Video: Santa Cruz crowns it's Carnaval Queen 2008 and 4 "Dames of Honour", in reverse order.

If the Gala to select the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, last year was "Amargo" (bitter), then this year's was surreal and, I'm not just talking about one of the candidates costumes, which included one of Salvador Dali's "melting" clocks and a picture of the mustachio'd artist on the flounce of her dress. Actually, that was my favourite, but I was surprised she got nowhere.

The televised gala in general was school end of term concert quality and there were the endless performances by all the carnaval groups and dancers. But, that's exactly what carnaval is all about, so it was good, despite all the technical hitches. They just added to the entertainment. The worst of those hiccups might have been that there was no sound to her mike all through Xiomara Laugart's first number, but it was surpassed because the sound did work through her second one.

The Orishas were good, even if they were miming (as you'd expect.)

The surreal part for me was seeing such an ostensibly English design, chosen by a panel of mostly Spanish judges - of course - that also included, French actor, Gérard Depardieu and Italian actress, Sophia Loren.

Well, I guess that's globalization for you! :)

It was reported that Loren said she would "probably" dress up in costume for carnaval. If she did yesterday, she came disguised as actress, Sophia Loren.

And the winner is ... Nauzet Celeste Cruz Melo in a Santi Castro designed costume entitled, "La Edad de Oro" (The Golden Age), representing the (French owned) supermarket chain, Carrefour. When she came out onto the stage originally, she was introduced as Queen Elizabeth I (you know, of England) and the music that was played while she paraded was "Rule Britannia".

Maybe Tenerife claimed Britannia 'coz Britain is taking her off the coins?

Anyway, you certainly can't accuse the Spanish of being bad losers, endorsing Queen Elizabeth I and Rule Britannia, given the history of the Armada! Nor indeed of any remaining animosity over the part she played in local history.

Elizabeth I is known to have backed English pirate, John Hawkins, who was slave trading partner of Pedro de Ponte (son of the man who paid for the conquest of Tenerife). Hawkins once lived in Ponte's house in Tenerife, in Adeje. The key may be that last night's "Queen Elizabeth I" is from next door in Arona.

The upshot, ladies and gentlemen, is what Nelson failed to do by force (and a few others before him), it seems we've finally managed to do with a Carnaval Queen (if only for a year) and, perhaps more surprisingly, we've achieved this Révolution surréaliste with French, Italian and Spanish help.

Britannia Rules the island of Tenerife! :-)


Canarias7 tell it (in Spanish) Magia y glamour en el Carnaval de Tenerife dejan atrás el trago 'amargo' de 2007, with the press photos here, here and here.

The Golden Age wins the 2008 Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife carnival recovers glamour after last year's deception

PS: Harry Potter and David Copperfield were magically made to disappear. That is, they were conspicuous by their complete absence at the gala and turned out to be mere Tenerife myth and rumour, as we'd suspected in the end.

PPS: That's all the contests done now, so today everyone gets a "day off" from partying. :) Tomorrow night, the Carnaval Party takes to the streets. The big parade in Santa Cruz is on Tuesday. More Carnaval news in due course.

Labels: Carnaval 2008

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Double punishment for a man who who was detained on the south of Tenerife last week, after complaining of being the victim of a robbery with violence and intimidation. Two men knocked on the door of his home in Guargacho, began beating him and took a "bum bag" with 2,025 Euros and a mobile phone.

Civil Guard agents, says the report, were able to identify and detain these two individuals, who then declared that the detained had sold 10 grams of cocaine to "a group of friends who were going to celebrate a party" and, as it was of poor quality, this pair went to get their money back.

Tsk. Tsk. Really should look at that quality control! :)

Detienen a una persona que recibió una paliza por vender cocaína de mala calidad

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Right behind their obsession with the weather in Tenerife (provided it's good weather, of course), we find visitors' need to know where to get "nice English food".

Now in Tenerife, I can't imagine the "bombardment of culture shock" is enough to provoke the need for travellers to hanker after "something bland, familiar and safe."

But there are those who do, or who just take the "easy option" of what's offered in the resorts. Maybe it's stating the obvious, but, if you stick to the "beaten track" of the touristy bits of Tenerife, guess what? Yes, you'll find only the touristy bits of Tenerife. But, if you venture out just a bit and, do things like try the local food, you might just find something authentic. You might even like it!

"Eating local is a big commitment for travelers, but it can serve to make any journey more memorable and unique."

The more adventurous may find this article, 7 Secrets For Eating Like A Local, informative and entertaining. Amongst the 7 "secrets", we're reminded to try markets and grocery stores, as well as restaurants, to find what locals eat.

The best of both worlds in Tenerife ...

The photo (above) is of fresh produce at the Nuestra Señora de Africa, municipal market in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz. It's open most days, Monday to Sunday (except some bank holidays), from at least 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. There, you will find lots of local delicacies, but at another stall round the corner, we also found familiar parsnips and fresh Brussels sprouts at Christmas! :)

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If there was a large number of both people and cattle at Buenavista yesterday, then there seemed to be an even greater number - and, it has to be said, much better weather for taking photos, if not for walking around in the heat - at Los Silos for their Fiestas for San Antonio Abad and Crafts Fair the week before.

The craft fair was held in the square around the kiosk, as well as inside the bunting-decorated former convent.

At Los Silos were many horses, more goats with red ribbons, sheep and a ram upgrade, a fully-grown mini-goat, tweetie-pies, rows of racing pigeons and, as in Buenavista, an ever increasing number and diversity of pets.

At this fiesta, to which animals are brought to be blessed, or at least gawked at, there were far too many dogs to count and, besides, they seem rather boring and ordinary next to some of the more exotic and unusual specimens.

People brought rabbits in hutches on wheels. There were large reptilian chaps on leads. Many people seemed to have a snake round their neck or wrist and, a young girl brought along a small basket of lettuce (with handle). This last item, I discovered upon closer inspection, was not a salad, but a tiny little turtle or tortoise.

Risking a serious lynching for my cheek though, the prize for "pet who most looked like owner" (or vice-versa), must surely go to this dear little old wrinkled lady, who had brought along her turkey, on a string tied round his leg. :)

See where this picture was taken. [?]

Photo: Pamela Heywood

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Some of yesterday's 1,500 cattle "parked" at the show ground at Buenavista.

Yesterday was dull, but warm, for the annual livestock fair and Romeria in honour of San Antonio Abad in Buenavista del Norte and, because there are always lots of cute animalitos on display, of course we were there.

Along with lots of his older cousins, one of the stars of yesterday's show was this 24 day old "veal", I mean calf, which, I'm told, was given to the boy (in costume) by the Tenerife Island Corporation to foster and maintain his interest in rural pursuits.

Another star for me was this Shetland pony with a mop dog in a basket on his saddle.

There also were Teno's now famous polkadot goats; a hen in a "chicmobile" that had laid eggs en route (the woman joked with me, well I think she was joking that these were hard-boiled); dancers from the island of El Heirro and more ...

Last year, on seeing Teno's goats, dressed for the fiestas with red ribbons (as bows tied on their horns or, failing that, around their necks), a commenter asked, " ... how did they keep the goats from eating each other's ribbons?"

It's a good question, because, so the story comes down my own family: the goat that my great grandmother had, once ate bloomers off the washing line.

So, being curious and wanting to know the answer to this question myself, I took advantage of the occasion and asked the lady from Teno with the polkadot goats yesterday. Her response will astound you: "Because they're not hungry." :)

She chuckled actually and said that's all she can think of and puts it down to the fact that the goats roam free, so they are used to constantly grazing (she also supplements their diet with feed), so you could say they are neither hungry, nor bored enough to be bothered with fiddling with their ribbons.

According to Diario de Avisos, there were 1,500 cattle and 18,000 people at yesterday's fiestas. I was there early and didn't wait for the parade, which the report says began after 2 p.m., but I see no reason to dispute the figures, because there did seem especially to be far more cattle than there had been in previous years.

Now can you imagine the amount of muck there will have been on the main streets of the town once that number of animals had paraded down them? :)

There were also lots of horses, hunting dogs, an ever increasing number of pets (not just dogs, but of all descriptions), and back to the farm animals, sheep amongst the goats. Tell me, if they're mixed together is it a flock or a herd?

There were also more tourists at the fair this year. Normally, the only ones I meet in this area are lost, but I heard or found myself speaking in English on more than one occasion to people who had come to the fiesta on purpose.

Not unsurprisingly, the bars and chiringuitos (beer and food stalls), as well as the stalls selling sweets, cheap toys and other tat were doing a roaring trade.

As was the cake shop, El Aderno (more), on Buenavista's high street, who, incredibly, have installed a ticket machine to deal with customers in numerical order like deli counter of a supermarket. I don't know if that's permanent or was just for Sunday's extra fiesta traffic, but it was a bit of a revelation.

See where this picture was taken. [?]

Photo: Pamela Heywood

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Almas de Goma (it means Rubber Soul(s), which fans will recognize as the title of the sixth album by The Beatles, first released in December 1965) play the tasca bar, La Balsa Blues (images | map), Calle Candelaria, 8, in the La Noria area of Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz, tonight, Saturday, January 26th, from 11.00 p.m.

Entrance Free. (And, you'd almost think you were back in The Cavern!)

It's one of those funny coincidences, but I accidentally stumbled across the article about this tribute band, Cuatro chicos que cantan y visten como The Beatles, in Tenerife daily, La Opinión, just after I'd read Joe Cawley's post about the Elton John concert and how one of the rumours floating around on the south of the island, was that it might have been an impersonator.

An old cynic I may be (funny how Tenerife does that to you), but that's one thing I didn't think (well, not once Elton's own site confirmed the gig :-)

Not unsurprisingly though, Mike and Pat from Wolverhampton, who went to see Elton John in Tenerife this week, found that, "Back home in blighty no one believed us, they thought we had seen a tribute act!"

True, the south of Tenerife has plenty of them, even Beatles tribute acts. The Plethora of Presleys - I've been to an event in a south Tenerife bar when there were no less than 4 Elvises in the same room - has become a bit of a joke. Seems even funnier when they speak in a British regional accent too.

Then again, I seriously doubt that the real Gloria Estefan ever slipped slightly blue and otherwise politically incorrect jokes between her songs - in a Brummie accent - as my best mate, Michaela Sydney did with her tribute act here.

(She used to tell me that everything I sing "sounded just like it would have sounded if Tina Turner had sung it", but that's a whole other story.)

The obvious reason why the island has so many tribute acts is because it makes for easier marketing. How else can you attract the attention of a passing punters and explain what a show is going to be about in just two words or less?

Answer: You don't, you let the already well-known name explain it for you.

This is something that artists - some of them extremely talented and capable of varied repertoires - learned a long time ago. If you want to get booked on the cabaret circuit here, you need to be "somebody" people recognize.

It shouldn't have, but it surprised me that this same phenomenon had spread to the "real life" part of the island. But if a Yorkshire Elvis Presley kinda screwed with my perceptions, then, obviously, I had not contemplated the idea of a chicarrero Paul McCartney or a John Lennon canario. But why not?

Cuatro chicos que cantan y visten como The Beatles

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The performance as well as the Spanish reports (local tele too just reported that it had happened and that "more than 20,000" attended), were that the Elton John concert in Tenerife was a bit 'clinical'. The high spot, as Per Kersoe in Las Americas tells us, was that, "During the concert, the full moon began to rise directly above the stage." You can see that clearly in this video.

On the other hand, no surprise here, all the comments I've read in English are far from complimentary about the gig's [lack of] organization. Oh, we know that a laid back attitude is a necessity in Tenerife's climate and, as an outsider, one tries to get used it. Holidaymakers are already relaxing from the usual pressures, but there's a limit. Some things need to be done right.

Mike and Pat from Wolverhampton comment here that they, "Wouldn't have missed it for the world, even though the entrance took ages (Organisers need to address before their next venue / proper signage would have helped)."

John from SortedSites, being fairly polite, says: "The organisers need to get better organised for their next gig as there were no marshalls or signs for which entrance to use but once we were in Elton put on a good show!"

LosGigantes.com's dolly diver, quoting Tenerife daily, La Opinión, says that, "... the doors did not open until 45 minutes before and the bottlenecks due to a shortage of ticket checkers caused many to miss the start of the concert."

Something author, Joe Cawley confirms, having been one of those:

"... still queuing patiently like a twat when Elton burst onto stage and began the show."

Joe uses a few other flowery words in his report on the show and, I don't blame him, given the apparently lack of safety, as well as the fact that those, like him, who had paid extra were all thrown in with the hoi polloi in the end.

LosGigantes.com add "The organisers could face legal action after scores of fans who had bought expensive VIP tickets were unable to access their seats. Problems also plagued traffic in the area, with tailbacks in Playa de Las Americas and along the motorway due to inadequate signposting."

Like Joe says, it's wasn't the first ever gig in Tenerife and it's hardly rocket science, so you'd think they could handle it. And the authorities really should get properly behind things like this. They've been flapping around yelling "the sky is falling", because tourist numbers were a bit down last year and here they are with the big chance to attract a big crowd and impress and ... WTF?

Then somebody should have explained to Sir Reg - who did clock in with the expected British punctuality - that NOTHING ever begins on time here.

(Note to older mega stars invited to Tenerife in future: If you're scheduled to play at 9 p.m., use the time to get in a bit of a nap, because a kick off of somewhere between 10:30 and 11 p.m. is much more like it.)

But, whilst I'll agree that there is always a first time for everything, this is Tenerife remember. In all the 16 years or so I've been here, I've been to many concerts and events and there have been no signs of organization ever becoming adopted as a habit. And frankly, I doubt it ever will. :)

Canarias7's reporters got a bit closer to film this video:



Those who were still queuing patiently when the concert began, will no doubt have adopted I'm still standing as their theme song.


PS: The question I still can't answer though, is why did they need to build a special amphitheatre / venue for the Elton John concert - taking hole #17 out of action on the Costa Adeje Golf, which must have made golfers cry - while there is already a 30,000 + capacity Estadio Olimpico Antonio Dominguez right next door, in Arona - where the concert was originally reputed to be taking place? Elton likes his football, so that can't have been a problem. That venue was good enough for Jennifer López and her husband, Marc Anthony. What gives?

Labels: Elton John Tenerife

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I've just discovered that MyTravel.com are having a Massive Weekend Sale this weekend, with Savings of up to £300 per booking and, deposits as low as £10.

They say that, so far, Tenerife is selling like hot cakes, as are the Canary Islands in general for winter holiday bookings. (You can understand why: it's already almost 20C here this morning and I'm in the "cold" north of the island, where the sun doesn't get to until afternoon.)

Want to book your bit of the warmth and probably get it for less?

Pop along now to the MyTravel Massive Weekend Sale.

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The central Plaza de los Remedios in Buenavista del Norte hosts to the 13th annual contest to choose the best goat cheese from the hamlet of Teno Alto from 11 a.m. today. Those of you thinking a cheese contest is a bit lame haven't tasted the cheese, the superior quality of which is owing to the ideal conditions in which the goats live.

This traditionally made cheese can now be purchased at various points around the island, including the tourist information point, situated alongside Buenavista's town square itself.

Tomorrow, Sunday, you can meet the goats themselves too, when Buenavista has its livestock fair, romeria and fiestas in honor of San Antonio Abad.

La Plaza de Los Remedios acoge este sábado la XIII edición de la cata de quesos de Teno Alto

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Elton John Performs Your Song in Tenerife | More snippets

Labels: Elton John Tenerife

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The other bit of big news this week is that Carnaval organizers in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz - the theme this year is magic - have done some real magic and pulled a couple last minute, prestigious "rabbits out of the hat."

Negotiations were finalized late on Tuesday, report ABC and EFE, via sources at Santa Cruz town hall, with Italian actress, Sophia Loren and French actor Gérard Depardieu for both stars to be part of the jury to decide on the Carnaval Queen 2008, in the Grand Gala to be televised next Wednesday, January 30th from the city's César Manrique Maritime Park.

(We don't know if Depardieu has been to the Canary Islands before or not, but his character, Christopher Columbus, in the 1992 film, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, was certainly known to drop in from time to time.)

This news, of course, leaves us with a couple of questions though:

If Ms Loren and Mr Depardieu are to be "the center of attention" (we are sure that the candidates in their costumes had hopes there ...), what does that say about previous reports (here, here and here) that British actor, magician Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe, was to have been part of that jury? Is that report relegated to the ranks of mere rumour, as suggested in this article?

It certainly looks like another one of Tenerife's "mysteries", because Un vistazo a Santa Cruz de Tenerife blog list numerous other members of the jury (I won't list them, because, if you're from outside Spain, I'm sure you'll have never heard of them) and, in any case, Radcliffe is definitely not amongst the names.

Perhaps David Copperfield already made him disappear? (It was also reported earlier that illusionist David Copperfield is to be on hand to make last year's Carnaval Queen, Elizabeth García, disappear, costume included.)

Magic could come in handy, because Canarias Bruta report in Chiquito carnaval scenery builders have screwed up and the 17 contestants will not be able to access the stage via the central door, because their costumes won't fit.

Otherwise, Madrid magician, Jorge Blass and virtually unknown radio "personality", Iván Bonales (he, at least, comes from Santa Cruz), will present the Gala. Xiomara Laugart, who is currently playing the late Cuban singer, Celia Cruz, in a new Off Broadway musical and Cuban hip-hop band, Orishas - who have also written this year's official Carnaval song that you can download here - are reported to be performing at next Wednesday's Gala in Tenerife.



Image of vintage ad, via: DivineCaroline

Photo: mando maniac

Labels: Carnaval 2008

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The day finally arrived for the historic concert at Golf Costa Adeje and Elton John was due to have arrived in Tenerife at lunch time today, by private plane from Abu Dhabi. Canarias24horas have a photo of the 1,296 square meter specially prepared amphitheatre that was being built for the concert.

There's another 2,560 square meters backstage and, for those who love statistics, but not saving energy, it will use 226K watts of sound and 216K watts of lighting. Interestingly, in that report they say there that ticket sales have "surpassed initial expectations" having reached 20,000 sales.

However, LosGigantes.com say that the organizers say that 17,000 have been sold and that they expect to sell the other 3,000 at the box office tonight. And neither is quite the 50,000 that previous reports told us there'd be room for.

However many thousand turn up, there are still only "almost 4,000" parking spaces, which we find kinda funny. Well, we find the whole thing kinda funny, given that there is never only one version of a report on anything here ...


The H10 Costa Adeje Palace Hotel, where one report suggests Elton John will be staying in Tenerife.La Provincia say that Elton John has a room booked for tonight at the 4 star, Costa Adeje Palace hotel, while all other reports suggest that he's staying in a suite at the 5 star Hotel Gran Tacande.

Somehow, I don't think this will mean he's exactly roughing it either way, but if you're curious, La Opinión show us a photo of the bedroom in the suite that he's allegedly staying in.

While Tenerife bus company, TITSA, have laid on extra buses for concert goers, Elton John was to be arriving from the airport in a "high class" car. No swakny limousines for him.

In fact, La Opinión opine that the days of stars' crazy demands might have been consigned to history, because Elton John hasn't made any - except asking for his own bathroom and three specific British channels on satellite tele.

The concert, say La Opinión, starts at 9 p.m. with "British punctuality." They might find that phrase has become historical, or at least an oxymoron!


Elton John llega a Tenerife con 14 de sus fans más incondicionales
Elton John llega a Tenerife sin exigencias de una gran estrella
Sir Elton John, en un concierto histórico

Labels: Elton John Tenerife

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In Three Random Facts About the Spanish, Notes from Spain's Ben Curtis says, Bananas must come from the Canary Islands. He adds, "And if they come from anywhere else, many a Spaniard will rather go banana-less until the next shipment comes in."

We're certainly glad to hear that the marketing is still working and hope that continues, because it is by no means a foregone conclusion.

You'd have to be very old to remember a time when the small, flavorful Canary Islands' bananas were the favorite in Britain too. Now they can't be found there and can't be exported outside of Spain and the Balearic Islands (though those exports were increased in 2007), as Lavengro in Spain tells us:

The Canaries are of course famous for bananas. We learnt in fact that Canarian bananas can't be exported (except to the Peninsula of course) because of EU regulations. We were told that they are too small, which they are; small they may be though but perfectly formed they are too, and it is not their curvature that is the problem. In fact I suspect that EU banana-growing (France grows them too in Guyana) is being phased out in favour of Caribbean ones to support underdeveloped countries. The Canarian industry is converting itself to mangos, papayas and so on.

In the 1870s Thomas Fyffe, a London food wholesaler, went into partnership with a fruit dealer named Hudson who had connections in the Canary Islands. In 1878 they shipped their first cargo of bananas to England. Within five years the business had become so successful that they purchased land in the Canaries to be cultivated as banana plantations. Then the WWI British maritime blockade of Europe destroyed the banana trade. Canarios voted with their feet and fled the poverty in droves for a new life in Latin America.

Gran Canaria info gives us more history of Bananas on the Canary Islands.

For now, if you want to taste one, you have to come to Spain.

Lavengro also reminds us that one of the grape varieties in the Canary Islands is called bastardo negro. He adds, "I don't suppose it is discussed widely on British TV wine programmes." We certainly wonder how that has managed to survive the political correctness police!

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The photo, via Canarias 7 (see more images), shows a panorama of La Laguna with a column of smoke coming from the fire that, on January 23rd, 2006, destroyed the Casa Salazar; the Episcopal or Bishop's Palace in La Laguna.

Built in the 17th Century; the Counts del Valle de Salazar commissioned the building in 1664; the the facade was completed in 1681 and, in just five hours the fire put an end to this baroque jewel and 4 centuries of history.

Today, on the fire's second anniversary, there are still many questions over the cause of the fire and, who, ultimately, was responsible. Current estimates are that reconstruction work should be finished by Easter / Holy Week in 2009.

More images: El fuego acaba con cuatro siglos de historia. Comprehensive report: Un incendio destruye completamente en cinco horas la sede del Obispado de Tenerife. Diócesis de San Cristóbal de La Laguna.

Related:
Bishop's Palace destroyed by fire in La Laguna, Tenerife
Two and a half million to restore the Casa Salazar

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No, I'm not talking about faux news or even carbuncles of massive tourism and, it comes (to me) as no surprise that the island of Tenerife generates 2,000 tons of residues (rubbish) each day, because we've been slowly joining the first-world in wasteful consumption levels and, of course, then there's the trash generated by and on behalf of Tenerife's 3.5 million annual foreign visitors.

Amongst other green and sustainable tourism issues, it's reported that, "The island is also working on the need for increased waste management using the principle of the 3 R's and the 3 M's: "Reduction, Recycling and Reutilisation" and "Maintenance (of the Compost Plant), Modernisation (of the Urban Waste Transfer Plants) and Management (of the six Clean Points)."

Some would burn the rubbish, but green groups are dead against that.

(Maybe we should make visitors take their rubbish home with them?)

Anyway, this load of old rubbish is, to my mind, even more insiduous. I've never been a fan of "political correctness", because it opens up all kinds of possibilities to "pretty up" - hide - exactly such cases as this. Press reports these days constantly mention something that now appears to have been renamed the Complejo Medioambiental de Arico (Arico Environmental Complex).

See a photo of the (cough) "Environmental Complex" for yourself.

Soon they'll be calling it a tourist attraction.

It nearly goes without saying that, if we continue to generate this much rubbish (not to mention hot air emissions from politicians), it may become a larger tourist attraction than Mount Teide, but please, lets call it what it is: a landfill site; an eyesore; a smelly, disgusting corporation rubbish tip!

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Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Image UNCThe Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 apocalyptic science-fiction film that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming. The film was strongly criticized by scientists for its premise being physically impossible and "absurd".

Fast forward to 2008 and the news that the UK is to deploy a £16M "armada" of underwater robots from Florida to the Canary Islands to monitor the Gulf Stream for a possible collapse.

It seems to be straight from the film's plot line.

Without the Gulf Stream, the UK would be as cold as Canada

It may seem like fiction to you, if you're shivering in the UK right now, to learn that the Gulf Stream is the main reason why your islands are warmer than they might have been at the same latitude, but that part is true.

The same water, along with trade winds, are also the very reasons that the Canary Islands enjoy cooler, Spring-like, benign temperatures year round, than they might have experienced at this level of latitude too. Or at least they did, though we've certainly seen and felt some big changes in recent years.

And it's not just heating up that the Canary Islands might suffer, if the Gulf Stream were to be weakened, interrupted or diverted.

We were given to understand that the warming sea temperature / changing Gulf Stream is what was responsible for the Tropical Storm / Extratropical Cyclone / Hurricane Delta that already passed through here in 2005. Much suggests that the likelihood of such storms is increasing, so the whole scenario is probably not quite as fictional and "absurd" as the critics would like it be.

Nevertheless, it's unlikely to happen the day after tomorrow. The BBC say:

"A reduced gulf stream would mean that less heat is brought to north-west Europe and therefore harsher winters. However, current climate model predictions are confident that the increase in temperatures resulting from an increase in greenhouse gas emissions is much greater than the potential cooling effect, so a cooling of the UK climate is unlikely this century."

Ocean floor sensors will warn of failing Gulf Stream Via: Climate Ark & DVICE

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The Canarian Government has declared the orange alert in the province of Santa Cruz to be over today, but the islands remain on pre-alert owing to the strong winds. The forecast from the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología (National Meteorological Institute) until 10 a.m. this morning, contemplates 70 kmph winds in the north west of the island of El Hierro. Gusts could reach up to 75 kmph in La Orotava and Vilaflor in Tenerife, until 6 p.m. today.

Meanwhile, the winds that have been whipping round the province, keeping it on alert since Sunday, have caused some material damages in La Laguna, according to this report, originally from the local corporation itself.

They say a greenhouse fell down and a road was momentarily closed in Punta Hidalgo, while firefighters had to deal with a fallen advertising hoarding at Tenerife's Los Rodeos airport. In another incident, a building site fence caused damages to one vehicle. And, "in the Camino de la Cordillera, in Guamasa, a wall and a tree came down, which were retired by a town hall digger, once the firefighters and local police had realized the opportune interventions."

What kind of "opportune interventions?" Was the tree wanted for questioning? Is the wall suspected of a crime? (The size and type of tree were not given!)

Labels: Tenerife Weather, Weather

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Yes, you read that right. The town hall in Santa Cruz in Tenerife is, apparently, making the final preparations to celebrate the 186th Anniversary of the city being declared the capital of the Canary Islands, which in 1822 was one single province.

These festivities, on Sunday, January 27th, will be held in the Plaza de San Francisco, before the monument (see photo) to José Murphy y Meade (1774-1841), who was [obviously] of Irish decent and "Tenerife's most famous early 19th century politician who fought for economic independence of the Canary Islands and for Santa Cruz to be recognized as the capital of the islands." [Source.]

But, never mind that Santa Cruz is not still the capital of the Canary Islands and now only capital of the western province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife since the two were split in two in 1927. I'd be tempted to suggest that there's some Irish logic in here, because surely, this would be the same as me celebrating my 30th wedding anniversary this June, even though I got divorced in 1982? :)

The thought of celebrating the divorce instead crossed my mind too. As it did the folk in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, who celebrated the split last September, which is probably what gave Santa Cruz the, lets be honest, daft idea.

Then Tenerife already has some weird fiestas and even stranger reasons for celebrating them, and as El Dia suggest, "Everyone, without doubt, can celebrate what they estimate to be adequate and convenient."

Celebrations Should Be Fun?

Well, we think so, if you want people to take some interest and, history shouldn't be forgotten. So also forgive me for saying that here's an event I won't be submitting to this list of January Holidays You Don't Want to Miss: The Good, the Bad & the Unbelievable. Well, maybe under the last two categories.

Nothing wrong with honouring Mr Murphy again, but it's some of the other items in the service that bother me. We expect the mayor to speak, the band to play and the historical reference added. There is to be an interpretation of the Himno de Canarias (Canarian Anthem) and another of the Spanish National Anthem (hopefully without the officially scrapped, divisive words.)

That last aside, what kind of person spends their Sunday reading out loud the whole of the document of the "original concession as capital"? I'll tell you who; the mayor's First Lieutenant, Ángel Llanos. This is the same man who made himself (in)famous over his, shall we say, not quite accurate pronouncements about Elton John coming to Tenerife. Well, reading an historical document should make for an increase in accuracy, but I dread to think what they have lined up for the 200th Anniversary: for fun they might read it twice! :)

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Today the air is clearer, though there's cloud in place of yesterday's dust and, according to the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología (National Meteorological Institute), there's a 5% chance of rain in Tenerife today and tomorrow. The temperature has notably dropped too, but before we leave the latest calima behind, here are more images of the increasingly frequent phenomenon.

Jack Montgomery of Real Tenerife Island Drives, writes on his blog that it would have been a sunny day in Puerto de la Cruz, had it not been for "the thickest 'calima' I've seen since moving here four years ago."

Jack shows us a photo of the Parque Taoro above Puerto.

The "old fashioned" lamps, as well as the thick, dust laden air make one think more of the smog in London in the days of Jack the Ripper (no relation).

Three more impressive photos of the calima for you to see at SlyNation. Just look at the size and density of the dust cloud coming off the Sahara in the first, satellite image. It's a wonder these islands haven't disappeared under it. The other two photos show an identical view, both with and without calima.

The comparison makes it easier to see and, is quite dramatic.


Official Weather Information for Tenerife

Also, by accident yesterday, I came across a site with very comprehensive weather information, TuTiempo.net.

Helps if you can read Spanish, but they use official data from the Instituto Nacional de Meteorología (National Meteorological Institute) in Spain and present it in lots of useful ways, including current weather data, last 24 hours, 7-day forecasts, historical weather data, sunrise and sunset times ...

Not only for North and South Tenerife (airports), but there are forecasts for a whole list of areas within Santa Cruz Province such as the resort areas of Adeje or Puerto de la Cruz and, which I've also seen nowhere else, major towns on other islands, such as Santa Cruz de la Palma or San Sebastián de la Gomera.

We offer you more Tenerife weather information here ...

Labels: Tenerife Weather, Weather

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It was quite difficult to capture the feeling on camera really, but the photo above shows not mist nor cloud, which is far more frequent over these mountains, but haze from the Saharan dust or sand in suspension in the air, otherwise known as a calima and one of the most dense I've ever seen.

The south of Britain is basking in what The Times called balmy weather - 13.2C (55.8F) in London - beating the record for the warmest night in January.

The cause, "At this time of year the Sun is far too weak over Britain to raise temperatures this high. Instead, the source is warm air swept up from the Canary Islands on an anticyclone. " You're welcome to our anticyclone!

Yesterday, here everyone was gasping in temperatures akin to those we normally get in summer, coming as such a sudden and brisk change from "two woolly" weather the day before. And when the human body has become used to the constant "benign, spring-like" weather that Tenerife is supposed to have year round, then it just isn't equipped to cope with such sudden changes.

Meanwhile, an alert was declared at the weekend in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the expectation of high winds of up to 100 kmph. 120 kmph winds caused damage on the island of El Hierro, where schools have been closed as a precaution and the island corporation are asking people to stay indoors.

Un vistazo a Santa Cruz de Tenerife blog currently have a satelite image of the calima, which will show you the plumes of dust coming off Africa.

Yet here on the north of the Tenerife, while there was apparently no air movement at all, even with windows open on one side of the house, on the other there was quite a noise of dry leaves dancing around in a circle on the patio.

Now, I don't want to be the harbinger of bad sh.. stuff, but the facts appear thus: that calimas provoke storms, which provoke calimas, which ... adnauseum.

And Santa Cruz Carnaval starts proper next week. And it always rains at some time when Santa Cruz Carnaval is on. Just so you know. :)

More Tenerife calima images

Photo: Pamela Heywood BDV-628142-BDV

Labels: Tenerife Weather, Weather

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Don Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, Count of Lucena, 1st Duke of Tetuan (1809-1867), was Prime Minister of Spain for three separate periods between 1856 and 1866 and fought for Isabela II in the Carlist Wars.

He was of Irish ancestry, a descendant of Calvagh O'Donnell, chieftain of Tyrconnel and, according to Typically Spanish, was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Spain On This Day - January 12

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With the Carnaval season about to begin again this month, Real Tenerife Island Drives' Andrea Montgomery writes about her and Jack's experiences at Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz.

We're standing at the Plaza Charco end of Calle Perdomo. A family walks past and the youngest child looks back, catches my eye and screams. There's a steady trickle of flashes from cameras as people ask if they can take our picture.

Three hours earlier we'd been watching the Barcelona match on TV, still dithering about whether or not we should attend Carnaval's opening party and not having given a moment's thought to a costume. After raiding the 'Halloween and Xmas Panto' box from our former lives in the UK, Jack emerged as a fiendish werewolf and, with the aid of a recently discarded mosquito net, I'm the Corpse Bride.

A sudden hike in volume in the music persuades us to abandon our diorama and join the throngs of furry animals, transvestites, super heroes, ghouls, witches, Smurfs, Cardinals and nuns (to name but a fraction) who've turned the street into an open air rave.

The small beer stands dotted along the centre of Perdomo and around the plaza and harbour area are doing brisk business in JDs and coke and the tapas stall has removed its high stools to make standing room only for the hordes of revellers whose attack of the munchies can only be sated by a Desperate Dan sized montadito or three.

By 3 am the whole of Plaza Charco, the harbour, Calles de Mequinez and Perdomo are dance floors and a circuit of them takes us through different music zones and their respective audiences. In the main plaza, a Latino band is pumping out salsa to couples who sashay and swirl in synchronised rhythm within the confines of their floor space. On Perdomo, Mequinez and Marina, the disco beat provides the background for a Club mix of grime and hip-hop with hot Latino undertones and one or two classic anthems riding the airwaves en route.

The circuit, which would normally take us 2 or 3 minutes to stroll, takes upwards of an hour to negotiate, only moving forward when the crowd permits and stopping at regular intervals to dance or order a drink. At one point we detour to the car park on Parque Marítimo, where we've abandoned the car until the sober hours of Sunday, and stumble across a whole alternative Carnaval.

Every other vehicle has its boot open and is distributing drinks from the small off licence within to throngs of teenagers who surround it. On the roof of an old battered VW van, a devil is standing at decks, lining up the next track in between swigs from a bottle of Soberano Rum. The van is shaking from the impact of the bass beat that pounds out across the car park. Everyone seems to know each other and they're all partying like it's their last chance ever to do so. But it's not, it's just the first night and over the course of the next 7 days, there'll be six more just like this one.

It's 5.30am before we finally arrive home having walked from the Plaza. I drag my weary limbs up the path to begin the tiresome and messy job of removing my theatrical make-up before my head can hit the pillow. By the time I wake up, I won't need the make-up to complete the look tomorrow night.

Click here to read more about Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz


Copyright © 2008 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: Carnaval 2008

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Coming up next on the island's calendar are the fiestas of San Antonio Abad, which I euphemistically refer to as the Fiestas of Animal Poo, as that more accurately reflects what the streets become knee deep with after thousands of farm animals and an increasing number of pets are brought into towns for their annual blessing.

That euphemism is no reflection upon the quality of the entertainment, mind you, as astonishment is probably the emotion you will feel most; at the number of animals, the sheer quantity of what they leave behind, as well as their cuteness, particularly the fact that herds of goats follow routes and round corners in perfect formation like synchronized swimmers.

Arona, on the south of the island, is one of the first to celebrate the fiesta of San Antonio Abad this weekend. On Friday night is a traditional Baile de Magos (Dance in typical costume) from 10 p.m. There are various events on Saturday, but the main ones; the Craft Fair opening at 10 a.m., with mass at 11 a.m. followed by the Romeria and procession of carts, animals, etc., are on Sunday, January 13th.

Likewise, there are Romerías of San Antonio Abad in Los Realejos, held in Tigaiga on a Sunday in the middle of the month (13th). It's then held in San Vicente the following Sunday (20th) and finally at the end of the month (27th) in the historic centre of Realejo Bajo, next to the Hacienda de Los Príncipes.

In Los Silos, the main day of the fiestas of San Antonio Abad is Sunday, January 20th, with their Craft Fair and Livestock Fair, a tradition that dates back to 1748. In addition, I phoned the Town Hall in Buenavista del Norte, who inform me that the big day of the fiesta here is Sunday, January 27th.

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Friday, January 11th, sees the start of the 24th Canary Islands Music Festival, which this year brings concerts to all seven of the Canary Islands, plus the islote (islet) of La Graciosa. You can download the full program (PDF). A list of just the events in Tenerife can be found at the following page. The festival runs until March 1st and there's more information and where to buy tickets here.

24th Canary Islands Music Festival

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The Alternative Music Festival starts in the Canary Islands today. Alternative to what you may well ask, but this report (in Spanish) lists 32 groups and artists in various styles (including; electronic, pop, jazz, blues, rock and chill out). Wade through for names that might mean something to you, or throw caution to the wind and just make your way to these pubs and restaurants in Tenerife; Bulán (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), El Teatro and Changó (Puerto de la Cruz).

As the tourist board say, "Performances take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in pubs and restaurants in Tenerife's capital Santa Cruz and in the northern district of Puerto de la Cruz. Entrance is free."

Alternative Music Festival

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The Christmas season ended in Tenerife (all of Spain and the Canary Islands) - finally - this week, on Monday. January 6th, Epiphany, was El Día de Los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day) and, being a Sunday this year, Monday was a day off in lieu. Schools went back and the winter sales started promptly on Tuesday!

This year, as it was threatening to rain (earlier, 5 meter waves had obliged the authorities to close the road along the front at Garachico) and I wasn't keen on standing, getting wet at the roadside, we gave the Three Kings Parades a miss on Saturday night and "made do" with the traditional Roscón de Reyes (Crown of Kings) desert.

We saw part of Santa Cruz' huge Three Kings extravaganza on the TV news. In La Laguna, the Three Kings arrived at the Tenerife North Airport, Los Rodeos (how do they manage with the one bag hand baggage limit?)

In Santa Cruz, as has become the custom in recent years, their majesties then transfer to the 24,000 seater Heliodoro Rodríguez López football stadium (packed with 20,000 parents and kids) in a helicopter, then, after some ceremony and the collection of all the kids' begging letters, the 700 person strong parade takes to the city's streets. More than 400 people, kids mostly, were participating in the Gran Cabalgata de Reyes de Puerto de la Cruz too and this scenario was to be repeated in every town throughout the islands.

All the local Three Kings Parades here in the north west were televised on Televisión Daute (and watching an infinite number of children pose with the three chaps might be interesting if one of them is yours). It did allow me to see that in Buenavista, all three kings arrive on the back of one flatbed truck.

This is the low budget corner of the island and, I'm not knocking it because they do their best, which is probably enough if you are a small kid and your only interest is getting your present and your toy. From a grown up spectator's or tourist point of view, there's no camels and not much else for you to see.

In Los Silos they seem to have gotten a bit mixed up with that Santa chap and/or a Disney Parade, with Disney characters at the head of the parade.

The only parade locally that follows the "authentic" format of three blokes arriving on real camels and who re-enact a visit to Herod then go to see a baby, is the one we usually go to see in Garachico. Because the town's architecture also adds much to the atmosphere, I will continue to say that this is the best and certainly the best one to come to see from a tourist point of view.

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