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The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2023 "one of the earliest celebrated in history"


Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2023 will start on January 20 and end on February 26. While the 2022 Carnival has not yet been celebrated, which will start next month due to the pandemic, the dates for the 2023 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival are already set. And next year will be one of the earliest in history, with the Christmas and Epiphany events and those of the Carnival needing to be organized almost jointly, given that the latter will begin on January 20, with the inauguration and presentation of the candidates taking place just two weeks after the Cabalgata de Reyes (Three Kings Parade) on 5 January.

The most significant dates for Carnival 2023 are Wednesday, February 15, with the celebration of the Carnival Queen Election Gala, Friday, February 17, with the Opening Parade and the start of the street party, and, on February 21, Shrove Tuesday, the Coso Apotheosis (Main Parade). Yesterday, the Plenary also approved the holidays [the two municipal holidays in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife] for next year, which will be on February 21 and May 3.

Councillor of Fiestas, Alfonso Cabello, said, “we face an unprecedented organizational challenge, because it is going to be a Carnival that will be in development since December. It is one of the earliest carnivals that is going to be celebrated in the history of the party”. In addition, the mayor added that "the organizational challenge is to have a Carnival in June, and before that, start on the contracts to celebrate the next one."

NB: These dates confirm and agree with those we published earlier.

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April 2003 storm with 8 meter waves caused damage in Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz

A little stone that washed up in Garachico in a storm

The storm on 15 April 2003 was due to a deep storm with high pressure gradients that descended towards the Canary Islands along with strong winds from the north west. The waves produced by winds that originated the storm, then becoming a background swell, with waves of up to 8 meters in height, caused great damage in Garachico and Puerto de la Cruz. A storm of this magnitude had not occurred since January 1987.

Efemérides meteorológicas en Canarias del siglo XX y XXI

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Sardine sandwich tradition on Good Friday

Bocadillos de sardinas

It is customary that on Good Friday, between the Magna and Silencio processions in La Laguna, in many of the brotherhoods that sardine sandwiches are eaten. Apparently it was a gentleman named Don Juan "Pitera" who was the first to prepare them for the brotherhoods of the Capitular cathedral brotherhood and that later spread to almost all the others.

The sardine sandwich is often perceived as a dinner or food for lazy people. Its humble origins and its simple preparation have made it a "survival meal" for many workers and it helps thousands of students to be able to afford one of the meals of the day with little money. However, its advantages go far beyond saving time and money, since sardines are a very healthy food and very suitable for a late-night snack on Good Friday. Apparently.

Ingredients for each sandwich:

1 bread roll (preferably the same length as the canned sardine)
2 sardines in olive oil (canned sardines)
1 tablespoon of the oil from the can
1 tomato sliced
1 teaspoon oregano

Do you need instructions? No, I thought not. 

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Easter Week Flooding in La Laguna in 1977

Flooding in La Laguna in 1977

Between 10 and 13 April 1977 there was an intense rainy episode, lasting several days in the Canary Islands that left precipitation of more than 350 l / m2 in the south west and of more than 220 l / m2 in the south east of Tenerife. 

San Cristóbal de La Laguna was partially incommunicado for several days due to this Easter flooding. The powerful SW storm of Holy Week of 1977 is one of the most important storms of the 20th century in the Canary Islands. It affected the entire western province and Gran Canaria, but was especially virulent in Tenerife, with 358.9 mm in Vilaflor on 11 April; 260.3mm at Los Rodeos on 10 April. 

In El Escobonal (Güímar), also in Tenerife, more than 400 mm of rain fell during just this storm, when its annual average is around 380 mm. It caught everyone off guard with their mind still on the recent Los Rodeos accident.

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Holy Tuesday and the Gato Moka (Mocha Cake)

Another type of Gato Moka. S/he looks surprised too.

Many, many years ago, in a restaurant in Tenerife, my late mother had asked for a slice of gateau (cake), to which the waiter replied, "Ewwww ...  you want to eat cat?" Yes, gateau is the same pronunciation as gato, the Spanish for cat. 

So, I was amused and surprised to see this titled Gato Moka - which, if translated literally, would be a coffee-chocolate flavoured cat - but, apparently, it's a culinary tradition at Easter to have a Mocha Cake for Holy Tuesday. Not gonna argue.

Gato Moka
This dessert is apparently a reflection of the influence on the Canarian gastronomy of French cuisine in which the use of butter is detected. It is essential to use a good coffee, and sweeten the coffee where we are going to dip the cake to enhance the flavour of it.

Ingredients:

400 gr. of butter
50 gr. icing sugar.
80 gr. Espresso Coffee
100 gr. Sweetened Expresso Coffee (for dipping the biscuits/cake)
8 gr. soluble/instant coffee.
50 gr. of chopped almonds.
biscuits or sobados (a type of butter cake).

By biscuits, do they mean Lengua de gato (Cat's Tongues?)

Method:

Beat the butter with the icing sugar for about 10 minutes. Add the soluble coffee and the espresso coffee little by little and mix until all the ingredients are integrated, until it has the texture of a cream.

In a container alternate layers of the mocha cream and biscuits/cake briefly dipped in the sweetened espresso coffee, ending with a layer of cream. Sprinkle with the almonds and a little instant coffee. Store in the refrigerator. 

Hoy no podía faltar para el Martes Santo el Gato Moka

Slightly different version with Lolita Bienmesabe - Gato Moka
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Tenerife in April 2022

Tensei Tenmoku (Door without Door) by Japanese artist Kan Yasuda in Garachico, Tenerife

There are two public holidays in Tenerife in April 2022: April 14 - Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday) and April 15 - Viernes Santo (Good Friday). Easter events include La Pasión in Adeje and the Processions in La Laguna. Municipal holidays are: 25 April: for San Marcos Evangelista in Icod de los Vinos and Tegueste and 25 April for Saint Hermano Pedro in Vilaflor de Chasna.

Holy Week in Adeje returns after two years of hiatus due to the pandemic and will recover all the processions and the representation of La Pasión. On Viernes Santo (Good Friday) the biggest event, the Representación de La Pasión (Representation of the Passion of Jesus) or Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross or Way of the Cross), takes place in Adeje, with a cast of hundreds.


On Good Friday, 15 April, the following processions take place in La Laguna:

Mother Parish of Our Lady of the Conception
At 11:00 a.m. Procession of the Lignum Crucis (literally, wood of the cross) and Pietà, accompanied by its Penitential Brotherhood.

Parish of Santo Domingo de Guzman

At 4:15 p.m. Procession of the transfer of the Holy Deceased Christ to the Holy Cathedral Church accompanied by the Brotherhood of Penitents of Mercy, escort of the Municipal Police, Executive Committee of the JHC, Excellency City Council and civil and military authorities.

Holy Cathedral Church

At 5:00 p.m. Magna Procession, presided over by His Excellency and Most Reverend Bishop Mr. Bernardo Álvarez Afonso, His Excellency Cathedral Chapter, Executive Committee of the JHC, His Excellency City Council and civil and military authorities. At 10:00 p.m. Procesión del Silencio (Procession of Silence) made up of all the Penitential Brotherhoods of La Laguna, they will accompany the Holy Deceased Christ carried on the shoulders of the Brotherhood of Penitents of Mercy, to the Parish of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, where kissing the foot of the sacred image will take place.


Culminating Semana Santa (Holy Week) in La Laguna on Domingo de Resurrección (Resurrection Sunday), starting at 8:30am, from the Parroquia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, firstly, is the Procession of the Santísimo Cristo Resucitado (Holy Risen Christ), accompanied by the Venerable Hermandad del Santísimo Rosario y Santísimo Cristo Resucitado (Brotherhood).

Then, according to the program, at 13:00hrs, leaving from the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (La Laguna Cathedral) is the procession of Jesús Sacramentado (Sacred Jesus) accompanied by all the brotherhoods.

After two years due to the suspension of activity due to the pandemic, the Camino del Hermano Pedro route (Brother Pedro's Pilgrimage Route) will once again travel, as has been traditional for 15 years, the 19 kilometers that run between Vilaflor de Chasna and the Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro in Granadilla of Abona on Saturday, 23 April 2022. The Hermano Pedro Route begins at the church of San Pedro Apóstol in Vilaflor, then descends and crosses the municipalities of San Miguel de Abona and Granadilla de Abona before reaching the coast at El Médano, which is home to the cave dedicated to the saint.


The Jardines Victoria (Victoria Gardens) in La Orotava recently hosted the presentation ceremony for the 38th edition of the Orvecame Norte Rally – Cicar Trophy, scheduled for April 22 and 23. The rally, organized by the Escudería Daute Realejos, will be valid for the Provincial Rally Championship.

The Cabildo de Tenerife and the municipalities of La Orotava, Los Realejos, Icod de los Vinos, La Guancha, El Tanque, San Juan de la Rambla and Garachico once again support the automobile event, sponsored by a significant number of firms, including Orvecame Norte, Cicar and Automotor Canarias.

The 38th Rallye Orvecame Norte-Cicar Trophy will have in this edition almost 100 timed kilometres along the seven sections that make up the itinerary: "Villa de Los Realejos-San Juan de la Rambla-La Guancha" (TC1 and 6) 1 and 6); "El Tanque-Garachico-Ciudad del Drago" (TC2 and 4)); and "Las Llanadas-Las Medianías (TC 5 and 7 Plus). Emilio Luque Moreno Avenue will host the rally start and finish ceremony. The service park will be located in Los Realejos, on Carretera Nueva TF-324. The organization will proceed to the delivery of trophies around 8 pm on Saturday, April 23, at which time the edition will end after a frenetic day.


Tegueste will not celebrate its Romería de Tegueste pilgrimage in honour of San Marcos Evangelista (Mark the Evangelist), in its usual format, due on Sunday, 24 April 2022, one of the most important in Tenerife, for the third consecutive year. Mayor of Tegueste, Ana Mena, explained that there will be "a static pilgrimage with carts, which will be placed on a route that people can visit."


The forty-fifth edition of the Exhibition of Flowers, Plants and Crafts, part of the Fiestas de Mayo 2022 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which will open to the public this Wednesday, 27 Apr 2022 at 6:00 p.m., returns to the Parque García Sanabria (García Sanabria park) and will remain open until Tuesday, May 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. A total of 64 stalls, distributed along the main avenues of the park, with 8 exhibitors for the sale and exhibition of flowers and plants; 13 specialized in Canarian gastronomy products and 43 handicrafts stalls. In addition, several charities will also have their space in the park.

Romería de San Marcos | Tegueste 2019
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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.