is about Tenerife, after all - but there isn't anything quite like this in Tenerife and, indeed, I doubt there is anywhere else in the world, so it's worth seeing what "the neighbours" get up to. As gaymengc.com say, "The video’s not the best quality, but you’ll get the idea…."
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Fiestas de San Antonio Abad 2007
When I was wrapping up the Christmas season recently, I said that the lull in festivities would not last long, because the Carnaval 2007 is but a short time away, but I'd forgotten about the Fiestas de San Antonio Abad (Saint Anthony Abbot or Saint Anthony the Great), that are being held in the meantime.
The Saint's day is January 17th, but it's stretched out and celebrated in various Tenerife towns, such as Arona, Los Silos, La Florida in La Orotava and here in Buenavista del Norte.
According to this press release from Buenavista's town hall, the festivities for 2007 begin here, tomorrow, Saturday, January 20th with celebration of a Gran Baile de Magos (Dance, in traditional costume), in the Plaza de los Remedios.
The square itself is all dressed up pretty with multi-colored bunting too.
On the following Saturday, January 27th, festivities move to the hamlet of Teno Alto, for the annual cheese contest and back down Buenavista for a hunting dog show.
The big day of the festivities though is on Sunday, January 28th, when there will be a livestock fair and Romeria (Procession, in traditional costume). From 10:30, says the program, the fair ground in Triana will witness an exceptional atmosphere with numerous cattle on show, together with an ample representation of pets.
There are usually a great number of horses, a few donkeys and many, many goats too, as my photos of a previous Fiesta de San Antonio Abad demonstrate.
At around 12:30 the livestock will be blessed by the local curate, after which the party starts with a procession through the main streets of the town, with all the animals, floats, dancers and folk groups, down to the Plaza de los Remedios.
The bit they don't mention is that, by lunch time, those same streets will be carpeted, wall-to-wall in crap. It's a great fun day out, but watch where you step! :)
Marchaymas.com say that the day will be rounded off with a gran baile de romeros (dance) with the Malibú Band. For a sample of what this entails, see the following video, which was actually filmed on the bandstand in Buenavista's town square.
La Matanza de Acentejo also has festivities for San Antonio Abad on Saturday and Sunday, with a show of horsemanship, sheep dog training and the traditional blessing of the animals in the plaza of the San Antonio church. Their program in honour of the patron saint of animals also culminates next Sunday, January 28th.
Los Silos, tomorrow, January 21st, is holding a livestock fair in which 1,300 heads of livestock will be participating. The fun begins in the early morning on ground behind the former San Sebastián convent. There is an art exhibition running parallel and the day will round off with the traditional blessing of the animals.
Fiestas de San Antonio Abad 2007 en Buenavista del Norte
A new look Secret Tenerife for 2007
Those of you following these chronicles via our webfeed might like to drop in and see the new decor released today at Secret Tenerife for 2007. The header image is cropped from my photo of the mural - painted by a local resident, Clemen Martín Lorenzo - at the Farmers' Market in the El Palmar valley.
Here I'm only guessing, but my interpretation is that the block shapes represent the local cliffs and mountains, rolling into the fertile green valleys here abouts and, the rope like elements are a nod in the direction of local basket weaving crafts.
There's more to it, which you can see in the image with this press release.
The whole is, I feel, very representative of the artistic (and even culinary) trend on these islands currently, which is to present traditional things in new ways. At the same time, painting buildings in in deep colors of reds and earth tones, has also seen new popularity lately, but is actually revisiting the fashions of earlier centuries.
The mural was added to the market so that people would notice it from afar, i.e. to draw in custom: let's see if a snip of it can do the same for this site! :)
Tenerife Panoramas
Chanced upon a lovely site, Tenerife Panorama 360, yesterday that has many, many 360 degree panoramas taken at various town and villages in Tenerife. The example shown here is taken from the top of the Teno mountains: in one direction, looks back on the El Palmar valley and, in the other, out to sea.
All of the panoramas are available as images or Quicktime movies.
Tenerife Panorama 360
Astronomers find cannibal star
Skymania News reports, "British astronomers have discovered a new type of cannibal star that has gobbled up its companion. They identified a twin-star system where one star has stripped so much material away from the other that it can no longer shine." The astronomers made the discovery, using the UK's giant William Herschel Telescope at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, on La Palma, in the Canary Islands.
Astronomers find cannibal star
Day & Night at the same time in the same place
An historic photo, taken by the crew on board the Space Shuttle Columbia during its last mission, on Something Very Beautiful blog, must be seen. (On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegrated during re-entry over Texas, on its 28th mission; all seven crew members aboard perished. See more at Wikipedia.) The picture is of Europe and Africa when the sun is setting. Half of the picture is in night. You can also see the Azores, Madiera, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde out in the Atlantic.
Day & Night at the same time in the same place
Women injured after lift snaps while boarding plane at Tenerife
"A sunshine holiday turned into a nightmare for three elderly women who plunged to the ground while boarding an aeroplane on a Spanish island.", reports The Northern Echo. The holidaymakers were boarding a My Travel jet, bound for Newcastle Airport from Tenerife on Tuesday, when an Ambulift operated by the airport ground handlers at Tenerife South helping them on to the plane snapped.
Women injured after lift snaps while boarding plane
Tenerife's Loro Parque has a new baby
Typically Spanish report that an example of a Spix Macaw has hatched in the Loro Parque on Tenerife, bringing the total of this critically endangered species up to only 73. The baby's sex is not yet known, but it seems to be doing well. The Fundación Loro Parque does much conservation work with parrots and their habitats, through education, applied research and responsible breeding programmes.
Photo and story: New Macaw arrives on Tenerife
What will it grow up to be like? This photo of the only two adult Spix Macaw's at the Loro Parque - who, conceivably, are the proud mummy and daddy - shows you.
Fisherman in Tenerife
Valhal posted a video of a fisherman in Tenerife and comments, "In the town of Playa San Juan we watched this fisherman in the harbor. He was catching one barracuda after the other, just using a line and a hook baited with a live small fish." Not that I know anything about fishing, but I had previously thought that barracuda were huge things. At least this shows there is something still down there, but, I suspect from seeing this, that it's only the minnows left.
Fisherman in Tenerife
Parliament extends tourist moratorium
The Canary Islands Parliament yesterday voted to extend the moratorium on tourist development for a further three years, until 2010. Under the moratorium, it will not be possible to grant licences for tourist development, nor to reclassify land for this use, except in some exceptional circumstances for projects of special quality and interest to provide leisure facilities that compliment tourist accommodation.
Yes, I know that everywhere you look there seems to be some new building going on, but these projects must have, mostly, been approved before the moratorium (or, so they tell us). The only exception granted since 2003 in Tenerife is for the c. 200 bed, five star hotel that is to be built next to the golf course in Buenavista del Norte.
El Parlamento apoya tres años más de moratoria
The Canary Islands beat tourism records again
The figures are out for 2006 and, once again, the Canary Islands have beaten all their own tourism records. The islands received 12.5 million tourists last year, 9.5 million of whom were foreigners, whose numbers grew by 2.7% and, almost three million visitors from mainland Spain. Overall, 600,000 more visitors than in 2005.
The islands received 865,205 visitors in December alone, according to figures just released by Spanish airports' authority, AENA. The largest number of tourists in December were from the United Kingdom, with 34.85% of total passengers.
Tenerife registered 344,257 visitors in December 2006, 4.71% and 15,485 people more than in December 2005.
In 2006 as a whole, British tourists were 0.31% up on the previous year, with 11,306 more visitors, but other markets, such as the Swiss, Poles, Russians and Italians showed more marked increases. Tenerife received a total of 3,559,669 foreign visitors during 2006, a 3.39% increase and 116,882 visitors more than in 2005.
Canarias bate un récord histórico en llegada de turistas
Only in the movies ...
La Opinión have a story and photo on their front page today that will make your jaw drop. The driver of a lorry raised his hopper to dump his load of sand yesterday lunch time, right under a bridge on the TF-1 motorway in Tenerife .... and got stuck.
It took an hour and a half to free the vehicle and caused a massive traffic jam, mostly of the curious who probably couldn't believe what they were seeing with the lorry's cab way up in the air and the back "fitting perfectly" under the lip of the bridge.
It's a scene that would be difficult to repeat - as a special effect - I think and, the driver will NEVER live it down, that's for sure! :) You can see the image here.
Un impacto de película
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Tenerife airport returns to normal after fire
The southern airport on the island of Tenerife returned to normal yesterday, after a fire in the arrivals hall prompted its evacuation at 09:45. The fire was extinguished rapidly, but dense smoke that penetrated air-conditioning ducts meant the terminal had to be evacuated for some two hours. There were no reports of any injuries during the incident. As yet the cause is unknown, but may have been a short circuit.
Some flights were diverted to Tenerife North and to Gran Canaria.
Tenerife South airport evacuated because of fire
Tenerife airport returns to normal after fire
Susto en el Reina Sofía tras declararse un incendio en los tubos del aire acondicionado
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
From Lanzaorte to Norway: camels with a message in defence of the planet
"They've only just finished their annual task, responsible for transporting The Magi, but there are four camels who won't be resting until next January 5th, because they have much work to do this summer.", writes Bernardo Sagastume in ABC.
These four lady camels - called Rubia, Pamela, Mora y Lucrecia - are going on a journey that will take them 5,000 kilometers north of their home, Lanzarote, to Hammerfest, the most northerly city in the world, in Norway.
At this time when the poles are frequently alluded to as indicators of climate change, Vicente Hidalgo, who has designed and is financing the trip, believes that "Seeing a group of camels so far north, so close to the Artic, must attract attention."
To coincide with International Polar Year, Hidalgo's principal motivation is appeal to the public conscience, "over the necessity to respect the Kyoto Protocol". His message is clear, "In only a very few years, these camels, who normally live in the desert, could be living here happily, if we go on heating up the planet."
They also want to show other Europeans that we have camels in Europe and that folk don't need to go to exotic countries to see them. (Well, isn't Lanzarote, or Tenerife for that matter, because we do have camels here too, "exotic" enough locations?)
And, while they are up in Lapland, Hidalgo says that they wish to invite Santa Claus to do the return trip with his reindeer to participate in next year's Cabalgata de Los Reyes - sorta like exchange students, only with real animals.
The 11,000 kilometer trip is set to begin in June, from Lanzarote to Alicante in Spain, and will pass through six countries in 40 days. From there, the plan is to visit sixteen cities, among them; Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Oslo.
De Lanzarote a Noruega, con camellos y un mensaje en defensa del planeta
You can see the Lanzarote camels - actually, they are dromedaries - here.
Health Care Tourism in the Canary Islands
The vice president and councillor for health, María del Mar Julios, recently voiced a well-known secret and denounced, "that the Canary Islands are turning into a destination for health tourism". The phenomenon in which pensioners from various European countries are spending long holidays in the islands to take advantage of health services here, in an effort to avoid waiting lists in their own countries.
European citizens are, of course, entitled to the same care afforded to Spanish nationals in these islands, however, the fact that this situation has been "denounced" as being in detriment to the Canarian Health Service, might indicate some wish on the part of the authorities to exercise some control out of fear that an influx could cause lengthening of waiting lists and complaints from local residents.
La vicepresidenta denuncia que Canarias se está convirtiendo en un destino de turismo sanitario
Cabildo Attacks Rats in Teno Rural Park
Major piece of international news here, I know (sarcasm), but apart from the fact that the article comes with a picture of the El Palmar valley (and my house is in there someplace), the most interesting part of this is that the Tenerife Island Corporation, in collaboration with the Buenavista Town Hall, are doing it differently this year: using methods that are more favorable to the environment and, they underline, that prevent dangers to the population, especially to children and domestic animals.
Domestic animals have never been acknowledged, let alone considered before.
Basically, what they are doing is to place the poisons inside tubes and boxes that are being placed all around the area, but it has also been interesting in that, as well as this press release that includes free telephone numbers, shortly before Christmas, they did a door-to-door information campaign and held meetings in the various community centers to explain the new methods to residents in the area.
It all seems a bit like a sledgehammer to crack a nut, because I've only seen a couple of rats in eight years, but given the old custom of never being told anything on this island, these are all positive moves in the right direction in my opinion.
El Parque Rural de Teno emprende estos días una campaña de desratización
Carnaval groups refuse to participate in gala
The bitterness continues over the Santa Cruz Carnaval Gala, to be held on February 14th in the Tenerife capital, with various carnaval groups now saying that they refuse to participate. The problem started when after it was revealed that Rafael Amargo, the Spanish dancer who has been brought in to "reinvent" the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz, is to hold castings to choose only the best.
The cat was let out of the bag when newspaper, El Día, published an interview with the dancer last Sunday, in which he says, amongst other things:
"In the gala there will be those who are at a level for a television spectacular .... Imagine the case if one should fall over, another is a bit overweight, one is shorter than the others, another starts to laugh ... Designers have worked to ensure that everything is at its finest and, behind the scenery, there are 500 members of groups laughing, dancing, smoking and having a party ... No Sireee!"
(Yes, imagine that: people enjoying themselves and, at carnaval too! :)
Last night comparsas (dance troupes) signed a letter, addressed to the town hall, refusing to participate in the gala. Meanwhile, on Monday, Amargo signed his contract with the town hall to direct the gala, which will cost close to one million euros to produce, something that has also raised a few hackles. Amargo didn't know what he was letting himself in for when he accepted the job back in November.
El Carnaval amargo de Rafael
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Government Fines Unelco 60,000 Euros
The Canary Islands Government approved a fine of 60,000 euros (approx. £40,000) against electricity company Endesa Unelco for a "grave administrative infraction", over the power cuts that affected more than 130,000 users in Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera on the 27th and 28th February 2006. The cuts were all caused by the strong winds and heavy rainstorms that affected the province of Santa Cruz, but supplies were interrupted at different times in different areas of the islands.
The storms, with winds of around 80 kmph and three to five meter waves, caused the postponement of the main parade of the Santa Cruz carnaval on February 28th.
El Gobierno multa con 60.000 euros a Unelco por varios apagones en 2006
Canary Islands Air Traffic Increases 5%
The eight Canary Islands airports, between them, handled a total of 34,594,739 passengers during 2006 - a 5% increase on the previous year - according to figures just released by Spanish airports authority (AENA).
The airports of Gran Canaria, Tenerife South and Lanzarote are situated in fifth, seventh and eighth place among Spanish airports for the volume of traffic they handle. Tenerife South (Reina Sofia) airport saw 8,845,668 passengers arrive and depart last year, while Tenerife North (Los Rodeos) handled 4,025,601 passengers.
Canarian airports also saw an increase in the number of flights handled in 2006, some 371,282 in total, 6% more than in the previous year. Tenerife South handled 65,774 flights and Tenerife North, 65,295, which includes both national and international flights, inter-island flights and also cargo operations.
El tráfico aéreo crece un 5% en las Islas hasta sumar 34,5 millones de pasajeros
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Bitterness over Santa Cruz Carnaval Gala
Rafael Amargo (amargo, unfortunately, means bitter), the Spanish dancer who has been brought in to "reinvent" the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, this year has attracted much criticism already from participants after it was revealed that he is to hold castings to choose only the best two or three from each group to perform for the public and international TV. Some even interpret it that "he does not want the fat ones, old ones or ones who can't dance."
And you can see where both sides are coming from. Carnavaleros are not professionals. Most of the year they are bank clerks, office workers, shop assistants or waiting staff. In their spare time, they practice their carnaval act, sew thousands of sequins and feathers on their Brazillian style "bottomless" costumes and look forward to their - utterly deserved - chance of three minutes fame at the end of it.
Many resent that "an outsider" - Amargo is Spanish, not Canarian - is meddling and say that, "The carnaval is ours." Whilst Amargo himself says that Canarians are very quick to defend themselves, without really understanding or seeing why.
One of the best things about carnaval in Tenerife, even the biggest one in Santa Cruz, is that it is so accessible to the public. If you want to feel part of it, all you have to do is to turn up in a costume and tack yourself onto the end of a parade. So many do. It isn't like a clinically distant "show" that one can merely observe.
Now, out in the street and in the parades, where most people are aware of the nature of carnaval and who and what is behind it, everyone is equal and no, nobody cares a hoot if you do happen to be fat, old or rhythmically challenged.
Clearly, what the authorities and organizers have contracted Amargo to do is to bring the gala up to the standards expected for international television, where viewers would not understand the carnavaleros amateur status. They would merely see it that "Tenerife puts on a amateurish show." A poor relation: something to laugh at.
Here, perhaps it needs "an outsider", as locals are too close to the carnaval to see, but at the end of the day, when it comes to presenting Tenerife to the world at large to attract visitors to the carnaval and to the island - that puts money in the pockets of the local people - these measures might be to everyone's benefit.
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife
The area around here; the Teno Rural Park and the El Palmar Valley - even my patio - are pretty good places to start!
Yesterday, a member of BirdForum was looking for information on good bird sites in Tenerife and, not for the first time, I noticed that the experts recommended Eduardo García del Rey's superb book, Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife.
They also recommended Clarke and Collins' Prion Birdwatchers' Guide to the Canary Islands.
A third contender for the birdwatchers' essential reading list is this book that was published only last year, Field Guide to the Birds of the Atlantic Islands: Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores, Cape Verde.
Just passing these on, so you know what to look for. And, as they suggest, if you search Google for bird trip reports tenerife, you will also come up with lots of reports and information from people who have been here, seen that.
Where to Watch Birds in Tenerife
Baby girl arrives in a Tenerife traffic jam
The number of vehicles in Tenerife and the consequent ever worsening traffic jams, especially in and around the area of the capital, are already the subject of much frustration. Drivers may be forced to wait, impatiently tapping their steering wheels, but babies, it seems, have an entirely different opinion on the subject.
Canarias7 report that a woman of 30 gave birth in an ambulance that was taking her to the hospital this morning, after her waters broke while she was stuck in traffic on the motorway, in the north of Tenerife, close to the Los Rodeos airport.
At quarter to eight in the morning, the woman went into labour while she was being driven to the Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Owing to the delays in the traffic and the likelihood that they would not get to the hospital in time, they pulled over onto the hard shoulder to wait for an ambulance. While they waited, an emergency services doctor gave instructions to a family member over the phone.
When the ambulance crew arrived, they confirmed that the birth was imminent and rushed the woman to the hospital urgently, which was some five kilometers away. The ambulance had only reached the hospital grounds, when the baby arrived, so both the mother and her new daughter were taken in for observation.
The baby, a third daughter for Lidia from Tejina in La Laguna, was born in the ambulance outside the door of the hospital's emergency department. The baby weighed in at three kilos and has been named Marta.
This is the third baby born in an ambulance in Tenerife in the last three months, as an emergency doctor explained that he had been present in cases that occurred in Añaza and another on the Tenerife south motorway, at Hoya Fría.
Da a luz en una ambulancia tras romper aguas en un atasco en Tenerife
Parto de carretera
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Tenerife's First Snow of 2007
Dr. Andy Williams, who also lives on the north of Tenerife, writes in his latest newsletter, "We had a bit of a storm here on Friday night / Saturday morning, which brought the first snow of the winter to the top of Mount Teide (here in Tenerife). We were a bit surprised at the snow, because the temperatures where we live were up to 25C overnight. Then again, the micro-climates of Tenerife (an island you can drive around in a little over 2 hours) constantly amaze me."
He's not alone in his surprise and amazement. After almost 15 years here, the climate still has the capacity to surprise me too. Though the night-time temperature dropped considerably inside this house - it doesn't get sun - I was surprised that when I I'd gone out at around 2 a.m. (dog needed the bathroom), the air outside was noticeably warmer than in. The biggest effects of this storm locally were "grumbling" thunder and some cuts to our power supply. We did have a couple of showers of rain, but it was no great amount, hence, I didn't even think to look for snow.
But look! Someone sprinkled Teide with icing sugar! :)
In fact, there is so little snow and the sun is out and the sky is blue again today that I don't expect it to stick very long, so I grabbed this quick capture from the IAC's webcam. If you go to the link below, you may be able to watch it melt! :)
Canarian Institute of Astrophysics Teide Webcam
UPDATE: I think the snow on Teide has mostly melted now. I grabbed this, this morning, then the power went off again for 4 1/2 hours, before I could post this. Later, I learned that winds had been a lot stronger on other parts of the island, causing some flight diversions at Tenerife North airport and various damages.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Wrapping Up The Tenerife Christmas Season
Can you believe it's already a whole week since the Christmas season came to an end here in the Canary Islands?
OK, for many of you, Christmas will have ended what seems like an age ago and the party will have stopped after New Year, but here, with Los Reyes (Three Kings) on the Epiphany on January 6th and their cabalgata (cavalcade) on the night of the 5th, the celebrations go on much longer. (Carnaval 2007 is just around the corner, so the lull will be short-lived. :)
Christmas and New Year, we opted to spend relatively quietly, but I won't insult your intelligence with an account of those. They go much like they do elsewhere: eat too much, watch too much TV, irrespective of what movies are being re-run for the umpteenth time ... The televised Christmas Day Concert by the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra was superior and I'd recommend trying to catch that again.
The order of service for the Cabalgata de Los Reyes that we went to watch in Garachico, was much the same as it had been in previous years. We discussed this at the time actually and decided that it has to be, because people - children especially - expect it all to be done in a certain way, at a certain time.
We prefer to get down to Garachico early, find a convenient place to park, stroll through the town and spend some quality time at pavement cafes and it's remarkable to see that only 10 minutes before the Kings arrive, there are only a few others waiting around for the show to start. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, just as the fanfare sounds their majesties' arrival, a crowd of hundreds appears. 
This year, we didn't have the additional entertainment - unless you count Melchor's "blue rinse" or the typical "school nativity" like hiccup, when the shepherds' campfire got rather out of control, setting light to the wooden tripod over it and needing to be doused with soil from a nearby municipal flower pot - nor the film show, while we waited in the square for the procession to finish winding it's way around the streets of Garachico. No idea why not, but it did mean waiting around for quite a bit.
Probably while they all had "conversations", as Sheila in La Palma points out in her account of the Three Kings Parade in the capital, Santa Cruz de la Palma:
Sheila writes, "The whole procession takes hours. They start at the post office, then when they get to the Plaza España, they have a conversation, find they're all off to visit the same baby, and decide to travel on together. Then at the Plaza Alemeda, they find King Herod's court, and have a conversation with him."
(Waiting around, however, was not wasted time, because we met and chatted to Jane and Tony from Balearic Discovery, who were staying in Garachico at Hotel El Patio - which they thoroughly recommend - and, if you fancy tailor-made short breaks and holidays on different Spanish island, then I'm sure they can help you.)
Back in Garachico, Herod even has his own castle. In other towns, such as in Icod de Los Vinos, he has to make do with doing "no good at all" at the town hall. Bite your tongue about that being no different use than any other day! :)And you've got to hand it to him, even if he does have evil intentions, just like Santa and the Three Kings, old Herod has a lot of mileage to cover each year.
Canarias24Horas have a nice account here, Los Reyes dejaron regalos e ilusión a su paso por Canarias, in Spanish, but with lots of pictures, about the Three Kings in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, who arrived by helicopter, camel and the shiny new tram.
Sheila also noticed that, "the shops stay open until about 1 am for people who like to leave present shopping until the last minute." The shops in Garachico, I think, had closed much earlier than that, but it is amazing how much "panic buying" is done here on January 5th - just as it is on December 24th in other parts of the world.
Canarias24Horas, again, have a report on the panic buying phenomenon and it is not just with gift buying. In the morning, we'd been in our local supermarket where there was a queue of customers and an obvious air of last minute buying to "stock up for a siege". That was Friday. The shop was going to be closed on Saturday, but reopen on the Sunday afternoon. You'd think it was going to be a month, not 36 hours!
Reading about the traditions of the Epiphany at Wikipedia, I had not realized that the ring-shaped bread or Roscón de Reyes (Crown of Kings) that we buy from the Pasteleria El Aderno in Buenavista del Norte, follows the Mexican format of containing a complete set of pottery figurines of the three magi, as well as the "unlucky bean", rather than the Spanish tradition of having just one. 
Something we made time to do this year, which we had not done before, was to follow something of the route of the many Nativity or Belén displays: these take many forms, but irrespective of their religious significance, they make wonderful viewing for any kid (of any age) who likes model villages - and we've plenty more nativity photos to come. Stamping on sandcastles ...
One curiosity amongst Canary Islands' nativities this year was that a group of 50 children were brought in to demolish the largest Nativity in Spain made of sand, on the beach of Las Canteras in Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria.
Missed the fun? Never fear, there are only 347 days until next Christmas!
Images of the Christmas season in Tenerife
Labels: Christmas
Drag Queen Gala, Las Palmas Carnaval - Gloria Gaynor & Bananarama
Whilst Tenerife's carnavals are certainly spectacular events, over in Gran Canaria, they do things a bit differently. And, I'm pleased they do: it all adds to the diversity of life and, means that, in essence, there are two distinct "products" to offer to the international public. In Gran Canaria, the big event is the Drag Queen Gala.
This year, the Gala takes place on the stage in the Parque Santa Catalina in Las Palmas on the 16th of February 2007 and, like most other carnaval events from these islands, will certainly be televised locally and, more likely than not, also appear on the international channels. Definitely something different to watch out for.
Drag does not have to mean gay, of course, but as gaymengc.com say, "organisers recognise its relationship with the gay community", with this year's gala including befitting performances from Gloria Gaynor and Bananarama.
Drag Queen Gala, Las Palmas Carnaval - Gloria Gaynor & Bananarama
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Canary Islands alert over as wind drops
The Canary Island Government, yesterday afternoon, ended the situation of yellow alert, declared on Wednesday for high winds in the islands. The alert was established when gusts of wind reached between 40 and 70 kmph, causing numerous incidents, mainly in the eastern islands and in some parts of south Tenerife.
El Gobierno canario da por finalizada en todas las Islas la alerta amarilla
Flybe excited by move to cruise at sea level
FLYBE, Southampton's largest airline, is moving into the cruise business with the launch of "Flybe Cruise". Southampton is the UK's cruise capital offering trips to Western Europe, Canary Islands and the Caribbean on some of the world's largest ships, such as the iconic liner QM2 and cruise ship Navigator of the Seas.
Flybe excited by move to cruise at sea level
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Sticks and stones ...
Canarias7 report that a sentence handed down in a Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) court acquitted a Telde resident on a charge of "humiliation", having called a neighbour "hijo de puta" (son of a whore) and "maricón" (poof/faggot) in a dispute.
The court ruled that these are "expressions, now integrated into the vocabulary" and should not even be considered as insults. They certainly do not constitute an unjust humiliation and, they say, are merely evidence of bad conduct and manners.
Remember your mum said that, names never hurt. Now it's official!
La Audiencia dice que llamar «hijo de puta» no es vejatorio
High winds and low visibility in the Canaries
The Canary Islands are on "yellow alert" for high winds, with the situation extended until tomorrow.
We've been so lucky - well, if you're a tourist - over the Christmas, New Year and Los Reyes season, in that it has been very warm for the time of year and we've had no rain mucking up plans for days or nights out. Of course, we've also not had any snow on Teide this year, which, as well as making it look pretty, the saying goes that if there is snow up there at year end, then there will be a good harvest. Farmers are now beginning to complain that we have not had enough rain this winter.
Yesterday, the temperatures dropped - it's still 15 degrees here in the "cold north" and was 22 degrees in the south earlier - and, though I haven't yet noticed them in this corner of Tenerife, the winds did get up "on all islands at all levels" today.
Enough, to remove a few branches off trees, rubbish containers were blown about in Gran Canaria, some boats sank in the port of Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, the port in Corralejo was closed and, here in Tenerife, a few cones were displaced from the TF1 motorway, while a fence was downed in the Valle de San Lorenzo.
The reduction in visibility - to 3,000 meters - is due to the presence, yet again, of calima, though this is only likely to affect air traffic. But the farmers look to be getting their wish: clouds could bring light to moderate rains to high ground on all islands.
All that said, I had been given to understand that yellow alert was no alert, i.e. that it is not something to bother the public with, or to worry about. The possible reason for the local press to run these stories is, they say, that the meteorologists do not discount raising the alert to orange level, should the wind speed pass 70 kmph.
Follow the evolution of the weather via METEOSAT
El Centro Meteorológico en Canarias prevé que la actual situación de alerta se extienda hasta mañana
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Forget Brits abroad and sunset strip ...
"TENERIFE is well known to us Brits as the Spanish isle with the African temperament and the party atmosphere of, well, Blackpool. So few of us know much about the island outside of the 'Brit abroad' capitals of Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas. But it doesn't take much effort to find out more about this beautiful Canary Isle, and it is well worth it," writes Kate Mead in the Bromley Times.
Forget Brits abroad and sunset strip ...
Plane evacuated at Tenerife Sur Airport
A MyTravel.com plane, in which 180 passengers were travelling to Belfast, Northern Ireland, had to be evacuated last Friday, at Tenerife South's Reina Sofia Airport, after a stewardess found a note on one of the seats that claimed there was a bomb on board. After dogs searched the plane and baggage for explosives, the Civil Guard confirmed that it had been a false alarm. The Spanish Airports Authority (AENA) confirmed that the flight was able to leave some three hours later.
Desalojan un avión en el aeropuerto Tenerife Sur tras hallar una nota con un aviso de bomba
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Ron Miel gets protected status
Ron Miel or Honey Rum, is just as popular in Tenerife. (By the way, it's also useful for curing a sore throat and singers swear by it.) Now finally, after more than 500 years since sugar cane was introduced into the islands and at least 200 years of rum production, the product is being granted recognition of its uniqueness.
Ron Miel gets protected status
Holiday Jet Holed By Birds
The Daily Record report that, "Holidaymakers last night spoke of their mid-air terror after their plane suffered a dramatic bird-strike. The incident left a hole the size of a football in its nose cone. Around 230 passengers were on the Thomas Cook Airlines flight bound from Tenerife to Glasgow yesterday afternoon." The pilot did an immediate U-turn and returned to Tenerife's Reina Sofia airport.
Holiday Jet Holed By Birds
A new Queen coming for Christmas `07
As Arline and Sam Bleecker say in the Chicacgo Tribune, "We've barely finished savoring this year's Christmas goodies and already Cunard has a gift in the works for next year's yuletide season. Just in time for the holidays in December 2007, the venerable 167-year-old line will christen its newest monarch."
This Queen Victoria's first Christmas will be spent lolling in the sunshine of the Canary Islands and Morocco and ports along the Iberian Peninsula.
A new but smaller Queen coming for Christmas `07
Labels: Christmas
Remembrance Service in Tenerife
Bridlington Today report that, "A KEEN supporter of the Poppy Appeal stumbled across a 'moving' remembrance service while holidaying in Tenerife."
This is certainly true and, as the former secretary of the Tenerife Sur branch of the Royal British Legion, I can add that this poolside Remembrance Service has generally been held at Westhaven Bay, Costa del Silencio, each November.
For more information on the branch's presence on the island, visit:
The Royal British Legion in Tenerife
Arrests in Tenerife and Fuerteventura with more than 3,000 grams of cocaine
Diario de Avisos report that one British citizen, a 28 year old man, was one of four detained in Fuerteventura recently, after they were found to be carrying 108 bags of cocaine, weighing 1,600 grams between them. At Reina Sofía airport on the south of Tenerife, two men, an Estonian and a Latvian, were found to be carrying a total of 2,132 grams of the drug, distributed in 163 bags - in their stomachs. (I'm just glad that I'm not the person who had to count them after they'd been retrieved!)
Perhaps all this begins to explain why there is so much cocaine on all our bank notes, though, it's gratifying to note that these bananas do not appear to have been from the Canary Islands. Mind you, if you did decide to hide drugs under bananas, somehow, I think you probably wouldn't put an accurate label of origin on it? :)
Detenidos en Tenerife y Fuerteventura con más de 3.000 gramos de cocaína
Offer at one of Tenerife's luxurious hotels
As the sales are on everywhere - including Tenerife - it would be lax of me not to mention that Reserveahotelonline.com, famous for Worlwide Hotels at discount Prices are offering an additional discount at one of Tenerife's luxurious hotels - the Jardin Tropical. All bookings made for arrival until 31st of January will receive an additional 10% discount.
Click here for more details
Can I Swim To Britain From the US?
Jaunted Travel Blog say, "It must be hard to keep a straight face in those tourist information offices with us travelers constantly coming in and asking really stupid questions." And one cannot help but be entertained by the range of questions.
On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the only really stupid questions are the ones that you never asked. Ones that, had you done so, might have prevented some problem or, in the case of a holiday, hopefully, might have meant that you saw something new, better enjoyed yourself or got better value for your money.
We do hope to answer some of those questions you might have about Tenerife here, but, for the most part (barring the odd reader's question and search information from our website tracking), we're essentially mind reading about what you want to know.
So, if you've got a question about Tenerife, even if it seems daft to you, we want to find the answer for you. Ask it in the comments section or the contact form below:
Mountain roads of Tenerife, Canary Islands
I'm pretty sure that this short video was filmed on the road from Santiago del Teide to Masca, which is fairly near here on the north west of Tenerife. Well, it shows you why we don't need roller-coasters up here, but you do get used to these roads! :)
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Dust Storm off West Africa
There's been lots of mentions of calima - or Saharan Air Layer - lately, caused by duststorms stirred up by high winds in the Sahara and is then driven over the Canary Islands (and beyond). SpaceRef show us a NASA image, acquired by the MODIS on the Aqua satellite on January 1, 2007, which shows a dust storm off the coast of Western Africa. Visible at the top of the image are the Canary Islands.
This certainly shows the phenomenon - that leaves a layer of sandy brown dust on everything in its wake - very clearly indeed.
NASA MODIS Image of the Day: January 4, 2007 - Dust Storm off West Africa
Three-dimensional images of the Canary Islands
It remains to be seen if these will become more widely available, however, SPIEGEL Magazine is reporting that, "administrative authorities in Gran Canaria -- one of the Canary Islands in Spain -- have already provided three-dimensional images of all their towns." for "A new version of Google Earth will soon hit the market that allows users to admire a whole gamut of cities in largely photorealistic detail."
Google' Earth's, John Hanke, says, "They just want their island to look good."
What I am seeing of Tenerife are still the 5-6 year old Grafcan images, about which there was plenty of ho-ha last year. Although they show a 2006 copyright date and, also show credits to TeleAtlas and Europa Technologies, these are still the same as before and even the promised Grafcan 2005/2006 images are yet to materialize.
The Whole Planet on a Hard Drive Via: Google Earth Blog
Friday, January 05, 2007
Soap Star's Partner Dies on holiday in Tenerife
"An apparently healthy man died of a mystery illness during a New Year break on a Spanish holiday island.", reports the Lancashire Evening Post. Stuart Cave, 33 and partner of former Emmerdale actress Ruth Abram, had shown no signs of major illness before he lost consciousness in a Tenerife hotel on New Year's Eve. A spokesman for the British Consulate in Santa Cruz, confirmed a post mortem examination had taken place but had no information about the cause of death.
Ex-soap star's partner dies on holiday
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Santa Cruz' Million Euro Carnaval Gala
There is no denying that Carnaval in Santa Cruz, Tenerife is a HUGE event and one that brings in a lot of tourists each year. Now one can definitely say that "no expense is spared" to ensure that Carnaval goers and visitors have a good time.
EL DÍA recently reported that the total cost for the artistic direction for the Gala de Elección de la Reina del Carnaval (Gala for the Selection of the Carnival Queen), in 2007 will be almost one million euros - €953,285.92 (£641,976 or $1,247,327) to be exact, according to the budget presented for consideration by the local council.
The Gala has a new director this year, dancer, Rafael Amargo, who will take complete charge of the event, including sound, lighting, etc. Just for comparison, the gala's previous director, Jaime Azpilicueta, billed carnival organizers just 120,000 euros in 2006, expenses included. Even when the costs of sound and light are added to that figure, the spectacular gala is still going to cost around double this year.
La dirección artística de la gala del Carnaval costará casi un millón de euros
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Santa Cruz Carnaval 2007 on International TV
The Carnaval in the capital of Tenerife, which commences at the end of January 2007, will, for the first time be transmitted via two public television channels. Production will be shared between the two, Televisión Española en Canarias and Radiotelevisión Canaria, with the first of those also distributing the images via their international channel and broadcasting special programs to the rest of Spain.
Televisiones públicas se unen para retransmitir Carnaval Santa Cruz Tenerife
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Labels: Carnaval 2007
Canary Islands Alternative Music Festival
If classical music isn't your bent, there is always the Festival de Músicas Alternativas de Canarias (Canary Islands Alternative Music Festival - FMAC), which will be celebrated in both Canary Islands' capitals, between Friday, January 5th and February 8th. Discover new Canarian artists in styles such as jazz, blues, pop, rock and electronic, at Primi, Cafeoteca or Restaurante Tao, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
El Festival de Músicas Alternativas llena de ritmos las dos capitales hasta febrero
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Benjamin Britten's War Requiem Inaugurates the XXIII Canary Islands Music Festival
The Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, directed by Víctor Pablo Pérez, will inaugurate the 23rd edition of the Festival de Música de Canarias, with one of the most ambitious choral works of the 20th Century, the War Requiem OP 66, by British composer, Benjamin Britten. The concert takes place on Sunday night, January 7th, at 20:30 hours, in the Auditorio de Tenerife. Tickets available via their website.
El ’War Requiem’ de Britten inaugura el XXIII Festival de Música de Canarias
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Twelfth Night masquerades live on in Tenerife
"The day of Epiphany is also called Three Kings Day in Mexico and Hispanic communities.", they tell us, as it is here also.
Tomorrow night, on the eve of Epiphany, two rather elderly "little girls" will be making their annual pilgrimage to see the Cabalgata of Los Reyes in Garachico. This event may be for kids, but it goes on until well after midnight, with lots of action, fireworks and fun. Plus, the three kings arrive here, as you can see, on real camels too!
La Tienda explain how this is celebrated in other parts of Spain, saying, "Three Kings Day, the sixth of January, is still alive and well in Spain. The local parades, the Magi, the happy children scrambling for caramelos - it is Epiphany, the culmination of the Christmas festivities, and it remains intact ? very traditional and very Spanish."
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Labels: Christmas
Every Tenerife fiesta must have its Queen
This video, which is billed at YouTube as being of Miss Tenerife 2006, is actually, "only" of the selection for the Queen of the July Fiestas - the Fiestas del Carmen - in the north Tenerife resort of Puerto de la Cruz. A big enough event, but, by no means the island's biggest - which shows just how large these things are celebrated.
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Canary Islands voted best destination in Spain
The Canary Islands are the best tourist destination in Spain, according to the majority of Spanish travellers, who have participated in voting for the Premios Muchoviaje. The importance of this honour is enormous, because it's the first time that opinion has been obtained from such a large number of holidaymakers. Some 100,000 people participated, either via the internet or readers of the Muchoviaje magazine.
Canarias es elegido el mejor destino turístico de España
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Carnaval in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2006
Carnaval photos are one thing, but being there is better. This video takes you one step closer to the reality, showing a few scenes - just a tantalising four minutes from various hours, complete with scanty costumes and bouncing boobies - from last year's "Coso", Carnaval parade in the streets of Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz.
Details and dates for Carnaval 2007 Santa Cruz
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Labels: Carnaval 2006
Arona celebrates the traditional "Posadas"
Around a hundred children, aged between 3 and 16, participated last weekend in "Las Posadas", a Guatemalan tradition brought to the center of Arona, Tenerife, 16 years ago by Los Betlemitas (Sisters of Our Lady Of Bethlehem) - a religious order founded in Guatemala in 1656 by San Pedro de San José Betancur - better known as Hermano Pedro, the "first Guatemalan and Tenerifean saint."
The tradition consists in reenacting the route that Mary & Joseph took from Nazareth to Bethlehem. More than 150 people took part this year in "Las Posadas", which started from Arona's church of San Antonio Abad and went around the streets of the village to arrive back at the plaza again, where the birth of Jesus and the adoration of the Three Kings was reenacted. The night finished up with a "gran chocolatada" - hot chocolate - which, says the report, was enjoyed by the children who participated.
"Las Posadas" were organized by the parish of San Antonio Abad, with the collaboration of the Arona town hall's culture department.
Arona celebró las tradicionales 'Posadas'
Posadas in La Antigua Guatemala
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Canaries migrant death toll soars
The end of year balance was hardly good news, as the BBC reports, "About 6,000 African migrants have died or gone missing on the sea journey to the Canary Islands in 2006, Spanish immigration officials say. They say more than 31,000 migrants reached the islands in the Atlantic - more than six times as many as in 2005."
Canaries migrant death toll soars
Cocaine in Spain Stays Mainly on the Bills
If you think that's bad enough, check the English money you brought with you. The Telegraph report that, "Cocaine use is now so widespread that everyone in Britain is carrying around traces of the drug ? on their banknotes. A study of cash from around the country has revealed that 99.9 per cent of all banknotes now carry traces of the class A drug ..."
Cocaine in Spain Stays Mainly on the Bills
Tremors between Tenerife and Gran Canaria
The Tenerife localities of Granadilla and Güímar felt the first tremors of 2007 in the Canary Islands. It happened on the evening of Tuesday, January 2nd at 22:32, when a small seismic event - that hardly reached 2.4 on the Richter scale - occurred offshore in the fault line that runs between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, at a depth of 18,000 meters, 40 kms south of the capital and 11 kilometers east of Abona.
In some areas of Güímar and Granadilla windows shook and lamps moved, but it didn't have sufficient intensity to be called an earthquake. There were other events of greater magnitude at the end of December that were not even felt by the population and, according to the experts, these tremors from submarine volcanos are quite normal and do not pose any risks for the population.
El sureste de Tenerife siente de forma leve un terremoto de 2,4
La tierra tiembla de nuevo entre Tenerife y Gran Canaria
Primer susto sísmico del año
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Binter's New Year Bargains
Airline Binter Canarias is starting 2007 by offering clients the chance to fly to any island of the archipelago from €15 each way. Tickets will be on sale between January 8th and 14th for flights which must be taken between January 15th and March 31st.
Binter comienza el año ofreciendo a los clientes la tarifa "El Bintazo" con vuelos desde 15 euros
Tags: Tenerife, Canary Islands, Canarias
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Extra help for the elderly and disabled
The start of 2007 heralded a new era in welfare services in Spain, as the Ley de Dependencia came into force at the stroke of midnight on January 1st.
There’s now state funding to provide all kinds of services to the elderly and people with disabilities. As gaymengc.com remind us, if you have official residency, are registered at your local town hall (empadronado) and are receiving a state pension from another EU country or are registered in Spain as being disabled, you should be able to make use of local services. Contact your local town hall for details.
Extra help for the elderly and disabled
Holiday jet struck by lightning
The First Choice Airways Boeing 757 was carrying 224 passengers back to Manchester Airport from Tenerife when the lightning bolt struck. A First Choice Airways spokeswoman said the aircraft was examined by engineers as a precaution after it landed, but was found to be undamaged. She said passenger aircraft were built to withstand the force of a direct lightning strike and to continue flying as normal. Passengers sang Christmas carols when the pilot said they were safe.
Terror as holiday jet is struck by lightning
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year 2007 from Tenerife
It was Tenerife's turn to be the venue for the televised chimes to ring in the New Year in the archipelago last night. Televisión Española were present at the Plaza de San Marcos in the northern Tenerife town of Tegueste (Tegueste Town Hall). The gala event, starring Nauzet, Idaira, Ruymán, Los Diablos and two DJ's, was transmitted live, not just to all of the Canary Islands, but to the Spanish mainland and to the rest of the world via the Canal 24 horas to TDT, Imagenio, Ono and Digital Plus.
It's always a bit curious on New Years Eve here, because we get the chimes from Madrid first at 11 p.m. - like a rehearsal - then the local ones at midnight. :)
TVE in the Canaries has been transmitting the New Year celebrations since 1980, but this years coverage marked the end of an era as the contracts of many employees of the public television station ran out, exactly on the moment the chimes.
This year too was the first where there was a choice of local New Year celebrations on TV. Televisión Canaria transmitted the chimes from the Iglesia de la Concepción in Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, not to be outdone over in Gran Canaria, apparently the island's capital, Las Palmas, was going to see the New Year in by igniting more than 3,000 kilos of fireworks over the bay. There was no shortage of them locally either!
TVE en Canarias transmitirá sus últimas campanadas desde Tegueste para toda España
Free Tenerife Calendars to Download and Print
Going PostalNew for 2007, we are offering a choice of Tenerife calendars to print off for a colorful calendar image for your kitchen, your office or for counting down to your next Tenerife holiday! Two images, including "Going Postal", shown here are available now for January 2007.
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get the new calendar images each month. Or, if you'd prefer, you can get calendar prints of our images, for the entire year or our Tenerife Wall Calendar.
Free Tenerife Calendars to Download and Print
