I live on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, a paradise on one hand, a tourist ghetto on the other hand, whichever way you choose to look at it. Tourism is forced on us. The islands couldn’t survive in the modern world without it, and blessed as these islands are in their climate, they attract a lot of people who want to fry all day and party all night. Ok, nothing, even, wrong with that, each to their own, so long as they don’t spoil life for others.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The capital of the island of Tenerife, and the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which includes the smaller islands of La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, is a mini city. Exciting, modern architecture vies with old, wooden, carved, Canarian balconies and a Spanish colonial style remininscent of South American cities.
The original captial of the island was Garachico, in the true North of the island, but after it was almost destroyed by the famous volcanic eruption of 1706 the honor was passed to La Laguna, and eventually to Santa Cruz.
La Iglesia de La Concepción
El Mercado de Nuestra Señora de Africa
El Auditorio de Santa Cruz looks like a wave curling over the seawell. It was designed by world famous architect Santiago Calatrava
La Plaza de España has been ungoing renovation for what seems like eons, but July 2008 the “new look” was unveiled, and very pleasant it is, with open spaces to wander or to linger, and this delightful pool at its center. From the heart of the pool a fabulous water spout emerges.
Arona
Sleepy village, one of the gems of the South. The focus of life trickled down to what used to be a fishing village of the municipality, but which is now a resort town, leaving this village almost unspoiled!
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Parque Nacional del Teide
The Parque Nacional del Teide was elected a World Heritage Site in 2007. The landscape is,simply, stunning. Adjective most frequently used is lunar. I’ll never get to the moon, so I’ve never know if that’s true, but is most certainly is spectacular. Volcanic activity over the years has created a landscape like nothing else on earth. Where rock has solidified at different rates there are quite distinct phenomena nestling side-by-side. These days you have to stick to the paths, unless you have a permit, which, of course, is necessary, but not too long ago one could wander at will.
The clear skies which the Canary Islands have enjoyed over past decades have made them a perfect place for astronomers. There is one observatory here in Tenerife and another in La Palma, where the heavens are studied, tracked and recorded, so far, with minimum interference from pollution.
Recycling bins Yay!
Tajinastes. These extraordinary plants grow nowhere else on earth, only in the Canary Islands- Even then, not on every island- And even then, only in the high mountains.
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Los Abrigos
This is where I lived for a couple of years, and how I felt about it. The name Los Abrigos means “The Shelters”, and it is amazing just how snug we can be in this harbor from the winds which blow along this coast. I live overlooking the harbor, which is also tranquil in the early mornings, until the tourists and other diners arrive at lunchtime. Although the boats go out still day and night, Los Abrigos is best known for its marvellous restaurants. Ever since I have lived on Tenerife the waterfront has consisted almost solely of restaurants, mainly fish restaurants, of course. And almost all of them excellent standard, with super views.
July 2008
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ummer is here, laziness permeates the air. The sense of urgency about all things is forgotten for a time, as we succomb to the heat. Something about this island though, however hot the previous day each morning dawns cool and fresh. I love that about this place. Summer is here, but there is always respite from the heat, time to breathe. When I wake I shove aside the patio door, step onto my tiny balcony, and take a deep, renewing breath to start my day. Sometimes during the day I need to return to that sensation, it keeps me going.
You might think a harbor would be busier by day than by night, but not this tiny one in Los Abrigos. Granted in the summertime there are kids diving into the water, and grandads fishing off the end of the harbor wall, but the real activity happens when the the light fades, and the little boats leave in pursuit of marckeral and tuna. One by one they chug out into the open sea, and as dawn breaks they return, often followed by a retinue of gulls, awaiting their share of the feast. The tourists and diners see none of this.
My bedroom window overlooks the harbor, and countless times I have been woken in the early hours of the morning by shouting or by clanking sounds. This is a boat coming in, lights blazing, chugging triumphantly home. All along the harbor side little, white vans are lined up, one or two if it is one boat, several if more boats are coming. Stacks of plastic crates await the unloading of the night’s catch. The construction of the harbor makes the slightest sound echo, so that a couple of guys shouting instructions to each other sounds like a fight going on.
When I step onto my early morning balcony, or at as the sky turns to a lavender dusk, I am level with the little colony of swallows darting about in the cool air, as they pick up breakfast or supper. They nest in a building at the end of the street, which was left half-finished years and years ago. It surprised me to see swallows here because I assumed this was a wintering place for them, but each year they return, an afirmation of the continuity of life. In a place where the seasonal changes are minimal this is reassuring.
Maybe the best view from my balcony is at night. After dark the ugliness of the nearby golf resort is hidden, and appears only as hundreds of twinkling lights. The moon maybe laying its silver pathway over the ocean. Stars? Well, hard to make out, what with the light pollution from “next door” and from the harbour lights and street lights of this village. Strung out across the ocean you may see lights from the local fishing boats, bright, scary lights if they are mackeral fishing, and the dark sky is often pierced by the blazing lights of incoming planes.
The view to my right makes me sad. Despite that in Winter I see impressive sunsets, the foreground is so ugly as to render them not worth snapping. Immediately to my right is a small, pebble beach and a rocky little outcrop, where the local grandads like to fish, but beyond lies the ugly cement of not one, but two, golf resorts. Some still forging ahead with buildings for which planning permission was given thirty years or so ago, not before the last recession, but the one before that. I hope that town halls know better now. Much too late.
The local fiesta is in September, the feast day of San Blas, or at least the Sunday following. The rest of the year the statue of San Blas, patron saint of caves, amongst other things, resides in a tiny cave near the coast, but on this day he is paraded along the short promenade, along with the statues of Our Lady and Hermano Pedro (the only Canarian saint) from the church. When they reach the harbor a short mass is said, before the statues are loaded onto boats to be taken out to bless the waters for the coming year.
Summer days and nights hold a magic all their own in this little place. I remember this feeling when the boys were young. Summer being time to slack off. The local kids spend their days jumping into and splashing about in the harbor. Couples stroll up and down, day and night, sit on the wall and chat, lie on the little grassy knoll above the pocket-sized beach. Tonight in the square in front of the church there is open-air cinema. I can hear it through my wide-open window. It is as if the whole world moves outdoors for two months.
And—-the ocean, the main contender, the star of any coastal community – the ocean beckons, fascinates, hypnotises and instills fear. At night, at peace, when the winds drop and the moon spreads its silver pathway over her ceaseless rhythm, she lures with her infinite beauty. When the wind changes and the swell rises she seems to rise up in her oneness and threaten to invade the land. Those who work with her respect her moods, the foolhardy tempt her at their peril. She isn’t choosey about whom she takes, young, old, black or white, it’s all the same to her.
If you find a sheltered spot, raise your arms to cut out the land-glare you can see the universe, gathered for your enjoyment. So many stars and planets shimmer in the black night that you can’t make out the familiar constellations, which hide in the multitude. It must be like this when you are out there on the ocean. In the Fall the shooting stars arrive, and there are few places in the world better for sky gazing than by this North Atlantic ocean, maybe on the ocean or in a vast desert…..somewhere far from light pollution that’s for sure.
The first restaurant in which I ate in Tenerife, years ago, was in Los Abrigos, hence, maybe, the dwindling affection which I feel for the place. I can see this restaurant from my balcony. It sits on the small headland which forms part of the protection for the harbor, and the views are wonderful. I am told it is one of the few who still serve fresh fish, bought from the boats when they arrive. The restaurant below me serves good food, no doubt, but it is all frozen. The deliveries arrive at night when the tourist are mostly gone.
LA TEJITA
My favorite beach, and still fairly unspoiled. Best in the early morning when only dog walkers and beachcombers are around.
LA LAGUNA
Renovated house in La Plaza de la Concépcion, La Laguna, World Heritage Site
Plaza de la Concépcion, La Laguna
Plaza de la Concépcion, La Laguna
Él Médano
Puerto de la Cruz
The genteel face of tourism, Puerto de la Cruz still retains some original character, renovated buildings and a peaceful atmosphere. The modern sculpture is at the entrance to the famous Parque Maritimo designed by Ceasar Manrique. The restaurant, carved out of the rock face, has been there for years. It is common to see wayside shrines here still.
GENERAL
Sunrise taken from Amarilla Golf Course
Cacti in the South of the island
CANDELARIA
Boats pulled ashore, Candelaria
Even the lick of paint they gave this old building in Candelaria is wearing off now!
When the Conquisadors arrived on Tenerife it is said that they discovered the Guanches, the native population, worshipping a statue of Our Lady, a black Madonna. Theory is that it had been washed overboard from a vessel transporting it maybe to the New World from Spain. It was placed in a newly built church, but mysteriously, the next day was found on the beach. Since it clearly chose to be by the ocean it was placed in a cave on the shore. Eventually this pretty church was built to house it. But the story doesn’t end there. During a severe storm it was washed again out to sea, and the one which can now be seen in the church is a copy of the original. Still, once a year, many people trudge from other parts of the island as a pilgrimage on the Day of Our Lady of Candelaria in August.
Belltower of the Church in Candelaria
Statues of Guanche Kings, or Menceys, line the Promenade in Candelaria. It seems that it is, finally, agreed that the Guanches came across from North Africa, but when, no-one is sure. What is strange is that having, presumably, made this voyage, they then lost all interest in watercraft of any kind. The re was hardly any communication between the seven main islands which make up the archipelago. Recent years have witnessed much more research on the subject, and much more interest. Well, where else in the world can you buy a T-Shirt which says “Guanche Origins” on it? Even if it is made in China!
The Belltower from a different perspective
El Puertito
Tiny fishing village on the West coast was a favorite place to swim and snorkel when my kids were little. We bought bocadillos and wine from the hole-in-the-wall local bar. A tumble-down shanty town of “weekend homes” clung to the cliff side. All built totally illegally, and soon to meet their end. Apparently it is ok to litter the coast with cookie-cutter hotels, but not charming and harmless little hovels like that!
https://colabora2.greenpeace.es/costas/descarga_informe.php if you want to read what Greenpeace has to say on the subject of coastal development in the Canaries and other parts of Spain.
Abandoned Banana Plantation at Sunset
