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

The theme for La Oratava’s Corpus Christi sand tapestry
The theme for the 2011 sand tapestry in La Orotava on 30th June will be ‘Dios nos entrega a su hijo Jesús` which loosely translated means ‘God gives us his son Jesus’. The incredible tapestry made from soil and sand from Las Cañadas del Teide traditionally features a religious theme but usually includes a contemporary slant which often delivers a surprisingly emotional impact. La Orotava council are applying to UNESCO for World Heritage status which, as anyone who has witnessed this very special celebration, is an accolade that is long overdue.

A busy summer scene for Tenerife
It’s just as well that Tenerife is blessed with numerous beaches of all shapes and sizes as space on them could be at a premium this summer. There are an estimated 400,000 more airline seats heading our way during the sizzling summer months than last year.

Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz to reopen
Great news at last for the troubled renovation of Parque Marítimo in Santa Cruz. It looks like all systems are go and the swimming pool complex will reopen to the public in all its full glory on the 1st of June. It’s also good news for those sun-seeking cruise passengers arriving at the port who once again will be able to bask in the capital’s sunny weather without having to spend precious time catching a bus or taxi to Playa las Teresitas.

Keeping cosy in La Laguna bus station
La Laguna isn’t exactly the warmest place on Tenerife to begin with and waiting for the guagua at the bus station is like braving the Siberian wastelands in winter wearing shorts and a T-shirt. That might sound like an exaggeration until you know that Manuel Ortega, general co-ordinator of Tenerife’s transport department, suggested that it was easier to catch flu inside the station than outside it and that waiting there could be fatal for children and old people (admittedly he might have meant the Spanish meaning rather than it was likely to kill you…but who knows). Apparently the culprits are the electronic doors which are positioned in such a place that every time they open (every other second) icy blasts of cold air grab the opportunity to rush in and harass travellers. To rectify the problem which has had passengers up in goose-pimpled arms, the offending doors will be replaced by swivel doors to keep the cool winds at bay.

The wrath of Ben Magec
The filming of Wrath of the Titans, the follow up to Clash of the Titans, has come in for criticism from Canarian ecologist group Ben Magec for potentially disrupting the breeding patterns of the endangered fish eagle (aka osprey and guincho). Filming is currently taking place in the Teno region of Tenerife where the island’s few eagles live and breed. Apparently ‘many’ people have asked Tenerife’s Government and the film production company not to go ahead with shooting scenes in that area and an online petition has been set up to call a halt to the titans in Teno. It may be an admirable cause but Ben Magec’s site is missing the sort of detail that helps readers make an informed decision about how real the threat is. For all we know it might come from the fact that Mrs Eagle is too busy watching Sam Worthington in a leather skirt to get involved in a bit of love action with Mr Eagle.

The warmest April since 1950
Spanish Meteorological Agency AEMET have said that April 2011 was the warmest since 1950; a fact that might surprise some visitors to the south of Tenerife during that month. However, although the weather was warmer (by 4C in Spain, but only 1C in the Canary Islands) and rainfall was close to average figures, in actuality rainfall in southern parts was substantially higher than average (up to three times as much in the Canary Islands) whilst in northern areas it was lower.

Santa Cruz Tourist Bus
The Canarian Confederation of Young Entrepreneurs aren’t happy with the route that the city’s new tourist bus follows as it doesn’t stop at enough shopping areas. They want the route to be changed so that it includes more commercial areas. Maybe we’re missing the point here but we thought the idea of the tourist bus was to show visitors the cultural and scenic highlights of Santa Cruz and not the best place to pick up a little black number for the dinner dance on board their cruise.

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…Icod de los Vino and environmentally friendly concrete.
Icod de los Vinos claims that it will have the most ecologically friendly avenue in the Canary Islands…by covering Avenida Chincanayros in concrete. However, apparently this is special concrete called Ecogranic which also goes by the name ‘green concrete’ because it possesses ‘special qualities’ that neutralises pollutants and emissions from cars by up to 56%.
Incredibly one of the selling points pushed by the company that created Ecogranic is that if you covered a football ground with this concrete it would eliminate the contaminates produced by 4000 cars over the course of a year. It’s a horrifying thought but Ecogranic sounds as though it really could give politicians licence to pave paradise and put up a parking lot. Here’s another suggestion for a green and ecologically friendly avenue – pedestrianise and use more grass and trees.

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

Snow on Tenerife
Snow on Tenerife at this time of year isn’t really a big deal; there can be snow on Mount Teide till June. But when the clouds lifted on Monday everyone was surprised by just how far down the hillside the snow level had reached. Roads through the towns of Benijos and Aguamansa (around the 1000 metre mark) in the north of Tenerife were turned white and snow completely covered the town square in La Esperanza, something that no-one there had ever witnessed previously. As the unusual weather conditions piled up, the south west coast experienced hailstones whilst temperatures at 1800 metres fell to 0c for only the fourth time in recorded history (recorded history doesn’t stretch back that far; the other three times were 1996, 1997 and 2005). Just to top things off rain of up to 73 litres per square metre was recorded in Los Rodeos and Las Mercedes with Candelaria experiencing around 62 litres per square metre. The storm front affected the whole Canarian archipelago and even low lying Fuerteventura felt the force of hailstorms. Not the best week for anyone visiting the island…but hang on in there; normal service will be resumed by the weekend.

Driving on Tenerife is Sexy…
… if you happen to be behind the wheel of one of the new Mercedes Benz cars that have added a touch of sleek glamour to Tenerife’s roads during March.
Throughout the month Mercedes Benz have been using the island’s dazzling scenery as a backdrop to showcase their stunning new models to 700 journalists from all over the globe. To be used as a location to officially launch a prestigious new car from the Mercedes Benz stable is quite a coup for Tenerife. Have a look below to see the gorgeous SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY in action on some of Tenerife’s equally gorgeous roads.

Carnaval Dates for Tenerife for 2012
Okay we’re all still yawning due to the excesses of Carnaval 2011, but for all of you out there who like to plan in advance, here are the dates of the Santa Cruz Carnaval 2012. The opening parade will be Friday 17 February 2012 with the closing parade being Tuesday 21st and Burial of the Sardine Wednesday 22nd February. And just in case four weeks of carnival wasn’t enough to satisfy carnaval junkies, the whole shebang will now last for five weeks with the first event taking place on the 27th January. That means an extra week of murgas…deep joy.

Who Wants to Be Michael Jackson?
With the Michael Jackson tribute show Forever King of Pop looking around for a young Michael to play the king of pop in the hit show in La Laguna at the end of March/beginning of April on Tenerife, it would be reasonable to expect the casting director’s office to be flooded with mini MJ look-alikes. But only fourteen potentials turned up. The casting was announced on the show’s website but as it was in Spanish only maybe it was missed by non Spanish-speaking residents. Or perhaps there aren’t that many children on Tenerife who look like a young Michael Jackson who can sing and dance to a professional level as well.

Pick up a St Patrick’s Day Bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey on Tenerife
Jameson’s have released a specially designed bottle of their whiskey just for St Patrick’s Day. The unique bottle, designed by Irish artist Paul Daly, has a Celtic music theme and is only available in travel related outlets during March. These include airports such as Rome, Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and…yes, you’ve guessed it – Tenerife South.

And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to… Al Campo supermarket for not keeping its Caja Verde till manned full time.

It represents a step forward to see Tenerife supermarkets adopting environmentally friendly measures by introducing special ‘green’ tills that can only be used by customers who bring their own bags or use the store’s recycled ones (incidentally, Carrefour’s also look great). Al Campo introduced green tills some time ago but lately their La Orotava branch seems to have sacrificed the manning of the till on a regular basis. It begs the question what’s the point of introducing environment saving measures if you don’t commit to them 100%? Make a sentence out of the words lip, service and paying. Green tills should be the first tills that are manned in a supermarket, not the last.

1. Fair weather friend
Well of course the weather’s the number one reason for throwing the bikini and factor 15 into a suitcase, perusing the Net for cheap flights to Tenerife and waving goodbye to the snowman.
Just four or so flying hours from the UK, who wouldn’t want to wiggle their toes in the warm sand, settle down beneath a palm tree with a good book and a long cocktail and exchange that milk bottle look for a healthy olive glow? It’s the single most common reason why millions of people choose  to holiday in Tenerife – and who are we to argue with them?

2. One island, many holidays
Tenerife is such a microcosm of landscapes that it’s like visiting a dozen different holiday resorts in one. From beaches to picturesque villages, theme parks to green parks and sandy shores to mountain highs you can find every type of holiday experience in less than 800 square miles of tropical paradise.

3. Swing into Action
On Tenerife you can pretty much guarantee that there’ll be at least one championship golf course basking in sunshine every single day of the year, and what’s more, there won’t be any earache from the other half. Golf widows can retire to the beaches of Playa de Las Américas, Costa Adeje and Las Galletas or indulge themselves in top notch hotels while their other halves pander to their favourite obsession.

4. A Taste of the Good Life
Eating out on Tenerife is still an affordable luxury and although blackboards advertising All Day British Breakfast still abound in some resorts, those with a more refined palate may be gastronomically surprised. From chic city dining to bijou resort bistros and five star hotel restaurants to gourmet secret gems – Tenerife restaurants are today’s special.

5. Holiday on another planet
There aren’t many places in the world where you can travel from snow topped mountain to sunbathing on the beach in less than two hours but Tenerife is one of them. Not just the icon of the archipelago and pride of  Spain, Teide National Park is also the most amazing landscape you’re likely to encounter this side of a long weekend on the moon.

6. Party Dude
Ask anyone who lives here, one of the things the Tinerfeños do better than most is they know how to have a good time. From bar hopping in your resort to subjecting your senses to an all out assault at Europe’s biggest carnival, for those who enjoy the hedonistic pleasures of life, almost every night is party night on Tenerife.

7. Rural retreats
Tenerife can be many things to many people and while thrill seekers find pleasure in the theme parks and nightlife of the resorts, nature lovers can escape the noise and bustle of the world in Tenerife’s idyllic rural interior. Whether you’re a walker, a tent pitcher or an away-from-it-all junkie, there’s a rustic retreat with your name on it.

8. Sail away
Tenerife is a stepping stone to the Western Canary Islands of La Gomera, La Palma (above) and El Hierro, all of which are just a short sail and a million miles away from the tourism centres of Tenerife. For the price of one flight to Tenerife and a ferry ride, you can experience half an archipelago.

9. Dive in
Centuries of volcanic eruptions have formed a mysterious underwater world of basalt columns and silent caves – all of which are teeming with marine wildlife. Warm, deep waters close to shore provide some of Europe’s best diving for those with a penchant for rubber and air tanks.

10. Thar She Blows (Photo courtesy of Atlantic Whale Foundation)
Personally, I prefer my air supply limitless and am happy to watch the amazing creatures of the deep from the deck of a sailing ship. Bottle nosed dolphins, minke and sperm whale occupy and pass through the warm waters between Tenerife’s west coast and neighbouring La Gomera making Tenerife one of the best places in the world to watch them in their natural habitat.

They say “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good” and while much of Tenerife broiled in the excessive calima heat and high winds that covered their world in a fine layer of Saharan sand and sent them running for the sanctuary of their air conditioning, the wind catchers of El Médano pumped up their kites and took to their boards.

It was a shaky start to the PKRA Kiteboarding World Tour when Sod’s Law reared its head dictating that the Tenerife venue whose default setting is breezy-to-windy, dawned on the first day of competition with a cloudless sky… and dead calm.
The world’s top kiteboarders who had travelled from all corners of the globe to compete, kicked their heels in the sand and took up the mantle of honorary vacationers for the day.

Wednesday came with a warning from the Cabildo (Island government) of expected searing temperatures in the wake of yet another calima, and a forecast change of wind direction and speed.
Shortly after 2pm the forecast kicked in; the wind shifted position and sent the weather vanes spinning from 10 to 20 knots in the space of 30 minutes.
Abandoning their lunch plates to a Marie Celeste fate, the kiteboarders rushed to the shoreline of Playa Machado to pump up their sails and launch their kites.

Switching tack from coy wallflower to rampant lover; the wind battered riders, spectators and organisers on Thursday and Friday, racing across the sands at speeds that averaged 37 knots and peaked at 52 knots. Anyone who stood still for more than five minutes joined the impromptu sand sculptures of sails that littered the beach.
The conditions pumped up the adrenalin levels for the competition, producing first class waves and testing competitors to their limits.

For those who adopted the go hard or go home attitude which was flying round the camp, new records were there for the taking and Frenchman Sebastien Garat broke his own previous record jump height by almost five feet to set a new world record of 52 feet for the greatest height recorded on the Shadow Box* on a PKRA World Tour Competition.

On the final day of the competition the wind settled into a beefy average 20 to 25 knots and I sacrificed my hair condition to join the ranks of wind-swept and interesting people who had gathered to watch the finals of the freestyle and wave eliminations.
In the morning the men’s freestylers Youri Zoon and Andy Yates wowed spectators with some breathtaking tricks while the petite Spanish Gisela Pulido pulled off some neat moves and spectacular crashes as the conditions continued to bring out the best and worst in the Playa Machado waves.

Retiring to the iconic surf dude Flashpoint bar restaurant (shame about the website) for lunch and a respite from the mad wind, we talked to local windsurfer Richard who described the wind as “Like a Swiss cheese – full of holes, but it’s creating some amazing waves!” If only the same could be said for the effect it was having on my hair.

Shortly after 2 pm the wave event reached its final stages at El Cabezo where the testing conditions took no prisoners and produced some incredible style and power from Brazil’s Guilly Brandao who sailed into first place.

As the last of the air was released from sails and boards were zipped into bags, the wind catchers wandered off into the El Médano sunset to meet again in Argentina at the beginning of November 2010.

*A Shadow Box is a neat little GPS gizmo which is attached to the board and records everything from speed and acceleration to jump height and degree of rotation.

PKRA Kiteboarding World Tour 2010 Results

Freestyle double elmination results
Men
1. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)
2. Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS)
3. Sebastien Garat (RRD, FRA)
4. Ariel Corniel (Ozone, DOM)

Women
1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)
2. Ania Grzelinska (North, POL)
3. Kristin Boese (Best, GER)
4. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

Wave results
Men
1. Guilly Brandao (Mormaii, BRA)
2. Sky Solbach (North, USA)
3. Bruno Bordorsky (RRD, BRA)
4. Tom Hebert (Airush, NCL)

Women
1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)
2. Ainhoa Garcia (Airush, ESP)
3. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)
4. Ania Grzelinska (North, POL)

1. Being able to sit outside year-round without recourse to thermal underwear.

2. The constant fiestas where people drink all day but rarely get drunk and never start a fight.

3. Never wearing a watch – time is a very flexible concept here.

4. I never, ever feel unsafe.

5. Seeing the planet’s third largest volcano on the horizon.

6. The amazing selection of fresh fish at the supermarket.

7. The fact that fruit and vegetables don’t just come in plastic wrapping.

8. Most people have smiles on their faces and say hello to strangers.

9. Never having to paint or bleed a radiator. Come to think of it, never having to even look at a  radiator.

10. Always being able to get the washing dry without having to hang it over a radiator thus turning the house into a Chinese laundry (apologies to the Chinese and for some reason I seem to have an obsession with radiators).