Bulging red and white carrier bags with the Sal2 logo on them showed it was mission accomplished in Santa Cruz. The thronging streets and plazas were further proof that the second annual initiative to boost small and medium sized businesses was a hit with families.

Early in the day the marching band tuned up near the African Market, inflatable castles were pumped into life and free parking ensured that all roads led to the capital city. Of the 120 shops joining in, 64 took the chance to invade the streets and expand onto makeshift stalls, 15 artists took pitches around Teatro Guimera, and 32 restaurants drew up special offer menus for the day. Last year 70,000 people flocked to the event and the Sociedad Desarrollo (development society) were taking no chances this year installing temporary toilets around the main venues. Police and Unipol officers kept a high visibility but I even saw some of them smiling and laughing.

Plaza del Principe was the magnet for toddlers, they had more bouncy castles than you could shake a stick at (not a sharp one of course) and even a live puppet show. There has to be music in all things in Tenerife and they did us proud with 14 groups gracing the large stage in Plaza del Candelaria just up from the port. The quirky Tizas En Las Botas went down well, Amatista with their very young and very good singers wowed the parents, Ledesma hit the rap target but Beat Tripper stole the show with their Beatles tribute. Not only were they visually and vocally like the originals, their costume quick change took the band through three stages of the Fab Four’s career. Most of all they were great fun and got the crowd rolling back the years, a passing local drunk dancer was just rolling, and during the encores two of the band ventured out among the shoppers to get them dancing.

The marching band had a tiring day patrolling the edges of the shopping areas hammering out a rhythm to drive shoppers from one section of stalls to another but it worked and even those in the smaller back streets heard their rusty tills ping into action. Cafes and bars were heaving, well it’s thirsty and hungry work shopping. The stretch by Plaza del Principe was the most densely packed with stalls and at times it was almost like a Carnaval afternoon with so many people flowing slowly. There are already plans to do similar events in some of the outskirts of Santa Cruz to give them a well needed pick up. These are testing times for the retail trade but at least it’s forcing the business community to come up with some new ideas.

It’s June 1936. Francisco Franco is Governor General of the Canary Islands and is in La Orotava watching the Corpus Christi procession as it passes over the floral works of art.

Well known as a dissenter, Franco has been posted to the furthest and quietest outreach of Spanish governance to keep him out of harm’s way. If only they’d known then that most powerful of idioms – keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. The authorities are expecting trouble, there have been whispers of an assassination attempt and the Guardia have a heavy presence, their cars parked beneath the magnolia frontage of Casas de Los Balcones. In the event, the procession passes quietly without incident.

Fast forward 75 years and on the 30th June 2011, the alfombristas of La Orotava will unveil the 106th carpet to be constructed in the Plaza Ayuntamiento (Town Hall Square). During its existence this most fragrant of Canary Islands traditions has seen some important feet passing over its cobbled streets, not least those of the Corpus Christi procession to whom it owes its existence.

Rolling out the carpet
The feast of Corpus Christi had already been celebrated for over 300 years in Tenerife, predominantly in La Laguna where the day was marked by theatre, dancing and traditional games as well as pious acts, before the first petals were ever laid in La Orotava. The honour of being the first is attributed to Leonor de Castillo Monteverde who, in 1847, thought it would be a nice idea to decorate the road outside her home for the Corpus Christi procession to walk over. So successful was Leonor’s idea that the practice quickly spread to other parts of the island and her descendants still complete that section of road outside her home today.

In their 164 year history the La Orotava flower carpets have only twice been suspended, once in 1891 and again in 1897. Last year, despite the persistent rain that marred the whole proceedings, the people still turned out to make their flower carpets and to ensure that their 120 year unbroken record still stands.

The La Orotava Town Hall tapestry
Despite the popularity of decorating La Orotava’s streets for the procession, it was to be almost 70 years after Leonor’s radical gesture before the Plaza Ayuntamiento stained its face in the name of religious devotion.

The Corpus Christi procession began passing through the Town Hall plaza in 1913 but it wasn’t until 1919 when Felipe Machado and Benítez de Lugo took it upon themselves to carpet the square in flowers and vegetation that the tapestry tradition began. Before then, the only time the square had seen decoration was in 1905 when a floral carpet tribute had been laid to honour the Spanish Navy ensign.

On the 21st May 2011, work began on this year’s tapestry, the theme of which is the 26th World Youth Day which will once again bring the Pope to Spain. This year’s design will use 21 different colours to create 20 individual tapestries as a nod to the 20 years that this particular group of alfombristas have been the creators of the carpets and the latest generation of artists to continue the ethereal tradition that has characterised the town for so long.

The La Orotava Corpus Christi flower carpets take place on 30th June 2011.

One click and you have captured the essence of a person or a family group, and if it doesn’t please you it’s gone in an instant. That’s the modern easy way but rewind to the 15th century and the portrait often captured so much more as it was lovingly crafted over months or even years. That’s why El Retrato Español En El Prado is so much more than a collection of 73 classic portrait paintings on tour from Madrid’s iconic Prado Museum.
The Spanish Portrait In The Prado is a window on cultural history through some of Spain’s greatest artists and those with strong Spanish connections. Judging by the steady procession of visitors to the Espacio Cultural Caja Canarias, in the heart of Santa Cruz, there is a healthy appetite to get up close and personal with these fine works.

The second of two floors is the starting point for this journey. Court painters were kept busy portraying the great and good and they tended to flatter their subjects, setting them in grand pre set poses. El Greco was one of the big stars of brush and paint, born in Crete he spent much of his later life in Toledo and although his strong, expressive style had its followers, his fame didn’t really take hold until after his death.
Goya was another giant of the canvas and helped to change the style of popular painting, breaking away from the formal. The portrait of Charles 3rd (above)  hunting Carlos 111 Cazador was quite a departure with its relaxed setting, not what was expected for a royal pose.
Just as I was getting comfortable with these images of the beautiful people I came face to face with a double whammy, Eugenia Martinez Vallejo (below) by Juan Carreño de Miranda, the subject was unkindly referred to in the painters guide as a freak, strange seeing the painter Vallejo was influenced by Rubens who worshipped the larger figure. It was just another example of how things were changing on the European art scene.

Moving downstairs the portraits had moved on to the 19th century and romanticism, realism and naturalism were all the rage. Sorolla led the emergence of a new school of painters from Valencia and Sevilla. Esquivel came from the latter and favoured big romantic scenes like Ventura de la Vega Leyendo Una Obra En El Teatro del Principe (below). It took him nearly 2 years to complete this group scene and standing up close, as you can with all the paintings here, it’s easy to see why, as the detail is incredible and holds your attention.

The informal nature of this exhibition should help to encourage more to give classical art a chance. There was a good mix of visitors from the well heeled middle aged to young students in heavy metal t shirts. You could lose yourself in the Madrid Prado but this bite sized introduction to a chunk of Spanish history is easy to digest and well worth a visit before it closes on 8 January 2011.

FACT FILE

• El Retrato Español En El Prado
• Plaza del Patriotismo, Santa Cruz
• Open  – Monday to Friday 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm
• Friday 11am to 1pm and 5pm to 8pm, Saturday 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm
• Entrance  – Clients of Caja Canarias FREE, Residents 2 euros, Non residents 5 euros

It’s 9 o’clock Sunday morning, the sky is liquid sapphire and already the air temperature is 30°C. The grey horse in the paddock below my window is pulling up white tufts of dry grass from the baked ground; a hen stutters nervously into the vegetable garden and the bells of San Fernando Rey call worshippers to mass.
It could be a scene from a village in the Cotswolds, but instead I’m in the heart of rural Tenerife in a hamlet that, were there to be such a competition, would surely be a prize winner in the Island’s most picturesque village – Santiago del Teide.

Nestling in a fertile valley in the South West hills, flanked by the little hamlet of Valle de Arriba and backed by Montaña Bilma, the Chinyero lava fields and Mount Teide; Santiago del Teide is the place where day trippers turn off to climb the serpentine ascent into Masca. But to pass through this paradise without stopping is to miss one of the most charming rural settlements Tenerife has to offer.
The doors of the picturesque Iglesia San Fernando Rey are always open and opposite, the little kiosk café is the perfect spot to crack a cool Dorada at the picnic zone beneath the shade of eucalyptus trees. And with the opening of the Casa del Patio at the end of 2009, there’s even more to Santiago than just the prettiest of faces.

Beautifully restored by the Cabildo (Island Government), the 17th century former home of the feudal lord of the manor provides sustenance and entertainment in equal measure with riding stables; a tasca; art gallery, craft shop; bodega and Chinyero museum.

Restaurants in Santiago del Teide

The Señorío del Valle visitor centre which includes Casa del Patio, has added a real touch of class to the traditional fare which forms the staple diet of los campesinos (country folk) prevalent on menus in the village. A charismatic tasca with bijou bar, beautiful courtyard and dining room with hand drawn murals of traditional rustic scenes provide the setting for a typical Canarian menu with a good selection of tapas, meat and fish dishes.
The food is all freshly prepared, flavoured with fresh herbs from the kitchen garden and cooked to perfection.

There are a few eateries in the village, all serving variations on the staple Canarian menu alongside the occasional arepa or burger.
The Chinyero restaurant is landmarked by a life sized model of a horse and trap and its spacious courtyard attracts many of the day trippers en route to and from Masca.
Portions are generous and the terrace is a pleasant place to sit and watch the world go by. Just a small, raised outside terrace means that the El Patio restaurant in the village gets fewer visitors but it has ample space inside its traditional dining room and the food is a cut above Chinyero’s.

Rural Accommodation in Santiago del Teide
Standing proud alongside its visitor centre, the brand new Rural Hotel Señorío del Valle in Santiago del Teide opened its doors in March 2010 and exudes rustic charm and tranquility.

The grounds ramble lazily from the vegetable garden and paddock to the courtyard with traditional wine presses and the stables, all populated by the resident horses, hens and ducks. When the caged parrots join in with the morning chorus it’s a regular Granja de Viejo McDonald affair.
Vines are just beginning to creep their way along the stone walls of the hotel, softening the façade with their presence while inside, the decor is an elegant combination of contemporary and traditional.
Mudejar ceilings and polished wood offer a cool retreat from the heat of August but the sight of a large wood burning stove in the lounge area promises cosy winter nights in front of a log fire.

Bedrooms are in a quadrangle surrounding a sun-saturated courtyard with an ornamental  pond and fountain. Each room is individually decorated and named after a local flower. I’m in ‘ajinajo’ with views over the paddock, gardens, picnic zone and a landscape that elicits an instantaneous long sigh of relaxation.
Testing the king-sized bed for comfort it’s difficult to pull myself away from this rural luxury but the view beyond the window is beckoning, so it’s on with the factor 25 and the rucksack.

Walking Routes

Beyond the neighbouring hamlet of Valle de Arriba and over the crest of the ridge lie the stunning Erjos Pools, a wildlife haven and natural beauty spot. After exploring the pools  on a dragonfly and duck spotting quest, I climb up to the ridge and make my way into the cool shade of the forest to finally emerge with unbelievable views over the Santiago Valley, before dropping back down to the pools.
After an excellent lunch of carne de cabra (goat) at the hotel, I brave the afternoon heat on the little Camino de la Virgen de Lourdes path which climbs the hillside in the centre of the village to a small shrine and fountain.
From my vantage point amidst the heady perfume of honeysuckle and roses I look down on sleepy Santiago del Teide and wish the weekend would last for ever.

Our latest photo challenge is so easy that someone will probably get it before I’ve finished writing this. This spot is on the coast, beside the main road in the centre of a resort, but I wonder how many people have passed these guys without noticing them?

This motley crew, looking like extras from Finding Nemo, form part of one of the most unique, imaginative and amusing façades on the island – but where on Tenerife is it?

Do you remember boring school trips to stuffy art galleries where the highlight of your day was noshing your curled cheese sandwiches and thinking that at least it was a day free from the classroom? It doesn’t have to be like that. For a refreshing change head for TEA – Tenerife Espacio De Las Artes, the bright, modern and challenging centre in Santa Cruz.

Come with an open mind, you may be greeted by multi coloured acrylic whales or a flying grass carpet; once inside it could be a stuffed donkey or some performance art from a Japanese performer with bread rolls attached to his head. Those are extreme examples, guaranteed to grab you by the throat and slap your conventional views around. The main body of work consists of modern and classic paintings and sculptures. British artist Henry Moore’s reclining El Guerrero de Goslar is now back on the nearby Rambla del General Franco, but enjoyed a roof over its head from the November 2008 opening of TEA. Oscar Dominguez, the La Laguna born surrealist painter, got the star treatment with a whole hall given over to him, but TEA pulls in exhibits from all around the globe.

The 20,000 square metre TEA building is a fitting frame for any work. The entrance hall is large, open and with a high ceiling and polished light wood block flooring and leads to a tight spiral stairwell serving the 3 exhibition halls. Tear drop shaped lights hang from the ceiling with long slender stalks welling into glass bowls holding the light bulbs – quite a first impression.

The open and airy feel is most effective in the library. The 7,000 books from the 1888-founded municipal library have been transferred and take their place alongside full shelves, work stations, comfy browsing sofas, magazine racks, and 36 internet ready computers. In the day, the sun streams in through the vast side windows. The library is open 24 hours a day so after dark the tear drop lights swarm down like helpful fireflies.

An equally relaxing café adjoins the reading room and there is also a cinema with white club seat sofas that almost swallow you. Films cover a wide range of eras and countries but are shown in their original language with Spanish sub titles, good value at four euros. If you feel the need to use any of the toilets at TEA, you might like to pop on your sun glasses, they are typically stylish and dazzlingly bright. On the way out of the building, it’s worth diving into the souvenir shop for some very unique, but expensive, reminders of the visiting artists.

There are three main exhibition halls and the changing programmes are staggered so there is a constant flow of regular changes. As if you hadn’t guessed, I’m a huge fan of this art outlet, but I have yet to see more than a handful of visitors on each call. It’s a scant reward for the bold investment made in the capital’s culture but a big plus for the unhurried browser.

FACT FILE

• TEA – Tenerife Espacio de las Artes
• Avenida de San Sebastian, Santa Cruz
• www.teatenerife.es
• OPEN – exhibitions Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm
• Library open 24 hours
• PRICES – Adults 5 euros, Under 12’s FREE, residents 2.50 €, residents over 65 or between 12 and 26 one euro.