“Those are our founding fathers”, says Ken pointing to the row of three portraits looking down on us from their elevated status above the bookcases of the reading room. “Pointing them out is what we begin our school tours with, if we can keep the children quiet long enough to hear us.”

Keep them quiet? In a library? Surely that’s a given. But there’s no wall of silence here in the English Library in Puerto de la Cruz. Where you might expect covert whispers there’s a quiet buzz of conversation and where you might look for bespectacled librarians despotically maintaining strict cataloguing systems, you’ll find sections that shift wholesale to make way for the ever-expanding DVD library, and a hand written note pinned to a bookcase that reads “Humour has  been moved…”.

The English Library is not simply a repository for books written in the English language. For over a century it’s been a social hub for the British ex pat community for whom it has provided a source of knowledge, reading and entertainment along with a hefty helping of socialising, support and gossip exchange.

The First Edition
The first meeting of British residents of Puerto interested in the establishment of a library is recorded in ‘The English Library, A Brief History’ as being in 1900 when a Mrs Boreham, resident of the town, decided to put her habit of allowing friends and visitors to borrow books from her extensive personal collection onto a more formal footing. Ably assisted by the Parson, Reverend Humphries and the then Vice-Consul, Mr Peter Reid, the first order of books was placed, the library was named and the terms of Constitution were laid down. The following year Colonel Owen Peel Wethered pledged a donation of up to £500 including the site for a new library building. After some controversy, the proposition was accepted and work began on the building in Parque Taoro which today still houses the English Library.

I first visited the library six years ago when I was dropping off some magazines. At the time I was astonished at the existence of such an institution which appeared to occupy some parallel universe of England in the 1940s, staffed by genteel Brits who painstakingly hand wrote every title being borrowed into large ledgers while discussing the weather with their equally genteel customers. I felt as if I’d walked onto the set of a black and white Sunday matinee.

Revisiting the English Library to meet up with Ken Fisher who, until standing down at the recent AGM, has been President of the library for the past two years, some things hadn’t changed. Books were still being entered into ledgers by hand and the staff and clientele still appeared on the genteel side but there were noticeable differences. In the main reading room the large table was occupied by several people surfing the net on laptops, the bookcases on the long wall were filled with DVDs where previously video collections of TV sitcoms from the 1970s and 1980s had taken pride of place and outside, tables and chairs were busy with coffee drinkers enjoying the beautiful garden and warm sunshine.

“Is the WiFi free?” I ask Ken.
“Oh yes. In fact we have a computer support workshop now run by Peter and Mike.”
I tell Ken about my last and only visit.
“Well we only got a telephone installed two years ago when I got elected as President. I insisted,” he admits. Heady progress indeed.

The Latest Edition

Under Ken’s auspices, the English Library has taken a leap forward and newly elected President, Brian Arnold (above), is confident the library will continue to go in the right direction.
“We’re becoming a wider thinking library,” Brian tells me. “Catering to the needs of the English speaking community and finding ways to make their lives easier. We have good links with the British Consul for example and we’re a research resource for those ex-pats who over-winter in Puerto and don’t have access to WiFi or computers.”

Brian recognises that the days of being purely a lending library are behind them and that the future is bleak for the printed word.
“I believe John Lewis were selling one Kindle every 30 seconds over Christmas,” he says. “You can’t compete with that.”

Installing free WiFi and offering computer self help workshops is just one of the ways the English Library is adapting to better meet the needs of its customers. An ever growing DVD lending library is another. Unfortunately it means that the reference library is becoming less and less used but there are still some classics in there, including all volumes of the first edition Oxford English Dictionary, and the library is a valuable resource for researchers and anyone who has an interest in the history of Tenerife and of Puerto de la Cruz. They also sell novels at 50 cents and one Euro – perfect for holidaymakers who haven’t yet discovered the joys of Kindle.

Financed entirely through subscriptions and fund raising events, the English Library is run by a team of dedicated volunteers who manage not only to keep the book lending and cataloguing efficiently but also organise two coffee mornings a week (Saturdays and Wednesdays), nine or ten guest speaker events over the course of the year, a couple of hog roast garden parties and an annual dinner dance.

Finding myself engrossed in conversations with friends old and newly acquired, time slipped all too easily away at the library and I began to understand why so many people found themselves drawn to its smiling faces and familiarity. It’s like popping round to a friend’s house for coffee and a catch-up and I suspect it won’t be another six years before I return.

Epilogue
The English Library; Calle Irlanda, 5; Parque Taoro, Puerto de la Cruz; (0034) 922 383 098; open Monday & Friday 3pm-5.30pm, Wednesday & Saturday 10am-1pm. Annual membership €30, membership for those only resident for part of the year €12.
The next speaker event will be on Feb 23rd at 12 noon when guests will hear about the Churchill and Onassis visit to Puerto de la Cruz. Tickets €5 including “our world famous buffet” to quote Ken. Booking essential as all 60 places are invariably taken up.

Editor’s Note: Fresh from his revolutionising of the English Library, Ken Fisher will soon be gracing the pages of Tenerife Magazine with memories of life in Tenerife from 40 years ago. Watch this space, as they say.

At the still-hot-and-sticky end of a long summer, Damien Vergez of FastFokus.com came out to Tenerife with a team of mountain bikers and all his camera and video equipment to film some of his favourite riders getting to grips with the unique landscape. Thanks to Matt at Sorted Sites, a mountain biking enthusiast who was on hand to help the film crew with their work, Tenerife Magazine caught up with Damien to find out what had brought him to Tenerife.

Many thanks to Manuel Faster Rodriguez and to Damien Vergez for these amazing images

TM: Watching your incredible video of freeride mountain biking on Tenerife, I can see that you and the riders all had a brilliant time trying out the island’s tracks and trails.  What is ‘freeriding’ and who are the top riders currently in the sport?

Damien: First, Freeride mountain biking is a state of mind, it’s type of mountain bike riding style. Freeride usually involves large drops, jumps, and manmade stunts. The trails are often accessed by shuttle or ski lift but can be pedaled as well. Freeride bikes usually have large amounts of suspension travel (180mm and more) and you can ride everywhere.
You have a lots of very good top riders in this sport and it’s difficult for me to give you names… but riders like Darren Berrecloth, Thomas Vanderham or Matt Hunter are some of my favourites

TM: Can you tell us how this project came about, where else you have filmed in the series and how you came to be in Tenerife?

Damien: It’s been almost one year since I began work on this project. I came up with this crazy idea to travel to different countries and film some amateur riders with their favorite professional rider in some of the most beautiful trails on the planet. Who hasn’t dreamt of spending time with their favorite rider/player? Regardless of our nationality, it’s something we all think about.

There is less and less snow in Europe and this sport is taking a large market share in the ski resorts. Tenerife is an ideal place for mountain biking. Weather is always good, you have big mountains, lots of awesome landscapes. Mountain biking is an incredible way to see the island of Tenerife! The island has huge potential to become a must in Europe!

TM: How much work do you have to prepare the ground for filming?

Damien:  It depends on the country and the place I am filming in. Normally I don’t need to prepare and work the trails I film because most of the time I film in ski resorts or places known worldwide like Whistler in Canada. Here in Tenerife you don’t have special “freeride” trails, only pedestrian ones.

TM: How did the bikes cope with Tenerife’s volcanic terrain?

Damien:  The Tenerife ground is very difficult for bikes and especially for tires. You need to be careful because if you go too fast you can fall directly inside a cactus… hahah

TM: Can you tell us where on Tenerife you did the filming and how long it took you?

Damien: More than 70% of the island is covered by national parks. Each national park has its own restrictions. Some, like Teide National Park, we were forbidden to use for our purposes. It was difficult to find the right places with so many restrictions. Most of our images where taken in “Parque Rural de Anaga” and “Bike Park Tenerife” (a private park in Tegueste). The filming was done over one full week.

TM: Which area of Tenerife did your riders like most and why?

Damien: Parque Rural de Anaga is really nice for mountain biking because at the same place you can find volcanic and forest trails. We also toured the island by car, and I must admit that we liked almost all places on the island. La Punta de Teno, El Teide, Vilaflor, Los Gigantes, Playa de Socorro… After mountain biking you have so many good places to visit!

TM: Would you recommend Tenerife as a good venue for freeriding and for mountain biking in general?

Damien: For sure I will! And it’s already done! I also recommend Tenerife for your holidays. Sun all the year, beach, mountains, forest… and it’s cheap! You can find pretty much all you want in the same place. It’s heaven, no?

TM: What’s your next project?

Damien: I have lots of great projects but I can’t say too much at this time. But I’m always looking for partners and customers, so if you need films or photos for action sports, feel free to contact me at fastfokus.com

TM: Thanks for chatting to Tenerifemagazine.com, Damien, and good luck with continuing to spread the word about freeriding!

Damien: Thanks to Tenerifemagazine.com for this interview. I hope to come back soon in Tenerife, it’s a wonderful place!

Faster Croquetas – EP5 from FASTFOKUS on Vimeo.

Making a stand by sitting down, the six strong female crew of Row For Freedom believe in their stamina and determination, but most of all they believe in their cause, to stop child slavery around the world.

Arriving in La Gomera capital San Sebastian I found four of the crew huddled over their boat, The Guardian, fine tuning and adjusting their home for well over a month as they row with just hand power, the 2,900 miles to Barbados. At just seven metres long and two metres wide, the fibre glass and carbon fibre craft has competed over the distance twice before but it’s a steep, cramped learning curve for the ladies.

Andrea Quigley from Colorado squeezed into a bedroom at one end of the boat. Four sleep in one end and two in the other between two hour rowing shifts. Cosy is a generous description. “We have decided not to have mattresses, we can’t afford to carry luxuries, it’s all about speed and safety.”

The Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge sets off at noon on 4^th December, weather willing. The ladies have known each other less than a year and have crammed in RYA (Royal Yacht Association) training courses and brushed up on first aid, navigation and other skills. On deck Julia Immonen from Finland, Helen Leigh from Blackburn, and Katie Pattison-Hart from Dubai were grateful for any help they could get from some of the other 17 crews in the challenge.

“There’s a great spirit here in the marina,” said Julia “Everyone is happy to help each other and the people of San Sebastian have made us very welcome.” Most of the rowers sport a blue bracelet bearing the word Atlantic, a password to discounts from local businesses. Kate Richardson from Portadown and Debbie Beadle from High Wycombe were to join us later after liberating new team t-shirts during afternoon siesta. They may have stopped off for a carbohydrate loaded snack, all six have been bulking up in preparation, but they all looked ship shape to me.

ECPAT UK is the charity fighting to free an estimated 27 million modern day slaves, many of them children. Pre race, the team had raised 180,000 pounds but the ultimate aim is one million. As Julia explained: “As well as direct sponsorship (you can still donate at the website), after the race we will be doing interviews, public appearances and a book to make sure that the money keeps coming.”

There’s also the small matter of those two world records, one for the first six woman team to complete the course, and that means with no outside assistance. The other is the speed record. A rowing pair did 49 days but with luck the ladies aim to beat that. Christmas at sea will be an emotional time to be away from family and friends but Andrea revealed that they will get some encouragement. “Among the packs of powder meals there is a small surprise Christmas present for us and we also have a satellite phone link up with Sky Sports on the big day.”

The calm marina waters, army of passing well wishers and clear blue skies will soon fade as the hard slog of rowing begins but relieving the suffering of others is the goal that will drive them on.

Delhi, Shanghai, and…Costa Adeje, all stepping stones on the way to Olympic glory at London 2012 for the Great Britain swimming team. Come July some 20,000 fans will pack the London Aquatics Centre at Stratford hoping to witness a medal haul but for now nine hopefuls are sharpening up at Tenerife Top Training high above La Caleta.

At 20 years old Jak Scott has already tasted glory after early family sacrifices. “ I grew up in Hawick which was a rugby town so when I took up swimming and started to get good I had to make a 90 minute journey to Edinburgh. At 15 my family moved there, an amazing show of faith in me, later I joined Stirling University, they have a reputation for sporting excellence. In the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi I won a silver as part of the 4 x 200m freestyle relay (Jak also competes at 100 m and 200 m individual freestyle)  that was a great boost.”

Coach Rob Greenwood explained that “Stirling is one of five ITC’s (Intensive Training Centre) we’ve brought nine swimmers to Tenerife for two weeks, all with Olympic medal hopes. In March we have to select the British Swimming squad of about 50, they have to make set times and be the top two at each distance so it will be tough.”

Jak can’t wait. “The selection trials are the first test event at the Olympic pool, we had a tour just after it was finished, it’s an awesome building. This years World Championships were in Shanghai and there were a few thousand watching but that’s nothing compared to the 2012 games. That was my first GB cap and we came 6^th, it was the first time my parents weren’t watching me but they will be in London, each athlete gets two tickets.”

Plunging into the T3 pool Scott pushes himself in the second of two daily sessions with his team mates, they are clocking up 30 hours a week plus some weights and medicine ball work. The training is relentless in the medal chase.“ We came to T3 last year, it’s got to be the best facility in Europe for us. This time it’s all about building aerobic power, speed and pace. In January we did three weeks work in Singapore, two weeks after this it’s Poland for a short course event. I’m lucky that Stirling University are very supportive, they have given me a year off from my accountancy studies and British Gas support the development programme.”

Watching the swimmers powering through the water it’s clear to see their determination but will performing in front of an expectant home crowd make it tougher? “ There is pressure,” admits Jak. “But it’s such a privilege to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity. We will stay part of the duration of the swimming in the Olympic village but also take a short break at an Edinburgh holding camp to get out of the spotlight. “

Who says scientists don’t have a sense of humour? The headquarters of the Canarian Institute of Astrophysics shines bright with 400 of the sharpest minds but their chosen address, Milky Way Road (Calle Via Lactea), had me chuckling. Once inside though it’s cutting edge technology all the way to drive their aim of pure research into the mysteries of the universe.

The glamorous face of the IAC (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias) can be found at the observatories in Izaña, Tenerife and Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma but Head Of Research Professor Johan Knapen prefers to push scientific boundaries from the La Laguna HQ. Within a few minutes of starting our tour I was staring up at Quijote, a telescope equipped with a microwave frequency receiver to be added to the  Teide observatory next year. Rotating on its axis every four seconds puts immense strain on the mechanism, just one of many practical problems overcome by the mechanics and engineering staff.

Many working satellites and deep space probes owe their smooth running to the IAC. Model duplicates help to check fitting and compatibility of  intricate attachments before they are added in space, there’s no popping back for spares such a long way from home. Other working problems include extremely low pressure and temperatures down to minus 253 celsius, the instruments are assembled  in special clean rooms, more sterile than any hospital could imagine.

GTC  (Gran Telescopio Canarias) 2,400 metres up in La Palma is the most famous of the IAC telescopes, with  the biggest (10.4m diameter) primary mirror in the world. It went live two years ago. The Canary Islands clear sky played a big part in the founding of the IAC here 30 years ago and the 1988 Canarian Law of the Sky limited artificial glare from industrial and street lighting safeguarding the future for the Grantecan and other star gazers.

Professor Johan from the Netherlands has been at the IAC for five years after studying and working around the world, including a spell at the University of Hertfordshire. After completing his PHD in Tenerife he was drawn to the pure research discipline of La Laguna whose library displays thick volumes of formulae and equations produced monthly. The  400 scientific papers produced a year at the IAC are gratefully devoured by the leading world journals and science magazines

So what does Johan rate as the biggest leaps in recent years?

“The discovery of 600 exo planets circling other stars is very exciting and takes us closer to finding life out there.  La Palma or the COROT satellite pick up potential new exoplanets and the Teide observatory then tests and confirms their status.Scientists are just starting to measure their chemical signatures, and finding signs of oxygen and water is an important future goal.”

Dark energy is another discovery that has stood science on its head. “The universe is expanding faster and faster. We always expected it to slow down like a stone thrown in the air reaching its limit before dropping. Dark energy is the force that defies that theory so we are now trying to understand it.”

The IAC is constantly expanding its own reach and the European Solar Telescope is the next big piece of kit they are working on. It should be ready in 10 years time. The IAC has just ben recognised by the Spanish government as one of the eight best research institutes across all areas of science in Spain. Next time you marvel at the clear night sky above Tenerife, be assured that the truth really is out there and the IAC have all the tools and dedication to unlock the oldest mysteries.

TM: Ángel, firstly congratulations on GF Hoteles being awarded the Certificate of Excellence 2011 by TripAdvisor. Can you tell us what it means to GF Hoteles to receive that award? (En primer lugar felicidades por GF Hoteles de recibir el Certificado de Excelencia 2011 de TripAdvisor. ¿Puede decirnos lo que significa GF Hoteles para recibir ese premio?)

Ángel: Para nosotros significa el reconocimiento de nuestros huéspedes, la enorme satisfacción de conseguir agradar a quienes se alojan con nosotros e incluso superar sus expectativas. Esto nos anima a exigirnos más y en consecuencia a mejorar nuestro producto, infraestructura y servicios.

For us the award means recognition by our guests, the enormous satisfaction of knowing that when staying with us, we have exceeded their expectations. This encourages us to demand more of ourselves and to continue to improve our product, infrastructure and services.

TM: What do you think sets GF Hoteles apart from many others when it comes to identifying and meeting customer needs?( ¿Qué piensa usted establece GF Hoteles aparte de muchos otros cuando se trata de identificar y satisfacer las necesidades del cliente?

Ángel: Nuestro mayor rasgo diferenciador es la calidad de servicio y la eficiencia del trabajo que desempeñan mis compañeras y compañeros con amabilidad, simpatía y profesionalidad.
Asimismo, trabajamos e invertimos capital a diario para mantener y mejorar la infraestructura e instalaciones de los hoteles. Esto es normal dado que de momento todos los hoteles que gestionamos son en propiedad y no alquilados.
También pienso, sin duda ninguna, que nuestros hoteles están ubicados en una de las zonas turísticas más privilegiada del mundo: COSTA ADEJE.

The main thing that sets us apart is the quality of service and the efficiency which my colleagues bring to their work with their friendliness, their understanding and their professionalism. At the same time we strive and continually invest money to maintain and improve the infrastructure and installations of our hotels. This is normal practice for us because at the moment we own all our hotels, we do not rent them.
I also think, without a doubt we live in one of the most privileged tourist areas in the world – Costa Adeje.

TM: As a hotelier on Tenerife, what do you think are the biggest challenges facing the tourism industry today? (Como un hotelero en la isla de Tenerife, ¿cuáles son los mayores desafíos que enfrenta la industria del turismo hoy?)
Ángel: En nuestro ámbito local y regional, el mayor desafío es consolidar el destino como un clásico, que tenga una demanda constante y fuerte de los mercados emisores y no sea coyuntural. No queremos ser un destino “refugio”, aunque hay que reconocer que cuando nos toca serlo nos viene económicamente favorable.
La otra clave es mantener un destino moderno y actualizado, renovado si es preciso, especialmente los hoteles.
Dar más énfasis a la diversión, a la cultura y a la gastronomía.
En general, que la llamada oferta complementaria sea “atractiva” para que los visitantes y huéspedes se dejen cautivar y la disfruten y les aporten emociones y sensaciones que más tarde contarán en sus entornos de relación, convirtiéndose así en los mejores prescriptores que podríamos imaginar.

Otro aspecto que debemos dejar rotundamente claro al mercado, es la sostenibilidad de la industria turística de nuestro destino COSTA ADEJE y de la Comunidad de las Islas Canarias en general. La responsabilidad social corporativa y solidaridad con las personas más necesitadas de nuestra comunidad, es un asunto que aún siendo todavía incipiente nos preocupa y deberemos consolidar para conseguir ofrecer una imagen vanguardista a nuestros actuales mercados y los potenciales y futuros.

Debemos demostrar que somos parte de Europa, una Sociedad occidental segura y avanzada, con principios democráticos y solidarios y respetuoso con el medio ambiente. Valores de la “vieja”Europa” y de las sociedades más desarrolladas hoy en día.
Vivir y trabajar duro y con ilusión los valores y el enfoque del marketing 3.0

Por último, imaginación e innovación. Sorprender al huésped y visitante constantemente y evolucionar nuestro producto de acuerdo con sus necesidades y expectativas, así como también “conservar” los bienes y servicios que funcionan y que el usuario los quiere tal cual los conoce, sin cambios, sin deterioros.

In our local and regional area, the biggest challenge is to consolidate the destination as a classic one and to maintain a strong and constant market, not a cyclical one. We don’t want to be a ‘fall-back’ destination although we must recognise that when that happens we have to be economically attractive.

The other key is to ensure we maintain a modern and up to date destination, renovating where necessary, particularly hotels.

Pay more attention to our culture and gastronomy.
Generally speaking, the so-called complimentary offer is to be ‘sexy’ for our visitors and guests, to captivate and amuse them, giving them emotions and experiences that they will share with their circle of friends, becoming the best ambassadors that we could imagine.

Another aspect that we must keep absolutely clear in our market is the sustainability of the tourism industry in our destination of Costa Adeje and in the Canary Islands in general. We have a Corporate responsibility and a solidarity with the most needy in our community which is a constant concern to us, and we must consolidate in order to be able to continue to offer a cutting edge image to our current, future and potential markets.

We have to demonstrate that we are a part of Europe, a safe and advanced Western society with solid, democratic principles and respect for the environment. ‘Old Europe’ values and one of the most advanced societies of our day. Living and working hard, enthusiastically supporting the values of Marketing 3.0.

Finally, imagination and innovation. Constantly surprising guests and visitors and continually evolving our products to meet their needs and expectations, at the same time maintaining our best and those services that work well – the ones that users know and want to stay just the same, unchanged and undamaged.

TM: How do you think Tenerife needs to move forward in order to face the challenges of the future in the tourism industry? (¿Cómo cree que Tenerife tiene que avanzar para hacer frente a los retos del futuro en la industria del turismo?)
Ángel: Por añadidura a lo ya mencionado anteriormente, si quiero resaltar la importancia estratégica que tiene el transporte para la supervivencia y estabilidad de la economía de Tenerife y en general de nuestro archipiélago. La llamada conectividad aérea, que sea abundante y cómoda, que vuelvan las conexiones nacionales al aeropuerto Reina Sofía de Tenerife Sur.

In addition to what I have already said, I would like to highlight the importance of transport for the survival and sustainability of the Tenerife economy and in general, that of our archipelago too. The so called aerial connectivity which is abundant and comfortable, should bring National connexions back to the Tenerife South, Reina Sofia airport.

TM: Finally Ángel, tell us a little about yourself: (Finalmente Ángel, nos dice un poco sobre usted:)
Are you from Tenerife?(¿Es usted de Tenerife?)
Ángel: Nací en un pequeño pueblo de la provincia de Zaragoza, Langa del Castillo, hace 50 años y vine a Tenerife en Noviembre del año 1985. Desde esa fecha y aquí en Tenerife, siempre he trabajado en hoteles, en diferentes puestos y cargos, pero siempre dedicado en cuerpo y alma a este sector de actividad, que engancha y además me divierte, es como una adicción, una forma de vivir.

I was born in a little town in the province of Zaragoza, Langa del Castillo, 50 years ago and I came to Tenerife in November 1985. Since then I have worked here on Tenerife and always in hotels, in different jobs and responsibilities but my heart and soul have always been in this sector which hooked me and then enthralled me, it’s like an addiction, a way of life.

TM: How long have you worked with GF Hoteles and what were you doing before that? (¿Cuánto tiempo ha trabajado con GF Hoteles y lo que estaba haciendo antes de eso?)
Ángel: El año 1992 comencé en el A.T. Villa Tagoro, en aquel entonces perteneciente a la empresa DOFELA, S.L., como Jefe de Administración y Personal. En el mismo hotel y pasados 2 años, asumí el cargo del Director.
De allí, en el año 1995, fui de Subdirector al recién inaugurado Hotel FAÑABÉ CosTaSuR y al año siguiente ocupaba la plaza de Director del mismo.
Con la creación de la marca GF Hoteles a principios del siglo XXI y gestionando ya a partir del año 2.002 cuatro hoteles, sobre todo con la incorporación del recién construido COSTA ADEJE GRAN Hotel, se hacía necesario unificar la comercialización y gestión de contratación y marketing de toda la cadena. Es entonces cuando la Propiedad de GF Hoteles -D. Fernando López- me propuso asumir esa responsabilidad, la cual acepté con mucha ilusión y coraje y todavía vivo este reto a diario. Es sencillamente “excitante”.

I started working at the A.T. Villa Tagoro in 1992, which at that time belonged to DOFELA S.L., as Personnel and Administration Manager. Two years later, at the same hotel, I became a Director.
From there, in 1995 I was Deputy Director at the recently opened Fañabe Sur Hotel and a year later I occupied the same post as Director.
With the creation of the GF Hoteles brand at the beginning of the 21st century, already managing four hotels including the recently constructed Costa Adeje Gran Hotel, they needed to unify their marketing and management of recruitment, and the marketing of the entire chain. That’s when the Proprietor of GF Hoteles, D. Fernando López, offered me that responsibility, an offer I accepted with enthusiasm and courage and it’s a challenge I still live with daily. It’s quite simply ‘exciting’.

TM: How do you relax and where do you like to go on holiday? (¿Cómo usted se relaja y donde le gusta ir de vacaciones?)
Ángel: En mi vida integro, las 24 horas del día, el trabajo y el ocio, la vida pública y privada. Siempre hay tiempo para todo, para el trabajo y para el descanso. Lo importante es exprimir cada oportunidad y vivir intensamente cada momento.
Vivo en el Sur, en Torviscas, y disfruto sobre todo de la naturaleza y del océano. Me encanta caminar por estos parajes y otros muchos de la isla -sobre todo en Masca y Anaga-
Ir los sábados a los mercadillos del Agricultor a por los productos de las huertas que ellos mismos cultivan, me parece un lujo que no puedo desaprovechar.
¡Ah! y la playa de las Vistas, una maravilla, a la que acudo en compañía de mi mujer y mi hija cuando viene a casa y de amigos.
En invierno algunos días incluso voy a buscar hongos a la corona forestal del norte de Tenerife, no diré donde porque aunque sea ya muy popular esta actividad, siempre queda la esperanza de creer que hay sitios que solo uno conoce, es un secreto.

Por cuestiones obvias de mi trabajo salgo a a menudo de viaje, a Europa básicamente. Me gusta viajar, a todo tipo de lugares, a unos para conocerlos y a otros para disfrutarlos porque ya los conozco. Viajar enseña enormemente y siempre me inspira y me enriquece. Y además, confieso que cada vez que regreso a casa, aquí a Adeje, me alegra y constato que …. “que suerte vivir aquí”.

My life is filled, 24 hours a day, with work and with leisure, a public life and a private one. There is always time for everything, for work and for play. The most important thing is to grasp every opportunity and to live every moment to the full.
I live in the south of the island, in Torviscas, and I enjoy every aspect of the countryside and the ocean. I love to walk in this area and in much of the rest of the island, particularly in Masca and the Anagas.
On Saturdays I go to the agricultural market for the home grown vegetables which seems to me to be an unmissable opportunity.
Ah! Playa Las Vistas, a paradise I enjoy with my wife and with my daughter when she’s at home, and with friends.
In winter I sometimes go looking for mushrooms in the corona forest of the north of Tenerife but I’m not going to say where because this is a very popular activity and you always hope that you’re the only one who knows a good place, so it’s a secret.

Obviously, for work reasons I often travel to Europe. I love travelling to all sorts of places, sometimes to places I haven’t been before and to those I already know. Travel is a great educator and always inspires and enriches me. And afterwards, whenever I come home to Adeje, I’m happy to be back and I always think – “how lucky I am to live here”.

TM: Ángel, thank you for your time and many thanks to GF Hoteles for partnering with TenerifeMagazine.com to give one lucky winner a luxury holiday at the Costa Adeje Gran Hotel. (Gracias por su tiempo y muchas gracias a GF Hoteles para asociarse con TenerifeMagazine.com para dar a un afortunado ganador unas vacaciones de lujo en la Costa Adeje Gran Hotel.)

Music is the heartbeat of Tenerife and the summer of dance is striding into September with the Ritmos Del Mundo concert at Siam Park on Saturday 10 September.  Fedde Le Grand from Holland is a top DJ and producer and will be headlining the feast of music.

Very much in demand, Fedde will fly in from performing the previous night at the O2 Arena in Berlin, part of a hectic year that has included residencies at Space in Ibiza, and Ministry Of Sound in London, and a total of 40 different venues. Fedde grabbed a well earned break to tell TenerifeMagazine.com what makes him spin.

TM – What music influenced you growing up?

Fedde – I was influenced by a lot of different music, from pop like Michael Jackson, who I love, to funk bands like Parliament, George Clinton is a huge hero of mine. I also listened to a lot of hip-hop – I started out playing hip-hop but gradually started to move into house music the more I started record shopping.

TM – How do you choose songs to re-mix. (Missing, the 1994 hit from Everything But The Girl, is the latest to get a DJ Fedde update).

Fedde – Most of the remixes I make start off just because I love the original track but want to make an edit of it that fits into my set. They’re always for personal use first, then people start to ask me to release them, and if we can get everything cleared then we’ll go ahead.

TM – Your tour dates look tough going. How do you relax and keep fit and charged up.

Fedde – It can be really hard, especially when it’s the summer season because you end up playing almost all of the days in the week, you have to travel from gig to gig, country to country, there’s not a lot of time to relax. I try to chill out as much as possible on flights, watch films when I can, just zone out to get some quiet time before it all starts again. If I have time at home to relax then I’ll either hang out with friends and family, just cooking, playing video games, that kind of thing, or I’ll head to the gym – I’m a massive fitness fanatic, it’s a great way to unwind and keep in shape at the same time.

TM – What’s the strangest place you have performed?

Fedde – In a hot air balloon about 1 km above ground, no word of a lie! I’m not sure if there’s anywhere else I could play that would top that really – maybe only something like playing in a submarine?

TM – Do you have a dream venue you want to play one day?

Fedde – I would love to play at Madison Square Gardens or Wembley Stadium or the Bird’s Nest, Beijing,  those locations are insane! Yeah, if I could headline those, that would have to be one hell of a show!

TM – Any plans to celebrate your birthday? (Fedde is 34 on 7 September).

Fedde – Hopefully I’ll get to celebrate it like I did last year – I was in Las Vegas and they brought me out a cake, we had drinks, I had some really good friends on tour with me so it was really cool. Except this time I’m not in Vegas with really good friends, I’m home with really good friends

TM – Does the private plane make a big difference to touring.

Fedde – It really does, if I’m being honest. It’s still a massive luxury and I wouldn’t use it if I didn’t need it but this summer season is so hectic and busy for me that just logistically it makes a lot of sense. If I had to rely on normal planes I’d be cutting it so fine at the airport to get from one place to another, so to book a plane for the whole summer was way more economical. I’m also making sure that I’m offsetting my carbon footprint – we worked it out online and I was totally shocked, I have to plant a small forest to compensate but it’s definitely worth it.

TM – If all your musical equipment and stage gear was in a fire what one thing would you save?

Fedde – My manager. Everything is digital these days so it’s all replaceable. If I had any vinyl with me then I’d definitely go back to save that as there are some cuts that are so hard to find.

TM – Any advice to performers hoping to make it in the music industry?

Fedde – I get asked this a lot and the main thing I say to people is that they have to be prepared to work. And work hard. Of course you have to have talent in the first place, but unless you’re prepared to start at the bottom and work your way up, to play at any gigs you get handed when you start out, do parties for free, anything to get out there and get noticed, then I’d say don’t bother and just do it in your bedroom for fun. It’s long hours, lots of traveling, you’re away from home for most of the year – but when you’re behind the decks and in front of a crowd of people going nuts to your track selection, it’s beyond worth it, it’s an amazing feeling, a real rush. It just takes time and dedication to get here.

TM – In three words what can the people of Tenerife expect from you at the show?

Fedde – So Much Love

Ritmos Del Mundo promises to be special, it runs from 3pm to midnight and also performing are DJ Real El Canario, Glowintedark, Steve Foster, Bassjackers, DJ Leon, and Dj Dario. Tickets are on sale from www.farraworld.com and range from 25 euros to the VIP tickets with free bar at 100 euros. Free buses will be ferrying people to and from the concert from key points in the south. Enjoy.

On the 9th and 10th September 2011, 15 climbers from Switzerland, France and Spain will walk away from the surfers and sunbathers at El Socorro Beach in Los Realejos and will begin a climb that will take them up 3718 metres over a distance of 30 kilometres. And every step they take will give a child a chance to live a life outside of hunger and despair.

“My first step in Cambodia was in Poipet. We crossed the border at Poipet – a huge slum on the border with Thailand. The first night, we went out of the association premises and had to be accompanied by a policeman as the area was very insecure at night. And there, in the middle of the slum and traffic, you could find children, fighting for survival, carrying big boxes, collecting the food left over in the street.”

For freelance web consultant Ernst Décsey who had taken a few months out of his life to travel to Asia to volunteer his time and expertise to helping deprived children, it was a raw introduction to the cause he has continued to actively support for the next 13 years.

The Cause
This year Krousar Thmey (meaning New Family in Khmer), the Cambodian charity dedicated to supporting children in difficulty celebrates its 20th anniversary. Krousar Thmey are not affiliated with any religious or political ideology. Respecting the culture and traditions of every child, they provide materials, education and social assistance to 4000 of Cambodia’s children who are most at risk, finding foster homes for street orphans, funding orphanages and all Cambodia’s schools for deaf children and blind children. To mark the anniversary, a team of volunteers have set themselves a mountain to climb, both figuratively and literally. Led by Ernst Décsey, the team intend climbing Mount Teide from sea level to peak in two days and they need sponsors to help them with every step.

In between training in the French Alps and trying to raise sponsorship, I caught up with Ernst (above) and asked him how a Swiss web consultant had become involved in a Cambodian children’s charity.
“I heard of Krousar Thmey through a professor at my university and I contacted them before visiting Cambodia in 1997. They liked the idea of building a web site, so I went and visited them. I stayed with the association for 3 weeks. When back in Switzerland I built their first website and became a member for the Swiss support Committee.”

“Krousar Thmey is an amazing association,” Ernst tells me. “Its administrative expenses are less than 4% per year, something very rare in the humanitarian world. The association was founded 20 years ago and is now run by Cambodians, for Cambodians. This was the objective of the founder, Benoit Duchateau-Arminjo, who also decided right from the start to focus the help towards the most deprived children, the deaf and blind. When I was in Cambodia I immediately felt that Krousar Thmey was outstanding for its philosophy, its management and the trust it put in Cambodians.”

The Challenge
It was while climbing in the French Alps that Ernst completed his first 3000 metre climb and like everyone else who achieves a personal best, he immediately started thinking about his next, and bigger climb. But this time he wanted to do it to raise funds for the organisation he had seen making such huge life differences to the children of Cambodia.
As Ernst has family living in the Canaries, climbing Mount Teide by a route that represents the largest vertical climb possible in Europe seemed the perfect project for 2011.

Out of the 15 person team, only three have undertaken the climb before. Beginning from sea level increases the challenge significantly and the climbers expect their first day to be extremely tough. They’ll climb 3200 metres over a distance of 25 kilometres with no water station en route which means they’ll have to carry four litres of water each. As much as the physical challenges, it’s the mental strength required to undertake the journey that will be the toughest part.
“Knowing that we do this for the children in Cambodia will motivate us!” says Ernst. “Knowing that people have made donations will be an encouragement for us to go higher and to reach the summit at 3,718 meters!”

The Pay Off
Teide 2011 needs sponsors to help the team to make it to the summit of Mount Teide. For every metre of sponsorship the team receive, they will be able to climb higher. For every 10 Euros they collect, the team will climb another metre which means they need 37,180 Euros to make it to the summit. Just to round things off, their target is 38,000 Euros. The team are all sponsoring their own costs and expenses and every Euro they make will go directly to Krousar Thmey.

The team will all assemble on Tenerife on 8th September in preparation for their climb. Tenerife Magazine wishes them all the very best of luck and will be following their progress closely through their Facebook and Twitter.

Making A Donation
You can help Ernst and the team achieve their goal and you can make a difference to a child’s life by making a donation. It doesn’t matter how much or how little you give, every cent is a step closer to their target. You can donate directly online or arrange a bank transfer at the Krousar Thmey website.

Photos by M.Orlovic/UNANGO

Not pop or sports stars but astronauts, these were the heroes inspiring two young boys to wear NASA space suits at the Starmus Festival at the Magma Arts and Congress centre in Playa de Las Americas, Tenerife. Even a cold war general like Yuri Gagarin would have been impressed to see his legacy still uniting the world 50 years after he broke free of the earth and started the space race.

Cosmonauts, astronauts and enthusiasts gathered to pay tribute to the Russian icon with a spectacular mix of big screen documentary footage, strident music and testimony from those who followed in the tracks of his space boots. People flew from around the globe to bathe in this gathering, David Malin a leading astrophotographer was at the festival to judge a special photo competition and was buzzing with excitement. This is a unique event, lots of different aspects have come together such as art and philosophy, I had the pleasure of organising the late night star party at Mount Teide, a fitting setting for our guests here.

Plugged in to my translator I was ready to listen to a who’s who of space exploration, Neil Armstrong who carved his own piece of history as the first man on the moon, spoke glowingly about the Russian Sputnik programme generally and the man himself personally. That first trip into space was a massive breakthrough that gave us all a dream to chase, I don’t think Russia or Yuri ever quite got the credit their space programme deserved.

Alexei Leonov who made the first space walk back in 1965 cut an imposing and impressive figure in his white suit and talked of the development of the Russian space programme. After Yuri we worked more on robotic probes for the moon, maybe that was a mistake on our part, the Americans made good progress with manned flights and beat us to the first landing.

Victor Gorbatko touched on his experience on the Soyuz missions and Yuri Baturin took the story on to his time aboard the Mir space station. Both were proud and aware of the debt they owed to Gagarin. For America, Jim Lovell reflected on his time aboard Apollo 8 and 13 and lamented the lack of a strong programme to replace the space shuttle. It was quite a daunting sight to see so many space miles represented on stage, each with their special contribution to man’s advancement.

I caught up with a couple of American enthusiasts from Montana, clearly in awe of the assembled crew. Gordon Dewey an avionics expert and Larry Beede a Fed Ex pilot, had been drawn half way around the world purely to see so many astronauts. It’s been an honour for us said Gordon this may never happen again given their ages and the pull of the Gagarin anniversary. We were hoping to see the entire Apollo 8 crew but Frank Borman couldn’t make it due to his wife’s health problems. It’s a shame many people were put off by the cost, we paid 1,000 dollars just to register and get all the passes to the events and the organised trips during the week. Luckily we stayed with a friend at his villa in Puerto de la Cruz (with 6 nights in a 5 star hotel Starmus packages went as high as 4,300 euros a person) but that still left flights via Madrid.

The memories, friendships and contacts will live on long after the festival and there’s talk of repeating it on at least a semi regular basis. The presentation of the talks was top class and all the delegates spoke glowingly about the hospitality they received. Tenerife hopes to see them all again on the next orbit.

Liquid oxygen venting into the blackness of space, two of three fuel cells dead, and heading for the moon 200,000 miles from Earth, the phrase Houston we have a problem has to be the understatement of all time. When Apollo 13 captain Jim Lovell (above) broadcast those words to mission control in 1970 he must have doubted if he would live to tell the tale. Now a sprightly 83 he was captivating an audience of international scientists, astronomers and space enthusiasts at the Starmus Festival at Abama Golf and Spa Resort on Tenerife’s west coast.

Jim was just part of a constellation of guest speakers for the week’s event. As a boy I remember the excitement and tension of the pioneering days of space travel and now I was witnessing a first hand account from three genuine Apollo legends. First up was Bill Anders (below)  a fellow crew member of Jim Lovell on Apollo 8 and previously involved in the Mercury (one man crew) and Gemini (two man) projects. The bond of camaraderie and friendship between these spacemen has endured down the years, Bill bounced a joke off Jim in the audience, referring to the cramped Gemini capsule he shared with Frank Boorman didn’t you two get engaged after that flight?

The risks were never higher than in the early years. A fire in the command module of Apollo One on the test pad killed all three astronauts but Bill sees their legacy in the form of lessons learned. It exposed a whole lot of problems that needed to be tackled, the lessons we learned from the tragedy paved the way for the rest of the programme.
Jim Lovell had the steepest learning curve of all when an oxygen tank exploded and damaged its twin. Mission control didn’t initially believe the seriousness of our situation when I reported it, they were sure our technical readouts were misleading due to solar flares but I knew, that’s when I felt that lead weight in my stomach.
A mammoth salvage effort saw the Apollo 13 crew cannibalise the lunar module to propel the crippled service module home. The lunar module was made for just two people and had no heat shields, we also had to invent a way to filter our air so that we didn’t poison ourselves. That 4.5 minute engine burn behind the moon got us going but there were still problems correcting out course manually with short thrusts timed by my watch as most of the gauges including the clock were off.

The tension at mission control played out to world television audiences and even the re-entry and splash down was an unknown quantity as the parachutes hadn’t been maintained when the power went down. Later Jim co-wrote the book that became a film with Tom Hanks playing his part.
Charlie Duke became the 10th of only 11 men to walk on the moon with Apollo 16. These later missions pushed on with the scientific experiments and we had the lunar rover to help us. The tyres were made of woven compressed piano wire, that worked really well as it gave us good traction. Unfortunately in our space suits we had no rear vision so that made reversing the lunar rover difficult, we got round that by lifting it and turning it around ourselves thanks to the zero gravity effects.
These were changing times and only Apollo 17 followed. NASA cancelled Apollo’s 18, 19 and 20, that was a shame as we had the equipment working well. About that time they announced the space shuttle programme but they should have found a way to keep using the Saturn 5 rockets that Apollo used, they haven’t been bettered and the shuttles are excessively expensive.

The three space pioneers, combined age 235, united on stage to take questions. It was clear that they shared a huge respect for mission control and the technical crews that backed their missions. Bill Anders looked to the future. Mars landings will come eventually but not with chemical rockets, they will have to be nuclear powered. Charlie scuppered any hopes for tales of extra terrestrial encounters. We all got to see all the de-briefings after the missions and not one astronaut had anything of that sort to report.

Apollo was a glorious age of exploration and the testimony of these three remarkable men brought it to life for the eager, appreciative audience. Suddenly those 4 hour plane flights seem very ordinary.