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Tenerife in August 2021

Sky-live.tv will broadcast the Perseids from the Canary Islands observatories on August 12 - 13, when this meteor shower is estimated to reach 100 meteors per hour. For the Perseids of 2021, the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have come together under the citizen science project 'Contadores de Estrellas' (Star Counters).

The 16 August 2021 is a national public holiday in lieu of Asunción de la Virgen (Assumption) on the 15th, which is a Sunday. 

Municipal holidays in August are: 

  • 2 August: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de La Esperanza in El Rosario
  • 5 August: Nuestra Señora Virgen del Amparo in Icod de los Vinos
  • 6 August: Festivity of El Salvador in La Matanza
  • 23 August: Fiestas for the Town's Patrons in Fasnia
  • 24 August: Festivity of San Bartolomé in Buenatista del Norte
  • 30 August: Festivity of San Bernardo in Arafo
  • 30 August: Festivity for the Municipality's Patrons in La Victoria
  • 31 August: Festividad Nuestra Señora de Buen Viaje in El Tanque
  • 30 August: Festivity of San Agustín y San Roque in Vilaflor

August is usually packed with fiestas and romerías, with the biggest being the fiestas in Candelaria and Peregrinación a Candelaria (pilgrimage) on the 14 and 15 of August, with the Ceremony of the discovery of the Virgin - which last year were suspended and are not going to take place this year either.

Fountains that quenched the thirst of the population in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The first public fountain - La Pila - in Santa Cruz Koppchen, CC BY 3.0

Originally, these fountains provided water to homes and quenched thirst of the population in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Those that survived have become an ornamental element of the city. At the beginning of the 18th century, the 2,200 inhabitants of Santa Cruz were supplied with the water that ran through the ravines, which they extracted with norias (machine used to lift water into a small aqueduct, either for the purpose of irrigation or to supply water to cities and villages) - the street to which they gave their name - and from the wells or cisterns in the orchards or patios of the houses whose owners could afford this luxury.

For this reason, in 1706, Captain General Agustín de Robles y Lorenzana ordered that water be brought from the source of Mount Aguirre, through 12 kilometres of wooden culverts that, upon reaching the town, passed through underground canals along Calle de las Canales Bajas (today Doctor Guigou), continued along Calle del Pilar, crossing San Roque (Suárez Guerra), Barranquillo (Imeldo Serís), until it reached the Casa del Agua (water house), located on Calle de las Canales (Ángel Guimerá). From here, it was taken to the garden of the Santo Domingo convent, current Guimerá Theater, and to the Pila that was placed in the square that would later bear his name, currently La Candelaria.

The first public fountain - La Pila - Santa Cruz had so that its inhabitants could obtain water at any time of the year, made of volcanic stone, had, in its centre, a spout through which the water came out and fell into a small circular pool, from where, in turn, it overflowed from the mouths of six masks, like gargoyles and on which there were two cartouches with the royal arms of Spain.

In 1802, with unknown cause, the pedestal that supported the cup that crowned the fountain broke and it fell to the ground. The pedestal was replaced by a smaller one and the pieces joined with metal bolts. In 1844 it was taken to the municipal warehouse, from where Anselmo J. Benítez rescued it and exhibited it in the gardens of his Museo Villa Benítez. When he remodelled the Plaza de La Candelaria, in 1886, he returned it to the plaza, although not to the centre.

Fuente de Morales Koppchen, CC BY 3.0

As residents continued to draw water from the norias or had to queue up at the aforementioned source, a place where agglomerations, conflicts and disputes took place, especially in summer, due to the low flow, another captain general, Francisco Tomás Morales y Afonso, would inaugurate (1838) in the neighbourhood of El Cabo the second public fountain in Santa Cruz. 

In gratitude for having provided the population with abundant and permanent water, the City Council agreed to call it Fuente de Morales.

The basalt stone fountain is made up of the bowl with the arches, the cornice, the entablature, four pipes in the shape of human heads and a receptacle that collected the spills where the animals watered. In 1907, it had twice the number of water sources, with pipes in between the existing ones. In 2010 it had to be moved a few meters due to the opening of the street that bears its name.

The Fountain of Isabel II Photograph by Mike Peel, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Fountain of Isabel II (Isabella II of Spain), in the Plaza de Isabel II, was the third to be put into operation, in La Marina street, on August 25, 1845.

Made of basaltic granite, bluish in color and with the characteristics of romantic classicism, it is made up of a receptacle, a body formed by six Tuscan columns that support the frieze, and a finial, crowned by the city's coat of arms. Between the columns there are five spaces in which the bronze heads of the lion stand out, which "throw" the water from their mouths that falls into the oblong basin, which is accessed by a staircase. At its back is the reservoir that supplied water, for the irrigation of the Alameda de la Marina and to supply the ships.

Fuente de Santo Domingo with La Aguadora (The Water Carrier) Frobles, CC BY-SA 4.0

Captain General Agustín de Robles had granted (1706) to the friars of the Dominican convent of La Consolación the right of water to irrigate their garden but, after the Ecclesiastical confiscations of Mendizábal (1836), these assets passed to the municipality and the Guimerá Theater and the Old Recova (market) were built on the vacant site resulting from the convent's demolition.

The four-pipe jet that was in the aforementioned orchard, formed by a receptacle in the centre of which stood a square basalt stone pillar crowned by a large sphere, also made of stone, would become, in 1893, the Fuente de Santo Domingo. This work by the municipal architect Antonio Pintor y Ocete, carved in local stone, with four taps, was topped by a chandelier of streetlamps (now disappeared). It was used by residents of the neighbourhoods of Consolación (Puerta Canseco) and Vilaflor (Miraflores) because it was located in the square resulting from the confluence of La Luz (Imeldo Serís) and Canales (Ángel Guimerá) streets.

Next to it is, since 2000, the sculpture of La Aguadora (The Water Carrier) by the artist Medín Martín, commissioned by the City Council to pay tribute to one of the professions that the women of Santa Cruz carried out until the beginning of the 20th century, consisting of collecting jugs of water from public fountains and taking it, on their head, to the homes that requested it, in exchange for a remuneration. The role was very important, especially during periods of drought, since the water supply service was not regularized and many of the homes did not have this particular resource.

As in all these fountains and jets the water flowed continuously through the pipes, being lost through the streets and ravines, it was proposed to provide them with taps with keys that would allow them to be kept closed.

Although the fountains and jets that survived (La Pila, Morales, Isabel II and Santo Domingo) no longer have their original purpose, their centuries-old stones have turned them into an ornamental element of the city, forming part of the historical heritage of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Therefore, municipal officials, in order to recover these important items in the history of the City, have been carrying out a series of conservation and decoration actions, providing them with water and adequate lighting, while protecting their environment.

Chronology of the failed British assault on Santa Cruz de Tenerife of July 25, 1797

Information panel showing the Chronology of the assault of July 25, 1797
at the San Cristóbal Castle Interpretation Centre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

In the spring of 1797, two English frigates boarded a Spanish frigate and a French corvette in Santa Cruz bay and, taking advantage of the darkness, took them out of the bay with little resistance. This action made Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson think that it would be easy to take over the port of Santa Cruz, and he proposed to Admiral Jervis an ambitious plan to prevent Spain from continuing to use the Canarian ports of call between America and Africa. On July 15, the English would abandon the blockade of the port of Cádiz and headed for Tenerife.

JULY 21

At dawn, the lookout at the Igueste watchtower spotted a British fleet on the horizon, made up of four ships of the line, three frigates, a cutter and a bomb vessel, communicating it to the Castillo de San Cristóbal by means of bonfires. In total 2,000 marines came and their ships carried 393 guns.

Once the alarm was sounded, General Gutiérrez, General Commander of the Canary Islands, brought together his staff and put the plan into operation; that is, to vacate the public offices of the Treasury, Tobacco, Post Office, commercial warehouses, and for women, the elderly and children to go up to La Laguna in search of refuge.

1,000 men from the Canarian Militia Regiments of Abona, Güimar, La Laguna, La Orotava and Garachico arrived in Santa Cruz, who would join the 600 soldiers of the Canary Islands Infantry Battalion; the 387 artillerymen defending the castles and batteries with its 89 guns; the 60 men of the Cuban and Havana Flags, the 110 sailors of the French corvette La Mutine, the pilots and sailors of the merchant ships stationed in the bay, and the volunteer countrymen.

JULY 22

At dawn, 23 boats full of Englishmen tried to land on Bufadero beach, but the assault was aborted thanks to a peasant woman from San Andrés who was going to the market to sell her wares and alerted the soldiers of the Paso Alto castle. At ten o'clock in the morning, three English frigates approached the Valleseco beach, and 1,200 men disembarked and seized the Mesa del Ramonal. Quickly, a detachment commanded by the Marquis de la Fuente de las Palmas occupied the height of Paso Alto, placing itself in front of the enemy.

At dusk, 300 men from the Infantry battalion, plus 50 Rozadores de La Laguna (volunteer countrymen who used rozaderas - sickles / farm implements - as weapons), prevented the English troops from advancing through those places.

During the night 500 militiamen joined, led by the mayor of Taganana, Andrés Perdomo Álvarez. At the same time, the English forces, taking advantage of the darkness, began the descent towards the beach and returned to their ships.

JULY 23-24

At three in the afternoon, the enemy squad set out to sea and headed southeast, losing sight of the height of Barranco Hondo. Despite the apparent withdrawal, during the night, at the suggestion of Lieutenant Francisco Grandy Giraud, a cannon - El Tigre - was placed in a new opening in the Santo Domingo bastion, in order to cover the Alameda beach that was located unguarded. At six in the morning of the 24th, the British squad appeared again off Santa Cruz, anchoring off Valleseco. At nine o'clock it was joined by a new 50-gun ship, of which the attacking force already has nine units.

Nelson gathered his officers on the flagship, HMS Theseus, to study the strategy they would carry out to take Santa Cruz. Such was his faith in victory that he even decided to take part in the attack, leading the landing force.

At seven in the afternoon, a frigate and a bomb vessel approached the coast and began to bombard the castle of Paso Alto, dropping a total of 43 bombs that did not cause appreciable damage. To this action, the fort responded with the fire of its pieces. 

JULY 25

In the early morning, the British landing craft are divided into several groups. The one that went to the dock and the Castillo San Cristóbal split in two. One of them, commanded by Captain Troubridge, managed to reach the dock stairs and disabled the seven guns in its battery. Then they tried to reach the castle but, when they were rejected, they made a detour and hid in the upper part of the Plaza de la Pila (Plaza de la Candelaria) where, at four in the morning, when they were discovered by the soldiers of the Canary Islands Battalion, they fled and took refuge in the Santo Domingo convent, now the Centro de Arte La Recova (Recova Art Centre) and Guimerá Theater.

However, the second group of boats, in which Admiral Nelson was approaching, could not achieve it due to the strong waves, going to beach their keels at the Alameda beach. When Nelson prepared to jump ashore and drew his sword to encourage the men he was hit by shrapnel from the Tigre cannon. Nelson's launch would return to the flagship, where his right arm was amputated at his shoulder. The cutter, Fox, which was escorting the aforementioned boats, was hit below the waterline and, amid a terrifying fire, sank into the bay with its 300 sailors, gunpowder and assault material.

Another group of boats, commanded by Samuel Hood, managed to land on the Carnicería beach and climbed the Santos ravine, until they were also protected in the Dominican convent.

At dawn, from the bell tower of the convent, they began to send signals to their boats asking for help, at the same time that they ordered General Gutiérrez to hand over the plaza, under the threat of setting the town on fire, to which Gutiérrez turned a deaf ear. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Grandy had returned to service the dock battery; so that, an hour later, when 15 boats full of English sailors headed there, with the intention of helping the companions who were in the convent, the cannons opened fire on them, sinking several boats, so who returned to their ships. At seven in the morning, when discouragement spread in the English troops, they asked to parley; For this, Commander Samuel Hood was led blindfolded to the castle of San Cristóbal, where he still dared to demand that General Gutiérrez surrender; he agreed to capitulate to the firm reply received: "There are still men and gunpowder left in the plaza for its defense." Immediately, a boat with Samuel Hood and Carlos Adán, captain of the sea (port pilot), went to the British flagship, where Nelson is informed of the conditions of the capitulation, to which he agreed and signed with his left hand.

JULY 26

At nine o'clock in the morning, in the Plaza de la Candelaria, bread, fruit and wine were distributed to the defeated British, and were then transferred to their ships in the boats of the Santa Cruz fishermen or in their own boats that had been left intact. The following day the wounded who had been treated at the two hospitals in Santa Cruz would be re-embarked. Nelson, impressed by such a kind act of chivalry of the Tenerife people, addressed a letter to General Gutiérrez - signed with his left hand - in which he expressed his gratitude for such deference, at the same time that he became the messenger of his own defeat. In gratitude, he gave him night vision glasses, a cheese and a barrel of English beer, to which Gutiérrez corresponded with another letter and gave him two limetones (demijohn) of local wine. The people of Santa Cruz could not imagine what that victory would mean for the future of his modest town. Four days later, the Mayor Real met the authorities and residents of the Place and Port in the church of Pilar, agreeing to designate copatrons to the Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) and the Apostle Santiago (Saint James), on whose day the triumph over the English had been consummated.

General Gutiérrez brought the matter to the court and, six years later, on August 28, 1803, King Carlos IV (Charles IV of Spain) granted the privilege of Villazgo (city status), added the qualifier of Noble, and granted the city its own coat of arms. Since then, it would be renamed: Muy Leal, Noble e Invicta Villa, Puerto y Plaza de Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife (Very Loyal, Noble and Invicta Villa, Port and Plaza de Santa Cruz de Santiago de Tenerife).

* Official chronicler of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 

Cronología de la Gesta del 25 de julio de 1797

Re-enactment of the La Gesta Batalla.

6 best hiking trails for the whole family

Parque Rural de Anaga

The mountains and ravines of the island are seen as the ideal place to develop leisure activities. It is more fashionable than ever, even more so in Tenerife, a hiking paradise with a large number of paths: coastal, mid-range, high mountain. In total, it has 200 approved trails, which together exceed 500 kilometres.

EL DÍA has compiled the best trails, both for those who want to take their first steps in hiking or want to go as a family and for those who are looking for greater challenges in nature and are well prepared. Experts in the field have participated in this selection, such as Pedro Millán, director of the Sustainable Santa Cruz Foundation and head of Rural Development of the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing, and Javier Martín, mountain guide on the island of Tenerife. There is extensive information on these trails on the internet, on the websites of public and specialized administrations.

Below are the details of the 6 best trails with low difficulty and for the whole family.

El Pijaral (Anaga)

The El Pijaral path, located in the Anaga Rural Park, is considered the most beautiful in Tenerife. Known as The Enchanted Forest, it is one of the few – together with Pico del Teide and Masca – for which permission must be requested from the Cabildo de Tenerife – it is free and it is done through this website – to avoid severe fines if it is done without authorization. It is a very attractive option for those who want to start in the Tenerife mountains.

Part of the La Ensillada area, passing the Montes de Anaga hostel, crossing the El Pijaral Natural Reserve, its fern forests, in particular the one that gives the area its name, enjoy extraordinary conditions of humidity and temperature since it is embraced by the trade winds. This laurel forest - a plant dinosaur exclusive to the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores - hides one of the best views of the Natural Reserve. It is a 6-kilometer circular path with a route of low difficulty, lasting about four hours, ideal for families to be accompanied by the little ones.

Without leaving the Anaga Rural Park, another option to get started in this sport is the Pista de Las Hiedras, which starts from the TF-143, the El Batán road, at kilometre 0.7. With sections adapted for people with reduced mobility, it is also a circular track. The distance is not a problem either since the total route of this track is 4.5 total kilometres. It is one of the least demanding trails of the selection, ideal to combine it with other activities during the day such as a visit to the different rural towns in the area. It is a path surrounded by abundant laurel forest and heath, with very little unevenness.

Aguamansa-El Dornajito (La Orotava)

In the upper area of ​​La Orotava is the Caldera de Aguamansa Recreational Area, from where a network of trails begins that runs through the Orotava monteverde bordering the pine forests. There are a dozen possible routes. The experts recommend the Aguamansa-El Dornajito trail due to its low difficulty and its route –10 kilometres without major ascents. The starting point is at kilometre 15 of the road from La Orotava to Teide, at the height of Aguamansa. Parking is located next to Los Andes restaurant. It is a circular route that begins and ends in the Los Pajares ethnographic park, where there is a picnic area. On the outward section, we pass through the Cruz del Dornajito rest area, a place with a lot of history. It is a spring that has been referred to by naturalists of the prestige of Alexander von Humboldt for being a place of rest and water supply on the ascent to Teide.

Malpaís de la Rasca (Arona)

It touches a coastal path, one of the many in Tenerife that crosses the badlands. Located in the municipality of Arona, it is a completely different landscape from the laurel forests of the north of Tenerife, totally flat, salted by the ocean. As it is another circular route, visitors can enjoy the convenience of traveling in their own vehicle and picking it up at the end of the journey.

The Rasca Special Nature Reserve is a vast country, famous for its vegetation, its archaeological sites and its lighthouse, which is usually the target of hikers who enter this small volcanic desert. About 10 kilometres long, it is an ideal route to do with the family because it does not have great slopes. It is advisable to bring plenty of water and sun protection, since if the sky is clear, there will not be many shady places to shelter. In addition, given the proximity to the sea of ​​this route, there are accesses to some coves and ponds where you can bathe to regain strength. The trail begins in Palm-Mar, just before the place where buildings appear. To enter it is to enjoy the coastal thyme, the sea grape, the cardón and the tabaiba, characteristic species of the island's coastal places.

Malpaís de Güímar

Continuing with the coastal landscapes, the Güímar badlands is another option. This Special Nature Reserve is located in an ideal enclave for endemic species such as cardonales and tabaibales to flourish, which can be appreciated during the 6-kilometer walk. It is also another route that, due to its few slopes, is ideal for family groups who want to enjoy nature with the little ones. Also noteworthy are the abundant volcanic tubes and caves such as Cueva Honda, more than 100 meters long and 5 meters high. The recommendations for this excursion are similar to the previous one: water and sun protection to avoid heat stroke.

Fasnia Volcano (Teide National Park)

On one of the slopes of Teide, the Fasnia volcano rises, where this route is located. With 8.5 kilometres in length, it enjoys the comforts already mentioned of the circular tracks. The route begins and ends in front of the Corral del Niño car park and has an estimated duration of 3 hours. This route stands out for the abundance of the endemic species of the blue tajinaste. This species also enters into bloom between the months of April and June, so this walk around the volcano takes on a greater value. If the day is clear, from some points of the trail you can see the islands of La Palma and Gran Canaria, as well as Mount Teide.

Afur-Taganana (Anaga)

Located in the Anaga massif, this 12-kilometer-long trail is classified as easy since its slopes are not very steep. Its cliffs with views of the multiple rocks that populate the landscape of the Reserve and the access to the virgin beach of Tamadite make this track one of the most precious in the area. 

The days before July 18, 1936 in Tenerife

Palacio de la Capitanía General de Canarias Koppchen, CC BY 3.0

An assassination attempt led Franco to shout "Socorro, auxilio, pistoleros" (Help, help, gunmen), when they tried to enter his room at the Military Command of the Canary Islands, today Palacio de la Capitanía General de Canarias, located in the Plaza Weyler, by force. He had been in the capital of Tenerife for a few months - having arrived in Tenerife on Friday, March 13, 1936 - Franco knew that he was going to be the target of an attack, so he took great precautions. Among them, sleeping with the doors and windows completely closed.

The book Crónica de Vencidos (Chronicle of the Vanquished), by the researcher Ricardo García Luis, collects several testimonies about that attempted attack on Franco on the night of July 14, 1936 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. One of those testimonies is from Antonio Tejera Alonso, known as Antoñé. According to the author, this man from Tenerife was one of the three anarchists who wanted to kill Franco that hot night, 85 years ago.

They were not alone. They had help inside and outside the organization. 

One of the essential collaborators for his plan to go well was María Culi Palou, a 42-year-old Catalan living in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. She was the owner of the Odeón restaurant, but she also ran a soldiers' canteen located on one of the sides of the Captaincy General. This woman, known as Maruca, spent many years in prison accused of helping the resistance fighting the dictatorship. In her file, she appears as a liaison agent for extremist elements and she was tried and sentenced on January 11, 1937 along with 60 other people.

Lieutenant General Francisco Franco Salgado-Araujo, in his book Mi vida junto a Franco (My life with Franco), also writes about this: “In July, at the insistence of the anonymous information I received, in which it was said that the plans to assassinate Franco were still being prepared, I decided to reinforce the Captaincy guard and increase the personal escort of officers (…) One evening several soldiers who were on duty noticed that someone was moving and taking shelter in the trees that were next to the wall of the building. They fired quickly making several individuals flee. There were three of them and they entered the recently opened streets that were in that sector”.

Days after the frustrated plan to kill him, on July 18, 1936, Franco prompted Golpe de Estado (coup) that started the Spanish Civil War.

Researcher Pedro Medina Sanabria tells us that on July 18, 1936: "With the first rays of the sun on July 18, 1936, Commander Alfonso Moreno Ureña occupied the Civil Government of Santa Cruz Tenerife, with the infantry troops under his command. They were joined by the forces in charge of the custody and defence of the Civil Government itself, who did not present any resistance." The Civil Government building was that of the old Palacio de Carta, located in the Plaza de la República, formerly known as Plaza de la Constitución, which is today Plaza de la Candelaria number nine.

The version of the events of July 18, 1936, by the journalist Víctor Zurita Soler (1891 - 1974), founder of “La Tarde”, a Tenerife evening newspaper for 55 years, (1927 to 1982), published in 1937 the book «In Tenerife Franco planned the nationalist movement» subtitled «Anecdotes and scenes from the stay of the Generalissimo in the Canary Islands and his departure for Tetouan». Reports with which the newspaper "La Tarde" reached unusual circulation numbers for its time, written in a language considered very journalistic and even colloquial, collecting various testimonies, among which those that Víctor Zurita Soler received directly from the Colonel Chief of the General Staff of Franco in Tenerife, Teódulo González Peral:
"I can assure you that a state of war could be declared in Tenerife from one o'clock in the evening, when we became aware of the military movement in Morocco. From here we communicated to General Franco the news of the Uprising in Africa, and if the time was delayed, it was only to hope that it would simultaneously take place in Las Palmas. I can also add that we had specific instructions to make the declaration of a state of war here, given by General Franco in person, as soon as we were cut off from him or something happened in the city or on the island that required it."
Mr. González Peral adds: “At one o'clock [on July 18, 1936] and meeting in his office, the military commander Mr. [José] Cáceres [Sánchez]; The auditor, Mr. [José] Samsó [Henríquez] and the main corps chiefs, an urgent radio [message] was received from Melilla, which notified the uprising of the African forces, news that we were already waiting for. Then I called the Las Palmas General Staff Commander by phone, so that he could get in touch with General Franco, indicating what was happening and urging him on the urgency of the case. As time passed and I had no news from the neighbouring island, I decided to call the hotel where the general was staying by phone. 

It was two fifteen in the morning. Franco rested.

"I called him given the urgency of the case. He came to the phone and I read him the text of the dispatch, the general then telling me that he would adopt all the pertinent provisions for the incorporation of Gran Canaria to the National Movement and that he would leave urgently for Gando, in order to take the plane that was prepared to take him to Morocco."

"As far as Tenerife was concerned, I told the general that everything was ready and that a state of war could be declared; but that he could delay it until 5 in the morning, not a minute more." That night, meetings and lobbying had been held in the Civil Government and the governor in person had been called to a cable conference that was held from the Telegraph Centre, and in it it seems that the elements of the Government told him that there were rumours of a military uprising, to which the civil governor replied that as far as the Canary Islands were concerned, all the precautions were taken.

He spent the night at the Military Command. 

The surveillance in the barracks was reinforced; Orders were issued for the entire officers to concentrate on them and whatever provisions were appropriate were adopted in such a serious case. Some officers came to the Command to ask me if something abnormal was happening, and I was forced to hide the truth from everyone, which they would soon learn, telling them then, to get out of the way, that we had news that an attempt was being made an assault on the barracks. Naturally, not everyone was very convinced by my words.

Later, in agreement with Colonel [José] Cáceres [Sánchez], I gave orders that at five o'clock in the morning, the strategic points of the city be taken, the State of War be declared and the Civil Government be taken. What will it cost? At five o'clock the troops left the barracks and entered the Plaza de la Constitución through the streets of Cruz Verde, Candelaria and Avenida Marítima, surrounding the building by its two facades. This was done without the slightest incident occurring.

The director of the National Telephone Company, Mr. Mestres, received at nightfall on the 17th, several urgent radiotelephone calls from Madrid, asking him if something was happening in the Canary Islands. Mr. Mestres - the colonel of the General Staff continues to speak, visited me to convey the question that was being asked from Madrid. I replied that absolutely nothing happened in the Canary Islands, as it was, in fact, since nothing had happened up to that moment, but this put us on our guard and we were constantly listening.

Next, Mr. González Peral tells us about a singularly painful matter. He thus manifests it to us when he begins to refer it to us and that anguish is noticed when looking at the face of the prestigious military commander who provides us with these data, or perhaps only when noticing his voice veiled by a hint of regret. The civil governor, condemned by a council of war, and later shot, could have saved his life. When General Franco was threatened with death in Tenerife, I went - says the colonel - to visit the now deceased Mr. Vázquez Moro to demand more than beg him to establish a close watch to avoid the attack prepared against the military commander of the Archipelago. The governor gladly offered to please me and arranged for two agents of the Vigilance Corps to discreetly accompany the general and guard him. The service, however, was incomplete since a car was not made available to these police officers so that they could closely follow the general, since he always travelled by car. In any case, I thanked Mr. [Manuel] Vázquez Moro for his request and told him: As things are going, it is not difficult that in not too distant time you will need, - to save yourself from revolutionary extremism, from the help of the military element, and by when that time comes I promise you my help.

When the national movement exploded and once the one who had been governor had been detained in his rooms of the civil government, I sent an official of my trust to that building to meet with him and tell him that he ratified me in the previous offer. There was nothing to fear, since I was ready - and General Franco would have approved my resolution - to make him leave Spain, the former governor fixing in advance the place abroad where he wanted to reside. But the sad thing was that Mr. Vázquez Moro later broke his promise not to leave his private rooms in the Government building and that he was reckless in arriving at the assembly hall and leaning out on the main balcony, giving rise with his attitude to an uprising that it had serious consequences and could have had much worse. That relieved me of the moral commitment. He was later subjected to summary and well known is the result.[1] The colonel concentrated his thoughts for a moment and finally replied: The governor was a good person; but he did not have good advisers. There is no doubt that these provoked and precipitated his ruin.

Palacio de Carta, Santa Cruz de Tenerife CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS, CC BY-SA 3.0

[1] Palacio de Carta: On July 18, 1936, when it was the seat of the civil government, it was taken over by the coup military in the early hours of the morning, and the civil governor who also lived there, Mr. Manuel Vázquez Moro, was kidnapped, shot in October of that same year after a sham trial in which he was charged with treason. 

On Saturday, the 18th, at six in the afternoon, a bloody collision took place between the Army forces that were garrisoning the Civil Government building and a fraction made up of twelve guards from the Assault Section of this capital, under the command of a lieutenant, those who were located in some houses and rooftops of the Plaza de la Constitución (now Plaza de la Candelaria) and from there they fired on the infantry soldiers located in front of the aforementioned Civil Government building. This Assault force had initially joined the National Movement initiated by the garrison of the Canary Islands, but surely changed its mind as it was subjected to coercion and external influences. In the skirmish, which did not take on any greater character thanks to the promptness and courage used by force, an Assault agent was killed and another wounded.

After dark, the Captain of the General Staff, Don Francisco Rodríguez [Martínez] left the Military Command, commanding a few soldiers, who managed to disarm and capture the rebel guards, thus ending the bloody and regrettable episode of the 18th.

Doña Carmen's Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho

There are thousands of gazpacho recipes, every home in every town has its own way of making this famous dish. The ultimate goal is always the same: prepare a delicious cold, tomato-based soup that, in addition to feeding, helps cool you a bit on summer days. It is important to note that although Andalusian gazpacho is generally considered the king of gazpachos, it is not the only one, there is also the so-called Manchego gazpacho, Extremadura gazpacho and this gazpacho that arrived in La Laguna in the first decades of the last century by the hand of Doña Carmen from Ronda in the province of Málaga ... 

Ingredients:

1 kilo of fresh and ripe tomatoes
½ green bell pepper 
½ cucumber
½ small onion
1 clove garlic
A couple of slices of bread, they can be from the day before
A couple of tablespoons of white vinegar
Water
Olive oil
Salt

Method:

Wash and coarsely chop the tomatoes, pepper and cucumber. Reserve a small piece of pepper to decorate the dish. Chop the onion and garlic. Put everything in a blender with the two slices of bread and grind. Mix the vegetables well, as long as necessary. 

Add water little by little until it takes the consistency that you want your gazpacho to have. Sometimes tomatoes are so juicy that you don't need to add any water to the preparation.

If it already has the consistency you want, add salt, vinegar (remember that it is only a couple of tablespoons) and a dash of olive oil. Blend a little more and taste. If necessary add some more of the ingredient you consider it needs.

Once ready, some people strain the gazpacho, others leave it as it is. Both options are valid.

Store your gazpacho in the fridge to cool down well.

When serving, if desired, top each dish with a little chopped green pepper, some chopped tomato, fried croutons, minced onion and a splash of olive oil. 

Canarian tomatoes stuffed and baked

Tomates canarios rellenos y horneados (Canarian tomatoes stuffed and baked)

Tomates canarios rellenos y horneados is an easy and quick recipe to prepare and that you can adapt to your own liking. Use the cheese that you like the most, other than "blue cheese" since the acidity of the tomato does not go too well.

Ingredients:

6 medium, ripe tomatoes 
100 grams of breadcrumbs
50 grams of grated cheese
1 large onion
2 tbsp butter 
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
oil to the required quantity
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Wash the tomatoes, cut off a lid and extract the juice and the seeds. Reserve the juice. Place the cheese, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and the tomato juice in a bowl. Season to taste. Sauté the finely chopped onion in the butter, then add it to the other ingredients. Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture, then sprinkle with grated cheese. Arrange in a baking dish and dot with butter. Bake in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. 

This is an easy and very light dish, best accompanied with a leafy salad. 

Five hidden beaches in Tenerife


Tenerife has everything: charming and hidden beaches, impressive mountains, perfectly supplied cities and towns full of history, culture and, of course, exquisite gastronomy. Generally, and fortunately for many, those who visit the island tend to enjoy the beaches located in the most touristy areas, leaving without discovering those that are hidden between mountains, or those that rest at the end of the many steep trails. DIARIO DE AVISOS have compiled a list of five of these mysterious or hidden beaches in the rugged Tenerife landscape and give you below some information that you should take into account if you decide to discover these beautiful corners of volcanic sand, rocks and the sea. 

El Apio 

This beach of golden sand, rocks and gravel takes refuge in the cliffs of La Barranquera, in Valle Guerra (La Laguna). You can find it at the mouth of Barranco del Horno. Access to El Apio is simple, and there is also parking. At the same time, it is not the only beach in the area, since less than five kilometres away is another no less curious: Playa del Roquillo

La Ocadila 

Many in La Laguna have heard of it, but not all have been able to take a dip in the sea of it. La Ocadila rests, away from the city, between Punta del Hidalgo and Anaga. This hidden beach requires an adventurous passion, as its access is difficult. So much so, that you can only access it by sea, either by kayak or by boat.

Masca

A beautiful hamlet emerges, between deep ravines, 11 kilometres from the nearest town, Buenavista del Norte. At first glance, it is difficult to imagine that this point on the island, which rises 750 meters above sea level, once served as a hiding place for the pirates who crossed our waters. A wild beach of black sand and stones awaits you in the channel of the ravine, guarded by the cliffs. You have two options to get there: by sea, by boat or kayak, or going down its path. If you choose this last alternative, it will take you between two and four hours to walk to the beach. Ah! And don't forget to go early and, obviously, in good weather.

Las Breñas

If you love the sea and mountains, Las Breñas Beach is your place. This treasure, covered with black sand and stones, awaits you in Las Palmas de Anaga and offers you a wonderful panoramic view of Los Roques de Anaga. The path that takes you to Playa de Las Breñas starts from El Draguillo. The road is complicated, so you must be very attentive during the journey. On the way you will come across fantastic sights, such as the Hacienda de San Gonzalo, famous hundreds of years ago for its wine production, or the hermitage that guards a painting of the Virgin of Candelaria dating from the seventeenth century. 

Playa del Ancón

Getting to this wild beach in La Orotava requires a little stroll of between 20 and 30 minutes, but it's worth it. Especially once you step on its black volcanic sand. El Ancón is a small beach: its length is about 400 meters. However, when you look up, you are faced with the majesty of a spectacular landscape. If there is a "but" for this beach, it is the state of the sea: get in only if the sea is calm. We already know that the northern waters drag a lot when they are rough, as happens in others in the same area, such as Los Patos or El Bollullo

Other Charming Beaches

It would be unfair to think of this list as the definitive one, as in everything, depends on individual taste. And left out of this list of hidden beaches in Tenerife, are others that are just as spectacular: El Carrizal, La Fajana, La Garañona, Roque Bermejo, Antequera ... 

Tenerife in July 2021

Old Customs House in Puerto de la Cruz

This time last year, we were hoping that fiestas would be back by now, but because of the still ongoing pandemic large crowds are still not possible, so we still have none of the usual biggest events to list this month. And once more, there are no public holidays during July, just a few dates at municipal level that will probably mean little more than the shops closing:
  • 13 July: Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen in Puerto de la Cruz
  • 16 July: Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santiago del Teide
  • 26 July: Santa Ana in Candelaria, Garachico and Santiago del Teide

With the beginning of the Great July Festivities, the Department of Commerce summons the citizens of Puerto de la Cruz to participate in the celebration of "Aquí huele a fiestas" (Here it smells like parties), the Canarian lunch and dinner event, replacing the baile de magos dinner and dance in traditional costume.

Puerto de la Cruz will repeat the experience of the previous edition, extending schedules throughout Saturday, July 10. In collaboration with the department of fiestas they have decided to celebrate Canarian lunch and dinner on the terraces of bars and restaurants, so that it serves as an incentive to eat out, and in turn, keeps traditions alive. They invite people to proudly wear typical costume and to reserve a table at their favourite restaurant to enjoy this unique day with family and friends, complying with the relevant sanitary measures. Details of the bars and restaurants that are joining this initiative, which you can contact and reserve your special menu can be found at the following page.

In addition, various folk groups will enliven the streets and squares with their music to accompany this special day for all the people in Puerto to enjoy.

Tenerife Land of Eternal Christmas

Sunbathing SantaDesert Island ChristmasScuba Diving SantaTropical Santa
Santa's Having a Whale of a TimeSurfing SantaWaterski SantaCamel Rodeo Santa
With a wide range of products in each design, click the pics (above) to see the full selections.