Island connections 754 by Island Connections Media Group

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1984-2015

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September 10 – September 24, 2015 Oil fight Over?

Santa Cruz mOther

SexOlOgiSt

COming SOOn

Repsol won‘t return

Starved to death

Get down to basics

Tamaimo Uphill Rally

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FuGITIvE wAvE ARRIvES In ThE CAnARIES

The Canarian deputy minister for Social Affairs and Housing, Isabel Mena, announced in early September that the Canaries were ready to accept refugees to the islands, stating that “no other Spanish province is as well as equipped as we are. We have the infrastructure and organisational experience that’s needed”. The know-how she refers to is regarding the large numbers of migrants who have sailed to the Islands in ‘pateras’ and other small boats from both west and north Africa since the start of the millennium. “Spain has a moral obligation to help” she said. “The refugees are fleeing the danger zones in the Middle East because there’s a genuine risk to their lives and we should offer them protection.” Given the extent of the human drama unfolding in the region, it is becoming very difficult to look the other way.

Moral duty to help others

Large numbers of people are still being left homeless and hopeless

The Spanish government has been called to draw up plans for coordinating the flow of refugees and in the coming weeks

should begin with the preparations. The Canary Islands are requesting funds that used to be obtainable for this purpose

but have been made unavailable in recent years. Teresa Berástegui, spokeswoman for the ‘Ciudanos’

residents’ group in La Laguna, has requested that the Canaries shows “solidarity” given the appalling situ-

ation that has been going on for many weeks and the effect it is having in Europe. “Residents of La Laguna and the Canarian society as a whole should not close our eyes to the wave of displaced people affected by the conflicts in countries such as Syria, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, and should instead be looking for solutions”, Berástegui added. “Also, we must pay respect to the rights and lives of others and condemn the violence”. President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, who recently attended a meeting with Spanish president Mariano Rajoy at the Palace of Moncloa in Madrid, assured the Islands that the regional government will do all it can, which was echoed by the Tenerife president Carlos Alonso and Gran Canaria president Antonio Morales. Continued on page 2

CANARY ISLANDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 0 1

Continued from front page The tide of sympathy towards the plight of so many families was perhaps best symbolised by the harrowing image of Aylan Kurdi, a small Syrian boy who was washed up on a beach in Bodrum, Turkey. Even Mariano Rajoy referred to the scene as “dramatic and appalling.” Of the approximately 40,000 refugees currently hoping to enter Europe via Italy or Greece, Spain has so far pledged to help around 2,700, and Rajoy has called on the EU to do more to help. The Spanish prime minister was quick to make the distinction between economical and political refugees, however, stating that “Europe is a region of the world where human val-

ues and liberties are at their highest and therefore we are open to asylum seekers during this troublesome period”. He also went on to say that Spain is open to sending troops to the region to help control the conflict if necessary. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel García Margallo wants to see more international pressure placed on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, for many of the greatest problems are occurring in that country. In an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt he also stated that a distribution plan needs to be worked out between all European member states, with various factors such as unemployment taken into account.

Canary Islands welcome immigrants

Arrival to an uncertain future

Nevertheless, true to the promises, as we went to press it was announced that the Canaries will admit 600 refugees within the near future. Perhaps the ‘generosity’ stems from the

fact that the Islands are all too familiar with the migrant drama unfolding. In the early 20th century many Canarians had to cross the Atlantic on dangerous boats to reach South America

EUROPE IN CHAOS

1915 Armenia, 2015 Syria?

or islands such as Cuba to seek employment and, in the last couple of decades in particular, many African migrants have used the Islands as a gateway into Europe. From the 1990s when boats initially contained mostly men - and teenage boys who were automatically allowed to stay under the Youth Protection Act - through 2005 when larger vessels started arriving with many women and children and numbers reached close to 100,000 refugees - right up to today when the flood has dropped to a trickle: there have been arrivals, but many deaths along the way. Officially, 1,770 people have drowned in the waters between the Canaries and West Africa but it is widely accepted that the actual figure is considerably higher. Spanish humanrights organisations have claimed that one in every three boats to make the journey during the previous decade

did not make it. In the past, the Islands had been overwhelmed by the onslaught of migrants, with many people angered by the lack of action from the Spanish government and the EU. In October 2006, around 20,000 people took to the streets in Santa Cruz to protest, but their frustration was not aimed at the refugees themselves, but rather the authorities. Demonstrators chanted “No to racism, yes to an Immigration Act”, recognising the importance of taking in refugees, but without jeopardising areas that are already over populated. Most at the time felt a solidarity for the many migrants risking their lives to reach Europe, but also outrage at the unscrupulous traffickers who benefitted from the situation, and the conditions the immigrants were being forced to suffer, as well as the inadequate response and aid coming from Madrid and n Brussels.

By Joe Schacher minority Armenian population in people either sympathetic to the Our continent houses 500 milWhile Greece’s economical situation becomes old news and the expected financial crash – the latest in a long series – failed to materialise as predicted, so the world’s media turns its attention to the refugee crisis in the Middle East. The appalling suffering of millions of asylum seekers from the region, particularly in Syria and Iraq, has gripped the headlines and dominated conversations in every household and workplace across Europe. The death of nearly 200 people off the coast of Libya when the crammed boat they were in capsized en-route to Italy was the latest in a series of recent refugee disasters in the Mediterranean. Thousands dice with death everyday as governments and communities bicker about what it means to them and what should be done, if anything. Are we doing enough to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself? The past century has seen countless similar conflicts and refugee crises, perhaps none more so than exactly 100 years ago. The Armenian Genocide was the former Ottoman Empire’s systematic extermination of its

what is now present-day Turkey. The total number of resulting deaths has been estimated at between 800,000 to 1.5 million. The genocide was carried out during and after World War I in two phases: the rounding up of the able-bodied male population who were either massacred or forced into slave labour, and the deportation of all women, children, elderly and the infirm. This second group were sent on ‘death marches’ into the Syrian desert by military escort, and deprived of food and water while subjected to periodic robbery, rape and execution. As the world’s media shows us similar appalling scenes occurring in the Middle East today, have we learnt the lessons of the Armenian Holocaust and countless other cases of genocide during the past century? Whilst some profit from war, others, including men, women and children, are exposed to indescribable torments - and we in Europe argue about Schengen, costs, what neighbouring countries do or do not do, and so on. And nationalist thinking has become rampant. The current refugee and migrant crisis is, regrettably, creating split camps in our communities, with

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migrants’ plight or seeing it as an inconvenience that warrants walling their country off from the outside world. However, with hundreds of thousands fleeing war zones and persecution in search of safety, this is Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II and the situation is not going to go away anytime soon. The severity of the troubles in Syria has been outlined by the UN and many international organisations. More than 7.6 million Syrians have been displaced, and more than four million have sought asylum in countries such as Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. Millions more have been left living in poor conditions with a severe shortage of food and drinking water. Every kilometre they trek is paved with dangers and scenes we couldn’t imagine in our worst nightmares. Human trading and profiteering has become commonplace in the region, with refugees forced to sell what little they own while being exposed to indescribable abuses, while here in Europe we argue about open-border legislation and the cost to our governments at home.

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lion inhabitants and the idea of accommodating a million displaced refugees – in the grand scheme of things, and while considering the appalling nature of the situation – is argued by many to be perfectly feasible. However, nationalist thinking is said to be on the rise and there are many concerned that the situation will be perfectly exploited by populists and right-wing demagogues who appeal to people’s emotions and prejudices. Again, in times of conflict and hardship, we’ve seen this happen across Europe to disastrous effect during the last century. Our history, whether in Europe or America, has been shaped by immigrants and the movement of people. Whether through exploration, industrial enterprise or times of war, people have travelled in search of something much better or to escape something far worse. With global technological advances, many now see the world as a village rather than an imposing expanse of unknown and potentially savage territories, and maybe it’s time we extend a hand to those in need rather than build walls to keep them and their inconvenient troubles out of sight. n

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CANARY ISLANDS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Superior row

Civil Guard faces jail sentence The military law applicable to the Civil Guard could see an officer based in Garachico in Tenerife land in jail for arguing with a superior. The officer is to stand trial on September 24 over the incident, and the prospect of a jail sentence has been seized on by critics of the military-style regulations to call for the Civil Guard to be treated like a police force not the army. “He is not the only person based in Tenerife to fall foul of the system, which is out of touch with the times. He will be tried by a military court for something which in any other context would not give rise to such strict procedures. The Civil Guard is a law enforcement agency and should be governed by normal law, not the Military Penal Code” said a union official. The argument arose when the officer expressed his disagreement with his duty sergeant over paperwork he was asked to put his signature to. “He did not refuse to sign but now faces a five month jail term in a military prison. It was hardly a serious offence. Under military law, he cannot have his sentence suspended, yet common criminals can have a sentence of up to two years suspended” said the official, who added that the Garachico officer’s life has been made a misery by the military court action, which has been hanging over him for a year. The case has added fuel to widespread calls for the government to amend legislation to have the Civil Guard which carries out police duties in rural areas and on the country’s main roads but has other security functions also, including at airports - run under civil regulations. Ranks in the force, which was created in 1844, remain almost n exactly the same as those in the army.

Oil giant bids farewell

Repsol rules out return The Spanish energy multinational Repsol S.A. has announced that it has no intention of returning to the area near Lanzarote and Fuerteventura to continue exploration for oil and gas following its activities in the zone in late 2014 and early 2015. Company spokesperson Marcos Fraga affirmed “We will not return to drill or conduct further surveys in this region.” This is despite still having necessary permits to conduct a second search, but the company stated that it plans to let such licences expire without investing further. The secretary for Spain’s Industry, Energy and Tourism Department, Enrique Hernández Bento, said at the end of July that Repsol’s permissions “expire in March 2016”, and

Photo: Greenpeace Kaempft

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

Repsol’s Rowan Renaissance oil platform arriving in the Islands in November 2014

with the company decided on not continuing with tests, this “settles” any controversy surrounding the project. The announcement follows

the recent vote by the Canarian Government to approve a formal proposition that urges the Spanish Government to start procedures to terminate

related permits now. During a meeting in July between government minister José Manuel Soria – who initially approved the Repsol drilling project – and Canarian president Fernando Clavijo, they both agreed that the matter is now closed and there remains no further interest to look for oil or gas in that area. However, Clavijo wants to see all permissions cancelled immediately without waiting for their expiration. This follows a long legal and political battle between the regional government and Soria and Repsol over drilling in the region. The initial announcement of the controversial project led to tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to protest, and the launch of several ongoing n lawsuits.

CANARY ISLANDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Pensioner in agonising demise

A man from the Los Gladiolos area in Santa Cruz was charged with manslaughter through neglect in late August after he apparently allowed his mother to starve to death. Having been alerted to the demise of the pensioner, when emergency services arrived at the family’s home – which was also shared by the young wife of the accused – they found the 76-year-old woman in deplorable circumstances. The deceased, lying in filthy conditions, weighed only 25 kilos, was covered in untreated sores and had evidently died from severe malnutrition. The woman had curled up in the foetal position on the bed and had obviously been neglected for quite some period of time, though no violent physical injuries were detectable. The 39-year-old son was arrested on August 27 and accused, amongst other things, of failure to render assistance in death. As a shocked public reacted to the case, details released confirmed that the defendant had applied for economic help from the local council in February of this year and had been redirected to a charity for food-aid. However, no other appeals from the family had been received until the day after the pensioner’s demise, when a request

Photo: ©www.inselteneriffa.com

Son arrested for allegedly starving mother to death

Is it the anonymity of the big city that makes such barbaric incidents possible?

for help with funeral costs was made. The deceased was said to be in entitlement of around €600 widow’s pension a month, and had apparently not been outside of the apartment in around a decade. After the discovery was made, the son was detained on remand without bail and 72 hours later was taken before a judge, who ordered his immediate imprisonment on the manslaughter charge. Though

the daughter-in-law was initially allowed to go free, she is still under investigation. “In my experience I have found that, often, for people who are out of work and have to support other family members, the only reason they collect pensions and other benefits relating to the person in need is to live off it. As to the actual care, they often have no interest or desire to undertake it” stated Francisco, a worker with the Red Cross.

It is shocking enough that there are so many abandoned and caged animals deliberately left to starve, and terrible to even think about the fact that there are many countries in the world where people live in abject poverty and starvation. Cases when people who can no longer help themselves

and are simply not found in time are also incredibly sad. An example of the latter situation happened in June of this year when a 54-year-old woman was found in her home in Arona after having taken a bad fall two weeks previously. Though help had arrived eventually, she was severely emaciated and dehydrated and was already so weakened that she unfortunately died in hospital hours later.

whether sand imported specifically would be lost regularly, in which case outer sea-walls may need to be built for protection. Depending on the size and design chosen, the investment needed is estimated at

between €41 and €75 million. Bermúdez stated: “The location is ideal as it’s just a short distance from the bus station and tram line, and already has a large car park. This is a midto long-term project to give

What kind of person could do something like this?

It’s hard to imagine the circumstances which lead to the above situations, and absolutely incomprehensible that there are people who can mistreat and even starve their children knowingly. But, certainly, the above, and someone simply letting his own mother die slowly in bed would seem to require a high degree of indifference and inhumanity. Psychologist Cristina Pérez Spiess, who holds a doctorate at the University of La Laguna in Tenerife, is very cautious on the subject, however. “Without investigation I cannot say whether this man’s judgment was limited by drugs or mental health issues so he simply didn’t realise what his mother needed - or whether he actually acted out of cruelty. In order to comment, I would have to examine him”. Nevertheless, media pictures of the conditions in which the elderly woman was found have instigated calls for an inquiry into how social services, who are said to have been contacted about the case some time ago, missed the warning signs. According to a report in the El Día newspaper, neighbours say they often heard the woman “pleading for food” but they were scared to intervene because the son was “well known on the estate as a vion lent character”.

Golden promise

A city beach for Santa Cruz Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez has announced some good news for residents and visitors to Santa Cruz: The city will hopefully soon boast its very own beach. Currently, the nearest bathing area of any standard, the popular Playa de Las Teresitas, is situated north of Santa Cruz in the district of San Andrés.

However, the newly proposed beach would be located in the area between the iconic Adán Martín Auditorium and the new Palm Gardens, close to the existing Parque Marítimo swimming pool complex. Bermúdez has commissioned architectural and engineering feasibility studies for the instalment of an area covering

between 330 and 600 metres of coastline, possibly taking in the Cabo Llanos zone. The plan is to use sand taken from the El Sauzal and Antequera ravines to form a base, then a layer of golden sand from the Sahara Desert will be piled on top to a depth of 2.5 metres. The study will thus also assess the impact of sea currents to determine

The proposed new beach

the city a beach much closer than Las Teresitas. However, it will not be completed during the current term of office” n said the mayor.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

PROMOTION

CANARY ISLANDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

The nightmare ends for Josefa

Freedom for Fuerteventura grandmother

Josefa Hernández, known as the ‘Fuerteventura grandmother’, was freed from the Tahiche prison in Lanzarote at the end of August after serving less than a week of a sixmonth sentence. Hernández was condemned to serve time after refusing to comply with a court order to demolish her house which had been built in a conservation area within the Betancuría Rural Park. Despite various failed attempts by the public prosecutor to have her sentence suspended, she eventually travelled across to the neighbouring island of Lanzarote to enter prison on August 23. The grandmother was particularly worried about going to jail as she was leaving her unemployed son, handicapped daughter and three young grandchildren who were in her charge behind, and feared that social services would take the youngsters into care. The fact that she is claustrophobic was also a factor but, luckily, her stay in prison was surprisingly brief. During her time inside, there were many public protests and demonstrations, and local and national politicians slammed the sentence. Even Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy publicly referred to the situation as unfair and

Free at last - Josefa leaving the prison in Lanzarote

The family and friends celebrated. Daughter Micaela explained “The people in the village have fought hard with us.” Josefa is overjoyed as she is welcomed back to Fuerteventura Back home to dancing, singing, and finally some fun

absurd, and a series of top level actions finally led to her being freed. The day before the Cabinet in Madrid was due to approve a government pardon, the court

in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria issued an order for her immediate release, suspending her sentence on the condition that the property be demolished within six months and that she

did not offend again within the next five years. The State government pardon was approved on August 28 and Hernández left the Tahiche prison the same day, to be greeted by family members, the mayor of Betancuría, Marcelino Cerdeña, representatives of various political parties, the platform against evictions (PAH) and the press. They celebrated her release as a victory for the family. Hernández didn’t stop smiling; she had never expected to be given so much support. She simply exclaimed “I’m super happy!” Canarian government councillor Isabel Mena met Fuerteventura’s island president Marcial Morales and Betancuría’s mayor to find a solution for the 63-year-old and her family. An apartment has been found for them, and the mayor said that “It’s important to us that the family from Campo Viejo, where Josefa has lived all her life, can

continue to live there.” Morales has also assured that the family will receive social support. Judge María Isabel Quintero, who had passed the sentence against Hernández, had refused to pardon the Fuerteventura grandmother, despite the many calls for her release. The court saw her refusal to demolish the house or even make improvements as an affront. Hernández said “I did not want in any way to risk losing my grandsons, just because the living conditions were poor.” She had previously been hoping that she would be given alternative housing, then she could have gone ahead with the demolition of the house. After the case had created repercussions in the national media, the leaders and the public spoke out. Comments such as “The Spanish State robs its people instead of helping them” were heard during a demonstration for her par-

don in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Such comments were not exactly what the political parties, especially the governing one, needed only a few months ahead of the general elections. It’s possible that this situation was partially the reason for Prime Minister Rajoy’s personal intervention. However, while there are many who have been sympathetic to Josefa’s situation, there are those with a more pragmatic stance who see her suspended sentence as giving out the wrong message. After all, the grandmother was aware that any construction to the property was not permitted yet extended it for additional space. Officials recently met regarding the disputed edifice to discuss its demolition. A similar case occurred in Gran Canaria when a former board member of UD Las Palmas football club illegally-built a property n in a nature reserve.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

CANARY ISLANDS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Caught red-handed

Paedophile arrested A quick-thinking parent holidaying in Maspalomas helped snare a German who spent his time filming young girls at the swimming pool of a well-known bungalow complex. The girl, aged 10, shared her concerns with her father about the unusual attention paid to her and other youngsters at the Campo Internacional de Golf by the fellowtourist and the angry parent confronted the man over his camera use. The German tried to make off back to his bungalow but the angry father managed to hold him in the reception area with the help of others at the complex until police arrived. The man was found to have many photos of children on his camera and a search of his laptop produced a host of explicit images of youngsters. Staff at the bungalows say the arrested man had been staying alone for several weeks and his strange behaviour had been the subject of comments by fellow clients. “Feelings were running very high over the incident and if he comes back here n he will be lynched” said one woman employee.

The Maspalomas idyll was shattered somewhat abruptly

Hackers target sex site

Caught with their pants down A group of cyber-hackers known as The Impact Team recently targeted the online dating service, Ashley Madison (www.ashleymadison.com), which potentially affects the personal lives of some 36,000 Canarian residents. Ashley Madison is a social networking service marketed to people who are married or in a committed relationship. Their slogan is ‘Life is short. Have an affair’ and they proudly boast on their home page that ‘Ashley Madison is the most famous name in infidelity and married dating’. The website was launched in 2001 and was named after two popular girl’s names, Ashley and Madison. As a dating platform, the service has over 39 million members worldwide and is used by singles and married people looking for an extramari-

Areas with a minimum of ten registered members are marked on the map

tal affair, as it bluntly states throughout their website and free app. Hackers retrieved data on global users and published an interactive map consisting of almost 50 countries. Claiming that the service’s security has always been weak, the hackers are believed to have stolen personal information from the user database and threatened to release names, home addresses, search histories and credit card numbers if the site was not shut down. An Ashley Madison spokesperson condemned the hack, calling it “cyber-terrorism” and

assured customers that they were working diligently with the authorities. Some users are said to have received extortion emails asking for payment to prevent personal data being shared. According to a report in Diario de Avisos, the information shows that 86 per cent of all members are male, and in the Canaries, 1.71 per cent of the population use the service. Seemingly in search of furtive flings, 13,646 members are based in Tenerife, 642 in La Palma, 162 in La Gomera and 81 in El Hierro. In Tenerife, most users are based in Santa

Cruz, Tacoronte, Puerto de La Cruz, Tegueste and Adeje. Gran Canaria has 17,896 users, 2,153 are in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura has 1,548 members looking for an erotic interlude. Nationwide, Madrid has 135,294 members – nearly double that of Barcelona, which records 68,513 adventure-seekers. Brazilians particularly like the online dating service, with 374,554 registered members in São Paulo alone, while New York has a user network of 268,247 and Sydney records n a total of 253,860.

Beach upgrade for San Sebastián

La Gomera image facelift San Sebastián’s beaches will now be graced with sunbeds and umbrellas thanks to permission finally being granted by the Coastal Authorities. In a series of measures to improve service and quality in the borough, extensive clean-up work has also been carried out. The mayor of the said capital of La Gomera, Adasat Reyes enthused “It’s important we listen to residents’ needs and offer concrete solutions. We all want a quality beach that is fitting for the zone”. Additionally, the area is located next to the San

San Sebastián de La Gomera’s cleaned-up coastline

Sebastián port and is the first and last impression that visitors take away with them. Councillor, Alonso Zenón, who is in charge of caring

for the area’s beaches, also announced further plans to improve the quality of the coastline around the n capital.

CANARY ISLANDS

Garbage progress for Lanzarote

Lanzarote generated its lowest garbage figure for over a decade but the authorities still want the levels to fall further.

The island’s refuse collection company has revealed that a total of 90,000 tonnes of garbage were collected last year, which

translated to an average of 456 kilos per person, taking the resident population and an average of 50,000 tourists on Lanzarote

at any one time into account. The figure is a major improvement on the last ten years or so, when global volumes in excess of 100,000 tonnes have consistently been recorded. Arrecife continues to top the list of the island’s towns in terms of garbage, producing nearly 22,000 tonnes in 2014, followed some way behind by Tías, Yaiza and Costa Teguise, with Haría propping up the table at a mere 2,880 tonnes. As usual, the biggest months for rubbish were - in order - August, July and September, all with more than 8,000 tonnes each, followed by January. The decline in garbage collected from refuse bins has coincided with a significant increase in the use of recycling bins, with the best figures also recorded for a decade. Bottle bins in all seven Lanzarote municipalities proved more popular than ever, receiving nearly 4,000 tonnes n for recycling.

Now that summer is over, watch out for a sharp rise in the number of couples separating as the long holidays take their toll on relationships. Canarian psyschologist Alma Herrero says that couples have their work cut out to prevent the strain of spending much more time together over the summer from taking rocky relationships and marriages to the point of no return. According to the Spanish authorities, around 30 per cent of all break-ups in any given year are decided upon during summer, which explains the steep increase in divorces and separations formalised in the courts before December. “It is not so much that summer is the problem but rather that spending so much time in each other’s company can often exacerbate existing problems, with

Photo: Billy Alexander/freeimages.com

End of summer sees rise in break-ups

tiny fissures becoming much bigger cracks. The rest of the year couples are otherwise occupied and let things go more readily, but in summer the sparks can fly and ignite” explained Herrero, who works

The end of summer often means the end of love

at the Hospital Perpetuo Socorro in Las Palmas. The psychologist recommends that couples should talk to each other more to reduce potential negative feelings from taking root and, if nec-

essary, to attend professional counselling. “However, this only works if there is a desire to continue with the relationship. There must be some love between the two sides for it to have an effect” she adds. n

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Campaign call

Compulsory aircraft defibrillators? A political party from the Canaries has tabled a formal motion in Parliament calling on the Spanish government to lobby its counterparts in Europe to force European airlines to carry defibrillators on board their aircraft. Canarian Coalition MP Ana Oramas recalled the tragic case of a British woman who collapsed and died on a Ryanair flight to Lanzarote to press for new rules on mandatory medical equipment on flights. Davina Tavener, 47, was travelling to the holiday island with her husband Andrew in November last year when she fell ill three hours into the flight. A doctor who was travelling on the plane fought in vain to save her and expressed surprise that it was not carrying a defibrillator. All airlines are legally required to train their cabin crew in first aid and to carry first aid kits on their aircraft. However, there is no legal requirement for defibrillators to be carried. Oramas and her party colleagues argue that flights to the Canaries involve long distances over the ocean without an available airport for rapid diversions for medical emergencies n and defibrillators are therefore even more crucial.

Photo: Keith Syvinski/freeimages.com

Life saver: a defibrillator

Mayor slams scaremongering for ‘property prices fall’ The mayor of one of the Canaries’ most important tourist areas has slammed “ill-informed” gossip for sparking fears among thousands of holiday home owners that their properties are about to be expropriated. Marco Aurelio Pérez, mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, which takes in Maspalomas, Playa del Inglés, San Agustín and other major resorts, says that the controversy over the possible loss of apartments and villas is an evil manipulation of the truth, triggered by a few who used social media to spread inaccurate information. “Some people had too much time on their hands in August to get on Facebook and used the opportunity to cause confusion and alarm. We are not changing anything here, contrary to these rumours. Residential use of properties will not be affected in any way by the changes brought in by the new letting legislation adopted at regional level” insisted the mayor as the storm grew over information circulating on many Internet sites. However, he did stress that owners who hoped the new legislation would allow them to rent out their apartments and villas on a short-term basis, as they have been doing until now without registering, have had their hopes dashed. “That is a separate issue and the government has decided that such lets are not legal in tourist areas. However, rumours that offending properties are to be seized are untrue and have served to bring uncertainty to the market, with prices falling due to the lies circulated” said the mayor in an n interview with a regional paper.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

CANARY ISLANDS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

10 year battle over

Firemen cleared of ‘breach of peace’ accusations Forty-two members of the fire brigade who stormed the Tenerife council building in Santa Cruz almost a decade ago were recently cleared by a local court of public order offences. The incident occurred when a demonstration, part of a wider protest over working conditions in 2005, got out of hand as 100 members of the Tenerife brigade, backed by dozens of colleagues from Gran Canaria, entered the building to stage a sit-in to disrupt a council meeting on the annual budget. The firemen, in full working gear, barged their way past door staff, set off flares, fireworks, smoke bombs and fire extinguishers and sounded horns and whistles in an attempt to occupy the premises and prevent the meeting from taking place. Unfortunately, at the time there were scores of children and elderly visiting the Christmas nativity scene in the building, who had to be evacuated along with council staff by the police. Though violence was of only the verbal kind during the three-hour siege, one official did require treatment for damage to his hearing after a klaxon was sounded close to his ear. A total of 38 firemen from the island and five from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria were charged with occupying the street illegally and of causing injury, but have had to wait for the final court decision for almost 10 years. The prosecution originally sought prison terms of 18 months for all the defendants, but the lengthy trial has eventually led to the firemen’s absolution. When the bitter legal dispute finally came before a Santa Cruz judge in January of this year, the firemen’s lawyer immediately filed a motion calling for the charges to be dropped under the statute of limitations. However, the judge initially dismissed the bid, pointing out that most of the delay had been caused by the constant filing of motions by defence lawyers, though the council did drop the charges against 12 of the 42 and requested a sentence of just two months for the others. Nevertheless, after a lengthy trial, and a nine-month wait for the verdict, the judge acquitted all the defendants, to the embarrassment of the corporation and prosecution service and amid cries of outrage regarding the slowness of the justice system in the Canary Islands. The final 40-page document stated that the fire-fighters were “exercising their legal right to protest” and did not use violence. It also conceded that any offences they may have committed have indeed lapsed due to the time taken to bring the case to court. The case has led to calls for the cost of the proceedings to be n calculated and published.

Lanzarote’s high-profile artist

London’s highly-celebrated Totally Thames Festival runs until the end of September, bringing the historic River Thames to life via an exciting programme of arts, cultural and river events along its 42-mile stretch. Last year’s festival saw 2.7 million people attend the event, with hopes for more visitors this year. British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor is currently there to present his piece, Rising Tide. The sculpture largely consists of four large horses and was produced in Vauxhall opposite the Tate Museum and the Houses of Parliament where it remains on display throughout the festival. This is of interest to Canarians as Taylor is currently based in Lanzarote and is the designer of the underwater museum underconstruction on the southernmost tip of the island. Taylor created the world’s first underwater sculpture park in the Caribbean, just off the coast of

On the bend

Two Civil Guard officers in Gran Canaria have escaped conviction for arranging to have their patrol vehicle hit by another car in order to get paid sick leave from the force. The pair was acquitted by a Las Palmas court not because there was no firm proof that

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The Totally Thames Festival

Lanzarote-based Jason deCaires Taylor features at the Totally Thames Festival

Grenada, and his latest work in Lanzarote will feature life-sized figures of islanders attached to the seabed, making it an ideal attraction for divers. A replica of London’s Rising Tide sculpture will also be incorporated in the underwater park in Lanzarote,

something the island councillor for tourism Echedey Eugenio hopes will bring more dive enthusiasts: “For Lanzarote, this museum brings an invaluable promotional element which will contribute to strengthening UK tourism, in particular with the increasing

amateur-diving market.” Lanzarote is keen to exploit its popularity with sports tourism and build upon the number of active holidaymakers and dive enthusiasts who travel to the island each year to take advantage of its facilities and n natural conditions.

Deliberate crash officers acquitted the collision took place but because the phone taps used to arrest them were deemed inadmissible by the judge. Both officers enjoyed a full month off work to recover from their injuries after the crash on the GC-202 road near Sardina and they tried

to obtain compensation from the force’s insurer. The court heard that they offered several petty criminals known to them €1000 to deliberately crash into them. Despite evidence presented that one of the officers was seen frequenting places used by the crimi-

nals, the case had to be dismissed given that the grounds used to request the phone intercepts that confirmed the crash arrangement were insufficient. If convicted, the pair could have been sent to prison for two and a half years for fraud. n

CANARY ISLANDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Las Mimbreras, La Gomera

The chapel in the forest By Barbara Belt There’s a small chapel tucked away in La Gomera’s Garajonay forest, a splash of white and terracotta in the deep green of the trees around it. Its steps and small square offer shelter and a resting place for passing hikers, who stop for fresh water and to enjoy the peace, quiet and beauty, with only the sounds of the stream and birdsong breaking the silence. A plaque beside the chapel door announces that Florencia Stephens dedicated the chapel to the Virgin of Lourdes in 1935, perhaps making hikers wonder. Stephens isn’t a Spanish name. Eighty years later, as on every last Sunday in August, the chapel and surrounding area filled with local people, their noise and music filling the space under the tall trees. Not much has changed since 1935. The chapel’s location at Las Mimbreras, El Cedro, ensures its timelessness. With no nearby villages, no paved roads and the area now inside the Garajonay National Park, future change is unlikely. Only Doña Florencia and the priest are portly in a 1935 photo of the chapel’s inauguration, reflecting their more sedentary lifestyles and better food. Gone are the days of up at dawn to trek through the forest to the chapel. This year, Hermigua Council and the National Park laid on transport to get everyone there without burning calories. This traditional Canarian fiesta happens because of Doña Florencia, whose story I came across when an elderly student

Florence’s Casa El Nido in El Cedro Inquisitive hikers at the chapel Casa La Paz in Hermigua At the chapel’s inauguration, with the priest on the left

of mine here in La Gomera showed me a beautifully-written notebook, made by her, his ‘earlier’ English teacher in 1932. Intrigued, I started to investigate her story. In 1919, a boat landed at the tiny, isolated bay of La Cantera on the south coast, the only passenger a ‘dark-haired, serious-looking’, young English woman in her mid-twenties, surrounded by hat-boxes, books and luggage.

Florence Stephens-Parry was born in the mid 1890s; one of three sisters. Their father was a senior British diplomat in India; their family Anglican, well-connected and liberal. At twenty-two, Florence had a Cambridge degree in Spanish and was engaged to be married. Her fiancé was sent abroad during the First World War, his letters home were full of the horrors of war. She volunteered for nursing duty at the front.

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This experience, coupled with the subsequent death of her fiancé, left Florence traumatised. It’s understandable that her life

then took such an unusual turn. Few English people today know of La Gomera, despite hundreds of flights to Tenerife, a mere

short boat-hop away. In 1919, it was another world. Florence came as governess to Mario Novarro Parodi’s

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up. The boys were sent to Italy for schooling at ten. The girls continued their education with Florence. Her schoolroom gradually emptied until, in 1933, only the youngest daughter Julia was left. Florence asked permission to take her last Novarro pupil to live and study in Hermigua with her. At forty, she perhaps craved more company, and found it in the small circle of cacique (land-owning) families there, whose children she also taught. The association with Hermigua and the mountain hamlet of

El Cedro began during family excursions from La Cantera. The arrival on horseback of the family and the English dama, with her hats, her tea at five and her silk sheets caused a sensation. Florence called the house she later built in Hermigua La Paz (Peace) and the house in El Cedro El Nido (the Nest), although both are still locally called ‘the English house’. She was a resourceful woman. Money became a problem in the early 1940s when a small annuity from England dried up. In order to maintain herself and her maid Lola, Florence struck a deal with Vicente Bencomo in Hermigua and Domingo Mendez in El Cedro. Both were local men of substance who agreed to make regular payments to Florence in return for the title deeds to her houses when she died. The houses are still property of their respective families. A British Naval destroyer sent to rescue her during the Spanish Civil War, and transport her to safe England, left without her. Florence stayed, continuing to live and teach on the island until her retirement and death in Tenerife, leaving memories of tea at five and a chapel in the forest as her La n Gomera legacy.

Florence around 1950 Arriving in La Gomera in 1919 La Cantera today

children. He was a young Italian whose family business interests had brought him to the tiny fish-processing plant at La Cantera to take advantage of the tuna runs. La Cantera was inaccessible by road

and completely isolated. He looked for a wife and, after various adventures, fell for a pretty girl from Vallehermoso and asked for her hand. Her father, alas, was unable to let her go, even to such an illustrious suitor, as her elder sister was still unmarried. Such were the social conventions of the day. I mention this because it’s relevant to Florence. The thirteen children born to his wife and his sister-in-law (who both went to La Cantera!) needed schooling. Don Mario wanted an Englishwoman and, with

the help of the Hamilton family in Tenerife, found Florence who started a new life here, far away from the aftermath of war and England. She was to stay in La Gomera for more than thirty years and died, some twenty years after leaving the island, in Tenerife. Attributed with a ‘very attractive personality’ rather than great beauty, she remained faithful to her dead fiancé. Later photos show a stately, hatted, English matron. She never lived in England again, although she visited her family from time to time, travel-

ling on cargo boats and, later, cruise ships. Back to 1919: the new governess loved her thirteen new charges and they loved her. Daily lessons in her schoolroom were at first in Spanish and then in English. Lelio Novarro, whom I interviewed when he was ninety-two, still had the impeccably plummy accent he’d learned a lifetime before as one of Florence’s youngest pupils. The lessons, picnics and excursions, all undertaken in great style, continued throughout the twenties as the children grew

CANARY ISLANDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

New charging stations in Santa Cruz

Boost my battery, please Those with electric vehicles will now be able to recharge their batteries at two new charging posts in Santa Cruz. The connection points are 150 centimetres high, 38 centimetres wide, and have a maximum current of 32 amps. One is located in front of the town hall and the other by the Local Police head office. The RVE-2 models used are very robust, elegantly designed and have a built-in safety system. The maximum charging time per user is limited to one hour: “This is enough time to charge the battery of a normal vehicle to about a third, giving it an approximate range of around 150 kilometres”, explained Santa Cruz mayor José Manuel Bermúdez at the charging stations’ opening. “We have underlined our commitment to sustainable urban development, and we’d like to see more electric cars and motor-

Beach protest in Icod The SOS Salvar la Playa (Save the Beach) group recently organised a peaceful protest in Icod de Los Vinos to call for work to start on renovating the beach and area of San Marcos, which has been left in a state of decline. Approximately 1,500 people attended the march, far exceeding the expected number of protestors, with police estimates initially expecting a crowd of half that figure. Supporters of SOS Salvar la Playa

José Manuel Bermúdez (blue jacket) at the ‘electrifying’ opening

cycles that are environmentally sound and follow EU specifications.”

In the near future the city mayor hopes to see fleets of electric vehicles touring its

streets, and is encouraging growth in this sector. A 75 per cent tax rebate is avail-

able for up to six years for sales of electric vehicles, and the city aims to also encourage the use of more electric and hybrid vehicles. Tenerife currently has only around 80 electric vehicle road users. Other than environmental considerations, eCars are regarded as having easy handling and low wear as there are no gears. This also removes the need and cost for continually replacing so many related parts. Additionally, eCars are very comfortable and can average 88 to 150 horsepower, reaching speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour. Through the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme all participating countries hope to achieve three key objectives in the fields of transport and the environment: increase the competitiveness of electric vehicles; improve energy efficiency; and improve air quality by reducing harmful

emissions. During the period of 2013 to 2020, the European Union hopes to reduce emissions by 20 per cent. For these reasons, the EU, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), contributed €22,366 to the financing of Santa Cruz’s project, with the remaining €14,911 paid for by the city council. Tenerife is definitely moving in the right direction: the island now has three charging facilities in operation, with the third located outside Unelco-Endesa’s head office. Tacoronte, Candelaria and Puerto de la Cruz all have similar posts installed but they have not yet been connected. The Tenerife Association for Users of Electric Vehicles currently has about 20 members. Anyone interested in further information on the group can n visit: www.auve.org.

SOS to Save San Marcos

Around 1,500 people attended the march in Icod de Los Vinos

are angry that plans to renovate the once popular tourist area have been constantly delayed by coastal authorities and that no information is forthcoming about official outlines and timescales. Local mayor Francis González demanded that the authorities disclose the plans, and stated to the attendees present: “Although I am the town mayor, I am here today as a resident and beach goer, and everyone in Icod de Los Vinos

is fighting for the salvation of our beach.” Among other things, the group want better security for the area, as well as sand restoration, predominantly by dredging the natural black sand from the seabed to build up the beach’s current poor state and keep the bay as natural-looking as possible – as is typically preferred in the north of the island. Volcanic black sand is also considered more compatible

with the coastline’s flora and fauna. Group representatives read out a mission statement at Icod de Los Vinos’ Plaza Lorenzo Cáceres demanding that authorities take action following a u-turn on plans to start work on the beach in March. Following that latest snub, residents rallied round and came together for over two and a half hours to protest in the town centre. The coastal authorities have yet n to respond.

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Primate research at Loro Parque

How similar are gorillas to humans? Photo: Alexander Kovalev

Marín from the University of the Balearic Islands. One exercise sees the subjects offered juices and food types that can only be consumed through a straw. Researchers hope to determine whether they Photo: Alexander Kovalev

Scientists from ULL (University of La Laguna) and the Loro Parque Foundation are working together to study the predominantly herbivorous ape that inhabits the forests of central Africa: the gorilla.

The Casa Amarilla in Puerto de La Cruz was the world’s first primate research centre

The DNA of gorillas is very similar to humans and they are the next closest living relative to us after chimpanzees and bonobos. The principal objective of the study is to determine the primates’ rate of learning and intelligence levels. Can they use objects to achieve a specific goal without first being taught? Can they create something useful from given materials? By studying the cognition, intelligence and mental processes of these primates, specialists hope to better understand the biological similarities between apes and humans. For Carlos Alvarez, professor of psychology at ULL and project manager for this study, the topic is a fascinating one. The initiative consists of a series of tests and activities to assess the mental responses of the primates using innovative instruments and to learn whether they are capable of improvising or experiencing optical illusions, etc. Studies such as this can only be carried out with the animals living under human care and supervision. The research team is working with Josep Call, director of the Wolfgang Köhler Primate Research Center of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, and also with Héctor

can feed in a way that is new to them, and how long it takes for them to figure it out. It used to be generally accepted that creativity and the ability to invent was only possible in humans, however, today we know that other species also have these capabilities and the project hopes to thoroughly study the primates’ ability to problem-solve and use initiative. Another aspect of the project is to study their visual perception and discover whether these animals perceive optical illusions at the same rate as humans. To help find out, gorillas are shown various illustrations: for example, an image with four straight lines. Researchers determine whether the subjects look at the top line longer than the subsequent lines, even though all four are the same length. Gorillas are the largest living primates on Earth and their DNA to humans differs by only 1.6 per cent. Loro Parque is home to a bachelor group of lowland gorillas, threatened with extinction in the wild. The world’s first research centre for non-human primates was founded in Puerto de La Cruz in 1913. One year later, the German psychologist and phenomenologist, Wolfgang Köhler, conducted the first series of

Like chimpanzees, gorillas are genetically similar to humans

experiments to evaluate the intelligence of chimpanzees. He was a founding father of Primatology, the study of primates, and Gestalt psychology: scientific fields which focus on the behaviour and mental processes of various species and compares the results in relation with human cognition and responses. The population of gorillas in the wild has deteriorated dramatically over the past decade with a sharp increase in deforestation of Africa’s rainforests, which has also made it easier for poachers to enter their previously inaccessible habitats. As a result, their numbers have continually fallen over recent years. Given this situation, in 2008 the International Union for the Preservation of Nature (IUCN) – also an affiliate of the Loro Parque Foundation – increased their status to ‘critically endangered’. Fortunately, the European Endangered Species Programme (EPP) is one of many projects set up to deal with the situation, and the bachelor group of gorillas at Loro Parque plays a key role in breeding programmes. Also, the research gained from Loro Parque’s innovative programmes helps support the handling of other groups in zoos and protected spaces all over the world. n

TENERIFE GENERAL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Guided walks in Tegueste

Photo: Ayuntamiento Tegueste

Tradition and nature

Tegueste offers beautiful landscapes and deep-rooted traditions

The idyllic village of Tegueste in the north of Tenerife welcomes visitors all year round and has organised a series of guided walks through its beautiful lush green countryside and historical town centre for their delight. Beautifully situated between vineyards, Tegueste nestles in the foothills of the Anaga

Mountains and this time of year is the perfect moment to discover the amazing natural scenery, wine-based traditions and stories of the past, which are the treasures of this area. Walks through the old town are on offer every Thursday, with guides in Spanish, English, German and French. They

begin at 11am and take two hours to complete, at a cost of just €2 per person. On Saturdays between 10am and 1pm and Thursdays from 10am to 6pm, the visitors centre, Casa Los Zamorano, is open and a guide is also available there on prior request. There are several themed walks also on offer through-

out the rest of the year, and they are becoming extremely popular. On September 26 there’s a moonlit dramatised journey into the past life of Tegueste. On October 24 you can join the ‘Tegueste’s Natural Wealth’ walk, or be spooky on a nighttime Halloween hike entitled Noche de Ánimas on October 31. On November 14 the walk revolves around the history of wine in the region and Tegueste after the introduction of the Denominations of Origin of local wines. On November 21 you can join the Volcanoes route. On December 12 the only walk of the month is entitled ‘The way ahead with water and wine’. For registration and more information, call 922 316 102 or e-mail turismo@tegueste.org. There’s also more information at www.tegueste.es. Tegueste has a host of delightful landscapes and secrets which are waiting to be discovered, so get your walking n boots ready!

Paper in crusade to oust government ‘squatter’ A ‘squatting’ controversy with a difference and involving a senior government figure threatens to tarnish the image of the new Canarian government. Recently-elected president Fernando Clavijo, who is from La Laguna, earned praise when he announced he would not use the official apartment at his disposal in Santa Cruz’s government building. However, his female deputy moved quickly to occupy the premises and sparked a storm of protest in the process. Patricia Hernández, 33, has just had a baby and, though she lives just a few minutes away in the Salud district of the Tenerife capital, she decided to make use of the privilege apartment, despite grumblings among senior government staff that she was not formally entitled to do so. The decision has merited considerable media attention, with one paper launching a crusade to have her evicted as a ‘squatter’. “She has no legal entitlement to occupy a home at the public’s expense. The apartment is for the sole use of the president, not the vice-president”, said the Diario de Tenerife, adding that other users of the building are furious that Hernández’s staff have virtually taken over the first floor due to her permanent n presence.

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TENERIFE GENERAL

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

NEW ATTRAcTIoN foR TouRISTS

Granadilla de Abona’s Costa Magallanes When Granadilla de Abona joined 13 other areas of the world as part of the Network of Magallanes Cities, an idea was born which will affect how the area is now seen around the globe. In August 1519, the famous Portuguese nobleman, adventurer and sailor fernando de Magallanes set sail under the Spanish flag with a fleet of five ships to discover a new spice route to Asia. At his side were, amongst others, the Spaniard Juan Sebastián Elcano and the Italian Antonio Pigafetti – a geologist and travel diarist who documented the journey. Thanks to him it is known that on october 3, 1519, the expedition anchored in the Montaña Roja bay of El Médano. He noted in his records that, after arriving in Tenerife, “We quickly found a harbour, which they called ‘Monte Rosso’, where we stayed for two days and were able to take on board water and firewood.” Pigafetti was one of the 18 sailors who returned to Spain after the trip made the very first around-the-world sailing. During the expedition, over 200 sailors died of hunger and scurvy. Magallanes himself was one of those who perished on the voyage when he was killed in 1521 at the Battle of Mactan against a Philippine native tribe led by the famous chief Lapulapu. However, thankfully for history, Pigafettis survived and went on to publish his travel diary in Venice in 1536.

Fitur attraction “With this new initiative, we draw attention to the historical past of the chasna district and will be including this focus in the canary Islands’ fitur display in Madrid next year”, explained Granadilla’s councillor for tourism María Luz fernández. Though obviously a draw for new visitors, she was keen to point out that they weren’t trying to attract the crowds and that it was mostly about the recognition of a historical event. “In this area we live by quality tourism and have no plans to become a magnet for masses of tourists. In fact, we have managed to open up El Médano to tourism whilst still preserving the fishing village atmosphere and it’s important that this should continue. “We offer a relaxed resort. Water sports are especially important to our guests, who make the best of the winds for practising windsurfing and kitesurfing. These visitors rise early in the mornings in order to catch the best waves and also go to bed around 10pm. In addition, there are many families with children who come here as the parents can enjoy a drink on the beach promenade while the kids play in the square or on the beach”, she continued. Nevertheless, the fact that a famous seafaring expedition once anchored in the bay will be acknowledged by the renaming of the coastal district of Granadilla de Abona to costa Magallanes. During fITuR, considered the most important Travel fair in Europe, the area’s other attractions, such as the strong network of hill walking trails, will also be highlighted. fITuR will take n place between January 20 and 24, 2016.

A THRILLER By cLARE MAcKINToSH

Time to move on A review by Red Hound Bookshop I let you go is the powerful debut novel from Clare Mackintosh, a former police officer turned freelance writer. The book was inspired by a real life hit and run accident that Mackintosh was involved in investigating shortly after she joined the police force. The novel kicks off with an event that changes many lives. Jenna Gray and her son are walking home from school. The son runs ahead, crossing a street he crosses every day - but it’s raining and, despite the squeal of brakes trying to grip the wet road, he’s struck and killed by a car which then leaves the scene. Already attempting to escape a difficult relationship, Jenna can’t move on from the tragedy so packs up and moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh

to move on from the hit and run accident which killed fiveyear-old Jacob. When told to close the coast, walking away from everything she knows. She slowly starts to build a new life, keeping her past secret from her new community, attempting to forgive herself and start afresh. But just as she finds romance and happiness her past comes back to derail her new life. Meanwhile, fledgling Detective Kate Evans finds it hard

I let you go is engrossing and thrilling and there’s a killer twist you won’t see coming

case months later she continues to investigate on her own, supported by mentor and boss Detective Inspector Ray Stevens. Although the child’s mother has disappeared, Kate cannot forget the broken body

of the boy and is determined to track down the driver of the car who fled the scene. It’s very interesting the way that Mackintosh decided to join together two different types of crime writing in this novel, as well as detailing the psychological impact of the crash on Jenna. The author also gives us the police procedural element as she follows the investigation carried out by Ray Stephens and Kate Evans. This makes the mystery all the more intriguing as, despite giving the reader various pieces of the puzzle, she doesn’t reveal everything. The pacing is taut, the writing is excellent and there is a killer twist which you won’t see coming. This book is a perfect sunbed read: engrossing, thrilling and at times almost heart stopping. n Bookreview by Red Hound Bookshop, Los Cristianos. See: www.libreriaredhound.com.

HEEL, Boy!

Candelaria dog hike Candelaria council is inviting you to take part in an organised doggie jaunt on September 19 – an initiative aimed at promoting dog training and theory, as well as provide canines and their owners with a fun activity to share together. candelaria mayor María concepción Brito announced that the route will depart from the Parque Recreativo de Los Brezos at 9am and interested parties should register at the

SAc office (Servicio de Atención a la ciudadanía) as places are limited. The route is open to everyone, low-difficulty, the distance is four kilometres, and it is free of charge. councillors for Health and Environmental Protection, Vaitiare Rodríguez and Joanna Guanche, both lead the initiative under the Animal Awareness campaign, and hope that pet owners will enjoy the activ-

ity and learn from the dog training and communication exercises that are included. Dog owners of potentially-dangerous breeds need to provide their licence and all other pet owners need to show their registration, which can be done on the day. The route will follow the areas of Los Brezos, Samarines, El Moralito, La Mesa, Barranco El Rincón, Barranco chacorche and Lomo del centeno.

Candelaria’s dog route hopes to raise animal awareness

for further information contact the borough council’s Health Department on 922 500 800, n extension 335.

TENERIFE GENERAL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

New classroom and memorial

Wingate’s stylish start to the year

Wingate’s stylish new exterior

The new classroom and memorial to co-founder, Mr. Green

Wingate School opened the academic year with a new modern multimedia classroom and a stylish face lift for the building’s facade. The all purpose multi-use room is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and is designed for small groups to help further their education on a one-

Wingate’s multi-use classroom is fitted with state of the art equipment

to-one level with the teachers. The classroom opens up through large French windows onto a quiet and shaded reading area, which means that the extra lessons conducted in this space will not be limited to inside the classroom. Music, art, extra English for nonnative speakers, and a quiet

additional study area for sixth form students are all envisaged to take place in this unique learning environment, which has been carefully designed by the professional IOEstudio team to optimise creativity and increase learning. “This is a small step away from the traditional age-long

concept of education and will provide an exciting way for the children to explore more ways to build on their enthusiasm for learning new things” says co-owner and son of the founders, Jonathan Green. “I am looking forward to seeing the many ways this room will be put to good use, and believe that this ties in well with the way the school is progressing: with more interactive learning and different ideas on augmenting students’ interest in lessons, whilst keeping in with the tradition and personalised teaching we are renowned for.” Set to one side of this quiet area is a memorial for the cofounder and former headmaster Mr. Green, who sadly passed away last year. It consists of a water feature and beautifully landscaped area and will be inaugurated on October 14, the anniversary of his passing. He certainly would have been very proud of this latest addition to the school which he sadly was not able to see completed during his lifetime. Mr. Green, from all the love and hard work he invested in the school to make it what it is, will always have an eternal presence at Wingate and this subtle memorial will stand as a beautin ful reminder of this.

A strange joining of forces

Volcanic cocktails The Tenerife Cabildo, via the Canarian Vulcanology Institute (Involcan) and the Canaries Barman’s Club have organised a curious initiative together which is called Volcanoes go to Bars. During this event in Puerto de la Cruz, the public has the opportunity to learn about the tourist attraction formed by volcanoes, with their visual beauty and the power of nature which they represent, while they enjoy a cocktail prepared especially for the occasion.

You can do this by trying a Volcanic cocktail, in which knowledge and innovation will be

fused with flavours and colours as exquisite and varied as the scenery in Tenerife. Each

cocktail bears the name of a volcano from the Canaries or around the world. There will be a questionnaire to complete at each of the participating establishments, and prizes to be won, until September 25. These are the Andana Beach Club, As de Copas, Blanco Bar, Bar La Volá, Café Ébano, Cafetería Cocktelería Aromas, Copacabana, Costa Martianez, Dinámico Cafetería, Iriarte Club 11 Bar, Isla del Lago, Mansion Lounge & Music, Minigolf Club, Terraza Taoro and n The Moon Tasca Bar.

Paintings and sculptures

A timeless exhibition

An exhibition of what can only be described as the most beautiful fairytale paintings and sculptures is open now at the Los Lavaderos art hall in Santa Cruz. The exhibition, called Atemporal which means timeless, by the artist Francisco Bazterrica is a retrospective one which includes some 40 works of art created during three decades between 1997 and 2015. His style is very personal, embracing magical surrealism with some ingenious and esoteric touches. His creations take us to places which could only exist in a faraway fairytale world. Bazterrica’s deep perspectives and his palette which is full of extremely luminous pastel tones have the effect of inviting the spectator to enter the subject of his work, and to directly intervene in interpreting his thoughts. With his work the author transmits a feeling that there is always hope with which we can change the environment we live in, and turn it into a place which is much more in tune with human sensitivity, putting the consumption and materialistic aspects of the last decades to one side. Francisco Bazterrica was born in Argentina, and has lived in Tenerife since the year 2000. He has created over 70 exhibitions in his home country, Uruguay, Venezuela, the United States and Spain. Additionally, he has taken part in several international fairs including Arteba in Buenos Aires, Fia in Caracas, ArtMiami in the US, and ARCO in Madrid. This beautiful exhibition is open until September 30 at Los Lavaderos in Santa Cruz, Mondays to Saturdays 11am n to 1pm and 6pm to 9pm.

TENERIFE GENERAL

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Tenerife Cabildo support

Language incentive for pupils Pupils at secondary schools in Tenerife are to be offered the chance to enhance their language skills by spending a term aboard. The island’s governing body, the Cabildo, has announced it has set aside a budget of €610,000 for 100 long-stays by 16-year-olds in Canada (35), Ireland (35), France (20) and Germany (10) for the 2016-17 academic year. The total immersion programmes will enable the successful applicants to attend local schools and live with a family in their country of choice. Demand for the coveted places is expected to be very high. Cabildo vice-president Aurelio Abreu said the scholarships, which were introduced last year, play a significant part in the corporation’s drive to improve the learning of languages among young people on the From the Canary Islands to island and help open doors Canada? A new program will n soon make it possible to a future career.

School to lose prized asset

Tug of war over painting

A La Laguna school is at risk of losing one of its most valuable assets due to a Madrid art museum’s insistence on recouping art works currently held outside the nation’s capital. The Cabrera Pinto Secondary School has been home for more than a hundred years to an award-winning painting by Eduardo Chicharro entitled The Grape Collectors, which dates back to the end of the 19th century. The work of art, awarded the National Prize for Art in 1899, was donated to the school by the now defunct Museum of Modern Art in 1906 and has hung in its corridors ever since. However, the Queen Sofia Museum in Madrid has identified it as one of the works it wants to have returned under a national scheme to bring back all pre-1950 paintings held in locations other than museums at present. News of the bid to take back The Grape Collectors has led to calls for a mobilisation by art lovers in Tenerife to block the controversial plans. The Queen Sofia is also rumoured to have identified other works of art in La Orotava town hall which it n wants returned to the Spanish capital.

Behind closed doors

Tom Jones irks TV with ban The Tom Jones concert in Santa Cruz at the end of August provided many talking points, not all of them about the Welsh star’s singing talent at the ripe old age of 75. The concert in Santa Cruz’s Exhibition Centre drew a crowd of around 8,000, many of them expats and people who flew in to Tenerife specially to see the popular artist (and, until recently, judge on The Voice on BBC), give a two-hour performance that included many of his best known hits and brought

fans to their feet on several occasions. However, not everyone was impressed on the night. Accredited media discovered that tight restrictions had been imposed on their coverage, including a ban on TV cameras from recording any of the show. According to the La Opinión newspaper, photographers were tightly supervised and initially forced to remain in a small area with poor stage visibility but were later allowed to get closer to the stage for pictures, albeit n from the side.

Photo: Marisima Communication

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

Behind closed doors

Market squabble over wine ban Santa Cruz’s main market has been hit by another row, this time following a ban on fish outlets from selling Canarian wines. The ban was introduced by the market’s management after a complaint that the stalls, which also offer fish and seafood snacks for local customers and the many tourists who visit the Nuestra Señora de Africa market every day, posed competition to the wine shop in the main concourse, which specialises in Canarian wines. “Many clients who try a portion of cooked fish or seafood want to wash it down with a glass of local wine and it is ludicrous

A wine ban for Tenerife’s most popular market?

to expect them to get up from the table and walk all the way to the wine shop to get it” said one angry stall holder.

Among the main victims of the ban is a new food outlet which specialises in exotic dishes produced using fish bought

in the market. Chef Armando Saldanha, who is from Mexico, says he is flabbergasted by the decision and says he is considering closing his popular venue due to the red tape issues. “They did the same when I began selling Coronita beer with my dishes. Immediately, the bars in the market filed a complaint”. However, bosses at the market insist that such bans are fully justified as owners who invest in specialist stalls expect to have their ‘territories’ protected and it would be wrong for all the stalls to sell the same products as it would cause the market to lose its variety and identity. n

LIVING & LIFESTYLE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

La Orotava

Over 100 companies lost in crisis Even the enchanting town of La Orotava has not been spared by the crisis

The closure of businesses in the La Orotava area has been substantial over the last six years, though on the upside there are more small and medium-sized companies opening up. These are the conclusions reached in a study carried out for the borough’s development and employment agency by the students of the UEC European University in the Canaries.

According to the review, in absolute terms there was a reduction of 116 companies in six years: a fall of 10.83 per cent, noting that the balance during the period from 2009 to 2014 showed “a clear decline in the number of businesses, in an ongoing but gradual process, though with small increases in the last quarters of several of those years.” They

concluded that the majority of these losses were probably as a result of the economic crisis which took hold over the 2008 / 2009 period. The report, which was created over a period of nine months, also reflects that the business results in the municipality were, in the majority, negative between 2009 and 2013 though noted a slight recovery in 2014 which,

it is hoped, will result in continued growth this year. It went on to say “this last increase in the number of companies could be a reflection of improved confidence in the business sector and less saving on the part of consumers, which is beginning to reactivate the economy in the borough.” By sectors, it was seen that agriculture, commerce, con-

struction, hostelry, industry and services form the basis of the 1,470 companies currently registered in La Orotava, although the majority of these are in the service and commercial sectors. The report also commented on the current business situation in the Canaries, and stated that “the main difference observed in La Orotava is that the area has

more businesses in the commercial sector compared to the Canaries as a whole, where the main industry is in the area of services.” It added that “the construction and industrial sectors also have a greater representation in La Orotava.” The study’s results were presented at an event attended by the local mayor, Francisco Linares; the deputy rector of planning and development at the UEC, Cristiana Oliveira; and various university professors, business owners and others who took part in the project. Linares said that some of the recent small recovery has been due in part to the council’s policies which have been centred on culture and generating economic activity and jobs. He confirmed that the report will be used in the council’s action strategy in n the coming years.

Arms trafficking and Possession

Three arrested in south Tenerife Officers from the Guardia Civil judicial unit recently arrested three people in Arona and Adeje who are accused of the illegal possession and trafficking of arms. The investigation, which was undertaken by the judicial

police in Playa de Las Américas under Operation Naranjero, began in the middle of August when a member of the public informed the Guardia Civil that he had found an apparently real firearm on his farm, together with other

items that included balaclavas and knives. The police determined that the firearm was an automatic submachine gun similar to those used by the Guardia Civil in the 1970s. Despite the fact that it had been unused for

some time, it had been modified, had a charger and was loaded with ammunition. The police were able to establish the name and whereabouts of its owner, who was subsequently arrested. During further investigations,

Speeding

Biker caught in radar trap Watch out for speed traps in Tenerife, because they do work. The Local Police from Santa Cruz recently caught a motorcyclist who was riding at 113 km/h on a road where the speed limit is 40 km/h. The offender was seen in Calle Punta de Anaga in the south west of the city, and was stopped nearby shortly afterwards. The 27-year-old man

had been heading towards El Draguillo. He claimed that he was a friend of the owner of the Honda motorbike he was riding. With such a great difference between the speed limit and 113kp/h, after being identified he was asked to make a declaration at the police station. He now faces a court appearance, a fine and a loss of points from his driving licence. n

the police found a second, similar gun at the home of a member of the detainee’s family, equally refurbished and ready to fire. It was also revealed the col-

lector held the title to a total of 19 firearms, and that he habitually restored and sold them to third parties. Two accomplices were also taken into custody. n

LIVING & LIFESTYLE

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Tenerife police investigate 1,200 dog owners

Wanted! Combat canines

La Laguna’s police environmental department is currently investigating 1,200 owners of potentially dangerous dog breeds that do not hold the necessary licenses. The ‘eco’ police are covering approximately twelve people per month whose animals are not legalised. In accordance with the law, certain breeds and dogs with particular characteristics must be micro-chipped and insured and never taken out in public without a muzzle and leash. The keeper of the dog must also undergo a psychological report. Accommodatingly enough, the local police give owners who do not meet the conditions a period of one month to get all their papers in order. Otherwise a fine of between €2,404 and €15,025 can be issued. Over the last three years, 29 people in the area have been reported for negligence in dealing with potentially dangerous animals. In these cases, the police have the authority to confiscate the dogs and even forcibly sterilise them. Currently, La Laguna has 1,953 dogs registered in its database that are classified as potentially dangerous. The person responsible for the investigation, Tinguaro Méndez, explained that “We are once again running targeted investigations and, on average, we are getting to about 12 or 13 dogs monthly. This is important because, though there weren’t any incidents in the first half of this year, several dogs have been involved in attacks during the last few weeks.” The first occurrence took place on August 14 at Camino Tornero, where three canines twice attacked other dogs. Several dogs were seriously injured and one died. Once the perpetrators are identified, they will be confiscated. In Camino Viejo in Las Mercedes, another dangerous dog assaulted three women in one week alone. The last of these cases involved a pregnant woman so the attack could well have serious consequences. The canine had already been reported on several occasions because of its aggressiveness. It lives on an unfenced farm, near a residential area, but the people living there deny it is their dog though they’re said to have been feeding him for the last two years at least. The investigations are still ongoing but the animal n is likely to be confiscated.

The Council Police are investigating owners of potentially dangerous breeds

Fiestas del Santísimo Cristo 2015

La Laguna and Tacoronte highlights The Feast of the Sacred Christ is one of the most important religious milestones of the year. In La Laguna on September 14 at 10.15am the day will begin with cannon shots before the city’s historically important ornamental silver cross is paraded through the centre from the town hall to the cathedral. After a later procession through the streets from 7pm, a fireworks display from the San Roque Mountain will take place around 11pm when the parade arrives at the cathedral square, giving the evening a magical ending. From September 15 to 20, all at 8pm, the Octavario is celebrated by different priests from the Diocese, accompanied by various choirs. On September 21 at 8pm, a Eucharistic celebration at the cathedral will be followed by a short procession around the plaza. For fun for all the family, the Pandorga Caballitos de Fuego from about 8pm on September 13 is a procession from the Plaza de la Concepción to the Plaza del Cristo with, amongst other characters, outlandish figures with giant heads and children carrying lights or horse figures, which anyone can join in. At 9.30pm the Traditions Night begins. The theme is a tribute to Elfidio Alonso, founder of the successful folklore group Los Sabandeños. Also appearing will be Añate, Jóvenes Cantadores, and the group Parranda Cuevas de Lino from El Batán. The climax will be at midnight

The Silver Cross is a unique art treasure that is seen once a year

Photo: www.inselteneriffa.com

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

with fireworks from the Montaña de San Roque. At 9pm on September 17 there will be a ballet performance in the Plaza del Cristo followed by demonstrations of various dance styles including jazz fusion, hip hop, funk, tango and breakdance. The following night you can catch a charity concert from 9pm in the Plaza del Cristo, and on September 19 you can dance the night away from 11pm in the same plaza. Activities for children include games on September 18 and 21, between 5pm and 7pm, and a children’s festival from 6pm on the 20th, also in the Plaza del Cristo. The final nights of the LaLaCore musical talent contest will

also take place in the Plaza, starting at 9pm on September 25 and 26. There will also be a number of sporting events and exhibitions. For the full programme see: www.aytolalaguna.es. n

Tacoronte The Fiesta del Cristo is also big celebration in Tacoronte. Highlights include the Eucharist and processions through the town centre on September 19, from 9.30pm, and September 20 at midday. On September 19 there will also be a fireworks display and dancing to live music from around midnight. Various bands will congregate in the

Plaza del Cristo at 8.30pm for a concert on September 22, and on September 23 at 7pm there will be a talent contest, also in the Plaza del Cristo. Young ones may enjoy the children’s gala on September 24 from 5.30pm with the election of the Gala Princess. September 26 sees more evening processions followed by fireworks and dancing to live music into the wee small hours. An arts and crafts fair will take place behind the town hall from 10am to 8pm on September 27, and on the 28th there are children’s games and a foam party from 5pm in the Plaza del Cristo. See www.tacoronte. es for more information. n

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FOOD

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Terraza del Botánico

My botanical destination By John How nice it is to go back to a favourite restaurant; somewhere where one knows in advance that the food will be good, the staff will give a nod and a smile of welcome, and the chef/patron will pop out from the kitchen to shake one’s hand. Such a place is Terraza del Botánico, where Julio, the chef/patron plies his trade. In a line of competing eateries directly opposite the entrance to the famous Botanical Gardens in La Paz, Puerto de la Cruz, you have to do things a bit differently to stand out from the crowd. For me, this is the reliability of the offer and the friendliness of the welcome. We often pop in for one of the famous monster burgers at lunchtime. You can choose between black Canarian pork or beef, and I am sure that you will not get a better one anywhere in Puerto. Costing €9.50 they come with a heap of salad garnish and the ubiquitous French fries. Salads, too, are splendiferous. A chunk of salmon that has been smoked, a mixture of leaves, some fruit (a little odd that, but no matter) and the usual salad accompaniments make for a plate for a trencherman, all for €11.50. Today Julio rushes out to suggest that we try his new soup, just ready on the stove. Soup? On a hot day like this? We are seduced by his cheery smile, and very soon a large bowl of his home-made chicken broth arrives. In addition to the large chunks of tender chicken, there are carrot, celery, mushrooms aplenty, beans and lots more. The heaped bowl is enough for two; it is bursting with flavour and we demolish it with gusto. Julio is branching out with some special offers, and they seem to attract a good regu-

different salads, and pasta and fish feature strongly. I have previously enjoyed a large dish of the tagliatelle with salmon and prawns (€8.50). Or, of course, you might opt for fillet steak or chicken in various guises, usually with a twist. Portion sizes are generous. Wines? Yes, there is an excellent list, with the peninsula featuring as well as a goodly selection of local ones. Perhaps the house wine needs a little work on it, though. Morning coffee, just an ice cream, lunch (a kids menu is on display), or a full blown dinner? The choice is yours and you will not be disappointed. n

lar clientele. Tonight he will be hosting an Andalusian themed evening. His young waitresses will be decked out in traditional flamenco dresses,

all red and black with a multitude of flounces. Balloons and buntings are being interwoven across the parasols. All the tables, inside and out, are

booked in advance for these special events. He tells us that there will be three starters (you get all three, not a choice of just one) consisting of cold cuts of Ibérico meats, homemade gazpacho, and prawns from Huelva (the best and most succulent). Main courses are to be hot Ibérico pork with a red-wine gravy or a thick slice of fresh tuna, seared just so. Both will be served with appropriate veg-

etables. And to finish, if you have room, a selection of desserts. But back to the day-to-day offerings. Do you want to start with home made croquetas (€5) or ensaladilla of prawns (€5.50) or a choice of very tasty Montaditos (€5)? If that sounds expensive for a Montadito, believe me that it is not; they come with pate, or brie or fillet steak, all garnished. There is a whole section devoted to

La Vinoteca CC Canary Center, Local 18, La Paz. 38400, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Tel: 922 380 176 Open: Mon to Sat 12 noon to 2pm and 7pm to 11pm (or later if very busy!). Closed Sun lunch. Loo Score: 6/10

020

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 & 23

Pages 24 & 25

Page 26 & 27

Page 28

WOrkShOPS AND CONCerT

Gospel concerts tend to abound towards the end of each year here, but lucky fans now have an opportunity to take part in an educational taster of what’s to come in December’s Canaries Gospel Festival. The Teatro Leal in La Laguna will be hosting a two-day event which features workshops and closes with a magnificent concert. These will be organised and directed by Spain’s Gospel maestro Moisés Sala and will feature the Gospel Viu Choir. The thrilling musical itinerary will incorporate highlights from last year’s festival. Also known as spiritual or evangelical music, the origins of gospel as we know it today are said to come from AfroAmerican churches around the end of the 18th century. What makes the distinctive sounds recognisable is the dominant use of choirs and harmonies, and the celebration of religious

Photo: Tim & Annette / FreeImages.com

Get ready for Gospel

Gospel music is incredibly happy and upbeat

beliefs in a happy, enjoyable and upbeat manner. There was originally a barrier between black and white gospel, in line with the separation between the churches in America. Nowadays, however, many of those prejudices have disappeared and, especially since the introduction of radio in the 1920s, gospel has become increasingly

popular, even amongst those who are not of the Christian faith. Traditionally, it is performed by a choir, with one or two strong soloists. Over time, many subgenres have emerged, such as black gospel - based on African rhythms - reggae, modern and Progressive Southern. Today’s choral gospel breaks the previous conservative

boundaries, mixing regular styles and rhythms with other genres such as funk and blues, and, as ever, seemingly boundless energy. If you would like to learn more, you can join the choral music workshops offered by Moisés Sala on September 26 from 9.30am to 2pm and 4pm to 8.30pm, and on September 27 from 9am to 1.30pm at the Teatro Leal in La Laguna. The cost is €35, or €25 for students and the unemployed. Alternatively, you can see the concert by the Star D Choir which takes place on September 27 at 8pm at the same theatre. Tickets for this cost €10. See www.teatroleal.com n for more information.

HOLIDAY GUIDE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

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

Los Gigantes

summer solstices. See: www. piramidesdeguimar.es

Santa Cruz

Playa de Las Américas

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.

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

Puerto de la Cruz 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.

Fañabé

La Orotava 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-

Adán Martín Auditorium

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)

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 and a small harbour.

Photo: Jordi Verdés Padrón

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.

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.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

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

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

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.

El Hierro

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.

HOLIDAY GUIDE

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

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-

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

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.

HOLIDAY GUIDE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

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

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

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

Taxis: (0034) 922 747 511 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.

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.

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.

Santa Cruz de La Palma

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

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 021

HaRD ROCk Cafe

More than rocking!

Make the most of all your nights at Hard Rock Cafe Tenerife

There’s another exciting month of live music, DJs and fun events on the go right now at Hard Rock Tenerife in Las Américas.

as well as the regular Top after Work sessions starting at 6pm on September 16 -18, 22 – 25 and the 30th, there’s something

TeneRife auDiTORiuM

Opening opera

to do on every night of the week – all you have to do is choose. Some of the highlights, all taking place between 11pm

and 3am, include a lollipop party on the 12th with a DJ set and skaters; an R&B bash on the 19th; and the Jackson’s celebration with DJ set and Michael Show on the 25th. for metal fans there’s the Metallica night on the 18th and an aC/DC party on the 26th with special DJ shows and no doubt some serious head banging. for those fancying something a little more laid back there are two acoustic sessions, on the 23rd and 30th, from 9pm to 10.15pm. Then there are the delicious sounding Martini Mondays and Tiki Tuesdays and much, much more. See: www.hardrock.com/ cafes/tenerife/ for a monthly list of events, phone: 922 055 022 or call in to see them from midday onwards at the piramide de arona, avenida de n las américas.

JuMp fOR JOy

Adeje children’s activities School may be back but there’s still plenty of time to fit in some fun for the younger members of the family, especially if you are in the Adeje area. The main town square in armeñime will have bouncy castles and games on September 19. The frolics move to the los Olivos plaza on September 21 and then fañabé plaza on September 29. all of the activities start at 5pm and are free to join, so just take a trip down with the kids and make an evening of it. The pastimes are part of the borough’s ‘fiestas lustrales’ which will include various processions and other events. See: n www.adeje.es for more information.

Photo: fckw Freeimages.com

San Miguel

guía De iSORa

Shop and see

Fiesta fun The biggest fiesta of the year in San Miguel de Abona, in honour of the patron San Miguel Arcángel, will take place in the second half of September. The programme includes plenty of activities such as exhibitions, live music and sports, with the main event, the Romería with pet and livestock contests and parades, being on September 29. See: www.sanmigueldeabona.es for full information, and our n What’s On page for further dates.

The San Juan and Alcalá markets are well worth a visit

Contest, and the operas begin on October 22. it is also time to get your season tickets for the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra winter run which starts on October 1 and goes on right through to June 25, 2016. There are discounts available for students and large families among others, however if you take advantage of these you’ll need to take identification with you to the performance. for more information see www. auditoriodetenerife.com. n

and start to pack up from 1pm onwards. They sell a range of goods that include clothes, bags, gifts, handmade crafts and local produce, as well as offering a variety of charity and book stalls. They are also a good excuse to visit the local area where you will find plenty of bars, restaurants and shops plus some delightful coastal walks, so you can not only grab yourself a bargain but there is plenty to do for a whole day out. See: www.guiadeisora.org for more information. n

Dog Days in The Fortunate Islands A new life in hidden Tenerife By John Searancke

A series of adventures that you won’t want to miss! On the brink of

Photo: Sanmigueldeabona.es

The time has come to get your tickets for Ópera de Tenerife at the Adán Martín Auditorium in Santa Cruz, with great discounts available. The wonderful operas coming up this season include Mozart’s The Marriage of figaro, Massenet’s Werther, Haendel’s Rinaldo, Verdi’s The Troubador, and Donizetti’s Mary Stuart, about the intriguing Mary Queen of Scots. The opening event is on September 19 with the Tenerife international Opera Singing

There are a multitude of good reasons to visit the area of Guía de Isora in the southwest of Tenerife, including the excellent permanent weekly markets in Alcalá and Playa San Juan. The alcalá market takes place on Mondays in the main square (plaza del llano) of the village of the same name, next to the sea. The San Juan market is on a Wednesday by the church in the centre of the town (plaza de la iglesia). Both of them are usually up and running by around 8am

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

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

HOLIDAY GUIDE SPIN NEWS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Güímar

Open Fotosub Tenerife 2015 This year’s Open Fotosub Tenerife Güímar will take place between October 23 and November 8. For the important annual event for underwater photographers from all over Spain and Europe, images must be taken during dives in the municipality between the dates of the competition. There are four categories in the contest: professional photography; beginners; video; and a new section for this year’s contest, Actioncam, for which the company Magix will provide a special editing programme for this type of camera, solely for taking part in Fotosub. Güímar is known as one of the best places in the Canary Islands for diving, and the aim of the contest has always been to create interest in Tenerife as a key destination for the sport on both a national and international level. The competition, which has as main sponsors MARES and Scuba Schools International, also has the collaboration of the Tenerife Cabildo and the German Federation of Sub-Aquatic Activities (VDST). It is open to all submarine photographers with diving qualifications. Organised dives will take place between October 23 and November 8 and the magnificent locations will be El Puertito de Güímar, Punta Prieta de La Caleta, La Caleta (Playa Chica), Los Barrancos and El Tablado. The jury will meet on November 11, and prizes will be presented on November 14. With the theme Güímar bajo el agua (Güímar under the water), the event is organised by the Ecological Divers Club and School led by Frank Pocze. The registration period for the event is now open and those interested have until October 21 to sign up. For full registration information see: n www.fotosub-guimar.com.

Fito y Fitipaldis

Adeje rocks to pop October is a month of fiestas in Adeje and amongst the many wonderful activities is the yearly concert organised especially for the festivities. This year is no exception to the great names that have taken to the stage, with Spanish poprock group Fito y Fitipaldis providing this year’s great music. Heading the band of musicians, Fito, whose real name is Adolfo Cabrales, was born in 1966 in the Bilbao neighbourhood of Zabala. With a love for rock music which began in his childhood, in 1989 he hooked up with three others to form a group called Platero y Tú. Their first disc, called Voy a acabar borracho was released in 1991. They were inspired by groups such as the Rolling Stones, Status Quo, AC/DC and John Fogerty, and their lyrics spoke of bars, love, drugs, and rock and roll - and throughout the 1990s the band became one of the most popular rock groups singing in Spanish.

However, by 1999 Fito was composing songs that didn’t fit well with the original group so he created his own band, calling it Fito y Fitipaldis, and unleashed his passion for rockabilly, rhythm and blues, swing, jazz and the sounds of the south. By 2001 they had released two albums, one of which, called

Poesía Básica, with lyrics by the poet Manolo Chinato, became a gold disc. In 2006 the now extremely popular group released the album for which they are perhaps the most famous, Por la boca vive el pez - which became a double platinum disc within 15 days and topped the Spanish charts for several weeks.

At the same time, Fito was awarded for the best song and rock album, and within a very short period the disc hit triple platinum. Several awards, many concerts and ten years later, Fito y Fitipaldis will be presenting their latest and sixth studio album, Huyendo conmigo de mí, at a concert at the Adeje Football Ground on October 10 at 10pm. And for double the fun, singer songwriter Pedro Pastor will start the night with his own set at 9pm. Tickets, priced from €32, are available from www.ticketmaster. es, El Corte Inglés and other usual outlets. Fito y Fitipaldis consists of Fito Cabrales on vocals and electric guitar; Carlos Raya on acoustic, electric and steel guitars, harmonies and production; Alejandro Climet on bass; Daniel Griffin on drums; and Joserra Senperena on the Hammond organ, piano and n harmonies.

Bernarda Alba

A hymn to human freedom This year, the Delirium Theatre group celebrates 20 years on stage, and they are going to do it the best way they know how. They’ve chosen a very special play by an illustrious author - La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca. This is like a song of freedom, a work about women in which some of the great injustices, which sadly still affect many, are shown. The play mixes intolerance, violence, sex and death at a rhythm which approaches that of a suspense story or a thriller. In this sense, Lorca’s work was considered prodigious, and very close to today’s situation where people have become accustomed to seeing such real, everyday

inequalities reflected in all kinds of media. Delirium Teatro’s staging of the play seeks to surprise with a crude and intense treatment which expresses all the violence which history contains. It also highlights how a dramatic game traps the younger mem-

bers of society who are bombarded with negative images. The aim is that no-one in the audience is left feeling indifferent and it achieves its goal. Bernarda is an authoritarian mother with strict moral values. After her husband died, she made her daughters mourn him

for eight years, forcing them to suppress their desire for love and freedom. Trapped within the four walls of the house, maintaining a hypocritical pretense of harmony, they are seen to be perturbed by the presence of a man, Pepe El Romano, for whom they are prepared to die and kill. The house becomes a prison where the hellish repressive atmosphere evolves into a type of madhouse. Finally, this extreme repression ends in tragedy. La Casa de Bernarda Alba is a hymn to human freedom. You can see this moving play at the Teatro Guimerá in Santa Cruz on October 3 at 8.30pm. Tickets cost €12 to €18 and are available from the box office or www.tomaticket.es. See www. n teatroguimera.es.

HOLIDAY GUIDE WHATS ON 2015

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

August – September

September

GRAN CANARIA TENERIFE

DIARY DATES

DIARY DATES September 13

September 10

6pm: Zumba on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana.

9pm: Concert with Enamorarte, Kike Pérez and Aarón Gómez, Fiestas del Cristo, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

September 11

All day: Traditional fiesta and unusual fishing competition, La Aldea de San Nicolás. 8.30pm: International Clown Festival, €10, Teatro Güiniguada, Calle Mesa de León, LPGC.

5pm - 7pm: Children’s workshops, games, bouncy castles, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

5.30pm: Band procession, followed by a concert by renowned local groups and bands, Free Entry, Plaza de la Luz, Los Silos. 8pm: Colourful Caballitos de Fuego procession from Plaza de la Concepción to the Plaza del Cristo, giant ‘big heads’, bands, followed by a folklore concert and fireworks at midnight, Free Entry, La Laguna.

September 14 11pm: Firework display from the Montaña de San Roque, La Laguna.

September 12

September 17

5pm: VIII Winds of Rock Fest, Live solidarity concert, Parque Urbano, Arinaga.

5pm-7pm: Children’s games, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

September 17 8pm: Gabri Serrini, acoustic music, NYC Taxi, Free Entry, Numancia 25, LPGC.

9pm: Adelante Gala in aid of Leukaemia, Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, Santa Cruz. www.auditoriodetenerife.com.

9pm: Dance exhibition and show, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

September 18

9pm: Tango music concert, Teatro Leal, La Laguna, 922 265 433.

8pm: Sobre la Marcha Unplugged, acoustic, NYC Taxi, Numancia, 25, LPGC.

All day: Boreal festival, environmental day with music and activities, Los Silos. www.festivalboreal.org.

9pm: Ana Belén and Victor Manuel, famous Spanish pop and ballad singers, Gran Canaria Arena - c/ Fondos del Segura, LPGC.

5pm-7pm: Bouncy castles, games, children’s workshops, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

9pm: La Chica de Ayer, tribute concert, Teatro Victor Jara, €8, Vecindario, Santa Lucía de Tirajana.

September 20 12pm: Cantajuego, musical participative show for parents and children, some Spanish necessary, Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, Santa Cruz. www.auditoriodetenerife.com. 6pm: Children’s festival, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna. 7pm: Music Band Contest, Cultural Sports Centre, Fiesta activities, San Miguel 8pm: Women – Voices of the World, concert headed up by singer Claudia Álamo and timple player Beselch Rodríguez, €5 - 10, Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, Santa Cruz. www.auditoriodetenerife.com.

September 21 5pm: Bouncy castles and children’s games, Free Entry, Los Olivos Plaza, Adeje. 5pm-7pm: Bouncy castles and children’s workshops, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

September 25 9pm: Election of Romera Queen, Cultural Sports Centre, Fiesta activities, San Miguel

September 27

9pm: Charity concert, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

10pm: Sex Sodio Sullivan, La Ciudad Púrpura, Mr Market DJ, Mojo Club, Plaza de la Música (next to the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus), LPGC.

September 19

September 19 5pm: Cantajuego, musical participative show for parents and children, some Spanish necessary, Gran Canaria Arena - c/ Fondos del Segura, LPGC. 7pm: Mujercitas, pop tribute to Barricada, NYC Taxi, Numancia, 25, LPGC. 8.30pm: Víctor Lemes, concert, local singer/ songwriter, €12, Centro Cultural de la Caja de Canarias, Alameda de Colón, LPGC. www.generaltickets.com. 10pm: Solo Keda Bailar, El Especialista Manel Ruíz, Mojo Club, Plaza de la Música, (next to Alfredo Kraus, LPGC.

September 20 6pm: Zumba on the beach, CC Anexo II, Playa del Inglés, San Bartolomé de Tirajana. 7pm: Timple & Bohemia, concert, Teatro Güiniguada, Calle Mesa de León, LPGC.

EXHIBITIONS Until September 15 Africa, renowned local artist Pepe Dámaso, Monday to Thursday, 8.30am- 3pm and 4pm6.30pm, Fridays, mornings only, Casa África, C/Alfonso XIII, 5, LPGC. www.casafrica.es.

12pm: Romería (Folk and animal parade), Starts at the Cooperative, San Miguel

9pm: Efecto Pasillo concert, fusion of reggae-pop, bachata and samba-pop, €12 - 18, Magma Art & Congress Centre, Costa Adeje. www.tenerifemagma.com.

Every Tuesday and Thursday Bridge Club in Los Gigantes. Residents / visitors / partners / individuals all welcome. Call Liz: 922 867214 or Margaret: 922 857817

9.30pm: Jazz Experience Quartet, AC Equipo Para, 4 C/La Marina, Santa Cruz. 10.30pm: End of summer street party, dancing and live music, Free Entry, Calle El Olivo, Los Silos.

September 12 9am – 8pm: Guanche culture day, games and traditional folk music, in celebration of the island’s aboriginal heritage, Free Entry, Plaza de la Luz, Los Silos. 10pm: Religious procession accompanied by the Silense drums and trumpets band, followed at midnight by a street party with live music from El Morocho, Free Entry, Plaza de la Luz, Los Silos.

All day: Boreal festival, environmental day with music and activities, Los Silos. www.festivalboreal.org. 8am: John Lowe charity golf day for breast cancer charity Ámate, barbecue, raffles, prize auction, Amarilla Golf, San Miguel de Abona, 922 729833. 5pm: Bouncy castles and children’s games, Free Entry, main square Armeñime, Adeje. 8.30pm: International Opera Singing Competition, Auditorio de Tenerife Adán Martín, Santa Cruz. www.auditoriodetenerife.com.

From 12 noon: Parades, concerts, children’s workshops and bouncy castles, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

9pm: Concert, Ana Belén and Victor Manuel, famous Spanish pop and ballad singers, €27 - €45, Pabellón Insular Santiago Martín, Los Majuelos, La Laguna.

September 13

9.30pm: Renacer Folk Festival, Cultural Sports Centre, Fiesta activities, San Miguel

9am – 5pm: Craft fair, Guía de Isora. www. guiadeisora.org.

11pm: Street party with live music, Free Entry, Plaza del Cristo, La Laguna.

Wednesdays and Fridays Bridge Club in Los Cristianos. Call Jean: 922 722040.

EXHIBITIONS Until September 20 El Silencio Interior (The silence inside), paintings and sculptures, selection of Canarian artists, Casa de Piedra, Garachico, Monday to Saturday, 11am – 4pm.

Until October 4 Museum exhibition – Guanche Women, the life and times of the aboriginal females of Tenerife, Museum of Nature and Man (MNH), Santa Cruz, Tuesdays to Saturdays, 9am - 8pm, Sundays, Mondays and bank holidays, 10am - 5pm, Free entry. www.museosdetenerife.org.

For regular church, charity and recreational events, please see: www.islandconnections.eu/1000003/1000027/0/41004/living-lifestyle-article.html

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

MUSIC

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

THE QFM MUSIC REVIEW – YOUR GUIDE TO MUSIC CREATED IN THE CANARY ISLANDS

The timple habitat

ian instrument being used in modern fusions, this album will not disappoint. Particularly as Beselch has placed both of his albums on his website, www. beselch.com, as free downloads! Also listen out for his n music on Qfm 94.3.

The timple is a small Canarian guitar, resembling a delicate sounding banjo-like instrument, which has been part of the archipelago’s folkloric culture for over two hundred years. A handful of musicians within the last two decades who mastered this instrument for traditional Canarian music made the choice to integrate it into other music, and one of those is Beselch Rodríguez. Born in La Laguna in 1984, at just 12 years of age Beselch

Tracklist: joined the Agrupación Folklórica El Moral de Geneto, playing as one of a dozen or so timplistas. In the year 2000 he won an award from the Canarian Government in the Youth and Culture initiative, and in 2009 released his first album,

In-diferente, under the Multitrack record label. This debut album was a fresh, jazzy fusion of Canarian and World styles, and was a milestone in his career which opened many doors, both within the islands and on the international arena. So it’s

no surprise that the second album, Habitat, follows on with the same creativity and enthusiasm, topped off with a natural evolution. The disc contains ten tracks, including a rather intriguing jazz-folk version of Michael Jackson’s Human Nature.

Guest artists include Chago Melián, Esther Ovejero, Kepa Junkera, Olga Cerpa, Ignacio Fernández, Rogelio Botanz, Claudia Álamo, Bis González, Ventor de la Guardia and José Luis de Madariaga. If you are intrigued by the idea of this traditional Canar-

1. Laurisilva 2. Polcas 3. Planeta Agua 4. Sorondongo 5. Hierro 6. Bulereña 7. Human Nature 8. Toss The Feathers 9. La Llave del Pecho 10. Tierra de Papel

SPOTLIGHT

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Spotlight on Miguel Fernández Sánchez-Barbudo

The science of sexology Human sexuality and its complexities have been the subject of many studies and applied sciences and most people can relate to the odd emotions, urges and drives that cause us to act out-of-character. Sadly in some cases, this can lead people to inflict harm on others. The confusing needs and evolution of our sexuality don’t seem to become clearer with time, so understanding this emotional minefield is an ongoing process. However, with the correct education, treatment and therapy, individuals – and society as a whole – can enjoy healthier, balanced relationships and encounters. This is vitally important today given that popular culture is saturated with over-sexualised imagery and pornography, altering our expectations of sex and its nature. Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including interests, behaviours and function. Miguel Fernández Sánchez-Barbudo has worked in this specialised field for the Canarian Health Service for nearly 30 years. A qualified biologist and clinical psychologist, Miguel’s drive and passion have opened up the confusing world of sexual issues here in the Canary Islands. Miguel studied biology at La Laguna University and whilst working there realised psychology was a field that interested him: “There I was, scalpel in hand, studying the nervous system and cerebral activity of lizards, when I asked myself – do I really

An example of Miguel’s clothingrange, La Bête, which incorporates his shoreline photography The Boy from Brazil – the haunting look in his eyes always reminds Miguel of his commitment to humanity Miguel in his office at the Ofra Health Centre

want to do this for the rest of my life? What about working with people?” On top of his research responsibilities at university, the 21-year-old biologist signed up for a degree in psychology. Such was his enthusiasm for the subject, he completed five years of study in only four and upon graduation was offered employment within the faculty. During this time he wrote a thesis on the ‘sexual scripts’ people tend to follow and studied how heterosexuals, homosexuals and bisexuals act in two situations: flirting/courtship and sexual union. However Miguel found university politics “medieval” and moved into the public sector, initially working in a centre for abused women in Santa

Cruz before joining the Spanish Health Service. Assigned to the Family Planning Clinic, Miguel quickly realised the focus was seriously off track as the majority

of his patients were older people. On studying clinical cases he found that only one per cent of the patients were aged 20 or younger. Miguel’s firm belief that targeting adolescents and young adults would help get to the root of problems at an earlier stage led him to highlight young people’s needs, and within three years the figure of under-20s receiving consultation rose to 33 per cent. For Miguel, one of the biggest problems is education. He heavily criticises the fact that sex education was removed from the Canarian school curriculum 10 years ago. He continues to campaign for its reintroduction, as the lack of professional teaching in this area is leading youngsters to turn to pornography as their only font of sexual education. He is also very critical of the

judicial system and how it can discriminate against victims in sex-abuse cases. In 2010, Miguel and several colleagues prepared a 300 page assessment guide for family doctors and paediatricians to identify potential sexual issues such as abuse (both victim and aggressor), dysfunction, addiction, orientation and transgender. The authorities chose not to publish it as they believed it would create more demand than they could handle. However, the team have recently been asked to submit a revised edition of the programme and Miguel is hopeful it will finally be published and distributed throughout the medical world. He also developed and presented Doctorate Courses on Sexuality for over 10 years, working with the renowned

Professor Manuel Mas and the International University Menendez Pelayo. Given Miguel’s passion and approach to what were once ‘taboo’ subjects, issues such as transgender were finally recognised by the Spanish Health Service in 2010 and related programmes approved; prior to this Miguel had already been working with transgender patients for some15 years. Miguel continues to counsel people with sexual dysfunctions, addictions and abusive tendencies, and in 25 years he has helped more than 8,000 people. He also provides psychological assessments for court cases from his office at the Ofra Health Centre near Santa Cruz. When asked what led Miguel to specialise in sexology, he said: “It’s been a mixture of nature and nurture. Childhood experiences definitely left their mark. I inherited my drive, ability for hard work and honesty from my father. My love of art and literature comes from my mother who also said I was extremely passionate and very intuitive, and over the years I have realised just how right she was!” A calm, refined man with an impressive library of books, music and artwork adorning his home, Miguel compliments the “intense and sometimes difficult” nature of his profession with photography – a soothing, creative ‘yin’ to his harsher, occupational ‘yang’: “Photography inspires me enormously. There are many images that have impacted me. The photo of a young street urchin that I took in Brazil many years ago still haunts me. The look in his eyes shows a distinct heaviness and lack of hope, as if he is carrying a weight that no person, especially a child, should ever have to experience. He reminds me of my purpose, my commitment to humanity.” Miguel has a particular fascination with the beaches of North Tenerife and for three years captured reflections in the mirrored sand on camera. This led him to design his own clothing-range called La Bête which incorporates n the images.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

BLEVINS FRANKS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

New EU Succession Regulation affects British expatriates in Spain By Paul Montague, Partner, Blevins Franks

A new EU regulation on succession came into force on August 17, 2015. British expatriates living in Spain need to understand how it affects them. They may need to take action to ensure their assets are distributed to their heirs according to their wishes. European Succession Regulation EU650/2012, known as “Brussels IV”, standardises the law of succession across the EU, to simplify and lower the costs on cross border succession issues. It allows individuals to opt for the succession law of their country of nationality to apply instead of that of their country of residence. Brussels IV applies to all EU member states except the UK, Ireland and Denmark, who have opted out. UK nationals living in Spain can still opt for UK succession law to apply on their death.

The default position and most important criterion is that the law of the state in which the deceased was “habitually resident” at the time of their death applies to succession of assets located across the Brussels IV zone. However, an individual can elect to apply the law of their nationality to all their assets across the zone. This selection must be made before death, through a statement in their will or a similar document.

Spanish succession law Spanish succession law restricts your freedom to leave assets to anyone you please. It requires a parent to leave two-thirds of their estate to their children, even bypassing their spouse. Of the rest of the assets, only one third can be freely disposed. However, property owned by foreigners can be disposed of according to the law of their country of nationality, providing they have an existing will. If they die intestate, Spanish law will apply.

“A new EU regulation on succession came into force on August 17, 2015. British expatriates living in Spain need to understand how it affects them.”

Under the new EU Succession Regulation, the default position is that Spanish succession law will apply to your estate in Spain, unless you have expressly stated otherwise. So if you do not have a valid will or similar which states that you have chosen UK law to apply on your death, your estate may be distributed according to the restrictive Spanish law.

Succession tax The Succession Regulation does not apply to tax laws. Therefore, if you are resident in Spain at the date of your death or if you have assets in Spain, Spanish succession tax rules will continue to apply. Additionally, if you remain UK domiciled, your worldwide estate remains subject to UK inheritance tax.

Succession planning For a family, ensuring that assets pass to the right beneficiaries at the right time, with the minimum of administration or taxation, can be a complicated pro-

cess. It is important to undertake a succession planning health check, with help of a specialist wealth manager. You want to ensure that your estate is distributed according to your wishes, with no necessary complications and costs, and with as little inheritance taxes as possible. At Blevins Franks we structure our clients’ estates to achieve their goals, and to reduce the tax bill and make the inheritance process as easy as possible for their heirs. 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 021

rAcInG AheAd!

Photo: Stephen Warner

Tamaimo uphill rally

An action shot from a previous rally

The excitement is building as preparations begin in earnest for the popular Tamaimo rally which will take place on September 25 and 26. The event has been brought forward a week compared to last year as it clashed with others on the same dates, leading to safety concerns, but the ball is now firmly rolling and the considerable task of organising one of Tenerife’s biggest rally draws of the year is now underway. The so-called subida a Tamaimo attracts thousands of spectators from around the Islands and the santiago del Teide valley positively booms with the sounds of the crowds and engines as more than 100 competitors race up the steep

and winding road from the Los Gigantes crossroads to the village of Tamaimo. Incredibly, this is the 41st time this yearly event will take place. The very first Tamaimo uphill rally was held in February 1973 on a cold winter’s day. The winner of that challenge was eugenio Montoro in a Lynx Formula 1.4, with the victors of the three successive years, Jose canela and hilario Gomez, choosing to also drive cars based on the same chassis. The 1980s were an exciting time for the race, with the first win at the hands of Andres Medina in a 1430 seat 1.8, while a Lola T297 BMW took Juan Fernández to the first of his five victories, three of which

were in a row (1981, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1990). The 1990s also saw drivers win on multiple occasions. Avero ricardo took the first of his seven wins in 1994, something he repeated an impressive five more times in the same vehicle: A Lola T298 (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003), plus a victory in a citroen Xsara in kc in 2005. The 2002 and 2003 seasons were the first when the scores went towards the national uphill rally competition, with roberto Mendez and Luis Flores, respectively, taking away the all-important points. since then the competition has gone from strength to strength, but the ongoing history of the event is down to one local

group of enthusiasts. organisers for the previous nine years, elvis PJ, announced in 2003 that they were pulling out, which could have meant the finishing line for the race. The following year the event was organised by the Tenerife motorsport federation, but not to any great success, so, with the support of the borough’s mayor, don Juan Gorrin, into the breach stepped a number of drivers and fans from the santiago del Teide area to form Tomacan racing, which promptly became the escuderia Barliamotorsport group with president Guillermo evora still holding the reins today. The first year the novice organisers took over was certainly a test of their abilities but, lucky for participants and enthusiasts alike, their determination to continue means that one and all can look forward to another wonderful weekend of rallying in the southwest of Tenerife. The cars will be on show in Puerto santiago from the afternoon of september 25 with the TF-454 road to Tamaimo being closed for the race the next day, usually from around 8.30am. see: www.subidaatamaimo.net for the latest updates nearer the time, or email: barliamotorsport@hotmail.com for more n information.

Mercedes

On the mark Mercedes-AMG is setting a further landmark in the brand’s history: the new C 63 Coupé is the next step on the way to yet more technical and visual distinctiveness. The far-reaching technical modifications are evident at first sight: strikingly flared front and rear wheel arches, an increased track width and larger wheels give the coupé a muscular look while at the same time providing a basis for the highly agile longitudinal and lateral dynamics. The brand’s typical driving performance is also taken to new heights with the c 63 coupé. The AMG 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine with 350 kW (476 hp) or 375 kW (510 hp) is just as much a completely in-house development from Affalterbach as, for example, the sophisticated AMG ride control suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers, the set-up of the AMG dynamic select transmission modes, the rear-axle limited-slip differential or the dynamic engine mounts. The c-class is Mercedes-AMG’s best-selling model series and forms the backbone of the company’s success. since its launch in 2011, the coupé version has steadily gained in significance, culminating with the c 63 AMG coupé Black series. The Mercedes-AMG c 63 coupé will celebrate its world premiere on september 15 at the Frankfurt International Motor show (IAA). The market launch will begin in March, 2016. n

TenerIFe MoTor Week

Not over yet The event will now take place in March or April next year

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outstanding annual event for the whole family, so the wait will definitely be worth it. keep up to date with developments at: www.tenerifemagma. n com.

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alarms, oils, tyres and much more. companies will also be on hand for advice on various vehicle-related aspects such as ecological and electric cars, dynamic testing, ‘connected car’, and second-hand vehicles – and there’ll be lots of opportunities to pick up a bargain too. even children will be catered for with lots of great activities for all ages. The intention is to make the motoring congress an

RIFE FO

This may be good news for those who wish to take part or attend, as there is now plenty of time to get involved with what will be a great experience for all concerned. Tenerife Motor Week will include exhibitions of vehicle tuning, sports, classic and rally cars; a range of talks, debates, master classes and courses; and a variety of professional stands offering spare parts, components, car audio, telephony,

Motoring fans were disappointed when the Tenerife Motor Week planned to take place at the Magma Art and Congress Centre in Costa Adeje at the beginning of September was postponed, but all is definitely not lost. The event will be rescheduled to coincide with the start of the Adeje rally, the dates of which will be decided soon and will be around March / April of next year.

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

BUSINESS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Inadequate travel insurance

The getaway gamble

Photo: Andy Lipke/freeimages.com

A safe investment in stormy markets Stock markets have become a real rollercoaster ride for investors in the last four years. The global financial crisis has plagued the majority of the western world, putting their economies into a constant state of flux. Returns on bank interest bearing accounts have now become the lowest they have ever been. Taking inflation into account, real returns are nearly impossible to achieve. Investors, who may have capital on deposit and are looking for a safe and secure investment, backed by an AA rated financial institution, should consider the following questions: • Do I want the capital I invest guaranteed not to fall?

Even with a trip to paradise you should play it safe

With recent data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) revealing that the average travel insurance medical claim rose by nearly 10 per cent last year, the FCO Foreign & Commonwealth Office is highlighting the risk of taking the ‘Getaway Gamble’ of travelling overseas without adequate insurance. In Spain, a survey of customers having to replace a lost or stolen passport while on holiday this summer indicates that as many as one in five were travelling uninsured. Even in Europe, travelling abroad with inadequate cover can cost thousands if things go wrong - the average cost of a claim for medical expenses rose to around €1,400 in 2014 (from €1274 in 2013). This contrasts sharply with the average cost of an annual travel insurance policy, about €44. Rolling the dice, not hedging your bets and being left with a €1,400 bill is no way to start or end a holiday, espe-

cially when this pricey sum equates to: A cruise to the Caribbean, a week in four-star accommodation for two people in Lanzarote, or a new high-end laptop, with change left over. The FCO is encouraging British nationals to make travel insurance an essential part of their holiday preparation. The question is, will you get back home with your finances in the black, or return from the Med seriously in the red? As a part of being #TravelAware on Twitter, the FCO is advising travellers to: Ensure you have the level of insurance cover required for your needs and the activities you have planned. Answer questions about your medical history fully and honestly with the insurer; otherwise you may not be covered if you need to make a claim. Bear in mind that travel insurance policies may not cover accidents that occur when

someone has not taken reasonable care or drunk excessive amounts of alcohol. Carry an up to date European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if travelling in the European Economic Area, in addition to valid insurance cover. An EHIC is a free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28 European Union countries as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some countries) as people covered for healthcare in that country. It will not cover any private medical care, or costs such as mountain rescue, being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property. For more about using your EHIC in Spain, see www. healthcareinspain.eu For more advice on travel insurance, visit www.gov.uk/ foreign-travel-insurance. n

• Do I want a return better than cash in the bank? • Do I want to invest with an AA financially rated company with in excess of £363 billion in assets? • Do I want the option to take income from the investment? • Do I want to sleep at night and not worry about stock market fluctuations? If the answer is yes to any of the above then Sebastian & St James International have an investment you might be interested in. For added peace of mind, the investment is also Spanish tax compliant. The last five years of returns for our investors have been outstanding for a cautious investment.

Our clients have enjoyed the following gains over the last five years: 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.74% 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.85% 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.50% 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.65% 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.54% If you would like more information and to discuss this investment please call or email Sebastian & St James who will be happy to talk through the options available.

Sebastian & St James International Financial Advisors Limited: advice based on integrity, trust and experience.

HEALTH

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Alcohol addiction: origins and consequences

Types of misuse There are various different categories of alcohol abuse, according to the type of drinking behaviour. The so-called lower-risk drinkers consume relatively small amounts but continuously throughout the day: thereby maintaining a high enough concentration of alcohol in the blood so as not to feel any withdrawal symptoms. In contrast, binge drinkers consume large amounts over a short period of time such as one evening or two or three hours. It leads to severe intoxication, and those who indulge rapidly need greater quantities to get drunk. Regular binge drinking is an increasing problem and can have catastrophic health effects. Conflict drinkers only drink excessively when problems or difficulties arise, using alcohol to cope with unpleasant situations. Dipsomania, or episodic drinking, describes periodic, compulsive bouts of abuse. Those

their children also later develop the condition. Identical twins also seem to be at increased risk if one of them is already affected.

Photo: Konrad Baranski/freeimages.

suffering may go many weeks without imbibing alcohol but then drink to excess for a short period. Alcoholism is a condition that occurs more frequently in males: more than twice as many men are alcohol-dependent than women.

Alcohol can become a problem if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t control it Drink driving can be fatal Not all alcoholics are homeless, of course, but many deal with the addiction on the streets

Mental health implications Unfortunately, in many cases alcohol addiction is often accompanied by another mental health condition such as anxiety disorders, panic attacks or phobias. Many alcoholics suffer from depression, and schizophrenic patients can also often be alcoholics. In people who have mental health issues and are also dependant on alcohol there is a much greater risk of them being suicidal: It is therefore necessary to treat both conditions as soon as possible. It is, however, difficult to determine whether alcohol addiction has led to or exacerbated psychological problems, or whether the latter have played a part in leading someone to alcohol abuse.

Social triggers There are many societal factors that can have a bearing on developing alcohol dependency. Though not fully understood yet, it is even believed that genes may play a role. Small studies of families and twins seem to show that in cases where both parents are alcoholics about 30 per cent of

Photo: Piotr Ciuchta/freeimages.com

A glass of wine with dinner, beer at the weekend: In many countries, alcohol is an important element of the social scene. Just as wine is an everyday occurrence in Spain and France, beer is a big part of English and German culture. Alcohol is socially acceptable, as a legal drug it is readily available, and it is also relatively cheap. It can remove or lessen inhibitions, is relaxing and, when taken in moderation, mood-lifting. It is, however, very easy to drink too much - and all of the points above are some of the reasons that alcoholism is one of the biggest drug problems in Europe today. An alcoholic is someone who is actually dependant on alcohol. The disorder is usually characterised by regular excessive intake; decreased ability to function socially and vocationally; and the development of withdrawal symptoms on reducing or ceasing drinking alcohol for a short period. The fact that someone is an alcoholic is not always obvious. Some of those affected hide it so skilfully that no one notices anything at all for years.

Photo: Anafa/Freeimages.com

A high-proof problem

On a psychosocial level, stressful experiences often form the basis for developing an addiction - with those who were abused in childhood or have suffered the death of a parent or loved one being particularly susceptible. Growing up with close relatives who are heavy drinkers can also play a part: When children learn that drinking to excess is funny, evokes admiration, or that alcohol is used to address problems, they are experiencing a potentially damaging role model; the effect of which can be com-

pounded if, when older, their friends also drink too much. Another risk for developing a problem is the early positive effects of consumption, as inhibitions and fears are reduced in the short term. For more insecure people or those in difficult phases of their lives the risk of alcohol abuse therefore rises. The bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chemical processes can also play a role. Alcohol increases the release of dopamine in the reward system in the brain, producing temporary feelings of happiness. People who drink frequently are

said to become less sensitive to dopamine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so need greater and greater amounts to achieve the same effects. Then, when they drink less alcohol, or not at all, they develop a craving.

Fatal consequences Apart from the anti-social aspects of alcoholism, the condition often leads to fatalities: Added to the danger of suicide and accidents is the increased risk of life-threatening diseases such as liver failure, heart attacks and various

forms of cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, 3.3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol, representing almost six per cent of all fatalities. Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. For instance, in the 20- to 39year-old-group approximately 25 per cent of total deaths can be attributed to alcohol. Among young people binge drinking is the greatest threat. In a questionnaire undertaken in Spain in 2014, more than half of 14- to 18-year-olds admitted they had been drunk at least once during the previous year, and an OECD report from 2014 listed drunkenness among adolescents in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Spain as a cause for concern. It is well known that binge drinking in the UK is a huge problem, of course. Conversely, alcoholism in the elderly is a common difficulty that often goes undiscovered. Many older people live alone and have family who rarely visit so their excessive consumption is therefore much more difficult to identify - especially as many people will blame confusion and unsteadiness on age without even considering the possibility of it being caused by alcohol abuse.

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754 the liver. In addition, the doctor will perform a thorough physical examination to determine other possible consequential damages. For diagnosis of alcohol addiction in general, the criteria of the International Classification

important aspect of recovery: it is often psychological dependence that can quickly lead to a relapse. In general, the goal of therapy is a complete abstinence. Many alcoholics, however, at least initially, find it hard to

For many, the clubbing experience is enhanced by alcohol

imagine a complete renunciation of alcohol. In this case, the best possibility is often to first reduce consumption. Since the decision to take each drink begins with thinking about doing so, it is important to recognise the need and desire for change in each of those moments. Gradually, the patient can learn also to break free from the automated behaviour that leads to drinking and to find other sources of positive emotions. Often, alcohol addiction has damaged relationships with family and friends, or family problems have contributed to

HEALTH

addiction. Family therapy thus aims to support those affected by an alcoholic’s actions and to help them build a useful social network: A positive environment makes it easier for those concerned to cope with cravings even after therapy.

strong intolerance to alcohol: the person will suffer headaches, dyspnoea, flushing of the face, nausea and vomiting. Another method is to give mild electric shocks when an addict takes alcohol. Via several repetitions, neg-

Photo: Renáta Zaja/Freeimages.com

Photo: David Hart/freeimages.com

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

Wine, beer and spirits play a large role in many social situations

Alcohol addiction is not a weakness of character, but a common mental disorder that can affect anyone. People from all walks of life, all different cultures, and of any age and sex can all suffer at one time or another. Treatment will be based on specific criteria which can allow the physician or therapist to decide the best way forward for each individual. The first step is normally a detailed discussion with the parties concerned. The following questions will usually be asked in an initial meeting with a health practitioner: Do you often feel the need to drink alcohol? How much do you drink a day or week? Do you find yourself thinking about alcohol regularly?

Photo: Gregor Buir/freeimages.com

Getting help

Have you ever tried to reduce your drinking? What positive or negative effects does alcohol have on you? External withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, trembling or redness are often signs of alcohol addiction. Blood tests can also help doctors find further evidence of consumption levels. Amongst other things, the results can provide information about the condition of

There are a number of surprising foods which contain traces of alcohol. The yeasts used for cooking bread react with sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which aerates the dough but also produces, as a by-product, alcohol. During cooking, the majority of the alcohol will disappear, but not totally. Diluted wines are used to make various vinegars but the fermentation process, which uses bacteria from the acetobacter family, gets rid of most of it. Traces will always remain, however – especially with balsamic vinegar - up to two per cent, but more likely 0.1 per cent. White cabbage is used for the popular German dish known as sauerkraut, originally designed to preserve the vegetable and its vitamins. It is made by a process of pickling called lacto-fermentation which, amongst other things, produces ethanol (drinking alcohol). How much is left in the finished product depends on the duration and temperature of the n process. It may be as much as 0.5 per cent volume.

Being drunk blurs reality

of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) are used. A distinction is made between harmful use (alcohol abuse) and alcohol dependence. For the diagnosis of addiction at least three of the following criteria must simultaneously occur in a year: There is a strong desire to drink alcohol. Sufferers have no control over when or how much they drink. If consumption is reduced or stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur (e.g. sweating or trembling). Tolerance to alcohol is rising, so that the amount taken before feeling any effect must be increased. Consumption plays a major role in someone’s life, leading to the neglect of other interests. Since excessive intake produces both a physical and psychological dependence, addiction must be treated on both levels. As a first step the doctor or therapist will talk to the patient about the disease and will set targets for treatment. The next step is often medically supervised withdrawal (detoxification), which is followed by therapeutic treatment such as counselling. This is an

Decreasing dependence Medicines to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings can also be useful. One in common use is Naltrexone which diminishes the positive effects of alcohol and therefore the cravings and, unlike other medications of its kind, Naltrexone is not addictive in its own right. It can also be used to help prevent relapses. So called aversion therapies can also be used to make it easier to give up. The drug disulfiram produces a

ative associations are built and people can often lead to rejecting its smell and taste. Since these methods are very uncomfortable, however, they are used only at the request of the patient. Without treatment, the average life expectancy of an alcoholic is reduced by twelve years. Despite consistent use of all therapeutic options, only 45 per cent of former alcoholics are still abstinent four years after the end of therapy. However, those who manage to not be put off by relapses can get the addiction under control in n the long run.

HEALTH

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

m_delaflor@hotmail.com

Use the lowest effective dosage of anti-inflammatories for the shortest possible time

Dear Dr. De La Flor, Is it dangerous to use antiinflammatories on a daily basis? Which one is the safest to pick? Thanks for your help, Linda Dear Linda, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, …) are a family of popular and wellresearched antiinflammatories. They have carried warnings for years about potential risks of heart attacks and strokes. This fact has to do with how this group of drugs interact with our platelets, the blood cells that help the blood clot and prevent bleeding. In general, they’re all associated with a certain level of risk but obviously dosage and proper use play a relevant role. The increased risk most often occurs at higher doses, so use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest possible time. If you’re utilising them on a regular basis, please consult your trusted GP for further advice. Best wishes. “He’s the best physician that knows the worthlessness of the most medicines.” Benjamin Franklin

Dear Dr. De La Flor, I’ve had strep throat three times in the last 10 months. Is it contagious? Any other advice. Thanks for your help, Alexander Dear Alexander, The oral cavity can be a like a lion’s den, packed with danger if not properly cleaned, checked and maintained. I read recenty that just a tensecond French kiss can spread 80 million bacteria between

mouths… No further comment. Strep throat is an infection that affects the tonsils and that is usually caused by group A streptococcal bacteria. It’s contagious for about 2-3 weeks in people that do not take antibiotics. However, in patients taking a proper antibiotic course, the contagious phase becomes reduced to about 24-48 hours. This bacteria can be transmitted person-to-person by direct contact, especially from mucus droplets from the mouth, and indirect contact such as kissing and sharing utensils or drinking cups. My advice to you is to perform a basic health check up to make sure your immune system isn´t running low on defensive elements. Best wishes. “He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he that prevents it is the safest physician.” Thomas Fuller

Dr. De La Flor Facts

Thumbs Up By Dr. De La Flor

 UVs’ skin effects

Both of the UV wavelengths have differing effects on the skin: UV-A is associated with skin aging and UV-B is associated with sunburns. However, both types are potent risk factors for skin cancer. The reality is that every exposure is harmful to the skin and the exposure is cumulative over time, eventually leading to both skin cancer and skin aging.

 50+: Live better, longer, fuller “Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, com-

 A prescription for a lifetime “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” M.L. King  Fatty facts

“No diet will remove all the fat from your body because the brain is entirely fat. Without a brain, you might look good, but all you could do is run for public office.” George Bernard Shaw

Mexico. The owner’s DNA is a concoction of passion for work, desire to serve and a long-time proven zest for life. Life was not always a bed of roses for him though. Tim’s Place serves breakfast, lunch, and… hugs! The restaurant, run by Tim Harris, is the only restaurant in the United States owned by a person with Down’s Syndrome. Every day, when customers come into his restaurant “when they see me, they just melt into my arms for a hug”, he says. The hugs are tallied on a digital counter on the wall, which now displays more than 33,000 hugs. Having his own restaurant is a dream come true. A dream that started brewing in his delicate soul many sunrises ago.

 Early signs of Alzheimers

Do you have trouble making plans and sticking to them? Is it tricky to follow a recipe, even one you’ve used many times? Is it hard to concentrate on detailed tasks, especially if they involve numbers? For example, can you keep track of your bills and balance your checkbook?

 Being patient is part of the

treatment Most antidepressants’ side effects are temporary and will go away in a few weeks. Some may not, but usually there are ways you can learn to manage these problems. If they bother you, your trusted GP may be able to adjust the dose or change the tablet. Please do not quit taking your medicine abruptly as withdrawal symptoms or a return of your depression can be triggered.

Coaching Corner By Dr. De La Flor The menu contains a mix of American and Mexican cuisine: from huevos rancheros to country fried steak, from green chile grits to green chile stew and green chile cheese french fries. It’s located in the city of Albuquerque, New

ReSOLUTION By Dr. De La Flor For the next two weeks, let’s try to ponder on the balance of ability and disability in our daily undertakings. The only disability in life is poor attitude. Tim’s secret is his ability to magnify blessings instead of disappointments, his ability to magnify people’s virtues instead of weaknesses; his ability to magnify their strengths and their unique talents. That’s why Tim’s place is so unique. Tim has learnt to let his ability overcome and overshadow his disability. You and I also need to foster that same deep-rooted desire to strive to serve the people we deal with so that our place of work becomes more friendly, more empathetic and thus, more successful. At the end of the day, work satisfaction is an essential part of a healthy mind and a healthy body. If you have a few minutes, please Google “Tim’s place” (or www.timsplace.com) and let yourself be inspired by something much, much more profound than the superficiality that impregnates every aspect of our banal society. God bless you, your family and your loved ones, especially the ones in pain. 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 at 0034 697 888 666 or email him to register.

Pedro Alegre Alonso Pilates trainer ä Physiotherapist ä

Tel. 699 521 649

pedroalegrealonso@hotmail.com

Photo: kerem Yucel FreeImages.com

pose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.” Graham Greene

Dear Dr. De La Flor

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

ISLAND CONNECTIONS PICKUP POINT Frutería Ágaves Ed. Ágaves, Av. Venezuela 6

Playa de Las Américas

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

FASHION

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

ClassiC Colour for any oCCasion

Black Magic Every year the fashion experts announce the creation of new trendy colours, but of course one that never goes out of fashion is black. So why is black is so popular? There are very good reasons - ten, to be exact:

2. Black suits every type no matter what age you are, or which skin tone, eye or hair colour you have - this shade always looks good.

3. Black is for power dressing Black represents respectability and power. The idea that there should be a black trouser suit in every successful woman’s wardrobe was conceived for a reason!

4. Black never looks cheap Dark clothes look classy, even in their budget versions, especially if you choose matt fabrics.

5. Black mixes with all colours Whether they’re pastels, earthy tones, bright colours or white - black is compatible with all other colours.

6. Black is adaptable Black can only be worn for elegant occasions? are you kidding? Black works well everywhere and is even perfect for ‘transparent’ fashions – especially for evening wear.

When makeup can shine

Tone on tone, but with accents: layering works well with black. The more different materials and textures, the better. This gives the outfit more depth and structure.

All photos: www.prshots.com

it conceals small amounts of excess fat around the abdomen, hips and buttocks, which become camouflaged by shadows, so everything looks smooth. Moreover, a professional ‘cheat’ is that most of today’s fabrics are fairly stretchy.

7. Black is a perfect layering partner

8. Black is practical Do you only eat an apple for lunch because you are afraid of making a mess? Try wearing black and you’ll be able to indulge yourself without fear because spots which fall on black clothes can barely be seen.

A great contrast as black meets bright yellow. From M & Co

9. Black loves accessories if you are cautious with your wardrobe, you can draw on abundant resources for accessories. necklaces, bracelets or brooches made of gold, silver or copper look great with black dresses or trouser suits. Even pearl jewellery can be worn, thanks to Coco Chanel who made the look famous.

10. Black is versatile refined cuts, cut-outs and extravagant details like transparent lace inserts look seductive and sexy in black. Geometric intersections and heavy materials give black clothes a tough and cool statement. and classical, restrained silhouettes are simply elegant. That’s why the ideal cocktail dress is always called n ‘the little black number’.

A new trend for the autumn: the Gothic look with lace and transparency. From Primark

Recommended cold weather wear: a biker jacket with a buckle at the collar. From House of Fraser

Glossy is trendy! A miniskirt and jacket in shiny black. From New Look

Classic, simple and perfect for every occasion. From Next

Photos: www.beautypress.de

1. Black is slimming

a perfect partner for black is bright red for both lips and nails. This striking mix attracts attention like a magSignal red is an eye-catcher on net, and it is also very elelips and nails. By Catherine gant. important: she who wears bright red lipstick should not use a tinted foundation or day cream - this colour demands an even complexion.

Black can be so beautifully simple! From Betty Barclay

KATY / PETS

I hope you’re all well. I do believe it’s one or two degrees cooler now. It’s been so hot I was getting ready to cut the sleeves out of me vest! I was watching Sky News, when I saw that Labour Leadership favourite Jeremy Corby has suggested that women-only train carriages should be available at night. He thinks these would help ladies feel less vulnerable, and might stop them being robbed or assaulted. He is accused of being both condescending and patronising by UKIP’S Transport spokesman Jill Seymour. She is also West Midlands MEP and says: “If women are increasingly victimised on trains we need to tackle the cause of the problem, not simply accept it as a

fact of modern-day life.” Now, I agree, but sadly it is indeed a fact of modern-day life. There’s no provision for extra staff for ladies, or even gentlemen, some of whom are also threatened by drunks, gangs or bullies. Personally, I’d go even further and say that alarm pulls should be put at either end of the carriage in case of an unwanted and possibly dangerous person entering. In no way does Jeremy Corby say this kind of carriage would be compulsory. It would be up to the individual as to whether to use them or not. Now, I am not a Labour voter, but I feel a good idea should be listened to seriously and then discussed, before judging it out of hand, no matter which mem-

Hi everyone, katykennedy@telefonica.net

Photo: Chris2K RGBStock

y Kat

A personal defence spray may give you time to get away

ber of which party proposes it. However, I’ll get off my soapbox now and tell you of a great bit of news from an ardent fan of Island Connections.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

“Not many people know this but, according to the Guardia Civil, it is actually legal in Spain to carry certain types of spray for self-defence if

you are over 18-years-old (as opposed to the UK where the only fully legal ‘self-defence’ product is a rape alarm). They may or may not contain capsicin (one of the main ingredients of pepper spray) but will include five per cent ‘CS’ - commonly known as Tear Gas. When used on an assailant’s eyes it will significantly reduce their vision and give them a burning sensation in the eyes, nose, mouth and throat. However, whilst generally not permanently harmful, in some cases it has led to lasting damage to the eyes and respiratory system – and even death in a few cases - so it’s for use in an emergency only. That said, it may just give you time to get away and call for

Pets charities round up full capacity and would appreciate any help that you can offer. We’re still desperately looking for people flying to Germany who could escort a dog for adoption. All that’s needed is a little time at the airport, as all necessary paperwork and handling of the dogs is carried out by Acción Tier staff. Please contact us if you could help. Nikki Attree, who’s supported Acción del Sol for many years, has created a piece of artwork named A Dog’s Purpose on a 70 x 50cm canvas, which is about her dog Gizmo waiting patiently by the water’s edge for her owners to return from surfing. Nikki is happy to produce further artwork on request, with all profits going to the refuge. You can contact her via Acción del Sol. Please call 922 778 630 between 8am and 5pm for

further information or if you would like to help out in any way. Maybe you would like to walk some of the dogs? We are situated at the Poligono Industrial Estate, Exit 51 on the TF1, next to the Parque Eolica where the wind turbines are. We are always in need of blankets, towels, dog leads, etc: 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. Closed public holidays.

Live Arico 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

Acción del Sol’s busy dog groomer is doing a fabulous job!

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 in. The kennels are open every day from 11am until 2pm. If you have any enquiries or are looking for a dog or cat, the number is: 667 638 468.

Acción del Sol Many of the dogs that are brought to the refuge by Protection Civil arrive with very matted fur, some even resembling dreadlocks! We are keeping our nominated dog groomer very busy, especially lately with so many dogs arriving. We are now operating at

Nikki Attree’s A Dog’s Purpose on a canvas sized 70 x 50cm

help. You have to make sure the one you buy is one that is authorised by the Ministry of Health and Consumerism, which will carry a stamp from the ‘Dirección General de la Salud Pública’. You can be fined if found carrying one that is not authorised.” These sprays must apparently be bought from a licensed ‘armeria’. If anyone knows where you can buy this in south Tenerife could you let me, and any other readers who may be interested, know. I’d certainly be glad of some protection. 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

Tito is waiting at Live Arico for a loving family to take him home

Tito is just 10 months old, weighs less than six kilos and really needs a home. Go on, you know you want to! Call Sue on 629 388 102 for more information. Live Arico has a number of rescue dogs that need homes, please consider adopting over buying. n aspects of pet health care. Feel free to pop by and have a chat with him. We are at Golf Park and open 10am to 5pm, Monday 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 Saturday and Sunday. Find us at: www.livearico.com, on Facebook, or join us on Twitter: twitter.com/live_arico. n

FARMERS MARKET

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

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

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

Photo: by Frank C. Muller

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

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 neces-

sary 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.

HOROSCOPES | CLASSIFIEDS

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Horoscope for period: August 27 to September 9

sages, erotic toys, Greek, kisses, threesomes, private apartment, hotel visits, I will make your fantasies come true. I speak English. You will want to repeat. Tel. 649 879 663

Aries 21.3 - 20.4 Keep up the good work and you will find that the last difficulties in your present situation will be ironed out easily. That’s no reason to be complacent, however. There won’t be time to relax for long before the next challenge arrives.

Contacts

Taurus 21.4 - 20.5 There is still time to build on your recent breakthroughs. It won’t be easy but you need to maintain the momentum you have managed to gain. Be strong and take the bull by the horns – the results will be worth it in the end.

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 Your communication skills are really shining through at the moment – you seem to have found a way to open up to everyone close to you – but don’t get carried away: some things are best left unsaid.

Greetings! I’m Emma, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Colombia, I’m mixed-raced and I do erotic tantric massages. You can call me on 634 132 066 and ask for an appointment and I will send you my erotic photos. Tenerife South (Los Cristianos). Only for ladies: Escorts, If you are in S/C north, only excursions, wellness and with appointment! Feel the also erotic massages with sense of our privacy. Marc from Germany. I speak English well, have own Open your mind and enjoy apartment and car, visit to your body. Put yourself in your location possible. Tel. the hands of a Latin goddess, a beautiful woman for 630 759 974 your enjoyment. Pleasure is Hello lovely, I’m your sexi- not a sin. All massages and est dream and I’m here to services for men. Informaplease you. Beautiful sexy tion and appointments also escort for your needs and via Whatsapp. Tel. 0034 pleasures. Good English 673 631 177 spoken. Couples are also welcome. Tel. 634 116 Los Cristianos, Russian Elena, fully figured, relaxed 164 lady, 30 years old, discreet Los Cristianos, Margaret, 23 apartment, in front of bus years old, beautiful, slim, station. Building Royal – Los white, dominant, erotic Cristianos, call me before, I massages, natural French, speak a little English. Tel. horny, adventurous, spec- 626 712 090 tacular hips, explode in my mouth, private apartment, Los Cristianos. Cristimar discreet, 24 hours. Tel. 692 apartments opposite the 50 69 73 / 664 077 390 Hotel Gran Arona. Marta independent Spanish girl Las Américas - Blonde of 23 years old. Erotic masColombian, slim, beautiful, sage and foot fetish servamazing body, sexy, all services. Preferably via Whatices, natural French, mas- sapp: 617 222 800. Web:

Cancer 22.6 - 22.7 With your feet firmly on the ground, as always, you are the one that people tend to turn to in times of difficulty. It’s great that you can be everyone’s ‘rock’ but don’t forget yourself in the middle of trying to sort out everyone else’s problems. Leo 23.7 - 23.8 It’s time to stand up and take responsibility for your actions – you can no longer stick your head in the sand or proclaim vociferously “It wasn’t me.” What you are doing right now is affecting all those around you. Virgo 24.8 - 23.9 Whilst racing ahead in this fun-filled time, don’t forget that a little personal introspection is important too. It can be far too easy to lose sight of what – and who – is important to you and others around you. Libra 24.9 - 23.10 You are stuck in the middle of a difficult situation, with people giving you different – and opposing – versions and expecting you to believe all of them. Go with your instinct: you will know what is right and wrong in the end. Scorpio 24.10 - 22.11 Try to keep a hold on your emotions over the coming weeks – life is going to change rapidly. It may be a tricky time but if you can concentrate on what really matters you will get through it without any trouble at all. Sagittarius 23:11 - 21.12 This is a really exciting time for you as all your plans start to come to fruition. It’s a little scary too, but don’t worry at all – everything is going to turn out just the way you wanted it to. All will be well, just go with the flow. Capricorn 22:12 - 20.01 You are being pressurised into giving your opinion on a situation that you really know nothing about. You know that speaking out will just cause more trouble – especially for yourself. Stand your ground. Aquarius 21.1 - 20.2 Your quirky way of looking at life can catch people off guard sometimes but this is one time when it will be really appreciated by someone close to you. You can make a big difference to that person’s life at the moment. Pisces 21.2 - 20.3 There is a fine line between holding fast to your principals and being stubborn for the sake of it. Stand up for yourself, certainly, but you may find that if you continue in this manner you will be cutting your nose off to spite your face.

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. 0034 648 245 425

www.guisexcanarias.com. Escort Service. Patricia from Venezuela returns, big breasts, all services without limits, French, positions, kisses, vibrators, massages. Available 24 hours, private apartment in the middle of Los Cristianos. I can visit you too. Tel. 650 442 665

I am in Los Cristianos, I’m Diana, Latin woman, 23 years old, amazing body, French, positions, massages. Available 24 hours. I am waiting for you in my Susana, sado and very disprivate apartment. Tel. 695 creet. I visit hotels. Tel. 652 533 071 072 917

Transsexual from Venezuela, 31 years old, beautiful, tall, black hair, voluptuous, long penis, apartment in Los Angeles in front of Hotel Gran Arona, call 20 minutes before please, Los Cristianos area, send sms. Tel. 603 317 646 Beautiful Brazilian woman, amazing body, lovely, sensual, I’m by myself, I can offer a little bit of everything, very discreet, I can visit you, parties and excursions. You will not regret it. Private apartment Los Cristianos. Tel. 611 325 518

To advertise your services with us, please call 922 75 06 09

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

CLASSIFIEDS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

Classifieds

From buyIng a pet to movIng house and everythIng In between

Island connectIons medIa group s.l. www.islandconnections.eu

island connections online: www.islandconnections.eu

Classifieds deadline next edition the deadline for edition 755, which is published on 24th september, is 22nd sept. 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.

Rates: * Lineage cLassifieds: From 16 € * Boxed ads: Colour Module 47,25€ * Long Term: Ask for long term advertising (3, 6, 12 months) and our special discounts.

You are welcome to come to our offices in Las Chafiras to place small ads. Card payment facilities are available.

General Services 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 After school classes, help or 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.

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.

Massage saloon Ilona. Offer: 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

I am a lady, 55 years old and I’m a nurse. I would like to meet people around the age of 50 to practice my english. I can help you with your daily routine too. I’m available on my days of work. call me 670 833 097 or email: lavanda1960@yahoo.es

BLOCK BUSTERS WE UNBLOCK ALL TYPES OF DRAINS

internal and external using our high pressure jets and cameras.

Call

647 928 223

Integrated Tax Planning and Wealth Management since 1975

922 716 079 www.blevinsfranks.com

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

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

Pickup Point English Library Opp. Yeoward School Pto. de la Cruz

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

T: E:

922 719 520

tenerife@decottalaw.net

Av. de Los Pueblos, Residencial Villaflor B-20, San Eugenio

www.decottalaw.net

RENtAL Classifieds For rent: direct from owner, 54m2 premises with WC and A.C. Ideal for office, hairdresser, shop, etc. In Balcón del Atlántico, Torviscas Alto, Calle Asturias, Adeje, for €500 per month + 7 per cent taxes, electricity and water. Call Jerónimo 616 916 551 Four-bedroom, fully-furnished house in San Isidro with garage.

The property comprises of four large bedrooms, three bathrooms, large living room, kitchen, and large terrace. €750 p/m. Email: richard@larkinproperty. com or tel. 686 290 903

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

SALES Classifieds 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

CLASSIFIEDS

€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 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

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

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 160m 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 2

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 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.

www.villatenerifenorte.com

€690.000

8% Commission to intermediaries

Los Cristianos, central apartments, 1 and 2 bedrooms, furnished, Tel: 649 142 612

Property for Rent

Private Sale 10.800 m2 Tel. (0034) 682 392 956

For Long

Term renT

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

Opportunity in Torviscas Alto (Playa Fañabé) Apartment, 60m2, one bed, furnished with terrace 8m2, views over the pool and La Gomera. Quiet neighbourhood, near to commercial centres, Playa Fañabé , safe, communal zones. Community pool. Community monthly fee, €49. Excellent investment. Price €75,000.

Advert Placement www.islandconnections.eu

Iñaky - Tel. 629.24.49.58 aska_tenis@hotmail.com

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

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

For sale Freehold

CLASSIFIEDS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

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

€ 155,000

Ten-Bel Costa sol

El Médano las dunas

Los Gigantes Flat

Apartment Ten-Bel | Arona Tenerife South Rooms: 1 Plot: 110 m² . terrace . private garage . store room . swimming pool € 79.275

Chalet for sale Las Dunas El Medano Granadilla de Abona Tenerife South Rooms: 2 Plot: 150 m² . air connditioning . terrace . swimming pool € 210.000

Santiago del Teide Tenerife South Rooms: 2 Plot: 40 m² € 66.690

www.paluum.com

The easy way to sell or rent properties

Los Cristianos studio Apartment Arona Tenerife South Studio Plot: 39 m² € 104.000,00

www.paluum.com

los Cristianos

www.paluum.com

Pickup Point 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.

Lovely condition 1 bed with 1 bathroom apartment plus balcony. All New kitchen, All New Bathroom, new furnishing, very good condition. Nice size balcony, town views, great location well run complex with pools. Fully furnished. EEC Registered.

Call Alan. (0034) 667 513 689

Parque santiago 11

MobiLe hoMe in priMe position Camping nauta

Great location! price €220,000

Call Alan: 667 513 689

GolF villa For sale

Well Priced £99,000

richard@larkinproperty.com

Sought after complex. 2 bed Duplex Ground Floor apartment. Las Americas sea views, fully furnished. Big private sunny terrace and upstairs terrace. Rental opportunity!

Clínica Dental Fañabé C.C. Fañabé Plaza

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

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

Las Chafiras el roque

La Laguna rent

Pto. de la Cruz la Paz

Villa for sale Las Chafiras S. Miguel de Abona Tenerife South Rooms: 4 Plot: 266 m² . terrace . private garage . store room € 129.500

Apartment for rent La Laguna Tenerife North Rooms: 1 Plot: 60 m² . furnitured . washing machine . fridge . terrace . comunity area € 350/month

Apartment for rent La Paz Puerto de la Cruz Tenerife North Studio Plot: 216 m² . furnitured . balcony . lift swimming pool € 450/month

www.paluum.com

CLASSIFIEDS | PASTIMES

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Opel Corsa 2008

Situations Vacant / wanted

Vehicles

1.4 16v sport. Itv till 2017 recent service all filters changed, oil changed, new break pads. Electric mirrors, 17” alloys, elec windows, cruize control, a/c, mp3/ cd, tinted windows,custom mats and smoked tail lights from Opc model. Great milage at only 75,000km.

€5.995........ o.n.o

100.000 km, Top Zustand. Air Condition, Transferkosten inklusive.

3.900€

Tel. 609 248 245

LOOKING FOR STAFF?? NEED A JOB??

Fiat Panda, 115.000 km, Top Zustand, Air Condition Tansferkosten inklusive.

3.500€

Tel. 609 248 245

Pickup Point Frutería Horfruca Av.Habana 12, Los Cristianos (For Crossword and Sudoku solution see pag 40)

Ford Fiesta,

D L O

Starting from the next edition of Island Connections,

Situations Vacant will be

FREE!!!

To place your free advert email the details to: Classifieds@ic-news.com

Across

1 - enclosure (3) 3 - cease (3) 5 - mallet (5) 8 - swear (4) 9 - munitions (8) 11 - coughed (10) 13 - piece of music (6) 14 - confesses (6)

17 - mound (10) 21 - cleaning (8) 22 - bean curd (4) 23 - in a huff (5) 24 - droop (3) 25 - first on list (3)

Down

1 - eats like a bird (5) 2 - holding close (8) 4 - reward (anag) (6) 5 - very serious (5) 6 - swerve (4) 7 - pieces of advice (7) 10 - proofreader’s mark (4) 12 - distance marker (8)

13 - large grassy plains (7) 15 - Lord (4) 16 - excursions (6) 18 - fur coats (5) 19 - outdo (5) 20 - green colour; duck (4)

The fighting men from Wales Joe Calzaghe was a fantastic ambassador for his country and proudly carried the Welsh flag as the world Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion during his undefeated career, but for such a small country it’s surprising that Wales has produced some of the greatest fighting men of all time, particularly in the lower weight divisions. in the early part of the 20th Century, within the space of 11 years, Wales produced three boxers who became legends, and were unbeaten in their prime. Jim driscoll was born in Cardiff and was recognised as the World Featherweight Champion in 1909, when he went to new York and gave the great Abe Attell a boxing lesson in a no-decision bout. Even the new York papers agreed that driscoll had out-pointed the champion in every round, and when Attell refused to give driscoll a title fight, recognition was withdrawn from him and driscoll was regarded as world champion. driscoll learned his trade in the boxing booths. He became such a superb boxer that he was called ‘peerless’ Jim driscoll and held the world title for four years, retiring unbeaten. Freddie Welsh, born in pontypridd in 1886, became the World Lightweight Champion at olympia in London in 1914, when he out-pointed the champion Wille ritchie from the uSA over 20 rounds. Throughout his career of 167 fights he was beaten on only four occasions, and was such a skilful boxer that many of his opponents could hardly lay a glove on him. The great flyweight Jimmy Wilde from Tylorstown was the third little Welshman during this period to win a world title, when he forced Joe Symonds to retire during their battle at the national Sporting Club on February 14, 1916. Wilde was to become arguably the greatest flyweight of all time, a veteran of literally hundreds of fights. in a professional career which lasted 12 years he took on all comers, and over 100 of his opponents were knocked out. He acquired a number of nicknames throughout his career but my particular favourite for the skinny, pale-faced man from South Wales, with an almost under nourished look about him, was ‘the ghost with the Hammer in is Hand’. Mention the names of the skilful and courageous small fighting men to come out of the Welsh valleys, and Howard Winstone would be way up on any boxing fan’s list. The man from Merthyr had a great amateur career before entering the professional ranks. in 1958 he won the ABA Bantamweight title at Wembley, and the same year won the Empire games championship, which was staged at Sophia gardens, Cardiff. it was Wales’ first boxing title for 20 years and how the crowd rejoiced as they burst into spontaneous song. Turning professional the following year, under the guidance of the former European Welterweight champion Eddie Thomas, Winstone learned his trade fighting in small venues for the next two years, until he was ready for the featherweight title which was held by the former olympic Flyweight gold medallist, Terry Spinks. The battle took place at the Empire pool, Wembley, and Winstone’s speed of hand was so dominant that he was way ahead on points going into the eighth round, a round during which he hit Spinks with 20 successive punches without reply. Two more rounds and the East End’s golden boy was a beaten fighter and was retired by his corner. Winstone had won his first professional championship, one that he would never lose. Howard Winstone won the world title at the Albert Hall, London, in January 1968, stopping Japan’s Mitsunori Siki who retired injured in the ninth round. Most fans will remember Winstone for his three stage epic battles against one of Mexico’s greatest ever fighters, Vicente Saldivar. during his professional career he had 67 fights, 14 of them for major championships. You can’t discuss the Welsh fighting men without mentioning heavyweight Tommy Farr, who never won a world title but in 1938 went to America and astonished the boxing world by going the full 15 rounds with world champion Joe Louis and almost won the greatest prize in boxing. He did British boxing a great service in the heavyweight division, by destroying the depressing legend of our ‘Horizontal Champions’. n

SpAniSH BASkETBALL

Tenerife’s only top flight basketball side has an Irish feel to it this year, even if it is with a distinctly American accent. Among the new signings made during the summer are two irish passport holders, whose arrival has generated much expectation at the La Laguna club. First to arrive was ian o’Leary, who has made the short trip across to Tenerife from gran Canaria where he starred for Herbalife, the other Canarian side in the ACB premiership, for two years. o’Leary, a product of St Mary’s College in California, is now in his seventh season as a professional in Spain. He is joined by Will Hanley, who is a surprise late signing to beef up the

dECATHLETE rEprESEnTS SpAin

Tenerife athletics was represented at the recent World Championships although the man flying the flag cannot exactly be said to be a native of these shores. The island’s CajaCanarias Club managed to get one of its newly-signed members into the 41-strong Spain squad for Beijing to continue its tradition of top class competition. The athlete in question was decathlete pau Tonneson, who spends most of his time in the united States as a student at the university of Arizona. Tonneson’s mother is Spanish and his father American and he opted to compete for Spain

Irish influence at CB Canarias CB Canarias’ surprise new signing, Will Hanley

Photo: Toni-fotsis

By George Reed

Canarias front line, which lost Luke Sikma and Fotis Lampropoulos over the summer. Hanley spent the last two seasons at guipuzkoa in the Basque Coun-

try, averaging nearly nine points and six rebounds per game. The Connecticut-born forward played previously for oviedo and Valencia and is thus very

familiar with the Spanish basketball scene, which will mean he will not need time to adjust despite his late signing at the n end of August.

Tonneson qualifies for major events

Tonneson will perform in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Olympics

rather than try his luck with the united States, where he has lived all his life. The 22-year-old shot up the decathlon rankings with an impressive 8,247 points in the

nCAA Championships in oregon earlier in the summer and the performance gave him automatic qualification both for the world championships and next year’s olympics in rio de Janeiro.

THE giAnT oF grAn CAnAriA

Herbalife sign Galdikas The biggest player in the ACB basketball league will be turning out in the colours of Herbalife Gran Canaria. The Las palmas side made a late transfer market move to bring in Lithanian ovidijus galdikas,

Photo: Dodoedo

Boxing roundup

BOXING | SPORTS NEWS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

who is a gigantic 2.18 metres tall. galdikas played last season in poland, where he was the top foreigner and blocker in the league, whilst also earning second spot in the rebound rankings. His presence will bring

Tonneson trained in Tenerife during the summer as part of his preparations for Beijing, where he finished 18th out of 30 competitors, scoring 7,606 n points overall.

Photo: Andrzej Romański

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

Ovidijus Galdikas playing for Polish side Asseco Gdynia

valuable height and muscle to the Herbalife team as it seeks to improve on last season’s successes, including reaching the league playoffs and a first ever European final. The 26-year-old joins pablo Aguilar, Eulis Báez,

Sitapha Savané and Alen omic in what many are already billing as one of the most formidable forward lines in the ACB. Savané makes a return to gran Canaria after three seasons with n Joventut.

SPORTS NEWS | POOL LEAGUE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

PREPARING FOR THE PROFESSIONALS

Football facility fit for FIFA

The football ground next to the Antonio Dominguez Stadium is to receive FIFA 2 Star certification

The football ground next to the Antonio Dominguez Stadium in the borough of Arona is to

POOL ROUNDUP No sooner has the dust settled on last season, with the prizes and trophies recently given out to respective winners and runners-up, when September reared its head and ushered in a brand new season. The Tenerife Pool Super League welcomes some new bars into the competition and it’s sad that we have lost a number of former bars due to the lack of players. On the bright side we welcome the newcomers into our competitive and friendly league and hope they enjoy the forthcoming season. All team captains know there have been changes to some of the rules, and as a committee we hope these are adhered to. We have two divisions of 16 teams per division, the season for the coming year will be shorter, allowing extra dates for the singles and doubles matches during the season. Our thanks go to the hard work put in by our secretary, Tony Mack, league chairman, Simon Phillips, and not forgetting the man who runs the finances –

receive FIFA 2 Star certification for the practice of professional football.

The ground, consisting of two football pitches for 11-a-side and 7-a-side fixtures, will be

upgraded to meet the standards required for FIFA recognition. The estimated cost of the modernisation is €129,000, with a large portion going to the resurfacing of the pitches which are currently fitted with artificial turf. The work is expected to take one and a half months to complete and once it has been checked and approved by a member of the world’s footballing body, it will join 30 other facilities in Spain that bear the distinction. FIFA 1 Star facilities are those with artificial grass fields that meet EU standards for amateur football. The FIFA 2 Star seal is for those that ensure the best facilities that can cater for professional football fixtures. Arona sports councillor, Juan Sebastián Roque promised that the return of investment will include better security and n higher-quality football.

UD LAS PALMAS BLOW

Castellano out for season The season is over for Las Palmas stalwart Javi Castellano before it has even begun properly. The defender and midfielder has been ruled out for the rest of the year due to a cartilage injury which has turned out to be much more serious than anticipated. The 27year-old underwent surgery in Barcelona at the end of August for a knee problem suffered in the season opener at Atlético de Madrid, which was expected to keep him out for approximately three months. However, when doctors opened up his knee they realised that the cartilage had been severely damaged and will require a second operation once he recovers from the first one. The loss is a devastating blow for the newly promoted club, who have already lost full-back Angel López for two months, also due to a serious knee problem susn tained in a training ground incident. Photo: Tolagorn

Early-season injuries are making life hard at the Gran Canaria Stadium

New season underway Jug Saints; Chris Furey was on form winning both singles matches, defeating Gary Duffy and Jeff Hall. Marcus lost to Sally Duffy and Jimmy Foster. Things will no doubt pick up for Zizzies.

Division two

League champions Phoenix started the new campaign with a win

Roger, who keeps a very tight rein on our expenditure! Special thanks to our sponsors who remain loyal to the Super League. Without them we would find things difficult to manage, and we welcome the financial support. Long may it continue. So off we go for another successful season!

Division one Mick Williams and Graham Bollesty of Legends A both won

their singles matches. After the doubles had been played Legends A found themselves 4-3 down to Dos Hermanos, losing the first singles match in the second round of the fixtures. However, their class prevailed and they duly won the final three singles matches to clinch a 6-4 victory. Reigning champs Phoenix were playing newly promoted Britannia (Paraiso) who had a rude awakening to the first division, losing 8-2. Gary was the only player to

record a victory in all their singles matches. Bad Bobs, also newly-promoted, suffered a 73 defeat at Clouseaus. They might also find things in the first division a bit difficult. Legendary Jokers had an impressive result against Mad Hatters, also just promoted, winning 73 and meaning all the newlypromoted teams suffered the same fate. The other two Legends teams were beaten 6-4. Polygon lost to Sloops, and Zizzies was beaten by Toby

Boothen Bar in Los Cristianos started their campaign with a resounding 9-1 over last year’s front-runners in the second division, Grandee O’Donnell. Summerland Shooter likewise was impressive, defeating Hunters 8-2. Bar Nauta travelled to Silencio to play Britannia Bar, coming away with all three points after winning 7-3. Lupain Properties, who now play out of Summerland, thought they were home and dry against new boys, The George Bar. They were leading 5-0 after the food break but lost the next four frames to give The George Bar the chance for the draw. Captain Mike settled their nerves, winning the fifth frame to record a 6-4 victory.

League chairman, Simon Phillips has been working hard to organise the new season

Scruffy Macs started well in this division following relegation last year, and won 64 victory over the new boys, James Place. Boothen Squad were away to the Tavern and n won 6-4.

Tenerife Pool Super League Powered by EXPRESS BAR DELIVERIES S.L. Information supplied by Tenerife Pool Super League www.tenerifepoolleague.com

10.9.2015 – 24.9.2015

FOOTBALL NEWS

ISLAND CONNECTIONS 754

CD TeNeRIFe LATeST

First point for Tenerife Photo: Vinotinto1000

By Chris Todd It is not the start of the season that many fans envisaged when Tenerife flew through the preseason with such promise. The team, especially in defence, look nervous, and this is not helped by goalkeeper Dani who seems a different player to the one that saved us so many times last season. The one bright spark has been Honduran striker Choco Lozano who has scored in both of the matches he has played in. It’s early days though and with so many changes and young players it was never going to be easy to rack up the points at this stage. However, if good results don’t come soon the pressure will start to mount on manager Raul Agne.

Last-season’s hero Dani Hernandez has had an indifferent start Choco Lozano, Tenerife’s new scoring sensation

Photo: Colin Kirby

30/08/2015 CD Tenerife 1 Nastic Tarragona 2 The blanquiazules first home game of the season was played in hot and sunny conditions to a crowd of 9,174, which is a decent turnout at this time of the year with so many people still away. The first half was a scrappy affair with little quality shown in the final third by either side. The second half was far more entertaining and

it started so well for CD Tenerife. Choco Lozano opened the scoring on 48 minutes as he pounced to lob the ball over the stranded Nastic keeper: 10 to the blanquiazules and the stadium was bouncing in the fading sunlight. Soon after, Suso almost put Tenerife two up but his golden chance was blocked by a lastditch tackle. But this was better – at last, some welcome football! More pressure saw Vitolo nearly find the back of the net and the visitors were

struggling, or so we thought! The Nastic equaliser came on the hour mark as the Tenerife defence failed to clear from a corner, and it was a very sloppy goal to give away. Thereafter Nastic smelt the fear in the home team and were not settling in for the draw. With only five minutes remaining, a fine Ferran cross was met by a thunderbolt header from Ivory Coast forward Assoubre. It was a great goal but not from a Tenerife point of view! The fight-back was timid by the blanquiazules, with only a couple of half chances falling their way in the closing minutes. As the final whistle blew, the Nastic players celebrated with their small band of followers from Catalonia, it had been a tremendous away day for them in their return to second division football and it was a well deserved result, it must be said. 05/09/2015 Huesca 1 CD Tenerife 1 The blanquiazules picked up their first point of the campaign in a hard-fought contest. The game could not have started any worse for Tenerife as they conceded in the opening two minutes. Goalkeeper, Dani, who has a wealth of experi-

ence and recently participated in the prestigious Copa America for Venezuela, has started the season with indifferent form and spilled a soft shot early on. The follow up after a brief scramble was scored by Luis Fernández. The local team were in control with their play being orchestrated by Fran Merida, who began his career at Arsenal FC. With the CD Tenerife defence looking so nervous during the early stages it was such a relief to see Choco Lozano step up and equalise on 28 minutes. This is what we were missing last season, a player that can score from nothing – a poacher with an eye for goal. Pedro Martín almost scored the winner for Tenerife but his effort was tipped over the bar and Dani made up for his early calamity by producing a superb point-blank save in the closing stages. At the end of the day the draw was a fair result. Next up for Tenerife is another tough game against newly promoted Real Oviedo at the Heliodoro Stadium in Santa Cruz. Oviedo is backed by Carlos Slim, the world’s second richest man worth a cool €70 billion. Now why can’t CD Tenerife find n someone like that!

NOMADS FOOTBALL CLuB

Footballing fun in Tenerife and beyond Sponsored by: Foreign Language News & www.windowsplus.co.uk An international veterans 7s football tournament is being held in Tenerife between November 6 and 8, kindly sponsored by Club Olympus. Our annual Tenerife 7s is coming back to the island soon due in thanks to our long time sponsors and friends mentioned above and this event includes many teams of over-35s and over-45s flying in from the uK, Spain, uSA and many other countries. The thrill, as always, will be the opportunity for local players to compete against top former professionals from years gone by. This year’s allstar team is already looking

Former football stars playing at a previous veterans 7s tournament

very strong with former players like Nayim, Donato, Michael Mols and retired Nottingham Forest players like Paul McKenna, Craig Armstrong, David Johnstone and more. So if you would like to play, or if you and

your friends would like to put a team together for the tournament, please get in touch. We have started a new youth club that helps young expat players enjoy playing in the local Spanish leagues. Our

Nomads Football Club in South Tenerife has weekly groups of kids from countries like Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, uruguay, england and Russia playing football. Now that the season is about

to start we are looking for some new players to join the teams and we will be providing weekly football sessions in Los Cristianos for the following groups. If your kids would like to come along please contact us: Pre-Benjamin (under-8s) and Benjamin (under-10s) take place on Mondays at 5.30pm and Wednesdays at 6pm. Alevin (under-12s) and Infantil (under-14s) sessions take place on Wednesdays at 6.55pm and Fridays at 6.15pm The kids are having great fun and are gaining healthy exercise. We have introduced a player-of-the week award just to help them focus and play in a sporting manner. The way the kids have responded to this 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 a game of ‘grumpy old man football’ please get in touch – that’s if you are brave enough! To help people who live in the south of 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 website for more information: www.nomadsfc. com. email us at info@Socexp.com or telephone/message us on 00 34 654 200 470. Further information can also be found at: n www.Socexp.com.

sports

FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEWS 021

Gran Canaria Walking Festival 2015

These boots are made for walking…

Enjoy some of the most beautiful landscapes that Gran Canaria has to offer

The fourth annual Gran Canaria Walking Festival takes place between November 5 and 8 this year, with registration for the event now open. Walkers, trekkers and climbers from around the world will

descend upon Gran Canaria for the four-day festival, which this year consists of five different routes to suit all levels and interests for 400 participants. The idea is that the hikers who take part will be able

to discover the most beautiful parts of Gran Canaria, and also its local and traditional ethnographic and cultural legacy. Hikers can choose between several tours with a guide, who will describe the route and show

them the most fascinating areas of the island. The tours vary in difficulty, from introductory to advanced level. The island’s scenery is simply spectacular as it has a wide range of impressive mountains, canyons, natural formations and charming villages well off the beaten track, offering a huge variety of landscapes, all to be enjoyed with Gran Canaria’s superb weather conditions. The Wine and Water Route will pass seven natural springs, and show how part of the island gets its water supplies. Hikers will also see some of the most important sites for ecological wine production and be able to visit the Pozos de la Nieves where snow used to be stored before being transported down to the capital for various uses. The Cheese Route goes to La Casa del Queso, where unique and traditional cheeses can be tasted, and passes through some incredible volcanic scenery. The 14km Valley Route is for bold hikers to enjoy the views from high up, the cool pine scented breeze, and even food and wine tastings, as it passes through areas which hold a rich aboriginal and Spanish Conquistador history, as well as evidence of 19th century spas and 20th century water mills. The Summit of Gran Canaria Route heads for Roque Nublo – the most emblematic site for the islands’ inhabitants and which has a rich beauty and history - and also offers

El Roque Nublo with the Friar and the Frog in the background

views of another two famous rock formations known as The Friar and The Frog, for their respective shapes. Gastronomic tastings and a musical performance are included. For those who enjoy stargazing, the Astronomical Night Route is really special: Enjoy a walk around the Nublo Rural Park and learn the basics of astronomy such as how to spot constellations and planets. The various organisations directly and indirectly involved with the event are committed to respecting nature and preserving the rural environment of Gran Canaria, and all the activities have been planned accordingly.

The cost per route varies from €18 to €35, and includes transport, a guide, picnics and, of course, a unique experience. Visit the official website: www.grancanariawalkingfestival.com, call: 34 928 334175, or email: info@grancanarianaturalandactive.com. Gran Canaria Natural & Active invites hikers from all over the world to join this unforgettable experience during which they will not only enjoy the stunning landscapes, but also share experiences that will create strong and lasting ties. The Walking Festival is much more than just hiking, so dust off your boots and n register now.