Secret Tenerife

Turr�n - Spanish Almond Candy

2009-11-27T16:42:00.002Z

For those of us, unlike my dear friends, who have Al Campo La Villa supermarket up the road and aisles upon aisles of sweet temptations laid out to make you drool, here are some alternative methods to enable you to enjoy these delightful Spanish Christmas treats.

There is no more typical Christmas sweet in Spain than turrón. The recipe for turrón should never contain less than 10% of honey or 64% of almonds. As Lisa & Tony Sierra explain, "There are two traditional basic types of turrón. Soft Jijona or turrón blando, which is so smooth it has the consistency of peanut butter and hard Alicante or turrón duro, which is like a thick almond nougat candy, similar to peanut brittle." My preference is for the Jijona.

Turrón de Jijona

Ingredients for 4 tablets:

400 grams of honey (azahar - orange blossom honey is traditional)
200 grams of sugar
1 egg white
700 grams of almonds, peeled and toasted
the grated rind of half a lemon

Method:

Grind the almonds without letting them become completely pulverized. Pour the honey and the sugar into a saucepan and put it to heat over a low flame, stirring with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens. Remove the mixture from the heat.

Beat the egg white and add it to the honey and sugar mixture. Mix well without pausing for 10-15 minutes then place the mixture back on a low heat until the mixture begins to caramelise and take on a deeper colour.

Add the almonds and the grated lemon rind to the mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Line molds with grease proof kitchen paper, pour the mixture into the molds so that the turrón is around 2 - 3 cms thick. Leave for 3 - 4 hours to set to the right consistency, then turn out and store in Tupperware boxes in a cool, dry place.

Translated from this recipe. Another version of the recipe, although in Spanish, shows the method step-by-step in photos, which you can see here.

The other option is to order your Christmas delights via La Tienda.

Although, admittedly, once you've added the postage and packing, this is far from an inexpensive alternative, Christmas does only come once a year and we reckon you're allowed to treat yourself at least that often!

La Tienda offer several types of Turrón Candy as well as other seasonal delicacies. The Turron Gift Sampler by '1880' contains 3 varieties of Turrón: de Jijona (almond and orange blossom honey), Alicante (almond brittle) and Yema Tostada (almonds blended with egg yolks and honey).

A Sweet Christmas Tale of Turrón | Turrón - Spanish Almond Candy

See a Carnaval Queen in the Making

2009-11-26T19:33:00.001Z

Looking for something to do this Friday night? Can't wait until February for your Carnaval fix? Well, you're in luck ...

On Friday, November 27th, the Discoteca Tángara (see map Carretera Hoya Fría 7,
38108 Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain (in the El Mayorazgo Trading Estate) (+34) 922 882 247) will be presenting their candidate to take part in the Gala for the Selection of the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz in 2010.

There will be other performances during the evening, including music, belly dancing, Carnaval Comparsas (dance troops) and from the murga group, Ni Pico Ni Corto - plus other "surprises".

Starts at 11 p.m. Via: Blog Tenerife

Whitney Houston in Tenerife?

2009-11-26T17:48:00.001Z

According to the artist's own website and to various other reports around the local media, sites, forums and blogs, following in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Elton John and Rod Stewart, American singer, Whitney Houston is to play at the Campo de Golf Costa Adeje during her global "I Look To You" tour in 2010.

The date given is April 30th, 2010.

But this is Tenerife ... Regular readers will remember that when sources on the island were first touting the Elton John concert, enquiries with the artist's own people revealed that he had no knowledge of the event.

Nevertheless, the concert did, eventually, go ahead.

In this case, since the source of the information is Houston's own site, is it safe to assume that the information is correct? You'd imagine so, wouldn't you?

Except that, in true Tenerife fashion, there is yet another report in today's Diario de Avisos, saying that management at the Costa Adeje Golf course have told that paper they have "no official knowledge" of the concert. The club's director says that they were approached about the possibility a few weeks ago, but that was as far as matters were taken.

We suggest not holding your breath and watching this space!

Tenerife's Public Holidays in 2010

2009-11-20T17:17:00.001Z

The Spanish government has today published the labour calendar for 2010, which in the Canaries will include the following 10 public holidays:

1 January - New Year (Año Nuevo)
6 January - Epiphany / Three Kings Day (Epifanía)
1 April - Easter Thursday (Jueves Santo)
2 April - Good Friday (Viernes Santo)
1 May - Labour Day (Fiesta del Trabajo)
12 October - National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España)
1 November - All Saints (Todos los Santos)
6 December - Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución)
8 December - Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción)
25 December - Christmas Day (Natividad del Señor).

In addition to these there are another two Canarian specific holidays (May 30th, for Día de Canarias (Canaries Day) and 15 August, Asunción de la Virgen (Assumption of Mary), other holidays specific to each island, which in Tenerife is: 2 February, Virgen de la Candelaria (Candlemas) and then a couple more that are specific to each municipal council area (for instance, Santa Cruz always declares Carnival Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday) as a holiday in the city - in 2010, Carnaval Tuesday falls on February 16th. More Carnaval dates here.)

Although, in Spain, there is a legal right to the days off on public holidays (there's no such right in Britain), if you work in the tourist sector, it's pretty unlikely you will! If you have business to do in Town Halls, banks, etc., they'll be shut on these days. If you're visiting, don't worry tourist provisions carry on as normal.

Via: GomeraVerde

Isla de Tenerife Rally and Rally co-drivers course

2009-11-06T16:16:00.002Z

An item at El Cañizo caught my eye for some reason today, informing us that the Town Hall in Güímar are collaborating in the 3rd edition of the Curso de Copilotos de Rallyes (Rally Co-drivers Course) next February.

Gosh, imagine the authorities anywhere else subsidising something so fun!

Of course, if you're just visiting Tenerife, you're probably having enough trouble driving on the right side of the winding mountain roads at normal road speeds, so maybe not too many of you would be seriously interested in the course.

But before you imagine that a language barrier might be your largest obstacle to participation, it would be better to watch the video above to help decide whether you'd be likely to be able to keep your eyes open whilst speeding along those roads. I know I used to have trouble - and that was when I was driving!

Any of you who already have any experience of the rallies in Tenerife - even if only as a spectator - will be relieved to know that there is some training.

This makes me feel 100% safer, given the general lack of marshalling!

Tenerife rallies are really well worth the day out - if only to remind yourself what the world was like before those evil twins, Health and Safety, took over.

Tenerife Island Rallies in November

The above article also reminded me that the 35th Rally Isla de Tenerife 2009 is coming up next weekend, on Friday, November 13th and Saturday, November 14th, starting in Santa Cruz. (Download route maps PDF.)

Later, on the weekend of the 27th and 28th of November is the 3rd edition of the Rallye Isla Tenerife Histórico (Historical Tenerife Island Rally), at which, presumably, one will be able to see classic and retro cars, such as this Fiat 131 Abarth of the Retro Cars Club.

The cars leave from the Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz, at 8.30 p.m. on the Friday. The second stage leaves at 9.30 a.m. on the Saturday and, after a short stop in Vilaflor at around 2.30 p.m., terminates in Güimar around 5 p.m.

Via: Federación Interinsular de Automovilismo de Tenerife

Video: Victor Delgado_Isla de Tenerife 2008 from DXT Producciones SL on Vimeo.

Sex at burger prices because of the crisis

2009-11-02T15:46:00.001Z

Well, actually, the headline translated to "Sex at bargain prices because of the crisis", but who could resist, eh? (Sorry, you'll have to travel to Peru to try this pleasure in a bun.)

Last year it was reported that the word "crisis" overtook the word "sex" in internet searches for the first time, so it's clear priorities have shifted.

A recent report (via Gomeraverde) tells the tale of Mili, a prostitute in the south of Tenerife, who, before the crisis, worked 3 hours per day to obtain an average monthly income of around 3,000 euros. Now, she says, she works as many as 12 hours per day, but doesn't manage to earn over 800 euros per month.

It's reported that, because of a decrease in clients, many of the girls have been obliged to drop the prices of their services to attract "more careful" (read poorer / meaner) customers, or to accept clients they would normally refuse, advertising services at "anti-crisis prices" starting as low as 20 euros.

Meanwhile, sex shops aren't reporting any drop in trade, saying that while people are spending less on going out, they are spending more time at home (presumably, playing with their "toys") and sexologists are reporting a boom, as couples realize that it's cheaper to seek counselling than it is to separate.

In other reports, the consumption of cannabis, alcohol and tobacco are all down amongst the population of the Canary Islands, while the market for cocaine has apparently "stabilized." (This, it seems to suggest, is as much due to a drop in disposable income as that it's become so ordinary, the novelty has worn off.)

Licence to Mount Teide

2009-11-02T14:23:00.001Z

Frankly, we're not sure if this is some sort of kinky "mountain husbandry" job or a permit to ride a racehorse called Teide, but the (purportedly) English version on this notice says:

"It is necessary to bring, an Applicant's photocopy of ID card or passport to obtain a licence to Mount Teide."

OK, it's fairly clear (as mud, maybe?) that what they think they mean is that you have to take a copy of your ID to obtain a permit to climb the mountain, Mount Teide. Or, at least, you need this permit if you wish to pass the armed guards at the top of the cable car, in order to climb the last 400 meters or so.

And you have to go to Santa Cruz to get this (or by post, email or fax, with a week's notice), clearly dealing with people who have no idea that Google's (or whatever automated tool was used) translation is left sadly lacking.

That seems to preclude English speakers from obtaining one - heaven forbid that someone not speaking Spanish should want to visit - unless they're just damn lucky they got the whole application process right: a lottery.

It really does seem absurd to have to jump through this many hoops in order to visit a "tourist attraction". On the other hand, the process does deter and keep the riff-raff off the part of this natural wonder that would suffer most, so maybe it's not such a bad thing.

We should point out that this permit is not required if all you want to do is the "averagely touristy" thing: to go up the mountain as far as the cable car goes - for that you'll only have to suffer the several hour wait at the bottom.

Please note that when I say "averagely touristy", I certainly don't mean that in a derogatory sense, just that it is available to any passing visitor. The trip is still a life-altering, breathtaking, amazing experience that I've done and thoroughly recommend. Have a taste via this 360 degree panorama taken from the upper cable-car station, or experience the ascent via the video below.

If you're energetic and want to learn about climbing Teide on foot, then read Andrea Montgomery's account here and this page will give you details of where you need to go to, should you actually want to obtain a "licence to Mount Teide."

Notwithstanding the absurdities of Tenerife bureaucracy, this is, or course, yet another absolutely bloody typical example of the utterly laughable standard of "official" translations on the island. They are perfectly amusing to those of us who can work out what is really meant. Even if, alright maybe especially if, you know anything about Tenerife bureaucracy, you might still wonder if this is a licence to take photos of the mountain or a permit to take it away, but to a passing tourist, these linguistic cock-ups lead to frustration or even dangerous ambiguities.

What do you think: are these translations amusing entertainment, or are they harmful to the island's image in the 21st Century and to tourists' well-being?

Speaking of absurdities, if you're a big fan of Tenerife's 3,718 meter volcano and you have a few grey hairs you'd like to disguise, then with the aid of Naturtint, you too can now turn your locks a shade called Teide Brown. No, really. We can see where they got their influences, but I guess "potato field on Teide's slopes brown" was nowhere near as exotic sounding!

From: e n t o r n o s a n t a c r u z via: the ever informative, Canarias Bruta

Tenerife Drugs Traffic: The yoof of yesteryear ...

2009-10-20T16:20:00.001+01:00

A recent story in the local online press reports that a 92 year old woman, who was en route to Tenerife, was arrested at Madrid-Barajas Airport with 4.3 kilos of cocaine concealed about her person in various packages. The attitude of the wheelchair-bound nonagenarian passenger raised suspicion with the Guardia Civil, who carried out an inspection finding the drug. Her travelling companion, a 44 year old woman of Uruguayan nationality, tried to make "a crazy escape" from the airport, but was also detained.

Typically Spanglish

2009-10-06T12:47:00.001+01:00

A new website highlights the best examples of Spanglish.

Apologies to readers who don't understand Spanish (or Spanglish, for that matter), but I reckon you'll probably pick up the gist.

Whilst getting stuff lost in tranalation is certainly a common thing in the Canaries, as I've said before, the use of "Spanglish" is not as common as it is in North America. But I was also convinced that Spanish speakers thought it was cool or less embarrassing to infer "blame" on the British or Americans by using English words for things. This video, "Vaya semanita-MEJOR EN INGLÉS" (Better in English), which offers up the theory that there is no need to change things you dislike, just name them in English, seems to bear out the theory. :-)

Via: Typically Spanish

Pitingo in concert tonight in La Laguna

2009-09-18T11:47:00.002+01:00

With a magnificent and uplifting fusion of flamenco, soul and gospel music, Spanish singer, Antonio Álvarez Vélez, better known as Pitingo, is to perform tonight in the city of La Laguna as part of the Fiestas del Cristo 2009.

The concert is FREE and starts at 9.30 p.m. in the Plaza del Cristo.

[Hat tip to: Absolut Tenerife]

Labour Day, D�a del Trabajador, or just Mayday?

2009-05-01T23:28:00.000+01:00

Today, May 1st is a national Public Holiday in Spain and this weekend is a puente (bridge), or long weekend for people to escape and do something enjoyable. That is, unless you're one of the majority unemployed, when really, Worker's Day (celebrated by not working), doesn't seem much different to any other day.

Día del Trabajador (May Day), like most Bank Holiday weekends (anywhere), means roads come to a chaotic standstill as everyone tries to escape elsewhere and return later, while road deaths - through excess speed - increase in inverse proportion. It's an illogical conundrum, for which I have no explanation.

Had we been able to tell you earlier, you could have gone along and protested in Santa Cruz at mid-day about the terrible conditions in your job (if you have one), or the lack of one (if you don't). The aim was to "publicly denounce the systematic loss of rights that workers suffer, with the excuse of the current economic crisis." They do.

Interestingly, it is reported that Spanish PM, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is putting off the execution of measures against the crisis in the Canary Islands, until June. Funny that, when something goes wrong on the islands, it's Central Government's job to provide the funds and the wherewithal to fix it. At all other times, Central Government is accused of meddling and not leaving the regions to govern themselves. An idiom involving cake and eat it, comes to mind.

Gran Canaria Wins First Suspected Flu Case

The Pios of Las Palmas [Gran Canaria] couldn't manage to beat Tenerife in the local derby last week, but they just had to get one back and win this weekend ...

... with the first suspected case of the gripe porcina (swine flu) in the Canaries. The sniffler is a 28 year old male who had travelled to Mexico recently and who's state of health is described as "satisfactory."

Of course, the virus can't be called gripe porcina (swine flu) now, presumably because the WHO considered it politically incorrect and racist against pigs. Should we change it and follow historical convention, such as was used for the 1918 Spanish Flu or 1969 Hong Kong Flu outbreaks, then?

Clearly something needed doing, because it wasn't just the media in English that was getting a bit carried away with panic mongering. Some Canarian and Spanish sources had begun calling it "peste porcina", which translates to porky pestilence or plague, like it's 1350, with bodies in streets and crosses on doorways.

But who in their right mind, will go round telling their friends, "Sorry, I can't come to the pub tonight, 'coz I have a nasty case of influenza A(H1N1)?"

Ain't. Gonna. Happen.

But top marks to ABC in Las Palmas, for coming up with a useable alternative:

They've called it "nueva gripe", which translates to new flu. I suggest that in English, we should spell this nu-flu, which sounds more funky, 2009.

A Wiltshire Chimney Lining company should get a bonus boost in trade!

Masking the symptoms: While we're on naming conventions and boosts in trade, you may like to know that the co-operative that the supplies farmacias (chemists) in Tenerife is called Cofarte (remembering that the final letter "e" is never pronounced by English speakers) and they're reporting an "exaggerated and unjustified" increase in the demand for surgical masks.

The worry was that front-line medical staff would be left without and, the head of the College of Pharmacists is calling for calm amongst the island population.

The same article states that it has been prohibited, since last Monday, to distribute the anti-viral drug, Tamiflu, to chemists in Tenerife. This is to prevent indiscriminate use that might cause people to become resistant to the drug, which in turn would prevent it being effective later.

Mayday: Humm ... I just can't imagine there being any anti-social, isolated, uncontagious things to do in Tenerife this weekend. Oh, maybe walking alone in the mountains, but otherwise the Tenerife culture just doesn't do anti-social.

The biggest events on the island this weekend are the International Paragliding Festival, FLYPA 2009 and the Fiestas de Mayo / Fiestas de la Cruz (May Fiestas or Fiestas of the Cross.) See decorated crosses in Güímar and Puerto de la Cruz and catch the 3 hour firework battle in Los Realejos on May 3rd.

Tenerife's Village of the Damned

2009-04-28T13:15:00.000+01:00

The corridor stretches interminably before me punctuated by open doorways, some of which are portals to small empty rooms while others lead to corridors which matrix into hundreds more rooms and yet more corridors. The walls are graffiti’d stone with naked wires protruding at intervals along their length and beneath my feet cement dust and rubble cover small beige tiles. In places the plaster has fallen from the ceiling revealing hollow space beneath the roof. Through the glassless windows the sun’s blinding glare bounces around the dry scrubland rippling the air on the horizon above the ocean.

The echo of my footsteps is joined by the incessant cry of the wind which is following my every move, darting through open windows and rushing down corridors. At each new doorway I stop and peer inside at rusting bed frames and discarded Coke tins. Most of the cells are small squares with a tiled bathroom in one corner where fittings have been roughly torn from the wall leaving patches of exposed plaster in the tiling.

Feeling like a character in a Sergio Leone movie or on a level of Silent Hill, each new doorway holds the threat that I might stumble across a squatter, an itinerant or the ghost of one of the inmates this village was built to house. I’m peering into the gloom of a particularly dark room when there’s an explosion of noise directly behind me which sends my heart crashing into my ribcage and my head and neck sinking into my shoulders . My hair follicles register movement as the panic stricken wings of a pigeon flap the air centimetres from my head. I must have spooked it as it dozed in one of the gaps in the wall. The pigeon takes an erratic flight path beneath the low ceiling before veering through a window frame to the right and into the glare.

A couple of weeks ago Jack stumbled across an article about a ghost town on Tenerife’s Arico coast beside the TF1 motorway; an entire abandoned village which was constructed to house lepers. Despite frequent trips to the south of the island and an afternoon searching that exact area looking for the ‘Happy Donkeys’ (that’s another story) we’d never spotted anything that could remotely fit the bill of what the article was describing. So on Thursday, on our way back from a meeting in the south of the island, we decided to seek the ghost village out.

Leaving the TF1 and driving down to the beaches of Abades the outline of the empty church with its huge stone cross and 30 or so deserted buildings shone out from the headland like a beacon. How on earth we had managed not to see the village before now is baffling. I can only think that as Abades looks newly built we must have taken the empty buildings for just a half completed project, which in essence it is; only this one’s over 60 years old.

The village was originally conceived at the end of the Spanish Civil War when leprosy was rife, Tenerife alone having 197 known cases. The policy at that time was to house sufferers in isolation in a climate that was considered beneficial to health; hence the choice of the arid, sunny and breezy east coast of Tenerife, miles away from any large population centres. Under Franco’s command plans to build a vast leper sanatorium and place it under control of the military were put into place.

Designs were drawn up by José Enrique Marrero Regalado, a local architect from Granadilla de Abona whose works include the African Market in Santa Cruz and the Basilica in Candelaria.

Work was suspended in the 1940s when the use of Dapsone in the treatment of leprosy provided a breakthrough in halting progress of the disease and it was determined that sufferers responded better to treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

Building work stopped and the site was abandoned.

In 2002 an Italian developer bid for the site from Arico ayuntamiento and work began to create a huge tourist complex with a golf course and 3,000 beds. But in 2003 the Ley de Moratoria Turística (building moratorium) was passed which severely restricted the size and type of tourism developments permitted within open countryside in order to protect the environment.

So once again plans were thwarted and the village remained as it is today; a ghost village just metres from the island’s main motorway and yet strangely invisible – just as its original inhabitants were intended to be.

There are many fascinating parts of Tenerife waiting to be discovered by those who chose to leave the standard tourist trail and explore the Real Tenerife.

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.

Second-hand bus, one careful owner

2009-04-27T23:53:00.001+01:00

Times is hard, very hard. While searching for something at the TITSA (Transportes interurbanos de Tenerife, the only public bus company in Tenerife) website, I couldn't help noticing an animated advert in the sidebar for "Sale of used vehicles."

It was well known that TITSA's finances were not in the best of health, which is why they were taken over by the Island Corporation in 2007, but one has to imagine that things have gotten worse. Well, it's either that, or they have lots of new buses to take their place, but that doesn't quite fit in with crisis.

They really do provide a brilliant service. Tenerife natives don't appreciate this, but TITSA services are MUCH more frequent, clean, friendly, on-time and very, very cheap compared to British buses. Use them: keep them afloat, 'coz you know what they say, you never know what you got 'til it's gone.

Meanwhile, can we interest you in this nice Scania, for only 3,600 euros?

Beware, Pigs Might Fly into Tenerife

2009-04-27T23:14:00.001+01:00

This morning, the Canarian Government were awfully proud of themselves in confirming that there were no cases of the gripe porcina (swine flu) in the Canary Islands. Then later reports contained the equally felicitatious news that the Canary Islands had no direct flight links with the areas (of Mexico or the Spanish mainland) affected by the disease.

Then two cases of Swine flu get confirmed in UK, and, of course, Tenerife does have direct flights will all parts of the UK. Bummer. Mega-bummer, when almost ALL your income depends on tourists flying into the islands. Maybe jesting, I hope, Francisco Mesa is already calling for them to "Close the airports!"

Somebody's been having fun tinkering at Wikipedia too, 'coz at the page for Airdrie (so, OK, I had no idea where that is or how close to a major airport it might be), one is currently greeted with a photo of some pigs and the graphic description starting, "Airdrie ... is a squalid little town ..."

Describing the local residents, it calls them "toothless banjo-players, rat-catchers, winos and sash-wearing failed genetic experiments."

Well, they may as well bask in the compliments while they get the chance.

In the Canaries, the British had already been dawbed Vacas Locas (Mad Cows) after BSE (probably aided by our general behaviour and drinking habits), now you can be sure we'll be labelled as Cerdos Volandos (Flying Pigs) too.

Next up will be the disinfectant baths at the airports, mark my words. Either that, or they'll issue us all with bells, like the medieval leper with a bell and sign declaring himself to be “Unclean! Unclean!” … stranger beware!

Tenerife's New Guidelines for being nice to tourists

2009-04-27T22:13:00.001+01:00

Couldn't help being nosy when I saw this slogan painted on one of Tenerife's buses going to the Romería in Tegueste. Since it doesn't actually make sense translated literally, what did it mean?

Wanting to know, I popped along to sientoxciento.com to find out.

Apparently, it's an initiative (seemingly, the previous Tenerife Amable (Friendly Tenerife) campaign re-dressed) by the Island Corporation and the Tourist Board to encourage people to "feel Tenerife", whatever that means exactly (a 100% more Tenerify feeling Tenerife, I guess) and continues with an explanation that 5 million tourists visit the island each year and that every gesture counts.

Another way of saying it won't actually hurt to smile and be nice to people.

Companies are urged to participate, amongst other ways, by putting one of the campaign banners on their website, informing staff about it and teaching their personnel that kindness is a fundamental value of service.

Will it work? Well, I suppose it's the thought that counts.

However, they have some rather nice Fondos de escritorio (Desktop wallpapers) of various landmarks in Tenerife, in various sizes to download at this page.

Photo by Petezin

Tenerife Rally Surprise

2009-04-27T16:52:00.001+01:00

Every year in Tenerife, the rally would take me somewhat by surprise, generally as I would wake up to find our main (only) road closed with no prior warning whatsoever. This year, had I still been living in the same place, I'd have been ready for it ... and, it would have surprised me once again, this time by not happening! :)

It's always at around this time of year that I look out for details of the the first of the rallies on the Tenerife calendar. Last year, that was the 24th Palma Canaria Norte Rally, held in mid-May and, previous years saw the 23rd and 22nd.

Logic would, or it would if we weren't talking about Tenerife, therefore, dictate that this year would be the 25th Anniversary version. And it is, sort of.

A visit to the website of the Federación Interinsular de Automovilismo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Island Automobile Federation of Tenerife) reveals that the XXV RALLYE ORVECAME is listed, to be held on May 8th and 9th.

Obviously re-named this year, to something shorter, but totally unmemorable, it is, nevertheless, still billed as the 25th Anniversary event.

The route, however, is completely different to previous years. If you want to find out where it is to go along and watch, it's on mountain roads above La Guancha - San Jose and Realejos - Orotava. You can download the Map (PDF).

The rest of the Tenerife Rally Calendar for 2009 (PDF) - Tenerife events in blue boxes, both rallies proper and subidas (hill climbs) - I'll endeavour to transfer to our calendar for your spectating pleasure in due course.

The right to a day of rest in Tenerife

2009-04-26T00:37:00.000+01:00

Enjoying a day of rest can sometimes be very difficult, says this report, which goes on to say that, "There are people who take advantage of weekends and public holidays to undertake work in their homes, bothering the rest of the neighbourhood" (makes it sound like DIY is a much more novel concept in Tenerife than we're used to) and asks, "Can anything be done about it?"

How many of us would like to live without excess noise? Probably the majority, but the society in which we live makes it ever more difficult to achieve. Almost all of us, at some point, make noise that could disturb others, but is it normal for a neighbour to be hammering away at 8 a.m. on a Sunday or public holiday?

The question came up when a resident of Garachico on the north of Tenerife began undertaking work on their house at weekends and on public holidays, which upset others who were trying to enjoy these days to rest.

Was there a rule that covered this? What could be done to combat it?

It turns out that in Garachico, there is a local by-law (published in the BOP de Santa Cruz on April 2nd, 2003, on pages 5677 and 5685) and the ordinance prohibits all kinds of noise (motors, works, music ...) on public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays and, during the week, after 10 p.m.

(In answer to the question, "When can I do my home improvements?", you're going to have to do them between the time you get home from work and the 10 p.m. curfew, take time off, or pay someone else to do it in work hours.)

The document goes further, indicating, for example, that it is not permitted for animals to spend the night, loose on flat roofs of houses (a common practice resulting in dogs that bark at everything that passes), to sound the horn of vehicles, to rev up a vehicle and many other things that make a noise.

Construction works that use pneumatic drills, compressors, cranes and other types of heavy machinery, can only be carried out Monday to Friday (as long as they are not public holidays), between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Incidentally, most towns in Tenerife have similar rules: in others I've lived in the noise ban came in at 11 p.m., or construction work could be carried out on Saturdays, but only up until 2 p.m. (Check with your local town hall.)

Of course there are countless noisy fiestas, bars, traffic, airports ... to counteract all this "peace", otherwise it would be plain surprising that Spain remains the noisiest country in the world, or the second noisiest country in the world, depending on which report you read, with rules like this in force.

Nevertheless, can we have an equivalent by-law in the UK to prohibit the use of bloody hover mowers on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays please!

Photo by mrdisaster

The History of Humanity in Tenerife

2009-04-25T13:54:00.001+01:00

Provided Mount Teide doesn't erupt and wipe out the species first, it's never too early to organize the next party in Tenerife - especially the biggest one of them all, the Santa Cruz Carnaval 2010.

Today, Tinerguia announced the contest to design the poster for next year's carnaval. You may not be interested in that (or maybe you will, when you learn that there's a 3,000 euro prize, although I guess that's not a lot compared to the 60,000 euro purse for the racing pigeons), but what you may like to know is the theme for next year's event: La Historia de la Humanidad.

Which translates to The History of Humanity, for readers of English.

A far-reaching subject open to many interpretations and particularly apt, since it all started next-door in Africa, in or about the year 50,000 b.c.

A Very Short History of Humanity says, "Our history is filled with terror, death, treachery, and cruelty, but we are always struggling to be better than we are."

One wonders about the latter when you watch the antics of many. Indeed, from this history of humanity in one picture, it does appear that the only things we see in all periods of time are: sex and violence. All that seems to change through the various eras (and carnavals) are the costumes.

This really has less to do with the Carnaval celebrations than you might imagine, because the record for trouble is actually very good, but this image might give you some ideas on suitable outfits (definitely anything, or nothing, goes.)

And it would be nice to think that, whilst still having lots of fun, people could become more aware of mankind's progress and the wider issues that concern us. For more scholarly reference: UNESCO Collection of History of Humanity.

Carnaval in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, declared of International Tourist Interest, takes place between the 12th and 21st February, 2010, with the Gran Coso Apoteosis - Carnaval's Main Parade on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010.

Photo of a cayuco from Africa, by noborder network

Did the earth move for you?

2009-04-16T21:16:00.001+01:00

Writer Joe Cawley has recently started counting earthquakes in Spain and he's up to 38 in the last 10 days, including 3 in the Canary Islands.

Earthquake tremors happen pretty regularly around the Canary Islands, so there is probably not much to worry about (she says, crossing her fingers), although I suspect some vulcanologists - folk who study volcanoes not the pointy eared beings off Star Trek - might be paid to tell the archipelago's inhabitants to keep calm and carry on.

Certainly, in context of the recent events in Italy, my guess is folk might be a tad mildly concerned. Indeed, this article in Canarias7 on Tuesday, suggests that the Canary Islands see themselves in the mirror of the Italian disaster and that, "The Canaries could suffer an earthquake similar to that which last week destroyed the Italian city of L'Aquila." Perhaps they could, being the operative word.

The article is quick to point out, however, that seismic activity in the islands is very different to that in Italy. Perhaps it is, but I'm not prepared to translate any of the science, because how would I know whether it was accurate or not?

Historically, however, according to investigations carried out by professor Carmen Romero of the University of La Laguna, the earthquakes prior to the volcanic eruptions of Siete Fuentes, Fasnia and Arafo, between 1704 and 1705, cost around 15 human lives in the Valle de Güímar and it's documented that at least 22 people have died in pre-eruption earthquakes in the Canary Islands.

Apparently, though, say the experts, it's not the earthquakes that kill. Poor construction and bad planning of where to build, causes the problems.

Now that, indeed, might give Tenerife residents cause to be really worried!

As I already, flippantly, replied to someone, the tremors were not strong enough to reach me, but then I'm currently in the UK, so I'd hope not really! So, did you feel any of the latest tremors? Do you feel there's cause for concern?

Image: Instituto Geográfico Nacional, the red star marks the epicentre of the 2.1 magnitude quake which took place shortly after 6 a.m. on April 12th.

Easter Week in Tenerife

2009-04-05T20:34:00.001+01:00

Today Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) is the first day of Semana Santa (Holy Week), which continues until Domingo de Resurrección (Resurrection or Easter Sunday), in Spain and the Canary Islands. Processions today included La burrita (presumably the little donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem) and folks will have been out pruning to provide palm fronds for decoration and to distribute amongst worshipers.

Schools broke up on Friday - in the Canaries kids only get this week - and Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday) and Viernes Santo (Good Friday) are observed as Fiestas Laborales (Public Holidays), whilst Easter Monday is not. There are many events taking place throughout the week, mostly solemn and religious in nature and, if you're Catholic, most likely you know all about those already.

For the rest of us, the main events that may be of interest, from a cultural or artistic point of view, take place on Viernes Santo (Good Friday).

Death and Passion of Jesus Christ in Adeje

In the town of Adeje, which we'll reiterate is only a short bus (473 will take you to Adeje from Los Cristianos or Playa de Las Américas) or taxi ride from the resorts of the south, in the main street, Calle Grande (see map), starting from 12 noon on Good Friday, April 10th, 2009, you can watch a magnificent reenactment of the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ.

This has become immensely popular with locals and tourists alike, people have been asking about it, so get there early to bag a good viewing spot.

This Vía Crucis (Way of the Cross), to give it it's Latin name, is a piece of really high quality street theatre recreating the last days of the life of Christ; his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, the Last Supper, through to the Crucifixion and events between, involving a cast of around 300, all in magnificent costume, representing the Biblical events often with squeamishness-inducing realism, while Adeje's public buildings also get parts as extras for the day.

Tinerguia reproduce the entire Easter program in Adeje here (in Spanish), but the photo with the post shows you clearest of all the detail involved.

If you're on the island and you don't make it up to Adeje, as in previous years, the whole - almost 2 hour - extravaganza is to be televised by RTVC.

Here also are videos showing the entire drama from last year.

Viernes Santo (Good Friday) 2009 - 2050

Missed the Easter celebrations in Tenerife this year? Never mind, there's always another year and here are the dates of Good Friday, right up until the middle of the century.

Friday 10 April 2009
Friday 2 April 2010
Friday 22 April 2011
Friday 6 April 2012
Friday 29 March 2013
Friday 18 April 2014
Friday 3 April 2015
Friday 25 March 2016
Friday 14 April 2017
Friday 30 March 2018
Friday 19 April 2019
Friday 10 April 2020
Friday 2 April 2021
Friday 15 April 2022
Friday 7 April 2023
Friday 29 March 2024
Friday 18 April 2025
Friday 3 April 2026
Friday 26 March 2027
Friday 14 April 2028
Friday 30 March 2029
Friday 19 April 2030
Friday 11 April 2031
Friday 26 March 2032
Friday 15 April 2033
Friday 7 April 2034
Friday 23 March 2035
Friday 11 April 2036
Friday 3 April 2037
Friday 23 April 2038
Friday 8 April 2039
Friday 30 March 2040
Friday 19 April 2041
Friday 4 April 2042
Friday 27 March 2043
Friday 15 April 2044
Friday 7 April 2045
Friday 23 March 2046
Friday 12 April 2047
Friday 3 April 2048
Friday 16 April 2049
Friday 8 April 2050

Source

La Pasión in Candelaria

Also as they did last year, the town of Candelaria is doing their own theatrical representation of La Pasión (The Passion of Christ), this time taking place on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009, starting at 9 p.m. This too looks to be another performance of Biblical proportions, with a cast of 300 and, if you're in Candelaria on Monday or Tuesday, you might also catch the rehearsals taking place in the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias, where the scenery is being built since last week.

Easter Processions in La Laguna

For processions of the type more traditionally known in Spain (particularly those in Seville and other parts of Andalucia), you only need to go north to the former capital of Tenerife, La Laguna.

A common feature in Spain is the almost general usage of the "nazareno" or penitential robe for some of the participants in the Processions. This garment consists in a tunic, a hood with conical tip ( "capirote") used to conceal the face of the wearer, and sometimes a cloak. The exact colours and forms of these robes depend on the particular procession. The robes were widely used in the medieval period for penitents, who could demonstrate their penance while still masking their identity. (These robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States, ironically a very anti-Catholic organization.) Source

In La Laguna on Good Friday, you can see the Procesión Magna, which includes various of these brotherhoods, leaving from the Iglesia de la Concepción at 5 p.m. Then, later at 9 p.m. there's the Procesión del Silencio (Silent Procession), with the penitent brotherhoods accompanying the deceased, again starting from the Iglesia de la Concepción to the church of Santo Domingo de Guzmán.

Secular Easter Celebrations in Tenerife

For kids and others preferring more secular Easter celebrations, the Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz usually have an annual corral de los conejitos (bunny enclosure), probably with the odd Easter Egg thrown in.

If none of the above appeals, please don't try going to any of the island's museums in Santa Cruz and La Laguna on Friday, as they will all be closed.

The Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations have announced that hotel occupation rates in the Canary Islands will bearly reach 70% during Holy Week, although Tenerife is expecting 85% occupation this week, making it, "an oasis in the middle of the crisis". Yay for that!

Timelapse Tenerife

2009-04-05T00:23:00.002+01:00

CANARIAS TIMELAPSE from luis garcia de armas on Vimeo.

This is a trailer for a documentary entitled CANARIAS TIMELAPSE, from KROMA CANARIAS and LASAL, sponsored by the Canarian Goverment, Tenerife Tourism Corporation, Fuerteventura Corporation and Gran Canaria Corporation, with particpation from Televisión Pública de Canarias.

It shows the 7 islands from the perspective of time, over a whole year, using, as the title suggests, time-lapse photography. In particular, showing those frequent seas of clouds that form over the islands to really superb effect.

The full documentary premieres in Santa Cruz on April 22nd at Cine Renoir-Price, C/ Salamanca 16, 38006 Santa Cruz De Tenerife, at 20:30 hours.

Via: Jose Frechín

Do you eat or listen to Arepa Funky?

2009-04-03T14:28:00.001+01:00

If you're looking for something different to do on your Saturday night, Canarian - Catalan group entitled Arepa Funky just arrived from Barcelona and will be playing at the Bar Plaisir, Calle Heraclio Sánchez (see map), 27, (parallel to the Avenida La Trinidad, where the tram terminates), in La Laguna.

Saturday, April 4th, starting at 22:30. Entrance FREE.

It was the name of the group that caught my eye - Arepa being a bread made of corn originating from the northern Andes in South America and made popular in the Canary Islands through emigration / immigration to / from Venezuela ...

Quite what that has to do with Funky music in general or this band in particular, however, remains a complete mystery to me. If someone would explain?

Anyway, the blurb says they have an ample repertoire of jazz, soul, blues or experimental music, among other genres and at their MySpace page, you can hear for yourself before you invest the time, but I think you'll agree that they have an excellent tight and musically accomplished sound.

Via: Disfruta Tenerife

Hiking Tracks in the Teno Rural Park

2009-04-03T00:16:00.001+01:00

The Teno Rural Park, in the far north west of the island is one of the most fascinating (I would say that, it was my home for almost a decade) and unspoiled areas of Tenerife, worthy of exploration and appreciation. Now you too can explore it's charms along it's network of hiking trails.

Download a PDF (in English) giving you the basic information on these footpaths from the Teno Rural website, where it's also available in German and Spanish.

How many chickens are there in Tenerife?

2009-04-02T23:40:00.001+01:00

No, it's not a trick question. We all know that old saying, don’t count your chickens before they hatch, meaning don’t assume that you’ll get the things you want until you have them. Presumably, there's no translation of this concept into Spanish, because the Tenerife authorities appear to be counting, if not their chickens, the number of euros of european funds that they think they have to build the port at Granadilla.

The wording on the above sign board says "The present Project is co-financed by the European Union" and mentions an investment (obviously the total, not just the EU bit) of 114,582,734.45 Euros (and I really have to wonder at the person mean enough to mention 45 cents on a 114 million euro project too. )

Folk have been saying that the sign is a lie because EU funds had not been granted and, it appears that Brussels has confirmed this and deny that the works on the port are co-financed by the EU. This report goes on to say:

The European Commission confirmed on Tuesday in Brussels, during a meeting of the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament - which considered a complaint from the Citizens' Platform against the port of Granadilla - that it has not begun the process to provide funds to this port infrastructure in the south of Tenerife, but it has formally accepted the application for the funds.

It's not just the sign though, apparently, the argument that the Canarian Government used to beg the courts not to paralyse the work (the court did stop it) was that they were getting 68 million euros and would lose EU funds. These same ones they've only put an application in for and got no decision on.

Just the application form, nada mas. What the hell are they playing at?

More to the point, dare we hope that now they'll never get the funds?

Image of the offending sign, courtesy of Mataparda.

Fibromyalgia Therapies in Tenerife

2009-04-02T22:50:00.001+01:00

An article in today's Diario de Avisos mentions the existence of a clinic in Granadilla de Abona, the only council run unit in the Canary Islands, offering physiotherapy and other therapies free to patients suffering with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as to women who have undergone mastectomies. Granadilla Town Hall will, hopefully, know where it is.