After more than 20 years, posts here will now only be occasional ( |
| Almendras / Almond fruits |
Many are familiar with the Rutas de Almendros en Flor (Almond Blossom Routes) in Spring, but at the other end of the season, in Autumn, naturally, follows the Recogida de la almendra (Almond Gathering), or Almond Harvest.
It is tradition that, on the last Sunday of September, the residents of Vilaflor go out to collect almonds along a route of about five kilometres. The collected almonds are sold the following month at the Feria de la Almendra (Almond Fair), known as La Gran Majada, in Aripe in the municipality of Guía de Isora.
In Guía de Isora, a rural hamlet awaits you, located in the upper area of the municipality, just a few kilometres from the town centre of Guía, where its Guanche origins and deep-rooted traditional customs make time seem to have stopped: Aripe. Declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, it has managed to preserve its rich natural and architectural heritage, offering landscapes of special beauty, which show us a perfect harmony between man and nature.
The picturesque and very traditional rural hamlet of Aripe is linked to three main roads: the Camino Viejo, a traditional link between the nearby hamlet of Chirche and Guía, and where the pilgrimage that took the Virgen de la Luz to the north of the island; the Camino Nuevo, built at the beginning of the 20th century, which led to Las Cañadas in the Teide National Park, around which new buildings were built; and the Camino de San Pedro, which led to Chiguergue.
Here you can find the Aripe engravings, which form the first sample of rock art dated on the island, where you will also enjoy the serene beauty of nature, which houses within it an important and charming architectural heritage, typical of the farm work: traditional houses, built in the 18th and 19th centuries, some converted today into picturesque rural lodgings; a series of constructions for agricultural use, such as threshing floors, ponds and tile and bread ovens; also a series of natural caves used for storage; all this in an agrarian landscape of small terraces, reflecting its traditional rural lifestyle and a very unique system of land use.
Its history is very similar to that of the neighbouring village of Chirche. Despite its Guanche origins, it is considered to be the 17th century when it developed as a population centre, first with livestock, later linked to agricultural production, mainly cereals and almond trees, during the 18th century, which achieved a significant increase in the population, which unfortunately entered into crisis in the second half of the same century. But that left a palpable sample of this agricultural tradition, reflected not only in its surroundings but also in the festivals that are celebrated, such as the popular Almond Fair.
At the Almond Fair you will be able to transport yourself to the past, being a front-line witness of the artisan harvesting of the almond, through staging carried out by the locals, who are dressed in typical costumes of the time and provided with the utensils that were originally used for this task. This festival is celebrated around the end of October, although it does not have a specific date.
And after enjoying this beautiful and traditional festival, you can also buy a wide variety of products from the artisans of the municipality that have almonds as one of their main ingredients. In addition, at any time of the year, you can also buy honey and exquisite liqueurs, typical of the region.
