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At the risk of sounding like I'm making a cheap joke, nocturnal surfing sounds like it could be related to horizontal jogging and, if you Google the term (at your own risk), I think you'll find that I was not the only person, with my mind in the sewer, to make such connection. :)

The Waves and Stars event, by complete contrast, is an exhibition of surfing (good clean fun in water), done in the after dark hours.

There's also going to be a Greenpeace film about climate change shown, a concert, an exhibition of dancing, fire jugglers and more ...

Saturday, May 17th, from 7.30 p.m.

Playa Martianez, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Exhibición de surf nocturno Waves & Stars

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One of the world's top experts in hurricanes, Cuban-American, Dr. Lixion Ávila, president of the committee on tropical cyclones and tropical meteorology, part of the American Meteorological Society and, longest-tenured senior specialist weather forecaster with the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, has made a "profound" study of the storm, Delta, that hit the Canaries in 2005.

Recently in Madrid for a meeting on subtropical cyclones, organized by the Spanish Meteorological Agency, La Opinión de Tenerife took the opportunity to interview Lixion Ávila (read chapter and verse there, in Spanish.)

The take away is in the headline, in that Ávila says "The Canaries must be prepared for storms like Delta." They happen, sometimes. They aren't a mystery. And, Ávila doesn't put them down to global warming either.

What seems to be at odds with the ability to be prepared (like Boy Scouts) - the article mentions - is the tendency that the local administrations have to "mutism" from the fear that talking openly about it will affect tourism.

Meanwhile, while we're talking about Tenerife weather, yet again, comes the news that the Canaries beat the temperature records in April.

As tourists, that might sound wonderful to you, but in some parts of Tenerife, that early heatwave saw off up to 80% of the potato crops.

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The chimpanzee who went out to a bar, has returned to routine at the zoo, reports Diario Tenerife.

Their report also tells us it was the daughter who spent a couple of hours in a nearby bar on Friday, after escaping from the Oasis del Valle zoological park in La Orotava, in company of her mother.

Adolescent vandals, huh? :)

One of the staff from the park told Spanish news agency, EFE, that the chimp is fine and has returned to normality, commenting that the injuries the two year old suffered, after burning herself on a grill in the bar's kitchen, are minor.

The mother, apparently, took her carer by the hand and presented no problems in being taken home. The daughter probably felt lost and scared without mum and, may have chosen that bar as it's the same colour as the zoo center.

This is the first escape of a similar nature from Oasis del Valle in the more than 20 years it's been open, this employee underlined. Until a couple of years ago, they did have tigers, panthers and other wild animals, but the owners are moving towards making it into a farming school, in which there are mostly domestic animals, although they also keep ostriches, camels and llamas.

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Europeans get drunk 'to have sex', reports Captain Obvious at the BBC, which seems like no news at all!

Of course, that's followed up with the grim pronouncement that "the UK has one of the worst reputations for binge drinking and underage sex." And, we see plenty of them doing it in Tenerife, don't we?

The British do have this reputation, not entirely undeservedly from some things I've seen and heard, from which it is frequently assumed here (though the assumptions are frankly ignorant) that we're all loose / willing.

Therefore, I was most interested to read the results of this study, carried out in 9 European cities, which found that in Liverpool, 30% had drunk alcohol and had sex by the time they were 16 compared with 37% in Palma, Spain.

Pot, kettle, black, huh? (Well, unless that merely means 7% more youngsters in Palma, Spain are honest about it!) Even more interesting to note, though is that Diario Tenerife have chosen to run the same news report, in Spanish.

What neither version does is to give the percentages for all of the cities, but on what is given, it looks like the British are the least offenders of the lot!

Cars multiply in Tenerife

While looking for a suitable image for the above story, I was presented with this other option (right).

So that's how come there are 690 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in the Canary Islands? Or maybe if I say that there are 69 cars per 100 people, you'll get the irony? :)

Actually, sexual innuendo aside, it's a disgusting statistic, when looked at alongside the world average of 164 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants.

The average in Spain is 471 vehicles per thousand inhabitants, on a par with the European average of 472. Tenerife is worse with 720 vehicles per 1,000 people, not far behind the United States' appalling number of 765, though at least we haven't reached Lanzarote's level of 875, where we have to assume that even dogs have their own cars and toddlers drive themselves to nursery.

Of course, we have a large car hire fleet, but that surely is not the only answer, because other tourist destinations must too. The good news is that vehicle registrations have dropped recently on the island. The bad news is that this is usually reported as being a negative thing, related to the economic crisis.

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The crowd goes wild for #2 José María Ponce's BMW M3.

"Liveblogging" the 24th Palma Canaria Norte Rally, only 'coz it comes right past the door and the road was closed to traffic today, so I have no option, but while in previous years the rally took us by surprise, this year I was ready for them!


#14 Escuderia Club ADEA. Driver: Evelio Rodriguez. Copilot: Samuel Martin. Vehicle: Mitsubishi Evo 8


#11 Escuderia Team Sinco Sport. Driver: Roberto Negrin. Copilot: Zebensui Valiente. Vehicle: Mitsubishi Evo 8For a change, I was even up before the "capacity crowd" (of five blokes) had assembled at the bottom of our lane.

They were well prepared for the day with their huge bocadillos for breakfast and, tell me they are rally fans who go to all of these events around the island.

And I was pleased that I was ready in time to see the #1 car, a Citroen Xsara Kit Car, of this year's favorite, Ricardo Avero (La Laguna) flash rapidly past and get the shot above of #2 José María Ponce's BMW M3, because even I know that invoking the name of Ponce in relation to rallies on these islands is the kind of act that draws fans to pay homage (in a way we Anglo-Saxons might think was a bit mushy between straight adult blokes.)

Nevertheless, the names of Gran Canarian brothers, Antonio (Toñi) and José María Ponce, have been synonymous with the sport in the Canaries for many a year now: José Maria having won the Spanish Rally Championship for Drivers with the BMW M3 in 1991, with both achieving many other world class classifications.

At Toñi Ponce Sport, you can buy models of their cars, including a limited edition slot car version of the green BMW M3 pictured above. (Via: Rally Fans Club)

Bit of excitement too when a police helicopter appeared over the mountain pass coming from the direction of Masca and then zig-zagged down the route through the valley in pursuit of one of the cars. We doubt the driver is a known fugitive. Safety perhaps, or the Guardia Civil is moonlighting for a local TV station?

A total of 98 cars will be whizzing past today apparently. We (that is, the dog and I, because she barks at the unfamiliar noise if she's indoors), took a break after the Renault 5 at #34 and not long after, the road was reopened again.

Spectators are gathering again at the roadsides now for part two.

Map of the route of the Palma Canaria Norte Rally

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As today's Palma Canaria Norte Rally is the first major event in the Tenerife Rally season each year, this provides me with a reminder and an ideal opportunity to tell you what else is coming up on the schedule ... all the rest of which are in much more accessible areas for visitors to reach for a fun day out.

At the website of the Federación Interinsular de Automovilismo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you can download a calendar of the season's fixtures (PDF). To save you the trouble, the main rally sport events in Tenerife in 2008 are:

Jun 21/22: Granadilla Rally
Sep 13/14: Adeje Rally
Nov 15/16: Tenerife Rally

Jul 12/13: Arona Hill Climb
Oct 4/5: Tamaimo Hill Climb
Oct 18/19: San Miguel Hill Climb
Dec 6/7: Guía de Isora Hill Climb

Watch this space and our calendar for more details.

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Two chimps, mother and daughter, according to the Civil Guard, escaped from zoological park Oasis del Valle in La Orotava, Tenerife yesterday and one of them spent two hours in the bar Los Rechazos (ironically, the name of the bar translates to The Rejects.)

April 1st has gone, December 28th hasn't arrived yet this year. You just can't make this stuff up!

Sources at the Civil Guard, says the report, said that at 15:30 hours they were alerted by the zoo that two chimps had escaped and added that one of them was found and captured by the agents on the roof of a neighbouring home.

The other chimp entered a bar in the Camino de Los Rechazos (The Rejects Walk), where she caused alarm amongst the 20 or so clients, declared Moisés Álvarez, one of the bar's owners. Álvarez explained that around 2 p.m., a chimp of medium size opened the door to the bar and entered, running towards the kitchen, where she also burnt herself and cut her legs on some shelving she destroyed. Many customers left, but two people had tried to get her under control, but were unable to do so because of the animal's strength.

The bar was left without television too, after the chimp's rampage, but presumably customers will have plenty to talk about in the meantime.

There's just no end to the comments you can make about this:

"Everyone's entitled to a wild time, a few drinks and a laugh, at least once, even chimps and chimps are our nearest relatives, remember."

"With the price of drinks, it's no wonder she wanted to smash the place up."

"I know a couple of girls like that in La Orotava, if they're the same ones ..."

Apart from the obvious jokes like A Chimp walks into a bar... punters will also be asking each other, "Hey, do you remember the day a chimp came in here and vandalized the place?" Bar owners in the tourist areas of the south of the island have probably been having very similar conversations for years already. :)

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While provider of images for Google Earth, Grafcan, are once more being criticized for their lentitude, yesterday, Microsoft launched some important updates to their Live Maps coverage of Tenerife and the Canary Islands.

Now you can see bird's eye views of Santa Cruz and La Laguna in Tenerife.

Playa de Las Americas - Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje were released in March.

territoriosred show a view over the Auditorio de Tenerife, the Castillo Negro and the Torres Gemelas (Twin Towers) in Santa Cruz, this shows you the building site that was / will be the Plaza de España; the project for Santa Cruz' main square that is 4 million euros over budget has been delayed once again.

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Something else for you to do this holiday weekend in Tenerife, is to join the hippies for the Global Marijuana March in the leafy Plaza del Adelantado, in La Laguna on Saturday, May 3rd, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Global Marijuana March (GMM) is an annual rally, held since 1999, at different locations across the planet. It refers to cannabis-related events that occur on the first Saturday in May, or that weekend, or thereabouts. Marches, meetings, rallies, raves, concerts, festivals, info-tables, etc.

237 cities have signed up for the 2008 Global Marijuana March and, the poster for the local gig promises entertainment, including DJ Billy Flux.

Although technically illegal in Spain, possession and consumption in private places is not generally prosecuted.

Supporters are in favour of a change in policies worldwide against drugs.

Or as this anonymous quote outlines, "Las drogas causan paranoia, confusión y una perdida total de contacto con la realidad en los políticos que nunca las han tomado" (Drugs cause paranoia, confusion and the total loss of contact with reality in politicians who have never taken them.)

More information (in Spanish) at http://www.cannarias.com

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May begins with Día del Trabajador (May Day), a national holiday on the 1st and, since that falls on a Thursday, you can be sure that lots of people will also take the Friday off and make it into a long weekend. In anticipation of which, many fiestas and events have been carefully planned to fill up this free time ...

The northern town of Los Realejos is certainly the place to start the month of May in Tenerife this year. First, there's Festival Flypa 08: the town's annual International Paragliding and Free Flying Festival, that runs from May 1st to 4th. But, if jumping off a cliff suspended by a bit of string from an old sock isn't exciting enough for you, there's always the accompanying concert schedule.

Heading the bill on Friday, May 2nd is Cuban originated hip-hop band, Orishas (MySpace), who already provided the official tune for Tenerife's Carnaval, Hip Hop Conga, taking part in the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen and performing live in Santa Cruz Plaza Weyler on Domingo de Piñata back in February of this year. In August 2007, Orishas had been in Tenerife once more, performing outside the Auditorio as part of the fusion music festival, Festival Mumes.

Of course, it's not [only] Tenerife that has made Orishas worldwide famous: that probably owes much to "Represent, Cuba" - Orishas featuring Heather Headley, which is on the soundtrack of 2004 musical, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

Which all goes to make it sorta quaint and extremely surprising (no, really, it's the real deal, not a tribute act) that Orishas should be playing the Polideportivo San Agustin (San Agustin Sports Center) in Los Realejos this coming Friday, May 2nd, for a mere 5 euros (about 4 quid.) Starts at 9 p.m. and includes the Disco Móvil MINGO SHOW, with music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s too. Woooo!

Fiestas de Mayo (May Festivals)

At the same time, Los Realejos, along with Santa Cruz, celebrate Fiestas de Mayo (May Festivals) or Fiestas de la Cruz (Festivals of the Cross). In Santa Cruz these mark the founding of the city in 1494. In Los Realejos on the night of May 3rd is a huge "firework battle" - fought out between two streets in the town, considered one of the biggest fireworks displays in Europe. There are also Fiestas de la Cruz in Güímar.

Fiestas de Mayo in Los Realejos 2008
Fiestas de Mayo 2008 in Santa Cruz

More Events in Tenerife in May

From May 9th to 24th there's the Festival de Música Brasileña (Brazilian Music Festival), Tensamba. Friday, May 9th at the Sala NUEVABASILICA in La Orotava, is the Salsa Open 2008. Also on Friday, May 9th and Saturday, May 10th, there's the Arona Jazz Festival 2008, from 8.30 p.m. in the Plaza de la Iglesia (Church Square), Los Cristianos. And on Saturday, May 10th is the 24th Palma Canaria Norte Rally.

Year	Corpus Christi	Día de las Alfombras
2008	22 May	29 May
2009	11 June	18 June
2010	3 June	10 June
2011	23 June	30 June
2012	7 June	14 June
2013	30 May	6 June
2014	19 June	26 June
2015	4 June	11 June
2016	26 May	2 June
2017	15 June	22 June
2018	31 May	7 June
2019	20 June	27 June
2020	11 June	18 June
2021	3 June	10 June
2022	16 June	23 June

Día de las Alfombras

Corpus Christi this year falls in May and the biggest celebrations are held in La Orotava, where the Día de las Alfombras (Day of the Carpets) - made of sand and flowers in the streets - is held on the 8th day of Corpus Christi, i.e. the following Thurdsay from the date of the religious feast itself. In 2008, the Día de las Alfombras falls on Thursday, May 29th. The calendar provides the dates until 2022, for those who like to plan ahead!

Around 100,000 people crowded into the streets of the town to see the sand and flower carpets in 2006 and, I'm sure the number had increased last year.

La Orotava families, many still with the same surnames since the 15th Century conquest of Tenerife, start making the flower carpets from the early hours of "carpet day." Late morning to early afternoon is the best time to see them working on them and virtually complete.

The central sand carpet made in the square in front of the town hall (pictured) made the Guinness World Record for the Largest Sand Painting; the 859.42 square meter "alfombra" or carpet of sand created in the town of La Orotava in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) in June 2007.

In the early evening the procession walks all over these ephemeral carpets and destroys them, so the "window of opportunity" to see them is very short. Don't miss them, because even if you have no religious interest, as works of art, they are breathtaking.

As well as the big Día de las Alfombras in La Orotava, almost every town and village also partakes in this fiesta and makes carpets, often with salt and flowers, generally on the Sunday either before, or after Corpus Christi.

Día de las Alfombras Corpus Christi 2007

And at the end of the month, on May 30th is the Día de Canarias (Canaries Day), the annual event and local holiday, which celebrates "Canarianess" and remembers the anniversary of the first session of the autonomous Canary Islands Parliament, of May 30th, 1983. Its roughly the equivalent of England's St. George's Day.

Día de Canarias - Canaries Day

More Fiestas in May 2008 in Tenerife | More events on our calendar

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