Darío López - Do not kid yourself, we are being conned - The demise of a boat and a skillet trade - Saint-Exupéry’s Toulouse - From Morro Jable to Jandía Playa de La Arena - Terapia ocupacional - Género cárnico
CONTENT COORDINATOR
Beneharo Mesa · redaccion@barabaracomunicacion.com
TRANSLATION
Karl McLaughlin
EDITING
Lavadora de textos
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
Beneharo Mesa, Enrique Areilza, Saioa Arellano, Galo Martín Aparicio, Elena Ortega, Aarón Rodríguez González, Raquel Álvarez, Cristina Torres Luzón, Francisco Belín.
CREATIVE DIRECTION AND LAYOUT
great · greatttt.com · estudio@greatttt.com
COVER PHOTO
Patronato de Turismo de A Coruña
PHOTOGRAPHS
Saioa Arellano, Daniel Martorell, Asier Calderón, Elena Ortega, José Chiyah Álvarez, Tony Hernández, Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria, Rocío Eslava, Pixabay, Adobe Stock.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Capi Cabrera, Ilustre Mario.
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PRODUCED IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
Everyone who follows us regularly or who is familiar with our company knows that Binter was created with the clear desire to connect the Canary Islands and thus help improve their social and economic development.
We have made great efforts down the years to gradually increase connectivity but without losing our emphasis on our passengers and their wellbeing, or our social vocation which has seen us undertake actions to increase sustainability and collaborate with all kinds of public and private projects that contribute to a better present and a better future.
Our aim is to continue this environmental, social and economic commitment through actions that benefit society.
On the level of sustainability, by having a young fleet with more efficient aircraft and by helping develop fuels to facilitate the decarbonisation of the airline sector. We also achieve this by using electric ground support equipment and reducing the use of plastics, which we have replaced with greener materials on board our aircraft, and by supporting the Foresta Foundation and its environment and landscape restoration project.
A further area where we have carried out extensive work is in supporting non-profit organisations committed to helping the neediest in society; promoting health care on all the islands - collaborating with the authorities in the transportation of materials and professionals - and also promoting culture; also, fostering a healthy lifestyle, an excellent illustration being the Spain’s biggest night race circuit, the Binter NightRun Series, which ended a hugely successful 2022 season last month. We are already working on next year’s runs and I can tell you in advance here that some new locations are in the pipeline.
Needless to say, we continue to explore new routes beyond the Canaries to give you the opportunity to enjoy new destinations. Watch this space because we will be offering some new ideas for next year.
Thank you for choosing us and have a good flight!
Juan A. Ramsden General Coordinator
Darío López (Icod de los Vinos, 1981), a quantity surveyor by profession, started posting videos on the Internet almost when social media was in its very early days. His audiovisual creations are particularly well known for depicting different comical situations with a very Canarian touch. Together with his production company Palante Producciones, López continued to upload videos and this has helped him become one of the bestknown comedians in the Canary Islands at present.
How did you and Palante Producciones begin?
The most visible part of Palante, what you see in front of the camera, i.e. my presence …, is something you deliberately aim for in the artistic world: to be on a stage or in front of a camera. In my case it was a consequence, an accident, collateral damage of my own interest in audiovisual creation, particularly the technical side. Bear in mind, however, that we are speaking about 2006 and back then audiovisual culture was very different to what it is today in terms of creating and then sharing something.
From what you say, you had creative preoccupations. Do you still have the same urge to create now?
Yes. Within the overall creative process, having an idea, recording it and designing it are parallel creative processes. I still retain my creative side and ideas occur to me in the course of my everyday life, even if I have very little time to put them into practice due to all the other things that occur to me. That said, I still really enjoy the process. When I have an idea that I like, I note it down and I even celebrate it along the lines of «this is going ahead». My creativ-
ity and concerns remain intact. It can be hard work but I have been able to manage well so far.
The name was chosen due to the very sense of the term palante (Canarian for go ahead), which is something optimis tic and encouraging, wanting things to get up and running. Also, when we made those early videos for viewing in a more restricted context, we had some doubts as to what we were actually doing. Using the word palante helped us gain in confidence and say «hey, we are going to do this. Come on, let’s do it! ». All these years it has continued to serve us well to ensure that the projects we get involved in, which require lots of time and dedica tion, are approached with even greater enthusiasm because the name itself spurs us on. Another thing to mention is that I have always been very careful to separate the person from the character and putting the audiovisual works under the name of a production company means that I stay in the background and what you see is only a character, not Darío López. The name Palante Producctions may or not be to everyone’s liking, but I feel less exposed that way. Bear in mind also that I was concerned initially that Dario López should not be the cen tre of attention but rather the audiovisual work itself should be.
You have done theatre and TV and have always been present on social media. Where do you feel most comfortable?
Social media are Palante’s natural habitat because that is where we first emerged. However, as the years passed it became time to discover the stage and audience feedback … With the videos you can, of course, see people’s com
and the “Likes” but you don’t get the laughs and applause in real time. You do get these on stage and I have become really hooked on this aspect. I do stage only occasionally and in small doses because my life allows me to do things this way, but I really enjoy it a lot. A show with a live audience always gives me a big injection of energy. TV is audiovisual but is a different type of media. I am not in control; I can do it, but you are in the hands of others.
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This is probably a well-worn and even almost philosophical question, but what does humour mean to you?
That’s a tough one … what does humour mean to me? Well, here we are back again to the two sides to me, as a character and person. Humour is like an excuse. No, wait; if you are going to write this up it has to sound nice [laughs]. What I am trying to say, if I can find the words, is that the situation with humour is a bit like what I said earlier regarding the choice of the name Palante for the project. For me, humour is the petrol... (at today’s prices, it would be very ex pensive), the fuel or energy that drives us forward. It has driven me forward in all senses of the term throughout my life and still does. No matter how bad the day is going or how bad things are socially or on the family level, humour is like a life raft that lets you see the light, the positive side. A smile means there is hope and things can turn out well.
ments
«By putting the audiovisual work under the name of a production company, I stay in the background and what you see is a character»
Economy.
feature.
Text by Enrique Areilza* Illustrated by Ilustre MarioWe like to think we are immune yet time and time again we are taken in by remarkable cons: preachers in Latin America, US car salesmen, crypto evangelists everywhere, tarot clairvoyants, and politicians, many politicians.
In this article we will focus on individual deception: although this is despicable at times, it can be revealing and often very funny. We can look at classical or state of the art models, or ones based on psychology, mechanical means and technology...
Don’t tell me you were not surprised at the recent chess tournament con troversy involving the use of vibrating Chinese anal beads by a competitor. That takes some beating. Similar ploys must go on in poker also and who knows where else. Who will we ever believe from now on if we know that they may be receiving the correct answer through morse code received anally? With so many exams being held nowadays for public sector jobs, full body scanners should be installed and applicants should be made to pass through them before entering the exam venue. It is a serious issue and, indeed, in our world
(recruitment) thought will have to be given to how this can be managed.
Cons in past times were more painstaking, more artistic, more linked to the deployment of interpretation and narration abilities … Basic psychological techniques such as the following were used:
Barnum Method: a general statement that the recipient interprets as personal, relating to them.
in a serious and solemn voice: «You seem very intuitive to me and have a great deal of unused capacity »? Exactly. Everyone thinks that these qualities apply to them. Who does not see themselves as intuitive and with unused capacity?
Observation Method: take a look at your trouser belt. You will probably find that you are using one hole more than you used to, which is easy for anyone to spot given that the previous hole is more worn. Conclusion? You have got fatter; the test does not lie. So, I might say to you something like «You seem to have put on weight».
Modified Response Method: Suppose I say to you: «Aah, I get the feeling you have an upcoming trip». If you nod clearly in response, I will continue with something like «A big trip! Maybe outside Spain?». However, if your response is more muted, I will say: «A small trip, a week-end break maybe?».
sal deception because it was the lesser of two evils. She was actually a trans boy and realised that her digital hoax would be discovered if they met up in person, a least that is that she/he assumed.
Some people deceive others for fun, as a hobby. A very surprising case is that of the famous woman judge who was a tarot card reader. The judge worked in Las Palmas for a time and then moved to Galicia, where she still lives today and where she not only sits in judgement of others but tells the future using tarot. She was the subject of proceedings by Spain’s Council of the Judiciary, but these were concluded without any fur ther action. What a country we live in!
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There are lots of quite basic deception techniques you can have fun with even as of this very moment if the person sitting beside you is not reading this inflight magazine.
As I was preparing my article, I read about a hoax that ended very badly which I am going to tell you about here by way of warning. It happened to a talented young American football star, Manti Teo. The boy had fallen in love online with a Samoan girl. They dated digitally for a year. Manti asked to meet his girlfriend in person but she died, a fake death which she invented. She resorted to this colos
I would not like to end without re ferring to the most important area in which deception takes place today, one which impacts on us all: social media and the internet generally. I recommend that you search online for a video that went viral and features Dave, a phoney Belgian clairvoyant. The video is of a TV programme in which Dave demonstrates his skills to unsuspecting participants. He goes through various rituals with them, dances around them, apparent ly capturing their energy, etc., and at the end he gets to the most important part: he reveals details about their lives, what they own, what they spend, their bank accounts, tattoos … At the end of the video, the set collapses to reveal a group of hackers hidden behind a curtain and who have been feeding Dave all the required information via a concealed earpiece. Presumably they opted for that form of communication because using morse code via anal beads would have been slower and less convincing.
So, if your life is displayed out there on social media, be careful with Dave & Co. Have a good flight.
The number of new firms created (276) in the Canaries rose by 14 % in Au gust compared to the same month last year while the number of businesses that were wound up fell by 4.1 % (47), accord ing to statistics published by Spain’s National Institute for Statistics (INE). Of the new businesses, 275 were limited liability companies and one a public limited company, with a combined equity of 5.3 million euros. In Spain overall in the same month, the number of new businesses fell by 6.4 % in August compared to August 2021. The total of 5907 firms was the lowest figure since August 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when just over 5700 businesses were created.
The regions recording most new busi nesses in August were Madrid (1309), Catalonia (1185) and Andalusia (922).
The regions with fewest new businesses created in the eighth month of the year were La Rioja (24), Navarra (43) and Cantabria (54), according to Canarian digital newspaper Canarias Ahora.
Navarra’s Directorate General for Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs, in collaboration with community Local Action Groups, unveiled its new service to stimulate rural businesses last month.
The new project is designed primarily to catalyse business activity in rural areas through a system based on five main elements: continuous observation and analysis of business activity, the basis of the project; communication ensuring more direct contact with small enterprises; as the philosophy underpinning the project, cooperation and coordination between all the local action groups and with the Directorate General for Tourism, Trade and Consumer Affairs; competitiveness; and advice and support for traders, key elements in the project.
The roles of the new service include providing assistance and advice to local retailers with the aim of supporting, stimulating and helping improve the competitiveness of businesses located in rural areas to make them stronger and prevent them from disappearing.
The beach season in San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa) has come to an end, with the return to normality of all services the dominant note. The overall results are satisfactory, with high user numbers throughout the summer, thanks mainly to the great weather enjoyed by San Sebastián.
Prior to the start of the season, it did not prove necessary to move large amounts of sand except to clear accesses to the three beaches and cubicles and lower the sand levels to enable users to reach the different services.
San Sebastián’s beaches meet stringent quality requirements such as the EMAS environmental certificate and are tested weekly for water quality.
They also have signage giving information on services, tides, currents, and the location of swimming areas and those used for sport.
The Dentazul Group Vocational Training Centre is a private centre approved by the Canarian Ministry of Education, Universities, Culture and Sport. We offer higher-level programmes in Dental Hy giene, Dental Prosthesis and Prosthetic Audiology, courses which facilitate access to university studies, preferably in a health discipline. We also offer approved specialist courses, including dental radiodiagnosis equipment operator.
With over two decades of experience in course delivery, our centre prides itself not just on training skilled professionals but also on being awarded the 2019 Inter national Business Innovation Prize, which we received at the Museum of Technology in Berlin, and the SME Socially Re sponsible Business Award in 2000.
Situated in Playa Blanca in south Lanzarote, on the beachfront at Playa Dorada, the hotel offers stunning views of the sea and neighbouring islands. Its privileged location affords access to the exclusive Rubicón Marina and the fishing town of Playa Blanca, the promenade of which is reached directly from the hotel.
The hotel is designed in Canarian colonial style with picturesque traditional balconies, an elegant interior courtyard and five-star service.
The Princesa Yaiza boasts an extensive range of facilities and possibilities: spacious and comfortable rooms, spectacular views; varied and elegant gastron omy in its nine restaurants; two outdoor jacuzzies and eight swimming pools, including one seawater and one heated; wellbeing, health and beauty care with its Thalasso & Spa Center treatments; the biggest convention centre in the south
of the island, accommodating up to 1200 people in its amphitheatre and ten meeting rooms, and exclusive ambiences to enjoy good music. Sports zone and a full gym for workouts.
For the youngsters, Kikoland, a children’s park with a full animation programme, Mini-Club, Junior Club, play areas divided by age group and kiddies’ pools, together with Baby Kikoland for baby care.
T. 928 519 300 princesayaiza.com – @princesayaiza
By Saioa Arellano
In deciding on a week-end break, we want the most versatile destination possible, one full of contrasts, history and culture, where we can immerse ourselves in the day to day of the location and live each experience like a local. That place is A Coruña.
Historically, A Coruña has been a city open to the Atlantic. It was inhabited by Celts, Phoenicians and Romans; indeed, it was the Romans who built the Tower of Hercules lighthouse, which was given its name by King Alfonso X, who asso ciated it with the victory of Hercules over the monster Geryon. It is the only Roman lighthouse still operational today and was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2009. Close to the tower lies the so-called Rose of the Winds, a compass representing the Celtic mythology of the North Atlantic, whose Celtic nations are depicted on its points.
It also depicts the legend of Breogan, who sighted Ireland from the top of the tower and set off to conquer it, although he failed in his bid and was killed in an ambush. If you follow a straight line north from the Rose of the Winds, you will eventually reach Ireland 900km away.
To understand A Coruña you need to take a walk around the old part of the city and immerse yourself in the medieval and baroque worlds of its streets, churches and wonderful houses. On its streets you will find the Archive of the Kingdom of Galicia, the Museum-Home of Emilia Pardo Bazán and the Collegiate Church of Santa María, not to mention Maria Pita Square, named in honour of the woman who confronted the English troops who tried to attack the city in 1589. The square was chosen as the seat of the Town Hall, a large and elegant building designed in 1918 by architect Pedro Mariño.
Presiding over the square is a statue of María Pita which is very moving to contemplate. To walk through the streets of A Coruña is to walk through a city where renowned female authors Rosalía de Castro, Emilia Pardo Bazán, María Pita and Concepción Arenal lived.
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Leaving Town Hall square, straight ahead we find the harbour - A Mariña, to use the local name. This is the starting point of the 13-kilometre seafront promenade that encases the city, ending at Portiño on its other side. The promenade is ideal both for walking and cycling.
The marina at A Mariña is full of sailing boats (sailing is very popular in A Coruña), yachts and even cruise ships all year. The spot attracts all kinds of people, including families, those doing sport, groups of friends... Just behind the harbour is one of the city’s most important architectural features: the glazed balconies or ‘galleries’, as they are known in the city. Together with the Tower of Hercules, the balconies are one of the icons of this elegant city.
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To walk through the streets of A Coruña is to walk through a city where renowned female authors Rosalía de Castro, Emilia Pardo Bazán, María Pita and Concepción Arenal lived.
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Life in these buildings centres around the cafés and restaurants where you can watch the comings and goings of the ships and boats in the harbour. The design is based on the fishermen’s houses that stood here originally and whose glass fronts allowed sunlight in, trapping the heat inside.
They also provided protection from the rain and visual continuity between the interior and exterior, making the houses warm in winter and cool in sum mer. The homes we see today here date back to the 19th century.
More recently, A Coruña has become a modern ist city that combines hints of art nouveau with its own particular urban style. Culture in the city is very prominent in the form of its many artists, works and exhibitions..., all of which have made it one of the most sought-after destinations for tourists seeking a location steeped in history but with access to culture also.
Binter connects A Coruña with Gran Canaria directly, with three weekly flights, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Hesperia A Coruña 4*: explore the city from this recently refurbished hotel. Its strategic location is ideal for discovering the city’s atmosphere, beaches and food.
Plaza Hotel & Spa 4*: a hotel for gourmets situated in the heart of A Coruña. The restaurant is headed by Michelin-star chef Luis Veira.
A Coruña is a city with a history stretching back thousands of years in which you can savour the very best of the Atlantic and Galicia. Stunning seafood platters with spider crabs, Norway lobsters, prawns, king prawns, shrimps, small crabs, edible crabs, king crabs, lobster, barnacles, clams, scallops, queen scallops, mussels, cockles, razor clams and oysters. Scrumptious seafarer dishes such as fish casserole; a hearty and soul-warming Galician cocido stew; quality Galician meats cooked on a barbecue; pork loin or scallop empanada; boiled octopus; sardines with diced potato; octopus casserole with clams and tiger prawns … and, for dessert, filloa pancakes or cheesecake. Delicious!
Tower of Hercules: the world’s oldest active lighthouse and symbol of the city. Take a stroll through the sculpture park that surrounds it. St Peter’s Mountain: the best spot to view the city and coast. Head up to the Atlantic Dome and enjoy the 360-degree views from Spain’s only covered vantage point.
Mariña Balconies: the glass-fronted balconies of the buildings overlooking the sea are one of the trademark features of this coastal city.
Picasso House and Museum: visit the house where Malaga-born artist Pablo Picasso spent his childhood and learned to paint. Promenade: enjoy a walk along the thirteen kilometres of Europe’s longest promenade!
St Anthony’s Castle: discover A Coruña’s exciting history in the city’s Museum of History and Archaeology.
National Science and Technology Museum: explore the advances made in science and technology from the 16th century until present times through this collection of over 1500 scientific instruments.
More information on www.revistabinter.com and www.canariasviaja.com
Llaüts and shipwrights, the master craftsmen who build and repair these traditional Balearic Island boats, are dying out together slowly. Owners of these small sailing boats know how much they mean and anyone who sells one does so only to a buyer who will look after it. A llaüt is a member of the family, a collector’s item that is becoming increasingly scarce among the Balearic fleet.
In the Majorcan resort of Can Pastilla, situated in the Bay of Palma, you will find the small boat repair yard of Joan Mario Rebassa Fiol (1966), one of the island’s few remaining artisan master shipwrights. He learned the trade in the early 1990s in the School of Adze Masters in the old harbour in Palma. He and his colleagues were the last to learn how to use tools such as the type of adze known locally as d’aixa, from which this endangered profession takes its name (Mestres d’Aixa) in Catalan. «Nobody wants to carry the profession on any longer», explains Joan Mario.
On the day of our visit he was doing what he does most, namely, repairing a llaüt that took up most of his small repair yard. A chaotic space reminiscent of
an artist’s studio, full of timber, saws, brushes, mallets, adzes, iron tools and drills, all of which he uses skilfully, sensi tively and forcefully to ensure that the few surviving llaüts can carry on sailing a little longer. A llaüt is a wooden boat with three masts that support a lateen sail. Measuring between five and fifteen metres, its origins date back to the 13th century. This nimble boat was used in bygone times for fishing and transport ing goods but is mainly used nowadays – fitted with an engine – for recreation and tourism purposes. Modernisation is synonymous with a loss of patience.
Anyone who owns a llaüt is as much a sailor as they are nostalgic. Rather than sell it, they repair it. Joan Mario replaces keels, stems and sternposts; changes
outer skin and deck planking; reinforces or replaces ribs, beams and semi-beams; builds riggings, booms, masts, capping rails, soles… Anything to ensure that the llaüt can continue to enjoy the water, just like a pensioner enjoys the sunshine.
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In the same way that this knowledge needs to be preserved and applied, so too must llaüts sail, get fresh air and get wet, not be tied up and covered
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Exposure to the sun damages wood much more than it does fibreglass, the material which began to be used to build
the boats from the 1960s onwards in a change that has caused untold harm to Joan Mario’s profession. In the course of his work, this maestro of the adze uses the most appropriate resource depending on what is required and what materials are available. In other words, he works on traditional boats, modify ing the parts used to make them. It is a way of preserving yet modernising both the profession and the llaüts, and this is also aim of the Escuela de Maestre d’Aixa, the official training school run by Majorca’s governing council. The goal of the school is to prevent the know-how of these shipwrights becoming lost. In the same way that this knowledge must be preserved and applied, so too must llaüts sail, get fresh air and get wet, not be tied up and covered.
Many llaüts have been not so much tied up as run aground and have fallen into ruin on private and abandoned land, a fate that awaits numerous boats that have either not attracted a buyer or are unwanted because of their age and cost ly upkeep. A sad end for these historic sailing vessels, which are commonly found on websites for second-hand items. You can buy one second-hand for about 8000 euros, complete with a 33HP engine. A new 6-metre llaüt will set you back 30,000 euros, plus a further ten thousand if you want it with an engine.
Let’s hope there will always be wooden boats to repair and shipwrights to repair them. The recovery, restoration
and preservation of these boats, which have been declared an Asset of Intangible Cultural Interest due to the risk that they will die out, depend on their hands and tools.
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His work as a pilot for French company Aéropostale brought the famous writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to this wonderful city on the banks of the Garonne. Here we visit the author of The Little Prince’s most iconic spots during his time in Toulouse. From the Le Grand Balcon, the hotel where he stayed between flights, to the runway from which he took off on his adventures and which has been transformed today into one of Toulouse’s most fascinating places.
«For me, flying and writing are the same thing ». Antoine de Saint-Exupéry recorded his passion for flying in his books. Night Flight, Flight to Arras, Land of Men and, of course, his well-known The Little Prince all drew their inspiration from his feats as an aviator. A dream harboured since childhood which became reality at the age of 26, when he started working for Aéropostale, France’s airmail service.
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The Royal Garden in south Toulouse, inaugurated in 1754, was the Pink City’s first public park
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Back in those days he was a regular guest at Le Grand Balcon, the hotel used also by other Aéropostale pilots and mechanics. Located on a corner looking onto the central Place du Capitole, the hotel is today an ode to that period
thanks to its décor and the photos of im portant aviators that hang discreetly on one of the walls of its cafeteria. Exupéry used to stay in room 32, which is now a suite named after him.
Across Toulouse’s main square stands Le Bibent, a restaurant that transports diners back to 1861, the year of its opening. The baroque essence of bygone days is immediately alluring once you walk through its brickwork façade. Seated beneath the gilt ceiling decorated with celestial artwork, you can enjoy one of Toulouse’s most typical dishes, cassoulet bean stew. It was a must-have for Exupéry on his visits to this distinguished restaurant, which has been designated a historic building.
Au Père Louis (45 rue des Tourneurs) has been granted this same official status on account of its age. It was a café in the days when the author of The Little Prince used to visit but has since been
turned into a wine bar that has lost none of its authentic character.
The Royal Garden in south Toulouse, in augurated in 1754, was the Pink City’s first public park. It is home to an impressive sculpture depicting a globe of the world from which a man holding a very special book emerges. The sculpture is a wonderful tribute to the author and was made by artist Madeleine Tézenas in the year 2000.
The Montaudran quarter boasts one of the city’s most unique spaces, the Piste des Géants, the old runway former ly used by Aéropostale planes and home now to an interesting museum called L’ Envol des Pionniers and dedicated to the pioneers of the golden age of aviation and their adventurous flights over mountains, deserts and oceans to carry mail worldwide. Some of the letters are on display in the museum, which also has a room containing a full-size replica of the first plane flown by Exupéry.
In addition, until 6 November, the museum pays tribute to the novelist in the form of an exhibition entitled Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a prince among men, which features extracts from his books and some of his personal effects. A comprehensive journey through his life from his childhood until his death at the age of 44 when the plane he was flying crashed off the coast of Marseille.
A piece of the aircraft on display recalls the terrible tragedy. There is also a section devoted to his most popular book, with large sculptures of the fa mous drawings in The Little Prince.
The old headquarters of aircraft-mak er Latécoère, which later incorporated Aéropostale, share a space with the giant robots of the Halle de La Machine museum, where an enormous minotaur comes alive on the very runway from which Exupéry took off for Africa or America…; in pursuit of his dreams.
The Canaries: eight islands, eight worlds which do not fit on a single postcard. A multi-faceted, enriching, diverse, surprising and stimulating reality … A world full of things to do, all of them accessible, for old and young as well as for families. Take the plunge and rediscover the Islands through original environmental and cultural activities and even community engagement initiatives to care for our land, sea and air.
This traditional sport of the Islands has remained alive for centuries thanks to oral transmission. Various documents record that the earliest inhabitants of the Canaries practised this type of wrestling. It is a sport in which agility and strength are the key elements used by the wrestlers to try and force their opponent to the ground. Matches are fought as rounds, with wrestlers from each team gradually eliminated as they fall in the bouts.
The first rules were created in 1872 although it was not until 1960 that the first formal set of written Rules common to all the Canary Islands was published. The first Spanish Wrestling Federation was created in Tenerife in 1943.
This small bird is around the same size as a sparrow. As its name indicates, it is mostly blue in colour except for some white on its underparts and black tail and wings. It is endemic to Canarian pine forests and there are two sub-spe cies: teydea in Tenerife and polatzeki in Gran Canaria. The Gran Canaria variant is critically endangered, due particularly to the threat of fires in its habitat.
Its diet consists of pine seeds, in sects, firetree fruit and figs. Breeding takes place between April and August, with eggs normally laid in the first half of June.
This museum opened in 1976 and offers visitors an extensive collection of international, Spanish and Canarian artists, a programme of temporary exhibitions and cultural activities. It is located in the Castle of St Joseph, which was built during the reign of Carlos III to defend the island of Lanzarote.
Artist César Manrique directed the refurbishment works to accommodate the International Museum of Contemporary Art, the first contemporary art museum in the Canary Islands.
Valentina Hernández was a Spanish singer of Canarian folk music who is credited with making El Hierro’s music known throughout the Canaries and even the rest of Spain. Considered one of the major names in Canarian folk, she preserved the musical legacy passed on to her by her parents and grandpar ents and taught young people traditional songs and dances from El Hierro, popularising numbers such as El baile del vivo, El tango herreño, La meda, El conde de Cabras and el Arrorró herreño.
If you want to get to know one of the many locations that enrich the Canary Islands, the Cofete Beach offers a great experience and is a must for anyone vis iting Fuerteventura. Care is advised due to the big waves and the strong currents. This natural haven consists of fourteen kilometres of unspoilt beach around fifty metres wide.
La Gomera is full of places to suit all tastes. However, mention of the island immediately brings one in particular to mind: the Garajonay National Park,
which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986 and, along with the rest of the island, a Biosphere Reserve in 2012. The Park boasts an extensive network of trails that are great for discovering its interior. Its laurel forest, endemic species and size (almost forty square kilometres) make the Park a treasure trove of nature.
Known as “vieja”, this is one of the most popular fish among Canarians and is usually served with small, jacketed potatoes and green mojo sauce. It is normally eaten fresh although on some islands the fish is sliced open, salted and sun-dried for about four days until the desired texture is obtained. This fish is without doubt one of the big attractions of Canarian cuisine and is a must-try for fans of seafood dishes.
The sound of Caleta de Sebo is the sound of tranquility: virtually no cars or loud engine noises. This fishing village, with its white houses and blue window frames, stands in contrast to the Sa haran sand and offers visitors all the services needed to discover La Gracio sa. Its untarmacked roads bearing the markings left by the wheels of 4x4s are very inviting for a stroll around to get a first feel for the island.
The Líneas Romero Foundation is keenly aware of its values and where its endeavours should be directed. For that reason, in recent months it has undertaken activities closely associated with Canarian traditions and the sea, the best example being lateen sailing.
The 2nd ‘Island of La Graciosa’ Lateen Sailing Event organised by the Líneas Romero Foundation in collabora tion with Teguise Council provided participants, sailing enthusiasts and curious onlookers a busy day in the sunshine and the water.
Participants also had the chance to take part in workshops organised to enable them to learn a little more about this very Canarian sport, with nautical workshops also organised for children and a taster experience in a sailing boat for the most adventurous. All the above took place in a family and traditional atmosphere in which roots and essence reached out to the new generations.
The Foundation’s initiatives include synergies with other bodies such as the Código Cero Sports Club, with a lateen sailing taster organised for members of the El Cribo Mental Health Association.
Such initiatives are not limited to the water. On-land activities include women’s sports such as Canarian wrestling and football, thus helping foster equality in sport.
Staying with traditional sports, 9 October saw the first Canarian wrestling event in Caleta de Sebo, a forerunner for a future coaching camp which it is hoped will be held on La Graciosa for this cul tural heritage sport.
By Aarón Rodríguez González Photos by José Chiyah Álvarez
Fuerteventura’s southernmost tip is one of the Canary Islands’ best-kept secrets. This month we invite you discover some of its unique spots by taking the ninth and last of the stages of the long-distance trail that crosses this island of dunes in its entirety, from top to bottom: the GR-131 trail.
We begin our walk on the sandy beach at Morro Jable and follow the road signs through the tourist town, which we exit to the west. After crossing the Avenida del Atlántico road, we head gently upwards towards the town cemetery. Once here, we walk west parallel to the coast and amid the arid slopes of the Jandía mountains that stretch from the Jandía peaks to the sea. The foothills are intersected by ravines to form multiple segments of flat land known as “tableros”, where the very sparse plant life includes a cactus-like shrub which is endemic to Fuerteventura. We walk across the Tablero del Moro, Tablero de Peñas Blancas, Tablero de la Casa de la Señora and Tablero del Paso de Jorós, accompanied at all times by the contrast between the ochre and brownish tones of the mountains and the deep blue of the sea. Next, we head through the val leys of Jorós (famous in the past for its
tomato plantations), los Escobones and los Mosquitos. Once we pass the Juan Gómez ravine, the trail takes us along the coast - across small bluffs just a dozen metres or so high and overlooking beautiful sandy beaches such as La Rajita - until we reach the Las Salinas beach.
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From here we follow the shore until the village of El Puertito and, lastly, take the road along the La Angostura isthmus to the Jandía Lighthouse, which marks the end of the island and of today’s walk.
We are accompanied at all timesby the contrast between the ochre and brownish tones of the mountains and the deep blue of the sea
Positive elevation: 451 metres
Negative elevation: 460 metres
Length: 19.5 km
Highest point : 90 metres
Lowest point : 2 metres
Nearby places of interest : you can do an easy and shorter cir cular walk starting and ending at El Puertito, Fuerteventura’s westernmost point.
Notes: you are advised to take water and appropriate protection from the sun, including cream and a hat.
Did you know ? The entire walk is within or on the southern fringes of the Jandía Nature Park, a protected natural area of exceptional geomorphological and biological value, which is home to many endangered endemic species and a won derful bird sanctuary.
Playa de Las Salinas
El Puertito
Valle de los Mosquitos
Bco. de Juan Gómez Valle de Jorós
Tablero de Peñas Blancas
Ever since the visit by Christopher Columbus, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has been a key stop-over port on sailing routes to the Americas. This status is reinforced every autumn, in the sporting and adventure sense. November is ocean yachting month in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The city and its marina bustle with multinational sailing activity and atmosphere.
The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), an ocean race with two departures from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and ending on the islands of St Lucia and Grenada, is a massive draw. Its gift to the city is the exciting and colourful spectacle of the departing boats. The bay fills up with recreational boats and the marina and main seafront road become a privileged balcony to enjoy this nautical sight and bid farewell to the crews of over two hundred Atlantic cruisers.
However, the sight of a bay full of yachts is a regular one in a city whose DNA is permanently linked to the Atlantic. Weekends bring a wonderful sailing and sporting atmosphere to the south bay, with dozens of boats of all sailing
categories. A leisurely stroll through the city’s marina or even the fishing district of San Cristóbal rounds off the day, with an extensive range of seafood and traditional dishes from the Canaries on offer.
What’s more, once the summer is over, the north-facing Las Canteras and El Confital beaches are the perfect setting for riding-the-wave sports such as surfing and body boarding, perfect allies in a Surf City whose charms captivate the thousands of enthusiasts who try out the waves every year at La Cícer, Los Muellitos, El Lloret and El Confital.
That is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in autumn. A coastal city that embraces the sea.
By Raquel Álvarez Photos by Rocío Eslava
The people of Tacoronte are very proud of their bathing areas. The famous fishing village of El Pris and, in particular, the Playa de La Arena beach are two locations well worth one or more visits, with the latter now firmly established as the top spot in the Acentejo area for a family swim. The waters are calm for much of the year and there are stunning views of the north of the island along the route both there and back. The beach also has extensive amenities, a parking area and a very popular natural pool nearby. What’s more, it offers walking opportunities, typical black volcanic sand and high safety thanks to the lifeguards and the metal netting protecting the cliff face, which has eliminated the risk of rockfalls such as those that forced the closure of the beach for over a year.
If you are in Tenerife, somewhere between - for example - La Laguna and the La Orotava valley, the weather is good and you are looking for a family beach with safe swimming, convenient parking, a range of amenities and the chance to try good food, the solution is simple. Playa de La Arena in Mesa del Mar (Tacoronte) is the ideal choice. A big beach ap proximately 600 metres long, with the island’s typical black volcanic sand and stunning views of the north (including Mt Teide), awaits you after the spectacular drive down the cliffside along a winding road that is totally safe despite the sharp bends. You access the beach on foot via a small tunnel which seems like Plato’s cave until you emerge into the daylight to be greeted by the idyllic reality of the blue Atlantic, sunshine and the collage of colours of the beachgoers, the hillside and the boats in the tiny harbour.
Getting there is relatively straightforward. Just drive down to the area known as Guayonge (if travelling from the centre of Tacoronte or from El Sauzal via El Calvario) or up from San Juan through Valle de Guerra. No mat ter which side you come from, you will see signs directing you to Mesa del Mar. First-timers may find the road down to this iconic spot in the north of the island a bit daunting initially. However, it is not unsafe, far from it, even if you should be alert when cars pass each other as they make their way up and down the road.
The steep slope, the bends, the cliff, the spectacular views of El Pris (to the right) and the rest of the north (to the left), and the swimming spots awaiting us at the bottom all combine to make a powerful and, in many cases, lasting impression. A trip is really worth it.
The tall apartment block in Mesa del Mar separates the beach and small harbour from the large parking area. To the left there is a little church that attracts many worshippers, a supermarket for supplies and a restaurant that serves up seafood and other dishes. Next to this parking area also is a natural pool that is very popular with children and, when the weather is good and the waters calm, fills up with entire families, with the option of swimming in the open sea available also. On days like these, the parking spots get taken quickly and you will need to find somewhere to park on the road down.
Very close to this initial point of contact with the sea is the beginning of the promenade leading to El Pris, one of the north’s iconic fishing villages which has its own natural pool and other bathing areas, together with other attractions (including food) that deserve an article all to themselves. If you turn right, after the unexpected and surprising darkness of the tunnel you come to a beach that children and adults will just love and which offers easy access, lifeguards, a cliff face protected against rockfalls, year-round sand on most parts, and generally calm waters even if caution is required on certain days.
As soon as you emerge from the tunnel, turn right and take in the lovely views of the semi-circular beach, Mt Teide and the north, the bay, the boats in the small harbour, and the sight of the occasional angler. There is another restaurant in the tall apartment building should you wish to have something to eat first. If you walk straight ahead from the tunnel, you will see some old basketball courts marked out on the tarmac section for the children to play on, while on the sand to the right there are goalposts for beach-football.
Further on, with its various access es, the splendidly curved and ever-welcoming beach unfolds in front of you. Although on the part to your right - as you face the sea - some sections have stones (small ones mostly) and rocks, most of the beach is covered by sand and swimming is usually pleasant and problem-free. At the far end, next to the small beach on the right which has more waves and attracts young surfers, a number of pools form at low tide when the sea is calm and these can prove to be a nice surprise for young and old alike.
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You will often see anglers fishing in this zone and there are even more if you carry on northwards along the promenade, although the rockfalls at present mean you cannot get to the tricky access leading to El Arenal, a spectacular little beach that is part of the municipality of El Sauzal and deserves to be included on the select list of unspoilt and dangerous beaches that are nonetheless appealing and enticing to the most adventurous and biggest fans of nature amongst us.
Don’t forget, however, that you chose Playa de La Arena because you wanted a beach for the whole family to enjoy a relaxing swim. If you take up our recommendation and visit it, you will not be disappointed and are guaranteed to want to return in future.
That is not just a cliché….
At the far end, a number of pools form at low tide when the sea is calm and these can prove to be a nice surprise for young and old alike
The tenth edition of the International Parrot Congress of Tenerife closed on Thursday with a great success of attendance and participation, with 800 experts, biologists and scientists from more than 45 countries who met to advance new lines of research in animal matters.
During the tenth edition of the International Parrot Congress of Tenerife, considered the most important in the world in the sector, presentations were given on issues of evolution, diagnosis and conser vation of parrots, the threats they face and the keys to the protection of endangered specimens. Coinciding with its 50th anni
versary, Loro Parque will also host other key events for the zoological community. The Spanish park will host the meeting of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the Conservation Planning Specialist Group, which will bring together leading international experts in the field of environmental conservation.
A report by hotel alliance Exceltur shows that hotels performed very well last summer, generating 9.2 % more revenue in the period July to September than in the same quarter in 2019. Ac cording to the results, hotels in holiday locations on the coast performed best (+9.9 %), ahead of their urban counter parts (+7.3 %). The tourism sub-sectors posting the best sales results in the summer, in all cases bettering 2019 levels, were leisure activities (+4.9 %) –
thanks mainly to the good showing by golf courses (+11.9 %) and leisure parks (+8.9 %) – followed by museums (+3.7 %).
Moreover, the tourism sector ended September with higher and more stable employment. The report shows that Social Security registrations were already 1.1 % higher than in 2019, although the improvement is lower than for other sectors of the economy (+5.6 %), which saw an increase in permanent contracts.
Figures from Spain’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) show that total expenditure by foreign tourists who visited Spain in August reached 11.258 billion euros, an increase of 90.6 % compared to the same month in 2021, when it totalled 5.907 billion. Average spending per tourist was 1276 euros, an annual increase of 12.3 %, with daily spending growing by 20.5 % to 162 euros. The average stay by foreign tourists was 7.9 days, 0.5 days less than in August 2021. During the first eight months of 2022, total spending by foreign tourists increased 247.5 % with respect to the same period the previous year and reached 58.895 billion euros.
The leading countries by spending in August were the United Kingdom (20.5 % of overall spending), France (14.4 %) and Germany (11.7 %).
By Cristina Torres Luzón Illustrated by Ilustre Mario
Not knowing what resources exist in the field of health inevitably means we overlook available services. Raising the visibility of the role of occupational therapists helps opens up the range of interventions they can offer to users to enhance their quality of life through improved occupations.
Ask anyone to list the healthcare professionals and the chances are they will say doctors and nurses. We are accustomed to going to see these practitioners and, broadly speaking, we have a clear idea as to when we should seek their help.
However, there are many more health professions in our healthcare system. Physiotherapists, dentists, chiropodists, psychologists, speech therapists… We are less accustomed to seeing them either because we don’t know about them,
do not have the money to see them, or because we mistakenly believe we do not need them.
One such profession is the relatively young one of occupational therapy, which emerged towards the end of the 20th century and fulfils an important role on the health-illness continuum.
Occupational therapists are part of the Spanish healthcare system, both public and private, although there are not
enough of them to meet current needs. This is probably one of the reasons why the sterling work they do, the improved quality of life their work brings to users of their services, and the savings they would entail for the health service if they could assist everyone who needs them are less apparent.
What do the occupational therapists do? Their work primarily involves maintaining or restoring functional independ ence in daily life skills, helping the individual achieve greater autonomy and quality of life. Everyday tasks and activities (‘oc cupations’ as they are called) are used as the means of rehabilitation, based on individual assessment and an appropriate treatment plan.
In assessing each case, therapists do not restrict themselves to the person’s physical or cognitive level. Rather they consider also other impediments that interfere in these occupations, including architectural barriers, social exclusion factors and any environmental barrier.
They assist people of all ages and their patient care skills can be grouped into three main areas of intervention: preven tion, maintenance and rehabilitation/readaptation.
In the area of prevention of illness or disability, their services may be required for children with ASD, learning difficulties, psychomotor retardation, sensory integration disorders, attention deficit, cerebral palsy … For this reason they form part of early and childhood support teams.
Their health maintenance work is carried out in day centres and care homes for the elderly and helps prevent, delay or avoid the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
A broad category of their work covers rehabilitating and readapting lost functionalities of basic daily life activities such as self-care, as may be required after illnesses such as long Covid, a stroke or serious trauma.
Quite possibly it is in this last area where there is least awareness of their therapeutic abilities and least use of their services. This leads to a delay in interventions or, in the worst and most common cases, a lack of rehabilitation which ultimately leads to a deterioration in quality of life and increased care costs to miti gate the consequences of this.
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When we refer to rehabilitation or readaptation, we are speaking about the functionality of the different parts of the body. The professional skills of physi otherapists, who deal with muscle and joint rehabilitation, should not be confused with the rehabilitation of the func tion performed by the person’s muscles and bones in their day to day life. A physiotherapist treats the affected part of the body in order to restore its mobility and strength as much as possible. However, relearning how to tie your laces, write or clean your teeth requires the involvement of an occupational therapist.
Now that you know more about these great professionals, don’t forget to make use of their services when they are needed to help improve your quality of life or that of a loved one.
The Hospiten Rambla University Hospi tal has opened the first general practice in Spain to use Spanish Sign Language (SSL) as a means of eliminating the communi cation barriers faced by deaf and hearing-loss patients.
The project, led by Prof. Manuel Maynar, head of Hospiten’s Endoluminal/ Endovascular Diagnosis and Therapeu tics Service, is designed to place SLL at the heart of communication in medical consultations. It seeks to address the needs of the deaf community by creating and facilitating a space for their devel opment and self-determination in medical settings, thus ensuring that privacy,
trust and the doctor-patient relationship are guaranteed.
Users will be seen by a team of profes sionals who are deaf or CODA (hearing children of deaf adults) and are all bilingual or SLL-qualified.
Dr Aleida Castro Viera, who is deaf and bilingual, stresses that having SLL in the GP surgery will allow more reliable and effective diagnosis, treatment and moni toring of patients, and ensure their right to privacy is respected. A range of tools and protocols have been put in place to pro vide accessible and personalised care that gives clear and precise information.
The regional government of Murcia announced in October that it is to spend 52.2 million euros between 2022 and 2030 to promote energy efficiency, responsible use of resources and lower energy bills in hospitals. The Murcia Health Service (SMS) uses high amounts of electricity: 110,000 megawatt hours per year in its 117 facilities - 87% of this (96,000 Mwh) in hospitals. Its electricity bill increased last year to 22 million euros, due largely to
the rise in the daily megawatt hour price during the last six months of 2021.
To tackle the problem, the government plans to install photovoltaic solar pan els in all hospitals. The SMS will have an installed capacity of 1239 kWp by November, with the remainder due in 2023. This will bring the overall capacity of photovoltaic installations to 6519 kW, with a total investment of 7,575,000 euros.
The balloon capsule is a non-invasive procedure which does not require endos copy, surgery or anaesthesia. The capsule is taken by mouth with a little water and is eliminated naturally. We have pioneered the use of this non-invasive technique in the Canaries since 2017 and added a new and enhanced version in 2021.
We have years of experience of using the balloon capsule behind us and the satisfaction and excellent results of our patients encourage us to continue progressing further. Free initial assessment.
689 11 81 54 Santa Cruz de Tenerife 644 42 54 98 Las Palmas GC capsulagastricacanarias. com
The International Storytelling Festival in Los Silos (Tenerife) is one of Spain’s most important oral narration events. This year’s 27th edition of the festival is dedicated to migrants and takes place on 2-7 December 2022 in the town of Los Silos.
Words hold centre stage for several weeks as writers, narrators, illustrators and fans of reading gather for the purpose of the festival. Words also provide the central thread that will be used to discover new authors, locations and emotions. Some of the activities will be of a more intimate nature and others for the public at large.
Los Silos’ natural spaces also take on an important role as they become immersed in the words of the storytellers; gatherings on settees become something magical as each home is unrepeatable; nights of terror material ise in incredible fashion; and the event’s international flavour is reflected each year in the range of storytellers from different parts of the world. The festival is a unique opportunity to discover latest developments near and far in the world of literature. An ideal time to spend with the family and sow the seeds of reading among the youngest members.
Education is fundamental to the International Storytelling Festival. Innovation in reading education is one of its main pillars, with various events aimed at teachers. Moreover, the visits by dozens
of Tenerife schools help stir the minds of the readers of the future.
Los Silos comes alive in early Decem ber. The decorations in local schools announce the start of one of the stories that has been told most widely over the past 27 years. The story of the man who dreamed of words gaining recognition through storytelling in his home town. The story of a dream that Ernesto Rodríguez Abad turned into reality. That story is called the Los Silos International Storytelling Festival. A story that remains very much alive and will continue to be so forever.
25 November
A puerile and monotonous life devoid of the dreams of yester year. Such is the routine of Mrs Smith, a 48-year-old mother with two grown-up children who talks to the kitchen wall while making dinner for her husband. Until, that is, Shirley Valentine – her alter ego who dreams of a different and far-off life, far from her marriage and everyday boredom – emerges from within. A feminist friend asks her to go on holiday to Greece with her and, after thinking long and hard, she seizes the opportunity to go in search of a different life and, perhaps, a different her.
As part of its Chamber Music season, the Tenerife Auditorium is hosting the concert Quartetto à 4 by Gara Quartet. The programme consists of works that convey in an exceptional manner the different textures created by the four instruments that came to make up the string quartet, long before it was established definitively as a genre of Classicism during the second third of the 18th century. One of the main innovations in the birth of this new form is the absence of the basso continuous as the harmonic base, as it was known until then.
Los Silos
From 2 to 7 December
Los Silos, its people, streets, houses, hidden corners, indeed the entire town provide the set ting for this latest edition of the International Storytelling Festival. «Migrants» is the theme chosen for this 27th staging of the festival, which takes place from 2 to 7 December 2022. Migration will feature promi nently as a tribute to all those who are forced to abandon their homelands in search of new opportunities.
Uruguayan singer-songwriter
Jorge Drexler presents his new album, Tinta y tiempo, following a five-year silence as far as record releases are concer ned. This 14th studio album coincides with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of his debut album. Three decades of songs that continue to add to the status of the Urugua yan. Drexler is particularly well known for the way he connects with audiences in his concerts worldwide. Four years after his last visit, he returns to the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium to help mark the 25th anniversary of the concert venue’s opening.
Jorge Drexler arrives with a new and original show and is joined on stage by Borja Barrueta (drums), Meritxell Neddermann (keyboard and vocals), Javier Calequi (guitar and vocals), Carles Campi Campón (bass guitar and programming), Alana Sinkëy and Miryam Latrece (vocals). The audience will enjoy not just his new repertoire but songs from earlier albums also.
Omayra Cazorla, a female co median from the Canary Islands, brings Show-Woman to Gran Canaria. The show describes a woman’s efforts to be what she is forced to be by society, her family, social classes and the establishment. Well-groomed beauty, fashion and pre-or dained rules governing behav iour in everyday life.
From 2 December to 8 January
The Nativity Scene carved out of sand is an ephemeral sculptural ensemble which has been created every year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria since Christmas 2006 and features eight of the world’s best sand sculptors. The quality of their work and the unique setting of the Las Canteras Beach, with an average temperature of 23 ºC year-round, make this one of the world’s most important and original events at Christmas. Year after year, it is the third most visited museum space in Spain in December. More infor mation at www.lpavisit.com.
Cirque Du Soleil Crystal is the first show on ice by Cirque du Soleil. Discover a new kind of performance as Cirque du Soleil meets the ice to defy all expectations. Watch world-class ice skaters and ac robats claim their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics. Cirque Du Soleil Crystal invites you to suspend reality and glide into a world that springs to colourful life with astounding visual projec tions and a soundtrack that seamlessly blends popular music with the signature sound of Cirque du Soleil.
Café Quijano bring their new al bum Manhattan to the Niemeyer Centre. A compendium of songs in which, from the very first note, the sound is unequivocally «Quijano», that of their first hits. The storyline is narrated with the particular language that characterises all the group’s compositions. During the more than two hours of the concert, the group will perform their new songs and look back at all their major hits, , as well as their original boleros.
Zorrilla Theatre 29 January
Sleeping Beauty is an impres sive stage ballet featuring three grand palace celebrations: the christening, 16th birthday and wedding of Princess Aurora, together with the beautiful dream act. First performed in St Petersburg in 1890, it tells how the evil witch Carabosse pre dicts that the Princess will prick her finger and die, although the Lilac Fairy manages to change the terrible punishment of death for a long sleep.
Niemeyer Centre 27 January
Constitution Square 20 and 21 January
Every year, the Basque city of San Sebastián stages a major celebration to mark the feast day of its patron saint. The high point of the festivities is the drum pa rade known as the Tamborrada. It was first held in 1836 during Carnival. According to legend, locals would parody the soldiers who paraded through the city every day. The Tamborrada has been a popular annual tradition ever since. The celebration kicks off at midnight on 20 January, when the flag is raised on Constitution square. The Tamborra da begins with the Gaztelubide Society, which performs music by Raimundo Sarriegi.
Verdi Theatre 12 January
Cellist Mario Brunello and the Orchestra della Toscana will delight their audience with the mellow sounds of classical music by Schubert and Schönberg in Florence’s famous Verdi Theatre. Mario Brunello has performed with artists such as Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich and Frank Peter Zimmermann, among others. He is also artistic director of the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Com petition and of the Reggio Emilia String Quartet Festival.
The Athletics Association of the Region of Madeira (AARAM) organises this international sporting event comprising three distances: the Funchal Mara thon (42,195 m), the Funchal Half Marathon (21,097.50 m) and the Funchal Minimarathon (8850 m).
Pérez Galdós Museum
Until 23 December
Inauguration of the exhibition Galdós in the Laybyrinth of Spain, produced by Acción Cultural España (AC/E), which offers an overview of the photo graphy of Pérez Galdós and his era, arising out of his work as a photo-historian. The exhibition presents dozens of portraits of the maestro, most of which are shown for the first time here. For further information, see www. casamuseoperezgaldos.com
Tenerife Arts Space
Until 8 January
TEA Tenerife Arts Space hosts Concretos, an exhibition curated by Gilberto González and Pablo León de la Barra. Architecture as the materialisation of an image plays a central role in the programme of events at TEA. In using concrete as the element on which to base relationships between works, we become conscious of the apparent dis cursive insubstantiality.
Barrié Foundation
Until the end of the year
This collection of international contemporary art, which was com menced in 2008 and is based on the different forms of support for the Arts traditionally provided by the Foundation, seeks to address the question «What do we mean when we talk about painting today?». Through the collection, the Foundation aims to bring the best international contemporary art to Galicia and showcase talented Galician painters to the world. Comprising a total of 51 works, the collection brings together Galician artists who feature in world collections, emerg ing talents, established names on the Spanish and international scene, and key names in painting from the second half of the 20th century.
Menorca ArtIsan Centre
Until April 2023
This exhibition focuses on kitchens as a place where tangible objects of craftmanship tend to be concentrated but also as a family meeting space and place for artisanal practices. The visit begins with an indispensable utensil in Menorca – mortar bowls, a range of which are exhibited from different periods and materials. It continues with information on the evolution of the different types of kitchen down the ages.
Arehucas Añejo Selección Familiar.
Grupo Arehucas is a firmly established Canarian company with a history dating back over a hundred years. Its product portfolio includes three very special rums that make up its Selección Familiar range, as well as its star product: Captain Kidd.
Arehucas Añejo Selección Familiar 12 años is a rum with floral and fruity notes, particularly apricot and blossom honey. Its mahogany colour with golden high lights serves notice immediately of the tastes and aromas we will encounter in this very special rum. Rounded and del icate in the mouth, it delights the palate with unique tastes and sensations.
Arehucas Añejo Selección Familiar 18 años has been lovingly aged in the cellar for 18 years. Deep mahogany in colour with copper highlights, its slow legs (‘tears’) tell us this is a very unique rum. The pronounced oak, vanilla, cara mel and toffee aroma resulting from its patient wait in the cask are apparent in the nose. All these aromas are drawn out further in the mouth and make the rum pleasant, rounded and easy to drink.
The range is completed with our Ron Blanco Selección Familiar Arehucas. Every year at harvest time, the label selects for this rum sugar cane from its Arucas plantation, which is currently seeking organic certification. The resulting rum is elegant with a perfect balance between freshness and aromatic intensity thanks to the natural aromas and fermentation of the sugar cane. It is the perfect rum for premium cocktails as it is ideally suited for combinations.
Mention must be made also of the Captain Kidd rum, the «jewel in the crown» at Arehucas, each nuance of which symbolises the spirit of the label and the years spent maturing in the cel lar. Aged in barrels since 1983, each and every aspect embodies the commitment to quality which has always been the guiding force at Arehucas. A patient and unhurried rum with one sole purpose: to satisfy the most demanding palates.
All the above rums feature in the training which we offer via our Rum Culture site (www.culturaronera.com) and which continues during November and December with the aim of bringing the wonderful world of rum to all those who love the drink.
Por Francisco Belín Ilustración por Ilustre Mario
Canarian recipes are called for now that autumn is here. Invigorating stews and casseroles, not to mention dipping some bread in their sauces and washing everything down with a small carafe of wine, all prove very appetising. Waiting for us out there, if we know which places to eat in, are Canarian black pig, goatmeat and La Palma or Gran Canaria beef.
By way of starter, how about tucking into some delicious carajacas (marinated calf liver in sauce)?
Meat dishes in the Canaries generally, and each of the eight islands individually, reflect the specific traits of each tradi tion and the unique contribution of native species and breeds that are finding favour today thanks to the emphasis on fresh, local produce and the zero food miles philosophy.
Tasty carajacas –a great suggestion–should be included in any self-respecting collection of traditional Canarian recipes. This Gran Canaria speciality that harnesses available resources to the full is a great example of offal-based creativity and can be eaten as a starter or as a main course, served with boiled
potatoes or rice. Shall we make it? Take a mortar and pestle and crush rock salt (according to taste), a hot pepper and a few twigs of parsley.
Put the resulting paste through the blender together with a little oil and vinegar and a sprinkling of paprika and oregano. Once it is all mixed thoroughly, pour it over the thinly-sliced liver, having first removed any remaining bits of skin. Leave everything to marinade for several hours (eight is more than enough).
Figures speak volumes and it is worth pointing out that over two million kilos of local meat are eaten in Tenerife, for example. According to the island’s governing Cabildo, production of beef, goatmeat and sheepmeat has increased, less so that of rabbit and pork. -
Each island’s culinary influences bring to the various native varieties and breeds specific nuances and flavours that are highly appreciated by locals as well as visitors -
Getting back the kitchen, the different varieties of meat benefit from the specific nuances and flavours of pots, grills and embers contributed by each island’s culinary influences and highly appreciated by locals as well as visitors.
Scouring through my book Recetas antiguas de Canarias (Old Recipes from the Canaries) published by Kinnamon, I rediscovered a number of culinary gems that highlight clever and flavoursome solutions that enhance the taste profiles of the raw materials that are the focus of this article. One such example is rabbit in
vinegar sauce, a dish from La Geria (Lan zarote) that combines simplicity and the evocation of the contrasts of these wonderful lunar excavation surroundings.
Cut the rabbit into small pieces and place it in an earthenware pot with a little oil. Season with some salt while browning it gently and then add three large tomatoes, finely chopped and without skin or pips. Stir continuously and when the rabbit and tomatoes have been mixed thoroughly, add the sauce made from four cloves of garlic, a half tablespoon of paprika and three cumin seeds, all of which is mashed together before adding vinegar for a more rounded taste.
At the risk of repeating ourselves by again mentioning rabbit, a much ad mired meat, we must not forget the stew known as condumio from Icod de los Vinos. It is now agreed that this rural dish was created originally by local huntsmen. Understandably, when fortune eluded them, they would cook the rabbit they had caught, serving it up with some delicious potatoes.
Staying with Tenerife, mention should be made also of age-old traditional dish es such as the garlicky ajoahogado associated with the slaughter of pigs in upper parts of Candelaria (Araya, Cuevecitas and Malpaís) and the different variants of soup made from animal pluck, particularly in Arafo. The soup is a particularly good pick-me-up and for remedying the autumn chill that is already making its presence felt in Arafo’s highest parts.
In addition to the dish described at the beginning, carajacas from Telde (Gran Canaria) -–an area where livestock is plentiful–, mention should be made also of one called vuelta y vira, small pieces of veal quick-fried with garlic and parsley. Bon appetit!
Wines from the Canary Islands once again performed brilliantly at the Mondial des Vins Extremes CERVIM 2022 competition, held at the end of September in Valle de Aosta (Italy), picking up a total of 23 medals, including three Great Gold medals, eighteen Gold and two Silver.
The wine cellars that scooped awards at this international competition specif ically for wines produced in so-called “heroic” wine-growing areas were as follows: Bodega El Grifo (Lanzarote); Bodega Las Tirajanas (Gran Canaria); Bodega Grinfeld Mir S. L. (Alejandro Gallo & Quíquere Wines) (Islas Canarias); Bodega Vinos Señorío de Agüimes (Gran Canaria); Bodegas Reverón (Abona); Bodega Cumbres de Abona (Abona); Bo dega El Lomo (Islas Canarias); Bodega Frontos (Abona); Bodega Mencey Chas na (Abona); Bodegas Marba (Tacoronte); and SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar (Brumas de Ayosa) (Valle de Güímar).
Tenerife was one of the star attractions at the San Sebastián Gastrono mika 2022 International Gastronomy Congress held in October in the city of San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa). Measuring 200 square metres and equipped with a full kitchen, the Tenerife stand show cased the island’s facilities, products and tourist attractions to 12,131 gastronomy professionals from 32 countries. During the three days of the event, the restaurant-stand provided a total of over 500
services in the form of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, workshops and thematic tast ings to guests from Spain and abroad, who enjoyed specialities and products from the island. The 24th San Sebastián Gastronomika, in which Tenerife demonstrated its potential as a top gastrono my tourism destination at national and international level, featured 70 chefs (32 of them Michelin-starred) and sector pro fessionals, and included 40 presentations and 30 parallel activities.
El Cotillo in Fuerteventura is an ideal spot for campers and should be underli ned in red in any decent travel notebook if the aim is to spend a few hours trying wonderful sea food. Of the wide range of places available to eat, one stands out by tradition for its quality ingredients and friendly service.
La Vaca Azul is one of the top restau rants not just in Fuerteventura but also in the entire Canary Islands. Set in a stunning location looking out over the Atlan tic and the old harbour at El Cotillo, here you will enjoy excellent fresh fish and seafood dishes, along with an extensive selection of soups, salads, meats, rice dishes and home-made desserts.
Requena, 9. El Cotillo - Fuerteventura. T. 928 538 685.
Four cities, one single flight. The Binter NightRun Series returned in 2022 as strong as ever. Spain’s most important series of night races filled the streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Palma de Majorca, Zaragoza and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, attracting a total of over 12 000 participants, who were swept along by the green tide towards this inclusive and sustainable charity event in an unforgettable journey that promises yet more surprises and experiences in 2023. Following an absence of two years due to the pandemic, our most athletic and nocturnal passengers were back on board again, to our great delight.
More than 3700 turned out on 21 May in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the eagerly anticipated return. The second race in Palma de Majorca showed us just how popular the event has become as it switched from one archipelago to another. The most iconic places in the Majorca capital turned green at sundown and the 1800 runners gave us an 11 June to remember. The pace of the Binter NightRun Series was stepped up further with a direct ticket to Zaragoza. A debut on 17 September in which our excitement at touching down in the capital of Aragón was a perfect reflection of the expectation the event had generated. Zaragoza booked its place on the race calendar and we are convinced we will attract more than 1500 runners next year.
Distances to suit all tastes and ages, and a festive atmosphere that makes the Binter NightRun Series different and unique. It also helps worthy causes. This year’s beneficiaries were the Canarian Association for Autism Spectrum Disorder (APANATE), the Balearic Association for Cerebral Palsy (ASPACE), the Aragonese Association for Intellectual Disa bility (ATADES), and the St John of God Hospitaller Order in Las Palmas.
Being eco-friendly is also part of our DNA. Reducing emissions, waste, plastic and paper, and fostering the use of proximity and local products at refuelling stops and post-finish locations are just some of the measures we have taken to care for the environment. The night runs are much more than running and enjoyment; they help us continue to grow as a society. A society in which there is room for everyone and all of us are important. One in which we run under equal conditions in this greatest manifestation of inclusivity.
All this was on display in the Series’ longest-standing race, the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Binter NightRun, which welcomed with open arms its 5000 passengers in the grand finale to the 2022 experience. A touchdown and a finish line of the highest order and whose success will lead to even greater desire, motivation and happiness next year.
Thank you for making it possible!
Binter allows its customers to get to know different parts of the Canaries with its new Discover Stopover. Passengers on all the airline’s routes from mainland Spain to the Canaries can enjoy two islands on the same trip for a small additional charge. When purchasing a return ticket, passengers can choose a stopover on the outbound or return leg and stay up to a maximum of seven days.
The stopover can be made in either of the airline’s two operational hubs, Gran Canaria or Tenerife, in conjunction with a stay in the other islands that have an airport: El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
For just forty euros more, the airline gives passengers the opportunity to build interesting itineraries and get to know two Canary Islands on the same journey. They will also soon also be able to take advantage of exclusive offers in shops, hotels, car hire and restaurants on the stopover island. Due to legal res trictions, the residents’ discount cannot be applied to the stopover tariff.
Passengers on our mainland routes benefit from the advantages of Binter’s differentiated product and high-quality inflight service which is designed to provide them with the best possible expe rience, including a complimentary gourmet snack and a comfortable journey on board our modern Embraer aircraft. The Discover Stopover can be booked on the airline’s different sales channels - www. bintercanarias.com, the 922/928 32 77 00 booking line and travel agents - where information on the terms and conditions and the fares for the various destinations can be obtained.
The commanding officer of the Civil Guard in Las Palmas, Colonel Vicente Reig Basset, gave a special award to Binter as part of the events marking the 12 October, the feast day of the force’s patron saint, the Virgin of Pilar.
During the solemn commemoration of the patron of the law enforcement body, Binter Airlines’ head of security Alexis Pérez Navarro was awarded the Civil Guard’s Cross of Merit with White Distinction. In recognition of its collaboration with the force, Binter also received a plaque which was accepted by commercial and marketing director Miguel Ángel Suárez on behalf of the chairman.
The emotional tribute to various insti tutions and individuals included a series of addresses by the different authorities present, together with a tribute to deceased officers and the playing of the Spanish national anthem and the anthem of the Civil Guard.
In front of the large crowd in attendance, the support, collaboration and work of the airline were acknowledged, as was the work of all the force’s officers in the province of Las Palmas.
Alexis Pérez admitted that he did not expect such an honour, which he called a source of great pride, particularly as it had come from the headquarters of the Civil Guard in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, with whom Pérez has worked closely in the course of his job and con tinues to do so.
Pérez began working at Binter 32 years ago as one of its first employees. Among other aspects, he praised its «hu man quality», adding that «there are very few places like this».
The airline’s head of security underlined the fact that this quality is present from the «highest echelons in the company down to the bottom rungs».
Earn double points when you stay in selected Lopesan hotels. In addition, holders of BinterMás Gold and Silver cards will enjoy exclusive benefits when booking the Hotel Faro, a Lopesan Collection Hotel, using code BMASFARO22.
Hotels Earn x2
Abora Catarina by Lopesan Hotels 260 + 260 points/night
Abora Continental by Lopesan Hotels 260 + 260 points/night
Corallium Beach by Lopesan Hotels 260 + 260 points/night
IFA Altamarena by Lopesan Hotels 260 + 260 points/night
Exclusive benefits for Gold and Silver card holders Your stay in the Hotel Faro includes room upgrade* and Om Spa circuit voucher (2 people)
lopesan.com 902 450 010
Validity: bookings made until 30 November 2022. Only for stays between 02/11/2022 and 23/12/2022. *Subject to availability and not compatible with resi dent discount or other offers and promotions.
Barceló Lanzarote Royal Level 4*. Lanzarote
Earn more points in selected Barceló Royal Level hotels. Exclusive 4*hotels with luxury, avantgarde services. The ideal choice for the most demanding guests. Book now to take advantage of this offer!
Hotels Earn x2
Barceló Margaritas Royal Level 4* 405 + 405 points/night
Barceló Lanzarote Royal Level 4* 405 + 405 points/night
Barceló Fuerteventura Royal Level Adults Only 4* 405 + 405 points/night
Validity: November 2022.
barcelo.com 902 101 001
BINTER 922/928 327 700 bintercanarias.com Earn: from 100 to 1000 points
IBERIA 902 400 500 iberia.com Earn: from 75 to 300 points
CAR HIRE
CICAR 928 822 900 cicar.com Earn: from 40 to 100 points
AVIS 902 135 531 avis.es Earn: from 50 to 75 points
FLIGHT + HOTEL
CANARIASVIAJA 922 24 81 61 canariasviaja.com Earn: 1 point per 1 €
WELLBEING
TALASOTERAPIA LAS CANTERAS 928 271 170 talasoterapialascanteras.com Earn: 40 points/circuit
PETROL STATIONS
DISA 901 101 016 disagrupo.es Earn: up to 50 points
BINTERMÁS MASTERCARD santanderconsumer.es Obtención: 1 punto por 2 €
SHOPPING
CANARIENSIS 900 252 423 aldeasa.com Earn: 120 points for 30 € spent
GOLF
SALOBRE GOLF RESORT 928 94 30 04 salobregolfresort.com Earn: 100 points
SOCIAL
UNICEF 928 269 293 unicef.es Donation of 300 to 500 points
ARRECIFE
GRAN HOTEL & SPA 928 800 000 aghotelspa.com Earn: 300 points
BARCELÓ HOTEL GROUP 902 101 001 barcelo.com Earn: from 125 to 400 points
BUENDÍA CORRALEJO NOHOTEL 928 943 027 buendiacorralejo.com Earn: 215 points
CORAL HOTELS 928 327 700 coral-hotels.com Earn: from 160 to 560 puntos
HOTEL CORDIAL MOGAN PLAYA 928 143 393 becordial.com Earn: 470 points
DREAMPLACE HOTELS & RESORTS 902 210 902 dreamplacehotels.com Earn: from 200 to 600 points
DUNAS HOTELS & RESORTS 902 142 828 hotelesdunas.com Earn: from 300 to 500 points
GLORIA THALASSO & HOTELS 928 128 505 gloriapalaceth.com Earn: from 300 to 430 points
GOLD BY MARINA 928 948 555 goldbymarina.com Earn: 215 points
SECRETS BAHÍA REAL 928 537 153 secretsbahiareal.com Earn: 600 points
H10 HOTELS 900 444 466 h10hotels.com Earn: from 250 to 420 points
HOTELES ELBA 902 172 182 hoteleselba.com Earn: from 140 to 800 points
HOTEL PARQUE TROPICAL 928 774 012 hotelparquetropical.com Earn: 200 points
IBEROSTAR HOTELS & RESORTS 902 995 555 iberostar.com Earn: from 100 to 200 points
LOPESAN HOTELS & RESORTS 902 450 010 lopesan.com Earn: from 150 to 325 points
MARINA GRAN CANARIA 928 153 015 marinagrancanaria.com Earn: 215 points
MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL 912 764 747 melia.com Earn: from 100 to 200 points
MUR HOTELS 928 24 13 37 murhotels.com Earn: from 260 to 290 puntos
R2 HOTELS 928 546 054 r2hotels.com Earn: from 200 to 300 points
SALOBRE HOTEL RESORT 928 943 000 salobrehotel.com Earn: 340 points
SHERATON FUERTEVENTURA
BEACH, GOLF & SPA RESORT 928 495 100 sheraton.com/fuerteventura Earn: 640 points
VILA BALEIRA +351 291 980 800 vilabaleira.com Earn: 165 points
points, see bintermas.com or call 922/928 327 700.
