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1984-2015
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Armani jeans
NEW IN SOUTH TENERIFE
752
August 6 – August 26, 2015 Born again
BBQ special
www.tenerifeactivate.com Taking it easy
First store in Spain
Vulture culture
Summer steak out!
Carefree summer tips
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Pages 16 - 19
Page 34
British holidays
Islands head the wish-list The uncertain weather in the UK this summer is paying dividends for the Canaries as fed-up Brits look south for some sunshine. According to comparison website TravelSupermarket, Spain and its Islands are the most searched for destinations on the Web for Britons this summer. Looking at over three million holiday searches, TravelSupermarket found that 68 per cent of them were for short-haul beach destinations and one in three looked at a holiday in the Balearics, the Canaries or the Spanish peninsula. Mallorca and Tenerife headed the list, followed by Portugal’s Algarve, Ibiza and Lanzarote. TravelSupermarket’s travel expert Bob Atkinson said in declarations to the British press “It really is ‘Viva Espana’ this summer with eight of the top 20 most searched destinations being to the country and its islands, six of them in the top 10 and the country firmly holding the top two positions. “Year after year Brits go en masse to the country’s resorts and cities, knowing it will deliver on sunny summer weather, great blue flag beaches, fantastic value for money and of course plenty of places to enjoy themselves. “Whether you want quiet, relaxing resorts and getaways or full-on entertainment day and night, then Spain really does offer it all.” n
More cases - more arrests
The fight against illegal drugs On the last day of July, two Italians were arrested in Adeje for growing a total of 70 marijuana plants on their balconies in apartments in Malibú Park. Three days earlier, police officers found a bag with more than 20 kilos of hashish by the roadside of Guargacho and, just five days before that, an Irish resident was arrested in Los Blanquitos for an illegal marijuana growing operation on his farm. On July 20, investigators found a cultivation and sale operation being carried out in Alcalá, whilst almost simultaneously National Police rounded up a group who were posing as officers of the Guardia Civil in Fuerteventura to prey on drug dealers, and on July 17 police arrested a couple dealing in crack in Santa Cruz. Six cases just in July of this year makes one thing very clear, drugs of all kinds are available in this
Canarian officials are becoming increasingly involved with drug offences
Canarian holiday paradise, a modern tree of temptation in an Atlantic Garden of Eden. And above all, of course, drugs are huge business for the dealers. We’re not talking about the small street vendors who sell tiny packets of a few grams in the tourist areas,
but the bosses in the background. They knowingly take advantage of the poor economic situation in countries such as Spain and therefore the Canary Islands. For some time the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has warned that rampant
unemployment, especially among young people, leads to increased drug use - and that the jobless youths, without even the prospect of work, are enticed by the prospect of a few fast euros to become involved in street trading. Continued on page 2
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
More cases - more arrests
The fight against illegal drugs Continued from front page
It isn’t only this that makes the larger islands like Gran Canaria and Tenerife so sought after by drug overlords: it’s their geographical location as a ‘gateway to Europe’, according to the EMCDDA. So, the Islands are, for example, the first stop for marijuana from Morocco, but also for cocaine from South America. In the latter case the producers don’t rely solely on the classical method of airport couriers to get their commodity into the Canaries and thus to Europe, that is only a small part of the importation. By far the lion’s share is introduced using private transport, including private jets such as the one intercepted in 2012 in Gran Canaria. Drug investigators had
received a tip from the Venezuelan authorities who had allowed the aircraft to take off without problems. The security forces were waiting for them here when they landed in Gran Canaria and the two German pilots were taken into custody after an inspection showed a ton of cocaine on board. More than double that amount was captured off a private yacht that sailed into the drug authorities’ net carrying 2.5 tons of coke from Colombia and which was detained in Tenerife. Next to marijuana, cocaine is the drug of preference. It’s considered a prime choice stimulant and mood enhancer amongst users. According to the latest information from EMCDDA, which publishes an annual report on drug con-
Over 20 kilos of hashish was found in Granadilla de Abona
sumption and trafficking, last year more than two-thirds of the total amount of cannabis seized in the EU was confiscated in Spain. The country also came top of the list for the amount of Canabinoid (synthetic cannabis) drugs seized in Europe. What’s more,
Spain is far ahead in Europe in cocaine use according to the biggest online study carried out so far, the Global Drug Survey, which was published in 2014. The team was led by British investigation expert Adam Winstock and renowned publications such as the British
The Guardian and German Die Zeit weekly newspapers also took part. They reported that around 30 per cent of those surveyed in Spain used drugs and almost 10 per cent of the adults snorted coke last year. However, as drug sniffers go, the Brits are still a nose ahead of the Spaniards in cocaine consumption. The information was obtained by a very specific type of investigation which involved examining the waste water systems of 42 major cities in Europe to check for Benzoylecgonine, the main ingredient of cocaine. This unusual method shows that not only the dealers, but also the investigators, are becoming more sophisticated. Cooperation between countries is also improving, which clearly helps the success of the secu-
rity forces in their manhunts across the Islands. However, investigators certainly can’t afford to ease up. Only a few weeks ago a young Briton was admitted to Son Espases hospital in Mallorca. He showed dramatic symptoms of poisoning after taking the drug Flakka. Chief analyst Bernardi Barceló revealed “This is the first case in Spain. There have been three other incidents in Europe with this drug, two in France and one in Poland. All three were fatal for the user.” The synthetic drug Flakka is considered one of the most dangerous substances on the market today. It’s dirt cheap, highly addictive, causes hallucinations and delusions, and prolonged abuse attacks the heart n vessels and kidneys.
Best from the Web
Tourist spending up but where is it going? The news that spending by foreign tourists continues to rise in the Canaries has been given a very mixed reaction, depending on who you ask. While the Canarian authorities are naturally delighted with the increase recorded in the first half of the year, those with close knowledge of the holiday industry, including shops in resorts, hotly dispute the findings of the latest surveys and have again called for more accurate reporting of the benefits left by tourists during their stays. As reported in our digital edition at the end of July, the latest Spanish Ministry of Tourism statistics, which are based on surveys of holidaymakers, reveal that total spending from January to June amounted to €6.2 billion, an increase of 2.2 per cent compared to the first half of 2014.
The rising tourism numbers have led to a lively discussion
According to the survey, average spending by foreign tourists has risen to €115 per day and to €1,099 for an average holiday. Spending in June, traditionally a relatively quiet month for the Islands, totalled €785 million, an increase of nine per cent compared to the same month in 2014. The Canaries now account for over a fifth of total spending by for-
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eign holidaymakers in Spain, which reached €28.8 billion in the first half of the year, seven per cent up on the same period in 2014. The news has been interpreted in official quarters as further signs that the Canaries are well on the road to economic recovery, with the tourist sector largely driving the improvement. However, reader comments on the Disclaimer: Island Connections Newspaper is published and printed fortnightly by ISLAND CONNECTIONS S.L. Adverts, texts, photos or other parts of this publication are property of the publishers. They may not be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any other form or means without the prior written permission of the publishers. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for the contents of articles supplied by our contributors or advertisers claims. The publisher reserves the right to refuse to publish adverts, texts or advertising
Island Connections Facebook page paint a very different picture, with some openly questioning the validity of the findings. One commentator, Moira Taylor, insisted that the higher spending was not reflected in “buying jewellery from me, that’s for sure”, while Paul Richardson complained that in-destination spending “would have been double if it wasn’t for the all-inclusive wrist-bandits. The tour operator companies are getting so greedy they aren’t leaving any income for the small businesses”. In another post, the same reader revealingly added: “Bums on seats keeps rising but the money coming into the Canaries isn’t rising at the same rate. Local distributors of imported products report 20 - 30 per cent drops in income, small businesses are going broke, local workforce is being depleted and features. Advertisements once contracted cannot be cancelled and have to be paid in full. The publishers can not be held responsible for variation on colour printed in this newspaper. Advertising conditions are to be obtained in our offices.
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more and more people are losing their homes. The only beneficiaries to this increase are the parent Tour Companies that take the monies at source and pay the hotels a minimal sum for the A-I service. The economy of the
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Canaries is going to the wall and no-one is doing anything about it.” The contradictory versions beg the question: if spending which tourists admit to in surveys is on the rise, where n is the money going?
European Union European Regional Development Fund
“Creating Europe” This company has qualified for subsidies from the Spanish Government, cofinanced by funding from the European Regional Development Fund, for the transport of merchandise in the Canaries.
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Garachico
Brotherly tragedy
Man suffocates in suitcase
Photo: Transmediterranea
A North-African refugee was discovered dead in the boot of a car as it arrived on the Spanish mainland on August 2, presumably killed by suffocation after willingly hiding in a suitcase to avoid customs inspections. The man’s brother, who regularly travels by ferry and car to Spain, helped his sibling plan the escape from North Africa, and they boarded the Transmediterranea ferry from Melilla to Almeria with the man hidden in a suitcase in the boot of his brother’s vehicle. When the ferry arrived in Almeria after a five-hour crossing the brother returned to his car and quickly sounded the alarm, but it was too late. His brother had passed away and the emergency services could not revive him. It’s another tragic story in a long line of desperate escapes in recent months by African immigrants trying to enter Europe, and resembles the recent story, reported in Island Connections, of Adou Ouattara, an eight-year-old Ivory Coast boy who was discovered by scanners at the crossing point between Ceuta and Morocco curled up inside a suitcase. Unlike the man who unfortunately didn’t survive the ferry crossing to Almería, young Adou was found in good health and has since been permitted to live in Fuerteventura with his parents, who were cleared of trafficking charges made n when trying to bring their son into Spain.
The tragedy occurred on the Transmediterranea Sorolla super-ferry
The first mention of the celebration of the Fuegos del Risco in Garachico to commemorate the eruption of the volcano Trevejo was in 1881. Using sacks, pine cones and various pyrotechnical tricks, the town recreates the four days during 1706 that they suffered the frightening, creeping encroachment of the lava from the volcano which buried their thriving port and part of the town and took away many people’s homes and livelihoods, although not even one life. For financial reasons the celebrations dropped out of the calendar, but were reinstated in 1970. Since then, with the help of an enormous number of volunteers, the town’s tragedy is re-enacted every five years with a mega fiesta. Burning fireballs roll down the slope behind the town: the Fuegos del Risco or Hills of Fire. Those which leap during the descent receive special applause; it’s an amazing and unique spectacle which drew over 17,000 people to the town this year to see it for themselves up close.
CANARY ISLANDS
singer couldn’t be heard at a distance, but the applause was renewed even more when her voice rang out again. A huge firework display topped off the evening, co-ordinated with the music in a split-second choreography, and bathed the whole of this pretty little bay with a myriad play of flashing and trail-
ing colours. There were many moments when the whole crowd seemed to hold its breath with the thrills that this fiery spectacle in the night sky offers. If you missed it, you’ll have to wait another five years before the Fuegos del Risco return, but it’s well worth the wait and n the visit to Garachico.
Playing with fire
The perfect fireworks display was breathtaking
The M.C. this year for the fiery Gala was the Tinerfeñan filmmaker David Baute. The port too was lit up, and a dramatic background was provided by drumming, acrobatic dancers and a mysterious female figure who sang the story from among the rocks. Sadly, the sound system broke down twice and the
CANARY ISLANDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Punta de Teno
Beauty spot road reopens Following a heavy rockslide in September 2013, which carried away part of the carriageway, the access road to Punta de Teno was closed but has finally reopened following extensive work. The road leads through a wildly romantic area along the northern coastline and is characterised by steep cliffs, five ravines that slash the mountain range, three tunnels (two of which are carved into the bare rock) and panoramic views. This is exactly what makes this part of the island so distinctive, but also what makes travelling along the road so risky as loose rock and shale are shaken free by erosion from those towering cliffs, to land on the road below and anybody passing along it.
From a birds’ eye view, both the dangers and the fascination of the road to Punta de Teno can be appreciated
The road is used by local fishermen, workers in tomato greenhouses and for recreation by visitors and holidaymak-
ers alike, as the small beach at the end of the road, overshadowed by the lighthouse that marks the north-western
tip of Tenerife, is a delight for bathing, scuba-diving or for launching short kayaking excursions under the cliffs of Los Gigantes. The Island Council has spent around €1.5 million in covering the cliffs with cables and wire fencing to make it safer, and a further €600,000 is earmarked for resurfacing the road in the coming months. Whilst they have reduced the possibility of rock falls from 70 per cent to 30 per cent, there will still be risks after storms and heavy rain and the road will be temporarily closed when that happens as a precaution. They estimate that there will be four to five incidents a year and motorists are asked to continue to exercise caution. n
Passport check embarrassment for police in Canaries The efficiency of passport checks in the Canaries has come in for criticism following a bizarre incident involving an Albanian who travelled to the UK from Fuerteventura on a false passport, which was only detected on arrival in Manchester. The man was refused entry by the UK Border Agency and was put straight on a plane back to Fuerteventura, where police subjected the passport to closer scrutiny before agreeing that it was a fake. The man admitted that he was trying to reach Britain and had hidden his real passport under a stone outside the airport prior to boarding the Manchester flight. He was arrested for breaches of immigration regulations but was bailed after a court appearance. The incident has led to calls for more stringent checks of ID documents in the Canaries, where passports and other forms of identification are given at best a cursory glance by police on arrival or departure but are not scanned. Various people-smuggling networks operating via the islands to help illegals with onward travel to EU countries, particularly the UK, have been detected down the years. A wellorganised ring that smuggled Iranian nationals to Britain through Tenerife and Fuerteventura using fake passports was smashed in 2012 and 22 of its members arrested. n
Attempted murder
Four run down outside after-hours bar As July came to a close, two men were arrested for attempted murder after an incident outside an after-hours bar in Costa Adeje. The accused are 28-yearold Jonathan C. G. and his friend José F., known as ‘the volcano’, of Puerto de Santiago, who apparently had only been released from prison a few hours earlier. Both men are well known to the police for robbery offences and brawls. The men and a young woman were supposedly involved in an argument outside Pasha,
a popular night-time haunt. At 8am, they apparently left the establishment, got into a grey BMW, reversed a way back and then set off at full speed before mounting the kerb and smashing into a group of people who had remained outside the bar. The accused claimed that they swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle and that the people they hit had piled onto the car. However, eye witnesses told police that the victims had their backs to the oncoming vehicle when it
struck them. The three drove off after the accident, damaging a parked vehicle during their escape – at which point the woman is said to have got out of the car. The men were arrested by members of the National Police about a kilometre away, where the driver tested positive for excess levels of alcohol and cocaine use. Three men and a woman between 22 and 36 years of age were injured in the incident. One man had a severe arm fracture and bruises, the
second a mild concussion and the third a slight whiplash injury. The woman was lucky to escape with just cuts and bruises. The four were taken to hospitals in the south of the island. The two suspects were arrested for attempted murder. In addition, the driver may have to answer to charges under road safety laws of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, the hit and run offence, property damage and failure to assist the injured parties. n
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The illegal immigrant´s journey ended where it began: at Fuerteventura’s airport
Fear-mongering fellows
Police stop ‘terrorist alert’ hoax Police in the Canaries have moved quickly to formally deny rumours that Gran Canaria was placed on extra alert due to a specific terror threat. A fortnight after a Northern Ireland woman featured in the news here for cutting short her stay in Tenerife after allegedly being told by police that it was “not safe” to visit beaches and gift shops, a rumour surfaced on social media that a strike was imminent. The audio clip posted on WhatsApp was received by thousands of people and prompted an immediate response from police, who also took to social media to flatly refute the report. “We categorically deny that Gran Canaria is on maximum terror alert. Do not believe this hoax and do not pass it on!” said the police on the force’s official Twitter site. A spokesman later insisted that, while Spain has been on a higher alert level since the Tunisia beach attack of June 26 in which 38 people, mostly British tourists, were killed, there is no specific threat against the Canaries or Gran Canaria. n
CANARY ISLANDS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Adeje style
Hotel gets 5th star after €26 million upgrade One of Tenerife’s best-known hotels has reopened its doors with a higher star-rating after a major facelift. The seafront Riu Palace in Costa Adeje, which first opened in 1999, has totally renovated its 334 rooms, entrance, restaurants and other facilities thanks to a €26 million upgrade which has raised it to 5-star level. Among the new features is a totally redesigned pool area with three swimming pools, which will be heated during the winter season, and a new gym and wellness centre. The hotel has also installed 43-inch TV screens and 24-hour wifi in rooms. The reopening comes a few months ahead of the completion of the major renovation work at another of the chain’s hotels: Riu Arecas, also in Costa Adeje, which is due to reopen in October after temporary closure. The two renovations have been the subject of considerable inter-island controversy given that Riu pulled out of a massive project in Maspalomas in Gran Canaria due to a planning permission dispute with the island authorities and announced it would spent the €50 miln lion budget in Tenerife instead.
tenerife
First Armani Jeans store in Spain The new Armani Jeans store, on the street level of the Plaza del Duque shopping centre, officially opened on July 31, welcoming guests and customers with cocktails. Although the Armani Jeans range is available from multibrand and department stores, this is the first dedicated retail outlet to open in Spain. Bright and modern, it holds a wide range of beautifully made Italian clothing and accessories from the latest men’s and women’s collections. As well as being one of the best brands of jeans available (and for the ladies, there is also the uplifting variety), Armani Jeans stocks everything you need to dress your favourite jeans up or down so that you’ll look great for any occasion. Look out for quality shirts, tops, jumpers, jackets, scarves, bags, wallets, belts and sunglasses. You’ll be wel-
Discover a wide range of garments and accessories at Armani Jeans
The first Armani Jeans store in Spain is now open at Plaza del Duque
comed with a smile by the multilingual staff who look forward to helping you to discover the pure quality of Giorgio Armani garments and accessories.
Armani Jeans is open seven days a week, from 10.15am to 10.15pm. Visit this store soon and treat yourself: you n know you deserve it!
Business group The Mint Company, one of the main multi-brand chains, with over 10 years’ experience in the premium retail sector in the Canary Islands, has inaugurated the first Armani Jeans store in Spain, at the prestigious Plaza del Duque commercial centre in Costa Adeje, Tenerife. With this new shop, The Mint Company has now accumulated 21 points of sale, including its online store, and takes another step towards its consolidation as a business group specialising in exclusive brands.
A sad trend
Intentionally burning cars Between January and April this year, 349 cars have been purposely set alight in Spain. The Canaries came relatively high in the national ranking for arson involving vehicles. The highest number of cars set on fire was in Andalusia,
which recorded 78 of the attacks. In Madrid, there were 66 cars burned and Valencia had a total of 40 cases. The Canaries came fourth on the list, with 34 vehicles apparently being torched intenn tionally.
Photo: Ramzi Hashibo / freeimages.com
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
Such images are more and more frequent in the Canaries
CANARY ISLANDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Canary Islands
Photos: www.inselteneriffa.com
Optimism and poverty
In the midst of our society people are on the verge of being excluded. Single-parent families are particularly affected
At the moment, both are on offer according to the latest studies. An investigation by four Catalán scientists about the purchasing power in the various provinces of Spain shows that goods and services are the best value in the Canary Islands and Extremadura and the cost of living is between 12 and 20 per cent below the national average. Using 100 as the national average, life in Madrid costs 114.5 points, 110.6 in Navarra, 108.5 in Catalonia and 107.7 in the Basque country. At the other end of the scale lie Castilla-La Mancha at 88 points, Asturias on 87.9, Castilla y León with 84.8, the Canary Islands at 83.1 and Extremadura on 80.3.
On an upward roll In mid-July, the Spanish National Bank released figures showing that the net assets of Spanish families, and therefore their wealth, is increasing steadily. In the first quarter of 2015, it reached €1,247 milSee all our shops
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lion, which is 12.9 per cent more in comparison with the same period last year and 6.5 per cent up on the previous quarter. Initial financial statistics for this year would suggest therefore that the wealth of Spanish families has stabilised at a level that is higher than the first half of 2007 (pre-crisis). The Bank’s figures would seem to indicate that families have used the crisis to reduce their debts and therefore increase their nominal wealth.
On the downside… In direct contrast, the latest data has been released on the current poverty levels in Spain. Sadly, the hardest hit are single mothers between 25 and 45 years of age who are providing for at least one child under 25. The Save the Children organisation declared them to be “More alone than ever before” in a report from 2014 based on data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) as well as various social foundations. This document paints a different picture of reality. In Spain,
approximately one and a half million homes are run by single parents. In 82 per cent of the cases it’s mothers with at least one child. Many of them live on the poverty line and are at risk of social exclusion or are even already there. The allowance for one or more children is less than €600 a month. Out of the 79,000 single-parent families in the Canaries 35,000 are on the poverty line. This means that not only is the parent scraping for food for the family, but also around one fifth will not get required reading glasses so their education will suffer, and around 30 per cent will not get needed specialist health treatment. “Approximately 36 per cent of these women have no one to turn to for help if there are problems. They are very alone and that also affects the health of the mothers. About half are suffering from depression”, warns a spokeswoman for Save the Children. In their experience, poverty has increased in the last year in single-parent households. About 53 per cent of these single parents and their
children are threatened with social exclusion. Poverty rose by four per cent and now affects 42 per cent of households. In contrast, in two-parent families, the relative poverty declined in the last year to 25.8 per cent, a drop of 16 per cent over the previous year. Institutions such as the Catholic Church organised Caritas and the Red Cross confirm these trends and the profile of the women affected. In the 25- to 45-years-old range, they are often unemployed or have only temporary, insecure employment. As a result, they have problems with mortgage or rental payments for their homes and some are in the position of being threatened with forced eviction. Some are unable to meet water and electricity bills, nor fund medical treatments and medicines because of their economic situation. Around 30 per cent of those affected are excluded from the health system altogether. About half of the children suffer social exclusion. “These children often suffer from malnutrition; have psychological problems and difficulties in school. Many minors are suffering so much under the stressful situations that prevail in these households that this negatively affects their school performance”, claims Save the Children, describing the precarious situation of these families. So, there is still much to do to improve the overall economic situation so that everyone benefits. Positive trends are indeed good signs, but they must not tempt us to let up in the efforts for a better economic, social and employment situation for all. Every child who is at risk of social exclusion or poverty is one too many. n
Erratum
Clínica Dental El Camisón In issue 750 of Island Connections, we published an article about the Clínica Dental El Camisón. We would like to correct one sentence, which should read, “A good dentist cannot guarantee good work with good materials if he’s not paid a reasonable fee”. We apologise for any inconvenience this mistake may have caused. At Clínica Dental El Camisón, Dr. Daniel, Dr. Claudio and the team give patients of all ages respect and personal attention. They can all speak good English, Italian and Spanish, and Russian and German translators are available if requested in advance. Between them all, as well as general dentistry, they cover all specialities including oral surgery, zirconia prosthetics, endodontics, implants, cosmetic dentistry, periodontics and orthodontics, and if needed, conscious sedation is available on prior request. They use the latest techniques and equipment, and work closely with a dental laboratory in Adeje which has 3D technology, giving a fast and precise service. When you visit Clínica Dental El Camisón, your first consultation will be free of charge. Their highly qualified experts will take care of all your dental needs and you’ll be putting your smile in excellent hands. Call for an appointment now on 922 75 33 48. n
EL CAMISÓN DENTAL CLINIC MICROSCOPIC ODONTOLOGY CENTRE
Finished with flying colours
First charter plane restored as attraction Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/kenfielding
A real vintage of the skies
A historic plane has been restored for use as a tourist attraction at the gateway to Bahia Feliz and San Agustín in south Gran Canaria. The Douglas DC7, used by airline Spantax for the first ever charter flights to the Canaries from Madrid and considered a landmark in the region’s tourism industry, now bears new colours having been painstakingly rebuilt and restored by Binter, the Canarian company that flies between the islands and to several destinations in Africa. Over one thousand hours went into removing rust and repairing the fuselage of the old plane, which was donated by Spantax to a local flying club and stood on the site for years in a state of neglect. Prior to its use as a charter plane, the DC7 had a chequered past, having been used initially for nonstop transatlantic flights by Swissair in the late 1950s before being sold to Scandinavian Airlines and then Japan Airlines. Now gleaming new in green and white, the restored DC7 was unveiled recently by Binter boss Pedro del Castillo, Gran Canaria’s tourism supremo Inés Jiménez and senior figures at the El Berriel Flying Club, and is already attracting attention from passing tourists. n
CANARY ISLANDS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
LINEA DIRECTA
Loose words cost euros!
‘Skiving’ police comment leads to trouble
Renewal of European driving licences
A Tenerife man who slammed “lazy” police on social media is set to become one of the first victims of Spain’s recentlyadopted Public Security Act, colloquially known as the “Gagging Law” by critics, who say it limits freedom of speech. The man, Emilio Díaz from Guímar, took to Facebook to voice sarcasm at the news that the town’s police force was moving to plusher headquarters but his choice of the mayor’s page to publish the comments looks set to prove costly. Among the comments made was a description of the force as good only for “rescuing pigeons and people stuck in toilets”, although the remark that triggered the formal complaint was a reference to officers as “skivers who need to be kept under control”. Díaz added that he found it bizarre that such an incompetent force should be given premises bigger than the Guardia Civil HQ and which no doubt would have “sunbeds and a swimming pool”. The comments are likely to land him in hot water with a fine of up to €600 under the new offence of disrespect to law enforcement officers. His lawyer says there are no grounds for action as his client did not single out a specific police officer and was merely expressing an opinion. n
EU driving licences are valid for driving throughout the Spanish territory. The renewal of EU driving licences requires the holder to undergo psychometric aptitude tests and be legally resident in Spain.
The latest EU Directive 2006/126/CE states that holders of EU driving licences that have expired or are about to expire need to renew their licence. Holders of EU driving licences that are valid indefinitely or for more than 15 years for Group 1 (AM, A1, A2, A, B & BE) or valid for 5 years or more for Group 2 (BTP, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE) need to renew their licence providing they have been legally resident
Photo: Wikipedia
Photo: nrkbeta
Will The Alchemist be filmed in the Canaries?
Will Paolo Coelho’s bestseller be filmed in the Canary Islands? Harvey Weinstein was specifically briefed on the Canaries after considering their possibilities
working with their own Weinstein Company. His major successes include movies such as Shakespeare in Love, Django Unchained and the The Lord of the Rings saga. Weinstein was said to have recently met with financial experts from the Canary Islands government to enquire about taxation and funding possibilities for filming in the archipelago. He was not only positively surprised by the extensive financial incentives on offer to this sector in the Canaries, but was also pleased with the possibility of being able to film throughout the year. The movie in question is based on the bestseller The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Over sixty-five million copies of the book, which tells the story of the young Santiago from Andalusia who sets out to find himself in Egypt, have been sold worldwide since it was published in 1988. So far, no producer has tried to create a movie from this rather profound story. Maybe the characters in the book will soon be brought to life on one of the n Canary Islands.
in Spain for two years since January 19, 2013.
Two examples EU licence holders that are valid indefinitely or for more than 15 years, who are legally resident in Spain before or up to January 19, 2013, should renew their driving licence from January 19, 2015. EU licence holders that are valid indefinitely or for more than 15 years, who are legally resident in Spain since June 6, 2014, should renew their driving licence from June 6,
EU driving licence. Original and a photocopy. Results from psychometric aptitude tests from recognised and authorised centre. A recent photograph 32mm x 26mm.
In the interests of road safety
Who needs to renew?
Planned bestseller adaptation
The Canary Islands are becoming an ever more popular location for filming major movies. The excitement in Tenerife over the shooting of the next part of the Bourne action series in Santa Cruz had hardly calmed down when new rumours began to fly from the film industry. This time, the interest of star producer Harvey Weinstein has apparently been aroused by the islands. Weinstein’s productions have won a total of 81 Oscars so far. He is cofounder of the production company Miramax and is one of the really big names in Hollywood’s movie industry. Since 2005 he and his brother Bob have been
Renew news Photo: Cszimadia Jäszef/freeimages.com
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
2016.
How to renew This can be done at the local office of the Spanish Traffic Department, by calling 060 and making an appointment, or online at www.dgt.es.
Documentation required Official application form (available from local Spanish Traffic Department or download from www.dgt.es). Proof of identity and residency.
These procedures have been implemented to comply with driving licence regulations (Directive 2006/126/CE) in an effort to help increase road safety in general. Countries of the European Union have a single driving licence for all 28 members, in a drive to harmonise the more than 110 different types of driving licences currently in circulation. We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Línea Directa please call 902 123 151. More information on Línea Directa online at www.lineadin recta.com.
CANARY ISLANDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Gran Canaria
The recent cooler, wetter winter led to a rise in lush vegetation. However, this has subsequently been dried out by several heatwaves, increasing the risk of forest fires this summer. In Gran Canaria, the island government once again specifically issued an urgent warning to all residents. The use of circular saws and welding equipment in the summer has been prohibited in areas near to woods or forests, or surrounded by agricultural land. Despite this ban, the use of these tools is currently the number one cause of fires in Gran Canaria. Juan Carlos Santana, an inspector at the fire protection unit UOFF in Gran Canaria, said “People think that just once will be alright. But that is when it happens. The risk is simply underestimated and it is at the top of the list of causes of fire in Gran Canaria. Circular saws and welding equipment liberate 3,000 sparks per second. It only takes one little spark, and the resulting flames spread
Photo: Cabildo GC
Forest fire risk warning The sparks from a portable circular saw recently caused this fire in Tejeda, Gran Canaria
instantly and very quickly. A small disobedience of the ban can, within a matter of seconds, become a big problem, or even a great tragedy.” Santana believes that public awareness is vitally important. Five years ago, the burning of organic remains of plants or the building of small campfires were the main causes of forest fires. However, because of the targeted awareness campaigns that have been conducted since then, this risk has now decreased to the point that it
now only occupies fifth place on the dangers list. The perpetrators always believe they have everything under control. “This is the same phrase that drug addicts use again and again. And recently we had one day when we had to extinguish two fires generated by these devices”, he explained. This also shows the importance of using the fire brigade for the study of forest fires. The employees make a clear list of the main reasons for the fires, so they have concrete informa-
tion on which to base awareness campaigns. Anyone who is not sure which equipment can be used on their premises is advised to ask in advance at the fire brigade. Even some approved activities have a certain risk level, such as the proper burning of crop residues. Arson has also increased again this year in Gran Canaria. The experts do not believe these activities are carried out by a sick pyromaniac, but by people who believe in regenerating new pas-
tures for their herds, or those who commit acts of revenge over land disputes and the like. Due to the acute danger of forest fires, the island president Antonio Morales and the island’s civil and environmental protection officer, Juan Manuel Brito, asked the public to pay the highest attention at all times and be prudent in natural areas and in their immediate zone to prevent tragedies which could also possibly affect humans. Paradoxically speaking, the less it burns, the more dangerous it is. This especially applies where there is a lot of dry vegetation, which provides plenty of fuel and speeds up a forest fire, making extinguishing it extremely difficult. This was the case with the worst fire in the Canary Islands, which plagued Gran Canaria in 2007. Another variable that has increased fire risk in recent decades is that of dry pine needles. Previously, they were collected for the fields to prevent the earth drying out and were also used in furnaces or as bedding for animals. The rural pop-
ulation gathered them in order to use them, and at the same time cleaned the forest floor of a hazard. Today that is no longer so often the case, and the needle carpet is once again present as a fire accelerant. The island government’s forest fires engineer, Frederico Grillo explained “Contrary to widespread misconception, many rural residents cleared the immediate surroundings of their homes in a 15-metre-wide sweep, without express authorisation, and they kept those areas clean. That was even welcomed on our part. This is the only way that the spread of flames on privately owned land can be prevented in an emergency.” Every individual can play his part in protecting the forests and nature, either as residents or as visitors, and that’s what everyone who is in the mountains and forests during the summer should do. Although this particular information campaign came from the Gran Canaria island government, it is equally valid for the other n forested islands.
We got the power!
More energy, less pollution New electrical cables are being laid from the west coast of Tenerife to the east coast of La Gomera so that the power infrastructure of both islands is integrated. Currently, La Gomera and Tenerife are powered sepa-
rately, and in La Gomera, where the consumption rate is almost 50 times lower than Tenerife, the electricity supply often becomes unstable at peak times. Additionally, the present set-up causes higher pollution rates while the new
system will incorporate the use of renewable energies, improve performance and stability, and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and emission of pollutants. Cabling will be laid over a distance of approximately 42 kilo-
metres and consists of a dualvoltage AC power line with a voltage of 66 kilovolts. The company undertaking the project, Red Eléctrica de España (REE), envisages an investment of around €88 million. There are two sub-
The exact location of the cable route is still being determined
stations capable of providing a 66 kilovolt supply, depending on use, based in El Palmar in La Gomera and Chio in Tenerife. The project is still in the planning phase while the best connection and optimisation of the sites is considered. Authorities are also considering the most effective environmental option and around 50 square metres
of coast is to be monitored in detail to evaluate the effects on sensitive ecosystems and ensure that the project disrupts the surrounding areas as little as possible. Through a greener power supply which produces lower emissions and relies on cleaner, renewable energy, the people of La Gomera will soon benefit from the modn ernised power plan.
CANARY ISLANDS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
windsurfing accident
Diver fatally wounded In late July a tragic accident took place on the coast of Santa Lucía de Tirajana in the east of Gran Canaria. This stretch of coastline is well known by windsurfers on the international scene because it has perfect conditions for the sport, and only recently the World Cup was held there. In the early afternoon on that tragic day at Cueva Laya, a windsurfer injured a diver so seriously that she died at the scene. The 31-year-old Russian diver, Emilia, had lived for some time in the borough of Santa Lucía de Tirajana. She was trying to collect seafood while diving and wasn’t inexperienced, but two unfortunate factors could have contributed to the accident. She failed to give the recommended signal that she was there by marking the area with a buoy, and the windsurfers came a little closer to the coast than they usually do. The borough’s security councillor, Nieves García, said that the accident occurred about 25 metres from the coast. It seems that it was the keel of a surfboard that caused the fatal deep cut in the young Russian woman’s neck. She bled profusely and died before the emergency services arrived. The windsurfer, a 41-year-old Swiss man, who spent his holidays at Bahía Feliz, is a knowledgeable surfer. He was so shocked by the accident that he had to be taken to the El Doctoral medical centre to be treated for a severe panic attack. The police and prosecutors confirmed that this was a tragic accident which followed a sad chain of unfortunate circumstances. The windsurfer has not been detained. n
The east coast of Gran Canaria is well known as a windsurfers’ paradise
Madrid meetings
Airfare capping? The central Government’s Transport Minister Ana Pastor and the Canarian President Fernando Clavijo had a first working meeting towards the end of July, which both agreed took place in a friendly atmosphere. Clavijo was accompanied by the Islands’ Minister for public works Ornella Chacón. One of the major themes for discussion was whether or not the flight prices for Canarian residents between the Islands and the Peninsula should have a price ceiling. The costs of these flights increased seven per cent last year. “Canarians have to pay around eight times more for their freedom of movement” declared Clavijo after the meeting, adding “We want a consultation with the authorities responsible in the EU as to whether there is any way a price ceiling can be fixed or another way of obtaining more favourable prices.” This is an important factor not only for
year. A follow-up meeting has already been scheduled for this September when the future plans for the Islands’ airports will be the main topic.
Photo: Gobcan
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
Road projects
A pleasant ambiance at the meeting between Pastor and Clavijo
leisure travellers, but also for business people. Pastor confirmed that the 50 per cent subsidy on flights and ferry services for residents between the Islands and the Peninsula would continue. Clavijo proposed an increase to 75 per cent for the islands like El Hierro and La Gomera which suffer from a lack of direct flights and the Minister said it would be looked into, however,
she underlined that the subsidies already cost her Department €300 million a year. Transport costs for industrial and agricultural goods will be subsidised at 70 per cent for 2016 and, in addition, as the amount budgeted this year for agricultural goods has not been spent, the surplus is expected to be transferred as additional subsidies for the industrial sector in what remains of the
Urgent transport projects were another issue taken up during the meeting and in particular the absolute necessity of repairing the road from Agaete to La Aldea on the west coast of Gran Canaria. Clavijo requested that €27 million be included in a supplementary budget for 2016 and that the overall budget be increased to what he said was the minimum required for projects in hand: €120 million – double what is currently considered sufficient by Madrid. The Minister undertook to look into it and promised an increase if it was possible. They will meet again shortly to discuss the consequences for the projects in the Islands if the €120 million is n not forthcoming.
Candelaria Day
Photo: www.inselteneriffa.com
August 15 is the feast in honour of the Canary Islands’ patron saint, the Virgin of Candelaria, and the local holiday sees many Canarians make a pilgrimage to Candelaria from all over Tenerife, with many walking through the night to reach the small town on the island’s east coast. Even Canarians from other islands venture to Candelaria to celebrate the Feast of the Black Madonna and participate in the day’s events. After a formal church service the statue is carried to the Plaza de la Patrona in front of the Basílica during a solemn procession which includes political, military and social dignitaries, as well as a representative of Spain’s royal family. The service begins at midday, and at 6.30pm is the laying down of flowers and food donations. At 10pm is a festival on the plaza featuring live music. Many stories of miraculous healings and protecting the people from natural disasters
Photo: Candelaria Ayuntamiento
The Feast of the Black Madonna
The discovery of the Virgin of Candelaria is recreated by local actors the night before the fiesta
The Feast of the Black Madonna includes a solemn procession in front of the basilica
have been attributed to the Virgin of Candelaria, who has always been highly revered and became the patron saint of the Islands in 1830. According to legend, a statue of Mary bearing a child in one hand and a green candle in the other was discovered washed-
up on the beach of Chimisay by two Guanche goatherds around 1392, nearly a century before the Castilian conquest. One of them tried to throw a stone at the statue but his arm became paralysed, and the other tried to stab it but ended up harming himself.
The Guanche king, Acaymo, had the statue taken to the Chinguaro cave in Güímar where it was mistakenly worshipped as the pagan goddess, Chaxiraxi. Following the conquest it was identified as the Virgin Mary and moved to the Cueva de Achbinico in Can-
delaria where it became the first shrine to the Virgin of Candelaria. In 1526 a hermitage was constructed on the site of the current Basílica but was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 18th Century. The current church only dates back to 1959, while the present statue is a replica of the second Black Madonna to be made after it was carried out to sea during a storm in 1826, and was sculpted by Fernando Estévez several years later in 1830. The story is recreated by actors
on August 14, the evening before the local holiday, in a much-loved fiesta event. They dress up in fur skins as the former natives of the islands and retell the discovery of the statue by the Guanches. This takes place at 7.30pm on the Plaza de La Patrona, which is followed by a fireworks show at midnight and concerts by folk groups, who provide welcoming music to the arriving groups of pilgrims and worshippers. For further information call the Basílica on 922 500 100. n
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CANARY ISLANDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Arisen from the ashes
A new vulture culture
Vultures and ravens at a feeding site
Photos: Project LIFE Cab. FV
There’s been great news for scientists and environmentalists of an initiative to preserve the Egyptian vulture (Neophron Percnopterus) in Fuerteventura, with five breeding pairs recently introduced to the neighbouring island, Lanzarote. The future of the vultures – which is a unique but endangered Canarian subspecies of the Egyptian vulture – was preserved under a protection programme in 1999 when there were only 20 breeding couples in existence. Now there are over 60 pairs with five now residing in Chinijo in Lanzarote, and a total
The vulture of Fuerteventura – a subspecies of the Egyptian vulture
population of around 270 on both islands, the only natural environment for the bird subspecies. José Antonio Donázar, the director of the Doñana Biological Research Centre, explained that “at the end of
June we fitted a GPS transmitter to 27 chicks and by the end of the breeding season in late-July there were at least 20 new chicks. Last year there were a total of 35 young vultures, a figure we expect to rise this year.
A young chick fitted with a leg-ring
Environmentalist, Natalia Évora, was equally impressed by the growing numbers and response to the protection programme: “We no longer have contaminated birds and the numbers lost to high-voltage power lines, pathogens and
predators such as cats has dropped significantly.” The Environment Agency has done a lot to help with the preservation of this bird, which is the southernmost vulture population in Europe. In addition to the protective methods in
operation, feeding stations were set up which has aided the vultures greatly. In 2012 a law was passed that dead animals from herds should not be left to nature, and coupled with a severe drought that year, the vultures’
numbers saw a sharp decline. Happily, in a short space of time the latest figures show positive growth from the drop three years ago, giving environmentalists good cause for celebration. Through using GPS technology, scientists can monitor the movements and migration behaviour of the birds. “We know where they mainly reside and we can coordinate with authorities on new island projects that could disturb the population.” Natalia Évora said. The birds already existed here at the time of the first Spanish settlers who had written about “large white birds that scavenge”. Initially they enjoyed a reputation as a sacred bird and it was said that when a vulture was close to death it would fly into the sky and disappear into thin air, similar to the Phoenix rising from the ashes myth. The vulture also plays an important role in nature, as scavengers prevent the spread of diseases and groundwater contamination. Human involvement plays a part in their fight for survival, as power lines, construction, illness and heavy metals and toxins all affect the vulture’s numbers, as do natural predators such as ravens and cats. However, through targeted countermeasures and preservation methods the survival rate of the Egyptian vulture in Fuerteventura has increased considerably, and while they are still an endangered species, the news that they’re successfully integrating on Lanzarote gives hope for their continued n growth.
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
PROMOTION
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CANARY ISLANDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Grateful for grapes
Photo: Wikipedia
Lanzarote and its fine wines
Vines with the La Corona volcano, in the north of the island, in the background This particular type of wine production is characteristic of Lanzarote
The American writer Ernest Hemingway once said “Wine offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than possibly any other purely sensory thing which may be purchased.”
The Canarian people have dominated the art of creating such pleasurable wine for hundreds of years. This is partly because many of the older grape varieties have been preserved here in the Islands and, in addition,
the volcanic soil, mild climate and the differences between the individual islands make wines made in the Canaries unique. Viticulture is an art in itself, especially with the subtropi-
cal climate here, and even more so on the islands which have almost no mountains to trap clouds such as Lanzarote where, additionally, the top layers of fertile soil were covered during large eruptions which
took place from 1730 to 1736, spoiling the best growing areas. However, thanks to the genius of past generations, a special form of cultivation has been created on the dry, lava-covered surface.
Plants are grown in black grains of volcanic ash called picón which absorb humidity, especially from the cooler night air, and prevent evaporation. Additionally, low semicircular walls shelter the plants from being dried out by the constant winds, and the roots of the oldest vines can reach down up to 10 metres deep, allowing them access to yet more precious water.
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
CANARY ISLANDS
13
is located on the main road between Teguise and Uga. It was founded in 1775, making it not only the first established on the island, but also one of the oldest in Spain.
ing original documents which date back to the year 1600. The winery is open daily from 8am to 4pm and well worth a visit. For more information, see www.elgrifo.com.
Photo: Wikipedia
Photo: Wikipedia
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
The vines are planted in a hole and protected by a stone wall
Photo: Cabildo LZ
The delicious wines from the area have already won numerous national and international awards. The winery is now home to a museum, as well as a library and a wine shop. The museum is one of the best in the country and includes some unique pieces. More than 3,000 old documents and books have been preserved in the library, includ-
One of the oldest wineries in both Lanzarote and Spain: Bodega El Grifo
Possibly the island’s most influential citizen, artist César Manrique, first showed the world the finer attractions of Lanzarote in 1964, in an exhibition of his work at the Guggenheim museum in New York which featured the scenic volcanic highlights of his home. The viticulture method in Lanzarote was at the time referred to as ‘real land art, which is unique, spectacular and incomparable’, and those attributes are still valid today.
This is a land that can’t be ploughed, and on which the use of machinery is impossible, so from the planting to the harvesting of the grapes, every move is one of real craftsmanship. In Lanzarote, the Moscatel, Listán Blanca and Negra, Diego, Burra Blanca and Negra Moll grape varieties are grown. But the Malvasia grape is especially dominant, and one which captivated wine lovers in the past and continues to do so
to this day. The grape originated in ancient Greece, and it is the oldest known variety in the Mediterranean. Its wines impress with their distinctive aroma, heady scent and fruity, balanced flavour. The bright golden-yellow colour has almost become the symbol of wine from Lanzarote.
Bodegas with tradition One of the oldest wineries of the island, Bodega El Grifo,
More Bodegas which complete the range of wines in Lanzarote are the Bodega Castillo de Guanapay in Tías and Bodegas Guiguan and Reymar in Tinajo. For all of these, the Malvasia grape plays a major role, as it has done for several centuries: Shakespeare mentioned the Islands’ Malvasia wines more than once n in his works.
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TENERIFE GENERAL
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
REVAMP FOR TOURIST DESTINATION
Puerto to get the image it deserves At last Puerto de la Cruz is to get a long awaited facelift. Half of the hotel places in the resort are to be renovated within the next two years, according to the island president Carlos Alonso, who said that a great effort will be made with both private and public investment to restore this holiday town and put it back in the position it belongs. The tourism renovation plan for Puerto de la Cruz has funding of €200 million, which will go towards renovations to 38 private and public areas. Nineteen hotels are to be restored, and three new ones created. Nine of them will see their categories improve from three- to four-star, thanks to this project. These include the hotel San Borondon in the western part of the town, which will be modernised, extended and complemented by a health and beauty centre, a multiple uses hall, and a vehicle access and parking area. The hotel Marte, in Calle Doctor Ingram near the old bus station, will also ascend to the four-star category, and will specialise in trekking holidays. A new entrée to the cafeteria will be created, along with a trekking shop, a gymnasium, a new buffet restaurant and a pool bar. The hotel Casa del Sol in Calle Finlandia will also have four
The redesigned bay on the San Telmo promenade has been completed
stars and will rely primarily for this on a new spa area, with a major overhaul of the rooms and the common areas, and a car park. The Pez Azul apartments are to become a hotel business with new common areas and complementary services, and will also receive four stars. The same applies to the La Carabela apartment complex, in which parts one and two will be merged and be managed as a four-star hotel with the addition of infrastructures, common and service areas. The Hotel San Telmo, on the recently renovated beach promenade, will also ascend to the four star category. Its close
proximity to the sea makes it ideal to specialise in tourists with an interest in water activities. It will be given a new social hall and pool bar. The Risco de Oro holiday complex on the Carretera Las Tapias is a special project because it is an old, Grade II listed building with a historical garden. It will be renovated and extended with a new building, a new spa, restaurant area and convention centre. The Casablanca apartment complex in the Martiánez zone will also be reformed and become a four-star establishment. One of the star projects in this area is the La Chiripa tourist
complex which has been closed since 2009, and which will reopen as a luxury hotel. The German group LIM will be in charge of its conversion, and the new establishment will operate under the name of 7Pines. The resort, which occupies a 20,000 square metre area within the Taoro Park, will have 45 apartments, which can be purchased on a ‘buy to use and let’ basis. This means that the owners can use these holiday homes themselves for six weeks of the year, and for the remainder they will be rented out by the hotel management. In addition, there will be 116 double hotel rooms and a villa with 12 suites, a landscaped
pool, terraces overlooking the Orotava Valley and Mount Teide, a spa area, a meeting and convention centre, a new access, reception area and parking. Besides these, other hotels will also be modernised, including the Orotava Palace, Tigaiga, Parque Vacacional Edén apartments, La Paz, Vallemar, El Tope, Tenerife Playa, Astoria Bambi, Xibana Park and the Finca El Robado. All of these will maintain their quality, and three new holiday complexes will complete the highly renovated offer in Puerto de la Cruz. This is not all, work is also to be done on other equipment and infrastructures, for example at Loro Parque. According to the Island president, some of the most immediate works will be on the new bus station and the sporting and fishing port which have been planned for decades. Improvements to the Martiánez beach, for which the State government is contributing €5 million and the Island government €2 million, will be tackled in the coming months. The president of Ashotel, the Hotels and Apart Hotel Association for Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro, Enrique Talg said “We have assessed the business owners and advised them in their
search for new markets, and we have also given them bank contacts.” Talg, who also has family connections with the running of the Hotel Tigaiga added “You have to decide which niche of the market needs to be covered. By specialising in different niches, these can be covered without the hotels becoming competitors.” The successful German hotelier is committed to quality. He is quoted by local newspaper La Opinión as saying “I really like a phrase which says that quality is remembered for a long time after the price has been forgotten.” The newly elected mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Lope Afonso, didn’t wait long after his election to discuss the projects and improvements needed for the town with the Ashotel representatives and his tourism councillors. They discussed, amongst other things, the improvement of services, better cleanliness, the maintenance of gardens, improved street lighting and access roads to the town. Puerto de la Cruz is on the brink of having a brand new image and a major overhaul which, within the next two years, will make the old town rise from the ashes like a phoenix as a new holiday paradise which has a permanent place in the tourism market of the 21st century. n
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
TENERIFE GENERAL
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Cancer bus funding
Golfers come up trumps South Tenerife golfers have just handed over donations to Carol Salisbury Chappell for the AECC-run cancer treatment bus. As regular readers will be aware, Carol first came up with the idea of raising finance for a bus after acting as chauffeur for a sick friend and then her daughter, both sadly hit with cancer. When the project was launched, she also generously made the first large donation towards the purchase of the bus, which provides cancer sufferers with transport for life-saving treatments to Candelaria hospital from the south of Tenerife. Carol continues to raise funds to make sure that the bus project has enough money to carry on its day-to-day operation. Bob Thompson, 2014-15 Captain for Amarilla Golf, gave Carol €2,245 for the campaign. Bob and their friend Carole Page from Golf del Sur have been loyally supporting the campaign from day one. And Frank Moss, the Captain of the Scally Waggs Golf Society, which is supporting the charity for the second year running, presented her with the proceeds of their annual competition vs Britannia where they were sponsored by the Lions Clubs of San Miguel and Las Galletas/Costa del Silencio, Phil Littlejohn, Peterborough 284 Round Table, Adeje Golf and The Golf Shop, bringing in a further €2,650 for the bus. n Bob, Carol and Carole
Inspector Montalbano’s Sicilian adventures
Sicilian adventures A review by Red Hound Bookshop When Montalbano comes to the aid of his new neighbour, Liliana Lombardo, after the engine of her car is interfered with, the inspector can little imagine where this innocuous event will lead. It soon transpires that the young woman - beautiful, intelligent and rather vague about the whereabouts of her husband - is being targeted by someone with a grudge against her. But is Liliana’s growing interest in Montalbano simply a product of the detective’s innate charm? Or is she trying to lead him astray - and into trouble? Meanwhile, the inspector finds himself drawn into another mystery when a bomb explodes outside an empty warehouse in Vigata, owned by Angelino Arnone. As Montalbano and his colleagues investigate the street’s residents - some of whom have suspicious mafia links - they begin to receive a barrage of false clues from an anonymous source. As Liliana’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and leaks around the case threaten Montalbano’s reputation, the sense of danger grows. The inspector soon
Andrea Camilleri was a late starter but certainly caught up with the crowd!
realises that, with this investigation, he is being led into a hall of mirrors, where there is danger at every turn and nothing is quite clear. The Sicilian adventures of Inspector Montalbano are always a joy and Camilleri, who is a supreme master of his craft, is always deadly serious about issues that matter. Andrea Camilleri is an interesting character himself. Born in 1925, he worked for many years as a film director and screenwriter, known in particu-
Canarian lifesaver in England
Tenerife hero Frank, Carol and the Scally Waggs
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Kevin Armas, a young man from Tenerife, is currently working in a cafeteria in Canvey Island, Essex.
On one fateful day, as he headed for home after work, he heard two boys calling for help. The two brothers, aged
lar for directing plays by Pirandello and Beckett. In the late 1970s Camilleri wrote a couple of novels which missed public attention. And that could have been that. However, in 1994, at the age of 69, he started writing the first in a long series of novels. Called The Shape of Water, the book and its following adventures feature the character of Inspector Montalbano, an irritable Sicilian detective in the police force of Vigàta, an imaginary Sicilian town. The series is written in Italian but has since been translated into various languages and is increasingly popular. The name of the hero, Montalbano, is a tribute to Spanish writer Manseven and nine years old, had been swimming in the sea about six metres from the coast, and were stricken by panic. The older boy was trying to lie flat, close to the surface, and at the same time support the younger boy who was failing and sinking under water. The 23-yearold Kevin, who had worked as a lifeguard in Tenerife, didn’t hes-
uel Vázquez Montalbán and the resemblance between Montalbán’s Pepe Carvalho and Camilleri’s fictional detective are striking. Both authors also place great emphasis on their protagonists’ gastronomic preferences – to the delight of foodies worldwide. The TV adaptation of Montalbano’s adventures, starring Luca Zingaretti, was an instant hit and further increased Camilleri’s status to such a point that, in 2003, authorities in Camilleri’s home town of Porto Empedocle – on which Vigàta is modelled – took the unusual step of changing its official name to that of Porto Empedocle Vigàta. The movement that has surrounded the novels even draws visitors to Sicily to see the places which feature in the TV series and to taste the delicious-sounding specialities described in the books. Camilleri, still going strong, now lives in Rome where he works as a TV and theatre director. About 10 million copies of his novels have been sold n to date. Book review by Red Hound Bookshop, Los Cristianos. See: www.libreriaredhound.com. itate for long before he jumped fully dressed into the water and pulled the two boys safely ashore. Kevin told the local British press “They were so scared that they could hardly breathe. I don’t see myself as a hero. Anyone else would have done the same. But I’m glad that nothing happened to them and that I was able to help in time.” n
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BBQ SPECIAL
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019 © Lakeland.co.uk
Barbecues
Summer steak out!
Single use grill stand
Social barbecuing is the new trend. © Lakeland.co.uk
As in any other, in the barbecue world there are trends and fads. There was a time when biggest was best, when the favourite joke was that the man-of-thehouse in a humorous apron ‘did the cooking’ on barbecue days, whilst his partner (only) did all the prep and the cleaning up afterwards. He or she who had the gas-fired, whole-pig roaster was king! Unless they had large families, or lots of barbecue parties, it’s doubtful that many of those with king-size barbecues got a good return for their money; however the latest trend looks to be much more people and purse friendly. Social barbecue is the latest buzz phrase. Think fondue, but with a barbecue grill, i.e. the cooking paraphernalia is in the middle of the table, you prepare all the wherewithal, but each guest helps themselves and cooks their own choice to their own taste. We checked out our favourite cookery store Lakeland for their latest ideas and there are options to suit all budgets. The fabulous Social Grill shown in our main picture sits in its own heat-resistant tray so it can safely be placed directly onto your table and is big enough for up to six people. Also from Lakeland, the Barbecook grill has its own rotating wooden base to fit a selection of basting and tasting sauces and the rather fabulous Thüros tabletop grill, precision engineered in Germany, gives an ultra-modern look to your table, and has the advantage that it’s also highly portable for those camping and caravanning holidays or days out. Our one-hit wonder here (single use barbie) cost €6.50 at Alcampo. Laid on protective sheeting it’s perfectly adequate for a one-off, small-size group.
baked bread and home-made cakes! It also has an inbuilt ‘moat’ which can be used to add moistness and additional flavours of citrics, wine or beer, for example, to your food and a selection of extras are available including a frying pan, griddle and roasting stand. Lakeland is also our go-to place for barbecue accessories: minced lamb kebab spice mix, tongs, hamburger presses, barbecue frying pans and stay-warm griddle toppers. A favourite is this hamburger
© Lakeland.co.uk
Trends and novelties
If you are thinking of cooking al fresco more often though, you might want to look at one of the instant grill holders. The single use units also have the advantage of being portable of course. However, Lakeland has portability down to a ‘T’ with their Asado Grill Holiday Pack. The frame of this roomy cool-bag doubles as the grill stand and the pack includes a multi-tool which has a serrated edge for cutting, a fork, a spatula, tongs, a corkscrew, bottle opener and a lighter © Lakeland.co.uk
No summer is complete without a barbecue with friends and family and in the Canaries we are luckier than most as our summers go on and on…
burn and wreck some modern barbecues that are only recommended for use with charcoal. Do check before changing your regular fuel. Twigs or chips of fruit wood and hickory or bunches of woody herbs can be added to charcoal for extra flavour without endangering the grill.
Tip
Carry-on barbecuing
holder all in one – rather like a giant-sized BBQ Swiss Army Knife! Regular caravanners and campers may want to look at the doyenne of the portable barbecue of the moment, the Cobb. Available both in charcoal and gas versions, it has a threehour cooking time from a mere handful of charcoal briquettes and, apart from the usual barbecue favourites, offers the means to prepare freshly smoked salmon, pizzas, whole roast chickens and even freshly
Soak the fruit wood chips and herbs before adding to the fire for a longer lasting smoky flavour.
The versatile and portable Cobb
press which also has insets to make mini-burgers for the smaller members of the family, or to add an extra tasty surprise insert of your choice in your burger. You can try adding sauces, cheese, sautéed mushrooms, peppers etc. or shavings of truffle over finely shredded Serrano ham for real deluxe living! Looking at innovations, we can’t fail to mention the arrival from across the Atlantic of one of its more popular exports, planking. This method
of indirect grilling (especially of salmon) apparently stems from the native Indians and is truly delicious. It consists of setting the piece to be grilled on top of a slab of cedar wood. We have the advantage here of some excellent, palatable and cheap wines to steep the wood beforehand. It can then be rubbed with some herb infiltrated oil before use. The end result is amazing and will be the most succulent salmon you have ever tasted! Once tried – never forgotten. Try your local
wood store for planed cedar slabs, but if you have no luck, cooking planks can be obtained online from Amazon. As well as the grill you will need charcoal or your choice of wood. Do be aware that not all the modern barbecues stand the heat of a real wood fire. Whilst sarmiento (grape vine wood) is highly recommended by chefs here for flash-grilling of smaller cuts of meat such as the glorious Spanish baby lamb chops, it does reach a high temperature that can
You will also need a good, preferably mid-arm length, oven glove, a fish slice, firelighters (optional, although liquid is best), newspaper twists, a selection of tongs – better than forks – for turning (one for each guest for a social barbecue), and bellows or something to waft with to brighten a dying fire. Metal skewers are reusable, but wooden ones are a lot cheaper. However, you must remember to soak the latter thoroughly so that they are less
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17 about 250g for each of them, but more never goes to waste! Do be aware of any lifestyle choices, food fads or allergies in the group to avoid awkwardness; vegans, vegetarians, those who don’t like bones in their food (and yes, they exist) and gluten, nut allergies etc.
Marinades, sauces and pickle
Burgers to suit all tastes
likely to smoulder. Make sure you have lots of plates ready to receive the hot food – porcelain or paper are the best bet and keep cooked food well-separated from raw, including using different tongs. Have some tinfoil on hand in case you need to slow down the cooking process – you can transfer the pieces to a doubled sheet of foil on the grill and thus switch from direct to indirect grilling.
TIP Don’t use a spray bottle filled with water to dowse unexpected flare-ups as it can cause ash to waft up onto the food. It’s preferable to have an area of the barbecue that is cooler than the rest to move food to for indirect grilling.
Light the coals in a pile over crumpled paper spills and rake them out into the final cooking layer once fully alight after about 20 minutes. Leave for a further 20-35 minutes before starting to cook, the fire should look ash-grey in daylight and glow red in the dark. Apart from the weather, in the Canaries we are doubly blessed as far as barbecues go, as there are literally hundreds of public
Succulent salmon
barbecue sites in the ‘zonas recreacionales’. In addition to water supplies and the free-use barbecues themselves, often these sites will also have little bars, toilets, playgrounds and even wood supplies! From the coast to the forests and the mountains, they are available everywhere. Ask at the local council office for your nearest facility, but remember that the higher sites may be closed during high fire-risk periods.
Liquid refreshment Warm days and evenings call for lots of liquids. Depending on your guests, choose soft drinks, wine, beer and lots of iced water, but when in Spain, why not do as the Spanish do and opt for Sangria! It’s a forgiving recipe that accepts just about any mixture. To start, use red or white wine and mix in equal amounts with a carbonated non-alcoholic mixer. This can be sparkling water, Casera, lemonade, or even lemon or orange Fanta. Chop up some fresh fruit, apple and oranges for the red and lemons and peaches or the local duraznos for white (don’t forget to scrub the citrics). Add some brandy, Gran
Marnier, lemon vodka or Cointreau if you want it to be a little stronger. Prepare the glasses by frosting them - dip in whipped egg white and sugar mix - and then decorate with a slice of orange or lemon and a sprig of mint before chilling. Serve over lots of ice cubes! And don’t forget, for your non-drinking guests (or designated drivers), there are excellent pre-made non-alcoholic varieties available. Try Don Simon’s Tinto de Verano Clásico, 0,0 Sin Alcohol.
A standard at Canarian fiestas
Who are you catering for? We remember well once making some truly fabulous burgers for some young guests only to have them rejected, as they were used to, and therefore preferred, the frozen variety! Knowing your guests and their likes and dislikes can save a lot of w o r k and
Be organised There are some great recipes here, and hopefully they will inspire you, but don’t try and do it all – especially if you are not at home. Even a top chef would struggle, never mind us mere mortals. Choose three or four items you think would entice your guests and leave the rest for another time. You want to enjoy the day too, so getting organised is very important. The more you can prep ahead, the better. If you are working at home, the fire can be set ready and tools, serving plates etc. laid out under tea-towels the night before, for example.
heartache. It may be a cliché, but in general children really do prefer burge r s a n d hot dogs. However, there are loads of sausages on the mar-
ket, check out your local English or German butcher for the best choices and maybe consider pitta breads instead of those rather sterile buns – if the kids agree of course!
What to grill and how much per person? Again this comes down to knowing your guests. A good guideline is
The general rule of thumb for marinades seems to be to marinade overnight or for a few hours at room temperature, but you should never leave food in any marinade that contains salt, lemon or lime juice for more than two hours. Virgin olive oil is brilliant, but not the best choice for a marinade – it burns and smokes on contact with the barbecue, so choose a smoother, more mature variety or vegetable oil instead and think of trying sherry or soy sauce instead of wines; add your own favourite herbs and spices.
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019 underneath and remove the innards. Place it on a flat surface with the breast upwards and press down firmly with the flap of your hand to break the breastbone. Insert two fingers under the skin at the neck end and loosen it to the end of the breastbone. Be careful not to break the delicate skin. Stuff using a teaspoon (each quail will hold about 2 tsps of stuffing) and mould the stuffing around the breastbone. Place in a tray and drizzle with the olive oil and herbs. Leave for about one hour to absorb the marinade flavours. Grill for eight minutes cut side down, brush breasts with olive oil and turn for five minutes, to crisp breast, finish with a final five minutes cut side down to cook through – serve.
Tip Use a strong plastic bag to marinate your food choices, tied securely to prevent leakages. They are a lot easier to turn, which is something you should do frequently. Otherwise use cling-film-covered non-reactive containers such as glass or stainless steel. Food once cooked should go on a different plate, never back on the marinating plate. Excess marinade can be used for basting, but should not be used as a sauce unless it is brought to the boil for a few minutes first. Think about using tied bunches of herbs to baste with rather than a bristle or silicone brush; rosemary for lamb for example, sage for chicken, oregano and/or thyme for meat and dill for fish.
Pork belly with barbecue sauce glaze
Ingredients 4 tbl honey 2 tbl ketchup 1 tbl tomato puree 1 tbl whole grain mustard 1 tbl soy sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Fresh ground pepper Method Mix together thoroughly and pour over the meat. Use to marinate and baste.
of garlic with skins, two bay leaves, one small chopped hot pepper and water under the items to be cooked (bear in mind that this will mean indirect cooking and therefore a longer cooking time). Once the meat is cooked, remove the drip tray and spread out the coals, remove the bay leaves, peel the garlic, put the tray on the heat and add the sugar and onion. Cook gently until soft, add the chocolate. Pass through a blender and return to the pan. If the sauce looks too thick add a little more water. It should be the consistency of a thick creamy soup.
Meat marinade
Fresh home-made pickle
Ingredients 2 tbl olive oil 2 tbl lemon juice 2 tbl tomato juice 2 tbl dry white wine 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp soy sauce Method Mix together thoroughly and pour over the meat. Use to marinate and baste.
Ingredients ½ cucumber 1 onion Sugar Malt or white wine vinegar Method The night before, peel and thinly slice the onion and cucumber. Place in a bowl and sprinkle liberally with sugar. The following morning the sugar will have liberated lots of juice. Top up and cover with vinegar. Serve.
BBQ sauce
White fish marinade Ingredients One tin of coconut milk 1 tsp chilli flakes 2 tbl chopped fresh dill 3 cm fresh grated ginger 2 cloves crushed garlic Method Mix together thoroughly and pour over the meat. Use to marinate and baste.
Game sauce (for four) Ingredients Olive oil 1 hot pepper 2 cloves of garlic 2 bay leaves I medium onion chopped 1 level tsp sugar 25g dark chocolate Method Place a strong metal drip tray with a little olive oil, two cloves
Starters Something light is often the better choice whilst the barbecue is coming up to cooking temperature. Guacamole is a favourite. If you make your own, think about adding some grated tomato flesh to lighten it a little. Taramasalata is now available from Iceland! It’s great on gently warmed pitta bread. However to keep with the barbecue theme, consider the following:
Chorizo al Diablo Ingredients Thick slices of good quality chorizo
Clean and fresh tasting pickle
For a more exquisite presentation (not shown here): Before grilling, still breast side up, pull up and hold onto the loose skin between the legs and make a horizontal slit in this skin flap with a small sharp knife. Gently bend the legs of the birds inwards and pull through the flap in the skin. Cooking times may be longer.
A colourful medley of marinating veggies
Orujo 96º alcohol from the chemist Method Slice the chorizo and present them to your guests on dishes, together with well-soaked wooden kebab sticks. Pour small quantities of equal amounts of orujo and alcohol into some of the small brown ceramic bakeware dishes that are available all over the Islands. Carefully and safely set the dishes in front of your guests on heatproof mats if necessary and light the alcohol. One between two is best. Each guest then uses the kebab sticks to ‘roast’ their own slices of chorizo.
Which meat to choose? Poultry and game Should be cooked over a moderate heat and at least 10cm above the coals. Whole birds should be opened and flattened unless you are going to try the indirect heat method of beer-can chicken where the bird is stuffed onto an opened can which is set in a cleared
space amongst piled, glowing embers. The bubbling beer is said to flavour the bird and keep it moist. Breasts are better used in kebabs, adding some rolled up bacon for extra fat. Extra care should be taken that the meat is cooked through. And chicken loves BBQ sauce!
Tip Double skewer smaller pieces such as chicken wings, prawns and slimmer sausages to make it easier and quicker to turn them on the grill and prevent an unwanted fiery end.
Duck Divide into eight portions and leave in the meat marinade for one to two hours. Thread onto skewers with thick slices of orange, onion, cubes of pineapple and button mushrooms. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill for 35-40 minutes. For a more exotic choice, think about roasting whole
stuffed quails. A practice run is advised.
Grilled stuffed quail 8 quail Olive oil Thyme, savoury, marjoram and oregano Stuffing 8 quail livers 2 chicken livers Duxelle (4oz of mushrooms very finely chopped, ¼ tsp lemon juice, one very small onion very finely chopped, 1 tbl unsalted butter, salt and pepper cooked very slowly until all the liquid evaporates and the flavours are concentrated into the mixture, season and chill – can be frozen) 30g fresh breadcrumbs 8 oz softened butter Method Mash together the stuffing, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Remove the wing tips, feet and head and neck of the quails if that hasn’t already been done for you. Open the bird from tail to neck with scissors along the
Pork BBQ sauce is another fine choice for pork belly, chops and ribs. Fattier cuts like Secreto Ibérico need nothing other than the merest smear of olive oil and a little salt. A huge favourite in the Canaries and present at every big fiesta are Pinchos morunos – a spicy kebab that is all meat!
Pinchos morunos Ingredients 1 kg cubed pork 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 2 tsp paprika 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 2 tbl lemon juice 6 tbl olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method Using a pestle and mortar, grind the cumin and coriander seeds. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, a pinch of salt, and mash together. Mix in the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour the marinade over the pork and leave for about two hours in a cool place before threading on skewers. Use leftover marinade to baste during cooking.
Tip Take produce, especially thicker cuts, out of the fridge between one and two hours before cooking and leave in a cool place to avoid the outside charring before the inside cooks.
Beef Best cuts to choose are veal chop and rib, beef sirloin, rump, T-bone, chuck and skirt steak and all benefit from marinating before grilling. With steaks, trim the fat back to 1cm and cut through to the meat to avoid the buckling when the membrane between the fat and the meat shrinks. Choose chuck steak and rump for juicy kebabs. Lift a corner to check doneness. Don’t turn more than once or the juices gathered on top of the meat will be lost. Cooking time is between three and 30 minutes depending on the cut, the thickness and whether or not it’s on the bone.
Best burger Chop the meat don’t mince it. Mechanical mincers mash and mangle the fibres and juices
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are lost in the process. If you chop by hand, the fibres are cut not crushed and remain juicier. Add chopped fresh bone marrow if you can get it rather than fat plus your choice of soft fried onion, herbs, chopped capers wholegrain mustard, grated cheese etc. or add a surprise stuffing (see above). Or think about the Moroccan Kefta, Teriyaki Steak Kebabs or Indonesian Grilled Skewered Meat balls (Recipes available on request via our Facebook page).
Prawns are great grilled and need little more than a touch of oil and lemon or lime juice unless they are paired with something else.
Danish scampi Ingredients Giant prawns One rasher of lean bacon for each prawn Method Peel the prawns leaving the heads and tails.
Stretch rashers of bacon with a knife and wrap around the body of the prawns. Thread three or four on a skewer (or pair of skewers for easier turning), baste with bbq sauce and grill for about 10 minutes. Fish can be a little disappointing as the less firm varieties can disintegrate on the grill. Try chunks of halibut or ‘panga’ marinated for an hour and basted with our tasty sauce and interspersed on a skewer with a chunk of lemon, squares of peppers or cherry tomatoes and even the occasional prawn! Alternatively, cook medium sized whole trout and mackerel en papillote – envelopes of tinfoil in this case. Brush liberally with oil, slip a slice of Serrano ham into the cleaned stomach opening, top with a couple of slices of lemon and wrap in tinfoil. Leave enough space so that the fish can steam in its own vapour as well as grilling. Cook at the edge of the grill for about 30 minutes. And of course there is the amazing new (to us) trend of planking – see above.
Vegetables Quails with game sauce
Creamy papas bravas are popular
Secreto Ibérico
Fish and shellfish
Most veggies taste better grilled over fruitwood embers
instead of charcoal and, we believe, are all the better for being marinated in a gentle oil, vinegar and salt mix for 30 minutes. The variety is amazing in summer and they make great colourful kebabs. Sear over high heat and then move to edges to slow down the cooking. For whole vegetables, score the thicker items like courgettes and aubergines in a criss-cross pattern to help them cook through. Potatoes can be cooked wrapped in foil in the embers, of course, but so can beetroot (it will need to be peeled before serving). Both are excellent with sour cream and chives.
Sauces and accompaniments Tzatiki Plain Greek yoghurt with capers and fried garlic Coleslaw Potato salad Shredded salad leaves Sliced tomatoes and cucumber Papas Bravas (chunks of fried potatoes served hot with a sauce made of 4tbl mayonnaise, 1 tbl ketchup, ½ tbl tomato paste, chilli flakes, 2 cloves crushed garlic) Fresh home made pickle
Desserts A fresh fruit salad is always welcome after a barbecue, or follow through the kebab theme with hard fruit (pineapple, apple, peach and apricots), gently grilled and served with ice-cream. A good cookahead idea is chocolate dipped fruit on a skewer, served on a bed of light custard. Bananas can be grilled in their skins. Remove a strip off the top when one side is blackened and you have turned it over, loosen the skin slightly and drizzle in some honey, a little lemon juice, dark or honey rum (optional) and brown sugar. Firm peaches can also be
grilled at the edges of the fire for a few minutes and sprinkled with soft brown sugar, or sprinkle halved grapefruits with soft brown sugar and a little Cointreau before piping with stiffly beaten meringue and grilling. The ultimate in barbecue cooking though has to be the latest from Lakeland – a barbecue fondue! It also chimes in very well with the trend towards social barbecues. Use marshmallows or chunks of fresh fruit, strawberries etc. to dip into the delicious blend of milk, white and dark swirls of chocolate that will melt gently on the dying coals. A perfect end to a perfect n day! © Lakeland.co.uk
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
A delicious finale
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FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Aleluyas del Paladar
Salad and burgers with a twist By John Like a row of unconventional skittles, half a dozen small restaurants and tascas huddle literally next door to each other on the main road into Santa Úrsula. Which one to choose? Surely, they must all be good, just to survive in our current harsh economic climate? We are working our way along them, in no particular order. One has already received the doubtful benefit of our patronage. Others, well, better left unsaid. Our introduction to this particular place comes via a local taxi driver. Well, if they go there…
By Jove! Yes, we have struck lucky. It is too hot to be indoors, so we take one of the three tables outdoors, protected from the traffic by a row of shrubs. The boss seems to be serving and doing the cooking, but it is
lunchtime, so perhaps they do not expect to become crowded. We espy a chalk board with the legend “five tapas for €10”. Could that be good value? This place trades on its salads and burgers, so what’s with the
tapas? When we enquire, we are told that they make up tapas from what they have and, no, if we take that set of dishes, there will be quite enough for two persons, and therefore no need to order a burger to fol-
low. Such confidence! We take him at his word, and five tapas follow each other out from the kitchen at decent intervals. First is a plate of triangles of cured goat’s cheese, accompanied by warm bread. This is followed by a most unusual bowl of pickled strips of aubergine with mustard seeds, tangy and tasty. Next is a bowl of garbanzas (chickpeas), meaty with plenty of tender pork and chorizo. Each plate or bowl is enough for two. We sit back to draw breath and consider that this is all well above the average. What will be next? The answer is a bowl of button mushrooms sautéed in garlic. The final plate of the five offerings is warm morcilla made with added rice (a sweet blood sausage unlike anything
you would find in England). It is accompanied by a sweet chilli/red pepper jam and it is sensational! Quite the best we have eaten on this island. We did go back another day, stopping at lunchtime, to try the burgers and salad. As well as a selection of a dozen or so starters, there are half a dozen different salads (mine, garnished with apple, was excellent) and the same number of different types of burger listed on the menu. The beef burger (rejoicing in the name of London) turned out to be cold sliced roast beef served in a burger bun, but we were assured that all other types of burger were served hot. They are generally all under €5 and are accompanied by salad garnish and chips and are more than acceptable, though we could not help but look back on the previous visit and those tapas. There are 12 starters/plates to share on the
list, and five different salads. If you go on a Thursday, you qualify for a two-for-one price on your order: just pay for the one with the greater price. And that tapas bill? Yes, really only €10 for the two of us! Plus a couple of beers at €1 each. This place is only four kilometres out of town (Puerto de la Cruz) but it is as though we have removed to a different planet with a parallel pricing structure. Do make the effort n to try them out.
Aleluyas del Paladar
Ctra. Provincial, 173 Cuesta de la Villa Santa Úrsula, Tenerife (Near Junction 31 of the TF5) Tel: 922 385 956 / 661 361 465 Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 12.30pm to 11.30pm Loo Score: 6/10
019
Canary Islands’ attractions for tourists and residents Where to visit
Useful contacts
Upcoming events
What’s on
Canary Islands summary
General information
Spin news
Our cultural agenda
Pages 22
Pages 24 & 25
Page 26 & 27
Page 28
MIAC Castillo de San José
Manuel Suárez Cruz, otherwise known as Man Cruz, is a Gran Canarian designer, painter and sculptor who has been selected as the first featured artist of the MIAC project currently taking place in Arrecife, Lanzarote. Staged at the MIAC Castillo de San José in Puerto Naos in Lanzarote’s capital, the exhibition runs until August 14, and can be viewed Monday to Friday from 11am to 5pm. Man Cruz’s artwork consists of glazed ceramics that are inspired by lava, ancient symbolism, primitive-art and nature. Even Japanese gardens with their elaborate design and clear structures influence the artist’s creativity. Ceramic art has not always been Man Cruz’s specialty and he discovered this form of artistic expression by chance. Manuel was working for the Santa Cruz borough council in the art department and
was involved in the Carnival and Canarian Day decorations. In 1998 he started the Tamiz workshop in Güímar and installed the sculpture ‘Monumento al Vecino’ (Monument to the Neighbour) that now stands in La Laguna. The project took two years to complete and introduced him to ceramic art, which went on to become his current profession, and since 2002 he has been active as a ceramic artist. This series of exhibitions offers local artists a platform to present their work to the general public as well as interested art collectors. The initiative has been launched by the Arts, Culture and Tourism Department of Lanzarote. The MIAC Castillo de San José is an international museum of contemporary art that was originally a small castle built in the late 18th century by King Carlos III. Lanzarote’s acclaimed local artist, César Manrique,
Photos: Lanzarote Cabildo
Art museum ceramics exhibition
wanted to preserve the building as an important piece of the island’s history and believed it would be best suited as a museum. At the inauguration in 1976 Manrique was present alongside such illustrious names as Alechinski, Bacon, Botero, Dámaso, Domínguez, Francis, Leparc, Miró, Rompo and two contemporaries, Manrique Luis Feito and Manuel Manpaso, who alongside Man-
Even small and medium-sized pieces feature in Man Cruz’s current exhibition Original and natural elements characterise Man Cruz’s artwork
rique opened the Galería Clan de Madrid in 1954. At the time, Manrique donated a large collection of his works, as did other artists, and to date the museum houses a remarkable collection of modern art. n
HOLIDAY GUIDE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
The Canaries have what is considered one of the best climates anywhere on the planet, making the Islands the perfect destination for all year round tourism.
ous luxury hotels and some very nice, small white sand beaches. In the foothills above these towns you will find three great places to visit. Siam Park (The Water Kingdom), recently declared the best in the world, has something for everyone, from beach lovers to adrenaline freaks. See: www. siampark.net Aqualand, on Avenida de Austria, a water park with a dolphin show. See: www.aqualand.es. The Jungle Park, at Las Águilas del Teide, is great fun for kids of all ages. See: www.aguilasjunglepark.com
Tenerife Teide National Park The highest peak in Spain, at 3,718m, is one of Tenerife’s greatest attractions. It is possible to hike to the top, and also to catch the cable car. See: www.telefericoteide.com. To access the summit of the volcano, Pico del Teide, you need to obtain a free permit in advance, issued by the Administration Office of the National Park, which you can download at www.reservasparquesnacionales.es.
Los Gigantes
Fañabé beach
summer solstices. See: www. piramidesdeguimar.es
Santa Cruz
Playa de Las Américas
Photo: ubik2010
Santa Cruz, the vibrant, bustling capital city of Tenerife, is located on the northeast coast. It has a variety of interesting museums and art galleries, a well maintained historical centre, and an important commercial port. See: www.santacruzmas.com.
The town of Puerto de la Cruz was a popular tourist destination long before the south was. Its attractive and busy town centre has maintained its picturesque fishing-village charm, and nearby is the prestigious, award-winning Loro Parque Zoo. See: www.loroparque.com.
One of the prettiest towns on the island, La Orotava also gives its name to the whole valley, which has a very prosperous history. The town centre has beautiful old mansions reflecting the wealth of the past.
Anaga Rural Park The Anaga Rural Park occupies much of the mountainous mas-
Los Cristianos sif in the northeastern corner of Tenerife. This is a steeplysloping area with exceptional natural and cultural treasures, and amazing landscapes.
Güímar This northeastern town is best known for the ethnographic park which was developed by Thor Heyerdahl. The pyramids are a complex construction, astronomically orientated according to the winter and
Once a little fishing village, Los Cristianos began as a tourist destination for ailing Swedes who came to enjoy some rest and recuperation. From the port you can take a ferry to La Gomera, La Palma or El Hierro. The two main beaches offer safe swimming with disabled access.
Costa Adeje Costa Adeje is an upmarket area of South West Tenerife
Qfm, Spain’s only Cool Jazz Radio station www.Qmusica.com
94.3
(South Tenerife)
www
(Worldwide)
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Puerto de la Cruz
Adán Martín auditorium
La Orotava
Teide National Park
Currently Tenerife’s main tourist destination, this area has spectacular views of La Gomera. There’s a big night-life scene which attracts younger tourists, but it’s also somewhere you can relax, eat, and go sailing, whale and dolphin watching or golfing.
La Laguna La Laguna, a university city, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. It has a lively night life and a thriving cultural scene.
which is popular with European, Russian and national tourists. There are vari-
The town of Los Gigantes, which lives mainly from tourism but on a much more modest scale than Playa de Las Americas or Los Cristianos, is overlooked by the towering cliffs. There is good diving
Daily Cultural Guide updated every day in English at 07:45, 09:45, 11:45, 13:45, 15:45, 17:45 & 19:45.
And don’t miss Qfm’s famous Sunset Sessions, an exclusive chill-out mix every evening. The Asociación Cultural para la Difusión de las Artes y las Músicas de Canarias, registered with the Gobierno de Canarias (G1/S1/16504-10/TF), operates and administers Qfm94.3 within Ley 7/2010 - Artículo 32.
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Other islands La Gomera Only a 45 minute ferry ride from the port of Los Cristianos, La Gomera is a small, peaceful island with amazing hiking and a pre-historic rainforest which is a UNESCO world heritage site and the only one of its kind left in the world. The ferry will take you to the capital, San Sebastián, famous for being Christopher Columbus’ last stop before crossing the Atlantic on his voyage of discovery. Valle Gran Rey, in the southwest of the island, and Playa
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is Fuencaliente: the place to go in La Palma to see a real volcanic landscape. The western side of this borough has nice beaches and withstood the many volcanic eruptions the island has suffered, the most recent being the Teneguía volcano in1971. La Palma has a lovely variant of Carnival called Los Indianos, where everyone dresses in white and people take to the streets during the day to cover everything, including each other, in talcum powder.
like parts of North Africa than it does the other islands. The interior is mainly empty, with a few sun bleached villages and a surprising amount of goats, but the coast has some lovely towns and villages and kilometres of white sand beaches ideal for sunbathing and surfing. The capital is Puerto del Rosario, a relatively modern port town, rather sleepy and quiet despite the fact that nearly half of the island’s population live there. The two main tourist towns are at opposite ends of the island; Corralejo in the north and Morro Jable in the south.
Gran Canaria Teatro Pérez Galdós, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Lanzarote Lanzarote is known as the ‘Isla de los Volcanes’, with over 300 volcanic cones. Like Fuerteventura, it’s flatter than the other islands and there’s very little rain, even by Canarian standards. The whole island was
Photo: Stellab
green and rugged, with breathtaking sights and one of the best places in the world for star gazing, hence the location of the world’s most important astrophysical observatories on its Roque de los Muchachos.
The capital, Las Palmas, is a much bigger city than Santa Cruz de Tenerife and has a nice historical quarter, a good night-life and Las Canteras - a long, yellow sand beach with areas for supervised swimming - and another beach for surfers of all levels. The main tourist areas are Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas, with its beauti-
Garajonay National Park, La Gomera
Santiago, in the south, are the main tourist towns. Valle Gran Rey is a beautiful valley with good beaches and great restaurants. The harbour still has a small fishing fleet. Garajonay National Park houses an ancient laurisilva (laurel) forest at its heart, with over 400 species of flora and fauna. The forest was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1987.
El Hierro The smallest and westernmost of all the islands, El Hierro only has three municipalities; Valverde, Frontera and El Pinar. For exploring, it’s best to hire a car, and you can easily drive all over the island in a day. Valverde is a small town in the north, the only capital in the
Canaries not located on the coast. Frontera (El Golfo) is a milder, bigger town to the west, with more going on and better weather, and right down in the south is La Restinga, famous for its diving.
La Palma Also known as ‘La Isla Bonita’ (the pretty island), La Palma is
Los Indianos Carnival, La Palma
The capital, Santa Cruz, lies to the east of the island. It’s a pretty city of seafaring tradition, although Los Llanos de Aridane in the west is in fact the biggest city on La Palma. The towns in the north of La Palma are also very beautiful and in the south of the island
ful sand-dunes and all-night bars and clubs. The island also has some spectacular archaeological sites.
Fuerteventura Flat, arid and sparsely populated, this island looks more
declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, and those who take the time to explore the island will find it’s strangely beautiful. The capital is Arrecife, to the east, and the three main tourist resorts are Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise.
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General information for visitors
Useful contacts Tenerife Santa Cruz Tourist Office, Plaza de España Tel: (0034) 922 281 287/922 289 287 Open Mon - Fri: 9am - 6pm; Sat, Sun: 9.30am-1.30pm
Time zone: The time zone in the Canary Islands is the same as in the UK and Ireland. Foreign exchange The Spanish currency is the Euro. You can change currency in any bank by showing your passport (Mon – Fri, 8am – 2pm), or in the many exchange agencies in resorts. Can I drink the water? You can drink the tap water in the Canaries, but the change may affect your stomach. If your visit is short, it’s perhaps best to stick to bottled. Discounts Students and senior citizens may receive discounts on ferries, tickets to concerts, museums, etc., so always ask, as long as you can provide ID to prove it. Shopping Normal opening hours in the Canaries are from 10am to 1.30pm and 5pm to 8.30pm. However, in big tourist resorts and shopping centres the opening hours are longer, often from 10am until 10pm, sometimes even later. On Sundays and Bank Holidays only the shops in tourist resorts open. There is a flea market in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, every Sunday morning Duty Free Despite popular belief, it is generally cheaper to buy alcohol and tobacco on the Islands than on the plane or at the airport. Limits are: 200 cigarettes/50 cigars/ 250grs rolling tobacco 1L spirits over 22% or 2L spirits under 22% 2L wine 60ml perfume, 250 ml eau de toilette Medical care All residents of the EU have the right to free medical and hospital care from Tenerife’s Public Health Service whilst on holiday (ie less than three months). To receive this you need to have the European Medical Card or equivalent document, which can be applied for in your home country. It doesn’t cover all treatments; excluding dental treatment, except for emergency extractions, and repatriation due to illness.
If you are ill, find a Centro de Salud or Centro Médico. The ones in the tourist resorts generally speak some English. Make sure they provide care under your insurance policy or EHIC before you sign for anything. Unscrupulous taxi drivers have been known to take back-handers for taking sick people to private clinics so make sure you are in the right place before paying. Safety Only take out credit and bank cards you actually need: leave the rest in the hotel safe, along with your passport and other valuables. A UK driving licence with a photograph is usually accepted as ID for most credit card purchases, a photo credit card will still have to be accompanied by photo ID, daft, but there you are. Do not leave belongings unattended. Particular vigilance on the beach and when you are travelling with luggage is recommended. Take the minimum with you on excursions and lock everything in the boot that you aren’t carrying with you and only access it where you are not overlooked. Do not leave anything in sight. Cars have been broken into for a beach towel before now. If you are at a bar or nightclub, don’t leave your drink unattended and avoid dark streets on the way home. The Islands are safer than many places in Europe, but there are always those who prey on the unaware: relaxing your vigilance could cost you dearly, not just in money but in precious holiday time - reporting the loss of a passport to the police for example and then the visits necessary to the consulates to replace it.
Emergency number: (all Canaries) 112 Guardia Civil (all Canaries): 062
Post Offices Open Monday to Saturday, generally 8.30am - 2.30pm. Some city offices open later.
Blue Badge users Parking for Blue Badge holders in the Canaries is limited to the ‘disabled only’ (Minusválidos) parking spaces in each town. There are no concessions to park on yellow lines or anywhere else normal parking is not allowed. And even if you have a Blue Badge, don’t park in a disabled area which has a registration number marked on it – you will be fined and probably towed away. For further information: www.bluebadgetenerife.com
Consulates British Consulate Tenerife: (0034) 922 286 653 British Consulate Gran Canaria: (0034) 902 109 356 Honorary British consulate Lanzarote: (0034) 928 262 508 Indian consulate: (0034) 922 241 416 Irish Consulate: (0034) 922 245 671 Consulates can issue passports, give information about medical care, education and
legal matters, give assistance to people under arrest, under exceptional circumstances give you enough funds to be repatriated (on loan), and help you in the case of emergency/catastrophe. Inter island transport: Fred Olsen (Ferries): 902 100 107 www.fredolsen.es Naviera Armas (Ferries): 902 456 500 www.navieraarmas. com Binter (Flights) 902 391 392 www.bintercanarias.com Canary Fly: 902 808 065 Airport and flight Information: All Canarian airports are controlled by AENA. www.aenaaeropuertos.es Buses The transport company TITSA has buses that reach all corners of the island. The main bus station is in Santa Cruz, near the Adán Martín Auditorium. Clients can choose to purchase a ticket on the bus for each individual journey or to buy a Bono-bus ticket, a card which can be shared by various people and will mean saving up to 50 per cent of the fare, depending on the route. They are on sale in any of the TITSA bus stations and also in a number of kiosks and small establishments (often newsagents), identified with a green sticker on the window. If your Bono-bus has insufficient credit to purchase your last journey, the difference can be made up in cash on the bus, but not with another Bono-bus card. For information you can call TITSA on: (0034) 922 531 130 or see: www.titsa.com
Taxis Tenerife taxis are white and, unless they are minivans, the maximum number of passengers is four, including children. Eurotaxis have ramps for wheelchairs. Eurotaxis, Santa Cruz: (0034) 609 867 581/607 612 816/629 132 269 Taxi Santa Cruz: (0034) 937 780 030 www. teletaxi.es Radiotaxi San Pedro: (0034) 922 310 000 Parque Marítimo César Manrique (next to the Auditorium) Open every day: Sun-Thurs: 10am-8pm, Fri, Sat: 10amMidnight Adults: €2.50, Children (under 12): €1.50, Over 65s: €1.50 Tel: (0034) 922 229 368 https://es-es.facebook.com/ parque.manrique Palmetum Open Tues – Sun, 11am - 2pm, 4pm-6pm. Adults: €4, Children (under 12): €2.80, Canarian residents €1/1.50 Tel: (0034) 697 651 127. info@palmetumsantacruz. com Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre (Nature and Man) Open Tues – Sat, 9am - 8pm; Sun, Mon, 10am - 5pm. Tel: (00 34) 922 535 816 www.museosdetenerife.org Museo Militar (Military Museum), C/ San Isidro. Tel: (0034) 922 274 224. Open: Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, ecocmar@et.mde.es Castillo de San Cristobal, Plaza de España Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm http://www.museosdetenerife. org Auditorio Adán Martín Tel: (0034) 922 568 600 www.auditoriodetenerife.com Teatro Guimerá, Plaza Isla de la Madera. Tel: (0034) 922 609 408/922 609 400 www.teatroguimera.es
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La Laguna Tourist Office, Casa Alvaro Bracamonde, C/ La Carrera. Tel: (0034) 922 631 194/922 601 106. The tourist office offers a free guided route around the city. Call to make a reservation.
Tenerife South Playa de Las Américas Tourist Office Plaza del Centro Comercial City Centre, Avda. Rafael Puig, 19. Tel: (0034) 922 797 668
Museo de Historia y Antropología de Tenerife, Casa Lercaro, C/ San Agustín. Open Tues - Sat: 9am-8pm; Sun, Mon, Bank holidays: 10am 5pm. www.museosdetenerife.org.
Oficinas de Turismo: Avda. Juan Carlos I (Bus station) Tel: (0034) 922 730 133 Paseo Marítimo Playa de Las Vistas Tel: (0034) 922 787 011
Taxis: (0034) 922 715 407
HOLIDAY GUIDE Twin Tickets can be purchased for Siam Park and Loro Parque. www.siampark.net Lost Property Offices Tenerife North Airport: (0034) 922 635 855 Tenerife South Airport: (0034) 922 759 391 Arona: (0034) 922 725 562 Costa Adeje: (0034) 922 710 606 La Laguna: (0034) 922 608 805/922 251 080 Puerto de la Cruz: (0034) 922 378 448
Evangelical Service Centro Apolo, 1ª planta, Los Cristianos, Arona. Tel: (0034) 922 792 007 Services: Sundays at 11am and 6pm Swedish Church Abroad Coronel, s/n, Los Cristianos, Arona. Tel: (0034) 922 75 00 68
Radiotaxi La Laguna (0034) 922 255 555. Puerto de la Cruz Tourist Office, Casa de la Aduana, C/ Las Lonjas. Tel: (0034) 922 386 000. Centro de Información Turística, C/ Puerto Viejo. Tel: (0034) 922 370 243/922 388 777. Taxis: (0034) 922 378 999. Loro Parque, Avda. Loro Parque s/n Tel: (0034) 922 373 841 Open every day from 8.30am to 6.45pm www.loroparque.com
Tourist Office Costa Adeje Avda. Litoral Playa Fañabé Tel: (0034) 922 716 539 Jungle Park: Urb. Las Águilas del Teide, s/n Tel: (0034) 922 729 806. www.aguilasjunglepark.com. Aqualand Avda. Austria, 15 Tel: (0034) 922 715 266. www.aqualand.es Twin tickets can be purchased for Aqualand and Jungle Park, see websites. Siam Park (The Water Kingdom) Avda. Siam Park s/n. Tel: (0034) 822 070 000.
Santa Cruz: (0034) 922 606 354 Religious Services In Spain, Catholicism is the main religion and almost all towns and cities, including tourist resorts, have churches where mass is frequently held. Below is information about Catholic services held in languages other than Spanish and services for other faiths. Holy Communion Anglican Church, Iglesia de San Eugenio, Las Américas. Tel: (0034) 922 793 143 Services: Sundays at 10.15am Anglican church, Puerto de la Cruz www.allsaintstenerife.com/
San Sebastián Tourist Office C/ Real, 4. www.sansebastiandelagomera. org/turismo/ Taxis: (0034) 922 870 524
Tourism Board C/ Triana, Las Palmas. Tel: (0034) 928 219 600. www.grancanaria.com/patronato_turismo.
Valle Gran Rey Tourist Office C/ La Noria, 2, La Playa. Tel: (0034) 922 805 458 www.lagomera.travel/islascanarias/la-gomera/es/acerca/ visitar-valle-gran-rey/
Las Dunas Tourist Office Avda. De Tirajana (Hotel Riu Maspalomas), Playa del Inglés. Tel: (0034) 928 765 242.
Taxis: (0034) 922 747 511
La Gomera
Gran Canaria
Las Canteras Tourist Office Paseo de la Playa de Las Canteras (opposite the Hotel Meliá) Tel: (0034) 928 446 824. www.lpavisit.com.
Museo de la Ciencia y el Cosmos, Avda. Los Menceyes. Tel: (0034) 922 315 265. Open: Tues-Sat: 9am-8.pm. Sun, Mon, Bank holidays: 10am - 5pm. www.museosdetenerife.org.
Teguise Tourist Office Plaza de La Constitución, s/n Tel (0034) 928 845 398 www.turismoteguise.com
Island Tourist Board Avda. España (Yumbo shopping centre), Playa del Inglés. Tel: (0034) 928 771 550. www.grancanaria.com/patronato_turismo. El Portón Tourist Office El Portón Shopping Centre, Playa del Inglés. www.turismo.maspalomas. com.
Lanzarote
Taxis Valley Gran Rey: (0034) 922 805 058
Costa Teguise Tourist Office Avda. Islas Canarias s/n Tel: (0034) 928 592 542 www.turismoteguise.com
La Palma La Palma Tourist Office Avda. Blas Pérez González s/n Tel: (0034) 922 412 106 www.visitlapalma.es Taxis: Radiotaxis La Palma: (0034) 922 181 396 www.taxilapalma.com: 686 553868 Radiotaxi San Miguel: (0034) 922 416 070 Los Llanos de Aridane Tourist Offices: Avda. Dr. Flemming, s/n Tel: (0034) 922 402 583 / (0034) 922 402 528 www.lapalmacit.com Llano de Argual, 31 (also handicraft shop) Tel: (0034) 922 401 899
Playa Santiago Tourist Office Avda. Marítima, s/n. Tel: (0034) 922 895 650 playasantiago@lagomera. travel
Taxi rank: (0034) 922 462 001 www.taxilapalma.com / (0034) 686 553 868
Taxis: (0034) 922 895 698
Puerto Naos Tourist Office Puerto Naos car park Tel: 618 856 516
Fuerteventura Puerto del Rosario Tourist Office Avda. De la Constitución, 5 Tel: (0034) 928 530 844 Taxis: (0034) 928 850 059 / 928 850 216 Corralejo Tourist Office Plaza Grande de Corralejo Tel. (0034) 928 866 235 Taxis: (0034) 928 866 108
Arrecife Tourist Office Parque José Ramírez Cerdá s/n Tel: (0034) 928 813 174 www.turismolanzarote.com
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Morro Jable Tourist Office Avda. Saladar, Jandía shopping centre Tel: (0034) 928 540 776 turismo@playasdejandia.com Taxis: (0034) 928 541 257
Fuencaliente Tourist Office Plaza Minerva, s/n (Minerva Square) Tel: (0034) 922 444 003 Taxis: (0034) 922 434 071 www.taxilapalma.es Caldera de Taburiente National Park www.visitlapalma.es/recursos/recurso-parque-nacionalde-la-caldera-de-taburiente / www.reddeparquesnacionales. mma.es Theme Parks Maro Parque, Breña Alta. Tel:(0034) 922 417 782. www.maroparque.com Palmex Cactus, El Paso Tel: (0034) 922 464 862 Paraíso de las Aves, El Paso Tel: (0034) 922 485 701 All information was correct at the time of going to press. Please confirm before travelling.
Lago Martiánez Avda. De Cristóbal Colón, 1 Tel: (0034) 922 385 955 Taxis: Servitaxi (0034) 922 378 999 La Orotava Tourist Office C/ Calvario, 4 Tel: (0034) 922 323 041
n American Diner style cafe n Homemade burgers 100% beef n Homemade cakes n Best coffees in the area n Exquisite cocktails n Vegetarian menu Calle Luis Alvarez Cruz 5 (opposite Correos) Las Galletas · Tel: 922 731 847
HOLIDAY GUIDE SPIN NEWS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Teide National Park
Stars in your eyes!
This trekking route takes you to observe the Perseids
We’re coming up to one of the times of the year where spectacular vistas of shooting stars can be seen, especially if you head up to Teide National Park.
To celebrate this, Adeje Council has organised an astronomical trekking route to observe this season’s shooting stars known generally as the Perseids, or in Catholic religions, the tears
of San Lorenzo. On this trip, they can be observed from an altitude of over 2,000 metres above sea level and with almost no contamination from streetlights etc. the vista is truly
amazing! So, pull on your walking boots for this unforgettable trip to Teide National Park which will reveal some of the most extraordinary secrets of the Universe under an impressive celestial dome. This series of shooting stars are actually a particularly active shower of meteorites which radiate from the constellation of Perseus and can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere during July and August. They are active between July 16 and August 24, so if you are not planning to go on this fantastic trip, find a dark spot on a clear night to see them. However, they will be at their maximum visibility on August 11 and, of course, the best seats in the house are in the Teide National Park! The council have arranged their route just on the cusp on August 9, start time 7pm. Register at Adeje Council’s culture, sports and youth department. See www.adeje.es n for more information.
Teatro Guimerá
ent their projects to their ever growing number of followers. Fernikhan, El Moi, Stereoman, Guiyo and Yapsi Mata, with Dj Cisco at the controls, are returning to Santa Cruz to offer the new sounds which they’ve
added to their musical career of over 12 years. It promises to be a night full of rhythm, rap, and very original live performances, under the ‘brand’ of one of the most successful rap groups in the Canaries.
Alcalá’s beautiful harbour area will be the stage for another of the town’s annual fireworks displays on August 15. For those living in the southwest this is one of the major celebrations of the year – not to mention one of the very best firework shows on the whole island of Tenerife. Held as part of the ‘Virgin of Candelaria’ celebrations, people flock to Alcalá from far afield to view the display, which is always held on the same day of the year. Streets and coastal walks are crowded to capacity and boats travel the coast from both directions to ensure one of the very best views to be had – from the sea. Fireworks are set off from four different locations around the bay, which is a beautiful and unrivalled setting in itself. The action starts somewhere between 11pm and midnight but you will need to be in the area a long while before that or it may be impossible to park. Don’t worry if that is the case, however – the view from outside the town can be just as spectacular as the sky completely lights up in colour. For more information on this and other events in Guía de n Isora, see: www.guiadeisora.org.
Greenworld
This not-to-be-missed concert is on August 27 at 9pm in the EGM at the Teatro Guimerá in Santa Cruz. Tickets are on sale at €5 from the box office or from www.tomaticket.es. See n www.teatroguimera.es.
Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands A new life in hidden Tenerife By John Searancke
A bright night!
Amarilla Golf
Get ready to rap! In 2003, a very potent rap group of 13 members formed in La Laguna – El Veneno Crew. What makes them unique is that their lyrics are always linked to the current situation on the Islands, the reality in the streets and the constant fight to defend an almost forgotten identity. Under the umbrella of this group, individual projects and formats have grown, in which several of its members now take part - and some of that development is on show at the Espacio Guimerá de Música in August. Several members of El Veneno Crew have been working individually this summer, and they will be getting together to pres-
Alcalá fireworks
Photo: freeImages.com / Nicolas Sales
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A series of adventures that you won’t want to miss! On the brink of
Enjoy the best electronic underground music at the 11th Hole, Amarilla Golf, in San Miguel de Abona. The Greenworld Festival is organised by the Arona Summer Festival, MG group and Sigan Bailando. The first leg took place in mid-July, but don’t worry if you missed it. Just after the Arona Summer Festival, there’s another to come on August 22, when DJ Luciano will be spinning the discs together with a group of guest DJs. Doors open at 1pm and the party will continue until midnight. Luciano, who fuses art and fame like no other DJ, is both a single-minded artist completely devoted to music and a performer whose charisma is an intrinsic part of his global appeal. As a result, the humble, Swiss-Chilean DJ, producer and boss of Cadenza Records is one of the biggest stars of the global electronic music scene. Entrance costs €55. For more information about the gig, accommodation and to buy tickets, see: www.greenworldfestival.es. n
On sale in good Canary Island bookshops NOW! Available on all Amazon platforms
retirement, John and his wife Sally, together with their beloved Jack Russell/Staffie cross, Freddie, embark on the journey of a lifetime and relocate to the island of Tenerife. www.johnsearancke.com
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HOLIDAY GUIDE SPIN NEWS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Magma Art & Congress Centre
Summer rock
Efecto Pasillo, the very successful group from Gran Canaria which specialises in summery rock sounds, will be in concert in Adeje in September. The venue is the Magma Art & Congress Centre, Costa Adeje, which can hold an audience of up to 8,000. Adeje’s mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga emphasised the importance of the concert, which will take place during the borough’s fiestas. The members of Efecto Pasillo are Iván Torres with vocals, Javier Moreno on drums, Nau Barreto on guitar and Arturo Sosa on bass. Torres said that Efecto Pasillo will give Adeje their all, and that the group would love to fill the venue. They’ve been together for 10 years, and their break came in 2007 when, after winning a competition, they recorded a track that aired on radio and managed to catch the ear of an award-winning producer called Tato Latorre. He signed the band immediately after hearing them play live. Since then they have made it to high positions in the Spanish pop charts, and have moved up to popularity at an international level. Island Connections featured this group in edition 747, in the Qfm music review. Efecto Pasillo has a host of followers of all ages, not only in the Canaries, but in the Peninsula too, thanks to their happy, carefree brand of music which is so attractive and catchy. They will be presenting their latest release in the concert, Tiembla La Tierra, (The Earth shakes), which is their third album. It contains a fusion of reggae-pop, bachata and sambapop, without losing the group’s identity - which can be summed up as feel-good. Some say that they are the kings of happy pop. It’s a positive message after all these years of crisis, and that’s something we all need. The group wants everyone to listen to their music, dance their socks off and face their problems with a more upbeat outlook. Efecto Pasillo will be brightening the lives of their audience in the exterior space at the Magma Art & Congress Centre, Costa Adeje, on September 11 at 9pm. Tickets costing between €12 and €18 are on sale from n www.tenerifemagma.com and www.entree.es.
Efecto Pasillo, the very successful group from Gran Canaria, will be in concert in Adeje in September
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Sansofé is back!
Summer in Granadilla It’s summertime in Granadilla, and that means it’s Sansofé time - the period when this southern Tenerife borough offers an extensive cultural programme for all ages to attract people from all over the island and beyond, with events that are taking place in El Médano and Los Abrigos until the end of August. The following are just some of the highlights and most events take place in El Médano’s main square unless otherwise specified. The popular New Talent Festival takes place on August 7 and 8 from 9pm. On August 8 there’s a tapas and summer drinks festival on the Los Abrigos seafront path from 11am to midnight, and on the beach and coast of El Médano from 10am you can enjoy a canoeing regatta. August 9 will see a classy vintage car exhibition from 10am. A concert by the local rock group Enemigos Intimos hits
the stage on August 14 at 9pm and on the following day at the same time you can enjoy the toe-tapping 10th anniversary concert by the Parranda Chasnera. Don’t forget to line up the kids for a cooling, fun, foam party on
August 16 from 6pm. From August 19 to 23, you can’t miss the Folclórica de los Pueblos exhibition. Diary August 28 for more children’s entertainment in Los Abrigos’ Church Square, with the The Magic Wand show at
7pm and, for the grown ups, at 9pm there’s Eladio Pérez’s Lights and Shades show. The cherry on the icing is a closing concert by Neo Pinto at 9pm on August 29. There will also be weekly open air cinema in Los Abrigos and El Médano, with some great movies for all the family, including Free Birds, Rio, The Book Thief, The Adventures of Peabody and Sherman, and Jack the Giant Slayer (in Spanish), plus plenty of sports and activities for the younger members of the family including puppet shows. Take a trip to Granadilla de Abona, visit this beautiful coastal area and enjoy all the free activities during Sansofé, next to what are surely the best natural beaches in Tenerife. Do check out the full programme at www.granadilladeabona.org, you’ll be sure to find something for you and n yours to enjoy!
Teatro Guimerá
Emerging stars? La Volpe Band is an alternative, American-style rock band with hints of funk and folk, which was formed in Barcelona by four musicians originating from the Canaries. They played around 50 gigs in Barcelona in some of the city’s most significant venues as well as in Madrid and the Canaries and took part in several festivals all over Spain before deciding to record their first album in June 2014 in Cádiz using a ‘sponsorshop’ campaign. Thanks to magnificent public support, they were able to go ahead and record the disc with the famous producer Paco Loco, who was always interested in the band’s project.
Loco has also worked with Bunbury and Australian Blonde, amongst others. The resulting album contains 10 songs which will form the first launch pad for the group. La Volpe Band has recorded for the TV programme Canar-
ias Sueña with Televisión Española, and taken part in numerous other TV and radio programmes for major TV stations. They have also been interviewed for several magazines and newspapers on a local and national basis.
Currently planning a tour to promote their new album, they are kicking off with two support performances as curtain raisers for the Spanish rock band Fito y Fitipaldis in Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, in a tour which will later extend to the rest of the country. La Volpe Band has an acoustic format in which they use the Canarian string instrument the timple and the flamenco cajón (box) for percussion. Check them out at the Guimerá Espacio de Música in the Teatro Guimerá in Santa Cruz on August 13 at 9pm. Tickets, at €5, are available from the box office or from www.tomaticket.es. See www.teatroguimera.es for more n information.
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HOLIDAY GUIDE WHATS ON 2015
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
August
August
TENERIFE
GRAN CANARIA
DIARY DATES
DIARY DATES August 7
August 13
August 6
August 13
9am: Yoga on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 5.30pm: Children’s festival, bouncy castles, activities, in front of the church and Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. 9pm: Singing festival, Free, Town Hall entrance, Plaza de San Roque, Firgas. 11.30pm: Pop-rock festival, municipal car park, Firgas.
7.30pm: Children’s workshops, Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. 10pm: Main procession of the fiestas, followed by a street party and live music in the Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía.
All day: Celebrations for the local patron saint, San Salvador, La Matanza, some businesses and banks may be closed. 5pm: Mar y Lava, Canarian folk music, live concert, Free, Plaza de Santo Domingo, Garachico. 10pm: Enplazate, Free open-air concert, Plaza de Los Remedios, Buenavista del Norte. www.facebook.com/David.Baso. CC.Buenavista.
8pm: Reggae Can Festival, Ruts & la Isla Music, Dactah Chando, Stereoman and Magek Selectah plus invited artists, Plaza de San Roque, Garachico. 10pm: Enplazate, Free open-air concert, Plaza de Los Remedios, Buenavista del Norte. www.facebook.com/David.Baso. CC.Buenavista.
August 7
8pm, Re-enactment of the finding of La Virgen de la Candelaria by the Guanches, Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias (near the Cathedral), Candelaria. 9pm: Enemigos, local rock band concert, Free, Main Square, El Médano.
August 8 11.30am: Foam party, municipal car park, Firgas. 8pm: Traditional procession of the Traída del Palo, music, regional costumes, Las Canales, Firgas. 11.30pm: Street party with the Orquesta Tarmarindos, Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. 12pm: Street party San Roqueña with the Grupo Arena, Free, municipal car park, Firgas. August 9 10am: Procession of decorated floats etc., next to the municipal car park, Firgas. 10am-6pm: Dog show and competition, Pabellón Beatriz Mendoza, Santa María de Guía. 5pm: Traditional cart race, Calle El Calvario, Firgas. 5.30pm: Children’s festival, bouncy castles, activities, in front of the church and Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. 6pm: Zumba on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 8.30pm: Variety show, Free, Casa de la Cultura, Firgas.
August 14 9am: Yoga on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 9pm: Folklore concert, Canarian music, municipal car park, Firgas. 11pm: Street party and live music in the Plaza Grande with fireworks at midnight, Santa María de Guía. August 15: All day: Dia de la Virgen de Candelaria, Patron saint of the Canaries, Canarian bank holiday, banks and some businesses may be closed. 6pm: Romería for San Roque, decorated carts, Canarian music and regional costume, Las Canales. Followed at 11.30pm by a Gran Baile de Taifas with live music from Los Paperos and Amigos de la Isleta, municipal car park and at 1am Fireworks, Firgas. August 16 9am: Craft fair and farm animal exhibition and competition, in front of the Plazoleta Club Deportivo Firgas. 3pm: Tropical fiesta, tapas and beer, dancing, live music, Avenida de la Constitución, Firgas. 6pm: Zumba on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
EXHIBITIONS
August 10 5.30pm: Children’s festival, bouncy castles, activities, in front of the church and Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. August 11 8pm: Salsa dancing to live music from Ritmo y Son, Plaza de San Roque, Firgas. All night: the best night for seeing the Perseids shooting stars, head up as high as you can go for the best views. August 12 5.30pm: Children’s festival, bouncy castles, activities, in front of the church and Plaza Grande, Santa María de Guía. 8pm: Zumba masterclass, municipal car park, Firgas.
Until August 9 Eli Cortiñas, (collages, sculpture, videoart), CAAM, San Antonio Abad y Centro de Arte La Regenta, LPGC, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 9pm and Sunday 10am – 2pm. www.caam.net. Until August 30 Luján Perez (sculpture, paintings, works in silver) the man and his work, 200 years later. Related works of the artist and his pupils including Juan de Miranda, San Martín Centro de Cultura Contemporánea, C/Ramón y Cajal, 1. Vegueta, LPGC, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 9pm and Sunday 10am – 2pm. www.sanmartincontemporaneo.com.
6pm: Arona Summer Festival, 11 hours of main and underground electronic music (two stages), Oliver Heldens, Rudimental, Pendulum, Don Diablo, Matthias Tanzmann, Nicky Romero and lots more, Antonio Domínguez Stadium, Playa de Las Américas. www.aronasummerfestival.com. 9pm: Talent contest, Main Square, El Médano. 10pm: Celebration of Canarian traditions and customs, folk music and dancing, selection of the Queen of the fiestas, Glorieta de San Francisco, Garachico. August 8 10am: Canoeing regatta, El Médano coast. 11am: Small wooden carts race on the hill down from San Pedro, Garachico. 11am-11pm: Beer and tapas festival, Beer €1, Tapas €1, live music, batukada etc., Los Abrigos. 8.30pm: ‘Small’ romería, decorated carts, regional costumes, Canarian music and dancing, followed by a street dance in la Plaza Ramón Arocha, Garachico. 9pm: Talent contest, Main Square, El Médano. August 9 10am: Vintage car exhibition, Main Square, El Médano. 7pm: Night of shooting stars, Adeje council-organised star route. www.adeje.es. 8pm: Canarian folklore, Ben-Gara and invited Canarian soloists, Plaza de San Roque, Garachico. August 10 From 10am: Children’s day, drawing, racing, cycling, scalextric, board games, Garachico. August 11 4pm: Exhibition of winning children’s drawings from previous day, water based bouncy castles, foam party, Plaza de San Roque, Garachico. All night: the best night for seeing the Perseids shooting stars, head for Teide National Park for the best views. August 12 7pm: Children’s Cinema, Teatro Municipal (in Spanish), Buenavista del Norte, Price €1.
August 14
August 15: All day: Día de la Virgen de Candelaria, Patron saint of the Canaries, Processions in Candelaria, Canarian bank holiday, banks and some businesses may be closed. 9pm: Parranda Chasnera, Canarian folk music concert, Free, Main Square, El Médano. 11pm: Fireworks, one of the biggest and best shows of the year, so get there early, Alcalá, Guía de Isora. www.guiadeisora.org. August 16 2pm: Romería de San Roque, procession with decorated ox-drawn carts, music, dancing, followed by a street dance, leaves from Plaza Ramón Arocha to Plaza San Roque, Garachico. 6pm: Children’s foam party, Main Square, El Médano. August 17 All day: Celebrations in La Guancha of their local feast day, some businesses and banks may be closed. August 19 7pm: Children’s Cinema, Teatro Municipal (in Spanish), Buenavista del Norte, Price €1. Every Tuesday Tour of Dorada beer factory, Avenida de Ángel Romero, Santa Cruz. doradatour.es.
EXHIBITIONS Until August 22 Interferencia (Interference), video art, Borja Rodríguez, Dea Woon Kang, Sara Garsía, Oscar H and Joaquín Artime, El Tanque Cultural Space, Santa Cruz, Monday to Friday 5pm – 8pm and Saturday 11am – 2pm. Until August 23 Folclórica de los Pueblos (local folklore), Main Square, El Médano.
For regular church, charity and recreational events, please see: www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000027/0/41004/living-lifestyle-article.html
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
MUSIC
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
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The Qfm Music Review – Your guide to music created in the Canary Islands
Insomnia’s Portrait Here at Qfm 94.3 Cool Jazz and Qfm2 - 105.3 Rock, we are inundated with music submissions for airplay consideration, many from unsigned or independent artists from practically every corner of the globe. We take the time to eventually listen and assess every track, and then decide if the material is suitable enough for either station or not. Very occasionally, an album arrives at our inbox which, remarkably, fits on both stations. But never before has a locally produced disk met this rare criteria. Not until we heard Portrait, the debut album from Insomnia. This group was formed in Tenerife in the year 2006, a collaboration between composer, vocalist and pianist Ismael Hernández Perera and lyricist Javier Rodríguez Hernández. The group evolved and progressed with the addition of guitarist José Pablo Gallego, bassist Teyo Garrido and drummer Frank Salazar.
native accents tackle sophisticated English lyrics. This album is a must for any serious music lover, and although this band is currently independent, I’ll take a guess that they are on their way to higher places. Listen to tracks from Portrait on, yes, you’ve guessed it, Qfm 94.3 and Qfm2 -105.3, and the album is currently available for purchase from www. soundcloud.com. And keep listening to the Qfm daily cultural guides to find out when and where Insomnia are playn ing live.
Their style later developed with lyrics mainly in English and styles fusing and embracing pop, rock, jazz, country and R&B. So how can such a combination of styles succeed? There are several reasons. Superb production, melodic compo-
sitions, an unusual blend of instruments, great solid playing and vocals, but above all, each and every song was composed from real on-the-ground experiences. The lyrics captivate both the attention and imagination of the listener, taking us back to a pre MTV time when music
was what counted most of all, above and beyond promotional videos, twerks onstage and auto-tune. To put the icing on the cake, the album features guest vocalists Crystina Maez, Sandra Morales and Alicia Lauwers, all sounding rather sweet as their
Tracklist
01 Your List 02 Why 03 No More 04 My Compromise 05 Fools Believe In Themselves 06 Tengo 07 Hymn For Losers 08 Evil Inside 09 Love Of My Life 10 Things That Never Happen 11 My Worst, Your Best 12 Your List 13 Solo
30
SPOTLIGHT
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Dr. Diego Martel Barth-Hansen
A pioneering doctor Island Connections recently had the pleasure of talking to Dr. Diego Martel Barth-Hansen and his lovely wife Beatriz. Born to a Canarian father and a Norwegian mother, his family background is fascinating, as is his career as a neurosurgeon specialising in spinal trauma. The story begins in Norway in the early 1900s when Diego’s Uncle Federico (a practicing GP and his mother’s older brother), was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Strange as it may seem, he was advised to come and live in Tenerife – Vilaflor to be precise – as the pure air there would help him cope with his condition. So Federico packed himself up and took the ten day boat journey to Tenerife. In those days, his qualification as a GP wasn’t recognised here. However, such was his passion for medicine that he camouflaged his activities by describing himself as a ‘curandero’ (witch doctor / healer). He became widely respected for his knowledge, and Don Federico’s fame lives on to this day – he is still remembered by members of the older generation in Vilaflor. Once settled into Tenerife, Federico invited his little sister to visit. Karen Luise arrived by boat to see her big brother and whilst here fell in love with Diego’s Dad (also Diego), who was described as a local ‘dandy’. She was so smitten that she decided not to return to Norway, resulting in her very irate father travelling all the way here to collect her and take her back to her homeland. The Civil War then broke out and Diego senior served his coun-
try, endeavouring to maintain contact with his beloved Karen Luise. Sporadic as that contact was, at the end of the war he sailed to Norway and proposed to his sweetheart, convincing her father that he had ‘class’ by playing the piano. The visit went well and the happy couple returned to Tenerife. Diego senior and Karen Luise found themselves living in Guinea when their son Diego was born in 1948. Weighing only one and a half kilos and arriving two months premature, the doctors took one look at him and said he should be thrown in the bin! Thankfully, he wasn’t. From Guinea, the family moved back to Norway and then returned to Tenerife where, influenced by his mother and Uncle Federico, Diego developed a passion for medicine. He told us how he loved to hear stories of the wonders of brain mapping from as early as five years old. Diego finished his schooling and chose to go to Madrid to study, as he also had a huge interest in competitive swimming and believed that Madrid
was the place to be. There he was spotted by professional trainers and transferred to Barcelona to continue his studies and to further his swimming career. He was so successful that he represented Spain in the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico, swimming butterfly. Ironically, a comment made to him by one of his swimming trainers led Diego to abandon his favourite sport. He told Diego that there are many doctors, but not many swimming champions: a comment which led Diego to look to his future and opt for long-term security rather than short-term fame. After the Olympics he was called up for military service and served 15 months in Tenerife. Diego explained that, as he was a medical student, he worked in the army hospital and managed to escape from the military routine fairly often. After conscription, Diego returned to the University Hospital in Barcelona where he was forced to cram three years’ worth of studies into two, playing catch-up. He finished
his studies in 1975 and gained his licence in medicine. He moved on to become a doctor with the health service at Castelldefels in Barcelona while he waited for an opportunity to specialise in neurosurgery. He was eventually lucky enough to obtain a position as a resident at the Hospital Universitario de Canarias in La Laguna, where he gained his title as a neurosurgeon in 1978. Diego’s speciality is neurosurgery related to the spinal column. He has also tackled problems in the cranium such as tumours, hemorrhages, strokes and malformations, as well as different treatments for the spine and the medulla. During his time in Tenerife computers came into existence, and the doctors purchased a computer system for the hospital. Diego’s determined streak kicked in and he developed a computer programme to store the information needed for the management of the neurosurgery service. Hospitals were still working with hand-written documents and filing cabinets at the time – Diego was a pioneer! The resulting database automatically gathered clinical data for all the department’s patients, and now it also contains studies, statistics, revisions and publications made by the department, dating back to 1983. Diego told us that it took a year to enter all the information. In 1990 he was contracted by the Nuestra Señora del Pino Hospital in Las Palmas (nowadays called the Dr. Negrin Hospital), where he developed his skills working with both children and adults. He became the only paediatric surgeon in
the Canaries at that time. One of the specialities he developed while working with children was the correction of cranial malformations with facial reconstructions planned on a computer. Another first in the Canaries. At that time there was only one French surgeon undertaking this type of operation in all of Europe. At this point during the interview Beatriz offered a delightful anecdote, reminding Diego of the occasion when an emotional mother with babe in arms recognised them in a supermarket and, with tears in her eyes, thanked him for what he had done for her child. While in Las Palmas, Diego collated his patient information there and added it to the database in Tenerife, thus having information dating back to 1980. This was also where he met his beautiful wife. He later joined the neurosurgical team at the University Hospital in Las Palmas before returning to the University Hospital in Tenerife in 1998 at the suggestion of Beatriz. There he took up his former position and eventually became head of the department and remained in charge for four years. Diego has now retired from the University Hospitals and is currently working at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Santa Cruz, and occasionally for Clínica Parque, operating on National
Health patients. During his 37year career Diego has carried out over 2,000 operations, 200 of which have been on children. He now operates a couple of times a week and does the occasional consultation. He is still extremely passionate about his work and told us that he will probably continue on this basis until he reaches the age of 70. He continues to attend congresses of interest, keeps up to date with current methods and is always learning something new. With a wry smile, he shared that one of his mother’s phrases inspired him enormously; she said he was pigheaded and a tough nut to crack. “This has served me well”, he said, “I never stop until I reach my target. Even in medicine, I felt there was a logical system to everything that I wanted to get to the bottom of. I have a need to find all the answers.” Diego Martel has also been an assistant professor in practical classes at the University of La Laguna, and an intern professor at the University of Las Palmas. Now, at the age of 67, Diego lives with Beatriz in Tabaiba, along with son Carlos and their two dogs Elvis and Presley. We would like to thank Diego and Beatriz for inviting us into their delightful home and for n their kind hospitality.
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6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
BLEVINS FRANKS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
31
Tax newsflash – and it’s good news!
A 99 per cent reduction on succession and gift tax announced by regional Canary Island government By Paul Montague, Partner, Blevins Franks
On July 6, 2015, Sr. Fernando Clavijo, the new Canary Islands Prime Minister announced in his acceptance speech that a 99 per cent reduction for succession and gift tax will be introduced for relatives in groups I and II (children and spouses). Furthermore, on July 16, 2015, Sra. Rosa Dávila, the Canary Islands regional tax minister, confirmed that this measure will be included in the 2016 Canary Islands’ budget and is expected to be approved in October 2015. According to government analysis, this 99 per cent reduction will represent a saving of around €30 million for Canary Islands taxpayers next year. Sra. Dávila also went on to say that they intend to introduce further tax reductions
for Canary Islands taxpayers by 2017.
more generous succession and this potential succession tax gift tax allowances. change.
The succession tax situation at present
If approved – the game changer
At present, for assets based in the Canary Isles, the recipient beneficiary of these by means of an inheritance or gift, wherever they may live (including the UK), are responsible for the taxes due which are payable in Spain. At the same time, a Canary Islands resident inheritor of an estate or gift outside of Spain is liable to succession taxes in the Canary Isles on this increase in wealth. Other than small allowances available, there is no blanket exemption between spouses as there is in the UK and, importantly, the taxes due are expected in a relatively short period of time. This tax is so punitive in some circumstances that some heirs tances. Additionally, this tax to move from the Canary have renounced their inheri- has prompted many residents Islands to other regions with
This is a real game-changer for death and gift taxes for nearly every group I and II relative beneficiary. This includes nonresidents with assets in the Canary Isles and for residents receiving assets from elsewhere. This 99 per cent allowance will make a huge difference in payable taxes which can, in many cases, ensure wealth is passed down the bloodline providing obvious benefits over the years ahead. This change should also reduce the numbers of Canary Islands residents leaving and may even tempt the wealthy to reside in warmer climates! Wills in place should be checked to see if the correct people are to benefit from your estate especially taking into consideration their qualification for
“This 99 per cent allowance will make a huge difference and in many cases ensure wealth is passed down the bloodline providing obvious benefits over the years ahead.”
Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com Blevins Franks has 20 established offices across Spain, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Malta and UK, and decades of experience advising British expatriates. Contact our Partner Paul Montague on 922 716 079 or paul.montague@ blevinsfranks.com
MOTORING
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
1955 fun and frolics
Stirling Moss insights
GP by only centimetres from World Champion Fangio. Triumph in the gruelling Targa Florio clinched the World Sports Car Championship for Mercedes-Benz, too. Young Moss was a man of extraordinary energy, a dedicated sportsman and a nota-
ble personality. Throughout his career he created personal scrapbooks, several volumes per annum, and kept a diary and photo albums too. The first of a series of Stirling Moss scrapbooks, which now includes as separate volumes 1926-54, 1956-60, and
Full steam ahead
SEAT, the only company in its sector with the full-range capacity to design, develop, manufacture and market cars in Spain, is having a bumper time, whilst many are still crawling out of the crisis. Sales worldwide continue the company’s steady growth trend that began in 2013, with the carmaker concluding the first semester of this year with 216,500 deliveries: an 8.2 per cent increase over the same period in 2014 (200,100) and the best first-half result since 2007.
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close attention to how our main markets are evolving”. Stackmann pointed out that “the new Ibiza and Alhambra will drive the sales of these models. In addition, we are working on presenting even more recent developments in our current range and are getting ready to launch our compact SUV next year”. n
5 YE AR
Sales have increased on every SEAT model
The rally fan club in Tenerife is more numerous than that of its most admired football teams and the hill climb trials are amongst the most popular. Next up on the circuit, and the penultimate in the official trials calendar, is the popular Icod de los Vinos to La Guancha ‘subida’. The 19th edition of this route will take place over the weekend of September 12 and 13 with the chance to see the candidates for the 2015 season’s championship places pushing for extraordinary times and top positions. Registration is open until 8pm September 5 at www.escuderiadauterealejos.es/, where you can also find more information about the event. Celestino Díaz who heads the organising committee declared “It’s a new challenge for the great Daute Realejos team and we are proud to take it on. We are fully aware that it is one of the most anxiously anticipated trials of the calendar and one that attracts the most fans. This is why we are concentrating so much on the security plan, so that n everything turns out well.”
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SEAT President Jürgen Stackmann underscored that the brand is continuing its positive rate of growth. “Our sales are increasing steadily for the third consecutive year. We are satisfied with all the models in our range and trust they will enable us to keep growing in the upcoming months, although we must pay
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Ducati recently launched its ‘Ride a Song’ contest to win an exclusive experience riding the new Multistrada 1200 in Borgo Panigale, central Italy. All participants have to do is propose the ideal motorcycle vacation and pair it with great music to create a ‘road trip’. The chosen song has to be added to the Ducati playlist on the Spotify streaming site and they then have to describe their dream motorcycle holiday, share the song they have chosen on Facebook and tag two friends they would like to take on their Multistrada Experience if they win. All of the songs nominated in the contest will become part of the Spotify Ducati playlist, which can be found at play. spotify.com/user/ducati_motor/. The contest is open to everyone over the age of 18 who submits their work on the monstertales.ducati.com platform before September 30. The winner’s travel and accommodation costs will be covered by Ducati Motor Holding but their two guests must pay their own travel. Full details can be found at: rideasong.ducati.com. n
R2
seat
The 1955 Stirling Moss Scrapbook is full of anecdotes
1961, the 1955 book evokes memories of the heyday of classic motorsport. It is packed with intriguing detail, superb illustrations, an abundance of personal comments, and period cuttings from around the world. Moss has a fund of stories and is refreshingly nonPC at times! The book paints a vivid picture of the fun and flavour of fifties motor racing, spiced with Stirling’s anecdotes as told to award-winning author Philip Porter. To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the events depicted in the Scrapbook, it has been reprinted once again and is now available to order. Described as “immediately collectable” and “a fascinating insight second only to delving into the albums with Moss himself”, this book is a must-read for any historic racing fans. For more information see: www. porterpress.co.uk. n
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RIFE FO
The 1955 Stirling Moss Scrapbook has once again been made available to an eager public, to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of this crucial year for the racing driver. Arguably the world’s greatest all-round competitor, Stirling Moss was a hero to several generations of schoolboys and enthusiasts throughout the world. Moss is now so iconic his name is often used as a metaphor for ‘racing driver’ – the sound of it alone invoking mental images of speed, bravado, a jet-set lifestyle and a bevy of beauties with whom to live it. By 1961 his career was at its peak; absolutely at the top of his game, a charismatic sportsman famous across the world. But 1955 was the first really crucial year for Moss. This was when he averaged almost 160 km/ph to win the Mille Miglia. It was the year of his first Grand Prix conquest, stealing victory in the British
Competition
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32
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
BUSINESS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
33
Tourist statistics
Eastern isle winners
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have led the field in tourism growth in the first half of the year. Figures recently released show that the number of visitors to Lanzarote from January to the end of June this year has grown to 1,174,611: an increase of 4.1 per cent over 2014 figures. International visitors made up 1,061,188 of that number, an increase
of 4.7 per cent. Fuerteventura was next in line for the relative increase in visitors, showing an improvement of 3.5 per cent. British, German and Irish tourists in that order led the field. Lanzarote received 535,884 Brits, up 1.9 per cent; 163,597 Germans, up an incredible 25.1 per cent; and 110,244 Irish, an increase of 11.2 per cent.
Lanzarote is increasingly popular
The French have moved up to take the fourth place in those to visit the island, with 63,205 tourists and a massive increase of 44.4 per cent, whilst there has been a decline of 16.5 per cent in the number of holidaymakers from the Netherlands, down to 43,797. n
United Nations grant
New York! New York! Every year, an amazing opportunity is launched for 75 youngsters to spend a free week in New York getting to know the workings of the United Nations Organisation first hand. It’s a co-operation between an offshoot of the UN, the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), and Education First. Around 75,000 youngsters applied this year for one of the privileged places in the EF campus in Tarraytown, a city about 47 kilometres outside New York. They take part in workshops, debates and talks by UN employees, as well as visiting the main base in Manhattan and meeting the General Secretary. The cost to the participants is zero. The main requisite is to be involved in an NGO, youth group, social enterprise, university association, blog etc. This year students from over 70 countries are taking part. It helps them to learn how to get their message across, to have a more powerful voice to aid them in their solidarity work and to give them a
A chance to share your aims and ideas
wider outlook after listening to and talking with all their colleagues. If you are between 18 and 35 years of age, have a level B2 of English (high intermediate) and are involved with any kind of solidarity campaign, this is a superb opportunity.
Applications to the UNAOCEF Summer School for 2016 will be accepted in the spring. If you are not already involved in some sort of effort to make a difference in your world, maybe this is a good incentive to become so. n
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34
HEALTH
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST UNPLEASANT SURPRISES
Photo: Darwin Guevarra/Freeimages.com
Photo: Beate W/freeimages.com
Sun and sweat can cause irritating conjunctivitis
Beach showers rinse off the salt
Sport is part of summer but unfortunately also carries the risk of injury
cool your head with cold compresses. Tablets containing paracetamol, aspirin or ibuprofen will help a headache. In cases of severe sunstroke where there are fits or loss of consciousness, the only solution is to head for the hospital. To avoid sunstroke, wear light headgear to the beach, drink lots of liquids and avoid the blazing midday sun.
Photo: Eleni Kappa/freeimages.com
Small children should always be watched
The first few days’ exposure to the sun can cause the so-called ‘Mallorca acne’
It’s grand running barefoot on the beach, until you cut yourself on sharp-edged stones or shells. Don’t panic, with a freely bleeding wound there is little risk of infection. Rinse the area as soon as possible with clear, warm water and allow it to dry with the warmth and breeze. A simple sticking plaster will stop dirt getting in. You can get disinfectant and invisible wound
patch products in a spray format from the chemist. Best of all, avoid accidents by wearing rubber beach shoes or flip-flops. Young children love to splash around at the beach or pool. It’s clear that they need vigilance at those times but, in addition, parents must pay attention to making sure they have adequate sun protection, ideally with preparations that
Eyes react quickly to fine grains of sand Photo: Diego Medrano/freeimages.com
Photo: Claire Muldoon/freeimages.com
A sunburnt nose happens really fast
Walking barefoot on the beach is lovely - but also carries risks Photo: Willem Grove/freeimages.com
Photo: Stephanie Sjuco/freeimages.com
A break from the heat and a siesta is especially important in hot weather
Photo: Csongor Varga/freeimages.com
A child shows how it’s done. A straw hat will also protect you from sunstroke
Photo: Abby Lowell/freeimages.com
Summer: beach, sun, and endless time to enjoy it all. However, especially in the holiday season, there are a few things that can spoil your break. Follow our advice for a safe and laid-back vacation. Redness in the area and the feeling of having something in your eye? Sounds like conjunctivitis. Causes include irritations such as salt water and the chlorine in swimming pools. Wear sunglasses on the beach to avoid the reflected UV rays from the sand and use goggles in the sea and swimming pool. If the redness is particularly persistent, you can get some soothing drops from the chemist. At the beginning of their holiday, many sunbathers get itchy nodules on their arms, shoulders, back and in their cleavage. These are brought about by the combination of the sun with sun protection products or cosmetic ingredients. A home remedy would be to spread the area with chilled water or buttermilk. Alternatively, a hydrocortisone cream is available from the chemist which cools and soothes. Don’t overdo your beach-time. Acclimatise yourself gradually to the sun. Use fat and emulsifier-free sunscreen products for allergy-prone skin and use them generously. Despite all the skin-cancer warnings; sunburn is still an issue, as can be seen everywhere on the beaches. The main reason for this is that sunscreen is not applied correctly. Too late and too little are the chief faults. The best way to protect yourself is to apply your sunscreen at least half an hour before going to the beach or pool and make sure you use enough of it and often. Is your head and neck red and painful? Do you feel sick and dizzy? The sun beats down mercilessly on your unprotected head and its heat can irritate the meninges – the membranes that line the skull and vertebral canal. The result is inflammation throughout the body. Get yourself into the shade immediately. Drink lots of water and
Photo: Adam Kurzok/free images.com
20 tips for a carefree summer
Light and airy sandals also protect against athlete’s foot
are specially tailored to children’s skin needs. Anybody travelling with little ones to areas of the Atlantic is advised to use beaches with rescue personnel on hand. Of course a naval piercing looks great with your bikini, but it should be covered up on the beach. The sun can heat the metal pin to extreme temperatures and cause burns.
Canarian cuisine offers many tasty surprises and that naturally includes fresh seafood. Whether you are a guest in a restaurant or shopping at the fishmongers or supermarket, you should make sure that these delicacies are very fresh. When looking at giant prawns for example, they should smell pleasantly of the sea and the legs should
HEALTH
Photo: Musaddique Naina/freeimages.com
Trying the seafood is a must in the Canaries – make sure it’s fresh!
Fantastically beautiful - and very hot: Teide National Park in midsummer
The Atlantic is great fun, but it can also be dangerous
Photo: a ka/freeimages.com
Photo: Lucianh/freeimages.com
Driving can be challenging in the hills
Photo: Jens Persson/freeimages.com
Good footwear is a must when hiking in the mountainous regions
Photo: Ned Horton/freeimages.com
Photo: Eva Serna/freeimages.com
Photo: Andy Greenhouse/freeimages.com
Jellyfish are rare in the Canaries, but are an occasional hazard
Driving a convertible is a real holiday dream but it’s best to wear sunglasses
be firmly attached to a firm, hard body. The skin of those bodies should be firm, fixed and transparent, the heads and bodies should have a bright colour without black spots. Octopus and squid should also have a fresh ocean smell. The surface of the body should be moist and shiny and the tentacles offer resistance when you gently pull them. In the Canaries the same freshness criteria apply as elsewhere, the best clues are shining eyes and bright red gills. The midday heat in the Canaries can be a killer. Locals handle it best and use the time for a siesta. Follow their lead by taking a good book or your iPod back to a dark room and enjoy a couple of hours’ solitude. Beach volleyball has become part of the summer sports calendar. But it’s precisely in the sand that you can most easily twist your foot over, causing painful ankle injuries and over-
Photo: Gianni Testore/freeimages.com
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Photo: Eric chest/freeimages.com
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
Although it sounds odd, naval piercings should be covered up on the beach because of the danger of burns
stretched ligaments. Cooling the injury down quickly is very important. Use a cold pack or ice cubes wrapped in a cloth, or cold compresses for no more than 20 minutes at any one time. An elasticated support bandage will prevent swelling and the affected leg should be slightly raised and nursed gently until the next day. Unfortunately, athlete’s foot is a frequent holiday companion as wherever it’s moist and warm, the germs feel at home. You can become infected rapidly whilst walking barefoot around the pool or in the locker room. Tea tree oil from the chemist rubbed on the affected areas offers rapid aid. You can also get specific athlete’s foot creams (pie de atleta) from the chemist which stop the rot in a short time, however, continue to use them for a few days after the last symptoms have disappeared. For prevention, use flip-flops whenever
possible and dry well between your toes after bathing. When on holiday, both tourists and locals will often head straight for the beach and the sea. However, you should always be careful. Even in the summer months the Atlantic may well have its pitfalls. Keep an eye out for the warning flags and notices and follow the instructions of the security staff. Driving a car on the Islands can take some getting used to. For those more used to urban driving, the narrow hill roads with their snaking routes and blind curves can be especially challenging. Stay calm and adjust your speed to the landscape. There’s so much to see and do and there’s no need to rush through your holidays, after all! Just a light breeze on the beach can stir up the fine imported sand, or an insect might fly into your eye. This not only leads to unpleasant chafing,
Fireworks are part of every Canarian fiesta. Stay at a safe distance
but can also bring infections. Rinse with clear water and/or wipe with the corner of a fresh tissue from the outside to the inside of your eye. If you are unable to remove the irritant easily, cover the eye and seek help from a doctor.
Jellyfish, thank goodness, are very rare in the Canary Islands but they are seen occasionally. The nematocysts of some species contain a poison that causes a strong burning sensation. If they stick to your skin, do not touch them as
35 they could burst and cause more widespread burning. Cover the area with tinned shaving cream, leave it to dry and carefully wipe away with a plastic card. You can also get cooling and soothing gels from the chemist. Teide National Park is without question the most popular destination on Tenerife and the scenery is enchanting. However, bear in mind it’s really hot here in the summer months. Officials advise you to steer clear at lunchtime and above all always to have enough water with you. The hills in Tenerife’s Anaga Rural Park and Masca ravine are also favourite destinations for many hikers. Here, besides a sufficient water supply, you will also need sturdy shoes. This is a theme that is repeated time and again by local rescue teams because of the number of falls and associated fractures and sprains caused by incorrect footwear, something that can be prevented by wearing proper hiking boots. What could be a better holiday emotion than roaring through the countryside in a convertible? However, a little caution never goes amiss. Many of the back roads have a loose surface and it is advisable to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the small stones that may be thrown up. Throughout the Canarian summer it seems that life is one long party as each village and town celebrates their local fiestas and an indispensable part of this are the fireworks. Make sure that you, and especially your children, don’t get too close to the action and always follow the safety instructions. Then sit back, relax and enjoy the show as the night sky is set on fire with spectacular n shapes and colours.
HEALTH
36
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
m_delaflor@hotmail.com
Every year it seems that with the hot, sandy ‘calima’ days I tend to develop prickly heat. Any advice? Thanks, Ebe Dear Ebe, Prickly heat is an itchy rash of tiny, raised red spots that causes a stinging or prickling sensation on the skin. It’s caused when the body’s sweat glands become blocked, causing skin irritation and the characteristic rash. It usually develops when a person sweats more than usual, such as during hot or humid Summer days. There are several things you can do to alleviate symptoms: Avoid excessive heat and humidity. Try to keep your skin cool at all times (take cool baths/showers, use a fan/air-conditioned room or a cold compress). Stay away from direct sun exposure. Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Wear loose cotton clothing (avoid synthetic fibres, such as polyester and nylon, which trap heat easier than natural fibres). Use calamine lotion to help soothe sore and irritated skin. If the flareup is severe, you might need an antihistamine tablet and/or hydrocortisone cream to help control itching. Enjoy the summer. Best regards. “Three diseases without shame: Love, itch and thirst.” Irish saying
Dear Dr. De La Flor, I suffer from Diabetes. Often I get frustrated and bored of eating the same foods every day. Any advice? Thanks, David Dear David, For diabetes-sufferers and non-sufferers as well, instead of focusing on specific foods, and in order to increase the variety of meals, my advice is to focus on defining your plate. We can ALL use a rule of three to build a healthy, hearty, satisfying meal. Divide your plate in half. Fill one side with vegetables like spinach, broccoli, carrots, or green beans. Next, divide the empty side into two halves. Use one for starchy foods such as potatoes, whole grains like brown rice, or wholegrain bread or pasta. In the last section, add meat or another
protein. On top of that, you can also have an 250 ml glass of low-fat milk and a half-cup of fruit. Add variety and creativity when it comes to flavours and textures to increase health and fun to your nutritional plan. Best wishes. “In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.” Benjamin Franklin
Dr. De La Flor Facts
Thumbs Up By Dr. De La Flor
Sunscreen “dosage”
Our sunscreen probably isn’t shielding us from sun damage if we don’t apply the shot-glasssized amount (about 28 ml) of SPF 30 or higher sunscreen that experts recommend.
Cold sores – STD?
Most painful cold sore or fever blisters on your lip are probably caused by a type of herpes virus called HSV-1. This virus is usually not an STD; it spreads easily among household members or through kissing. But it can be spread to the genitals through oral or genital contact with an infected person. Though there is no cure, drugs can shorten or prevent outbreaks.
A prescription for a life-
time One simple way to grow in health and humility is to give our opinion only when we are asked for it. Ensuring that our tongue stays relaxed at all times can be tremendously beneficial for our physical, emotional, social and spiritual health.
50+: Live better, longer,
fuller Erectile dysfunction is a marker for undiagnosed diabetes, especially in middleaged men. Identifying the presence of risk factors could lead to earlier initiation of treatment for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Erectile dysfunction should be a trigger to initiate diabetes screening!
Sunny skin-care tip Use only a mild cleanser for your face, especially if you
have sensitive skin. If you’re acne-prone, make sure it’s oilfree and non-comedogenic, which means it does not promote acne. People whose skin is on the dry side should follow up each wash by applying a layer of lotion (preferably one that contains sunscreen) to seal in the skin’s moisture.
Time-tested for 1,000,000
years Breast feeding: “In addition to its immunological and nutritional effects, this natural way of feeding can create a bond of love and security between mother and child, and enable the child to assert its presence as a person through interaction with the mother… So human and natural is this bond that the Psalms use the image of the infant at its mother’s breast as a picture of God’s care for man (cf. Ps 22:9).” John Paul II
Long-term juice cleanses
can backfire They are low in calories as well as in protein. Because of this, much of the weight loss comes from loss of water and muscle, not from fat loss, and the weight is regained when normal diet is resumed. Eating involves much more than just ingesting calories: the social aspect, the aroma of food, the act of chewing, and swallowing all play a part in how satisfied we feel after a meal …
Soul-seeking prescriptions
“Why do you hasten to remove anything which hurts your eye, while if something affects your soul you postpone the cure until next year?” Horace
Coaching Corner By Dr. De La Flor To portray Christy Brown in My Left Foot, Daniel DayLewis prepared for his role by endless visits to Sandymount School Clinic in Dublin, where he became familiar with the
reality of people with severe disabilities. During filming, he had to be moved around the set in his wheelchair, and crew members would curse at having to lift him over camera and lighting wires, all so that he might gain insight into all aspects of Brown’s life, including the embarrassments. For his role in the Last of the Mohicans he underwent meticulous weight training, and learnt to master skills to live off the land and forest - camping, hunting, fishing, canoe-making, and even animal skinning. To prepare for the The Age of Innocence, set in America’s Gilded Age, he spent weeks walking down the streets of NY City with the emblematic aristocratic attire of the time - top hat, cane and cape. Last, but not least impressive, he requested influential Steven Spielberg for a full year in preparation to play A. Lincoln. In twelve months, he devoured over 100 books on the president’s life and spent countless hours with makeup artists to achieve a physical likeness to the venerated commander in chief.
ReSOLUTION
Pedro Alegre Alonso Pilates trainer ä Physiotherapist ä
Tel. 699 521 649
pedroalegrealonso@hotmail.com
By Dr. De La Flor For the next two weeks, you and I could ponder over how seriously we take our role of partraying ourselves on the diurnal life stage. Daniel Day-Lewis, the punctilious and highly praised method actor, often remains completely in character for the duration of the shooting schedules of his films, often to the point of adversely affecting his health. In our case, “remaining in character” should be much easier since we do not need to mimic someone’s actions or deeds, gesticulation or accent, gait or demeanor. We need to be ourselves, striving to overcome weaknesses, celebrating virtues, accepting blemishes, setting healthy goals, and humbly taking the ebbs and flows of ordinary living. God bless you, your family and your loved ones. Talk to you in a couple of weeks.
Dr. De La Flor, licensed G.P. (6089). In dealing with his patients he is highly influenced by Humanistic Psychology - an encompassing way of approaching patients through the study of their strengths and virtues to enable them to thrive and lead fulfilling lives, accept the past, find happiness in the present, and hope for the future. Call him today on: 0034 697 888 666 or email him to register.
©2014 FLN
Dear Dr. De La Flor,
©2014 FLN
Dear Dr. De La Flor
ISLAND CONNECTIONS PICKUP POINT Frutería Ágaves Ed. Ágaves, Av. Venezuela 6
Playa de Las Américas Therapies, Spiritual hypnosis, Past life regression Come, unleash your internal power and heal your mind, body and soul completely through energy healing, hypnosis and past life regression. Get Space Clearing carried out for more positivity at home and in your work place
Call 619 519 858
Lisa B. Harris
Osteopath, Acupuncturist, Rehabilitation, Pain Management
• Natural solutions to a balanced and pain free life. • UK qualified and Registered, with many years experience treating a wide variety of patient conditions.
Tel. 660 437 747 - Comercial Domasa, next to Lidl, Adeje
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
BEAUTY & FASHION
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
37
Care, protection and styling
Good Hair Days! Midsummer on the islands of eternal spring, when holidaymakers and residents alike take the opportunity for a dip in the Atlantic Ocean and a break on the beach. However, what is pure relaxation for us means stress for our hair as the sun, salt water, wind and sand put it under strain. Now is most definitely the best time for a comprehensive haircare programme. Nothing can replace the job a sun hat does for you on the beach, but the problem is that sometimes the strong breezes blowing off the Atlantic are simply too strong for you to keep one on! If this is the case, look at using some special solar hair prod-
ucts. They lie like a delicate film on your locks and provide the UV protection which is so very necessary. These maintenance products also prevent the hair from drying out. An important rule of thumb to follow is that the lighter the hair, the more protection it needs. Don’t try using your body sunscreen as an alternative: It will only leave a yucky, oily film on your hair and will not protect it from the sun’s rays at all. It’s not just our hair that takes a bashing; your scalp is also under a particularly heavy burden during the holidays. It too dries out in the summer sun, and that shows itself in unpleasant ways. Neither chlorine nor salt water are in the neutral PH range,
which leads to moisture loss in the area. Logic would say that moisturising products are best and logic is right, but make sure you choose a specialist sun product. The right choice will protect both your hair and scalp against harmful UVA and UVB rays, stop your hair from fading and drying out and give it moisture, softness and shine. After-sun products help to thoroughly wash chlorine and salt from your hair and rebuild the hair structure. Tip: To avoid greater damage, it is extremely important to rinse the major-
Casual summer look with highlights by Pantene
Coloured hair needs special care. Shampoo mousse colour protection from Keralock Care
Dove’s Supreme Creme Serum maintains curls and wavy hair, without weighing it down
Luxury oils protect sun damaged hair - Magic Oil by Ahuhu
La Biostetique’s Conditioning Spray stays in your hair to protect it
Precious oils from macadamia, jojoba and avocado for damaged hair. 3 Miracle Oil from Aussie
ity of salt and/or chlorine out of your hair immediately after swimming. If your hair has been artificially lightened, you need to take particular care. Bleach reacts strongly with chlorine and salt water. Use a
With the right products your hair will shine even in summer. Biostetique
This reverse plait is also suitable for thick hair and keeps your neck clear. Styed byRené Furterer
Loosely tied back - a nice idea for long, thick hair from Wellaflex
Fast help from the kitchen A honey and lemon mask is great for dry, stubborn hair. Mix four tablespoons of liquid honey with an egg yolk and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply the mask to clean, damp hair and leave on for at least 10 minutes before rinsing off. Summer excesses often result in that straw-like feeling. Don’t despair, an oil treatment often works wonders. Gently warm half a cup of olive oil and massage directly into dry hair. Wrap a warmed towel around it and leave for about an hour before rinsing thoroughly. If your hair feels brittle, try an avocado mask to make it soft again. Mash together the flesh from a ripe avocado with 1-2 tablespoons of aloe vera juice or gel and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply to damp hair and leave it to do its magic for about 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. specialised sun screen for your hair type and/or headgear. Tip: Rinse a sunscreen mask into your post-shower damp hair in the morning and don’t rinse it off until the evening. Do be careful when using hair bands to whip up your barnet into a quick beach hairstyle. Wet hair becomes slightly swollen, is more sensitive than
when it is dry and breaks very easily. Rather than using a rubber band, go for a wide-toothed slide. Tip: For an evening style, use gel with a little conditioner to pull your hair straight back into a tight knot. It not only looks great, but as an added plus the heat will help the care product you’ve applied to penn etrate better.
38
KATY / PETS
By
I hope you’re all well and not too hot now that summer’s here in full force. The news has been full of the downfall of Greece and everyone I speak to is asking how on earth they’ll manage to repay the extra loans when they can’t repay the money they’ve already borrowed. It’s a terrible thing to happen to such a lovely country. My grandson James and his fiancé are there at the moment on their summer holidays. I rang and begged him to take enough Euros with him before he set off. He said he’d be fine because only the Greeks were restricted and the tourists could have as much as they wanted. But as my best pal Tony said, it depended on how much cash the ATMs had in them. The tourists could only
withdraw cash if the cash machines had it! And then along came an email from Peter Barre from San Eugenio with a brilliant solution and he should really be in charge of the International Monetary Fund - see if you don’t agree when you’ve finished reading his about his result. He‘s recently been to Greece and solved the solution to the money worries the village he stayed in was having. “Hi Katy, I hope you’re well and that you like my solution to the money problems that poor old Greece is having at the moment. I stayed in a tiny hostel in a little village in the hills on the outskirts of the capital city and when I arrived I’d forgotten to ask for change when I left Tenerife and the smallest
y Kat
Hi everyone,
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
katykennedy@telefonica.net
The €100 note that solved one Greek town’s debt problems!
note I had was a €100 bill. I gave it to the manager intending to use it to pay for any phone calls etc. to settle up when I left, and I hoped for some change back. He asked me to settle in to the hotel and then ran off, explaining he had a bit of business to attend to.
Apparently, the hostel owner’s first visit was to the butchers. He owed them €100. The butcher takes the €100 note and runs down the street to repay his debt to the pig farmer. The pig farmer takes the €100 note and heads off to pay his bill at the supplier of feed and fuel. The guy at
the farmers’ co-op takes the €100 note and runs to pay his drinks bill at the local bar. The publican slips the money along to the local ‘lady of the night’ drinking at the bar, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her ‘services’ on credit. She then rushes to the hotel and pays
Pets Charity News
Pets charities round up
off her room bill to the hotel owner with the €100 note. The hotel proprietor then places the €100 note back on the counter so that I wouldn’t suspect anything. Then I picked up the €100 note because I didn’t like the room and wanted to stay somewhere else. So to cut a long story short; no one produced anything. No one earned anything. However, the whole village is now out of debt and looking to the future with a lot more optimism. And that is how the bailout package works! Bet you never realised it was that easy!” Until next time, take care of yourselves and especially of n each other. Email: katykennedy@telefonica.net. Tel: 616 110 930.
Looking for a home
Acción del Sol A group of lovely Belgian tourists recently set aside a day of their holiday to spend time at the refuge walking the dogs. They had a great time and there were certainly many happy dogs after their walk. There are so many people of all nationalities that help us in so many ways that we are so very grateful for. This really helps us to care for the animals here. Please call 922 778 630 between 8am and 5pm for more information about adoptions or if you would like to help out in any way. Maybe you have some spare time and would like to walk some of the dogs at the refuge. Acción del Sol is situated at the Poligono Industrial Estate, Exit 51 on the TF1, directly next to the Parque Eolica where the windmills are. We are always in need of blankets, towels, dog leads, collars and puppy milk: if you have any to donate, it would be really appreciated. We are open to the public Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 2pm to 5pm. On Saturdays we’re open from 1pm till 4pm. The refuge is closed Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Live Arico recently rescued young Apolo
Three months ago Live Arico were asked to rescue a young dog near Los Cristianos. They responded and fixed his broken leg and he is now looking for a new home. If you think you can offer him some happiness then please call Sue on 629 388 102. n
A group of Belgian tourists recently spent the day with Acción del Sol Bow is another beautiful dog available for adoption at Live Arico
Live Arico (PAWS) All is going well at our new charity shop on the Golf, and please remember that our vet, Cesar Bertoldi, is with us every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm offering advice on all aspects of pet health care. Feel free to pop by and have a chat with him.
We are situated at Golf Park and open 10am to 5pm, Mon-
day to Saturday. We also have shops in Los Cristianos and San Eugenio. They are open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday; and until 3pm on Sat-
urday and Sunday. Come and have a browse, bag a bargain and help the animals. Find us at: www.livearico.com, on Facebook, or join us on Twitter: twitter.com/live_arico.
K9 We regularly ask San Miguel borough council to help us
find suitable land we could buy or rent within a four-mile radius of our existing kennels, which have become harder to maintain. If anyone knows of somewhere suitable for animal use, we would love to hear from you. Our shop on Alcalá Plaza is in continual need of donations. If you have anything suitable, please take it to the shop. The kennels are open every day from 11am until 2pm. If you have any enquiries or are looking for a dog or cat, the numn ber is: 667 638 468.
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
FARMERS MARKET
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Farmer’s Markets Adeje Calle Archajara, s/n, in front of Makro Saturday/Sunday 8am – 2pm / Wednesday 4pm – 8pm Telephone: 922 775 200 Alcalá Plaza de Llano Monday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 850 100 Arafo Plaza San Juan Degollado Thursday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 511 711 Arico Porís de Abona Sunday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 676 159 034 Arona Valle San Lorenzo, Carretera General 122 Monday/Friday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 767 138 Buenavista del Norte Plaza de San Sebastián Opening times: Saturday 8.30am – 2pm Telephone: 922 129 030 Candelaria Wednesday 2pm - sell out. Next to council offices Saturday 9am – 3pm. Plaza del Centro Commercial de Punta Larga Telephone: 922 505 014 El Médano Plaza Principal Wednesday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 759 966/62 El Rosario Carretera General del Norte, la Esperanza Saturday/Sunday/festivals 8am – 4pm Telephone: 922 010 160 El Sauzal Hoya de la Vida, next to the church, Ravelo Friday/Saturday/Sunday 7.30am- 2pm Telephone: 922 584 657
Güímar Plaza del Ayuntamiento Sunday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 526 105
side behind Titsa Depot) 8am – 3pm closed Mondays Tel 922 076544
Guía de Isora Plaza del Pueblo de Garachico Friday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 850 100
Playa de San Juan Plaza de la Iglesia Wednesday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 850 100
Icod de Los Vinos Calle Key Muñoz 5 Monday/Friday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 815 700 / 922 447 938 La Guancha Carretera General TFS km 49 Saturday/Sunday 8am – 3pm Telephone: 922 360 788 La Laguna Plaza del Cristo Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday 6am – 2pm Telephone: 922 601 100 / 922 253 903 La Matanza de Acentejo Ctra. General del Norte Saturday 8am – 3pm, Sunday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 577 120 La Orotava Calle Educadora Lucía Mesa Saturday 8am – 1.30pm Telephone: 922 336 804 / 681 277 633 Los Realejos Camino Viejo de San Benito, Finca el Llano, Realejo Alto Saturday/Sunday 9am – 2pm Telephone: 922 346 234 Los Silos Plaza de la Luz, Los Silos Sunday 9am – 2pm Telephone: 922 840 004 Parque de la Reina – El Cho Calle Infanta Elena, 32 (before Karting on right hand
39
Farmer’s Markets
Island support!
Puerto de la Cruz Avenida Blas Pérez González, 4 Wednesday to Saturday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 386 158 San Isidro Mercado del Agricultor de Granadilla Off the roundabout leading to El Médano Saturday/Sunday 8am – 2pm Telephone: 922 759 966 San Miguel de Abona P.I. Las Chafiras, San Miguel de Abona, next to the fire station Saturday/Sunday 8am – 2pm Wednesday 2pm – 7.30pm Telephone: 922 735 386 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Avenida José Manuel Guimerá Sunday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 606 000 Santa Úrsula Carretera General, near the town hall Saturday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 301 640 Tegueste Calle de Asuncionistas, 6 Saturday/Sunday 8.00am – 2pm Telephone: 922 316 100 Vilaflor Plaza de Vilaflor Monday to Thursday 8am – 1pm Telephone: 922 709 002
We at Island Connections are sure in the knowledge that one of the best ways to help yourself, and the economy, is to buy locally – even if you are just visiting for a short time. Canarian farmers harvest an extensive range of crops, which can be seen growing in the typical stepped-terrain farms around the Islands. Products range from tropical fruits, such as mangoes, to worldwide staples like lentils, potatoes and onions. According to the agricultural group COAG-Canarias, prices of fresh fruits and vegetables differ greatly between the amount the farmers receive and the sale price in the supermarkets. For instance, towards the end of last year, small marrows, which the farmers were paid just €0.07/ kilo for, retailed at €0.84, and leeks sold at €0.36 were passed onto the consumer for around €2.23 a kilo. Many of the prices don’t even seem to cover the cost of production - and this is when subsidies became necessary to keep farms from disappearing, which, like the hiked prices, also come out of our pockets. Enter the farmers markets, where the grower can sell directly to the customer without an intermediary. They are
dotted all over the Islands, with at least one in almost every town. They allow customers to purchase fresher, higher quality produce at cheaper prices, and the farmers receive a fair payment for their efforts. This enables them to maintain or raise the standard of their crops and uphold productivity levels – it’s a win-win situation. In these markets you will be sure to see a variety of seasonal products, as well as some local home-made delicacies such as
preserves, honeys and Canarian goat’s cheese. A selection of meats and fish can also be found among the stalls, along with an assortment of cakes, pastries and biscuits. Buy locally, eat healthily, pay fairly – this is one way we can all help each other. So, to show our support of local farmers we are taking this timely opportunity to publish the details of the many farmers’ markets around the island n of Tenerife. Enjoy.
40
HOROSCOPES | CLASSIFIEDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Horoscope for period: August 6 to August 26 Aries 21.3 - 20.4 If you happen to feel that some of those around you are a little irritated, don’t worry: it has more to do with the high summer temperatures than with you. You should keep this in mind if discussions in heated atmospheres are threatening to escalate.
Contacts
Taurus 21.4 - 20.5 Sometimes you’re not quite sure about the behaviour of a particular person towards you. It would be best if you ask them directly whether there is a need for clarification in any matter. That makes a lot more sense than guesswork.
Relaxing, energising, sensual and tantric massages for her, him and couples in Playa de las Américas. Tel. 642 311 909
Gemini 21.5 - 21.6 Things always seem to happen when you least expect them. That will certainly apply to you over the next few weeks, especially in an encounter with someone you did not expect. Stay curious, the developments could be exciting - and in a positive sense.
Erotic massages, also tantric and other services with attractive German lady. No rush, nice location and Jacuzzi. Tel. 619 614 380. Liberal German couple invites men to erotic parties, also threesomes: Tel. 00 34 648 245 425
Cancer 22.6 - 22.7 In the chaos that prevails currently, you sometimes need the proverbial serenity of a Zen Buddhist, but you can cope! Get plenty of rest, and you will be able to deal with anything, even if current events threaten to strike again. Leo 23.7 - 23.8 Your excitement with life at the moment ensures that you are radiating from within. You are curious about what lies ahead and eager to explore uncharted territory. Do not rush ahead, however: stay organised and make sure the everyday things are covered. Virgo 24.8 - 23.9 If you have concerns or issues with a fellow human being now is a good time for you both to talk about it. Only then will you have a chance to understand what is going on. It may be hard but you will feel better afterwards. Libra 24.9 - 23.10 Time for you to enjoy a simple couple of days just doing nothing. You may feel like you are wasting time but you will actually be doing yourself a favour. And your family as well – they will welcome a more relaxed you. Scorpio 24.10 - 22.11 A challenge lies ahead, there’s no doubt about that. Good job that you’re convinced, deep down inside, that you are right to want to create a new start - because then you have exactly the right mental attitude to get things going. Sagittarius 23:11 - 21.12 You are embarking on an exciting mission. Who knows where life will lead from here? Be strong, trust in your intuition and all will be well: there is one of the best times of your life coming up. Capricorn 22:12 - 20.01 If it were up to you, everyone would up sticks and start something new. This, however, is not so simple - and that’s a good thing. Sometimes you just have to stop around to deal with crises and problems. Aquarius 21.1 - 20.2 You know exactly what you want - and you especially know what you do not want. This makes negotiations in the coming weeks particularly easy and it will help you to make decisions that will benefit you for a long time to come. Pisces 21.2 - 20.3 Responding to criticism by retreating in a sulk may be understandable at first glance. However, this is not the right time for that attitude. On the contrary, it would be better if you could try to argue it out – in an orderly fashion of course.
Only for ladies: Escorts, excursions, wellness and also erotic massages with Marc from Germany. I speak English well, have own apartment and car, visit to your location is possible. Tel. 630 759 974 Blonde Colombian, slim, beautiful, amazing body, sexy, all services, natural French, massages, erotic toys, kisses, threesomes, swing club company, private apartment, hotel visits, I will make your fantasies come true. I speak English. Tel. 649 879 663 Come and enjoy our erotic body-to-body massage with happy ending! Unforgettable experience. New beautiful ladies! Opening hours: 10am – 10pm. Playa Paraiso, Costa Adeje area. Tel. 00 34 662 960 065, www.edentenerife. com Sexy Italian lady, classy and beautiful with spectacular curves and slim. Only for special gentlemen. Call me for an appointment. Enjoy erotic moments with me. No sur-
prises, I can discreetly send you my photos. I speak English and German. Hotel visits. Tel. 00 34 671 868 681 Los Cristianos, Margaret, 23 years old, beautiful, slim, white, dominant, erotic massages, natural French, horny, adventurous, spectacular hips, explode in my mouth, private apartment, discreet, 24 hours. Tel. 692 50 69 73 / 664 077 390 Hello lovely, I’m your sexiest dream and I’m here to please you. Beautiful sexy escort for your needs and pleasures. Good English spoken. Couples are also welcome. Tel. 634 116 164 I am in Los Cristianos. I’m Diana, Latin woman, 23 years old, amazing body, pretty, without limits. I am waiting for you in my private apartment. Tel. 695 072 917 Los Cristianos, Fernanda, 20 years old, blonde, fully figured, Colombian, 140cm natural breasts, full French, kisses, positions, sado, fetish, golden shower, massages, vibrators, without limits. Calle Noruega near Altavista supermarket. Tel. 660 938 631 Los Cristianos, Russian Elena, fully figured, relaxed lady, 30 years old, discreet apartment, in front of bus station. Building Royal – Los Cristianos. Call me before, I speak a little English. Tel. 626 712 090 Hi, I’m Nicky. I’m passive and active, complacent, loving, girly, nice bottom, tattooed and very horny, penis (18cm) call me to have fun. Tel. 603 685 249 Los Cristianos, Patricia returns; blonde from Venezuela, nice body, big breasts, all services, without limits, 24
hours, discreet apartment, in Calle Noruega, near Altavista supermarket, in Los Cristianos. I can visit you. Tel. 605 375 495 New in Los Cristianos, Gisela, I’m an amazing Latin woman, I’m up for anything, no limits, you will be very pleased, available 24 hours. I’m waiting for you at my private apartment. Tel. 628 895 416 Beautiful Brazilian woman, amazing bottom, lovely and sweet, I’m by myself and I offer a bit of everything. Very discreet, I can visit you, parties and days out too. Private apartment in Los Cristianos. Tel. 611 325 518 Hello baby, I’m Rosi, mature Canarian woman with lots of experience, loving, erotic, prostate and body to body massages, very complete. All services, private apartment San Isidro, maximum discretion. Tel. 646 475 086 Jenny, mixed-race, San Isidro. Amazing body, tall, slim, young, beautiful, I do erotic massages, body to body, very relaxing, French, with full service, very discreet, complacent, private apartment, I do hotel visits too. Tel. 632 757 074 Las Américas! Open to any of your desires, young Russian girl, slim, 130cm natural breasts, full of sensuality and passion, only for gentlemen, call me to meet you. Tel. 667 094 581 Las Américas – In front of Columbus hotel – Girls with big breasts, playful, sexy, horny, we do erotic massages, free drink, private apartment, very discreet, 24 hours (Call me when you’re nearby). Tel. 642 164 285
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
CLASSIFIEDS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
41
Classifieds
From buying a pet to moving house and everything in between
Island Connections Online: www.islandconnections.eu
Classifieds Deadline Next Edition The deadline for edition 753, which is published on 26th August, is 24th August. No classifieds will be taken after this date.
Head Office Tenerife: Calle Francisco Feo Rodríguez 6º- first floor. Pol. Industrial Las Chafiras 38620 - San Miguel de Abona. Tel. 922 750 609 Fax: 922 795 810 Office Hours: Mon-Frid 9am-5pm
Classifieds Info: For personal and professional help in placing your classified in Island Connections all you need to do is pop along to our new offices in Las Chafiras and speak to our Staff. Not only is Island Connections here to ensure that your advertisement reaches its target market, we will also advise on sizing requirements for maximum exposure, with prices to suit your pocket.
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After school classes, help or
General Services
activities in English, German or Spanish, please contact Mrs. Garus. Tel. 602 506 793. We are 5 minutes away from Wingate School in Cabo Blanco. Massage saloon Ilona. Offer:
Spiritual, rune and tarot readings. Advice on matters of the heart, money and health. As a psychic medium I can also communicate with your loved ones who have passed over. Call me on 664 046 489. Learn how to speak Spanish with lessons, audio, video and games, including the alphabet, phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and activities. Only with a native teacher. Puerto de la Cruz area, call Saida. Tel: 630 574 073 Rocket Café - An American style diner selling 100 per cent beef homemade burgers; homemade cakes; the best coffees; and exquisite cocktails. C/ Luis Álvarez Cruz, 5 (Opposite the post office), Las Galletas: 922 731 847 For sale. Home-produced ecological vegetables, Tenerife south. Interested businesses, call 650 323 751 (Spanish only), send WhatsApp or email to: michelteide@hotmail.com www.mascuidados.com Website for our massages, dedicated to bringing the benefits of therapeutic massage to your home or hotel, no charge for travel. Do you want a massage? www.mascuidados.com Tel. 663 190 727
Santiago del Teide Lions Club
Bargains galore From clothes and children’s toys to kitchenware and books – there are plenty of great deals on secondhand goods. They even have sets of golf clubs! Don’t miss out – visit their shop below the plaza in Puerto Santiago (Behind Vigilia Park): Open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am – 1pm and Wednesdays 2pm to 8pm.
60 minutes full body massage for €36. Couples, four hands, lava stones, massages, etc. Playa de las Americas, Ernesto Sarti no.18, across from Iberostar Hotel in Torviscas Playa. Tel. 602 608 626 or email: ilonarebisch@hotmail.com
Integrated Tax Planning and Wealth Management since 1975
922 716 079 www.blevinsfranks.com
BLOCK BUSTERS WE UNBLOCK ALL TYPES OF DRAINS
internal and external using our high pressure jets and cameras.
Call
647 928 223
Spanish and English Lawyers
Conveyancing • Inheritance & Wills Family Law • Criminal Law Civil Litigation & Personal Injury Timeshare • Tax & Commercial law
Lamp Factory Buy during your holidays We deliver to your home country Ctra. General C-820, Travesía la Panadería, 1 38440 Santo Domingo (La Guancha) Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Tel / Fax: 922 130 301 OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday 9 am to 2 pm & 4 pm to 9 pm
T: E:
www.decottalaw.net
MASONIC MEETINGS Logia Ave Fenix Nº 73 Edificio Simón, Los Cristianos. Meetings every fourth Tuesday starting in October 2014 (Installation) until the fourth Tuesday in April 2015
All Visitors welcome Contact John Donaldson (Secretary):
(+34) 922 178 091 or donaldsonjh@yahoo.co.uk
Kitchen Co.
Kitchen Bathroom & Building Mark has a great team of professionals for your kitchen, bathroom, building work, plumbing, aluminium doors & windows, electrical work, painting & decorating, plastering, parquet flooring, etc. Plans & permits included. Long term guarantees on all work. Happily living & working in Tenerife since 1987 For general help & advice, please call Mark on 619 472 458 or 922 362 834 or email mark@kitchenco.es
ISLAND CONNECTIONS PICKUP POINT Clínica Dental Fañabé C.C. Fañabé Plaza Playa Fañabé
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Island connections media group s.l. www.islandconnections.eu
42
CLASSIFIEDS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
The easy way to sell or rent properties www.paluum.com
Rental Classifieds For Rent Playa de las Americas 1 Bedroom apartment. Well-furnished and equipped, central location, quite area close to beach. No Finder’s fee. €570 all in. Call 620 230 871 / 922 75 11 13 Winter letting Puerto de La Cruz Studio apartment, 24 hour concierge, pool, sea views. Minimum three month contract. €500 per month. 669 652 149 Los Cristianos Cactus 2, for rent attractive two bedroom apartment, sea views, pool, satellite TV, large terrace, unsuitable for children, €650 per month + bills, minimum 3 months. Tel. 629 606 494 Rustic finca for long term let near Icod de los Vinos. Fully equipped and furnished, open fire, satellite TV and Wi-Fi available. Fantastic sea and mountain views, sun terrace and barbeque, €450 PCM. Tel. Spain: 0034 922 865 776. UK mobile: 0044 (0) 7786 390541. Spanish mobile: 0034 674 287 632. Email: Philhirstconsultant@btinternet.com or P.D.Hirst@gmail.com Penthouse 150 m2, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, terrace 120 m2, with garage, unfurnished in San Eugenio Alto for rent from March 1. Tel. 666 365 996 or email: kvan_os8@ web.de.
SALEs Classifieds Los Cristianos, central apartments, 1 and 2 bedrooms, furnished, Tel: 649 142 612 €39.990 Sunny apartment for sale (Studio) in Playa Paraiso (Tenerife-South), 40 m2, with balcony, spectacular sea views, pools, SAT-TV. Very near to the beach, supermarket, restaurants and bus-stop. Private sale. Tel. 922 30 15 75, email: mesa3@telefonica.nice Looking to swap my house in Tenerife for a house in Dublin or surroundings. If agreed, the time could be arranged. From a month to a year time gap. Call Carmen 693 727 683 Villa for sale in San Isidro, 11,500 m2, living area 400 m2, 4 bedrooms, living room, 4 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, office, double garage, utility room, hobby room, pool, sauna. Telephone 922 390 951, email: horstbrett@gmx.de. Price: €990.000 (negotiable) possibility of payment terms. Website: horstbrett.de
Apartment Tabaiba Alta for sale, only five mins away from the German school, roughly 102ms, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, utility room, garden, big terrace. Spectacular views of the sea and mountain, big garage with 2 spaces, 2 closed store rooms, price €180,000, mob. 686 798 367, email eoptenerife@gmail.com www.teneriffa-fincas.net For Sale! Favourable living in the sun. Staying at the most beautiful camping place of Tenerife. Nice view of the sea and La Gomera . A Caravan (Weippert) with compact wooden front structure. (Aluminium windows and doors). Total 40 sqm. Fully equipped with TV, washingmachine and so on. p.jaegertf@gmail.com or Tel. 922 85 06 85 Los Cristianos centre near beach, I’m selling 2 business units together (90 + 40 m2) – They can be separate. Updated installations. Each one has an alarm and air conditioning. Tel. 922 792 168 – 649 142 612 Comercial property for sale in Los Cristianos Calle Suecia, best place for a store or cafe! Directly from the owner. 42 square meters. Phone: 922 726 029 / 696 978 211 Property Wanted - Kundalini is expanding. In Los Cristianos, Las Américas and Fañabé areas. Four or Five bedrooms and bathrooms, lounge, terrace and if possible a pool. Exclusive area with discreet entrance. Ask for Irene: 693 979 153 Amarilla Bay, Costa del Silencio, large, two bedrooms, two bathrooms apartment to rent. Fully furnished, English TV, three balconies, community swimming pool, close to all local amenities. €550 per month plus bills. Telephone 659 489 690. One of the most beautiful fincas! Villa and Guesthouse. Pool, Sauna Whirpool, Tennis court, Bodega, Garage, Water tank. Nice view to the sea and Teide, 8,500 sqm. P.o.r. p.jaegertf@gmail.com or Tel. 922 850 685
Two very good business premises for sale. Leasehold, restaurant near beach in Los Cristianos, €120,000, and bar/snacks Los Cristianos, €65,000. Tel. 690 676 527 For sale, Bungalow 160m2 Costa Sauzal, situated front row with guaranteed spectacular sea-views, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms , living room with panoramic windows, modern kitchen, dining room connected to the terrace, including a heated 4 x 8 m pool, all on same level, garage and a marvellous tropical garden with 800m2 landscaped with various plants and lots of fruit-trees. Private sale contact: info@ simonsananes.com. Tel.: 00 34 699 444 879 Best Deal Properties from banks & firstline. Bungalow Club Atlantis, 2 bedrooms €249,000; Fañabe beach 1 bedroom, €170,000; Torviscas beach 2 bedrooms 159 m2, €250,000; Torviscas 2 bedrooms, €110,000; Cristianos beach €118,000. Tel. 628 486 190 – 922 718 257 Looking to swap my house in Tenerife for a house in Dublin or surroundings. If agreed, the time could be arranged. From a month to a year time gap. Call Carmen 693 727 683 Los Cristianos, central apartments, 1 and 2 bedrooms, furnished, Tel: 649 142 612 Offer of the month in Puerto de la Cruz. Beautiful studio, at Playa Jardin, with nice furniture, 40m2 with terrace and oceansight, pool, tennis area, restaurant, elevator 48.000€. Mov. 604 100 174. Apartments for rent & sale. Apartments at playa Jardin, centricity, furnished, with washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, TV plasma, fully equiped, 1 or 2 bedrooms, new prices for rent 530€ and 650€ per month, water and electricity apart, garage. Also available studios, townhouses and villas all over Tenerife. Mov. 604 100 174. Appartment in Botánico with BBQ, common pool, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, salon, kitchen, terrace, aprox,300 m2, 1 extra bedroom with toilet, garage, for sale 380.000€
or for rent 1.350€ + Extras per month, Mov. 604 100 174. For Sale. Canarian House in the old town of Granadilla. Com-
pletely restored. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Garage for 2 cars. 400m2 interior, 450m2 gardens with fruit trees. Please call: 639 305 175 / 609 531 178. Email: rafael.estartus@gmail.com
Property for rent For Long
Term Rent
www.villatenerifenorte.com
€690.000
8% Commission to intermediaries
Mature people preferred. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, big kitchen, 1 terrace, living room, garden with fruit trees, in quiet area. Tel. 609 531 178 melquiadesm@hotmail.com
Property for sale
Private Sale 10.800 m2 Tel. (0034) 682 392 956
Urb. Oasis Dakota, Playa Fañabé 3 bed semi detached, toilet, complete bathroom, separate kitchen, totally equipped, furnished, 35m2 terrace, secure access to pool, infant park, good views, beside commercial centres, 800m from Playa Fañabé, community fees 30€/month. Tel 629 244 958
€165,000
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
Mareverde one bed
Fully furnished one bed apartment, first floor in Urbanización Mareverde, Torviscas Bajo, air conditioning and pool views. Excellent location, close to Fañabé beach and commercial centres.
€118,000
Tel: 629 244 958
Bellamar 11
CLASSIFIEDS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Chalet on Camp Site Guía de Isora Double bedroom, fitted wardrobes, shower, WC, hand basin, gas boiler, 4 gas rings, microwave, kitchen diner, TV, DVD, Hi-Fi, CD system, patio, sea view, table and chairs, swimming pool, security gate,parking, rates paid till March 2016. For sale furnished €21,000 UK Tel. 0044 (0) 1903690309. UK Mob. 07973349111. Spain Tel. 0034 922 136 778. Spain Mob. 646 586 318
Los Cristianos
Santiago del Teide
Located on the 2 floor of a total of 5, this cozy flat with 2 bedrooms, one bathroom and a balcony enjoys views to its green surroundings. Quiet residential area with all types of commerce easily reachable ... 2 Bedroom(s)
Fantastic ocean views all year round! located in Los gigantes, very close to the well known Yacht Club It has a large sunny terrace always overlooking the Atlantic, lounge with direct access to the terrace and an equipped american kitchen... 1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom. 55.00 m² Living Space. Swimming Pool
flat with balcony in the green
85.00 m² Living Space
€126.000,00
Apartment one bedroom
43
If you would like to advertise your portfolio of propertys on www.paluum.com please email sales@icmedia.eu Residencial
La Duquesa Playa Fañabé
Playa de Las Américas
Exclusive Nightclub
Exclusive Nightclub in best area of Playa de las Americas (guaranted profitable business) 280 m2 inclusive sauna, relaxation room, 3 séparëes (possibility for 5), office, various storerooms, air conditioning... 280.00 m² Plot
€153.000,00
More information on our website
More information on our website
€199.000,00
For sale freehold
More information on our website
3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom, front and back garden, community pool.
€455,000
2 bed Ground Floor apartment. Costa Adeje. Large terraces back and front and spacious interior. Community pool, enclosed parking, fully furnished. Built to high spec. store room. Separate fully equipped kitchen. Immaculate!!
Great location €239,000! Call Alan: 667 513 689
Parque Santiago 11
Tel. 629 244 958 Large bar: established Irish bar for 25 years, overlooking Los Cristianos harbour and beach, ideal Investment Property as it comes with a 2 bed. and a 1 bed apartment on sea front. Being sold with tenants in place or vacant. Total Price for the lot €330,000 leaving a yield of over 11%, mortgage can be arranged.
richard@larkinproperty.com
Mobile home in prime position. Camping Nauta
Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity!
Available for leasing Elite restaurant space available. 231m2 front line in the centre of Las Américas.
Tremendous sea views! Enquiries: 673 438 097 922 105 267
Playa de Las Américas
Business Investment
Playa de las Americas Shopping Center Investment in Playa de las Americas – San Eugenio Alto – Shopping Center with 4 locals each 200 m² in a very busy tourist area with view from the terrace to La Gomera, El Hierro and the mountains...
€1.090.000,00
More information on our website
Sought after complex. 2 bed Duplex Ground Floor apartment. Las Americas sea views, fully furnished. Big private sunny terrace and upstairs terrace. Rental opportunity!
Great location! Price €220,000
Call Alan: 667 513 689
Purpose built 2008. Double glazed. Large Approx 65m2. 2 big bedrooms. Fully tiled bathroom. Fitted kitchen. Spacious Loung dinner. All electric. Laminate floors. Air con. Garden. Car parking. Use of all site facilities.
€36.000
Tel. 693 760 769
Guía de Isora
Finca
Golf villa for sale
With horse stables. Riding pasture. Garage. Tool/work shed and house with veranda in authentic Canarian style. Electricity and water, solar cells...
€273.000,00 More information on our website
Situated in the
Real Golf Club Tenerife in Tacoronte
243 m2. Garage for two cars. Hall with a little toilet, dining room, living room, 2 bedrooms with 2 complete bathrooms, dress room, kitchen, service bedroom with bathroom, and terrace around the villa. Garden 750 m2.
Information Tel. +34 659 928 805
44
CLASSIFIEDS | PASTIMES
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Situations
Vacant / wanted
Vehicles
Promotions company with more than 10 years experience in selling attractive, high quality products in Tenerife markets, 5 star hotels and superstores is looking for open minded full/part time promoters, who like to present and sell in live promotion. No selling experience is required. Contract + Social Security + fixed salary + commission is guaranteed. Feel free to contact us for further information. Office: 922 781 548 Fax: 922 781 548 Mob: 629 493 799 Seeking highly motivated distributors for a natural product. This is not only for Tenerife but also for the UK. Send CV to oroten10@gmail.com or call 0034 922 985 462
Fiat Panda,
115.000 km, Top Zustand, Air Condition Tansferkosten inklusive.
3.500€
Tel. 609 248 245
A new upcoming business is looking for attractive, high
Ford Fiesta,
class and opened minded women, to
100.000 km, Top Zustand. Air Condition, Transferkosten inklusive.
work in a different and exciting profession. Call 669 977 993 for more information.
in south area. Should have experience. Please send your CV to e-mail lin@rebl.biz or call 696 713 635 Lin
Qualified and experienced native
English, German, Russian and Spanish teachers wanted for new language school in El Médano. Please send your CV to info@babelacademy.es
FRUSTRATED WITH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER?
(For Crossword and Sudoku solution see pag 40)
Live-in nanny required
3.900€
Tel. 609 248 245
I’m a Spanish translator and can help with the doctor’s, school, NIE’s, community meetings etc.
Letters & CV’s also translated
Tel: 649 882 366
Across
7 - standard (6) 8 - yellow fruit (6) 10 - range (7) 11 - send payment (5) 12 - not odd (4) 13 - religious acts (5) 17 - juvenile (5) 18 - flavour a beverage (4)
22 - settle (5) 23 - originality (7) 24 - change (6) 25 - building material (6)
Down
1 - listed in order (7) 2 - set of three (7) 3 - make impure (5) 4 - harassed (7) 5 - surface of hands (5) 6 - staple food (5) 9 - fighting back (9) 14 - Pope (7)
15 - simple song (7) 16 - killers (7) 19 - neatens (5) 20 - clutches (5) 21 - use (5)
By George Reed
Tommy Farr’s highs and lows Many people in the boxing game consider the great Joe Louis to be the best heavyweight boxer of all time, and I wouldn’t dispute that, for the grandson of a slave was a graceful mover in the ring, yet he possessed a cold and clinical aggression which destroyed so many fine heavyweights. He could punch like a piston with both fists and never wasted energy by swinging wild punches, his short pulverising ones seldom travelled more than 30cm. Even the living legend Muhammad Ali once stated “Joe Louis was my inspiration. I idolised him. I just give lip service to being the greatest – he was the greatest.” Louis had taken the world title from ‘The Cinderella Man’, James J. Braddock, then for his first defence of the title he chose the Welshman Tommy Farr as his opponent thinking he would be easy prey, for Farr’s boxing record up to that time was not very impressive, having been beaten by a number of ordinary heavyweights. However, he had made headway the previous year by winning the British heavyweight title and then out-pointed the former world champion Max Baer from America. The fight took place at the Yankee Stadium, New York, on August 30, 1937 between Louis and Farr, who was viewed with little respect by the Americans, and one writer even went so far as to describe the former Welsh miner’s chances as “About as good as Shirley Temple’s.” In fact, out of 300 boxing writers who were asked to choose the winner, only one gave Farr any chance at all. The Daily Telegraph boxing reporter, when assessing Farr wrote “Mentally, Farr has proved time and time again that when people are busily telling him he has no chance he produces something special. He is essentially an uphill fighter. Give him a second rate opponent whom he should beat easily and he is not worth crossing the road to see but put him in the pit with a real test and he will assert a stubbornness and cunning which comes as a shock.” And this writer was spot-on, for Louis, and the 37,000 mostly American fans, were soon in for a shock after the bell sounded. In the first round the champion punished Farr with some heavy punches to his head but then the challenger appeared to win the second round, but Farr took some heavy punches in the third seeming quite happy to abandon defence and take the blows full on the face. But the brave Welshman was far from finished and, though cuts appeared round his eyes and re-opened in the fifth round, he came storming back in the next and slammed some heavy punches into Louis’ body. Louis took the next two rounds and only the bell stopped Louis’ continuing punishment which seemed about to drop Farr to the canvass. But he had so much courage that he shook his head and managed a grin as he went back to his corner. Farr made a sensational comeback in the eighth round, opening a cut on the champions’ right eye, and the fight was turning into a real battle, with Farr receiving a standing ovation as he returned to his corner. In the fifteenth and final round, Farr once again amazed the crowd by dancing round the ring even before the bell sounded. It turned out to be one of the greatest last rounds in World Heavyweight history. Even though Farr had lost the fight on points he had fought in such a manner that gained British heavyweight boxing a new respect in America. The brave Welshman must have had great memories of that fight, but I’ll bet one fight he would have liked to forget was when he fought Eddie Steele in Crystal Palace four years previous to his great battle with Louis. He was then a young and up-and-coming light heavyweight. It wasn’t much of a fight but it came to life in the seventh round when Steele caught Farr in the throat with a straight left. It didn’t appear to be a hard punch but to the amazement of everyone Farr stopped boxing, ran across the ring, jumped through the ropes, and sprinted to his dressingroom. Maybe it was the occasion of a big London fight for the 19-year-old but it was a long time before he was given n another fight in the capital.
45
NBA star’s coaching course
Gasol wows Gran Canaria Young basketball players in Gran Canaria have had the chance of a lifetime to receive some tips from one of the top NBA players at present. Spain’s Marc Gasol, who completed a magnificent season with the Memphis Grizzlies, reaching the playoffs for a fifth successive year and earning selection for the 2015 All-NBA First Team, was inevitably the main attraction at the coaching course held in the Gran Canaria Arena in Las Palmas for approximately 150 youngsters aged 10-16. His presence drew a large media turnout at the new Arena, which was built for the World Cup last year, when
Gran Canaria hosted one of the groups. Gasol, younger brother of Chicago Bulls and former LA Lakers star Pau, offered coaching advice to the children and took part in a question and answer session at which he was quizzed on his life and career in the United States. He also posed for autographs and pictures with the youngsters and their families. Gasol predicted a successful season for local premiership side Herbalife Gran Canaria and singled out the club’s former player Walter Tavares as one to watch in the NBA this year following his move in June n to Atlanta Hawks.
Photo: Verse
Boxing roundup
BOXING | SPORTS NEWS
ISLAND CONNECTIONS 752
Marc Gasol with the Memphis Grizzlies
Martínez signs journeyman
Iberostar place trust in White Tenerife’s only top flight basketball side, Iberostar Tenerife, have turned to Davin White to be their playmaker for this season after releasing Ricardo Uriz. White, who is 33 and from Arizona, was signed at the end of last month from Manresa and adds the Canaries to his long list of destinations, having already played in countries such as Israel, Bulgaria, Germany, Serbia and Mexico. Coach Alejandro Martínez had made no secret of his desire to bring in the versatile American, who averaged over 11 points per game last season in the ACB league with Manresa. Iberostar lodged a formal bid for White with the league which Manresa chose not to match,
López’s ligament woe
Newly-promoted Las Palmas have received a major injury blow before the start of the season. The side’s preparation for the long-awaited return to the first division after 13 years has been disrupted by the loss of defender Ángel López, who is
Photo: ACB Photo
6.8.2015 – 26.8.2015
Davin White playing for Manresa against Iberostar Tenerife
preferring to release him immediately to join the La Laguna club, which has also signed Tim Abromaitis this summer. Con-
necticut-born Abromaitis, son of former Real Madrid player Jim, spent last season in the German league with Braunschweig, after
two years in France following his graduation from college basketball with Notre Dame University n in Indiana.
Las Palmas defender hit by injury expected to be out for almost two months after damaging his knee in a training ground incident in Maspalomas. Doctors say he suffered a partial ligament tear and will definitely not feature in the team’s opener against Atlé-
tico de Madrid on August 22. He could also be out for the following four games, with a return provisionally pencilled in for late September. It is the second time in two years that the full back, aged 34, has suffered ligament
damage, having been sidelined for eight weeks at the start of the 2013-14 season. The latest injury overshadowed the arrival of Israeli Ofir Kriaf, who is training with Las Palmas for two months with a view to n a possible move.
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SPORTS NEWS | POOL LEAGUE
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
The Heliodoro turns 90
Game heist
Tenerife stadium celebrates birthday
Photo: Edub
TV football blow for Tenerife fans Amidst the celebrations there was some bad news for fans of CD Tenerife, who are up in arms at the news they will not be able to see their side on TV this coming season unless they sign up to pay per view. Regional broadcaster TV Canaria has admitted that it will not be able to show games free to air because all television rights for football have been bought up by Telefónica, which has so far refused to negotiate with the public channels and wants to keep the games for its Movistar platform to encourage households to subscribe to its broadband TV packages. Head of Sport Jesús Alberto Rodríguez says TV Canaria will at best be able to show brief highlights of Tenerife fixtures and accused Telefónica of holding football to ransom with its commercial strategy. “They have not even given us the chance to make an offer. They simply refuse n to negotiate” said Rodríguez.
Tenerife’s biggest football stadium has been celebrating its 90th birthday and the occasion was seized on by some media, including at national level, for a look back at the ground’s colourful past. Called simply The Stadium, it opened its turnstiles for the first time in July 1925 and housed a sand and gravel pitch for a
quarter of a century before the decision was taken to renovate it entirely and install a grass surface. The work to turn the ground into a top footballing venue was carried out by Heliodoro Rodríguez López, the ambitious chairman whose name the stadium now bears. The new grass pitch was formally inaugurated by Atlético
de Madrid in August 1952, with the first game under floodlights taking place two years later. It took another four decades for the stadium to receive a further facelift, coinciding with Tenerife’s stint in the first division from 1989 onwards. Work since then has included a new electronic scoreboard and renovations to the main stand
and terraces, and the stadium is now acknowledged as one of the best in the second division. What most people will not know is that it does not even belong to CD Tenerife but to the island’s governing council, the Cabildo, which acquired ownership a few decades ago in return for writing off the club’s n sizeable debts.
Photo: Bruno Souza L. / FreeImages.com
The CD Tenerife stadium is celebrating its 90th birthday
It seems that Telefónica has all the control over the televised games now
Pool news
Singles and Doubles all round Tuesday 21st July saw the semi and final games in this season’s doubles competition held at Summerland Bar, Los Cristianos. The league’s youngest players, Sam and Zac Maughan (Leones B) were up against the experienced pairing of Martin Land and Chris Platts (Bar 180 A).The game was played over the best of three frames and the Leones pair simply brushed the opposition aside and coasted through to a 2-0 lead. The second semifinal was quite evenly matched with Jack Alty and Alan Rowe (Nauta) against Matt Law and Dave MacCready (a Legend’s fusion). They went to a deciding frame, both pairs had chances to pot the black but Matt and Dave kept their cool and finished 21 winners. So onto the Final: There was great play by the Leones pair who raced into a two frame
lead. In the third Sam broke potting four balls, two of each, he cleared his remaining colours leaving a difficult black which he missed. Dave had a near impossible task of trying to clear up, he potted a couple of balls but he left the black on. The black was then duly disposed of by team Maughan who won 3-0 and so the brothers claimed the title of Doubles Champion 2014/15 to the delight of their supporters.
Stevie Muir, Singles Champion 2014-15
The 28th July found us in Bamboo Beach Bar, San Telmo for the last rounds and final in the prestigious Singles Competition. The players who had fought their way to this stage were: John Wilmot (Summerland Elite), Alan Rowe (Nauta), Mick Williams (Legends A), Stevie Muir (Hoops), Chris Platts (Bar 180 A), James (Jokers), Gary (Bri-
tannia Paraiso) and Ian Taylor (Sloop). Alan was drawn against John in the first round matches, the first frame was in John’s complete control down to the black but unfortunately went in off and so he lost the frame. Again the second bout saw John in control but to his dismay Alan found his form, potting his last four colours and black to finish a disappointing night for John. On table 2 Gary faced Stevie and so followed three very tight frames and after an hour of pool, Stevie won. Mick played Ian whose relaxed play dispatched Mick 2-0. Next on was Chris v James. Excellent play by both led to a 1-1 score and a very nervy final frame, Chris left the black over the pocket but James miscues and misses! Chris couldn’t believe his luck but he made it to the semifinal. The ini-
tial semi played was between Alan and Ian, Ian won 2-0. The other semi was Stevie v Chris, Stevie went through. Now the big one: the Final. Stevie meets Ian and Stevie storms into a 2-0 lead but Ian wasn’t finished yet and levels up to 2-2. The last was a hard fought frame but Stevie held his nerve and finished Singles Champion 2014/15 n season.
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47
CD Tenerife pre-season news
New kits and new promise By Chris Todd Despite the lack of signings this summer, CD Tenerife have enjoyed a fairly positive preseason. The two new players that have been brought in, forward Pedro Martín and defender Germán Sánchez, have performed well, but three or four new signings are still being sought. A goalscorer is the main priority but with a wage budget set by the league on all second division clubs it is proving difficult. Sports Director Alfonso Serrano has made errors in the past in trying to find a decent striker (last season, two out of the four forwards signed had left by Christmas under a cloud). Perhaps that is why he is being cautious this time in waiting for the right player, but the top wage the club can pay will be no more than around €400,000 for the season. Cast-offs from La Liga sides are a possibility with the bigger clubs sometimes paying a percentage of the wage. In the Spanish second division it is very rare for transfer fees to be paid, there is simply not the money available. In a way, however, this helps the young players come through the ranks and generally means they will
CD Tenerife recently presented their new kits and Hummel merchandise Club captain Vitolo sporting the new away strip
get a chance. This is certainly the case at CD Tenerife and youth players have lightened up the pre-season period, scoring in every game. Tricky winger Omar Perdomo has excited fans, and strikers Nano and Nadjib have scored good goals. The blanquiazules followed their 1-1 draw with first division outfit Sporting Gijón with a 2-1 win in El Fraile in the south of the Island. The biggest test of the pre-season saw newly-promoted UD Las Palmas visit the Heliodoro Sta-
Sponsored by: Foreign Language News & www.windowsplus.co.uk The new 6s season is a few weeks in now. The usual leaders Atlantic Horizon are being chased strongly by a few teams, which is a new challenge for them. Also, at the bottom end of the table the teams are having fun taking points from each other. We are always on the lookout for new six-a-side teams so if you and your mates want to start playing every week then contact us and we can arrange some friendly games to get you started.
To help people who live in South Tenerife we have started a new local website to advise on the Men’s weekly social 6s league and friendly games, and also the growing youth football classes and teams. Please have a look at the new local website for more information: www. nomadsfc.com. Right now SocExp has a weekly group of kids playing football tots and an Alevín (Under-12) team that won the local Spanish league in its first ever season. Half of these players will move up to Under-14s so we will be making an (Under-14s) Infantil team for next season and are looking for players to
join this group. Also we will be making new teams from our football tots class and we are looking to start an Under8s (Pre-Benjamin) side and Under-10s (Benjamin) team, therefore if any kids are looking to join a new team and play in the local Spanish leagues next season, please get in touch with SocExp. During our weekly football tots classes on Mondays at 5.30pm and Wednesdays at 6pm the kids enjoy fun football and gain healthy exercise. We have introduced a player of the week award to help them focus and play in a sporting manner, and the way the kids have responded to this
dium for the first leg of the annual Mahou Cup Trophy. The main talking point of the first half was a mass brawl on the pitch (no love lost between these two sides of course) and the incident harks back to the league encounter in Gran Canaria a few months previously. On that occasion the Las Palmas players barracked the blanquiazules in the tunnel after the match with comments of “you’re going down” and a fracas started. Back in June at the Las Palmas promotion celebrations, the players did not exactly hold back with their goading of Tenerife so this was perhaps predictable when you have players like Vitolo in your ranks, a guy who literally wears the club
New Kits presented CD Tenerife presented their new Hummel merchandise at the Parque García Sanabria in Santa Cruz in front of hundreds of fans. For the fourth year running the club have been committed to raising funds for the AECC cancer charity through n sales of their shirts.
Soccer Exp 6s League Table
Soccer Experience
Footballing fun in Tenerife
colours on his chest. But that explosive mix may spark a good season for the blanquiazules; we have the passion, promising youngsters and a decent enough defence, we just need that poacher in front of goal to make the difference. Back to the match and Tenerife were outplaying their rivals during the second half but without creating many clear-cut chances. That all changed as Nadjib scored his debut goal for the club in the last minute of play. The young forward from Lanzarote finished with class to chip the helpless Las Palmas keeper. The 1- 0 victory for Tenerife gave them something to take to Gran Canaria for the second leg on August 11. So, to recap, there are good vibrations around the team but a lot rests on finding that bit of quality up front. However, so far so good!
Pos Team 1 Atlantic Horizons 2 Valle Munich 3 Evo Team 4 Piscina Atlantico 5 LA Masters 6 USSR 7 Balti Balti 8 Taylors 9 Crown F.C 10 Tenerife Flights 11 Balti Boys 12 Club Paradiso 13 Uruguay 14 Rotulos Guaza F.C 15 Harrys Team 16 Linekers 17 Kandi Lounge 18 All Stars 19 Ryanhell 20 Telfs Team 21 Gaffers 22 Morfitts Masters
P 17 15 15 14 15 17 15 15 15 15 15 17 7 14 14 15 17 14 14 14 16 14
has been truly impressive. We stage ‘old man football’ every Thursday from 7.15pm, where most of the players are 40-years-old plus. If you fancy
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1 0 1 0 1 3 2 3 2 0 5 1 0 1 2 6 4 6 3 4 6 3
F 121 115 112 40 76 60 68 66 73 43 67 22 23 14 29 80 62 42 28 31 40 12
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45 49 25 90 43 43 28 30 32 60 41 82 37 53 60 25 24 22 31 47 30 44
20 28 24 38 44 57 44 36 35 74 33 100 19 79 78 53 78 27 64 103 84 106
a game of ‘grumpy old man football’ please get in touch if you are brave enough! Email us at info@SocExp. com or telephone/message us
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107 85 63 85 36 5 7 6 22 10 5 -18 35 -33 -28 -27 -43 -43 -35 -71 -80 -88
46 40 37 36 30 27 25 25 24 24 20 20 19 17 16 15 15 12 10 7 7 4
on +34 654 200 470. Further information can also be found on our dedicated websites: www.socexp.com and www.nomadsfc.com. n
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sports
FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 019
Tenerife Bluetrail 2015
Get your running shoes on
trail you’d better get your running shoes on! Organiser Christ Perez said: “the fact that this year’s Bluetrail is included as part of the FEDME Spanish Mountain Racing Cup is an incentive for competitive runners. In addition, this race includes a route that passes Mount Teide which is a great enticement for foreign and local athletes who wish to take part in this growing
climbs to 3,555 metres, passes Teide and finishes in Puerto de La Cruz. An exciting challenge that competitors have 23 hours to complete. Those interested in joining any of the races included in this challenge must visit the website: www.tenerifebluetrail.com/inscripcion-online/ and forward the information requested to: inscripciones@ tenerifebluetrail.com. The official website has further info on courses and bookings at: www. n tenerifebluetrail.com.
counts towards the Spanish Mountain Racing Cup, departs from Los Cristianos at midnight on October 24 with a route that
Two participants from last year’s Tenerife Bluetrail
event.” The race has five different difficulty levels so there is something for everyone. The ‘Adapted route’ is a five km run that is great for beginners, and this is followed in length by the Medium route which is 20 kilometres long with a four-hour time limit to complete. So far this course has filled 53 per cent of its places. The start time is 8am from the Plaza de San Agustín in Los Realejos,
All photos: www.tenerifebluetrail.com
The Tenerife Bluetrail 2015 is a running race organised by the Island Council and is to be staged on October 24. The incredibly popular event has already seen 1,200 athletes out of a total quota of 2,000 register, with nearly three months left until the day. That means that over 60 per cent of the positions have been reserved, so if you wish to participate in this year’s Blue-
One up on the gruelling front is the 43 kilometre ‘Marathon’ that reaches a maximum altitude of 1,752 metres, starts from the Pista de Mamio in Aguamansa at 8am and has a maximum duration of nine hours. The Trail course has a distance of 66 kilometres and starts in Santa Catalina de Vilaflor at 8am. This route reaches a maximum altitude of 2,500 metres and has a 14 hour time limit. This is followed by the showpiece 97 km Ultra Tenerife Bluetrail. This race, which is the one that
and after ascending to 1,000 metres altitude the race concludes at Lago Martiánez in Puerto de la Cruz.
Places are being reserved fast so be quick to enroll