Friday, November 30, 2007
Tenerife: Something for the weekend 29/11 -2/12
The weekend started early this week on Thursday with the eve of the Festividad de San Andrés (Fesitvities of Saint Andrew). Whist he may be Scotland's patron saint, the strength of his following here is because the date is so closely linked with that most historically important island trade: wine.
New Wines and Old Traditions
After the uncorking of the new wine, Icod de los Vinos celebrated it's unique Tablas de San Andrés in the streets of El Plano, San Antonio, Hércules, El Salto, El Sol and San Andrés.
Las tablas de San Andrés en Icod de los Vinos (English)
Meanwhile in Puerto de la Cruz, to keep the local tradition of Los cacharros alive, dragging scrap metal around the streets to make a noise, the town hall promoted workshops in its five primary schools. Where else can you imagine children being encouraged to make that much noise and, be given a state sponsored workshop to ensure they do it? :)
Fiesta del cacharro y de la castaña (English)
Ruta del Vino / Wine Tour
Tenerife bus company, TITSA, have laid on a special bus service from Thursday, November 29th to Saturday, December 1st to coincide with the Festividad de San Andrés (Fesitvities of Saint Andrew) and the traditional opening of the new wine. The route runs through areas of the Tacoronte-Acentejo wine region where there are abundant restaurants and bodegas.
Calling at La Laguna, San Benito, El Portezuelo, Guamasa, Los Naranjeros, El Cantillo, Tacoronte, empalme de El Sauzal (Casa del Vino), La Matanza, La Victoria and Santa Úrsula, the special bus makes a circular route from the bus station in Santa Cruz and back.
On Friday, November 30th and Saturday, December 1st, these special bus services leave at 13:00, 15:30, 18:00, 20:30 and 23:00 hours.
TITSA pone en marcha la Ruta del Vino con motivo de la festividad de San Andrés
Though the main centers for these celebrations are Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz, the festivities don't stop there:
At the end of La Laguna's Mes del Vino, on Friday, 30th, one of the main attractions of the programme this year will be Vive San Andrés en La Laguna 2007; a fiesta of wine and chestnuts for everyone that is being held in the former convent of Santo Domingo, from 7 p.m.
There are fiestas in honour of San Andrés in Tamaimo, in the district of Santiago del Teide. On Friday, November 30th, mass sung by the municipal choir at 8 p.m. This is followed by a procession, a fireworks display and, to finish, there's food and a dance laid on.
The neighborhood of Las Casas in Arona in the south of Tenerife are also celebrating the festivities of San Andrés, for whom their chapel is named. On Friday, November 30th, there will be a mass at 8.30 p.m., followed by a procession and fireworks. Salsa orchestra Wamampy will provide the dance music from 11 p.m. onwards. On Saturday, December 1st, from 1 p.m., attendees can enjoy a grand paella free, as well as other products of the typical local gastronomy, along with the new wine.
On Friday, November 30th, in the neighborhood of Pueblo Nuevo in Icod de los Vinos, the residents association have organized a Gran Castañada de San Andrés (Chestnut Festival).
There were also notices in Buenavista del Norte advertising a Castañada with wine, organized by the residents association here in the village of El Palmar. In the square, 6 p.m.., Saturday, December 1st. We'll be at that one, weather permitting. Check your local town or village, because there is almost bound to be something similar scheduled. La Orotava was the first to uncork their new wine; kids in various other towns also celebrate the Tablas (I've certainly seen this in Chio, but I'll bet there some wherever there are steep streets, which is almost everywhere); and the same will be able to be said for tasting new wine accompanied by chestnuts. 
La Clásica de Tenerife / Tenerife Classic
In the sports department this week, is La Clásica de Tenerife (Tenerife Classic), in which 58 classic cars from the 70's will compete.
Start and finish is from the plaza of the church of La Concepción in Santa Cruz. On Friday, November 30th, the first cars will leave at 8 p.m., in direction of San Andrés. The rest of the route is being kept secret until the moment of departure.
On Saturday, December 1st, departure is from the same point at 9 a.m., leaving in the direction of La Laguna and finishing from around 6 p.m.
La Clásica de Tenerife
Finally, ship spotters will want to be in the port of Santa Cruz on Saturday, December 1st, from 08:00, when the Queen Elizabeth 2 pays one of her last visits to the island before her retirement.
More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Something doesn't add up in Tenerife statistics
There's invariably a wide gap between the numbers different parties say took part. It never fails and this week, we have no less than 2 examples.
According to the press, Miles de personas se manifiestan en Santa Cruz en defensa del suelo rústico. Organizers say there were 10,000 at Saturday's demonstration - in favour of social and sustainable progress amongst other things too - on the streets of Santa Cruz: police sources only counted 2,000. Count them yourself: someone who actually was there, José Mesa has a whole set of photos from the event. And there's more here.
And, on Friday, the doctors and nurses strike (Los médicos y enfermeros canarios, a la huelga el día 23) paralyzed health services (La huelga de los médicos y los enfermeros ha paralizado la sanidad canaria). Just how "paralysed" were they? According to the unions, 82% joined the strike action. The Government only made it 12%, for some reason. :)
(La sanidad canaria está parada en un 82% según sindicatos y un 12% según el Gobierno)
Tenerife: Something for the weekend 23/11 - 25/11
Between rain, leaking roofs and being ill, this week's rather late update is more a case of what you're missing in Tenerife this weekend, but you'll still be able to enjoy some of these events, weather permitting. Storms (see impressive lightening photo from Santa Cruz), did cause a few floods and powercuts here in Tenerife, but caused more trouble in Gran Canaria. The much needed rains then took the day off on Friday, but are forecast to return over the weekend, with rain, wind and high seas. The "atmospheric instability" (that's posh for unsettled weather) will affect the eastern islands and the north of Tenerife, mainly, accompanied by gusts of wind up to 50 mph. The forecast for Sunday is for moderate to heavy rains and high seas, with waves of up to 4 meters. 
San Andrés con una tapa
If you run down to Icod de Los Vinos, you might still be able to grab some of the mouthwatering tapas, organized, though probably not served, by the town hall.
This event, on Saturday, November 24th, follows a pattern that is gaining popularity; where bars in the given location offer a "route of tapas" (we might call it a pub crawl with grub), with portions of a wide variety of morsels costing just €2 (about £1.40). Music in the streets will add the festive touch to the day, which is part of the run up to events for San Andrés (Saint Andrew's Day).
Icod de los Vinos celebra San Andrés saliendo de tapas por las calles
Otherwise, the only traditional fiestas this weekend are those for Santa Cecilia 2007, in Arico, from November 23rd to 25th and Santa Catalina 2007 La Guancha, which run through to December 1st. 
Freebird Sailing Charity Day
We certainly hope that those 4 meter waves, will not cause too much upheaval to Freebird Sailing's Charity Day on Sunday, November 25th. Mind you, if the waves affect the 2 p.m. sailing, we don't imagine they will have much impact on the after sailing party. :)
Making a difference, Orobal and Freebird
Agatha Christie Festival
How can we resist the pun or resist telling you that this event is a bit of a mystery?
Officially, the 1st International Agatha Christie Festival, which runs from November 23rd to December 1st, is to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Agatha Christie's visit to the Tenerife, in 1927.
We're told that, while disillusioned with her husband's infidelity, Christie and her daughter, Rosalind, stayed at the Sitio Litre in Puerto de la Cruz, as guests of the Smith family.
Whist we don't know which version of the story is true and, we certainly don't blame anyone in Puerto de la Cruz for wanting to make the most out of a celebrity visitor, but secretly, we did read that Christie was less than impressed by the island and left after a week for Gran Canaria.
Seemingly supporting that theory, Christie's "The Companion", is described as a short story about two English ladies who go on a holiday in Tenerife, but only one returns home alive. (It's in Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (Paperback) (UK Readers.) If you read the story (the complete text is online, in Spanish, as "La señorita de compañía"), you'll find that it takes place in Gran Canaria, not Tenerife.
Anyway, Tenerife is certainly not at any risk of becoming famous for missing the chance to party and, according to the tourist office:
"Fans of the British writer, author of the world famous mystery novels, can enjoy a complete programme of events attended by Christie?s grandson, Mr Mathew Prichard, who will unveil a bust in honour of his grandmother. The Festival will include, among other activities, an exhibition of mementos and other objects belonging to the author; projection of films among which will be a short film covering the writer?s visit to the Canary Islands; theatre, concerts and the presentation of a book on Agatha Christie?s visit and, of course, tea! One of the streets in the municipality is to receive the name of Agatha Christie."
International Agatha Christie Festival | Download Program
Party House 2007
Electro house and old skool at Finca Africa, Valle Guerra with resident DJ's ENY and OSCAR HDEZ. Saturday, November 24th, from 22:00 onwards.
Party House 2007
Opening of Discoteca Fantasy
Tenerife probably needs another disco like I need a hole in the head, but those who want to find all the new places will no doubt disagree. Discoteca Fantasy, to be inaugurated on Saturday, November 24th, can be found in the El Mayorazgo industrial estate near Santa Cruz, next door to Mambo's Latin Lounge.
Inauguración Discoteca Fantasy
El Circo Balagan
The only performances in Europe at the Teatro Guimerá, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, from November 20th to the 25th, inclusive, of this modern circus: an 80 minute show with music, acrobats, trapeze artistes, gymnasts, clowns and dancers from the United States, Russia, the Ukraine, China and Poland.
Circus Comes to Town | Balagan Circus, an unforgettable show
Festival de Cabeza de Perro / Dog's Head Festival
Includes avant-garde music, art, new technology and alternative sports at the Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos (International Exhibition Hall) in Santa Cruz and surrounding area. We've absolutely no idea who you might find this year, but the authorities seem dead proud of the fact that The Chemical Brothers played in the festival in 2005. :)
Dog's Head Festival
First 24 Hour Canoeing Marathon in El Médano
The Club Argonautas del Médano has organized the First 24 Hour Canoeing Marathon which will be held on the 24th November. The event starts at 12:00 and the circuit and will be in the bay of El Medáno Beach.
First 24 Hour Canoeing Marathon in El Médano
11th Popular Marathon, Santa Cruz
Athletics return to the city of Santa Cruz in formal dress with the celebration on Sunday 25th November at 10.00 am, of the traditional Popular Marathon El Corte Inglés, which this year hopes to exceed the 2,200 participants of last year.
11th Popular Marathon, Santa Cruz
La Guancha Hill Climb
And, finally, the last event on the Tenerife Rally Calendar for 2007 is the Subida a La Guancha (La Guancha Hill Climb). Experience it yourself in this video from last year's Subida a la Guancha 2006 that attempts to thrash the b*llocks off a BMW 325i. I will say that these roads are always much steeper than they look from the inside the car angle! More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A sunny Sunday morning stroll in Tenerife
It's something I don't do nearly often enough, but ... According to Weather Underground, the north of Tenerife was today mostly cloudy, after earlier having scattered clouds. I'm not sure where they scattered them, because it certainly wasn't here - look - and we are usually the first to get "weather" in this valley.
This merely proves the "rule" that every time I say it's going to rain (er, based on official reports), the sun comes out. I'll just keep reporting forecasts of rain to ensure permanent sunny weather then! :)
Talking to my weekend only neighbour this morning, she told me that she was in the hairdressers on Friday and folk were saying that we're going get another storm like Delta. Now, either you can take it that this lady is well informed, as the wife of a Santa Cruz taxi driver must surely be, or you can conclude that "the people in the street", do fear that weather of that kind is liable to repeat. I'll opt for the second of those. We just don't know when and, judging by the accuracy (not) of weather forecasts lately, there seems a very good chance we'll never know.
Nevertheless, taking advantage while the sun shines, I decided to meander down to the market, then on to the village and that blue was how the sky was all the time. Walking back up the hill again was very hot work indeed and I was soaked in sweat when I got home. In November?
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The secret - to Santa Cruz Carnaval 2008 - has been revealed and other Tenerife Oddities
Oddities (and what isn't in Tenerife?) we borrowed from Typically Spanish, who came up with our favorite headline of the week, What a silly foca...
Foca, they rightly point out, is the Spanish word for seal and the story is about the Arctic one with faulty radar that is back in Spain again, after already being found off course in the Canary Islands back in April.
The experts don't seem to know why, but we reckon it could be something to do with the climate or the culture down here that sends seals a bit "funny". It's been known to have a similar effect on people. :)
Speaking of silly ... Rafael Amargo, who was responsible for putting the bitterness into last year's Carnaval Gala in Santa Cruz, was on Antena 3 TV's celeb gossip program, ¿Dónde Estás Corazón?, sort of apologizing on Friday night. The matter needs to be forgotten and put to bed, but, sadly, he didn't convince me of his sincerity and I doubt I'm unique.
(Understand that we only accidentally caught this program while rewinding an old VHS tape and, we wouldn't have stayed that long, but presenter Jaime Cantizano is a reasonable bit of, er eye candy!)
Ah, the faux pas (we mean total f*** up) over the gala was just "his way", according to Amargo and, the show revealed that he had been paid in full in the end, despite earlier reports that a complaint and claim for injuries and calumnies was filed against him in the courts in Madrid.
No, they didn't go into the whys and wherefores. It might constitute real news and we couldn't go dealing with any of that, now could we? :)
The secret has been revealed, translating directly from the headline at La Opinión, El secreto ha sido descubierto, with the story that also this week, the town hall in Santa Cruz announced - or, more precisely, the mayor of Santa Cruz' first lieutenant, Ángel Llanos (the man who brought us varying conflicting information about Elton John), did - a calendar of acts for Carnaval 2008 in Santa Cruz that hope to erase the bitter memory. You can tell that we're not sure, right?
These include Puerto Rican Latin pop singer Chayanne, Colombian singer Carlos Vives, Cuban hip-hop band Orishas and Xiomara Laugart, the New York based Cuban singer who has not only been called "the new Celia Cruz", but is playing the late Queen of Salsa on Broadway.
Billo's Caracas Boys, 21 Canarian orchestras, an English tribute act that recreates the "mythical" North American group, Village People and the current Canarian TV and fiesta circuit "turn", Pepe Benavente, are also in the lineup, which proves that you can't please everyone.
Not all comments I've read agree, but Sr. Llanos reckons this lot makes for "one of the best Latin music shows in the capital in the last 20 years."
For Carnaval 2008, the organizers are also looking to revitalize the Sábado de Piñata (the Saturday after Shrove Tuesday, which next year will fall on Saturday, February 9th), when there will be four live concerts happening simultaneously, they say, in the Plaza de España, Plaza de Europa, Plaza Weyler and the Calle La Noria, according to the reports.
These concerts are to have more than a million watts of illumination (at 12:00 midday?) and 120,000 watts of sound, "as well as the sort of big screens that are used at the concerts of U2, Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones." No, those three acts are not coming and, don't ask us why so much name dropping was needed to make the point either!
What is really making me sarcastic and cynical is that, when asked how much the artists are costing, Llanos, apparently, replied "the same as last year," although he claims he couldn't remember how much that was.
For a start there are artists of different calibre; nothing is ever the same price as last year (try going into a supermarket) and to top it, Llanos, apart from being the mayor's right-hand man, is also the Councillor for Hacienda (TAX). Please ... in a former life, I was an accountant and believe me, people who work in that field, which includes tax, don't tend to forget what things cost. Not even when we want to! :)
Meanwhile, residents are beginning to grumble about the noise already and, what the Carnaval does not yet have is someone to build the scenery. The 500,000 euros on offer for that is not enough, apparently, for the "magical" design the organizers want. The rights to the TV coverage are not yet sold either and the horrible thought crosses one's mind that after last year's "spectacle", maybe nobody wants to buy them?
And, the Centro Canario (CCN) party is calling for Ángel Llanos to resign after (allegedly) telling porkie pies about the Elton John situation.
They say he never actually contracted the star and, well, it does rather look that way. Other reports reveal that it is private companies that have contracted John for the show on the south of the island in January (dead simple that one, simply by offering double the fee, apparently) and, that this means the loss of a golden opportunity for the capital. It does seem logical to suggest that the authorities in Santa Cruz would be unlikely to sign the artist in the future after such a muck up really.
There are serious doubts too over whether the Plaza de España will be ready by January, when Carnaval starts and, well, this is Tenerife.
Anything can happen in the next couple of months. We'll bring what news we can for those planning to attend the Carnaval in Santa Cruz, but the fact is, you might just have to turn up and expect a surprise! :)
Chayanne, Carlos Vives, Orishas y Xiomara, tratarán de borrar el mal recuerdo de Rafael Amargo | El Carnaval 2008 revitalizará un "gran sábado de piñata" para 100.000 personas de todas las edades
Labels: Carnaval 2008, Orishas in Tenerife
Tenerife prepares to cope with winter rains
Canarias24horas alerted us to the possibility that, on Sunday, we may have to "sacar el chubasquero" (get out the raincoat/showercoat) as the anticyclone that was preventing cool air from coming in from the north (on the Trade Winds), is finally going away.
On Friday, we noted that the temperature here indoors "dropped sharply" from a too warm for the time of year, 26 degrees to a "chilly" 22 degrees - CENTIGRADE, of course - and realized "winter" had arrived when that "infallible barometer of atmospheric conditions" (four cats) huddled together on the "lecky blankie" for the first time this winter. :)
Hot and cold, winter and summer, are decidedly relative terms here.
Anyhow, Sunday, they tell us, there will be cloudy intervals in La Palma and El Hierro, becoming cloudy to very cloudy over all the western Canary Islands. Temperatures will rise slightly, initially. Winds will be moderate to strong on high ground. On Monday/Tuesday more of the same, basically, with a slight drop in temperatures.
Que llueva...que llueva... | Get the latest Tenerife weather here ...
All joking aside, we desperately need the rain. I was absolutely stunned by this image of this valley, taken at the beginning of this month.
Look how brown everything is! Now look at this, this or this image (two spring and one autumn) for how green and fertile it used to be.
There is, apart from "climate change" and (associated, or not) lack of rain, a major reason for the browning of this valley: the abandonment of the land. There were already very few, but over the last 8 years, there appear less and less smallholders trundling up and down these lanes to tend to their plots. Nobody wants to be bothered with growing things any more, either they don't need to do it for subsistence, or it isn't profitable.
Unpredictable weather patterns mean that crop failures are becoming more frequent. (The rest of the world could do with taking heed of what's happening on this island: often called "a continent in miniature".)
And, as one neighbour told me, it costs more to buy seed potatoes to plant, for instance, than it does to buy sacks of imported spuds to eat.
Who wants to pay more and have the hard work? 
Then, because everything is becoming more and more abandoned, the valley has become a "rat sanctuary" (I kid you not and they're the size of cats), which has meant more use of chemicals, more weed killers, more browning ...
The landscape here is always browner after the summer, but this year, we hardly had a summer, yet, I have never seen it looking so brown before.
What concerns me more is that, should - heaven forbid - we ever be confronted with another fire and this time the wind not "miraculously" change direction, this brown stuff (it's dead weed and brush, not clean earth) would burn faster than spontaneous combustion.
In the meantime, erosion, after the fire burnt off ground cover, has added to the risk of winter rains causing avalanches of ash and soil. In October, environmental councilor, Wladimiro Rodríguez, recognized that the areas affected by the fire were not prepared for the coming winter rains.
The Cabildo says the island has 5,700 kilometers of barrancos (gorges), where there are risks of flooding, the worst are in Santa Cruz, La Laguna, Arona and Adeje, followed by Candelaria, Güímar and Los Realejos.
There is a plan, however, and to be fair, the island of Tenerife will be one of very few places on earth to have such protection, once / if it's actioned.
The new Plan de Defensa (Defence Plan) is to prepare the island to confront heavy rains. After several years of work, the text is all written and it's expected that the island's water board will be the first to sign it on Monday, but it's going to take 8 years and 113 million euros (£75M) to fix the 547 risks that have been identified, the majority of which are "grave" and need an "urgent" solution to prevent flooding on the island.
Most of those are because someone's built something, like roads or buildings, or are farming, in the path that rain water wants to take.
The next step, says the report, is getting all the parties (Canarian Government, Island Council, Water Board, Town Halls and individuals), to come to agreement (and cough up the dough), though the Island Council has made it clear that carrying out the plan is obligatory.
Until then, we have to cross our fingers and hope that the rains we get are moderate and not of the kind that can bring devastating floods.
La Isla necesita 113 millones para enfrentarse a las lluvias
Labels: Tenerife Weather
Thursday, November 15, 2007
15th November 1738 - William Herschel born
William Herschel, German born British astronomer best known for his discovery of Uranus on 13th March 1781. He is also credited with the discovery of infrared radiation. The William Herschel Telescope located on La Palma, Canary Islands is (guess what) named in his honour.
William Herschel Via: Dusty Loft
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sir Elton John IS to play in Tenerife
Yes, yes, we know you've heard this somewhere before, but this time, it actually appears to be true.
Canarias24horas carefully point out, Sir Elton's own website is talking of the event and, the concert appears listed in his schedule.
But, he's coming to the south, not the island's capital, as previously claimed. The announcement on Sir Elton's own site says, "Elton and the band are to play a concert at the Estadio Olimpico Antonio Dominguez, Arona, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, on Thursday, January 24, 2008."
ELTON JOHN si viene a Tenerife, pero a Tenerife SUR
Labels: Elton John Tenerife
Tenerife: Something for the weekend 16/11 - 18/11
Celebration of the Eruption of the Chinyero Volcano 
You might wonder why, in Santiago del Teide, they celebrate the last eruption to take place in Tenerife annually, but they certainly do and it's because - like everything else on this island - there's myths and legends attached.
According to both oral and written histories, when Chinyero erupted - on November 18th, 1909 and lasted for 10 days - the lava was threatening to wipe out everything in its path. The people took their religious icons out towards the volcano and, apparently, the lava stopped flowing.
Ever since, the villagers unite each year on the anniversary, this year the 98th on Sunday, November 18th, to celebrate the miracle.
It is held on the third Sunday of the month. Religious statues are carried from various neighbourhoods in the district to the area known as El Calvario in Las Manchas, the spot where the lava flow stopped during the last eruption on the island on the 18th November 1909.
Celebrations begin with mass at 12:00 midday, with a re-enactment of the volcanic eruption, followed by a giant paella for everyone who attends. 
The eruption of Chinyero in 1909
El domingo se conmemorará el 98 Aniversario de la erupción volcánica del Chinyero
Celebration of the Eruption of the Chinyero volcano in Santiago del Teide
Fiestas de San Diego 2007 La Laguna
Only one traditional fiesta this week, that of San Diego del Monte in La Laguna, where every November they remember La fuga de los estudiantes (The students' escape). The chapel of San Diego del Monte and its monastery, date back to 1615 when the monastery was founded by Juan de Ayala. The fuga de los estudiantes, meanwhile, dates to 1919, when the professor, Diego Jiménez de Cisneros, arrived in La Laguna. One year, apparently, he impeded the students from attending the Romería de San Diego and, being rebellious young things, they decided not to go to class and repeated this "escape" annually.
This year, you'll probably find the students in La Laguna's bars, but the fiestas continue with folk music at 21:30 on Friday, November 16th; a mass at 18:30 followed by a procession and fireworks on Saturday, November 17th and mass and a procession at 13:00, followed by bouncy castles and other games for kids on Sunday, November 18th.
Fiestas de San Diego 2007 La Laguna
OST begin the season with Beethoven and Brahms
On Friday, November 16th at the Auditorio de Tenerife, Lü Jia, the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra?s new conductor, opens the season with a programme dedicated to the two pillars of Romantic symphonism, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms.
OST begin the season with Beethoven and Brahms
Hänsel and Gretel (Adapted for young audiences)
On Sunday, November 18th and Monday, November 19th, there are two performances at the Auditorio de Tenerife of Engelbert Humperdinck's fairy tale in three acts, adapted for young audiences.
Hänsel and Gretel (Adapted for young audiences) More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
Friday, November 09, 2007
New Wines and Old Traditions
On November 29th, the eve of St. Andrew's Day, the Fiestas of San Andres are celebrated in Icod de los Vinos, with an event unique to the Canary Islands, called the Tablas de San Andrés - kinda kamikaze sledding down near vertical streets on boards. While in Puerto de la Cruz, it's popularly known as the Fiesta of Pots or Chestnuts ...
We've parked the car on some ridiculously steep street in the upper reaches of Icod de los Vinos. It's the Eve of San Andrés and we've heard that around here they have an unusual way of celebrating the fiesta.
As we turn the corner to descend to the main street we can see groups of people, stalls, Red Cross ambulances and the road cordoned off; we know we must be close. Further along, we can see a huge pile of tyres strewn across the main street where it meets with Calle del Plano. Suddenly there's a cheer followed by applause and we arrive at the tyres just in time to see the body of a twenty-something lad flying through the air and landing with a dull thud in the midst of the tyres which then close in on top of him.
Scrambling out, the lad fumbles around in the tyres until he pulls out his blue bobble hat which he returns to his head and, retrieving the discarded sledge, he tucks it under his arm and begins the long trudge back up the hill. En route, he avoids the sledges that are already careering back down at breakneck speed towards the tyres, a mixture of fear and exhilaration on the faces of the riders, sparks flying from the base of the sledge.
The practice of riding the boards in Icod and La Guancha originates from the seventeenth century when the year's wine harvest was transported down from the upper reaches of the town to the coast on sledges pulled by oxen. The sound of the barrels riding the cobbled streets was a clear signal that the new wine was ready for tasting.
Everything but the kitchen sink
In Puerto de la Cruz the fiesta of San Andrés also remembers the bygone sound of barrels; once the ?must?, or fermented grape juice, had rested in the barrels for ten days, the wine was transferred to clean barrels and the dirty ones were rolled down to the harbour to be washed.
Nowadays, as the Eve of San Andrés begins, Plaza del Charco is filled with the clatter of metal on stone as children and teenagers drag metal objects of every size from discarded cola cans to old washing machine drums along the streets. Known as Arrastre los Cacharros (run with pots and pans) the object of the exercise is to make as much noise as possible.
But it isn't just the tradition of the wine harvest that?s at the root of the noisy fiesta. Old superstitions talk of the noise being created in order to ward off evil spirits and to keep swarms of locusts at bay. But by far the nicest story is the one that tells of San Andrés who, arriving on Tenerife at the same time as the harvest, liberally partook of the new wine and then fell asleep, whereupon local children tied pots and pans to his clothes so that when he turned over, the noise would wake him up.
Whatever the stories, the Patron Saint of Scotland's Feast Day is a day to celebrate and it would be nothing less than impolite not to drink a toast to the man himself with the new vino del país; fruity, light and lethal if drunk in large quantities but perfect accompanied by a bag of hot roasted castañas (chestnuts), a pincho (small skewer of marinated pork) and a piece of anis bread while sitting on the harbour trying to ignore all that noise.
¡Feliz Fiesta San Andrés!
Read more Fiesta of San Andrés in Puerto de la Cruz & Icod de los Vinos
Copyright © 2007 Real Tenerife Island Drives. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of Real Tenerife Island Drives.
Lying on a beach all day every day might make for a relaxing holiday, but memories of it fade as quickly as your sun tan. Island Drives is aimed at travellers who want to experience the real essence of Tenerife, not just its pools and beaches. If you want an unforgettable holiday as opposed to a good one, Real Tenerife Island Drives will make the difference.
Labels: Real Tenerife Island Drives
Tenerife: Something for the weekend 9/11 - 11/11
This weekend's what's on in Tenerife is a little late owing to a "technical incident". We're not exactly sure what a "technical incident" is, nor how this differs from a normal type incident, but apparently, our countrified internet connection suffered from one and, as a consequence was broken for ages, so the recorded message on the not-so-live help line told us. We often wonder what it must be like to live in the "civilized world" where stuff works, but we don't think we'd like the culture or the scenery. :)
It's a quiet weekend - if you can call a pop concert and a rally "quiet" ... 
Concert: Tenerife 40 Pop
On Saturday, November 10th at 10 p.m. is the Tenerife 40 Pop concert at the Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos (International Fairs and Congress Center) in Santa Cruz, organized by "top of the pops" radio station, 40 Principales.
Among the acts performing is Andrea Corr of Irish folk-rock and pop rock group, The Corrs, but otherwise the most interesting news about the concert is that it's in aid of a good cause. Part of the profits are to go towards the reforestation of the mountains on the island that were destroyed in the fire this summer.
The Turn of the Screw
The Tenerife Opera 2007 season at the Auditorio de Tenerife draws to a close on Saturday, November 10th with the second performance of an opera in two acts by Benjamin Britten, with libretto by Myfanwy Piper, based on the novel of the same name by Henry James. Set in England in the mid nineteenth century, it tells the story of a young governess who comes to Bly, an English country house. The Turn of the Screw.
Isle of Tenerife Rally
Saturday, November 10th is the big day of the Rally Isla Tenerife (Isle of Tenerife Rally), which starts and finishes in Santa Cruz.
From 8 a.m., says the official web site, 145 teams will be starting from the ramp at the Parque Marítimo, alongside the Auditorio de Tenerife.
"There are five sections to the rally: Los Loros (12,75 km), Arico (8,56 km), Icor (10,95 km), Fasnia (6,4 km) and Candelaria (5,15 km). After completing a total of ten sections and more than 400 kilometers, it's estimated that it will finish at around 9 p.m.", says this report. We realize this doesn't seem to add up, but we imagine the rally will cause chaos on the roads that are closed for the event, so if you're anywhere in those areas, you may as well "enjoy" it. :)
Meanwhile, this video offers you some photos from last year's 32nd edition of the Isle of Tenerife Rally, set to suitably thumping music.
Other than that, this weekend is the first weekend in which we haven't found any traditional fiestas taking place on the island. Actually, we're sure there probably is a small one happening in some village somewhere, but there are none big enough to have been mentioned online. More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Tenerife: Something for the weekend 2/11 - 4/11
This weekend is relatively quiet and will be another long weekend for a lot of people, with All Saints / All Souls days having fallen on Thursday and Friday, the former being a National Holiday in Spain and the Canary Islands. These fiestas mark the start of winter, when the weather changes and the population adjusts clothing and food accordingly. Oh, it's all relative, but it is certainly the start of cooler weather to us. 
CD Tenerife v. UD Las Palmas
Undoubtedly, the biggest event on the islands this weekend is the local derby between CD Tenerife and UD Las Palmas: Tenerife's and Gran Canaria's rival football teams.
Tenerife is playing host, at home in the Heliodoro Rodríguez López stadium in Santa Cruz on Saturday, November 3rd at 5.30 p.m. The match is going to be televised live and direct on Televisión Canaria - as if anyone could avoid it! :)
Anyone interested in going to the match should consult with fan club, Armada Sur. In the meantime, set to music that stirs the emotions and a hope to conquer the world, here are some CD Tenerife goles:
De Fiesta in Tenerife
The only traditional style fiestas in Tenerife this week appear to be those in honour of San Carlos y la Virgen de la Almudena in La Caldera, Santiago del Teide, in the south and that of San Martín de Porres - Los Andenes 2007 in the neighborhood of Taco, La Laguna, in the north.
At the former, on Friday, November 2nd at 9 p.m. there's open air cinema in the plaza. On Saturday, November 3rd, the bouncy castles are due to arrive at 5 p.m. and Radio Curbelo are to add a touch of music to the fiestas. At 9 p.m. there will be mass, followed by a procession, fireworks and a gran verbena (dance) to the Arguayo Band.
In Taco, La Laguna, the procession at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 3rd, will also be the religious type. It's also followed by a verbena (open air dance) that starts at 10 p.m. Orquestas Canarias will give you the rest of the listings for salsa / fiesta bands in the islands this weekend. More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.
