Barranco del Infierno

Barranco del Infierno

Originally uploaded by islandmommacanarias

My favorite of the pictures I took on a hike this morning. I haven’t done this, particular hike in ages. It was great to go early (9am) to see the sun rising above the mountain tops. In the valley it is shady and cool, and because of the streams which trickle from the mountains above it is less dry than the climate of the rest of the South of island.

Am posting this via Flickr – there are more photos there, and I will expand on this entry when I get a minute!

IMHO Susan Boyle

I can’t remember the last time there was so much fuss in the media, not that she doesn’t deserve it, because if this is what she wants then she richly deserves it. Not being a fan of either tv talent shows nor media “human interest” stories normally, I avoided logging on to YouTube this week, but was finally won over by comments on a friend’s blog. So glad I did, of course, Ms Boyle has the most beautiful voice, and her lovely personality is a joy, and I enjoyed it hugely…….not least watching the comeuppance of those shiney, young bimbos in the audience (oops, this whole thing is partly about not judging a book by its cover, and there I go doing just that!)…….I enjoyed even more her rendition of “Cry Me a River” (one of my favorite songs) which was all over the internet today. I am overjoyed for her, and I wish her lots of happiness and future success.

That said, there is another reason this story is so huge today. The entire world is facing one of the biggest crisises ever known, we are depressed, we are gloomy, we are down. People who thought they were about to enjoy a comfortable retirement are left to scrape by. Young people who should be enjoying the first pleasures of wage earning are “hanging” at the unemployment office. The situation is provoking violence and crime and suicides. The media screams headline after scary headline, so it is ironic that they have fed us this antidote too.

We needed a hero, someone who has beaten incredible odds to show us that it is possible, that anything is possible, as the gurus tell us….if you believe, if you want enough. Susan Boyle wanted it enough and she did it. We look at this middle aged woman, who has nothing in outward appearance other than a friendly smile, and we see ourselves. Even those lip-glossed and heavily-mascared bimbos in the audience feel that way inside. Then she opens her mouth and sheer beauty flows out, and that is how we would like to be, and we are thinking – “If she can do it, so can I”. Maybe we don’t want to sing, or be famous, but we can be the best mom in the world, we can pass that exam, we can do a better job or we can make the football team.

We already had proof of this in Barack Obama, but now he is, actually, is, President of the United States, and we are a bit awed. But Susan Boyle is on our level. She is ordinary.

So not only does she give us this marvellous gift of enjoyment, but she gives us hope too, and we most certainly do need that.

Guaza Rastro

I am ambivalent about markets and car boot sales. I love mooching around and finding bargains, but I hate the boob-brushing, sweaty, smoke-stinking closeness which comes as part and parcel of some, like the Sunday Market in Los Cristianos…….some interesting stalls amongst the tourist tat, but forget it…..not to mention €1.50 for a small bottle of water!! The best of the best is the Sunday street Market in Santa Cruz, which sprawls over the streets neighbouring the Market of Nuestra Señora de Africa, but more of that another day.

The Guaza Rastro is a car boot sale…….minus the mud and the brolly in the eye which come to mind when I think of boot sales in England! Well, for mud you can substitute dust, and I did see one lady using a brolly as a sunshade today.

For a cross-cultural experience, for a people-watching pastime or for a way to get a tan whilst standing around making money it is hard to beat. It is rumoured that the serious people arrived at 9pm yesterday evening to get the best spots, so when I rolled up at 7.45ish (daybreak!) I got a pretty bad pitch. I took heart from the fact that the van next to me belonged to a couple I know, who do the small markets regularly. If it was early enough for them, then it must be good enough for me.

Maybe the early people get time to set out their wares neatly I mused, as people crowed round peeking into my boot to get in before anyone else……..taking Trixy with me isn’t only for the company. This is something I have been doing from time to time for the past few years. I look on it as downsizing, or clearing the clutter out of my life, though I did it before those things were fashionable! Well, my available living space has been shrinking, so it made sense.

It’s something I have come to enjoy as well though. Where else on this island do you get this mingling of nationalities with the same intent, I wonder. It is symbolic of what I love about the South of the island. Sure, the North is lusher and prettier, more “authentic” Canarian but this mini United Nations is a thing to behold. I discussed Eric Clapton with chatty Brummie, talked books with a lovely English lady and an charming, elderly man, and the state of the world economy with a young man from Mali. I joked with a colorfully robed couple of ladies from Senegal, and discussed diving with a very well-educated German couple. I was haggled by Germans, Moroccans, English and Canarians – always with a smile. It stikes me that in this gathering of people, who, essentially, are not well-off, there is much more laughter and fun, more genuine liking and respect that in almost any group of wealthy people in which I have ever been.