Rumour, actually, a news item in Diario de Avisos on August 14th (via the Proyecto Siam Park blog) claims that, finally, a date for the inauguration of Siam Park in Tenerife, has been fixed for September 15th.

According to the report, presiding over the ribbon cutting ceremony will be HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (pictured), second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej from Thailand, as well as Loro Parque boss, Wolfgang Kiessling and his son, Christoph Kiessling, director of Siam Park.

(Understand that I'm taking care not to infer that I actually believe it yet.)

Frankly, it is easy to believe that the perpetually "not quite finished" park, subject, it has been joked, of "the longest running mystery since The Mousetrap", or as Joe Cawley says, "vying with Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia for the award of "most overdue completion date" would never open! 

The Tower of Power, tallest water slide and you'll get fit climbing up the 256 steps to get up there.Goodness knows what a real Thai person and royalty at that, is going to make of a  "cardboard stone" pastiche version of her country in Tenerife, but we can't help thinking that it's more than apt, after the longest ever run up to an opening event in the history of, well, theme parks, is that they've managed to get the princess with the longest ever name to do it.

So bear in mind if you were thinking of inviting Her Royal Highness to your after party that you'll need long invitations to print her full name and title, which is "Somdet Phra Theppharat Ratchasuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Ratthasima Khunakon Piyachat Sayam Borommaratchakumari".

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

You may have seen images of the lovely new lake in the Plaza de España in Santa Cruz and you may have noticed that in many of them that there are people paddling.

Well, don't go getting any bright ideas about pausing there to cool your tired feet during an amble around the city, because, according to this report in Canarias7, the police are already fining people for bathing in the Plaza de España.

Municipal police patrols in Santa Cruz have been given express instructions to fine anyone who bathes in the lake, so "the fun of dipping your toes could cost between 60 and 300 euros."

At least, that's how the Canarias7 news report puts it, though I'd rather hope that common sense is applied (mind you, we are talking about Tenerife: it's not a natural association) and that they only really mean to stop people who are heading for the water with their swimming trunks and towel.

For me, it's still a genuine WTF? ... I mean, what did the Tenerife authorities expect? They get a huge water feature built in a busy public space, right in the middle of a city, in a sub-tropical climate and then they expect people NOT to show any traits of human nature? How likely is this going to happen?

Come on, never mind that this delightful water feature is virtually guaranteed (unless it's drained) to become a mucky cesspit of drunken bodies, empty beer bottles and used condoms floating in the drink at carnaval time. :)

1. Plaza de España en Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 2. Plaza de España,Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 3. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 4. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 5. Untitled, 6. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 7. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 8. Plaza de España de Santa Cruz, 9. Lago Plaza España

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

At the beginning of summer The Telegraph newspaper reported on a survey undertaken by Ebookers which showed that the global credit crunch was prompting a lot of Brits to re-think their traditional holiday plans.

Foremost amongst the findings was the statistic that only 27 percent of them planned to take a full fortnight’s holiday with a surprising 20 percent opting instead for short city breaks.

Coupled with earlier reports from leading travel companies that British winter breaks abroad are up by 20 percent, the coming Brit season in Tenerife could prove to be a bumper one for the constantly evolving Santa Cruz.

Over the past five years, developments in Tenerife’s capital city have seen its profile change from that of "utter hideousness" as described by Florence Du Kane in 1911, to a vibrant 21^st century metropolis which offers beauty, sophistication and culture in its architecture, plazas and attractions.

The city enjoys an ambient all year temperature of 22 degrees along with near constant sunshine in which to wander its historic streets where once, Nelson’s defeated soldiers were marched back to their fleet and their now armless (ouch… on 2 fronts) leader.

The tram system offers easy and economic access to its architectural, botanical and cultural treasures while in the continually developing Noria district, excellent restaurants and cool, stylish bars are springing up at breakneck speed.

The recently refurbished Plaza España adds another eye catching feature to the iconic Auditorium on the city’s portside where some of the world’s largest liners are planning to dock this winter.

All this only a four hour flight away from a cold wet and windy UK will have you humming the 2003 Thrills single “Santa Cruz You’re Not That Far” all the way to the sunshine.

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: Real Tenerife Island Drives

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

Well, if last week was relatively quiet, that was only because this week is absolutely stuffed with parties and fiestas of one kind or another - so much so that anyone not on drugs might have trouble keeping up (I imagine)! :)

Hed Kandi in Tenerife

The week started with a party at Tramps, Playa de las Américas, on Monday, as the FlyKandi flying disco (the Hed Kandi / Monarch Airlines collaboration), made another stop in Tenerife. If you missed this date, it'll be back on the island on September 1st. Hed Kandi in Tenerife

Hed Kandi - the Mix Summer 2008

'Macrofiesta' in the Auditorio

If "ordinary" fiestas aren't big enough for you, then try a macrofiesta and the one on Wednesday, August 13th at the Auditorio de Tenerife in Santa Cruz promises to be a pretty large and legendary event, organized by a Cuban rum brand, with dozens of djs, go-gos, guest artists and "rivers of booze", we are told. The event is invitation only, sadly, if you fancied going, but this article poses the question as to whether the Auditorio - who are a tad fussy about how their image is used - ought to be hired out for this type of thing.

Innovation In The Sun The Tenerife Reunion

Devotion welcome you to come and join them for the 3rd Anniversary of the INNOVATION, Summer in the Sun, TENERIFE REUNION at the explanada del muelle (port), in Puerto de la Cruz on Thursday, August 14th.

There's 4 stages and more than 40 artists and, amongst those named in the commercial, I heard Altern-8.

They say, "After the success of the last two years, we have decided to bring the party to another level and we have secured a special outdoor location, which has to be seen to be believed in the beautiful city of Puerto de la Cruz . The outdoor stage will host the best in Old Skool rave with Drum n Bass being played in the main marquee. We also have an additional two marquees where the best in Hip Hop, House Music and UK Garage will be spun by some of the best DJ's in the World! The main event starts at 9 pm."

Actually, it all starts at mid-day with all sorts of other activities for all the family; dj workshops, dance school, diving, sport, hairdressing, tattoos and piercing and creative cooking. The best news: entrance is free.

Via: DJ Melo and Scratch Events.

Festivity of the Virgin of Candelaria

August 15th, is the fiesta in honour of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the patron of the Canary Islands and on August 14th each year, which this year will fall on Thursday, thousands of visitors from all over the archipelago, walk to Candelaria as a form of pilgrimage.

The cult of the Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candelaria, popularly called La Morenita (Black Madonna), celebrates an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife. According to legend, a statue of the Virgin Mary was discovered on the beach of Chimisay (Güímar) by two Guanche goatherds in 1392. The current figure of the Virgin (not the original, which was reputedly swept out to sea) is kept in the basilica at Candelaria, Tenerife.

As in previous years, floral offerings are made and then the romería (traditional procession) gets going at around 4 p.m. from Punta Larga, proceeding to the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias, where a little after 8 p.m. is a reenactment of the Guanches discovering the statue.

Processions and fireworks follow, with a midnight mass (the church will be open all night) and folk music in the square.

Romería of San Roque

There's really nothing quite like a plague to provoke an excuse for a party, is there? Garachico suffered one back in 1606 and the town's remaining inhabitants have been showing their gratitude to the saint, San Roque, who apparently sorted it, ever since.

The Romería de San Roque in Garachico, has been declared an event of National Interest for Tourism and is held on August 16th each year (irrespective of the day of the week), which, conveniently for keen revelers, this year falls on Saturday.

The figure of the saint is taken from it's home in the San Roque hermitage to the main church of Santa Ana, where a religious service is held at mid-day.

At 1 p.m., the romería begins that accompanies the image back to the hermitage, with music, dancing, herds of goats and other animals, ox carts, lots of food and even more rivers of wine.

At the same time, fishermen have a maritime procession, accompanying the image along the sea front. Some 16,000 people attended the Romería in Garachico last year, according to this report, which would probably explain why there was nowhere to park in the town (the population of the whole district is just over 5,500 normally.) Get there early, or better yet, go by bus.

Read what last year's Fiesta Romería de San Roque, Garachico was like.

More events, exhibitions and what's on, in our calendar.

Labels: What's On?

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

In the early hours of this morning, fire destroyed a house, declared in 2005 as being of cultural interest in Tenerife, the so named Casa Amarilla (for the colour of its walls, amarilla means yellow) in the district of San Fernando in Puerto de la Cruz.

Whilst the cause of the fire is, as yet, still unknown, a neighbour reported hearing a noise and seeing light, thought to have been from a lantern, at around 6 a.m., in what was the ruined, uninhabited property. The alarm was raised when the building began to burn at 6.30 a.m.

The house, declared a historical site, was built in the early part of the 20th Century and, between 1913 and 1920, housed the first primatology centre in the world. Its director was world-famous German psychologist, Wolfgang Köhler. He remained there for six years, during which time, he wrote a book on problem solving titled The Mentality of Apes (1917).

Only in July, a last ditch attempt was made to save the building, when the Faculty of Psychology at the University of La Laguna (with the backing of others, including the Wolfgang Köhler Association), had presented a project to the Tenerife Island Corporation and the town hall in Puerto de la Cruz, to restore the house and develop it as an unique tourist attraction.

More (in Spanish) Arde la 'Casa Amarilla' del barrio de San Fernando en Puerto de La Cruz (Tenerife)

Photo: n1r4 All rights reserved

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

The video above  is just a taste (if you don't have 90 odd minutes to spare), but if you do, below are links to all 11 videos (of around 9 minutes each) that make up the whole of the Via Crucis 2008 (Stations of the Cross or Way of the Cross), the depiction of the final hours (or Passion) of Jesus that is performed in Adeje in Tenerife every Easter on Good Friday.

Yer average holidaymaker, lazing about on the Costa Adeje or in Playa de las Américas will be completely oblivious to this wonderful piece of street theatre - which it can be appreciated for, whatever your religious convictions (if any) - going on at around mid-day, just a short bus or taxi ride away.

If you're thinking of coming to Tenerife for your Easter holidays (in 2009, Good Friday falls on April 10th), this event is well worth bearing in mind.

Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (1 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (2 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (3 de 11)
Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (4 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (5 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (6 de 11)
Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (7 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (8 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (9 de 11)
Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (10 de 11)	Via Crucis de Adeje 2008 (11 de 11)

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

In the constant quest to provide all you need to get the most out of Tenerife, we're teaming up with Isango! to bring you a range of holiday tours, sightseeing, attractions, activities and some of the best things to do in Tenerife, all of which you can book in advance online.

Apart from knowing what you're getting and being able to set and stick to a budget (so important these days), Isango! offer a low price guarantee that should beat the resort price.

Here's a quick look at what they offer in Tenerife: 

Getting out to see some of the islands' true nature

The Tenerife Island Tour is a strange choice of name for an excursion to the neighbouring island of La Gomera, but that is what the itinerary explains, with views "overlooking the pine valleys and bluebells of the Garajonay National Park. There is also time to spend in the capital, San Sebastian, where Columbus set sail on his 1492 voyage of discovery."

But never mind the naming mystery, a trip to La Gomera is well worth it.

The Tenerife Sightseeing Tour actually is of Tenerife and takes you to the emblematic drago tree at Icod de Los Vinos, the amazing Los Gigantes cliffs, to Candelaria for its Basillica, housing the Icon of the Black Virgin, Patron of the Canary Islands and Pueblo Chico. A lovely "taster" of the island and Pueblo Chico's delightful models will give you ideas for where else to visit. My recommendation: book this for early in your holiday.

You can't visit the island without making a Trip to Mount Teide in Tenerife. For those who haven't, the scenery really is as breathtakingly WOW as they say it is and, you really do think you may have landed on another planet. Tour includes cable car (weather permitting), which makes it good value at the price they list.

Having lived between Garachico, my favourite town on the island and Masca, the cutest little village, for almost a decade, naturally, I'm biased. The Anaga mountains at the other end of the island offers a similar, yet entirely different experience, if you'll pardon the Irish logic. And none will disappoint.

1. Trip to Mount Teide, Garachico and Masca Village
2. Excursion to Taganana in Tenerife

Where to buy souvenirs cheaper Than ASDA?

Choose between the Santa Cruz Market and Candelaria Tour, combining shopping in the wonderful market in Tenerife's capital with some sightseeing in Candelaria, or real hardcore shopaholics can have the whole Santa Cruz Shopping Excursion experience and take in shops and have free time to wander too.

The most obvious of the attractions, is the Loro Parque Wildlife Tour, where you can see whales, dolphins (better show than Florida, in my humble opinion) or choose from:

1. Park Las Aguilas Wildlife Tour
2. Trip to Aqualand, Tenerife

If you prefer the sea to pools, try:

1. Catamaran Cruise along Tenerife Coast
2. Tenerife Submarine Safari

Nights or Knights Out in Tenerife

1. Medieval Knight Show at San Miguel Castle
2. La Hacienda Night Show
3. Tenerife Palace Night Show
4. Dance Show at Pyramids of Arona in Tenerife

The obvious benefit of booking evening excursions, which include transport, is that you can safely have a holiday sherbet or two. I have been on the Medieval Knight Show at San Miguel Castle and, well, maybe it does have pretty questionable relevance to Tenerife, but it's still a bit of fun.

Romantic Arona and Rocks of Garcia Night Tour

The tour I'd most like to have someone buy me for my next birthday is this, the Arona and Rocks of Garcia Night Tour.

For once, the description, "travel to the viewpoint of El Retamar and enjoy a glass of champagne whilst watching the sun set into the deep blue waters of the Atlantic", is understating the issue.

El Retamar sits at 2,100 meters above sea level and, to get there, you pass through Arona, La Escalona and Vilaflor (Tenerife's highest village). The Roque Cinchado and Roques de García  (video) are in the Cañadas Del Teide national park. By day, it's like landing on the moon: at night, a whole shopping list of spectacular superlatives just doesn't cover it.

See for yourself with these images: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

You just couldn't do this trip independently and have transport, dinner and the services of "a knowledgeable astronomer", at any price.

This experience is the stuff that "unforgettable memories" are made of.

Book your Arona and Rocks of Garcia Night Tour here ...

Labels: What's On?

| Permalink | (2) Comments | Post a Comment

For the curiosity value, I wanted to show you this photo (one of several) of the Centro Insular de Atletismo de Tenerife (CIAT) (Tenerife Island Athletics Center), where, on July 26/27 the Campeonato de España de Atletismo (Spanish Athletics Championship) was held. This 4,000 capacity sports stadium is also  where Gloria Estefan will be performing when she gives a concert in Tenerife next month, but I hope none of her fans have cars, because, according to this report, the number of car parking spaces it has is not more than 190.

It's pretty normal practice in Tenerife to omit little details like this. :)

¿Dónde están los aparcamientos del centro insular de atletismo de Tíncer?

Labels: Gloria Estefan in Tenerife

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

Most places, this could be seen as a problem, but I love this photo and the implications. In the city of La Laguna in Tenerife, a Canary Pine is growing in the wall of an old building.

So, they name it the Cafetería Pino (Pine Cafe) and let the tree get on with the business of growing.

... and becoming a wonderful, novel, "green" tourist attraction.

In it's natural habitat, the Canary Pine tree grows on some pretty steep terrain, so I guess it makes little difference to the tree, whether it lives on a cafe wall or up in the La Esperanza forest. All I can't, as yet, tell you, is what street it's on, but I have a feeling someone will know and tell us.

Photo: locodesmara via the Secret Tenerife (Pool) All rights reserved.

| Permalink | (1) Comments | Post a Comment

Just in case you missed it too, there was a tuning car show at Playa San Juan on the south of Tenerife last Saturday, August 2nd.

Tuning, as we've had defined before is, "the contemporary art consisting in acquiring any type of motor vehicle and converting it into a species of totally afuncional and ridiculous intergalactic spaceship.".

Tuning is quite popular on the island, as a quick search of Google for Tuning Tenerife will reveal and, the long list of similar events listed at Watiotenerife.com will confirm.

But afuncional and ridiculous they may be, some of these intergalactic spaceships are pretty, as you can see by perusing this set of photos.

| Permalink | (0) Comments | Post a Comment

Add your Tenerife images