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San Andrés, Tenerife wines and travellers

Barrels of wine in Tenerife Gerardo nuñez, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As San Andrés (St Andrew's Day) approaches and with it the opening of the wineries, so talk turns to wine. The quality of the island's wines has been universally recognized. Proof of this are the references we collect from many travelers who have visited Tenerife.

Sir George Leonard Staunton, 1st Baronet
(10 April 1737 – 14 January 1801)
was an employee of the East India
 Company and a botanist.
The Irish doctor George Stauton, who visited Tenerife in 1792, agrees with the rest of the visitors, both before and after him, that the goodness of the La Laguna climate, together with its exclusive situation, “in an eminence and in the middle of a fertile and very extensive”, determine its great agricultural wealth. For example, only a few years before (1787), the physician John White, “on wines, oil, potatoes, wheat and everything that concerns the supply of ships. The island provides these items in abundance and not only produces the fruits of the tropics, but also a large part of the vegetables of Europe”.

But it is precisely the vineyards "that form the most fruitful branch of the products and prosperity of Tenerife" (Ledru, 1796). Many previous travelers had already discussed the quality of our wines, such as Thomas Nicols (1560): “Tenerife produces three kinds of excellent wines, which are known by the names of Canario, Malvasía and Verdona. The English confuse all three of them with the name Sack. The vines that the Canary Islands wines are produced from were transplanted by the Spaniards from the Rhine to Tenerife, in the reign of Carlos I of Spain and V of Germany. That of Malvasía was not known in Tenerife before the Spanish brought some vines from Candia (Crete), which today produce better wine and in more abundance than on the island of Candia itself, whose goodness is increased by transport and vegetation. The Verdona or Verde wine is stronger than the Canary, it is taken to the east of the island and shipped in Santa Cruz. The Canary goes to the West and embarks in La Orotava”.

In the 18th century, the variety of our wines had been reduced to two, although the quality of Malvasía had diversified, as the astronomer and naturalist Louis Feuillée (1724) states:

“The main riches of the Canary Islands come from the good wine harvests that are made there. There are two kinds: Malvasía and Dry Wine. The Malvasía is divided into two, first and second. The English trade with the former, which is the most delicate and palatable. Hamburgers and Dutch people trade in the latter, which does not have the sweetness and delicacy of the former. Dry Wines are appreciated by those who make long journeys. These wines are never spoiled by many storms in the sea ”.

André Pierre Ledru, who visited Tenerife on a scientific mission in 1796, pronounces in similar terms: “In Tenerife two kinds of wine are made, Malvasía and Vidueño. The first (…) is made with the bunch that is left on the vine after it has matured, so that it is toasted and scorched by the sun. It is sugary, pleasant to the taste and keeps for a long time. Formerly the English exported it in large quantities. Nowadays the owners make it only for their own use (…) Vidueño, extracted from a large grape that gives a strong and spirited liquor, is prepared following the usual method in Europe ”. 

Note that sixty years after Feuillée's comment, the English wine trade in the Canary Islands had already disappeared. 

It is precisely in Ledru where we find an extensive description of the cultivation method: “Every year they are given five tasks:

  • 1st, in November and December the earth is deeply stirred, preparing it to receive the January rains and to kill the weeds; the use of manure is unknown.
  • 2nd, they are pruned in February, to fix the sap in the good vines; This work is done in January if the southerly winds have reigned before, because they accelerate the development of the shoots.
  • 3rd, immediately after this last operation, the vine is tied to the trellises, which are meters and a half high, and the branches that must give the fruit are attached, in order to give them a solid support against the winds.
  • 4th, in May the vine is carefully harvested and cleaned of all parasitic plants that consume part of the juice and give it a disease known in France as ringworm.
  • 5th, the last operation consists of clearing the rows and extending the branches, arranging them in such a way that they all enjoy the vivifying action of the sun.

Ledru, in the scientific mission in 1796 also leaves us a record of how and when the harvest was carried out: 
"The harvest is generally done in July or August. Once harvested, the grapes are taken to the press, built roughly like those in France. There it is stepped on, and when the first must has flowed, the grape harvester surrounds the pomace with a rope of reed and covers it with logs that are tightly tightened with a screw in order to squeeze all the liquid it contains from the cluster. Often the owners add brandy to the wine in sufficient quantity to clarify it, increase its strength and keep it for a long time. Sometimes they also put red wine in it to color it”.
The Lagar or Wine Press in Garachico

Focusing on the trade of this product, James Cook (1776) -who curiously states that a species of grapes from Tenerife is considered an excellent remedy against consumption- describes it as “quite considerable, since there are produced forty thousand pipes of wine [The term comes from the Portuguese word for barrel, pipa. A pipe is a large, lengthy barrel with tapered ends, and the sizes vary quite a bit - anywhere from 350 to over 600 liters], which are consumed on the island or turned into aguardiente, which is sent to the Spanish islands of the new world ”.

Although it may seem so, this calculation is not exaggerated, if we take into account the data provided by Olas, for whom the inhabitants of Tenerife exported fifteen thousand pipes of wine and brandy annually; adding that in the last census, preceding his trip, there were no fewer than 96,000 inhabitants on the island. Thirty years had passed since then and it can reasonably be assumed that the population had increased greatly. Thus, the quantity of wine consumed by a population of at least ten thousand people must rise to several thousand pipes, and the liquor factories have to use another very considerable quantity, since it takes five or six pipes to make one of liquor.

As for wine prices, they logically vary according to the dates, so we will limit ourselves to mentioning that foreigners had to pay a price considerably higher than that of the island's inhabitants. On the other hand, merchants had to pay high tariffs to export our wine, as Feuillée (1724) points out: “The King of England greatly protects the trade of his subjects in the Canaries, showing interest, since he demands from them the payment of considerable fees for the entry of wine into England. The fee for each pipe is twelve pounds sterling. It is estimated that more than ten thousand pipes enter each year, so the King earns more than the wine owners (…) 

The King of Spain's income in the Canary Islands is very considerable. He is responsible for six percent of all merchandise that enters or leaves the Islands ”. The Canarian trade experienced one of its most critical and expansive moments in the XVII Century, with the export of its wines to England, but in the second half of the century, the British considered a balance of payments increasingly favorable to the islands, as detrimental to their interests. Thus, they tried to restructure it and orient it towards their benefit through monopolization by the Compañía de Canarias.
The Compañía de Canarias (Canary Company) was a privileged English company founded in 1665 with the aim of acquiring Canarian wines at low prices, establishing a monopoly on trade with the islands. The reluctance of the Canarian authorities to negotiate with the company, the opposition of English merchants outside the company and the illegality of its monopolistic status led to its disappearance in 1667.
To finish, we cannot forget the most playful -and for many the most interesting- aspect of wine, that which produces a strange and contagious joy imbued by spirited vapors, according to some, released by the god Bacchus and culminating in the "exaltation of friendship". Edward Barlow (1668) tells us: 
“After disembarking we went to a tavern to drink wine (…). This wine is considered throughout Europe as the best of its kind, being called Jerez Canario. We drank it with great enthusiasm in two or three places, as it is very good and palatable; and not being used to having such a good drink, it went to my head before I knew it; In spite of everything, it is of such good quality that it does not make anyone sick, which means that you can drink as much as your stomach allows ”.

Hablamos de los vinos de Tenerife y los viajeros I, II, III, IV

The wineries open for San Andrés in Tenerife

Wine tasting, Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife. Photo: Viktor Kirilko Some rights reserved

Every November 29, Tenerife celebrates the eve of San Andrés (Saint Andrew's Day). And on the eve the wineries open in a traditional festival, that, at least in principle, has nothing to do with wine. We know that he's the Patron Saint of Scotland, land of whiskey, whose flag, it shares with Tenerife.

Correr los Cacharro (Run the Pots) on the eve of San Andrés: Part of the festivities in honor of San Andrés held in the La Orotava Valley and other towns in the north of the island of Tenerife, but mainly in Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz, children and young people, after spending days collecting scrap (cans, even appliances, bathtubs, scrap metal and any old object that makes noise) string them up and at nightfall on November 29, go out to the streets, and make as much noise as possible. This festival is closely related to the opening of the wineries, and it is traditional to accompany the new wine with roasted chestnuts and sardines or other salty fish.

The real origin of this practice is lost in time and most explanations are the fruit of legend. It is said that the object of running pots was to make noise to drive away plagues of locusts, or witches; also that since San Andrés was lame, he arrived "drunk" and loaded with pots days late to his party; or that San Andrés fell asleep and had to be awakened by the noise of the pots ... But the one that has the most weight and reported by researchers is that on the eve of the day of San Andrés, the owners of the wineries, in order to be able to bring in the new wine, would go down to the coast to clean the barrels with salt water, and the noise of the barrels on the cobbled streets as they were rolled down the slopes to the seashore, is the characteristic noise that the children later reproduce with their cacharros.

This festival was most popular at the end of the 70s and in the 80s, but had been lost in many towns, although some neighbourhood associations, with the support of city councils are trying to preserve it. Currently the Ministry of Education of the Canary Islands, offers information about these festivals to that those who wish to celebrate it. They carry out this activity in many schools throughout the island of Tenerife, with the students going out into the streets and encouraging the residents to participate in such an unique event.

In Puerto de la Cruz, the fiesta focus is in the Plaza del Charco, where you can also taste delicious roasted chestnuts with salted fish, sweet potatoes and 'new wine that makes you forget the night cold'.


Anniversary of Tropical Storm Delta

The sky over the valley that morning of 28 November 2005

Tropical Storm Delta, perhaps the most important weather episode in the Canary Islands took place on 28 November 2005. A tropical storm had not touched the archipelago, at least during the 20th and 21st centuries, if we consider that the episode of December 1975 was indeed not such a phenomenon. The erratic and unusual weather phenomenon left a trail of destruction on the islands, especially Tenerife. Tropical storm Delta, which caused one death and four injuries as it passed through the Canary Islands, leaving more than 200,000 subscribers without electricity in the metropolitan area of ​​Tenerife and considerable material damage to urban centres and agriculture. The strong winds, up to 200 kilometres per hour, also caused the closure of ports and airports. The storm also wrecked a small boat 400 kilometres south of the islands, with some 50 immigrants on board: six of them died and 12 disappeared. 

At Izaña (Montaña de Izaña at an elevation of 2,177 metres in the Teide National Park), gusts of wind that reached speeds of 248 Km/h, say it all.

Fortunately, the storm did not pass directly over the islands nor leave significant precipitation. The archipelago only suffered the scourge of the tail of the storm and did not face the power of the eye of the beast, but it still caused chaos.

Delta, as far as intense winds are concerned, mainly affected El Hierro from the first hours of the morning of the 28th (the only island that it did not take by surprise because, days before, its president of the Cabildo, at that time Tomás Padrón, had already warned that the storm was approaching, although he was ignored), to La Palma, late in the afternoon, and to Tenerife and Gran Canaria at nightfall and in the early hours of the morning of the 29th.

Geography played a determining role in the intensity of the winds. The INM report states that "the complex orography of the islands conditioned and modulated the local effects of the intense winds, reaching the appearance of hurricane-like gusts." Technician Juan José Bustos pointed to another cause: an anomalous intensification of the Delta before reaching the Canary Islands. “The Hurricane Centre even recognizes that it could reach the category of a hurricane, although it does not certify it. That meant that although when it arrived in the Canary Islands it had almost completed its extratropical transition, it still had enough intensity to produce those effects.

Efemérides meteorológicas en Canarias del siglo XX y XXI: Parte IV

The tradition of the Tablas de San Andrés

Tablas de San Andrés in olden times

The festival of Las Tablas de San Andrés in the town of Icod de los Vinos has nothing to do with the saint, but is celebrated on November 29 and 30, which is the day of San Andrés (St Andrew's Day) and has become a popular custom. Originally, spread by word of mouth, with the day of San Andrés as a reference, which is why, even today, it's known as Las Tablas de San Andrés.

Tenerife is an island characterized by its unevenness and in some areas the slopes are steeper than others and in Icod de los Vinos especially so. The town was well known throughout the islands for its winemaking tradition and the winemakers of old had the custom of washing the wine barrels in the sea because they said that the salt water eliminated the acids from the interior.

At that time there was no transport that allowed the barrels to be carried downhill to the sea, so they lowered them, either rolling or on some boards which slid until they reached the area near the sea. The boards also protected the barrels from possible blows that they might suffer on the way. 

This simple act of going downhill with the barrel on top of a board was what caught the attention of the youngsters, who turned it into a game that, little by little, became the event that is known today. The barrels are no longer transported in this manner, because over the years more modern means began to be used, but people continue to take to the boards on the most vertiginous slopes.

This festival has become so popular that it receives visits from curious tourists who just want to see or to participate like the locals, which is why the municipality has now designated specific points to make the descents.

Floods in the Canary Islands in 1968

Castle and area of San Felipe in Puerto de la Cruz
Oliver Abels, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the floods of 24 November 1968, the most affected islands were those of El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Through the Barranco de Las Goteras, in the east of Gran Canaria, the water ran after 20 years of total inactivity, and in the Guiniguada, the waters reached two meters in height as it passed through Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Likewise, the rains collected on the peaks caused the Caidero La Niña and Parralillo dams to overflow. 

But the town that suffered the greatest human and material damage was Puerto de la Cruz, in the north of Tenerife, since strong winds that descended down the slope were added to the intense rains, which at times acquired the character of torrential, from the summit towards the La Orotava valley. 

The flood in Puerto de La Cruz destroyed 40 homes, most of them on the banks of the San Felipe ravine. One person died. There was much damage in northern municipalities, with flooded streets and houses, blocked roads, landslides and power cuts. Access to Punta Brava was cut off, part of the Calzada de Martiánez and the Puerto de la Cruz beaches were under water.

In Gran Canaria, winds of 118 k per hour, a strong swell and a southerly storm were the causes that, on November 25, 1968, two ships anchored in the port broke their moorings and ended up at Las Alcaravaneras. The small boat, Dumbo and her companion Kallipateira, could not escape the fury of the sea on that winter night, where the first ended up on the shore of the capital's beach and the second, of Greek nationality, trapped in the reef. 

Efemérides meteorológicas en Canarias del siglo XX y XXI

(The video below shows flooding in the San Felipe ravine in 2009.)

Both men and women will be able to compete in the galas of the Carnival of Santa Cruz 2023

A carnival gala in 2020

The Autonomous Organization of Fiestas and Recreational Activities (OAFAR) of Santa Cruz de Tenerife approved, unanimously, last Thursday, the creation of a working group with the aim of making the carnival galas in 2023 inclusive: so that those who compete in them can be both men and women. Councillor for fiestas, Alfonso Cabello, explained at the end of the Oafar Governing Council, “The Governing Council approved the convocation of the three Queen's Election Galas for next year, and at the same point on the agenda, an agreement was adopted so that the celebration of the following year, 2023, at least in the children's section, to make it possible to have a more inclusive Gala.

The work group is to find a way to make this full inclusion effective. The political parties of the opposition, the designers, as well as the Equality area of ​​the City Council will all be represented in this working group. 

“Gender or sex should not be a variable when choosing a winner”, added the councillor. Cabello admitted that it is a complex matter because the designs, which until now are obviously feminine, need to change to another type of fantasy. In any case, "I think that this is something the Carnival has overcome, because on some occasions a candidate has come forward who on her DNI was a man, and it has not posed any kind of problem."

In addition to this agreement, the Governing Council approved the tender for seven contracts, including those for chairs, scenography, security or cleaning. "The City Council is working so that the legal and administrative aspects are a given to celebrate the Carnival and that only the doubt that remains is the evolution of the pandemic", defended Cabello. 

Fabada lagunera (Bean stew, La Laguna style)

Fabada

Fabada or Fabada asturiana, traditionally from the northern Spanish community of Asturias, is another classic for cold weather. This version from La Laguna, can be tasted in any house, restaurant or guachinche, in the city.

Ingredients:
  • 250 g of white beans
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 leek, washed and left whole
  • 100 g of chorizo
  • 1 blood sausage (morcilla - black pudding)
  • 100g bacon
  • A ham bone
  • 100 g of pig's ear (or tail)
  • Peppers
  • a pinch of salt
Method:

Soak the beans in cold water the night before. The ham bone and the piece of pork ear or tail are also soaked in warm water.

The next day, in a large pan, place the beans together with the carrot and leek, bacon, the ham bone and the piece of ear or pork tail. [Latter optional for the squeamish.]

Cover with cold water and place in on the heat. Bring to the boil, skim and cook over low heat (until the beans are done, which varies depending on the bean), ensuring that the beans are always covered with water. Add cold water in small quantities, as needed.

Add the whole morcilla (blood sausage) and chorizo ​​at any time but bearing in mind that you have to let them cook together with the beans for just 20 minutes. Once the blood sausage and chorizo ​​are stewed, remove them from the stew and reserve.

The broth should be thick; to achieve this, mash some beans along with the cooked vegetables and return to the pan.

Once the beans are cooked, remove from the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Once rested, season and serve with the meats and sausages divided into pieces. 

Anniversary of the Chinyero eruption

Chinyero Volcano Image by Cornelia Schneider-Frank via Pixabay

Chinyero Volcano eruption 1909
The town of Santiago del Teide commemorates the eruption of the Volcán de Chinyero (Chinyero volcano), which started on November 18, 1909 and lasted 10 days, forming a small pyroclastic cone and a large network of lava flows. The last volcanic event in Tenerife, the Chinyero volcano, located on the summits of Abeque, currently has a Special Nature Reserve with an area of 2,379.4 hectares around the volcano. Today it is considered inactive, but there are those who speak of cycles of 100 years for the fury of the Earth to reawaken.

Chinyero is a stratovolcano and is very close to Teide. It reaches a height of 1,560 meters and its surroundings fall within, not only the territory of Santiago del Teide, but also other municipalities such as El Tanque and Garachico.

It began to be noticed, in the month of July 1909, with a series of seismic movements until giving rise, on November 18, to the definitive eruption of the Chinyero Volcano. The intense heat in the ground, the underground noises and the small earthquakes preceded what was a break in the ground that immediately produced the expulsion of a sea of lava. The first official communication of the episode taking place was through a telegram, sent at 11:00 a.m. by the mayor of Icod, which read: "According to telephone reports, there are evident signs of a volcanic eruption. South slopes of Teide, mountain of Las Cruces."

On the anniversary each year, after a commemoration mass, residents take the images of Santa Ana de Tamaimo, Santo Domingo de Guzmán and the Virgin of El Pilar de Las Manchas, to the place where the eruption began: the area known as El Calvario, where the residents in 1909, fearing being swept away by the lava, carried the image of Santa Ana in procession to the foot of the lava flows, which inexplicably interrupted their path and did not advance any further.

The commemorations also include the annual Crafts Fair in Santiago del Teide.

Puerto de la Cruz presents the dates of its Carnival and Tenerife Summer Carnival 2022

Carnival 2022 in Puerto de la Cruz

The tourist city is already preparing for the celebration its International Carnival of Puerto de la Cruz in 2022. From February 17 to March 13, a new edition of a carnival that aims to restore normality after overcoming all the uncertainties of a pandemic that have especially punished the normal development of the activities of the carnival groups, the heart of this festival so ingrained in the city.

Along the same lines, the dates from September 5 to 11 are reserved for the next edition of the Tenerife Summer Carnival, with one of the most innovative events of the year: the Election of the King of the Carnival.

The dates underlined in red on the carnival calendar are, among others, the Gala for the Election of the Queen on February 24 and the inimitable Mascarita Ponte Tacón that will take place on March 4th, an event that arouses the interest of thousands of people, in addition to the Main Parade on March 5th. "This year we will be more creative than ever for the Mascarita not to lose an iota of its appeal in which the young and not so young give free rein to their talent and good vibes in a city which has always been characterized as the cradle of great entertainers”. This year, and after the suspension of 2021, the Extra edition of the Carnival will return, which will take place on March 11, 12 and 13.

In addition, 2022 is an important date for the International Carnival and it's the 50th anniversary of the twinning with the German city of Dusseldorf.

Thousands of bees survive 50 days buried under ash from the La Palma volcano

Bees archive image by PollyDot from Pixabay

Thousands of bees have been rescued alive after spending 50 days in hives buried under a blanket of ash from the La Palma volcano, only about 600 meters away from the same area of ​​Cabeza de Vaca, where on September 19, a gaping hole opened in the earth. Elías González, president of the Agrupación de Defensa Sanitaria (ADS) Apicultores de La Palma (La Palma Beekeepers), tells news agency EFE that five of the six hives that a beekeeper had in that area were intact and only the bees of the sixth died, perhaps "not because of the volcano, but because they were already weak" before the eruption.

In the rescue, which took place last Saturday, the Local Police of El Paso intervened, one of whose agents is a beekeeper, with the support of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) and the Civil Guard. Three hives were partially visible and the other three buried under the ash. The agents had to dig to locate and rescue them, not without getting stung occasionally! 

Each hive can house between 30,000 and 40,000 bees in spring, and between 20,000 and 25,000 when there are fewer flowers, on whose pollen they feed.

Elías González believes that if they survived so long, first it is because what falls in that area so close to the volcano is lapilli, rather than fine ash, which due to its thickness allows air to pass through, and secondly because the owner of the hives had not removed the summer honey harvest, so they "had food reserves."

"Even so, they are resentful, but alive", points out the president of the Agrupación de Defensa Sanitaria (ADS) Apicultores de La Palma.

Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Preserve)

Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Preserve) Ambrose Little from Hamilton, NJ, US, CC BY 2.0

Dulce de Membrillo (Quince Preserve) is typically eaten with Manchego cheese, as well as being used as a filling for truchas de membrillo (quince turnovers), both especially around Christmas. Home made quince preserve is unbeatable and is nothing like the stuff you can buy in the supermarket. And you need just two ingredients: quinces and sugar. 
  1. Before you start, wash the quinces well. Place them in a large pan, cover them with water and bring it to a boil, at which point, drop the temperature to medium and leave the quinces to cook for 40—45 minutes, depending on the size of the fruit. 
  2. When the time's up, remove the quinces carefully and allow them to cool until they can be handled safely. Peel and core them and then cut the flesh into small pieces. 
  3. Weigh the quince, as you will need 80% of this weight in sugar. So for every 100g of quince, you'll need 80g of sugar: for a kilo of fruit, 800g of sugar. 
  4. In a large pan, add the quince pulp and all of the sugar. Stir and cook over a low to medium heat. Little by little the sugar will integrate with the fruit. It should take around 10 minutes for the sugar to completely dissolve.  
  5. Blend the mixture with a stick blender or food processor, then continue cooking the mixture for around an hour, depending on the weight. Stir from time to time with a wooden spoon (never metal) so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan and cooks evenly. The mixture will become thicker and darker as time passes. When the spoon will stand up by itself in the mixture, then you have the desired texture. At this point, if you require it to be still finer, give it another pulse of the blender. 
  6. Turn the mixture into a suitable plastic container, cover with the lid and leave the paste in the fridge for 24 hours so that it obtains the consistency and texture needed. 
Quince preserve will store in the fridge for up to 3 months or longer. For longer storage membrillo can be frozen well-wrapped for up to a year.


Plaza Weyler in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Monumental Fountain in the Plaza Weyler in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The square in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which bears the name of General Valeriano Weyler, was formerly known as Campo Militar (Military Field), because the troops from El Cuartel de San Miguel (San Miguel barracks), which were in its surroundings, carried out their exercises there. On the site that today is occupied by the Palacio de la Capitanía General de Canarias (Palace of the Captaincy General), a Military Hospital had stood since 1778, ordered to be built by the General Commander Marqués de Tabalosos.

As this was on the outskirts of the city, it was used as a rest stop for horsemen and carriages, and the Castillo and La Luz streets - now Imeldo Serís - then only reached San Roque street (today Suárez Guerra), until the City Council carried out redevelopment of the area, extending Calle Castillo to the square, which was inaugurated on July 25, 1875, and quickly surrounded by new two-story houses where, until then, there were orchards.

On January 5, 1879, when Captain General Valeriano Weyler received authorization from the Government to build the Palacio de la Capitanía General de Canarias (Palace of the Captaincy General) and a new Military Hospital on Calle Galcerán, residents celebrated it by gathering in the Plaza de la Constitución (today Plaza de la Candelaria), in front of the Palacio de Carta, which then housed the Captaincy General (1853-1881).

With this construction, the area developed, since it led to the new opening of Calle Méndez Núñez and Avenida Veinticinco de Julio and, which would give rise to the stately neighbourhood of Los Hoteles, as well as the Maestranza street (today Galcerán), which would promote the development of the Duggi neighbourhood.

That same year, the Captain General requested that trees be planted on the embankment in front of the Hospital, known as the “military field” to serve as ornaments. The levelling works, following the design of the architect Vicente Alonso de Armiño, were carried out by migrants from Fuerteventura and Lanzarote who had arrived in Tenerife fleeing the droughts and famines on those islands. On February 7, 1879, the City Council agreed to give the name of Weyler to the new plaza that today serves as an elegant prelude to what would be the noble and monumental Captaincy General building.

The square was inaugurated on Sunday, May 6, 1883. That day, bazaars were set up to raise funds to carry out the construction work of the ashlar walls that closed the perimeter, works that would not finish until 1909. The harpist Esmeralda Cervantes even offered a benefit concert at the Municipal Theatre of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with funds given to Valeriano Weyler to finance the works.

The square underwent various works within the municipal works plan of 1938 and 1944, the latter by the municipal architect Antonio Pintor, but the great remodelling that gave it its current appearance was the work of the architect Enrique Rumeu, in 1955. Today, being located in one of the areas with the greatest pedestrian movement, the square is used as a thoroughfare; however, its landscaped flower beds are very well cared for and preserved, which makes it one of the most beautiful public squares in Santa Cruz.

Weyler Square Fountain

In 1883 a small circular pond was installed in the centre of the square in which a fountain stood as a simple ornamental fountain, but councillors Luis Candellot and Isidro Miranda proposed, in 1891, to request different plans for fountains from Francisco Franchini's company, in Genoa (Italy), its installation being carried out in 1899. As the cost of such a luxurious fountain, 11,380 lire, exceeded the financial possibilities of the City Council, it was necessary to resort to local contributions, organize dances, sale of raffles, and install tómbolas and bazaars. The wood from the barracks that had been installed in the bullring to house the troops repatriated from Cuba were even sold.

The ensemble made from Carrara marble, with neo-Renaissance characteristics, made in Genoa by Achille Canessa, is made up of two different bodies: the central pillar, and the basin or bowl. The central pillar, 5.8 m high, which rests on a cylindrical base, has a great decorative development on the three levels in which is divided. It is topped by the statues of two putti holding a garland of flowers; on the central section, four putti, one in each corner, hold a dolphin that spews water from its mouth, which falls into the shells at the bottom.

In 2009, following the project of the architect Alejandro Beautell, a general cleaning was carried out, with sandblasting to eliminate stains produced by environmental pollution, pigeon droppings, excess of lime in the water, rust, bacteria, fungi and algae.


Is palm honey better than bee honey?

Phoenix canariensis native to the Canary Islands.

Miel de palma (Palm honey or Palm syrup) is a unique food both for its flavour and for its nutritional composition. It is one of the flagship products of the cuisine of La Gomera and yet, even among people in the Canary Islands, palm honey is sometimes unknown. Obtained from the sap of the Canary palm tree (Phoenix canariensis) it's natural, rich in sugars and trace elements and minerals. 

And a recent study shows that it is even better than bees' honey. 

What is special about this substance to make it "better" than honey? 

Guarapo, the origin of palm honey

"Every day, a good palm tree can give around twelve litres of guarapo"

The Canary Island palm is famous for its great ability to adapt. Like all living things, the plant cells that make it up need nutrients to grow. Unlike animals, plants have a vascular system, as if they were veins through which the sap is transported. This substance is, roughly, the blood of plants; and it is full of nutrients, sugars, proteins ... The sap of the Canary Island palm contains a remarkable amount of nutrients that are especially concentrated due to its physiology. That same sap is the guarapo.

To be able to collect it, the guaraperos work for days, after as many months of preparation, and cut the new shoots from the palm leaves and the bud. The process leaves the palm tree ready to expel the guarapo, which is collected with a gutter. Every day, a good palm tree can give around twelve litres of guarapo. The less irrigated, the better the quality of the guarapo will be, as the more concentrated the sap will be. The technique used in La Gomera allows the palm trees to be preserved, which are allowed to be recovered later, so that it is not necessary to kill the plant.

Once the guarapo is obtained, which is traditionally collected in the morning, it is boiled almost at the same time, otherwise it begins to ferment due to its rich composition. When it is boiled, the substances it contains are concentrated, especially sugars, so that microorganisms cannot act. This causes the guarapo to become Miel de Palma (palm honey), sweet and rich. To get an idea, for every eight litres of guarapo you get one of honey. Once cooked, you just have to package it. 

The nutritional properties of palm honey

"The composition of guarapo is much higher in elements such as calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium or zinc"

The recent study carried out by the professors of the University of La Laguna, Alberto Castilla and Pedro Abreu González, shows that the nutritional properties of palm honey are even better than those of bee honey. Specifically, this concentration is much higher in elements such as calcium, copper, phosphorus, especially potassium or zinc, which are not found in honey. It is not surprising either, since almost all the analysis showed that cane or plant-based honeys are nutritionally more complete.

Although they are still analysing the amount of proteins and vitamins in palm honey, we can say without too much fear of being wrong that the concentration of these substances will also be higher than in honey. And, as we said, despite the laborious bustle of these insects, the "blood" of plants is even more complex, so they find more nutritious and beneficial substances in it.

Honeys and nutrition

"The WHO recommends not to exceed 5% of the caloric intake in sugars, and in no case to exceed 10%"

But let's answer a question, is palm honey more worth consuming than bee honey? The answer is yes. The WHO recommends not to exceed 5% of the caloric intake in sugars, and in no case to exceed 10%. That means that from the food we eat, the energy it contains should come from the food itself and, at most, between 5 or 10% of added sugars. For this reason, refined sugar, cane sugar or honey are normally superfluous products, only recommended in special cases.

And it is that the nutritional profile of sweeteners does not serve any purpose beyond providing energy. Many times these foods are considered as carriers of "empty calories", due to their lack of nutrition. But in the case of having to choose between refined sugar or honey, honey is a slightly more beneficial choice. And, obviously, between honey and cane or palm honey, vegetable honey is much better.

But do not forget that nutrition is a complex thing. Nutritionists do not recommend sweetening foods unless necessary. Therefore, honeys, in themselves, cannot be considered as something inherently good for health. Now, yes, if we just want to indulge ourselves, palm honey is probably the healthiest way to satisfy our whim. That's without mentioning how delicious it is. 

¿Es la miel de palma mejor que la de las abejas?

The origin of the annual visit to the cemetery

Santa Lastenia Cemetery in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Photo: Jose Mesa. Some Rights Reserved

In Spain it has been a tradition, since ancient times, to visit dead relatives, decorating their tombstones with flowers, going on an annual pilgrimage to the cemetery, celebrated on November 2, which until very recently, was a holiday. Masses are celebrated in all churches in memory of these loved ones that serve to shorten the supposed years of purgatory in the afterlife. Closely linked to this festivity is the one of the previous day, not only because of its proximity in time, but also because of its meaning; November 1 is "All Saints Day."

What is the origin of this holiday, in principle Catholic?

Some consider that the creator of the feast of "All Saints" was the English scholar, clergyman, poet, Alcuin of York, in the eighth century. It is in the year 798 when Alcuin writes and congratulates the Archbishop of Salzburg for setting this holiday within the Roman calendar of November, as he suggested. Others, including the Catholic Church itself, believe that it was a decision of Pope Boniface IV, on May 13, 609 or 610, when he consecrated the "Pantheon of Agrippa" to the cult of the "Virgin and the martyrs", beginning a feast to commemorate those anonymous saints, unknown to the majority of Christendom, but who for their faith and works are worthy of recognition and veneration.

Pope Gregory III (731-741) changed the date from May 13 to November 1

But why this change? We have the answer in the conversion to Christianity of the peoples of pagan tradition. Catholic leaders thought that by establishing new festivals, which coincided in date and with a similar doctrinal appearance, with the old ones or those typical of these peoples, it would be easier for these new believers to abandon their old beliefs, without this implying discarding their culture and identity. The eve of November 1 coincided with that of "Samhain", a pagan festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker half" of the year. On that night it was believed that the god of death made the dead return, thus allowing them to communicate with their ancestors. 

This practice was also common among the Romans, as on February 21 they celebrated the feast of "Feralia" helping with their prayers for peace and rest for their dead.

Origen de la visita anual al cementerio

Tenerife in November 2021

Santa Lastenia Cemetery, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Image: Jose Mesa Some Rights Reserved

November 1st is a Public Holiday for Día de Todos Los Santos (All Saints Day). Tenerife doesn't have quite the same celebrations and customs for this and Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead / All Souls' Day), which is on November 2nd, as they do in Mexico, but it's traditional in the Canary Islands on these two days, for people to visit cemeteries, clean up the graves and bring new flowers. And there's usually at least one item in the local press or media every year saying how much flower sellers have raised the prices for the occasion.
International Agatha Christie Festival 2021

The eighth edition of the Agatha Christie International Festival, which commemorates the writer's visit to the city in 1927 and the birthday of the British crime writing genius when a bouquet of flowers will be placed at the bust to her memory at the viewpoint of La Paz, takes place from November 5 to 14, 2021.

The festival organisers, with the involvement of countless entities and educational centres and the sponsorship of Puerto de la Cruz Council and Tenerife Tourism is, without a doubt, its most participatory edition, with a program full of activities being prepared for all ages and nationalities, which include literature, music, history, photography, painting, mystery, routes, gastronomy and many more.  

Dr. Mark Aldridge, professor at Solent University, Southampton, will also join the think tank this year to discuss Poirot and Agatha Christie. His book ′Agatha Christie’s Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World′ is an animated story of the character and his creator based on the author's original research.

This fascinating festival is named after the legendary British writer Agatha Christie in honour of the fact that she chose Puerto de la Cruz for its wonderful weather as a place where she could enjoy peace and calm. During the festival, there are film showings based on her novels, theatre plays in Spanish, English and German, as well as exhibitions and discussions. 

The event is held once every two years.

Festival Internacional Agatha Christie

The 26th Icod-La Guancha Hillclimb, on November 5-6, closed registrations with 90 drivers in Speed ​​and 15 in Regularity Sport, it was announced at the presentation held in the Plaza Luis de León Huerta, in Icod de los Vinos, with the assistance of Francis González, mayor of Icod de los Vinos; Verónica Domínguez, Councilor for Sports of La Guancha; Iván Sánchez representing the Inter-island Automobile Federation of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Celestino Díaz, president of the Escudería Daute-Realejos, organizer of the event.

The ascent, valid for the Provincial and Inter-island Mountain Championships, will take place on its usual route of 5,110 km, TF-342 road, between El Empalme de Icod and La Guancha. The program begins on Friday 5 Nov, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with the delivery of documentation and technical verifications, in the parking areas of San Marcos beach. At 07.00 hours on Saturday the track will be closed, two hours later, the practice will begin and then follow the two passes for the final classification. The trophy delivery, scheduled for 4:00 p.m., will take place in the Plaza de la Iglesia, in the town of La Guancha.

XXVI Subida Icod-La Guancha: 105 inscritos y 38 reservas

The Cabildo de Tenerife opens the doors once again of Exposaldo, the annual discount fair at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses, after the break for the pandemic in 2020. The fair opens on Wednesday, November 10 at 11 a.m. and runs until Sunday 14, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.


Taking place on Sunday, 14 November 2021, is the Maratón de Tenerife - or to give it its full title, the Maratón Internacional de Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz International Marathon). Runners in the marathon and half-marathon start at 08:30 hrs and those in the 8K at 11:30 hrs. With the prizes being handed out in all three categories from 13:00 hrs, everyone can then put their (tired) feet up in the afternoon. There'll be some disruption to roadsbusses and trams

Santiago del Teide Town Hall has organised for Sunday, November 21, the XXXIX (39th) edition of the Popular Crafts Fair 2021, as part of the the programming of activities for the commemoration of the 112th anniversary of the eruption of the Chinyero volcano, and that will take place in the Plaza de Santiago del Teide, from 10:00 a.m. at 6:00 p.m.

This new edition will be, as in previous years, a special occasion for this traditional encounter with the crafts and traditions of our land, where artisans of different modalities, such as ceramics; indigenous products; needlework; metalwork; basketry; openwork; pottery; artisanal woodwork; etc., will meet.

As has become customary, a display of stands has been prepared where the works, made by hand by each and every one of the artisans, will be displayed. In addition, there will be complementary activities and workshops,  with a musical performance of the group Simbeque Project - a group composed of 11 musicians that mixes Canarian folklore, jazz, rock, electronics, funk or drum and bass.

Other than that, there is just one local municipal holiday this month: 
  • 25 November: Festivity of Santa Catalina in Tacoronte

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.