Title: San Sebastian Festival
Location: Plaza San Sebastian, Adeje
Description: One of the first and biggest celebrations of the year as farm animals and horses gather near the plaza just before La Caleta from 11am. Around an hour later the horses are led down to La Enramada beach to dip in the sea as thousands gather to watch and the statue of San Sebastian is paraded. A family favourite as children can see animals up close.
Date: 2012-01-20

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. “

Title: International Beach Volleyball
Location: T3 – Tenerife Top Training, La Caleta
Link out: Click here
Description: High up in the hills of La Caleta, next to Golf Costa Adeje, T3 is a multi purpose sports centre with “beaches” where the Spanish teams train. For 5 days, 1, 2 & 3 April you can watch FREE teams from Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Poland and Russia compete for a trophy.
Start Date: 2011-04-01
End Date: 2011-04-03

Rockets tore through the sky, church bells peeled and pigeons erupted from their baskets. It was a wake up call for horses, sheep, goats and foals not to mention the thousands of locals and tourists that had converged on La Caleta in Costa Adeje to honour San Sebastian. Up to that point the Tenerife morning and early afternoon had been relaxed and reflective, the horses and foals were racked up in their shady makeshift paddock, their toughest decision being which side of their head and neck to offer up for stroking and pampering by their adoring public.

The goats and sheep had their own fan club gathered around their pens, young hands reaching over to offer them little morsels as cameras clicked steadily. Between the sea of stalls selling food and souvenirs thirsty visitors formed small islands around tables as the beer and wine started to flow. The dedicated worshippers were crammed into the church and in good voice as the sermon and hymns were broadcast outward from the bell towers via the speakers. Even deep in prayer they could hardly fail to catch the aroma of paella, meats and spices on the stalls that hugged all sides of the church, there were outside pews for everyone and they would still be there after jumping up for a little dance.

Preparations had begun for the parade. Some horses trotted along the road to get their legs working while riders posed for family photos and swigged a few late beers. The horses back in the paddock were getting a little restless and raking the ground with their hooves. Some riders were more adventurous than others riding side saddle or even taking a standing bow on horseback and young family members hitched a pre parade ride with their parents. Once the church bells were ringing saddles were slung into position and all the horses and carts filed onto the road and set off towards the beach,

Every vantage point possible was taken as holiday makers hung out of windows and balconies in the luxury hotels. The horses were frisky and playful trotting and posing for the crowds that lined the route. The keener followers kept pace with the parade leaders nimbly avoiding the newly deposited obstacles in their path. As the slip road turned into sand the horses gathered pace and raced down to the shore and through the sea that was lapping strongly on the shingle beach. A massive crowd had gathered and pressed in on all sides but with police allowing plenty of free room for the horses they were able to splash happily through the waves. Cart wheels made their own way through the churning water and smaller foals skipped along the edges not sure quite what to make of all the fuss.

The climax of the early afternoon fun came when the statue of San Sebastian carried shoulder high cut a swathe through the packed beach top to be blessed at the waters edge. As the horses and riders shook off the last drops and headed back to their paddock the crowds began to melt away, many of them picking their way slowly down from their grandstand perches. The boats just off the shore carried on their way and the music and dancing started afresh back at the plaza by the church.

A burning lantern is held aloft from a set of steps on the La Caleta shoreline, the waves lap gently as 2,000 people gather around candles burning in small hollows in the sand as the hot Tenerife sun slowly sets out to sea. That was my introduction to the Hindu faith in Tenerife in May 2009 and this years Ceremony of Divine Light on 22 August, promises to be even more inspiring after a day’s Festival of Yoga at the El Galeon sports centre, also in Costa Adeje.

The Hindu Association of Tenerife South has reached out to the other Tenerife faiths and communities over the last few years and the response has been warm and encouraging. I met with Rajesh Pursnani  known locally as Rocky, in the Safari Centre. The Indian involvement in local commerce has mirrored and driven the growth of Tenerife South over the last 35 years. So what does the association do?
“We formed our group back in 1975 and have nearly 300 active members and many more that contribute in different ways. Then in 2008 we decided to get more involved with our neighbours and staged an Intercultural Feria (above) in the streets of El Galeon, Adeje. Mayor Fraga and the Adeje Ayuntamiento (council) were very helpful from the start and have supported all our events. We had 10,000 people turn up for the feria and it was a wonderful meeting of people from different backgrounds. Then we had another earlier this year and raised 24,000 euros for the Haiti appeal.”

The Ceremony of Divine Light in 2009 was a celebration of music and dance telling many of the stories that form the backbone of the Hindu faith. Children played a big part, many already mingle daily with other cultures in local schools, and the buzz of them chatting and playing in groups across the sand reflected the open, friendly mood of the evening. Mayor Fraga and other local dignitaries shared the stage and the ceremonies with honoured guest Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji , a revered spiritual leader from Rishikesh in India. This year the Swami will again lead the prayers and wishes for peace in Indian, Spanish and English.

Earlier in the day the free Festival of Yoga takes place in the El Galeon sports hall from 9am to 6.30pm. Yoga plays an important role in the Hindu faith as Rocky explained. “It’s very much a union of body, spirit and mind and helps to put you at ease with yourself and the world. We are looking to attract people who haven’t tried yoga before, we have local teachers and monitors will look after groups of around 25 so they get a good introduction. There will also be talks about the history and meaning of yoga, the Swami will be leading one of them.”
After the day of yoga all roads will lead down to Playa de la Enramada at La Caleta for the Ceremony of Divine Light,  the Aarti is the climax of the event and best described in the words of the faith.

Aarti is the beautiful ceremony in which deepas (the oil lamps) are offered to God. Aarti can be done to a deity in the temple, it can be done on the banks of the Ganges to Mother Ganga, or it can be done to a saint. It is performed to God, in any manifestation, any form, by any name. The essence of the aarti ceremony is that all day long God offers us light – the light of the sun, the light of life, the light of His (Her) blessings. Aarti is a time when we say “thank you,” and we offer back the light of our thanks, the light of our love and the light of our devotion. We realize that the small deepa is nothing compared to the divine light which shines on us all day. So, aarti is a ceremony of humility, a time in which we acknowledge that “God, you are everything. I am nothing. All day you shine upon the world. All I can offer you is this small deepa, a flame which will be blown out by the passing wind. But, I offer it with devotion and with love. Please accept my offering.”

One of the meanings of Aarti literally is “remover of pain.” This is beautiful, because there is nothing inherent in the name of the ceremony that says which form or name of God it should be performed to. It should be performed to the Divine Remover of Pain in our life.

The aarti takes place as  the sun goes down at around 8.20pm, that’s when everyone heads down to the shoreline as a forest of flames flicker brightly and prayers are said for future peace and healing.

Everyone is welcome at the yoga and the beach ceremony, and will be again for the biggest Hindu event of the year, Ganesh on 19 September. That will start at 11am at the Hindu Cultural Centre at La Pineda, Torviscas Alto before heading to the beach in the evening. For more information on the Hindu religion go to www.parmarth.com or the Hindu Association of Tenerife South site , you can also find them at Facebook.

Title: Ceremony of Divine Light
Location: Playa de la Enramada, La Caleta
Description: The Hindu Association of Tenerife Sur welcomes everyone to share in this beach ceremony. There will be music and dance on stage and the climax of the evening will be at sunset as candles made from purified butter are lit along the beach and Swami Chidanand Sarasatiji holds aloft the sacred lantern to wish peace and happiness for all.
Last years event was quite a spectacle and a great way to appreciate a different culture that helps to make Tenerife such a rich and diverse island. Starts at 7.30pm.
Date: 2010-08-22