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Plaque in Mauthausen in memory of the 45 prisoners from the Canary Islands

Mauthausen as it today, sanitised and restored. Dnalor 01, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT

The Parliament of the Canary Islands will place a plaque in the Mauthausen concentration camp (Austria) in memory of the 45 Canarians who suffered captivity and the horror in that camp. Of them, 27 were murdered by the Nazis.

The president of the Chamber, Gustavo Matos, affirms that this January 27, the International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity, should serve to remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who were assassinated during the Second World War and, also, to renew the commitment of the Canarian institutions with the defence of human rights. Matos explains that the Parliament of the Canary Islands is in contact with those responsible for the Mauthausen Memorial to proceed with the placement of this plaque in the second quarter of this year. The established figure of 45 Canary Islanders is verified, as confirmed by the official archive of the Mauthausen Memorial and is thus collected in the work '186 steps, in memory of the Canarians of Mauthausen, 1945-2021’, by La Palma writer and journalist Eduardo Cabrera. All the victims were men.

“The only crime of these 45 Canarians, from five of the eight islands of the archipelago, was their defence of freedom, democratic values ​​and justice. It is necessary to keep the memory of these people alive, whose history is still quite unknown in the Canary Islands, as paying homage to them is an act of dignity and justice”, he expresses.

Some of the Canarians in Mauthausen were recruited to fight on the Peninsula during the Civil War. Others, who were imprisoned in the Canary Islands, were exchanged for other prisoners from the Peninsula and, at the end of the Civil War, were forced to flee to France, where some continued to be imprisoned and others joined the resistance. Captured by the Nazis after the invasion of France, they were sent to the concentration and extermination camp.

Tenerife bus stations improve accessibility

Buenavista de Norte bus station before

The Tenerife Island Corporation improves the facilities of Buenavista de Norte bus station  and the works appear to be part of a bigger push towards accessibility and sustainability: The Cabildo de Tenerife put Buenavista del Norte bus station back into operation on Monday, January 24, after refurbishment works carried out to improve its accessibility. The station renovation project has had a budget of 450,000 euros and an execution period of six months. Vice President and Minister of Mobility, Enrique Arriaga, explains the remodelling, has made the station building more accessible, functional and sustainable.

At the reopening on Monday morning were the First Vice President and Minister of Mobility, Enrique Arriaga, together with the Mayor Buenavista, Antonio González, the Island Director of Mobility, José Alberto León, and managing director of TITSA, Raquel Martínez. Arriaga points out that “the Corporation is working to improve mobility on the island, in this case modernizing the infrastructure at the bus stations. The remodelling of Buenavista makes it a more functional, accessible and sustainable facility”. To which he adds that "the concrete used in the platform contributes to eliminate the nitrogen oxides that are generated in the combustion of the buses, reducing their carbon footprint."

The mayor of Buenavista explained that "within the Teno Rural Park, the bus has to be a preferential option for transport and having modern facilities will contribute towards this." This intervention aims to improve the service provided to users of public transport in the region and are part of the actions carried out by the Mobility area to improve all the facilities on the island. The works have made it possible to renew the exterior of the building with larger and more accessible platforms, anti-vandalism benches and ergonomic seats. In addition, a new 150-square-meter wooden canopy has been installed to provide cover for waiting passengers, equipped with low-light pollution lighting. Also, the pavement has been replaced with a new asphalt and the information posts have been renewed.

The interior of the building, which is accessed by a newly created accessible ramp, has been improved with the placement of an adapted information and card sales point, benches, high-contrast signage, an induction system for the deaf, as well as the installation of air conditioning and air renewal in the toilets.

The works have made it possible to renovate the bathrooms, creating one especially accessible and stoma friendly, as exist in other stations on the island.

In 2021, a total of 108,000 passengers used the Buenavista de Norte bus station, with an average of 300 per day. Five routes provide services at this station: 355 to Masca and Santiago del Teide, which makes eight daily departures; 363, destination Icod – Los Realejos – Puerto de la Cruz, with 34 exits; 365, destination Masca, which offers five departures; 366, destination Las Portelas, with five exits; and the 369, to Punta de Teno, making nine departures a day.

Puerto de la Cruz has three times as many dogs than children registered


There is currently no general pet registry as the laws themselves indicate that it must exist in each of the municipalities, but in Puerto de la Cruz, it has been found that there are three times as many dogs registered in the municipality than there are children. Puerto de la Cruz council signed an agreement with the veterinary college last week to improve the care of animals in the city, as reported by the council itself on social media. The Animal Welfare area, directed by Alberto Castilla, states that this agreement demonstrates the municipality's commitment to animal welfare and responsible pet ownership.

At the signing of the document that commits both parties, the Mayor Marco González and the Councillor for Community Well-being Flora Perera were also present, along with the President of the Canary Islands Veterinary Council and President of the Tenerife Veterinary College, María Luisa Fernández. The mayor wanted to value the effort of the area to continue taking essential steps to update the presence of animals in the municipality.

Sara Capelli, manager of the College of Veterinarians of Tenerife, considers “the involvement and encouragement on the part of the municipalities essential. Pets are, from now on, another part of the family, with their rights, which indicates that we must train the staff of the town halls, the police, the municipal technicians, etc., and instil in them that sensitivity is no longer a choice, but is reflected in the law. That changes everything." 

Largest known snowfall on January 20, 1979

The largest known snowfall occurred on January 20, 1979

The second fortnight of January 1979 was a carousel of fronts and squalls from the west and southwest with intense rainfall in the archipelago. In the centre of Gran Canaria, in the Barranco del Gofio, Tejeda, a man was dragged by the floodwaters, causing his death. The Port of Los Cristianos in the south of Tenerife was totally destroyed by the storm. The town of Santa Cruz de Tenerife was flooded when the Santos ravine overflowed. 

The largest known snowfall occurred on January 20, 1979, on the summits of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and La Palma. In Tenerife, above 1,000 m, reaching in some points up to 5 meters thick. In Izaña 957 l / m² accumulated, almost all in the form of snow. That month up to 15 days of snowfall were registered. 

Santa Cruz Carnival 2022 to be held in June


With the original date of the carnival inauguration now less than 10 days away, it was inevitable that Santa Cruz Carnival 2022 would be postponed. At last night's Zoom meeting, attended by 103 people: organisers, representatives of the carnival groups, etc., it was decided that it will be June or nothing. The intended dates are from Friday, 3 June to Sunday, 26 June, dates and details here

June or nothing: Mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, says the change in the dates is due to the rise in infections caused by the sixth wave of COVID and, is a way to “save” the celebration. Other cities have already set the precedent, such as Valencia with its Fallas or Cádiz with its Carnival. Now it is the turn of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which has decided to move the Carnival to June

With the arrival of the sixth wave of COVID, as explained by the mayor, they have had to make decisions, always to guarantee the safety of people, while also being able to celebrate a party in which more than 9,000 people are involved. “At the moment, the data has taken us to level 4, and the forecast of the Government of the Canary Islands is that Tenerife will continue at that level until the end of the month. That makes going back to rehearsals in the short term practically impossible, and, even if the alert were lowered to level 3, it would still be very difficult to maintain the group meetings,” said the mayor.

Panecillos de San Antón (Saint Anthony Buns)

San Antón rolls with the characteristic shape

Panecillos de San Antón (Saint Anthony Buns), also called panecillos del santo (Saint's Buns) are a type of sweet bread that is offered in Madrid pastry shops on dates close to the celebration of San Antonio Abad (Anthony the Great), held on January 17. They are frequently found in pastry shops near the Iglesia de San Antón (Church of San Antón, annexed to the Pious Schools). Already in the 19th century, these buns were very common in the pilgrimages of the Saint, called Las Vueltas de San Antón the turns or Tours of San Antón. They are one of the most typical cakes in the windows of Madrid pastry shops after Christmas, but look very reminiscent of Easter's Hot Cross Buns. 

Ingredients (for 20 buns):

– 2 eggs
– 150 gr. of sugar
– the zest of a lemon
– 125 ml. olive oil
– 250 ml. milk
– 500 gr. flour
– Half an envelope of yeast
Anise (you have to follow the dosage of the brand you use)

Method

Mix a whole egg and an egg white (reserve the remaining yolk) with the sugar, the lemon zest and the oil. Then add the milk and the anise.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the yeast and then add the dry ingredients to the wet.

Knead well to obtain a homogeneous mass that does not stick too much to the hands.

If it is still sticking, you can add a little flour until the dough is in one piece.

To form the buns, take pinches of the dough and make medium-sized balls that are then flattened with the palm of my hand. Place on an oven tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.

With the tip of a knife or similar utensil, make a cross in the top of each bun. To facilitate this task, first dip the tip of the knife into oil.

Before baking, brush the buns with beaten egg yolk (that was previously reserved).

When baking them, it is recommended to first put them at 50 ºC until they have doubled their volume (with a glass of water in the corner of the oven).

When we see that they have doubled in size, we will remove the glass and raise the temperature to about 200 ºC and bake until they are golden brown.

History

The denomination is due to the breads that the holy hermit ate during his fast and the efforts he made to avoid temptations. On January 15, 1810, the Diario de Madrid announced that in the sweet shop on Calle Real de la Almudena «bread rolls called San Antón, very delicate and newly invented, are sold». The San Antón buns were advertised in the Diario de Avisos de Madrid, from the editions of January 16, 1830. 

The low humidity of the dough means that they can be kept for months. The life of San Antonio Abad has been represented by artists in two ways, one is in the form of the temptations of the desert and the other is the interview with San Pablo Hermitaño (Paul of Thebes) in which a crow provides sustenance by bringing bread with its beak. From the church of San Antón it used to be offered to the participants of the pilgrimage symbolizing the sustenance that both hermits mentioned during their interview. It is a tradition that these rolls, made in the bakery, are sent to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities. It is customary for the secret recipe to be taken out of the Church and taken to a bakery and for a few weeks to make the rolls, after the festival of January 17, the recipe returned to the Church.

The rolls of San Antón were also offered to the Saint so that he would bless the animals and protect them from the plague and other diseases. Being blessed, it is usually a popular belief that the rolls attract fortune and therefore are kept next to the purse for a period of one year. In the same way, if you are single, it is believed that these rolls will help you find a partner. The coarseness of the bread and its ability to preserve for months, reminded us of long stays in the desert. In 1830 you could find marzipan rolls, yolk, mostachón (almond paste), lemon, strawberry, sweet orange, sweet potato powder, anise, etc., in pastry shops.

The famous writer Ramón Gómez de la Serna on the day of San Antón in 1922 made a review of the sweet, thus commenting on various characteristics of the traditional sweet shop.

Characteristics

They are dough with a dry appearance that are presented in trays, they are usually round and of a size that does not exceed ten centimetres in diameter (or weigh no more than ten grams). A kind of cross is stamped with a mould that gives the rolls a characteristic shape. The iconography reflects this, frequently representing Antonio with the black habit of the Hospitallers and the tau or the Egyptian cross that came to be the emblem as it was known and that was generally represented on the tunic. It is also common to find representations in the buns of a cenote bell or a pig with a bell around its neck. It is common for the rolls to be blessed, which is done in some pastry shops. It is common to find that the rolls do not have any icing, but versions with different flavours have become popular. In some cases they were made bitter to play jokes on friends.

Hurricane-force winds in Tenerife caused several deaths and heavy losses in 1953

Aerial view of the Parish of Our Lady of the Conception of La Orotava
Museo de Arte Sacro El Tesoro de la Concepción, CC BY-SA 4.0

On 15 January 1953 there was a storm with heavy rain and high winds in Tenerife. Hurricane-force winds hit the island and caused considerable damage in the east of the island, specifically in Guimar where the gale attacked with the greatest force. Entire farms were razed by the storm in La Orotava, causing losses of one billion pesetas. In Perdoma (La Orotava) an old woman lost her life and also her little granddaughter. In the parish church there were damages, in the Concepción and in other temples and buildings, and in many houses their windows and doors were damaged. Entire trees were uprooted falling on the roads, especially in the north of the island. In the south of Tenerife, the motorised sailing boat “Breñusca” sank near Las Galletas beach with a loss of six lives

Efemérides meteorológicas en Canarias del siglo XX y XXI

The Government of the Canary Islands is to carry out the first archaeological study of the watchtowers of Tenerife

View of Igueste de San Andrés from the path to the Semáforo de Anaga
Robert Wirrmann, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Since the sixteenth century, there are multiple historical references to the watchtowers or lookout posts installed at strategic points of Tenerife to notify the population of the arrival of enemy ships and thus anticipate possible naval attacks. According to the documentary sources, this defensive strategy was carried out by means of an interconnected network of watchtowers that sent and repeated signals of fire and smoke. However, there are practically no archaeological studies on its location and its material characterization.

Against this background, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage is promoting the first study and inventory of watchtowers and surveillance spaces from an archaeological and historical perspective. This is the first phase of the 'VIGILANT' project, focused on the northeast of Tenerife and directed by a multidisciplinary team from the University of La Laguna and the Catalan Institute of Classical Archaeology, in collaboration with research staff from the University of Seville and the University of Barcelona. The work on the ‘Archaeology of the Surveillance Spaces and Watchtowers of the Northeast of Tenerife’, better known as ‘VIGILANT’, has a historical interest related to the visibility of what was the first line of defence in the capital area; and has an archaeological interest in applying new lines of study within Historical and Landscape Archaeology. Similarly, it also has a scientific interest in shedding new data on the operation of this network and the creation of the first cultural landscapes after the conquest.

The watchtowers have very specific criteria, "they require visibility between enclaves and must be accessible, among other characteristics," explains Francesc C. Conesa, co-director of the ‘VIGILANT’. Regarding the documented network, the first watchtower started at the Montaña de Tafada and from there it went to the Montaña del Sabinal, the Atalaya de Igueste de San Andrés and the Atalaya de San Andrés. News reached the Castillo de San Cristóbal in Santa Cruz and travelled to the Montaña de Taco and the Montaña de Ofra, the latter now disappeared by urban development. Then they would arrive at the watchtower of San Roque, possibly located in Mesa La Gallardina, and that of San Lázaro, in the current Montaña del Púlpito. From there, the northern notices were received through the Caldera la Atalaya and La Atalaya at the top of the Mesa de Tejina.

The study of the documentary sources is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects to know the historical evolution of the watchtowers, since it allows a reconstruction of the surveillance points and their main uses. After the recovery of fifty historical documents, a geospatial analysis of the territory was carried out that included the recovery of toponymy and the reconstruction of the lines of visibility between watchtowers, at the same time that an archaeological survey program was developed.

The team has determined several types of watchtowers. Jared Carballo, co-director of the project, “there are natural watchtowers, without material evidence but located by toponymy or textual sources, and watchtowers with construction and material remains. In this case, the structures can be small “furnaces” or structures dug into the rock, and in some occasions the heat-altered soil is appreciated”. It should be noted that "the prospects have been superficial, but in a second phase we are going to prepare an excavation project with a view to its possible preservation and conservation and even, in the long term, its integration into new cultural routes", advances the archaeologist Conesa.

El Gobierno de Canarias desarrolla el primer estudio arqueológico de las atalayas de Tenerife

Pastel de plátano (banana cake)

Pastel de plátano (banana cake) a variation of apple cake

In early lockdown, banana bread had a moment, but you probably haven't tried this version of Pastel de plátano (banana cake) brought to us from the Municipal Market in La Laguna. This recipe is a variant of apple cake.

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup sunflower oil
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 100 grams of chopped walnuts
  • 4 ripe bananas mashed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch of salt
Method

Preheat the oven to 200º. Grease and flour a baking tin. Mash the bananas with a fork and mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon, including the oil, except the nuts. Finally, the chopped walnuts are incorporated with a little flour so that they do not sink into the mixture. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, until browned.

Mythical storm of January 1999

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Muelle Sur Lighthouse

On January 1, 1999, a storm began, accompanied by intense rains and whose negative effects lasted until the 8th. These affected both Canary Island provinces, but were intensely focused on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where hurricane-force winds reached speeds of 100 km / h and the rains of 112 litres of rain per m2. There was damage to the infrastructure of the electricity company that caused cuts in the electricity supply and serious damage to the company's facilities, whose losses amounted to almost five million euros.

On January 6 and 7, 1999, a strong eastern storm brought huge waves to Santa Cruz and the rest of the archipelago that destroyed many port infrastructures. In Santa Cruz, the Paseo de San Andrés, a large part of the Muelle Sur (South Pier), the pier of the Faculty of Marine Sciences, the Sailing School and the Maritime Park were all destroyed. It also seriously affected Avenida de San Andrés. After the episode in the east came another from the north that brought cold, snow and an unusual hailstorm that gave the streets of San Cristóbal de La Laguna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife the appearance of snowfalls.

Arrival of the first steamboat to Santa Cruz

El muelle de Las Carboneras, Old Valleseco docks, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
CARLOS TEIXIDOR CADENAS, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1837, the steamship 'Atalanta', arrived from London, bound for Bombay

The Atalanta was the first double-wheel steamboat and 8 knots of speed that, coming from London and bound for Bombay, with 100 passengers on board, refilled its coal bunkers in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on January 7, 1837. Santa Cruz had been declared a 'Port of Deposit of Coal', on November 11, 1836; As the Royal Order established that the supply should be carried out without tariffs, from this moment on, Santa Cruz harbour became one of the largest coal stations in the world, supplied from Great Britain.

The work of unloading the coal was carried out at anchorage, quickly and efficiently, even at night. The workers of the "black cargo" carried the "Tyne", "Clyde" or the preferred "Cardyff" from the holds of the British-flagged coal steamers to the port and starboard barges, letting it slide through wood planks; Once filled, they transported it to the docks of the importing companies, where the wagons, pulled by mules, took it to the warehouses.

When a ship came to be supplied with coal, it requested it by means of long puffs, each puff corresponding to one hundred tons. From that moment, the wagons began to remove the mineral from the warehouses to take it to the barges, which took it to the ocean liners so that the stokers could proceed to fill coal bunkers. While this work was being carried out, the boats and the deck of the ship were covered with tarps to prevent the cloud of black dust from dirtying it.

With the declaration of Free Ports (1852), the Tenerife dock would become a world-class charcoal station, until the progressive disappearance of the steamships. On the beach of San Antonio (current Ribera dock), the first coal companies began to be installed to supply ships. These were: Bruce, Hamilton, Davidson and Le-Brun (1852); Virgilio Ghirlanda (1852); Juan Cumella (1857); Cory Brothers (1862); G. Davidson (1868); Juan Croft (1891); Inocencio Fernández del Castillo (1891); etc.

The first company to move (1876) to the left bank of the Valleseco ravine was Tenerife Coaling Company Ltd. Hamilton, formed by Messrs. Bruce, Hamilton, Guillermo Davidson and Le-Brun, forming a model industry for the time, since 12 barges, wagons, scales, etc. were brought in from London and they built a dock and warehouses with a 5,000-ton capacity. Between 1903 and 1910, they came to supply 50% of the coal in this Port.

Elder Dempster's coal warehouses were built, at the beginning of the 20th century, at the mouth of the Tahodio ravine, very close to the North Pier, from where they supplied the numerous vessels of its shipping company.

Cory Brothers and Company Ltd, the largest coal importing company in Cardiff (Wales-UK), which had been associated with Hamilton and Co. from 1884 to 1909, also moved to Valleseco, due to the dock and warehouse that used - located where the Mapfre building stands today - was demolished to extend Imeldo Serís street, until its connection with Avenida Marítima.

In Valleseco they built docks, dry dock and warehouses, being declared by the State, in 1934, a public utility industry, as it was located in the best anchoring area for transit ships, which facilitated fuel import-export operations (Coal).

This industrial complex currently constitutes the only stretch of maritime façade that preserves the stamp and the representative elements of one of the most transcendental stages of the mercantile and port history of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The area seeks declaration as a Site of Cultural Interest.

Image: In the municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, next to the San Andrés road, in front of the Valleseco neighbourhood, on the coastline, there are old docks and a dry dock. Two of the docks were charcoal makers, for loading and unloading coal from the barges. At the dock of the company "Cory Brothers and Company Ltd", a steam crane worked that worked until 1956. Another dock, now defunct, was used to load dried fish, as there was a fish salting factory nearby, next to the Valleseco bridge. In the background, in the East Dyke, we see docked 2 oil drilling rigs contracted -until 2015- by the Brazilian company PETROBRAS to the Norwegian Seadrill. To the right, at the tip of the Dique del Este, is the "West Taurus" platform, registered in Panama, IMO: 8768414, built in 2008, and temporarily docked in Tenerife, awaiting orders. The other platform is the "West Eminence", also registered in Panama, from 2009, painted in orange. 

Six differences between the El Niño Lottery and the Christmas Lottery in Spain

Lotería del Niño 6 Jan 2006, #99666. Photo: Álvaro Ibáñez Some Rights Reserved

    The El Niño awards are lower than in El Gordo, but in return there are more prize winners

    The Lotería del Niño, is celebrated each year on Los Reyes, January 6. This draw was first held in 1941 and from that date until 1998, it was held on January 5, coinciding with the Noche de Los Reyes (Three Kings Night / Twelfth Night). 

    1. The El Niño Lottery draw is held by the modern system, that is, there is a drum for each of the digits that make up a number, drawn for each programmed prize. The Christmas Gordo Draw is carried out by the traditional system: a drum in which all the numbers are drawn and another drum with the prizes, with which prize going to that number also being determined by chance.
    2. The issue for the El Niño draw is much lower than the Christmas Draw, with 45 series, versus 160. However, the number of numbers drawn is the same: 100,000. That brings the odds down to 1 in 900 million compared to 3,200.
    3. The El Niño prizes are lower. The first prize of the El Niño awards a tenth (one ticket = a tenth of a strip) with 200,000 euros, half that of the Gordo de Navidad. The second prize is 75,000 euros (compared to 125,000 at Christmas) and the third is 25,000 euros (half of the 50,000 euros on December 22). There are no fourth or fifth prizes.
    4. In the Lotería del Niño there are three reimbursements: the completion of the first prize —as at Christmas— and two other special reimbursements.
    5. You are more likely to win a prize in El Niño than in the Christmas Lottery. While El Gordo awards less than a 7th of the numbers, on Three Kings Day, a third of the tickets win a prize.
    6. The Christmas draw opens up the Christmas holidays for Spaniards, on the contrary, the El Niño draw closes the festivities. 

    Las seis diferencias entre el Sorteo del Niño y el de Navidad

    Tenerife Rally Calendar 2022

    Rallye del Norte

    Pending its final approval at the Federación Interinsular de Automovilismo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife Motor Sports Federation) (FIASCT) assembly, scheduled for Saturday, February 19, after the approval of the president, Francisco Negrín, the draft calendar for the rally season in Tenerife has been published. The most important news is the change of date of the Villa de Adeje Rally, which goes from being the event that opened the rally championship in the past, to close the season, taking place on 24, 25 and November 26.

    The Rally Isla de Tenerife Historico is added to the agenda and will be held independently (not integrated at the Rally Isla de Tenerife) from May 5 to 7.

    The starting signal for the 2022 season will be on Saturday, March 5, with the Palo Blanco Hillclimb; while the closing will be the Rally Villa de Adeje. The hill climb calendar is maintained with the usual ten climbs, although there are various date changes compared to those recently registered and their changes due to COVID, these are basically the same as in recent seasons. 

    There are still five asphalt rallies, of which three are valid for the Regional Championship: La Laguna, Tenerife Island and Villa de Adeje. Rallies on gravel return to the island of Tenerife. The preview includes four rallyesprints (Santiago del Teide pending confirmation), of which Atogo and La Gomera will be regional. 



    DATE RALLY
    RALLYSPRINT
    HILLCLIMB
    MAR 04/05



    Palo Blanco
    11/12




    18/19




    25/26

           Tejina-Tegueste

    APR 01/02




    08/09




    15/16




    22/23 Orvecame Norte



    29/30




    MAY
    06/07 Isla de Tenerife Historico



    13/14




    20/21



    Valle Gran Rey
    27/28




    JUN 03/04



    Guía de Isora
    10/11




    17/18 Villa Granadilla



    24/25




    JUL 01/02



    Güímar
    The organisers have requested a change of date. TO BE ADVISED.
    08/09




    15/16




    22/23


    San Miguel
    29/30 City of La Laguna



    AUG
    05/06




    12/13




    19/20




    26/27




    SEP 02/03



    La Cumbre
    09/10




    16/17




    23/24




    OCT 30/01



    Tamaimo
    07/08

    Atogo

    14/15



    Arona-La Escalona
    21/22 Isla Tenerife



    28/29




    NOV 04/05



    Icod-La Guancha
    11/12

    La Gomera

    18/19



    Los Loros
    24/25/26 Villa de Adeje



    DEC 02/03



    09/10




    16/17
    23/24




    Captain William Bligh visits Santa Cruz de Tenerife in command of HMS Bounty

    HMS Bounty, a recreation of the famous ship for the 1962 film, Mutiny on the Bounty.
    Kevin Burkett from Philadelphia, Pa., USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    She remained in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife between January 4 and 10, 1788, repairing damage sustained in a storm shortly after leaving England.

    At 17 William Bligh (1754-1817), entered the British Royal Navy and six years later, was chosen by the famous sailor James Cook as a lieutenant of the H.M.S. Resolution, to accompany him on his third voyage of exploration through the Pacific Ocean (1776), visiting the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the first time.

    Appointed commander of the 215-ton, 27-meter-long, 44-man frigate HMS Bounty, he set sail from Spithead, England, on December 23, 1787, sent by the Royal Society of London to look for plant shoots of the so-called “breadfruit”, which grew in abundance in Tahiti, to transplant them in their colonies in the Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea, and obtain a nutritious and cheap food for the maintenance of the slaves.

    They remained in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, from January 4 to 10, 1788, while repairing the damage suffered in a storm a few days after leaving England, and in the process, obtaining water and fruit, taking several funnels of stone (stones to distil water). It was later on this voyage, on the morning of April 28, near the island of Tonga, that nine crew members, led by Petty Officer Fletcher Christian, mutinied and seized the ship. 

    Captain Bligh and eighteen men he trusted were abandoned to their fate.

    From his logbook, we extract:

    "At 9:30 a.m. on January 4, 1788, after rounding a chain of rocky, barren and very high mountains, we anchored in the Santa Cruz de Tenerife roadstead. There was a Spanish packet boat en route to A Coruña, a American brigantine and several other vessels. At noon we approach a magnificent wharf where people can disembark without difficulty, if the sea is not too rough, and where there is a pipe for carrying water for the service of the boats and ships, which all merchants pay.

    I sent Officer Christiam ashore to notify the Governor that we had docked to refuel and repair damage, to which he gave a very kind reply, saying that they would supply us with everything on the island. On behalf of his Excellency, the captain of the port and other Spanish officers came to greet me, in whose launch I went ashore to compliment the authorities.

    The city of Santa Cruz is about a kilometre long each way, built on a regular basis, and the houses are generally large and airy, but the streets are very poorly paved. I have been informed that the number of inhabitants of the island is estimated to be between eighty and one hundred thousand and that they are subject to some diseases, but that the epidemic attacks of distemper are the ones that bring the most fatal consequences, especially those of smallpox, which are now treated counteract by inoculation. For this reason they are very perspicacious in admitting only ships that have a sanitary certificate; Indeed, the sloop The Chance, from London, under the command of Captain William Meridith, which entered port a day before we left, no person was permitted to go ashore unless, and I would attest that the epidemic that was raging in England no longer existed at the time this came out; Thanks to this, they received the supplies they needed and were not forced to quarantine. The Governor also granted permission to the expedition's botanist, David Nelson, to go on an excursion and plant herbs in all the mountains near the city.

    On Monday we began the provisioning of the ship, in charge of the consignee Collogan and Sons. Due to the bad conditions of the prevailing swell, the transfer of the water in the barges was stipulated at 5 shillings per ton of cargo transported to the ship. The excellent wine, at £10 a pipe, and a higher class at £15, rivals the best Madeira sold in London. We stockpiled 865 gallons of wine, and the invoices have been forwarded to Sir Joseph Banks for inclusion in the Royal Society's accounts. Its annual exports of wine are twenty thousand pipes. Ships frequent the island to carry a large quantity of wine from Tenerife to different parts of the West Indies.

    For the other products we needed: corn, potatoes, pumpkins, and onions, the season was not right, so we could only get a few low-quality dried figs and oranges, paid twice as much as in the summer season; For this reason, in times of scarcity, Tenerife receives supplies from other islands, since the production of cereals is not enough for its needs. Fortunately, we found enough lemons which will help us to avoid scurvy in the crew.

    We had a hard time getting medium quality beef at 6p a pound. Poultry is also scarce, so much so that getting a good chicken is equivalent to shelling out 3 shillings.

    I had the honor that his Excellency showed me the asylum, they call it Hospice, built on a large area of ​​land, with room for 120 girls and as many poor boys who seemed to have a happy countenance.

    In a spacious room, young women and girls, in decent and neat clothing, admirably arranged their spinning wheels and looms. A governess inspected and coordinated all the work of making coloured silk ribbons and outerwear made of linen, even the dyeing of her own garments was done by them. Men and boys were engaged in the most laborious jobs, such as laundering garments made from common wool; They also have the visit of an inspector who helps them in the same way that the governess does with the girls.

    The Governor visits them every day while a cleric attends them at night. In the case of getting sick, they received all kinds of help and care until the rest of their days. According to the statutes, the length of stay of the fostered women was limited to a stay of five years, after which they could marry or become independent exercising the trade learned.

    Thanks to this human institution, a good number of people become useful and industrious in a country where the poor, by the indulgence of the climate, are too apt to prefer a life of inactivity. I have to emphasize that the raw material was donated by the merchants of Santa Cruz, and with the alms and donations the food expenses were covered. Still, the institution represented a highly laudable effort.

    Having finished our business in Tenerife, on Thursday the 10th, with our ship in good health and with spirits on board, we set sail with the southeast wind."

    La estancia en Santa Cruz de William Bligh, al mando de la ‘HMS Bounty’

    Tenerife Municipal Holidays 2022

    Calle Castillo Shopping Street in Santa Cruz Banja-Frans Mulder, CC BY 3.0

    On 29 December 2021 the Official Bulletin of the Canary Islands (BOC Nº 267) published ORDER 5402 of December 22, 2021, which finally determined the local holidays for each municipality of the Canary Islands for the year 2022 (nothing like last minute, eh?) There are two days in each of the 31 municipalities, which added to the 12 public holidays decided at a national, regional and island-wide level, add up to the 14 days annual public holidays decreed by law. As in previous years, many districts have still opted for Carnival Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday), 1 March 2022, as a holiday, even though Carnival 2022 was postponed to June

    ADEJE
    20 January: Festivity of San Sebastián.
    10 October: Festivity of Santa Úrsula.

    ARAFO
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    29 August: Festivity of San Bernardo.

    ARICO
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Abona.

    ARONA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    3 October: Festividad del Santísimo Cristo de la Salud.

    BUENAVISTA DEL NORTE
    24 August: Festivity of San Bartolomé.
    25 October: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios.

    CANDELARIA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    26 July: Festivity of Santa Ana.

    EL ROSARIO
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    8 August: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de La Esperanza.

    EL SAUZAL
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    29 June: Festivity of San Pedro Apóstol.

    EL TANQUE
    31 August: Festividad Nuestra Señora de Buen Viaje.
    17 October: Festividad del Santísimo Cristo del Calvario.

    FASNIA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    22 August: Fiestas for the Town's Patrons.

    GARACHICO
    26 July: Festivity of Santa Ana.
    16 August: Festivity of San Roque.

    GRANADILLA DE ABONA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    13 June: Festivity of San Antonio de Padua.

    GUÍA DE ISORA
    24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
    19 September: Festividad del Santísimo Cristo de la Dulce Muerte.

    GÜÍMAR
    29 June: Festivity of San Pedro Apóstol.
    7 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora del Socorro.

    ICOD DE LOS VINOS
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday
    25 April: Festivity of San Marcos Evangelista.

    LA GUANCHA
    18 January: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza.
    22 August: Monday of the fiestas for the town's patron.

    LA MATANZA DE ACENTEJO
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    6 August: Festivity of El Salvador.

    LA OROTAVA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    23 June: Infraoctava of Corpus Christi.

    LA VICTORIA DE ACENTEJO
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    29 August: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.

    LOS REALEJOS
    22 January: Festivity of San Vicente.
    3 May: Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

    LOS SILOS
    24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
    8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de la Luz.

    PUERTO DE LA CRUZ
    3 May: Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Commemoration of the Founding of the City.
    12 July: Festivity of the Virgen del Carmen.

    SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    14 September: Festivity of the Most Holy Christ of La Laguna.

    SAN JUAN DE LA RAMBLA
    24 June: Festivity of San Juan Bautista.
    12 September: Festivity of San José.

    SAN MIGUEL DE ABONA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    29 September: Festivity of San Miguel Arcángel.

    SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday
    3 May: Festividad del Día de la Cruz.

    SANTA ÚRSULA
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    21 October: Festivity of Santa Úrsula.

    SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE
    25 July: Festivity of Santiago Apóstol.
    26 July: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana.

    TACORONTE
    1 March: Carnival Tuesday.
    25 November: Festivity of Santa Catalina.

    TEGUESTE
    25 April: Festivity of San Marcos Evangelista.
    8 September: Festivity of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios.

    VILAFLOR DE CHASNA
    25 April: Festividad of Santo Hermano Pedro.
    29 August: Festivity of San Agustín y San Roque.

    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.