Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.

The Anniversary of Santa Cruz as Capital of the Canary Islands
Ignore the fact that 190 years isn’t exactly a landmark number to celebrate. Ignore the fact that although the anniversary was celebrated on Monday, the date King Fernando VII decreed Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be capital of the Canary Islands was the 27th January 1822. What is really interesting is the politician who is recognised as being the driving force behind it happening – José Murphy. Tenerife increasingly looks to its Guanche past for its pride and character yet it was a son of two Dubliners who was responsible for Santa Cruz achieving status in the eyes of Spain.

Progress at Last for Las Gaviotas Beach
It is welcome news to hear that Santa Cruz council have allocated €400,000 to make the naturist beach of Las Gaviotas safe again for sunbathers. The beach has been closed to the public since December 2010, so the funding allocation is a step in the right direction. Now comes the bureaucracy and contracting process to determine who carries out the work. No dates have been suggested for when it’s expected to re-open but with any luck lets hope that by the summer it’ll be more than just the local fisherman on the rocks who’ll be able to get their tackle out at Las Gaviotas.

Spain Enters a Period of Drought
Those people who know Tenerife well will have registered that there has been a lack of rain so far this winter. There have been only a couple of days when there has been anything close to decent rain with little difference between south and north coasts. Whilst an absence of rain is what we all want when we take a holiday, it is potentially disastrous for the island. Scientists acknowledged this week that the pattern of a dry autumn (30% less rainfall than normal) followed by an equally dry December and January that has occurred across Spain is a rare and worrying combination. The conditions have also resulted in a lack of snow on the mountains; another valued source of water when spring arrives. Mount Teide has been noticeably devoid of the white stuff so far this winter. The situation isn’t critical yet but if the seasonal February/March rains don’t fall it could be. Still, it’s Carnaval in a couple of weeks and we all know what that means… there will definitely be a downpour of monsoon proportions.

Where Does a Prince Spend His Birthday?
On an island that is still experiencing an undersea volcanic eruption apparently. Spain’s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia spent the Prince’s 44th birthday meeting with the people who were most affected by the eruption off the coast at La Restinga on Tenerife’s neighbour, El Hierro. Thankfully the volcanic eruption behaved itself during Prince Felipe’s visit; this was one birthday party that no-one wanted to go off with a bang.

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…The University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC)
This week the HUC managed to ‘misplace’ a patient for 11 hours. Worse, not only did they misplace the patient, a woman suffering from mental health problems and a brain tumour, they informed the patient’s relatives that she had actually left the hospital. The woman’s family, being seriously concerned for her safety, reported her disappearance to the police who advised taxis, buses and trams in the area to be on the lookout for a confused woman wearing a hospital gown. Meanwhile the woman’s sister scoured the hospital whilst another family member stood watch at the hospital entrance… but with no success.
Eleven anxious hours later the family received a phone call to inform them that the woman had been found sitting in a wheelchair in Emergencies where, it was claimed, she had been all the time. It’s a claim that the woman’s sister, having searched the hospital’s public areas, disputes. HUC has admitted that there was a mix up in information between different departments in the hospital which led to confusion to her whereabouts although they still insist she was never actually ‘missing’. Could someone let us know the Canarian word for ‘not knowing where someone is’ because it’s clearly very different from the English one.

Seven years after sarcoma cancer cut short the promising career of Marcia Garcia Estrada, 40 teams of golfers gathered at Abama Golf Resort, Tenerife to raise 95,000 euros for continued research through the foundation set up to honour the Santa Cruz born player. On 14 January the teams of three amateurs with one professional played golf battled it out before pro star Miguel Angel Martin and his team, Justo del Castillo, Juan Manuel Rodríguez and Luis Bunueri emerged victorious.

The Marcia Garcia Estrada Pro Am is more about the competing than the overall result, and raising awareness of this aggressive form of cancer that killed Maria in September 2005. It was a gripping finale to the action as the winners shared a score of 53 strokes with teams led by Paula Martí, José María Cañizares and Josh Jenkins from North America. All the players and spectators that headed to the west coast course in Guia de Isora enjoyed the day and the boost it gave the foundation.

The on course play was backed by some sterling fund raising efforts and star-studded contributions before the tournament, resulting in a pre-match balance of 21,250 euros. A special auction featured a team shirt and ball from Spain’s World Cup winning football team which alone raised an amazing 7,500 euros. Other big names were also generous with unique offers; Rafa Nadal gave up a pair of his tennis shoes signed by footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and basketball player Pau Gasol, tempting a bidder to part with 4,000 euros. There was also a bag of 14 golf balls from Pablo Larrazábal and VIP tickets to a Grand Prix.

The search for answers to beating sarcoma cancer is not publicly funded and relies on the generosity and dedication of organisations such as the Maria Garcia Estrada Foundation. Thankfully in Tenerife there are plenty of major companies willing to support the Pro Am tournament. This year the organisers were very grateful to Abama Golf Resort, Turismo de Tenerife, Gobierno de Canarias, Ayuntamiento de Guia de Isora and DISA.

Scampering up one of the 200 foot masts of the sailing brig Stavros S Niarchos, second officer Ben Wheatley made it look easy. Having climbed the rope ladder, and worked along one of the slats holding the sails, Ben was just below the 12 metre high Up And Over platform, one of the initial challenges to crew members signing on for a Tall Ships Adventure to build character and team work.

Santa Cruz and Portsmouth, the home ports of Stavros, are forever linked in history by a certain Horatio Nelson but these days there’s no need for press gangs. Up to 48 raw crew members of all ages pay to join the ship for week long voyages from its three month base in Tenerife. There are also 10 volunteer crew in key positions and six permanent paid crew who have worked their way up to Captains and Skippers.

I caught Stavros between a Sea Shanty and a Wildlife Watch week as Ben explained. “We had two professional musicians on board to teach traditional sea shanty’s, when we came back into Santa Cruz from our tour around the Canary Islands we entertained a bar full of people. On the wildlife trip we have an expert to educate the crew about the animals we see.”

It’s not all music and mammals, Happy Hour is a jolly name for scrubbing the decks to music. There are also long watches to keep the ship manned around the clock, maintenance, steering, and hauling the sails. “Climbing the masts to set the sails is a small part of the job, they are controlled by hauling on ropes that are coiled on deck. We have a motor but like to use wind power for as much of the voyages as possible. On a good week the sails are our sole source of power for two thirds of the trip.”

Topside the ship looks and creaks like a well worn eighteenth century rig but down in the modern hull the maker’s plate gives the true version, built in Appledore, Devon in 2000. The mess has a modern stainless steel kitchen, not a ship’s biscuit in sight, but the table area is cramped and the six cabins, each with eight bunks are best described as cosy. Sailors’ possessions are limited to a locker and a small box. Ages on the voyages range from 18 to 75 and each work team (watch) is a mixed bag of ages and both sexes. No sailing experience is required for the adventures, it’s a big learning curve that includes map reading, course plotting, and lots of team work.

Ben has been riding the waves since dipping his toe as a raw crew member but seven years on he is dedicated and very happy with a routine of five weeks on and two weeks off. “We tell our new recruits you will learn a little about sailing but a lot about yourselves.”

If anyone fancies a nautical challenge there’s more information at www.tallships.org

Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.

Tenerife – One of the Top Five Places to Live in the World
This week Tenerife, or Santa Cruz at least, was chosen by the Guardian Newspaper as one of the five best places to live in the world. Tenerife’s capital was described as being ‘..Tenerife. But not that Tenerife. ‘ and ‘sexily exotic’. The other destinations on the list were Portland, Oregon; St Pauli, Hamburg; Maui, Hawaii and Cihangir in Istanbul.

The travel article was light-hearted but some readers took it too seriously and reacted with quite venomous comments. Santa Cruz escaped lightly with only a few barbed remarks about its inclusion.

“Devoid of real charm, decent food and culture…” wrote one, whilst another classed it as “…a sprawling shanty town overshadowed by a massive CEPSA refinery…”. Interestingly both comments were from people who actually lived in La Laguna, so no bias there. However, the person who commented “…this city is so far away to be in a 5 best places to live…” actually lives in Santa Cruz (clearly time they relocated).

Whether Santa Cruz is one of the five best places in the world to live is purely subjective but it is a great little city with a lot going for it. The article was positive and different from the usual Tenerife stories that normally make it into the UK travel press. But isn’t it strange that all of the detractors actually came from people who live or have lived on Tenerife? With friends like that…

Bruce Springsteen Plays the Canary Islands…Or Not?
There have been reports over the last week about Bruce Springsteen performing on neighbouring Gran Canaria on 15th May. Before anyone books plane tickets to hop across to Las Palmas,  it’s worth waiting for the deal to be done and dusted. The Boss’s gig has not been officially confirmed yet according to his publicists. At present there are no dates for the Las Palmas concert on Bruce Springsteen’s official website and there are no tickets on sale. Negotiations are still proceeding for the concert to take place. Watch this space.

Throwing Light on Electricity Bills on Tenerife
After a constant stream of complaints since monthly electricity bills were introduced in Spain in 2008, the new Spanish Government are re-introducing bi-monthly bills in a bid to ensure that consumers ‘pay only what they use’.  ‘Only what they use’ – What the hell have we been paying for the last three years? Basically there has been complaint after complaint due to incorrect charges caused by the ‘complexity’ of the monthly billing system – i.e. it was a complete shambles.

Delays on the Ring Road
The controversial ring road linking Costa Adeje with Santiago del Teide is in the news again with latest reports estimating that it will be 2013 before the road is ready; almost three and a half years behind schedule. As it happens the current road up through the mountains is a much nicer drive anyway, so no great hardship for those amongst us who actually enjoy driving on real country roads.

Tenerife Beach to Re-Open
It might not be well known to visitors to Tenerife but the long black sand beach of Playa de la Arena in Tacoronte is a popular R&R spot with locals in the area. Like many beaches backed by cliffs on Tenerife it has been closed because of fear of falling rocks whilst safety measures have been introduced. Playa de la Arena’s closure isn’t as long as some on the island and when it opens again in mid February it will only have been closed for five months.

Something for the Weekend?
This weekend is a big one for Tenerife’s animals with San Abad fiestas in their honour taking place across the north of the island. It’s appropriate that the Neotropico Foundation Rescue Centre has chosen Saturday, 28th January as the date for releasing two rehabilitated loggerhead turtles back into the briny where they belong. The release of the turtles will take place at Playa de la Nea in Radazul at around 11am.

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…Police/Politician Relations
Relations between the police and the mayor of Buenavista del Norte are going through a sticky patch after a union official claimed the mayor had suggested on Facebook that four officers who all fell ill over the same weekend may have not been as sick as they claimed. The weekend in question was Tres Reyes (three kings); a holiday period that appears to be such a bad one for sickness that they should name a virus after it – Tres Reyes Syndrome perhaps. Thankfully Tres Reyes Syndrome doesn’t normally last long and clears up completely after Tres Reyes is over.

This breakdown in police/politicians relations isn’t quite as serious as the one between a senior politician from neighbouring La Gomera who, after an ‘altercation’ involving the police outside a nightclub in Madrid was arrested on the charge of assaulting law enforcement officers. The politician has since resigned from his position because of the incident. Probably wise; getting into a scuffle with police in Spain’s capital is probably not the smartest way to act as an ambassador for La Gomera on the mainland.

This rather grand church is arguably one of the most striking on Tenerife, yet most people have probably never set eyes on it.

There’s been a church here since the beginning of the 17th century and although there are a lot of fine churches around Tenerife, this one has the added bonus of a mature drago tree to add to its appealling good looks, something that should act as a clue to help identification…but only if you’ve been here.

This baroque building is located deep in farming country where potatoes and tomatoes are the main crops…but where on Tenerife is it?

Title: Banda de Musica de Arona
Location: Auditorio Infanta Leonor, Los Cristianos
Description: Plenty of brass with the local Arona band, starts at 8.30pm, tickets 5 euros from the Cultural Centre or the Auditorio Cafe Bar.
Start Time: 20.30
Date: 2012-02-17

Title: Tak-Nara Percussion Trio
Location: Auditorio Infanta Leonor, Los Cristianos
Description: Live music in the heart of Los Cristianos, starts at 8.30pm, tickets 10 euros from the Cultural Centre or the Auditorio Cafe Bar.
Start Time: 20.30
Date: 2012-02-11

Nipping out for some shopping takes on a whole new meaning when faced with a two hour downhill trek. That was the reality in the small village of Jama some 700 metres up above Valle San Lorenzo on the border with Vilaflor. Maybe that’s why most of the houses at Casas Altas are deserted although the freshly restored homes looked magnificent with the Barranco de Chijas and a bounty of plant species spreading out below.

Arona is known for its beaches but the Ayuntamiento (council) is rightly proud of its heritage and beauty and have started a programme of free guided walks to show the other side of the municipality. After dipping into a similar series a few years ago I couldn’t strap my walking shoes on fast enough to enjoy the first of eight walks offered for January with the promise of more to follow.

Meeting at 9am in Valle San Lorenzo I was hoping the full compliment of 25 enthusiasts would have signed up but it was just myself, our council guide Virginia, and three holidaying ladies from Rotterdam, who had seen the publicity at Las Galletas Tourist Information. A steep side road and we were looking up at the small houses perched on the lip of the hill, the sun was poking through two volcanic peaks and the tranquil sounds of nature soon had us moving.

I do a lot of walks but rarely have the advantage of a local guide. Virginia is from Valle San Lorenzo and a keen bird spotter, the high pitched shrill overhead was quickly identified as a Buzzard. The walks are aimed at locals and tourists and the guide’s knowledge comes in several languages including Spanish and English.

As the road changed to a track and then a rough rocky path the upward climb began. A chunky metal water pipe headed up with us but about half way up we found a crossing point of several old concrete channels that were gushing fast with cold water, an amazing work of skill and dedication that stretched down into the town. Even the ugly ducklings of the plant world have a story to tell and the cochineal beetle had left its white scale on many of the cacti, a quick rub revealed the rich crimson colouring that was exported to dye clothes in mainland Europe.

By the time the Jama houses loomed large above us we had been introduced to garlic flowers, mastic trees, Pistacia Atlantica and many more. The most restored house boasted a lovingly tended garden with a well inside and another near the partly re-constructed barn. And how about this as a bonus… a deep, cool cave split into chambers with a long table set out for relaxing away from the high summer sun. Walking inside the dusty shells of the neglected dwellings, I could see daylight through the floorboards of one. Thankfully the next one had a hewn stone floor and a window with a large sill to rest on which afforded inspiring views of the valley.

The wider area offered us a fragrant Rosemary bush. Virginia told us that it was often used locally to make honey. Suddenly my cheese rolls seemed very inadequate. After a short rest we started the walk down. Nature had a colourful rival as paragliders swirled in the air currents on their own graceful descent. It’s always quicker on the downward route but we made plenty of stops to admire flowers and plants, questions are encouraged on these walks and the pace is leisurely, the walk took just over four hours. Back in Valle San Lorenzo we went our separate ways but the Dutch ladies had plenty of good things to report to less active fellow holiday makers and to spread back home.

Here are the walks for the remainder of January, you must register (for insurance) at any Arona Tourist Information Office, or call (0034) 922761600, or via the website www.arona.travel

•  Tuesday 24^th – Montaña Guaza
• Wednesday 25^th – Arona Casco to Altavista
• Thursday 25^th – Barranco Chijas
• Saturday 28^th – Arona to Ifonche
• Tuesday 31^st – Malpais de Rasca

There should be more walks in the following months depending on the response. Publicity had only just been launched before this first walk. Arona is well worth getting to know and this free initiative is waiting to introduce you to a new landscape.

Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.

A Record Breaking Year
Despite newspapers reporting the doom and gloom of a seemingly never-ending economic crisis, The Canary Islands’ airports enjoyed a record-breaking year in terms of passengers passing through them. 35 million people touched down or took off from an airport on one of the islands, the highest figure in the history of air travel in the archipelago. The biggest winner was Fuerteventura which saw an 18.6% increase in passengers with Tenerife South following closely behind with a 17.6% increase. The only Canarian airport that registered a decrease was poor little El Hierro’s…no surprise considering the threat of volcanic eruption. With that situation stabilising, the island should see a significant change this year.

In terms of numbers, Gran Canaria came out top with 10.5 million passengers, although Tenerife Spanish language newspapers were quick to point out that if you added the figures for Tenerife’s two airports together (8.6 million in Tenerife and 4.1 in Tenerife Norte), it came to 12.7 million for Tenerife; much more than Gran Canaria which is clearly the most important piece of news of all.

La Orotava – A Touchy, Feely Town
In a bid to encourage visitors to really get a feel for the town, La Orotava council have produced a small guide whose aim is to encourage visitors to experience ‘los cinco sentidos’ – the five senses. Oddly the guide, which isn’t free but only costs 0.50 cents, has six sections; Mirame (look) which focusses on museums and urban landscapes; Tócame (touch) which concentrates on architecture; Huéleme (smell) about the gofio mills; Escúchame (listen) about churches and religious sites (the listen part is presumably church bells); Saboréame (taste) obviously aimed at wine and gastronomy and the sixth sense (for all those mediums out there), Intúyeme (Intuition?) about discovering the town’s gardens and squares. 50,000 copies of the guide have published – more than enough for the 40,000 visitors to La Orotava’s tourist offices last year. Hold on a minute…50,000 guides for 40,000 visitors? A guide about ‘the five senses’ that actually lists six? Maybe they need to add a new section called ‘count me’.

A Plague in El Médano
The sea at the main beach in El Médano was not the place to be this week as the local council restricted access due to a plague of jellyfish (medusas in Spanish, which is rather mythical). At least seven people had to be treated for stings. If you happen to be in the vicinity when someone is stung by a jellyfish, scientists actually advise against doing what Joey did in Friends all those years ago and urinating on the victim. A) it’s anti-social and B) some scientists claim it might even aggravate the sting. Best course of action is to run to the nearest restaurant, grab a bottle of vinegar and wash the infected area with that.

The North Hospital Nearly Ready to Open
It’s good news, bad news time again on Tenerife. The good news is that the new north hospital near Icod de los Vinos will open on 31st March. The bad news is that it will only be able to provide a restricted emergency service. The potentially worse news is that there are still issues over funding and staffing, with possible trouble brewing after it was suggested that medical staff from other facilities were drafted in to meet the deadline for opening. Robbing Peter to pay Paul simply isn’t a solution.

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…Arona
The Blue Flag status of the beaches in one of Tenerife’s main tourist areas, Arona (which includes Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, Las Galletas, Costa del Silencio, Palm Mar) could be in jeopardy according to opposition politicians who claim that ‘disastrous management’ on the part of the council has led to the municipality losing its maritime rescue service.

The contract to carry out the role of patrolling the coast, sea rescues and the management of bathing facilities for people with disabilities ended in November…but no action has yet been taken to renegotiate a new contract by the council according to opposition sources who claim this should have been done and dusted by June 2011.

It seems incredible that something as important to tourism in an area that has been one of the most popular with visitors to Tenerife for over 40 years could be simply overlooked. But as our heading says – this is Tenerife.

Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.

A Tenerife Hero
This week Tenerife’s President, Ricardo Melchior and the Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez paid tribute to a Tenerife hero, Lieutenant General Antonio Benavides, by laying a crown of flowers on his tomb at the Iglesia Matriz de la Concepción in Santa Cruz on the 250th anniversary of his death.
Antonio Benavides, born in La Matanza, was a soldier whose story is the stuff of movies and historic fiction. Apart from demonstrating bravery and heroism in a number of battles, he ostensibly saved the life of King Felipe V during a skirmish in Asturias by giving the King his less recognisable war horse, it was a gesture which nearly cost him his own life. As a reward he was made Governor of Florida which, in 1718, seemed more a punishment than a reward. Florida at that time really was the wild, wild west. Benavides found himself battling Native American Indians, English settlers and even pirates in his quest to bring law, order, peace and prosperity to the state. But he managed it and even struck up a treaty with the Appalachian tribes who came to trust Benavides because of the respect he showed to them and their rights as indigenous peoples. He remained governor until 1734 when he was reassigned to Veracruz in Mexico. Despite his distinguished career Antonio Benavides died in poverty back in Tenerife at the age of 85. These few lines only give a taster of the exceptional life of this heroic Tenerife soldier, it’s worth delving deeper into his story. It’s good to see that a Tenerife’s son who helped shape history is still remembered and honoured.

Photographing The Firm
What does a photo documentary by Jocelyn Bain Hogg illustrating scenes from the lives of people involved with the British organised crime scene have to do with Tenerife? Some of these ‘gritty’ images were shot (maybe not the best phrase to use) in Tenerife.

Navidad is Over…Time to Get the Wallet Out
Almost as soon as the Tres Reyes clip-clopped out of town on the backs of their grumpy camels, the fervour started anew with the beginning of the traditional winter sales on Tenerife and the other Canary Islands. From the 7th of January until the 6th March our favourite shops will have rebajas plastered all over their windows and people will be forking out less money for items they don’t really want or need. The sales can be a nightmare for the first few days but after that things calm down. For anyone not on Tenerife during this time, there’s a second chance to pick up some Tenerife bargains as there are also summer sales which will last from 2nd July to 1st September on all the islands except El Hierro where they’ll run from 15th July to 15th September.

Navidad is Over Part 2 – Get Ready for Carnaval
Almost before the last firework has petered out, it’s time to start preparing for Carnaval 2012 on Tenerife. Carnaval die-hards will want to know that tickets for the murga contests and the election of the carnaval queen are now on sale. Tickets for the murgas cost around €10 and €19 for the final (do people really pay that much?) and €10 to €15 for the election of the queen. They are on sale at generaltickets.com

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…Santiago del Teide
Sometimes it seems as though Spanish officialdom is hell bent on making life as difficult as possible for small businesses. How else can we explain why, in the middle of an economic crisis when local authorities should be supporting businesses in their community, officials in Santiago del Teide take an opposite stance. Some cafes and restaurants in the town were forced to remove tables and chairs from the pavement even though owners claimed they’d paid the required taxes to have them there. The reason seems to have been a decision to enforce a law that had been more or less ignored since 2005. Laws are laws and have to be complied with, but the gripe in the town is that there was no consultation beforehand, no period of grace to resolve the issue before it became a problem. Even the iconic horse and cart that is a symbol of the town apparently fell foul (foal) of the law.

The perverse aspect to this is that in troubled times a council would take a course of action that makes it less attractive for tourists to stop there. Where’s the horse sense in that?