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& FJanuary 2016 2016

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Humbug? Handbag? Or…

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

by Kay Owen

This year in the UK the race was on to decide the most powerful seasonal advertisement, promoted by several well known department stores - a sort of commercial Advent. Several contenders adopted the ‘sad-ad’ trend, tugging at heart strings and tugging at purse strings, as we are persuaded to ‘Spend Spend Spend’.

Christmas 2015 and becomes the saviour of Christmas day (ring any bells?) Sharing and caring is the message of this story, and at least all monies from sales of the book and now sold out Mog toy will fund a children’s charity.

So we come to Mulberry, with a controversial take on the Nativity, in which their £900 hand bag represents baby Jesus! I am a John Lewis’s particular tear jerker depicts a sad and lonely old committed Christian but don’t find this blasphemous as do many ‘man- on –the- moon scene’, which is responded to by a caring others. Personally I think it is a brilliant way to remind people of little girl… implying if she buys him a gift at the store his life will be the birth of Jesus; and at the ad’s end the guy does say “it’s only a transformed (we of course will never know if he is again sad and handbag”- (aka an over-priced status symbol). friendless after Christmas waiting for 2016 December kindness!

A high street outlet assuming all people know the nativity story?

Sainsbury’s ad features Mog, the adorable cat of children’s This puts the event right in front of the eyes and mind of everyone storybook fame. (Mog actually ‘died’ in 2002, but is resurrected in who sees it.

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...Humbug? Handbag? Or…

Rather than writing angry indignant letters, I suggest Christians rejoice that the gospel is being represented; never applauding a trivialised Christ, but seeing this as an opportunity to show society that followers can actually laugh, love and enjoy life - rather than be the stuffy, miserable, grumpy old ‘Scrooge types’ so often portrayed .

Talking of old Ebenezer (Scrooge) he has his very own “Bah Humbug” opinion of Christmas in Dickens’ renowned tale A Christmas Carol.

The story starts on Christmas Eve in 1843, with Scrooge counting his treasure. Despising Christmas and all it represents, it takes a ghostly revelation of his life to convince him of his miserly wealthhoarding and cold hearted exploitation of the poor. So vivid is the

awful picture that he begs the spirits for a chance to change his ways. He immediately repents and awakens on Christmas morning to become thereafter a model of kindness and a true keeper of Christmas.

Aww! Don’t we just love a happy ending? Makes me think I’ll just go watch yet again that popular seasonal movie “It’s a wonderful life”. Can’t wait to lend my voice to the joyful crowd as the film finishes with the favourite old Carol “Hark, the herald angels sing Glory to the new born King”.

So ‘bye for now’; and as Tiny Tim has it… “Happy Christmas everyone; and God bless us one and all!”

Kay Owen

Christmas 2015

Millions of views for wacky Las Palmas bike ride video Danny MacAskill gave up his job as a mechanic 12 years ago so he could ride full-time doing what he loves most. This outstanding trials cyclist, from Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye now works professionally as a “street trials” pro rider and was caught recently on camera, courtesy of GoPro, on an insane journey across the rooftops of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Mixing vertigo-inducing lines and killer POV-footage, “Cascadia” delivers

N ews ,

S unshine

Editor-in-Chief: Edward JB Timon Editor@TheCanaryNews.com

some incredible riding along with one of the most unusual guided tours ever of our subtropical island capital city.

This amazing advertisement for GoPro was released on December 10th and features unique footage of Danny riding the rooftops from the top of the city of Las Palmas and ending up in the Atlantic Ocean after a beautifully executed series of stunts, tricks and somersaults. Check it out on YouTube!

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The Canary News can not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers, either in advertisements or advertorial, nor can it be held responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or the nonappearance of advertisements or advertorial. This publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors as a result of poor quality artwork or logos supplied by advertisers and no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy or nonappearance of an advertisement or advertorial. Every effort will be made to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of articles and advertisements in this publication, however the publisher does not accept responsibility for claims or opinions in the same. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper is permitted under Creative Commons 3.0 rules of Attribution, unless otherwise stated.

Edita: JDC Canarias SL, Imprime: Canarias7, Gran Canaria, España. Deposito Legal GC1291-2013

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“The Canary Islands in the hearts of the British”

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His Excellency, The British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley came to visit Gran Canaria at the end of November, ostensibly to attend the inauguration of a pilot project in Playa del Inglés, which became the Canary Islands pioneer of a newly installed ‘help point’ system, aimed at improved public safety and security, down by the beach near Anexo I. The ‘totem’ device connects directly to the main 1-1-2 emergency coordination service and is supposed to be permanently available with video conferencing and messaging for the hearing impaired.

The aim is to offer emergency assistance for citizens who may not have their own means of communication with them, at the time of an emergency, the device allows for the raising of the alarm and provision for direct support from the 1-1-2 coordinating centre.

The collaboration of the townhall of San Bartolomé to the Directorate General of Security and Emergency enabled this to become the first tourist resort in the Canary Islands chosen for the commissioning of this new system, on a trial basis. This type of service is commonly used on London underground and British Railway stations, and is known as a ‘help point’.

The mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurélio Pérez Sanchez, remarked on the importance of “this ‘Help Point’ to assist people on our beach”. He also spoke of the importance of installing the very first “pioneering system in the Canary Islands” of this kind, highlighting the collaboration of the Security and Emergency services and the interest shown by the British Ambassador.

The mayor was joined by the local police commissioner, senior members of the Proteccion Civil and Red Cross, along with the councillor for events and citizen security, Jose Carlos Alamo Ojeda, Councillor for equality and citizen participation, Amanda Cárdenes Calero, and the tourism councillor Ramon Suarez also arrived for a picture at the end.

The ambassador commented that it was a pleasure to be present at the installation of a facility “so very important for the security of the British in the Canary Islands, frequented annually by about 4 million British tourists,” adding that “The Canary Islands are in the hearts of the British.”

Charmaine Arbouin (British Consul for Andalucia and The Canary Islands) and Esther Martin (British Vice Consul in Las Palmas) also attended the ceremony. The British team were keen to point out that this new idea came about after a trip to London with the operators of emergency 1-1-2 smartphone app FRESS, who noticed the help points used throughout London Underground, arriving on the idea of adapting their software system to provide something similar for tourists in a public setting. on the beaches of Gran Canaria.

Vice-Consul to Las Palmas Esther Martín, Ambassador Simon Manley & Mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez

Juan Francisco Padron, the Canary Islands Government’s Director General of Security and Emergency thanked “the willingness and cooperation of the town hall of San Bartolomé de Tirajana to install mechanisms that make it possible to bring security to the citizens”, also thanking the collaboration of the FRESS Foundation which paid for the initiative supplying the operating platform based on their innovative emergency smartphone app.

CECOE director, Luis Santacreu, gave details of the ‘Help Point’ system for public safety, “which is a common element throughout Europe, adapted to the peculiarities of the Canary Islands”. The device that houses this ‘help point’ is powered by solar energy and is connected to the main 1-1-2 emergency coordination centre which is able to answer calls in at least four languages and ​​ who now are, through this device, able to establish video calling and messaging for persons with hearing disabilities, live at the scene.

Editor’s comment:

We were invited to meet the ambassador for an hour or so before the event, we plan to publish our exclusive interview with him in the next edition.

With us also was Mr Steve Cashley, a well respected British resident in the south of Gran Canaria, who is the administrator of several social media pages, in particular Jobs & Help GC, which are used often by British residents to discover information they find hard to get elsewhere. Mr Cashley is an intelligent and fairly representative voice from the British community here and was as intrigued as we were as to why

such an important official would be attending an event like this.

We had a lengthy opportunity to put some serious questions to the ambassador and his team regarding administrative issues, challanges for the embassy, the consular offices and for British subjects abroad, and were pleased to find Mr Manley to be both approachable and erudite.

We do note however that less than two weeks after the opening of the 112 help point down at the Playa del Inglés beach, that it no longer appears to be working. With luck the pilot scheme will be back up and functional in the new year.

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Carnival Time

No sooner has seasonal winter cheer left the island than Gran Canaria starts to celebrate springtime! The Carnival tradition brought here by genoese merchants of the 16th century has a special place in Canarian culture and is celebrated across the island with gusto.

Starting in Las Palmas on the 28th of January, for a month of events, culminating in several highlights including the drag gala, the crowning of the queen and of course nightly fiestas and a massive carnival parade, the spirit of carnival will be buried as a Sardine, only to be resusitated first in Maspalomas and then practially every town on the island will follow with their spring time carnival tirbutes.

El Peri贸dico Ingl茅s de Gran Canaria

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Best ever November visitor numbers Gran Canaria Airport recorded 2,915,000 foreign passengers from January to November, an increase of more than 45,550 visitors over 2014. This is the highest cumulative figure ever for the first eleven months of the year, surpassing the previous record dating back to 1999 when the island was visited by 2,880,000 foreign passengers over the same time period.

The UK stands out as the country of origin that has grown in volume of passengers arriving to Gran Canaria this year. Of the 45,550 increase in visitors for the first eleven months of this year, 38,000 were British, with numbers having sharply risen from 547,000 passengers in 2014 to 585,000 in 2015, an overall improvement of 7%.

Record tourism numbers for Spain Spain looks set to close 2015 with its best ever tourism figures forecast to reach a record 68 million foreign tourists, 3 million more than in 2014 (+4.4%).

The Spanish State Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, has indicated that he is convinced that this year will consolidate Spain’s position on the global podium, ranking third in the world for numbers of visitors and second in tourism revenues, as well as being the most competitive destination in world tourism.

The arrival of increasing International tourists

to Spain has been fuelled by the collapse of market competitors such as Tunisia and Egypt, all hit by violence and civil disruption, although, many in the industry point to progressive tourism policies as being the determining factor.

Many tour operators are looking for beds in winter destinations in Spain, mainly in the Canary Islands, but Soria warns that “it would not be good to base the competitiveness of our tourism on the misfortune of others” In his view, one of the valuable factors in attracting tourists to Spain is security.

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New Wind Deal

The Canary Islands government have agreed a proposal from the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Trade and Knowledge decree to construct an electrical substation that will be located in the town of Ingenio. The 66 kV Escobar substation transmission line associated with the new infrastructure, originally announced last year, will enable up to a 50% increase in wind power availability on the island.

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- Edward Timon

“A story developed of the birth of a man who hung around with lepers, prostitutes, wanderers and crooks; who we can be sure never once spoke English; who was anti-wealth, anti-death penalty, anti-public prayer (M6:5)”

Midwinter has long been recognised by humans as a significant turning point in the annual cycle of the seasons, since the late Stone Age. Ancient megalithic sites like Newgrange and Stonehenge, carefully aligned with the solstice sunrise and sunset, exemplify this. The annual rebirth of the solar omnipresence presages the return of fertile seasons. From Celtic, Greek, Germanic and to Roman traditions, this has always been the most important time of celebration in Europe.

Practices vary, but sacrifices, feasting, and gift giving are common elements of Midwinter festivities. Bringing sprigs and wreaths of evergreenery (such as holly, ivy, mistletoe, yew, and pine) into the home and tree decorating are also common during this time.

In Germanic traditions, this liminal festival marks the last month of the old year and the first month of the new year and is celebrated by eleven days of extended gatherings, feasting and reflection.

In Roman traditions additional festivities took place during the six days leading up to the Midwinter solstice.

These annual cycles were also familiar to Greek astronomers, it was, to the best of our knowledge, a Greek astronomer and mathematician called Hipparchus (190BC – 120BC) who first used the observed dates of two equinoxes and a solstice to calculate the size and direction of the displacement of the Sun’s orbit, however his writings on this subject tell us that the Solstice had been a known event from long before his time.

Major civilisations through history seem to have been aware of this too.

The winter solstice, usually on December 21 the shortest day of the year, marks the beginning of winter and has been recognised and celebrated for eons by ancient peoples around the globe.

Ireland’s ancient Newgrange mound, in County Meath, has within it a central chamber which floods with sunlight at sunrise on the Winter Solstice, through a precisely placed opening. This Stone Age monument dates to around 3200 B.C., 500 years older than the first Pyramid in Egypt, and a thousand years older than England’s Stonehenge. All these structures seemingly connected with our nearest star.

Stonehenge, of course, has long been associated with the solstice and equinox cycles. Once again, evidence of ancient people recognising these times of the year not just from an astronomical and agricultural perspective, but attaching some level of spirituality to them as well.

No one is really sure when the first festival or ritual celebration for this time of the year occurred. But we do know that it has long been recognised and honored through many of the world’s most revered monuments, structures and architecture. Many scholars suggest that the first unifying influences began with Saturnalia in Rome. Saturnalia was the feast with which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn, their God of agriculture and harvest; similar to Celtic traditions linked to the idea of “The Wheel” Saturnalia was introduced around 217 BC and was celebrated on December 17, as it’s popularity grew and grew, so did the length of the celebration from one day to a full week, ending on December 23rd.

Both Caesar Augustus and Caligula tried to shorten it, but both failed.

Also around the time of the winter solstice, many Romans observed Juvenalia, the feast honoring the children of Rome. Members of the upper classes often also celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra’s birthday was the most sacred day of the year.

In 354 AD, one Roman scholar reportedly wrote: “It was customary for pagans to celebrate the birth of the sun...when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day [December 25th].”

These two early Roman holidays were certainly observed by the soldiers of Ceaser as they travelled the world to conquer other lands.

And it could be from these early origins, new influences over pagan Europe began to take shape, through an effort to take cultural control.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun.

It is this influence that we can see most in European traditions. The Wheel of the Year divided into 4 parts was not that far of a leap for early European Pagans. They were already familiar with honoring the solstice periods as evidenced from Newgrange and Stonehenge.

They recognised the Sun’s return and knew it meant fields would once again be ready for tilling and planting. Warmth would return to the world and darkness would fade. To rural people, who worked hard throughout the year, the end of a lean winter was something to celebrate and a God of the Sun was an idea to be honored. This reverent connection to the turning “Wheel of The Year” in early pagan Europe and Norse history and mythology, was seen from Rome as an opportunity to unify stories and control populations by pushing a new agenda.

Control of consumption was at the core of this. And still is for far too many who celebrate. So, though there will be those who want to tell you whatever story they most like to accept about this time of year, we should all be clear; yes certainly this is a time for good will, and warmth and togetherness, for far too few every day should be; but it would be absolutely, factually incorrect for anyone to deny that at some time, long after this tradition began that the story was changed to try to convince subordinate populations that what we were in fact celebrating was the birth of an idol, the story and image of whom was controlled by a long standing empire of military conquerors.

This crafted image, actually ran contrary to much of this empire’s real world actions. Instead of that of victorious warriors, or military rulers, they instead claimed the story of an extremely radical, nonviolent, revolutionary, asking us all to be more like him. For centuries this has been used as a powerful form of control, ironically most often touted by those who cannot, themselves, identify with such traits.

A story developed of the birth of a man who hung around with lepers, prostitutes, wanderers and crooks; who we can be sure never once spoke English; who was anti-wealth, anti-death penalty, anti-public prayer (M6:5); this individual was never known to be anti-gay, never mentioned abortion or birth control, never called the poor lazy, never justified torture, never fought for tax cuts for the wealthy, and never asked the sick to contribute to the cost of their treatments.

These are powerful ideas to try to live up to. It is truly lovely that many want to aspire to be more like this middle eastern chap; peace loving, long-haired, brown skinned, homeless, a community organising, anti-slut-shaming, publicly outspoken, Palestinian Jewish thinker and philosopher. There is much good in this, much to be admired.

There are, of course, many ways to aspire to good ideas. Three words should sound loudly at this time, the first of which are Truth and Light.

Words to be celebrated, followed always by the biggest word of all, one last word for every single person to celebrate every day. LOVE.

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One Hundred Years of Artistry in Wood In Vegueta, the oldest part of the city of Las Palmas, in amoung the tall wooden doorways and narrow winding cobbled streets, overlooked by colonial archtecture stretching back to the founding of this Atlantic Spanish enclave, and the time of Christopher Columbus, it is still possible to happen upon the occasional craftsmen’s workshop.

ebrated the 100th birthday of the workshop, with an exhibition of furniture and a ‘tertulia’. This ‘tertulia’ used to be, until perhaps about ten years ago, common to all carpenters’ workshops, and consisted of a gathering of respected local gentlemen, the local priest, the lawyer, the school master, and perhaps other neighbouring artisans, on a Saturday morning, for a general debate and The Socorro Brothers, cabinet makers and conversation. Spaniards of all social levels master wood carvers, this year received a are, or used to be, extremely erudite and commemorative plaque for their 100 years cultured. This particular ‘tertulia’ was beof service to the craft of furniture making, tween six people: Maestros Servando and using materials from all over the globe.

Eloy; Señores José Laforet and José Lujan, Maestro Servando Socorro, the actual pro- City Historians and Official Chroniclers; and prietor, laments the decline in recent years Señora Sara Hernandez and Señor Pepe of carpentry work, and how the artisanry of Juan Hernandez, University Professors of wooden furniture and artifacts is no longer History. There was an audience of one hundred and fifty. valued. In his seventy years’ working with machinery, Maestro Servando has never The plaque was duly uncovered, and the had an accident in the making of furniture, ‘tertulia’ commenced. It was most interestchairs, tables, cabinets, mostly in the Eng- ing to hear these extremely knowledgeable lish, French and German styles. Together people discussing their reminiscences of with his brothers, in the workshop he inthe workshops that used to be in the area, herited from his father in 1949, he showed a blacksmith’s, a glass cutters’, engravers me furniture, which had been made in the and stainers, dress makers, embroiderstyle of Louis 15th, William and Mary, the ers; and memories of the area itself. One Stewarts, among a broad range of pieces gentleman recalled that the house of the that had travelled all over the world, having inquisition had once leaked damp into his been originally commisioned by emigrants. family’s home, with which it had been built The 18th. Century building where the Brothers Socorro’s workshop is housed is in the oldest street in Las Palmas; some of the houses there date from the 16th Century. It was here that Maestro Servando’s father founded their workshop in 1915.

back to back!

Afterwards, there was an enjoyable concert, in a building two doors up the street, which used to be run by nuns as an old peoples’ home. This building was also most interesting and worth a visit, containing many statues and stained glass On Thursday, 15th October, 2015, Maestro Servando and his brother, Maestro Eloy, cel- windows, small chapels and very old paint-

ings. The government has now withdrawn its support from that enterprise, so the nuns are no longer able to provide this vital service to the community. The concert, of about an hour, was given by the choir from the neighbouring church of Santo Domingo de Guzman, also well worth a visit.

Unfortunately, neither has there been any local government support so far, either on the night of the birthday party, or after, or indeed until the present date, concerning a project to use the Brothers Socorro’s workshop as a working museum or as an artisanry school. And the brothers are now in their eighties, too old to carry on the business, which anyway has neither support nor outlet in these days of factory made furniture.

A great pity, this, since Vegueta, the oldest part of the city of Las Palmas, has proved itself to be of real interest to tourist excursions and to local schools.

Readers of this article please note the address: Lopez Botas 5, tel. 928 311682.

Mobile: 680 28 98 48

A geneurous contribution sent by Sra. Maria ‘Patsy’ Parry Goulding A tertulia is a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones. Tertulia also means an informal meeting of people to talk about current affairs, arts, etc... It is rather similar to a salon, but a typical tertulia in recent centuries has been a regularly scheduled event in a public place such as a bar, although some tertulias are held in more private spaces, such as someone’s living room. Participants, known as contertulios, may share their recent creations such as poetry, short stories, other writings, and even artwork or songs. Usually but not always, the participants in a regularly scheduled tertulia are in some respects like-minded, with similar political or literary tastes. - Wikipedia

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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria

BLUE EXPLORERS? Beach, Wrecks & Reefs There is always a warm welcome from Blue Explorers dive team based at Taurito Bay on the south west of the island of Gran Canaria! Whether you want to refresh your scuba diving skills or have come to this island paradise for a full diving vacation, they have something for everybody! Scuba dive with the Blue Explorers highly experienced team - you will be amazed by the variety and quality of scuba diving they provide for.

Whether you choose to visit the reefs, both natural and artificial take a beautiful swim-through some spectacular multilevel sites, or to some of the amazing wrecks. The choice of adventures they offer really is endless!

Their dive base at Taurito is fully equipped to the very highest standards so as to make your days with them the best possible.

Their semi-rigid boat carries up to 12 divers, and they use it on a daily basis to reach some of the most outstanding dive spots in the world, most of which are a 5 to 10 minute boat ride from the base.

You can find the most amazing sunken wrecks, from beginners levels to advanced deep dives. They also have artificial and natural reef dive sites, great walls and caves - all of them within close range of their privileged geographic position.

Whether you’ve always wanted to try scuba diving or simply want to explore something uniquely beautiful and mesmerising, this is the moment! Just a few days at Blue Explorers Dive Centre is enough for anyone who can swim sufficiently to be able to enjoy scuba diving and obtain basic level diving certification, with which you could then be diving anywhere in the world! Blue Explorers, they are diving on Gran Canaria!

Blue-Explorers.com

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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria

THE RISE OF MEDICAL TOURISM

Waiting lists for public medicine in developed countries coupled to high prices have triggered recent growth in private care healthcare tourism. The sick are packing their bags to go to quality private clinics in a range of other countries, which can be up to 90% cheaper in some cases. It is a global market that looks set to have exceeded €7 billion euros (in medical expenses alone) in 2015, and is being led by Mexico, Turkey and Singapore. These are countries with years of commitment to this type of health tourism, unlike Spain, which currently only sees about a 1% share of the global pie, but is now being recognised here as an emerging market growing at double digit rates, fast improving its position in the world.

Business is booming for luxurious facilities such as Marbella’s Life & Sun Clinic which opened in 2014 taking €270,000 worth of business in its first year, with 70% of their clients being foreign. They invested €600,000 in the 5 star Gran Melia Don Pepe hotel complex to provide surgery and consultation facilities for attending athletes, artists, and members of European and Arab royal houses.

“We are a turnkey service. We offer a dozen medical specialities

in the patient’s own language, and perform major surgeries in recognised private clinics. We have almost 80 doctors available 24 hours and a delivery service for foreigners who live in the area,“ said Dr. Luis F. James, founder of the Sun & Life Clinic. “70% of our patients at this centre are British upper to middle class, who in a week spend from €1,000 to €5,000, just on doctors. Higher spending patients, like some Arabs, have medical bills that can rise to €100,000, along with personal expenses.

Spain has 455 private hospitals responsible for 3.38% of the national wealth, according to IDIS (the Spanish Institute for Development and Integration). British, Germans, Russians, Arabs and Nordic patients travel to Spain attracted by aesthetic eye, orthopaedic and heart surgeries. Spanish law on assisted reproduction is one the most open in the world.

Checkups, rehabilitation, dentistry, health and anti-aging therapies along with thermal treatments are all attractive highlights. “Being in the European Union involves following quality protocols in medical prostheses,” says Mario Rodriguez, president of Hospital San Roque de Canarias, highlight-

ing the progress made on the islands in the area of dermatological treatments.

“We started talking with the health authorities in the countries of origin to facilitate clients, insurers and promotional channels, and in order to highlight our medical supply. We have made an effort especially in the Persian Gulf, Russia and other European countries during 2015. We want to give relevance to Spain as a health tourism [destination], and for seasonally adjusted tourism demand,“ says Marta Blanco, director General Turespaña. In 2014, 25,000 tourists came to Spain to be treated in private hospitals, and the figure for those seeking spa treatments has been shooting up.

“This year it is expected that

private health tourism patients will represent 500 million euros in Spain, just in direct costs, and by 2020 the figure will double.

Indirect costs (hotels, tourism, transport, or food) must be added to this for the patient and their companions, an important market“ says José Ramon Meco, an industry consultant at Deloitte Health.

Tourists travelling to improve their health “spend eight to ten times more than the average tourist, which stood at €110 euros a day in 2014,” adds Ricardo Pagan, director of the department of Tourism, Health and Welfare at the University of Malaga, a department created to train professionals in the new emerging market, estimated to have been worth €3.2 billion in Europe during 2015.

A health destination since the 19th century

The Canary Islands are an international benchmark location for tourism; just take a look at the numbers: we receive 12 million tourists every year. Our association (GCSW&H) is made up of a combination of spa, wellness and health which has benefited both tourism and health tourism in Gran Canaria.

From the year 2008, this Association has been working to expand the options and services for the tourism industry. We do not only offer conventional services related to leisure, enjoyment and the beach, but we also combine those with spa, beauty and relaxation treatments, the medical attention of certain pathologies, as well as a wide range of medical and aesthetic specialities. We are talking about Health Tourism.

The tradition of Gran Canaria as a health destination goes back to the 19th century. We have not invented anything new; we have, however, shaped and structured the contents and organization in order to offer you the best service possible.

The Association brings together thirteen four-and-five-star hotels as well as two private medical groups, all of them from Gran Canaria.

For us, the key lies in being competitive while, at the same time, observing all European regulations and offering a level of quality not comparable to other destinations.

Medical services are provided by the Bränemark Center and

Hospitales San Roque. The Brånemark Center is located in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and it can now also be found at Hospitales San Roque Maspalomas. It is one of the nine R&D centres around the world supervised by the father of modern implantology, Professor Per Ingvar Bränemark. The other eight are located in Gothenburg, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Marseille, Sao Paulo, Bangkok, Seoul and Madrid.

Due to some of its features, the centre has earned a place among the Leading Dental Centres of The World®.

Hospitales San Roque, a big hospital group exclusively made up of capital from Gran Canaria and with more than 100 years of experience in the sector, is comprised by Hospitales San Roque Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Hospitales San Roque Maspalomas, which are respectively located in the island’s capital and Gran Canaria’s main tourist area. Both hospitals offer quality and safety at a European level and all the medical and surgical specialities that residents and tourists may need.

We invite you to learn more about the range of tourism and health opportunities that the island of Gran Canaria offers you. And as our president Mr José María Mañaricualikes to say: ‘We are waiting for you in Gran Canaria, an island of health and wellness’.

DR. MARIO RODRÍGUEZ RODRÍGUEZ Vice-president of Gran Canaria Spa, Wellness & Health Association

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HOSPITAL SAN ROQUE RANKED BEST IN THE CANARY ISLANDS (AGAIN!) San Roque Hospitals have once again led the independent reputation ranking of medical centres in The Canary Islands according to the conclusions of the Health Reputation Monitor, made public last month. Hospital San Roque Las Palmas is ranked No. 15 among the top 30 private medical facilities in Spain, while Hospital San Roque Maspalomas ranks 36th out of the 70 top public health centres nationwide that make up the ranking.

Health Reputation Monitor

The 2015 Health Reputation Monitor (or MRS - Monitor de Reputación Sanitaria) is the second edition of the survey conducted by Merco (The Corporate Reputation Business Monitor), one of the primary reference monitors in the world. It is a reputation assessment tool first launched in the year 2000.

Hospital San Roque Maspalomas is now officially the best centre in the Canary Islands, and is the best regional centre nationally, which is an extraordinary achievement when you take into account that it is not a university hospital and so does not score in some key categories such as teaching and research, despite which it has still proven to be outstanding.

cal quality and management and 30 partial evaluations divided into five chapters were discussed.

Moreover, the ratings of recognised experts in the fields of Hospital Medicine, Family and Community Medicine, Hospital Pharmacy, and Nursing were taken into account as well as feedback from the Patients Association and Health Journalists.

The MRS, unlike most other similar reputation monitors, receives no subsidies or sponsorship, either public or private, Not only are Hospital San Roque of Las Palmas, with almost and is financed exclusively from the commercialisation of confi100 years of history behind them, ranked as the very best pridential reports which can be freely requested from them once vate hospital in The Canary islands but they are in fact the only results have been published. centre in the province of Las Palmas that has managed to rank at all in the top 30 throughout the whole of Spain.

It is supported by Análisis e Investigación (Analysis and Research), the first independent market research institute in Standing at No. 15, and with 5,357 points, the Hospital San Spain. It is the only verified reputation monitor of its type in Roque Las Palmas is well ahead of other prestigious Spanish medical centres such as the University Hospital Dexeus and the the world. Tracking of the methodology used for preparing the Teknon Clinic both in Barcelona or Madrid’s Clinica Ruber, long rankings of the “most reputable hospitals” and “clinical services with the best reputation for speciality” has been subject to inseen as international benchmarks in Spanish healthcare. The dependent review by KPMG in accordance with the ISAE 3000 only other two private centres to make it to Spain’s top 30 in standard, the International Standards audit organisation.

The Canary Islands were the Chiron Hospital Tenerife (ranked number 20) and Chiron Hospital Adeje (rank 21).

Methodology With regard public health facilities, the Hospital San Roque MRS are an independent team with an advisory council consisting of the Maspalomas was ranked first among The Canary Islands cenpresidents of the general councils of doctors and nurses, patient assotres also recording a significant improvement over the Health ciations and health journalists and persons of recognized standing with Reputation Monitor results published last year. In 2104 Gran extensive experience in positions of responsibility within the Spanish Canaria’s southern public hospital was ranked 70th, and this healthcare system. More than 2,700 health experts took part in the vote. year stands at 36th, well ahead of the Hospital de La CandeStructural indicators, indicators of clinical activity, and functional indilaria (61), University Hospital of the Canary Islands (67) and the cators for hospital services, performance and quality of care were all main Hospital on Gran Canaria, Hospital Doctor Negrin (69). considered in an objective assessment of 70 objective indicators of clini-

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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria Discover the unknown side of the island. The genuine Gran Canaria hides many mountains, volcanoes and cliffs within a unique ecosystem, protecting a rich natural environment that transforms this island into a paradise which is why so much of it has been declared a “Biosphere Reserve”.

Dreamlike places where you can enjoy unspoilt wilderness at its purest, simply by breathing in some of the cleanest air in all the world and experiencing Gran Canaria in its natural state with one of the best climates to be found anywhere. From the north to the south and from the east to the west you will discover the very best of the natural world on this island. There are extensive viewpoints and natural spaces throughout the centre of Gran Canaria, all made available for you.

Whether you want to visit the Caldera of Bandama, located near the middle of Gran Canaria and walk along its spectacular ravine, or take a trip to Risco caído de Artenara, noted for its spectacular cave architecture in among the mountains, many originally made by the ancient inhabitans who lived here first, and the cave houses still to this day used as homes carved into the hillsides.

If you want to know Gran Canaria, and really see its heritage, you will need to spend a little time away from the coasts and travel through some of the most outstanding natural wilderness anywhere in the world...

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One of the main attractions of what is known as The Central Route, is to reach the highest peak on Gran Canaria: Pico de Las Nieves (Peak of Snows). The six main towns that make up this route each offers a range of unique and enjoyable experiences; they are Santa Brigida, Vega de San Mateo, Tejeda, Artenara, Velleseco and Teror.

This route showcases the grandeur of Gran Canaria’s cliffsides rising steeply to the highest areas of the island, the fertile plains nourished with extraordinary weather conditions, vast expanses of palm and pine forests that have been designated as protected areas and it is a route which allows you to experience traditional Canarian architecture in all its eloquence.

Integral to the route too is a strong sense of the religious beliefs, that exist throughout the islands, which have helped shape society here. An efigy of the island’s patron saint, the Virgen del Pino, resides in an outstandingly picturesque and well preserved town where Canarian history and religious culture combine, in a place most emblematic of island culture.

To begin the central route from the capital of the island, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, visitors should take the Avenida Maritima (GC1) and from this road head for the old quarter, Vaguetta, and the Carretera del Centro, which will take you southwest out of the city and towards one of the most popular residential districts of the capital: Tafira. From there the main road winds up the mountain, heading for Santa Brigida, to begin the journey to the centre of this ancient land...

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THE GO GREEN GRA

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LAURAS LEAFLET ARTWORK FILES (ENGLISH).pdf

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Making it simple Contact me today to talk about what you’re looking for or to view our lastest listings. laspalmasproperty.com laura.leyshon@remax.es 608169845

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1 I speak English,

Spanish and French

So I can deal with the local authorities, cutting through the hard work so you can enjoy your property search

2 I understand your needs

As a foreign resident and local property expert, I can help you find what you’re looking for

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I can show you almost any on sale property in the city,

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A VERY BRITISH BAZAAR

This year’s Anglican Church Christmas bazaar was the busiest that anyone can remember (and it’s been going since the 1950s) and raised a record €4,700 for the Church.

Laura Leyshon

The bazaar is one of if not the oldest foreign charity events in Las Palmas. A mix of fete, jumble sale and food fair, it takes place in the garden of the church and attracts a great range of people from all over the island. This year we had live music, and kiddies activities. Lots of parents were happy to get stuck into a slice of lemon drizzle cake or a burger while the kids were being entertained.

There’s also lots to buy at the event; the second hand books are always a favourite along with stalls selling jewellery, bric-a-brac, toys, recycled cards and second-hand clothes.

As well as the traditional tea and cakes, there’s a BBQ, bar with draft beer, salad stall and a Colombian food stall. If you feel lucky, buy a few raffle tickets and you could take home a cured ham, meal for two or free day at a spa.

Or you can take your chances at the tombola and walk away with anything from a good bottle of Scotch to a delicious bottle of grapefruit schnapps.

Here’s the thank you message from Church Warden Caroline: We had a huge success at this year’s Christmas bazaar.

Thank you to everyone who came, buying books, clothes, the children who fished for Santa’s presents and made Christmas decorations, for eating and drinking and for helping to create such a fun atmosphere. Thank you to Ulrika’s children’s choir and the musicians from the British school who performed beautifully and added to the Christmas spirit.

Thank you to everyone who donated this year’s amazing raffle prizes not least La Cocotte for their delicious ham, Marks & Spencer for their hamper, Pizza Real, the Laughing Pig, Nawabi and La Oliva restaurants for their meals for two, the tickets from the Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra, the day passes from Santa Catalina Spa, La Coquette for the free hair cut, treatment, blow dry and the manicure, Julie Dass for her massage and the Zara home vouchers from Laura Leyshon at laspalmasproperty.com But our biggest thanks goes to all the volunteers who made it happen. Collecting and sorting the donations of goodies to sell throughout the year and with friends and family selling with smiles throughout. Thank you, thank you, thank you and hope to see you next time.

acebook.com/LasPalmasProperty

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Love Muscle STRONG HEART = STRONG BODY L illyR ikh te r.c o m

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include both fat burning processes and promote muscle growth.

Strong Heart = a strong body.

The optimal time to perform cardio is for between 30 minutes and one hour. It is important, if you want results, to monitor your heart rate and try to maintain it at around 120-130 beats per minute.

So which type of cardio workout will suit you?

SWIMMING This type of training does not create compressive stress on the joints and is suitable for almost everyone at any age.

WALKING This is excellent training that you can do at any time and in any place. Preferably an ascent uphill or stairs. Walking also does not shock your joints while you stay in the cardio zone (120-130 beats per minute) and provides effective results at any age.

CYCLING. Perhaps my most favourite cardio workout. But be safe and attentive if you cycle in traffic. Do not forget the rules of the road.

Always use reflectors, lights in the dark, a helmet and gloves.

There are many other types of cardio workout- such as elliptical trainer, yoga, boxing, step aerobics, rowing, tennis, soccer and others. You can choose any kind that you like. Just get moving!

The only thing I personally try to avoid is running.

Maybe this will surprise you, but it is just not the best type of cardio workout. It is high impact on the knees and spine, and simple things like the right surface or the right footwear can not only prevent the desired result, but can rather worsen ailments and fitness.

Even if you do not think you have enough time to for regular full cardio, just remember that even quite a brief training session, that raises your heart rate, is still better than doing nothing.

One of the most important types of training is cardio workout. The heart is a muscle, and it needs to be developed. A strong, healthy Start the new year in a body aiming toward feeling healthy! heart, in turn, will improve not only your quality of life, but also Improve yourself and your life and you may be surprised how significantly prolong it. many of your other wishes may come true!

Most conventional weight training does not give proper results With love, Your Fitness Coach on its own due to a lack of cardio load. It turns out that these workouts not only strengthen the cardiovascular system, but also

r e t h k i Lilly R

A Walk in The Park A free hour of fun and fitness every week with Lilly Rikhter

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Starts Sunday January 10th, midday, at Parque Sur de Maspalomas No catch, no quibbles, just stretching and a little bit of sweat. Feel Fantastic for 2016!

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El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria

Twitters from the Atlantic © Barrie Mahoney

A NEW BANKING EXPERIENCE Many of us are not too keen on banks at the moment, and particularly since the recession. I know of many expats who find banking in Spain a trial that has to be endured. Long queues, indifferent service, as well as high charges often make the Spanish banking experience unappealing, and with little attention to the needs of their customers. Both banks that used to operate in the village where I live have closed their branches, leaving many villagers who do not own a car with little choice, but to use the infrequent bus service to the nearest town. There is good news on the horizon, and I suspect that things will change for the better in the not too distant future.

languages. One other advantage is that I was not deluged with paper, as the only physical item being the debit card that was posted to me; the bank certainly lives up to its ‘green’ credentials.

I should also add that I was impressed with the level of security procedures followed when opening the account, as well as when making financial transactions on my iPhone.

I opened my account with one of the many start up app banks called Number26, which now operates in Germany, Austria, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia and Spain, which claims to already have around 80,000 customers. Similar app based banks are shortly to be launched in the UK called New banks are springing up in many countries.

Tandem, Starling and Atom, and there are many These are app based banks that operate using others at the developmental stage. I particularly a smartphone and the Internet. They have no wanted a bank that operated in euros, as well as branches and no reams of paperwork to sign. being protected by a state regulatory authority.

They offer a basic current banking account oper- This bank, as with other new start up banks, inated from a distance. They issue a debit card that tends to offer joint accounts, credit cards, deposit can be used in cash dispensers in all countries and savings accounts, loans and overdrafts, insurand, best of all, there are no charges. ance and other services once their basic service is established.

I opened such an account a few weeks ago; it is a bank based in Germany and regulated and pro- My new account can be used to make payments tected by the German Bundesbank, which is the by direct debit, receive funds as well as processbroad equivalent of the UK’s financial regulatory ing all the other transactions that I currently authority, and so my deposits are safe. The open- make from my Spanish bank account. Being a ing process took exactly eight minutes by video cautious Brit when it comes to legal and financial call from my smartphone to confirm my identity. matters, I am going to use the account for shopA very helpful lady took me through the process; ping and cash withdrawals, before I plunge headthey took a photo of my passport and me. A long into completely transferring my account. few days later, a MasterCard debit card arrived However, these early days tell me that queuing though the post, which I can use in Spain and the in a bank branch waiting to see if someone can Canary Islands, as well as worldwide in the usual be bothered to attend to me are long gone. Gone way, and there are no charges for drawing out too are the endless sheets of meaningless paper. cash from cash dispensers either.

Welcome to the new banking experience!

The account opening process took place in English, which the made the entire procedure a pleasant and trouble free experience. The bank’s app and webpages are very well designed, work smoothly and are in English, as well as other

For further information and links to some of these new banks, please go to the Expat Survival section of my website:

http://expat.barriemahoney.com/Banking

Barrie Mahoney was a head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands to launch and edit a new English language newspaper. He enjoys life in the sun as a columnist and author, and continues to write a series of popular novels, books for expats, as well as designing mobile apps and websites to promote the Canary Islands.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest book,

‘Island in the Sun’

(ISBN: 9780992767181).

Available in paperback, as well as Kindle, iBooks and Google Play editions. iPhone/iPad and Android Apps: ExpatInfo, CanaryIsle and CanaryGay now available. © Barrie Mahoney

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Inheritance law in the Canary Islands

The Canary Islands government is to reduce the cost of receiving an inheritance significantly.

It plans to reimburse up to 99% of the Impuesto de Sucesiones y Donaciones that is paid by parents, grandparents and children upon receiving an inheritance.

This is a welcome return to the state of inheritance tax before 2012 when the Canarian government reimbursed 99.9% of the Impuesto de Sucesiones y Donaciones owed by family members.

It also brings the Canary Islands into line with other provinces of Spain, such as Madrid, that already reimburses up to 100% of the tax.

The change is partly in response to a spate of inheritance rejections by people who could not afford to pay the taxes associated with an inheritance. It will also stop older Canarian residents from changing their official residency to other provinces where the tax is already reimbursed.

The 99% reimbursement will start on January 1st 2016, according to Canarian tax minister (the Consejera de Hacienda del Gobierno de Canarias) Rosa Dávila.

We recommend that anyone thinking of gifting or transferring a property to a parent, grandparent or child should wait until 2016.

- See more at: http://www.cardenas-grancanaria.info/en/news/

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Their website Cardenas-GranCanaria.com displays thier wide range of property on Gran Canaria, such as apartments, houses & villas, plots, apartment complexes & hotels and commercial properties always updated, complete and clear.

You will get efficient assistance in your property search from any one of their real estate agents, whether you are looking for golf properties, luxury property & villas, large investment properties, property to refurbish, seafront properties or off plan property, for sale or for rent.

Their large influence area spreads over Arguineguín & Patalavaca, Puerto Rico & Amadores, Tauro, Playa del Cura, Playa de Mogán and Puerto de Mogán, as well as Maspalomas & Meloneras, Playa del Inglés, Monte León, Salobre Golf, Playa del Inglés, San Agustín and many more.

They offer complete and professional advice covering all legal and fiscal aspects of property purchase and sale and property rentals in Gran Canaria.

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GETTING TO GRIPS WITH CANARIAN SPANISH

L A P EQ U E Ñ A V E N EC IA D E CA NA RIA S

By Diego Mesa (Puerto Rico Language Centre)

Having written about two lesser known towns in the north, we thought we’d tell you a bit about a port town better known to many of you on the southwest of the island.

Often called 'Little Venice', El Puerto de Mogán was the location for our latest series of videos. We post a new clip every Friday on our Facebook page. Facebook.com/PuertoRicoLC El Puerto de Mogán is situated on the south west coast of Gran Canaria, at the end of a lush fertile valley, known as the Barranco de Mogán, leading more than 10km to the original Pueblo de Mogán and flanked by mountain ridges leading to the 'Barranco El Mulato' (a favourite for adventure sports and hiking.)

Initially the inhabitants of Mogán and its little village (el pueblo) subsisted from agriculture, however due to their isolation they found that the only way to connect with the rest of the island was by sea. This helped them, to export their agriculture, mainly comprising of tropical fruits such as bananas, mangoes, pineapples, directly from their coastline rather than having to take it to Las Palmas.

Nowadays while agriculture is still an important part of Mogán's economy it also has gained from the tourism and fishing industries.

Here’s a couple of Canarian words you might be likely to encounter in Mogán’s agricultural environment: GAVIA - Plot of farmland ready to cultivate, surrounded by piles of earth, which is kept moist from rainwater coming from nearby valleys or reservoirs.

Eg. Todo eso eran gavias, y ahora está todo lleno de casas – All of this was plots of farmland and now it's filled with houses CACHANCHÁN - Inexperienced and often incompetent worker Eg. El contratista mandó tres cachanchanes que no sabían ni coger una pala – The contractor sent three poor excuses for workers who did not even know how to pick up a spade.

- A person that is old and worn out Eg. Cuando vino de Cuba ya estaba hecho un cachachán – When he came back from Cuba he had already become old Nowadays El Puerto De Mogán is connected to Las Palmas by autopista thanks to a recent extension, in March 2013, of the GC-1 which takes you directly from where we are to the capital, Las Palmas de GC. This pedestrianised, seaside village is predominantly a harbour remodelled reflect a classic Mediterranean village. With its salt water canals, small avenues and little bridges, its houses built with no more than three floors, and colourful gardens , Puerto de Mogán is a place for those who love boats, tranquillity and seafood. This is why it is known as Little Venice.

Enjoy the weekly street market every Friday, the beach any day of the year, or take a trip along the coast on a leisure boat. If you have your own boat, this is a great place to stop and soak up the energy.

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Language Lesson #98

El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria

with Theresa Coe

TO BE OR NOT TO BE ¿SER, ESTAR... OR TENER?

There´s no easy way to break it to you. Not only are there two ways to say ‘to be’ in Spanish - SER (SAIR) or ESTAR (ess-TAR) - but often when we use ‘be’, they use ‘have’. And the meaning of what you say can change radically if you make a mistake. For example, estoy aburrido means I´m bored, while soy aburrido means I´m boring! Similarly, él está listo means he´s ready, while él es listo means he´s clever.

First off, here´s how to conjugate (change) these rather irregular verbs in the present:

TO BE

SER

ESTAR

I am

(yo) soy

estoy

you (singular) are

(tú) eres

estás

he/she/it is

(él/ella/eso) es

está

we are

(nosotros) somos

estamos

they are/you (plural) are

(ellos/ustedes) son

están

Yo, tú, él (I, you, he) etc. are in brackets because the Spanish don´t often include these words – the verb endings alone usually tell us all we need to know. So, soy can ONLY mean ‘I am’.

WHEN TO USE ‘SER’

UNDERSTANDING ESTAR

People often make the mistake of thinking this is just for perThe main two uses of estar are location (whether temporary or manent things. In fact there are tons of exceptions, though we permanent) and temporary or changeable states, though we do use SER to describe long-term states like being rich, or being also use estar for three other states – see below. generally happy, as well as the following: Location: estoy en el trabajo (I´m at work); ¿estás en casa? (are - name, nationality, origin: soy Theresa, y soy inglesa – soy de you at home); Toledo está cerca de Madrid (Toledo is close to Londres (I´m English from London) Madrid); ¿Dónde está el baño? (where is the bathroom); estamos en un bar (we are in a bar) los niños están en el parque - profession or occupation/identity: soy profesora; eres pen(the children are in the park) sionista; él es estudiante; ellos son turistas (I´m a teacher, you´re a pensioner, he´s a student, they´re tourists) Temporary states: estoy enferma (I´m ill); ¿estás listo? (are you ready?); ella está cansada (she´s tired); él está ocupado (he´s - character/personality: no soy tímida, eres inteligente, ella es busy) estamos tristes (we´re sad); están borrachos (they are amable (I´m not shy, you´re intelligent, she is nice) drunk) - physical description: él es alto y guapo; mi piso es grande y Civil states: estoy casado/divorciado/soltero (I´m married, moderno (he is tall and handsome; my flat is big and modern) divorced, unmarried, for a man. For woman, change the last - relationships: somos amigos, somos una pareja, son comletter to ‘a’) pañeros de trabajo (we´re friends, we´re a couple, they are work states: e.g. él está en paro (he´s on the dole); workmates) physical states: mis abuelos están muertos pero mi tia está viva - impersonal expressions: es difícil entender/lo; es bueno estar (my grandparents are dead but my aunt is alive) aquí, es útil hablar español (it´s difficult to understand it, it´s good to be here, it´s useful to speak Spanish) As you can see, some of these ‘estar’ states are pretty permanent too!

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TO BE OR TO HAVE?

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A lot of expressions with ‘to be’ in English use ‘have’ in Spanish.

Examples:

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To be hungry/thirsty: tener hambre/sed. Eg: No tengo hambre pero tengo mucha sed. (“I don´t have hunger but I have much thirst”).

1,500 people take part in language exchange gatherings and conversation clubs around the island. – English speakers always welcome and a great way to meet local people. We meet weekly in Playa del Inglés, San Fernando, Vecindario Arguineguín, Agüimes Las Palmas, Telde and Arucas.

To be hot or cold: tener calor/frio: eg ¿tienes frio? Are you cold?

To be right: tener razón: e.g. tenemos razón – we´re right!

To talk about age (la edad): ¿Cuántos años tienes? How old are you? Tengo 44 - I´m 44.

To be scared: tener miedo (“to have fear”). Tengo miedo de las cucarachas – I´m scared of cockroaches.

To be in a hurry: tener prisa. No tenemos prisa – we´re not in a hurry.

CONFUSED? GET HELP ONLINE

Try the fab STUDY SPANISH website for an explanation and quizzes about using SER and ESTAR correctly: http://studyspanish.com/lessons/serest1.htm And for expressions with TENER and practice using them, see: http://studyspanish.com/lessons/tenexp.htm

To find out more, check out: acebook.com/LEGintercambio or email me theresacoe@gmail.com

For info about Spanish classes, the language exchange or to receive past lessons from this newspaper, just drop me an email.

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