The Cabildo has announced that the recent storms across Tenerife caused an estimated 17,327,903 euros damage to crops, affecting mainly bananas and potatoes. The storm also damaged independent infrastructures on the Island. It is expected that it will cost millions of euros to repair the damage.

Counsellors in the affected areas presented an assessment of the effects of this storm, which focused in the south west of the Island; to the vice president Jose Antonio Valbuena who said he would pass the request for aid to the Government to help cope with the losses.

Celebrate The Beatles – In Tenerife

Visitors to Tenerife in April will be able to enjoy a unique combination of fine wine as well as the music of The Beatles. Not only is it Tegueste Wine Month, April also marks the 50th anniversary of the Liverpool foursome’s first holiday as stars in 1963, when they celebrated releasing their debut album ‘Please Please Me’ by visiting Puerto de la Cruz.

To mark the occasion, the fishing village is holding the 13-day, 50th Anniversary of The Beatles in Tenerife event kicking off on 27th April and featuring live performances from cover bands, documentary films, forums, lectures and a street market. If that wasn’t enough, Wine Month will see wine and food tasting sessions, street markets, concerts and workshops being held in Tegueste in the north of the island. There will also be various wine and tapas routes to explore.

More News On The Rock

National Police officers from the judicial brigade have busted a drug trafficking gang which was operating in the south. The members were Columbians, Cubans, Africans and Spaniards. The drugs were brought in through Los Rodeos airport, and hidden in personal goods, or inside their bodies.

The sentence handed out by the Santa Cruz provincial court against Dejan Valentinov Dejanov, for the brutal murder of Jennifer Mills Westley in Los Cristianos, now stands, as the time limit for appeals has expired. He was sentenced to twenty years in a secure psychiatric institution, and ordered to pay damages of a hundred thousand euros to the victim’s daughters.

The main Russian tour operators have told Canarian president Paulino Rivero that if the Canaries want more Russian tourists, Spain needs to speed up the visa process and reduce airport costs.

The termination of the contract for a doctor and a fully equipped ambulance to be present at Tenerife’s Los Rodeos Airport all day, a service which was provided by the Red Cross, is worrying officials. The decree to end the contract, which was approved by the central government, also affects Lanzarote and Fuerteventura airports. This cutback was applied to airports which receive less than eight million passengers a year. Now, Tenerife’s Cabildo vice president, Aurelio Abreu, has taken a motion to the high chamber, to re-establish medical services at the airport.

The Cabildo is gathering representatives of social groups and business organisations to coordinate a plan to request the state government to provide the finance needed to complete the Tenerife island ring road.

The Canaries were the leading independent community for foreign tourist spending levels, reaching over 2,000 million euros in the first two months of this year, ahead of Catalonia and Andalusia. The Canaries also registered an increase in the number of French visitors.

To read the rest of what is happening locally around the island check out Tenerife Weekly

Finally

For me this is the most exciting news.  I used to love making bread and buns but not with dried yeast so to learn from Barry Pugh that fresh yeast is available in any Mercadona in the fridges near to the yoghurts, and it costs only 39cts makes me ecstatic.

Click the link Cheap, Hearty, Easy & Flavoursome for Barry’s recipes

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As anticipated yesterday stayed hot, 27 in the shade for most of the day, and no clouds in the sky.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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It is a great landscape for sightseers and hikers alike and is suitable for all family members, providing an almost lunar like environment. There are various ways to reach the park, both by public transport and by road.

From Puerto de la Cruz catch the number 432 bus, which leaves at 9:15, returns at 15:15. and takes 1 hour and 45 minutes each way. To reach the park from Las Americas, the number 342 bus is the one to board, with 9:15 and 15:40 being the respective journey times. Both routes charge 15 euros for a return ticket.

From Los Cristianos a Titsa bus will take a family of 4 to the park for 33 euros. It is advisable to stay on the bus until it arrives at the cable car station (the Teleferico Teide station), although there will be a 10 minute break at the Visitors’ Centre (Parque Nacional Office). Various hiking maps can be purchased from here, which detail the trails threading around the volcano and surrounding areas.

Travelling
For a more flexible trip, a hire car could be the answer; this option takes away the restraints of bus schedules and costs from as little as 40 euros per day. A car journey to the park from Costa Adeje will pass along a scenic route of small hill stations and scented pine forests, displaying the unusual extra-large pine cones which are a special feature of the pine trees here.

Once at the cable car station, the large crater can be walked around, with the rough grey rocks and barren landscape providing a base from which to start the ascent. The 25 euro gondola ride takes around 7 minutes and stops at the 3,500 metre platform.

To hike up Teide takes around 5 hours; the rock formations en route change in colour and texture as the altitude increases. A field of black obsidian, the eggs of Teide, is passed after an hour’s climbing. Once at the upper station, trails carved out of shiny basalt wind through the lunar terrain of the lava flow and lead to viewing points.

Epic Surroundings
The climb becomes steeper after this point and takes around 45 minutes to complete. The reward can either be a view of “the sea of clouds” which can form a bracelet around Teide on a misty day or a dramatic panorama, which includes views of the other Canary Islands and often the coast of Africa.

For adults and older children a trip to the summit can be the highlight of a visit to Teide; permits should be obtained in advance from the website “Pico del Teide Access Permit”.

The steam and sulphurous smoke emerging from the top remind climbers that this is a dormant volcano, with hot rocks covering the ground like pale dragon’s eggs. Hikers who wish to stay overnight on Teide can stay at the Altavista refuge near to the top of the volcano. From 20 euros , this includes a permit to the summit.

At daybreak the huge form of Teide can be seen casting its shadow over the Atlantic Ocean, the birthplace of the volcano itself. There is no official snow sports area on Mount Teide, however, snow falls frequently making it a fun place to ski. The area has approximately 20kms of slopes and can be reached via cable car, with some stunning scenery to see on the way up.

Even though this mini ski resort is not similar to the locations in France, you can always say you’ve skied in a massive extinct crater. The mountain region is protected as the Parque nacional del Teide, ski deals cannot be found at the moment, but there is talk of creating an official ski area in the future

The above article is reprinted courtesy of Tenerife Forum

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Yesterday was beautiful until around 3.30 and then the cloud came in and it turned quite cool with temperatures dropping to 19C.

Taken at 5.30pm

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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TENERIFE WEEKLY has been informed of some recent scams that I wanted to warn you about. They all have a similar theme running through them.

A woman is parked in a supermarket car park, with a small child, both of which are crying. After asking what the problem was, the “lady” informed the would-be Samaritan, that her daughter is extremely ill, needing hospital treatment. The mother has run out of petrol and cannot get to the north of the island. Could she borrow some money, which she will pay back as soon as she gets back from her trip? Scam.

Someone knocks on your door, particularly if you live in a slightly more remote area, they are desperate, again, to get a relative to hospital, they have run out of petrol and can they please borrow some money so that they can get there. Scam

Bar owners should also be aware, a dark skinned gentleman visited a small bar in Las Americas recently. His cash card had been swallowed by the bank machine and he was desperate to get to the North. Was it possible that he could borrow some money and would be back in after a couple of days to repay the money? The request was refused, however the owner suggested that he spoke to some Spanish people over the road that may be able to give him a lift to the north. The man disappeared! Scam

Ladies, I have also heard of couples on scooters that will drive up very close, one of the riders will jump off, using a knife, cut through the strap of your bag and make off.

If you are in any way distracted by someone, perhaps asking for directions please be aware that they may have someone with them who is intent on stealing from your bag. It seems obvious, but keep your bags close to you, never leave them on a seat, where they can be easily snatched.

There are also police warnings about counterfeit €100 notes that are now in circulation.

It is not just in Tenerife that these crimes exist, it is truly worldwide. You need to keep your wits about you.

Article reprinted courtesy of Tenerife Weekly

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Yesterday even in the shade it was nudging 30C and at 6.15 pm it was still 26C. Overall a glorious day up here in the hills, on the coast though it was quite windy as you can see from the photo of the flags taken in Los Cristianos at around 7.00pm last night.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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The environmental section of the Guardia Civil, Seprona, has been searching for the alligator nicknamed the ‘Costa Croc’ since receiving “credible reports” that the animal was at large in the Malaga area. The reptile is thought to be somewhere near the exclusive neighbourhood of La Madeira and was spotted near man-made lakes in the popular tourist region Mijas.

The above is reprinted courtesy of Tenerife Weekly

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Yesterday afternoon was very hot, in the sun it was 40 degrees and everything was bright and crystal clear.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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A couple of weeks ago when my article “Tenerife’s Most Haunted” was in the Tenerife Weekly I suggested to my wife that it might make an interesting day out to investigate first hand.  Little did we know that while we were exploring, an email was making it’s way through cyberspace from a genuine paranormal investigator, inviting me to do just that, but more on that later!

So, where to go? The ghost island would be a little tricky we decided, so we chose to visit the abandoned leper colony which I’d mistakenly thought was by Arico, it’s actually at Abades off the Arico turnoff of the TF1.

The first thing we noticed as we drove in to the seaside resort of Abades is, though very nice, it’s uniformity and symmetrical design, led us to wrongly guess that maybe the town itself was built at the same time as the colony.  Actually it’s a relatively new resort – and I apologise if I’ve offended any residents!! At the bottom of the hill we gazed at the truly impressive but unfinished concrete “Franco style “ church that dominates the colony (you can clearly see this from the TF1). It’s a daunting building with a huge cross that forms almost the entire front wall of the church, had the architects felt the lepers had been afflicted because of their sins and built such a place of worship to repent?

We picked our way up the rocks directly to the church and turned to look down the path behind us at the many dormitories either side of it. Although all pretty much identical, I immediately felt a little apprehensive about the dorm to the right of the church, I thought that maybe someone was sleeping rough, I felt like we weren’t alone and we were being watched so we moved quickly on and took some more shots further down the hill. What makes this, for me even stranger was, when I wrote the article, I had no idea that there was a possibility of a haunting, but once I read the email from Keith Freeland, a professional paranormal investigator, it turns out he and his wife Angie, a psychic medium had, during numerous investigations experienced activity – especially in the building I felt strange about; “ where Angie was able to help one spirit to physically move an object” – very strange indeed!

We wandered around for about 40 minutes, the whole place is quite eerie, like a ghostly abandoned holiday camp and it’s such a shame that it’s never been developed (it’s sometimes used for military training and since 2002, has been owned by a wealthy Italian).

One thing we noticed was, on many of the exterior dorm walls, spray painted in orange were symbols, initials, times, dates, abbreviations for what looked like countries and possible structural information. I’m no expert and there’s probably a completely logical explanation (if you know what it is – please let me know) but while wandering through this ghost town with it’s strange ambience, it only added another layer to the mystery!

We finally made it to the beautiful beach, back to the car and google mapped El Barranco de Barajoz – another place I’d featured in my article, the location of countless reports of phenomena and unexplained activity.

Not far from the town of Guimar, the Barranco it seemed was a sign, a turn off into a gravel path and a huge very very deep landfill full of junk including cars, so far down they looked like matchbox toys. I’ll admit we weren’t really sure what we were looking for – we’ve since, again thanks to Keith, found out that there’s a walk into the ravine where you can investigate aqueducts, mines and buildings, but after parking and looking into the ravine (we noticed 2 suspicious people on the far side burying something half way down the slope) we immediately felt very uneasy – in fact my wife couldn’t wait to get the Hell out of there.

When I read the emails and consulted Keith’s Facebook page “Tenerife Paranormal Society” it was fascinating to read how they described feeling and how it mirrored exactly what we felt.

I plan on looking deeper into this intriguing subject and I’m pleased to tell you I’ll be scheduling a paranormal investigation with Keith in the near future!

Wow Marc that is fascinating, I look forward to hearing about your meeting with Keith.  I have been to Abadas on many occasions it is a lovely little town (well that is a bit grandiose - a collection of houses) but each time that I have decided to visit the Leper Colony I have had a last minute change of heart as it never felt the time was quite right.

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Yesterday I found it particularly cold it stayed at a maximum of 21.5C and because of the thick cloud it felt a lot colder, the air was also damp so my washing didn’t dry as quickly as I had hoped and late afternoon I had to bring it into the house which is very unusual, in fact I can´t remember the last time I had to do that except in the UK.

Of course it could be worse, OH is currently staying in the UK, at least until this evening, but he sent me this yesterday – he was a bit hacked off because one of the things he had specifically wanted to see on his return was hundreds of pre-1915 motorcycles take part in a ride from Epsom to Brighton. Unfortunately due to the weather this was cancelled.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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In this world of post-Harry Potter, the word witch no longer has such a stigma attached, but not all that long ago it was a word that provoked fear, suspicion and often violent death to the suspected practitioners.

Of course, most “real” witches are not evil but rather Wiccans who follow Harmless Pagan traditions- but I wanted to discover more about black magic and its association with witchcraft and whether Evil truly exists and if so, is it here, on this Island?

I found witches….. But I also found much more…

1 – Las Brujas del Bailadero de Anago

The village of San Andrés or Saint Andrew, 10 km north of Santa Cruz, is one of the oldest villages on the island, home to a castle built to protect the village from pirates and also the place where the famous Guanche “Mummy of San Andrés” was discovered. But on its outskirts, you’ll find “El Bailadero” meaning either “dancing place” or taken from the Guanche word “baladero”, literally “bleating place”. Guanches would lead their sheep here in the hopes that their bleating would persuade the gods to send rain, later, according to legend, witches would light bonfires to dance around whilst practising witchcraft and sacrifice.

The legend also tells of witch hunts – although not the kind you would imagine, after their coven met, the “wicked womenfolk” including young girls would hunt the slopes for lone men that, once captured, they would “encircle and harm”. Indeed, the area gave Horatio Nelson and his men more than they bargained for- one night in July, 1797 they ventured onto the coven’s sacred ground, it is said they sensed the witches watching them from above and spooked and fearing mortal danger, they quickly left the area.

Some say that these covens still exist and although they have periods of dormancy, still hunt those eerie slopes.

2 – Spanish Satanism on the rise

Political, economic, religious- for whatever reasons, interest and participation in satanic cults and rituals seems to be increasing in Spain and Spanish speaking countries. Many people from South American countries – which are the home nations of a large portion of the Canary Islands inhabitants, are more frequently looking to black magic rituals, including sacrifice, in exchange for material reward and protection in these hard times.

Mainland Spain has also seen an increase in Devil worship and the Dark Arts, and a side effect of this seems to be a rise in Church break-ins, in which the motives seem to be the theft of consecrated and sacred artefacts, worth large sums of money, depending on the object and which priest consecrated it. These items are used in satanic rituals and there is a Black Market that deals in selling stuff to Satanists.

All this renewed interest has inevitably spilled over into the Canary islands with rumours of an unnamed Satanic Group looking to “ turn the Canary Islands into the world headquarters of Satanism” and through the pages of its Journal 1COR (its name is taken from the abbreviation of 1 Corinthian , a passage in the Bible which includes the sentence; “hand this man over to Satan”) offers merchandise available in the Canaries including a ceremonial blade described as being; “ideal for decapitating sacrificial victims”, which led to the publication and the cult behind it to be investigated by the authorities.

3 – Desecration in Arona Cemetery

In 2007, Fortnightly Tenerife News reported;

“Voodoo, black magic or Satanism, call it what you like, the gruesomely shocking results have scandalized the residents of Arona and have angered and horrified the relatives of those whose bodies have been desecrated by some profoundly unbalanced individuals.”

Apparently the desecration included the digging up of bodies and the stealing of body parts.

Arona cemetery had been associated with Ritual practices before; “On previous occasions candles, coins and the remains of chickens have been found by the rear wall, evidence of bizarre nocturnal rituals.”

This however seems more to be the result of traditional African sorcery, a fringe practice condemned by the mainstream “Voudoun” priests.

So, what do you think? Are witches, demons and The Devil just made up beings to frighten and perhaps take the blame for evildoings of Man… Or does true Evil really exist?

The above is reprinted courtesy of Marc Craig and Tenerife Weekly

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Yesterday was gloriously hot with temperatures staying around 25C for most of the day although there was quite a strong breeze that sprung up around 1.30 in the afternoon which meant that although there were totally blue skies and lots of sun it was still nice to sit outside.  You may just be able to make out from the images the choppy sea down in Los Cristianos and as you can see the palm trees are swaying not too gently!  The wind died down again at tea-time.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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Much of the work on the island ring road has now been halted, and the only work still being worked on is on a bridge below the village of Tejina. This part of the ring road, to link Adeje with Santiago del Teide, was supposed to open in the first quarter of this year. The nine sub contracted companies have been collecting their equipment from the area, and entrances to the sites are being closed off. This move could leave at least two hundred people out of work, and is due to brutal cutbacks in investment by central government on Canarian roads.

Central government is continuing to limit the creation of new hotels in the islands to five star and refuses to allow new four star establishments, despite pressure from business associations and political groups regarding the need for growth.

The government is to invest two and a half million euros in the desalination and water purification plants in Arona and Adeje, a subsidy which was introduced following a National Court resolution. The Cabildo says it will spend the money on improvements.

Thanks once again go to TENERIFE WEEKLY for providing great new about what goes on around the island for more information check out  News on the Rock

Easter Holidaymakers Warned Over Rises In Theft And Pickpocketing

Tourists heading for an Easter break are being warned to look out for their valuables when visiting busy urban areas.

British Consulates are reporting rising trends in the number of street crimes involving stolen passports, money and other valuables. A stolen bag leads to frustration, extra costs and lost holiday time as tourists deal with the consequences.

The three main methods used by city criminals are:

• Pickpocketing on public transport and in busy areas.
• Distraction techniques (asking victims for help or directions, spilling something on clothes and offering to help).
• Unattended bag / handbag snatching in hotels, restaurants, cafés, airport and train stations.                   Read the full report from Tenerife Weekly

Santa Cruz Tunnel Almost Completed

The tunnel under the Plaza España in Tenerife’s capital Santa Cruz is expected to be operational and open to traffic by the end of this month. According to the Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Gerardo Hernandez, the project which had a budget of 40 million euros is “almost finished” Hernandez went on to say that the works, which will enable the pedestrianization of most of the centre of the city  are of tremendous importance both for the city and the entire island. The  tunnel is about 500 meters long, and runs from the  barranco de Santos along the promenade to the beginning of Avenida Francisco La Roche – Source for this items is News in the Sun

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The Orange alert for high seas around the islands has been reduced to Yellow and so far the high winds and rain that were forecast have been noticeable by their absence here in the south although I did hear there was some rain in the north that started on Thursday night and continued into yesterday morning.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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The Spanish ‘Met office’ Aemet is also showing there will be high waves I am always amazed when people ignore the warnings and hang around the coast waiting for the spectacular photo which could also spectacularly sweep them away.  HERE is the Governments advice sheet I just hope people take heed.

Yesterday was hot in the sun Caña spent much of the day lounging on the patio as there was a nice breeze and while temperatures in full sun hit almost 30C with the breeze it felt comfortable.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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By the time we were coming to the end of our walk the sun was starting to wake and it looks as if it is going to be a lovely day – although at 8.30 Marti was ready for home, her breakfast and back to bed for a nap.  Temps are now at 9.00am 20 degrees.

After a wonderful start to yesterday a friend came round to lunch and it grew cooler and cooler, by the time she was ready to leave we were closing doors and shivering, although a quick check at the thermometer said it was still 21C but there were lots of black clouds.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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List of Extras - There are others this is not a comprehensive list but all charges are regulated by the local Ayuntamiento and published on their website.

• Did you flag him down? If so the driver can legally add a surcharge, although they don’t always.
• If you actually board a taxi at the rank there is no additional charge.
• Picking up after being pre-ordered can legally incur additional costs.
• He can also charge for the distance travelled from where he received the call to your pick up point
• An additional charge may be made for any action that causes the driver to leave the vehicle such as assisting you with your luggage, opening the boot etc. In my experience taxi drivers do this automatically and I have never been aware of any charging extra.
• Luggage is chargeable per item (this includes shopping bags/wheelchairs/buggies etc.)
• All animals whether in a cage or not
• Any soiling /damage caused to the driver or vehicle
• It is also prohibited to consume any food or drink in the vehicle

In other words very similar to the charges any cabbie in the UK can make.

If you have any doubts at all read the fare-chart displayed in front of the passenger seat in all taxis that explains all the extras a driver can charge.

Interesting stuff – next time you think I didn´t pay that fare last time, am I being ripped off, take a moment to consider are all the circumstances identical because a slight change can mean a difference in price.

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The wind continued for most of yesterday although once you were out of it, it was very very hot 26C in the shade and at one point around 2.00pm as it was just creeping into the sun on my patio it hit 35C by 4.30pm it was over 40C.

You can see how choppy the sea is

It was far too hot to sit outside

The wind finally dropped at 22.15 but it was still warm enough for my next door neighbours to have their evening meal outside (Yes they are Spanish so tend to eat late!)

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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Whale and dolphin watching – you may have thought that you would need to travel to more exotic climes to see whales and dolphins, but one third of all whale and dolphin species pass through the waters of the Canaries, which means that this is a prime spot for seeing plenty of fine specimens. Bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales and risso dolphins are just some of the species that can be viewed on a whale and dolphin watching boat trip in the warm waters around Tenerife.

Theme parks – Tenerife is a hugely popular holiday destination with tourists of all sorts and so the amenities for entertainment here are numerous and exciting, including some fantastic theme parks. Aqualand was Tenerife’s first water park and has a resident dolphin show as well as plenty of rides and slides; Siam Park is Tenerife’s new water kingdom and has a huge range of facilities, from rapids and rides to a floating market; Rebu Park is aimed at keeping the kids entertained with all sorts of games and activities; and Jungle Park and Monkey Park offer the opportunity to encounter all sorts of exotic animals whilst adventuring on rope bridges and through waterfalls and lagoons.

The Pyramids of Guimar  – the 60,000 square metre Black Pyramid Park comes as quite a shock to anyone who thought that the pyramids were a uniquely Egyptian creation. The Canaries pyramids are located around 26km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and make for a fascinating day trip to see one of the area’s most unique historical sights. These constructions are thought to have been built for the winter and summer solstices and have been compared to those built by the Maya and Aztec civilisations in Mexico.

Teide National Park – this glorious national park contains the Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano, the highest point in Spain at more than 7,500m above sea level. Here, there are incredible views out over the island and Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, as well as plenty of fantastic hiking and walking routes, complete with wonderful scenery. Las Cañadas Natural Park, within Teide, is a UNESCO protected zone and has some breathtaking landscapes with imposing sheer cliffs and otherworldly lava formations.

Santa Cruz – this vibrant city is the capital of this Canary Island and a bustling port that is home to the regional Canarian parliament, as well as a broad spectrum of entertainment and activities. Sightseeing spots here include exploring the Garcia Sanabria Park, soaking up the sun on the glorious beach of Playa de las Teresitas, shopping for bargains at the Africa city market and strolling around the Plaza de Espana, the largest square in the Canaries. There are also numerous fabulous eateries and bars, and nightlife to rival the best that this area has to offer.

These are just some of the most popular one day excursions for those who are cruising around these warm waters. Whether you’re looking for culture, food, entertainment or history, there’s plenty to keep everyone occupied on the fascinating island of Tenerife.

Amy Sawyer is a freelance travel journalist working with Celebrity Cruises who offer a range of cruises which let you explore some the best of Tenerife in a one-day or overnight shore excursion.

The above article is reprinted courtesy of Tenerife Forum.Org.Es

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Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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Misty but starting to clear

Strong wind in open areas

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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This got me thinking – what were the islands like even further back in time, before the age of man?

This is what I discovered:

The Canary Islands were a string of underwater volcanoes that erupted forming seven major islands – although it may surprise some to find that they were not formed simultaneously and due to the millions of years of gaps between their “births”, they are quite different topographically. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are the oldest siblings, both well over 20 million years old, with Gran Canaria, El Hierro and La Gomera coming next, about 12 million years ago with La Palma and Tenerife being the babies at only 2-3 million years old!!

Of course the relative youth of the archipelago in global terms rules out any scenes reminiscent of “Jurassic Park”- no herds of Sauropods grazing by the waterholes as pterosaurs circle above I’m afraid!!

There was however, some prehistoric wildlife worth mentioning:

Gallotia Goliath – or Tenerife Giant Lizard dominated the island before the arrival of man. Fossilised remains have been found in volcanic caves on the island, these huge reptiles are thought to grow to at least 3 feet long!! A smaller cousin of it avoided extinction and can still be found throughout most of the Canaries.

Canariomys Bravoi and Canariomys Tamarani were two species of Giant Rat that coexisted with the Giant Lizard until the arrival of man who brought with them feral cats that caused their extinction. Including the tail they measured well over a metre in length making it at least the size of a large rabbit!

Giant Land Snail- fossilised remains of the shells of these gastropods suggest that the islands had a far wetter climate as little as 50000 years ago….. I wonder if the Guanches ever mastered the churning of garlic butter?

So, next time a lizard darts across the path or you catch a glimpse of a rat near the basura, spare a thought for the first humans to wade through the surf to make this island their home, that’s what I’d call a rodent problem!!

So to conclude, here’s something to ponder on … If Darwin’s theory of evolution is correct and species evolve over millions of years yet Tenerife is only a few million years old…… Where did the rats and lizards come from???

The above is reprinted courtesy of Marc Craig and Tenerife Weekly

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Happy St Patricks Day everyone, the year seems to be whizzing by at a great speed of knots.

There is still some cloud around but at least there is also quite a lot of blue sky and sunshine even this early in the morning.  It already feels quite warm even at 20 degrees and just past 8.00am so hopefully the signs are there for a lovely warm day.

Yesterday continued to be mostly cloudy.  The sun peeked out on a couple of occasions and while it lasted temperatures hit 25C but for most of the day it was dull and miserable and in my opinion although I am always a cold morsel I thought it particularly cold and kept expecting to see rain.  

Mid afternoon, dull and cool.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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Yesterday was a lovely day, sat in the garden doing some work, enjoying the sun, and watching Marti digging in a flowerpot.

Heard from a friend who was in Los Cristianos and they had to keep popping into the pool to cool down.  But come 7.30 in the evening probably because the day had been hot it felt really quite chilly.

Why not Step Through the Looking Glass and read the  Red Queen Musings

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