El Hierro. The Westernmost Isle.

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908Sun, 21 Dec 2025 02:53:59 +0000figClimate ChangeNAOalmondcisternraintrade windswineryAlbaradaBimbacheBimbapeCovidEl HierroEl PinarFronteraGaroePanchoParadorSan AndrésTafeñaValverdeapricotbasaltblossomcrisisdandeliondroughtfolkloreforestgablegrapevineinitiativenectarinepine forestplumpollutionspringthatchvineyardwestwinewinemaking154616 century1740201952070'sAHIAlexis W.All SaintsAmericaAndrewAnthonyArgentinaBabosoBajada de la VirgenBarbary CoastBeethovenBerberBetenamaBethencourtBlessed IslesBranBrendanCanary IslandsCanary PineCarthhageChristmasCold Canary CurrentCongress CentreDNADevilEl GolfoEl NiñoEloyFebruaryFortunate IslesFrancesca FortFuerteventuraGadiferGaroéGolfoGomeraGraciosaGran CanariaGreen ManHalloweenHellHerreñoHierroIsla de LobosJanuaryJinamaJohn HillJose Padron MachinJuan PascualKilroyL-shapeLa PeñaLa RestingaLanzaroteLas PuntasLe CanarienLobo HerreñoLordLouis XIVMaghrebMercahierroMilky WayMocanalMontañetasNCSNorth Atlantic OscillationNovember 2011October 2011PalmaPatronPhoenicianPunic WarsPurcellRadio ClásicaRestingolitoRip Van WinkleRomanSab BorondónSabinosaSaharaSaint SimonSalleSalmorSamuel PalmerSea of CloudsSeptemberShostakovichSignum QuartetSun KingTenerifeThe VillageTodos los SantosTomás PadrónTouregTrondheim SoloistsVenezuelaVerdelloVerijadiegoVirginWistariaZósimoaccentacetic acidadded valueadventureairairportalbumalcoholalemánalmendradaalphabetambulanceamigoapañadaarchitecturearomaarrastreartisanautumnautumn colouringback-to-naturebananabatterybehaviourbelievebell-flowerbiodiversitybirdsblanchboleteboycotbracketbrewbudsbuzzardcakecalimacanescapecapitalcarbon footprintcarbonic macerationcasa ruralcastañascattle faircavecellarchambercharacteristiccharivaricheesechestnutchestnutschipschroniclecivil servantclamclassical musicclean electricityclimatecloudscollective memorycollective psychecolonistcommunicationscommunityconesconfinementconglomerateconquestconsumer economycorbelcorner-stonecostcottagecraftcraftsmancraftsmanshipcratercraterscreditscropcruelcuisinecurrachcustomsdaisydelugedesert islanddikediverdivingdrawldressagedrumdry stone wallingdrying tunneldwellingeating-houseeco-friendlyecological balanceedibleeffortelectromyogramemigrateemigrationemmigrationenclosureendemicenvironmentevacuationevergreenevolutionexhibitionexpatriateexploitationextended familyfairy ringsfamilyfamily tiesfarewellfencefestival of musicfeudalfield mushroomfiestafireflakeflightflintflowerflutefolk musicfootpathforecastforeign residentforest fireforestryfreefreedomfruitfundsgallerygarbanzasgarlicgeneral doctorgofiograffitigratisgridgrilled porkground watergroutguachinchehaar-hungharvesthayaheadacheheaddressheartwoodheatwavehedgeherdhermitageheronhideawayhollowhollyhomehomesteadhooliganhorizontal rainhorizontal rainfallhospitalhotelhouse arresthumourhuskhydroelectricidiosyncrasiesindustrial estateinedibleinscriptioninsolationinternationalintonationislandjablejuniperkernelknaplamblandscapelanelanguagelanternlaurisilvalavaletimelexiconlichenlighthouselimelimpetlintellizardlockdownlow pressureluthiermagicmagrationmalaisemalgareomaremarinamarket gardenermarketingmedical servicemedical tourismmelancholymercaptansmildewmilk capmiserymolmonstermonteverdemorelmudamushroommusicianmycologymythsnacidanaifenatural selectionnichenicknamenorthern slopesnosotrosnursenutoccupationoperationorganicovenpachydermpalmspapas arrugadasparakeetparapetparasolpasturepatiopeachpedigreepetroglyphphylloxeraphyloxerapinepine needlepineapplepiratepitch-pinepivotplace namesplantplant namesplantationplasticpoolpoppyportraitpossessionpotterypowdery mildewpralineprimary attentionprivationprivilegeprocessionproducepruningpubpublic workspuffballpulsequarantinequesadillaquincequince jellyrafterrainfallrainwaterrammed earthrat-racereal peoplerecipereforestationrefugeeregretsrelative humidityreligionrenderreputationresidentresignationrestaurantretaining wallribsridge-beamrock artrockerrosérough musicrussetrussulescourgeseafarerseismicsettlementsheepshellshepherdsillsitioskimmingtonslaughterhouseslaveslopesmilesocial structuresocietysoilsolidaritysowspecialistspeechsplinterspring linesquidstaplesteaksstonestrawberrystreet artsubsistencesubsistence economysummersun dryingsurgeonsurvivalswallowsswiftsteatemperaturetendernessterracetesttiletoadstooltoquetorchtourismtown counciltraditionalisttraffic jamtranshumancetread grapestree heathtremortrespasstunnelturbinetypicalunicornup for salevarietiesvinesvino de patavolcanicvolcanowait-and-seewaiting listwallwater depositwattleweatherweathermanwellwesterlieswhalewhistled languagewhite elephantswild mushroomswind farmwind-cripplewindfarmwinemakerwoodcockyeastEl Hierro. The Westernmost Isle.A personal collection of reflections, anecdotes and stories relating to the Canary island by Martin Harris.http://www.westernmostisle.com/noreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)Blogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-1667109396157995536Mon, 29 Mar 2021 21:56:00 +00002021-04-01T21:28:10.375+01:00EloyJuan PascualPancho65 Three Men      <!--[if gte mso 9]> http://www.westernmostisle.com/2019/11/54-tafena.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-1151472688525067733Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:09:00 +00002019-11-04T18:10:12.783+00:00characteristicdivinginitiativemarket gardenersurvivalwait-and-see52. Wait-and-See Most of the islanders have been kind, helpful and hospitable towards us over the years, but the “wait-and-see” opportunistic streak in their makeup is definitely just as characteristic. El Hierro is not Hawaii. Drinking water does not flow from pristine springs and bread does not fall from trees. Before the 1970’s, El Hierro was not the romantic quaint backwater some would have us believe but ahttp://www.westernmostisle.com/2019/11/wait-and-see.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-5501882863208992754Sat, 24 Nov 2018 23:55:00 +00002019-11-04T18:10:32.224+00:00casa ruralcostcraftsmanshipcuisineflightfolklorefootpathFortunate IsleshotellighthouseMilky WayParadorpubresidenttourism53. Tourism in El HierroThere have recently been protests in many parts of Spain against foreign tourism artificially raising the price of accommodation, making nights unbearably noisy, debasing tradition ...We really are the most fortunate of the Fortunate Isles, as the Canaries were once called: we have virtually no tourism, and certainly no massive tourism with hordes of drunken hooligans. Why not? The most obvious http://www.westernmostisle.com/2018/11/tourism.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-4771490500173401187Sun, 08 Jul 2018 18:09:00 +00002018-07-14T21:20:42.960+01:00biodiversityDNAevolutionFrancesca Fortgrapevinenatural selectionphylloxerapowdery mildewRip Van Winkle51. Biodiversity among the grapevines of El Hierro Vines cultivated in El Pinar under the unique conditions of El Hierro. Volcanic soil high above the clouds, to the east  La Gomera and Tenerife and further still, Africa.  (Photo, O P Harris) You might be forgiven for drawing a parallel between the biodiversity of the grapevines of El Hierro and that of the island’s wild plants, or even Darwin’s finches in the Galápagos. There is http://www.westernmostisle.com/2018/07/biodiversity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-3005455119305099978Tue, 01 May 2018 22:26:00 +00002018-07-08T18:28:59.846+01:00collective memoryexploitationHerreñoinitiativemiserysocial structure50. Roast Chicken Wings The two villages, San Andrés on the right and Isora on the left, where Ramón Barbuzano spent much of his life, appear to be resisting the ominous shaddows cast by encroaching cloud.   “The Herreño is someone who expects you to turn the pages so that he can read the newspaper.” At first I thought my friend’s judgment harsh but I later came to understand there was more than a little http://www.westernmostisle.com/2018/05/wings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-7196706040888997119Fri, 09 Feb 2018 20:31:00 +00002018-05-07T19:13:07.214+01:00dikegalleryground watersillwell49. Boxes, water and old men The visible edge of a dike of grey basalt cutting vertically up through different layers of mostly porous rock. The brown layer in the middle is possibly that colour because it was burnt by a very hot lava flow of basaltic material which formed a fragmentary sill whose vertical prisms are just visible to the left of the dike. The Canary Islands are huge piles of volcanic rubble sticking out http://www.westernmostisle.com/2018/02/water.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-6345976224149939092Mon, 15 Jan 2018 19:27:00 +00002018-01-16T18:48:01.636+00:00AlbaradadroughtGaroehorizontal rainfallSan Andrés48. The Garoé Water, water everywhere,  Nor any drop to drink …(The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, by Coleridge) Or so it must have seemed to the garrison of soldiers entrusted with conquering the island. Until a native princess besotted by one of the officers told them the secret of the Garoé, the tree that miraculously distilled water. That is, according to the romantic legend (see my post 33. Historyhttp://www.westernmostisle.com/2018/01/48-garoe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-8729130362436627207Fri, 15 Dec 2017 20:00:00 +00002017-12-17T19:27:50.445+00:00Hellhomemercaptansnurseoperationprivilegesurgeontraffic jam47. Back from Hell The dramatic light as we left El Hierro reminded me of the romantic illustrations in the books of my youth.  The tiny dot you can see on the oily surface of the water in the distance may be Charon and his ferry crossing the Styx with souls on their way to Hades. I’m not saying Tenerife is Hell. Far from it! But sometimes it feels like it. We recently travelled to Tenerife where I was to http://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/12/hell.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-6578936230046770101Thu, 26 Oct 2017 17:58:00 +00002017-10-26T18:58:23.559+01:00added valueCongress CentrecrisisfundsGolfoindustrial estateLa PeñaLas PuntasMercahierroorganicpachydermpoolproducepublic worksslaughterhousewhite elephants46. White ElephantsWhite elephants are endemic, though not exclusive, to Spain, including our island. Whereas the public works described in my last post are largely attributable to the vision and negotiating skills of a particular person, our white elephants seem to be of more diffuse parentage and are most likely the well-intentioned but unquestioned brain-children of technocrats in our institutions. A few quite http://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/10/white-elephants.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-6113625254908995064Mon, 23 Oct 2017 15:14:00 +00002018-10-29T18:03:20.845+00:00AHIairportFronterahydroelectricmarinamonteverdeParadorTomás PadróntunnelValverdewindfarm45. Into the 21st CenturyOver the last 35 years El Hierro has leapt from backwardness into the twenty-first century. At least in public works. The person visibly responsible for this transformation is Tomás Padrón, founder of the insular party, AHI (El Hierro Independent Party – not Independence Party) and President of the Cabildo for most of the time between the late 70’s and the recent crisis. You may not agree with http://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/10/21st-century.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-8852282701731760019Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:42:00 +00002017-10-08T18:45:59.646+01:00drumflutefolk musicfolkloreLe CanarienLouis XIVSun Kingtoque44. The Ritual Folk Music of El HierroFour hundred years ago Louis XIV, the Sun King, would put on his favourite costume of peacock feathers and prance around the salons of Versailles to the sounds of Le Canarien, the then popular dance of the ‘wild’ Canary islanders but undoubtedly refined for the courtly tastes of the day. Today, Canary folk music (confusingly known in Spanish as ‘Folklore’) has nothing to do with the Sun King’s http://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/09/folk-music.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-2925327524988528022Sun, 03 Sep 2017 19:03:00 +00002017-10-18T14:56:06.617+01:00cruelhumournicknamesmiletenderness43. A sense of humour. The first time I visited El Hierro I came with my son, a camera and a rather heavy backpack. We spent the first night sleeping rough on the cold and wet Common (Dehesa) in the west of the island. The morning the sun brought us back to life and in the distance we saw a man sitting on a rock watching his cows grazing. I went forward alone and sat on another rock to his left. Gazing west over the http://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/09/a-sense-of-humour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-723236584224523908.post-6837314206162491435Fri, 25 Aug 2017 14:55:00 +00002017-10-08T18:44:54.023+01:00calimaClimate ChangeCold Canary Currentheatwaveinsolationlow pressureNAONorth Atlantic Oscillationrainfallrelative humiditytemperaturetrade windswesterlies42. Climate change, what change? Calima over El Pinar yesterday afternoon. You can't even see the forest-covered mountains behind the village in the middle of the picture. If Donald Trump had been living on El Hierro, we could forgive his denial of climate change. Sitting in a huge deep tub of cool water – remember the Cold Canary Current? – and fanned by the Trade Winds, you can’t expect us to feel average changes of lesshttp://www.westernmostisle.com/2017/08/climate-change.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Martin Harris Palmer)5