NT Magazine 237

237 January 2023

LA CALETA DE ADEJE Valeria Castro - Seven, «The perfect number» - A Coruña - Venice People from these shores - From Artenara to Agaete - Fasting - Sustainability

STAFF CONTENT COORDINATOR Beneharo Mesa · redaccion@barabaracomunicacion.com TRANSLATION Karl McLaughlin EDITING Lavadora de textos CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Beneharo Mesa, Enrique Areilza, Saioa Arellano, Alberto Piernas, Galo Martín Aparicio, Aarón Rodríguez González, Raquel Álvarez, Cristina Torres Luzón, Francisco Belín.

CREATIVE DIRECTION AND LAYOUT great · greatttt.com · estudio@greatttt.com COVER PHOTO Rocío Eslava PHOTOGRAPHS Saioa Arellano, Rocío Eslava, José Chiyah, Álvarez, Adobe Stock, Pixabay.

ILLUSTRATIONS Capi Cabrera, Ilustre Mario.

ADVERTISING publicidad@barabaracomunicacion.com · 922 897 517 BINTER Rodolfo Núñez – President Alfredo Morales – Vicepresident Noelia Curbelo – Institutional Relations and Communication FOLLOW US ON OUR WEBSITE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA www.bintercanarias.com · Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · www.revistabinter.com

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Editorial

BINTER: A GREAT FUTURE In sitting down to pen the first editorial of the year, one cannot but think of the future and I would venture to say that Binter’s future is going to be very good, this year and beyond. At a technical seminar on air transport which we organised recently for the media, we outlined to participating journalists how Binter works and how we address future challenges and opportunities.

Our highly modern and efficient fleet produces fewer CO2 emissions per passenger than any other fleet. Our ATR72-600s are the most efficient in terms of CO2 emissions for short flights up to 500km. The same is true of our EMB195 E-2s for medium-haul regional flights, given that they emit 25% less CO2 and other gases compared to other planes in their category.

For the distances we operate, our passenger service is unrivalled in the airline industry.

The EMB195 E-2 has a 2x2 configuration (no middle seat) and the seat pitch on our three-hour flights is the same as other airlines offer for transoceanic flights.

The service provided by our staff is warm and friendly. Our passengers (who we survey regularly) rate us as excellent for service. Although we are not cheap, we believe we offer the best price/quality ratio on the market. We have just announced the purchase of five new EMB195 E-2 aircraft to double the number of jets in our fleet and will begin to take delivery of these at the end of this year. Further updates will be provided in due course.

With our existing fleet we are offering more destinations and more flights this summer.

The knowledge and experience our company is acquiring with the new planes enables us to extend our use of them.

On the matter of decarbonisation, although inter-island routes and routes to the Spanish mainland are exempt until 2030 other flights will be subject to taxes, emissions, and the use of biofuels which will probably be expensive … Binter is actively working on alternatives.

The most obvious one is to replace our aircraft with planes equipped with disruptive technologies that do not so much reduce CO2 emissions as actually avoid them. This will be far from easy. It is almost certain that there will be no replacements for the ATR72-600 or EMB195 E-2 before 2035. However, we need to continue to pressure manufacturers to come up with solutions and I am certain that, together, we will find them.

In the meantime, we believe it is very important that we continue to be able to fly as we have done until now. Living in an archipelago, we need to be able to take the plane for work, family and health reasons, and because we have to. We should not feel ashamed to fly because we need to! Binter will always be on hand to ensure flying remains possible, lowering CO2 emissions and, possibly in the not-too-distant future, avoiding them altogether.

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In addition to being the first of 2023, this editorial is also my last as Binter’s general coordinator. The years pass and, even though I will still be involved, I will be taking a step back and letting others take over. I am certain they will continue to ensure that Binter has a great future.

In the meantime, may I wish you and yours a very Happy 2023!

Many thanks and have a great flight! Best wishes, Juan Ramsden

Thank you, Juan I write these lines as Binter president and on behalf of our shareholders, directors, senior management and all staff working at the Binter System group of companies. After eleven years as the group’s general coordinator, Juan Ramsden hands over to Santiago Guerra. The handover does not mean Juan’s time at Binter comes to an end. He will remain involved but without the responsibility and pressure that comes with running the company.

Like a good ship’s captain, Juan has ably mapped out the route, managed the crew, forged a good working relationship with the owners, and negotiated storms and difficulties. At the end of his time in charge, he hands over a ship that is in much better shape than when we entrusted it to his care in 2011.

We are indebted to Juan for many things: his work, commitment, loyalty, strength, human values, and his ability to get people to pull together. Above all, his devotion to Binter, which led him to delay passing the baton until he was certain that the Covid storm was behind us.

During these eleven years or more, we have dealt with tough challenges, including two renovations of our ATR fleet, our planning for the growth in demand for inter-island flights due to the increase in the travel subsidy for Canarian residents to 75%, our international expansion and, in particular, the incorporation of the E-2 fleet of aircraft.

With the new challenges that lie ahead, we will still draw on Juan’s knowhow and experience, but we hand over control of our ship to someone new, well qualified and capable who will continue the job of further consolidating Binter’s growth for the benefit of our customers.

Thank you, Juan. Onwards and upwards …

Rodolfo Núñez President, Binter

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SUMMARY 8 Valeria Castro Interview

12 Monthly feature Economy

32 La Palma People from these shores

36 Artenara-Agaete Walks

48 Fasting Health

58 Sustainability Gastronomy

18 A Coruña Domestic destination

24 Venice International destination

42 La Caleta Beaches

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Interview. Valeria Castro

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By Beneharo Mesa Illustrated by Capi Cabrera

«MUSIC IS VITAL TO ME AND GIVES ME A VOICE FOR ACTIVISM» Valeria Castro (La Palma, 1999) is a young Canarian singer who has just embarked on her music career but is already amazing everyone with her songs. With one EP (Extended Play) under her belt, Valeria is looking forward to 2023 and her first full album, which she hopes will show fans her maturity and most personal side.

thrill when someone big in the music industry who you admire, Alejandro Sanz for example, listens to you and shares your songs. It is a great incentive that people who do this for a living appreciate what you are doing. It gives you a little more self-confidence. In the end, it is the audience reaction that keeps you afloat and makes you believe in and continue with your projects. It can be hard at times because you don’t know if you are doing things properly. However, when you see people having a great time, you realise that it has all been worth it.

How did you begin in music?

It all began in La Palma, where I was born and where I learnt to sing and play the piano from the age of four at a school of music. My professional side began when I was about fifteen and started uploading my own cover versions of songs that I loved onto social media. At the end of 2020, I began sharing songs that I wrote myself and in which I wanted to tell the world more personal stories, the ones that come from the heart.

What was the big turning point for you?

If the music side had not turned out well, would you have carried on with your biotechnology?

I like to say that there is no turning point as such because, ultimately, what people see is what is visible on the surface, but underneath all that lies a great deal of work. That said, you do get a real

Ever since I was a young girl, I have always had lots of alternatives «in case

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Interview. Valeria Castro

things don’t go well», although from the age of ten something inside me was already saying «This is what I want to do as a career», namely, get on a stage and spend my life singing there or in the studio. However, I have always acted responsibly as that is what my parents taught me at home. So, at the age of eighteen I started a degree in biotechnology, which was always my Plan B, even though my Plan A seems to be going very well [laughs].

How do these messages reach you?

How do you write your songs?

The process can change; it’s not always the same. There is also the production aspect, how you dress the song, so to speak. However, the songs themselves are born in my bedroom at home and stem from what I said earlier about having a message. I like to have an idea of what I want to talk about or have at least some intuition about it. I always say that I like to compose and translate into words the things I am feeling and which even I have difficulty expressing.

The song can turn out one way or another, and that is where I allow myself to go with the flow: I pick up the guitar and start doing everything at once: tune, words, rhythm. It is like extracting from inside me everything I have, in the form of a song. It is a very visceral process in which I put my inner feelings to music.

You were on tour recently. How was the experience?

Wonderful. It will stay me all my life.

It was my first tour as such and it made me realise that what was happening to me was real. Up until then, the audience feedback I got was only on social media.

«it was my first tour as such and made me realise that what was happening to me was very real» -

What’s next? An album in March, correct?

Yes, we are finalising things now although we have already brought out the first songs as tasters: La raíz and Poquito. The album is very personal, more so than anything I have done so far. In the Chiquita EP I talked more about others: my family, the music industry, and many things. It was like my letter of introduction. In this one - at least that’s my aim I hope to show my musical and personal coming of age. I hope people will notice and identify with it. I like to make music to bring out what I feel inside. The nicest thing about music is when you share it and it helps bring things out of people.

The album has been lovingly and carefully put together and I hope people really like it.

What does music mean to you? Can it be activist and political?

For me, music is something vital and gives me a voice for activism. The mantle of politics can cover everything in life. I like to add in a bit of political statement, air my principles. I like to talk about the female presence in my life and what it means to put that up for discussion.

Talking about something in a song is a very sweet way of saying things but in many cases love seems to be the only topic. I think there are lots more things to talk about; that’s why I say music is vital, because it is something that drives me, it’s what I live for; it also gives me a way of saying things and I like to have a message to put out there.

Lee la entrevista completa en revistabinter.com

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www.lanzaroteopenmall.com

@openmalllanzarote

Economy. Monthly feature.

By Enrique Areilza* Illustrated by Ilustre Mario

2 + 0 + 2 + 3 = 7, «THE PERFECT NUMBER» According to Pythagoras, 7 is the perfect number.

It was always positively regarded by both the Greeks and Romans. Let’s be optimistic and look forward to 2023 as a good year.

The number 7 is everywhere in our lives. A few examples in more or less chronological order will suffice to illustrate the point. In Classical Antiquity, the seven seas, seven wonders, seven capital sins, seven chakras, the seven classical planets: the Sun, Moon and the five

planets visible to the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

These planets also provide the Spanish names of the days of the week: ‘lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado, domingo’. Sábado (Saturday) comes from Shabat and Domingo (Sunday)

* Dream Team Executive Search.

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Economy. Monthly feature.

from Dies dominicus. The richness of the Spanish language versus the efficiency of English. Another reference to the number seven can be found in the Creation, which consisted of six days of work and a seventh day for resting. It will be interesting to see what the communication and propaganda gurus come up with to change this to get a to four-day working week. Will Dominicus disappear?

don’t, you forget them and there is no frustration or beating yourself up, whereas if you set them out on paper you will have the pain: gym, weight, smoking, read more, learn a language, aim higher, be kinder, develop… Exactly the same year after year. The good thing about writing them down is you can just change the date to today and that’s it done.

For this year of the Seven, I encourage you to set up a 7am Club, like the 5am Club that is proving so popular in the United States (for those who love getting up at the crack of dawn to follow an orderly and start-early life routine).

We also have the seven-note scale in music and, in the arts, The Seven Voyages of Sinbad, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs…

The 7am Club would have just one rule: at 7 O’Clock you must devote seven minutes to thinking about one of the seven habits mentioned above: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Prioritise, Think Win-Win, Understand to Be Understood, Synergise, Sharpen the Saw. The last one means setting aside time for yourself on the physical and spiritual level. To your heart and mind.

Think of one of these first thing in the morning and practise it constantly.

Let’s do some mental gymnastics, just like on a popular TV quiz programme. To win a chocolate biscuit, think of things, facts or works containing the number seven. Maybe play the game with the person beside you?

Staying with seven, mention must necessarily be made of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. Did you know that Bill Clinton recommended it to Americans? A bit different to what we do here…

Just as in many other facets of life, we will always have enemies that constantly seek to derail us; time thieves and abusers who try to manipulate us and land us in trouble. To avoid this - and as my opening gift to get the Club started - I have created a defensive mantra, based on the number 7 of course, which I hope you like:

Just as in many other facets of life, we will always have ‘enemies’ who constantly seek to derail us.

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Stay away, Satan, from my Sanctuary; Stop Seeking me to Stray from my path, Scoundrel!

If you have not read it already, you should do so and join the 25 million who have. The question is how many have actually put it into effect; I haven’t.

I hope you have devoted seven minutes to reading this piece. Many thanks and have a great year.

January is here and it is New Year’s Resolution time. The worst thing about resolutions is writing them down. If you

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Business News

LA VACA AZUL El Cotillo in Fuerteventura is an ideal spot for campers and should be underlined 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 restaurants not just in Fuerteventura but also in the entire Canary Islands. Set in a stunning location looking out over the Atlantic 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.

EN OCEANOCAN VELAMOS POR LAS PERSONAS

Si tu empresa no es segura, es porque no quieres.

Feliz 2023 Prevención de Riesgos Laborales

Reconocimientos Aeronáuticos

Formación a Medida

Higiene Alimentaria

Reconocimientos Médicos

Seguridad & Emergencias

www.oceanocan.es info@oceanocan.es

+34 928 149 211 · +34 922 250 477

KEY ELEMENTS FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING

As health is our most important asset, we need to pay special attention to what we eat and to our consumption habits, as well as to ensuring that we do sport and rest. The pace of life and food of today are not always sufficient for our bodies.

Food undergoes many processes that affect its nutritional value and, if our diet is lacking in a specific nutrient required

by our body, natural supplements become crucial. Aware of this need, a family business in the Canaries chose to support health by producing its own brand of supplements: Polaris Formula. We offer a comprehensive range of food supplements which are distributed throughout Spain and are made of 100% natural ingredients of the highest quality.

Domestic destination. A Coruña

By Saioa Arellano

BIOSPHERE RESERVE AND HOLY COMPANY The Biosphere Reserve of As Mariñas Coruñesas and Terras do Mandeo is located in the province of A Coruña, occupying 14.33 % of its total size and extending across seventeen municipalities. A visit to the reserve allows you to discover the flowing waters of the Mero and Mandeo rivers and a landscape of woodlands featuring the humidity and water bodies typically associated with Atlantic Forests. It was designated a Biosphere Reserve on 28 May 2013 and within it are zones that fall within the Natural Monument and Natura 2000 network categories.

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Domestic destination. A Coruña

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Domestic destination. A Coruña

This area boasts a wide cultural diversity linked to the use of natural resources, which have enabled communities to be maintained and local breeds of livestock to be preserved. Such care has directly and positively impacted on the use of these products by the local hospitality industry, thus further increasing the value of the Reserve.

is one of Galician’s most popular legends: the Santa Compaña (Holy Company).

Also known as the Procession of Souls, the Holy Company legend tells of rows of hooded ghostly figures who would appear in villages when someone was about to die, their presence serving as a warning of what was about to happen. It consisted of a living person who carried a cross at the front of the row and who, mysteriously, would die days later. Behind walked a line of hooded individuals chanting and saying prayers.

But fear not: we can escape from the Holy Company by running away, among other means.

Ecotourism is a new form of travel that is increasingly sought by those keen to have contact with nature and discover locations that offer different possibilities, while respecting the environment and reducing the environmental impact of travel.

If we enter via the reservoir we come to the Encoro Route, situated in this European Atlantic forest -

The forest is home to endless flora and fauna, the most striking undoubtedly being the ruscus plant (butcher’s broom) with its red berries that might seem poisonous but which actually has numerous beneficial properties. Its medicinal properties were harnessed by the meigas, who used the leaves for their brooms also. Medicinal use of the plant continues to be important today, so much so that research is being carried out on it as a potential remedy for heart conditions.

The As Mariñas Coruñesas and Terras do Mandeo Biosphere Reserve is, without doubt, an excellent initiative which I would invite you to discover as its endless possibilities will make you return home feeling more enriched and fulfilled.

A mere 25 minutes from A Coruña lies one such ecotourism destination, the first one in Galicia, and where we can find everything from typical Galician scenery to monasteries steeped in history, not to mention one of the many strong points of this incredible place: its gastronomy.

Another interesting fact about this tourist spot is that the water used to make Estrella Galicia beer comes from the Cecebre Reservoir, located in the Reserve. Properties such as softness (few minerals) and highly valuable chemical components are key elements that make the water perfect for making this well-known beer.

– A CORUÑA From 12,000 points one-way or earn up to 1,200 points one-way.

If we enter the Reserve via the reservoir we come to the Encoro Route, situated in this European Atlantic forest. Walking this trail takes us in the footsteps of the meigas, women with magic and dark arts who were highly respected because of their work as healers. Also found here

For terms and conditions, see bintermas.com Ask our cabin crew for a leaflet or register with bintermas.com and start earning on your Binter flights and with more than 30 programme partners.

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International destination. Venecia

By Alberto Piernas

LA SERENISSIMA IS LIKE AN OLD AND NEVER FORGOTTEN LOVE The immortal city of Venice commemorates its 1600 years of existence like a triumph of life and history. It is a labyrinth where romanticism softly whispers a centuries-old and almost eternal song along its 150 canals and 400 bridges. Today we visit the secrets of La Serenissima in a gondola and rediscover the charms of a European city that is battling against the flooding known as l’acqua alta.

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International destination. Venecia

kets selling Venetian masks and glassware mementos from the nearby island of Burano. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

All the nuances of romanticism trickle through to here via northern Italy and are evident in the city’s pink skies, the opera music that floats above the rooftops, the gondola that glides past a bridge concealing a shortcut to some place from the past. Venice is like love, a work of art that confronts the whims of destiny by clinging on to its heritage, to the visitors who come to discover secrets dating back over a thousand years.

A pizza al taglio and an ice cream under a sky that is blue at times, overcast at others. A history narrated by canals that battle against the whims of the world.

Weaving one’s way, without drinking loads of martinis, along the Grand Canal, Venice’s main throughfare and the perfect outdoor gallery leading past the Ca d’Oro and Ca’ Rezzonico palaces and all the way to the famous Piazza San Marco.

The Doge’s Palace was built in the 11th century and houses treasures such as the Scala d’Oro -

Venice’s iconic square was famously described by Napoleon as « Europe’s most beautiful drawing room » and it is home to St Mark’s Basilica, the campanile, library and the Caffè Florian. The Doge’s Palace can be reached via the Bridge of Sighs, named after the sighs of the prisoners who crossed it on their way to jail. The Palace was built in the 11th

The stone arch Rialto Bridge, built in the 16th century, is still where the Venice of our dreams shines amid congested gondola traffic and streets full of mar26

century and its interior houses treasures such as the Scala d’Oro, the Armoury and the Hall of the Grand Council, whose ceiling depicts Paradise on what is the world’s largest painting on canvas.

dawn, almost like a Windows screensaver but better, or sail on waters next to an eroded building from which a woman observes life go by. Venice is not just about its many canals; it offers multiple contrasts, including numerous other islands where you will discover new colours.

However, Venice also views life with humour and even irony, as confirmed by spaces such as the Acqua Alta Bookshop in the city centre, where the smell of old manuscripts pervades the book-filled bathtubs and gondolas that corroborate a major paradox, namely, that Venice is sinking but its inhabitants adapt to change and protect its memories, like the best custodian.

A good example is Burano, a floating watercolour which can be visited by taking a vaporetto from the centre of Venice.

– VENECIA From 18,000 points one-way or earn up to 1,800 points one-way.

You may come across surprising vessels in some of the canals, perhaps even Marco Polo’s ship carrying noodles from China. Here, the boundaries between eras become blurred and every corner displays a particular period and offers a journey back in time. You can admire the basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore at

For terms and conditions, see bintermas.com Ask our cabin crew for a leaflet or register with bintermas.com and start earning on your Binter flights and with more than 30 programme partners.

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International destination. Venecia

On arrival, you will be greeted by brightly-coloured houses that line a canal populated by errant barges.

Here, glass heavily influences the lives of the island’s artisans and locals, including the fishermen who, years ago, painted their homes in bright colours so they could find their way back to them on foggy days.

We could also reach Mazzorbo or the little islet of San Pieretto via the Venetian Lagoon and discover their mysteries. However, we opt to head back to the warmth of the city and realise that Venice is like a tragic love that we cling on to even when the tide is very high.

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Advertising feature Colegio Hispano Inglés

10TH ANNIVERSARY OF MANDARIN CHINESE AT THE COLEGIO HISPANO INGLÉS

Awards ceremony at the Colegio Hispano Inglés in Las Palmas.

The Colegio Hispano Inglés in Las Palmas celebrates ten years of teaching Mandarin Chinese to pupils as part of the school timetable, with classes taught by native Chinese teachers who are also bilingual in English.

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A firm commitment to Mandarin Chinese

Dual Curriculum at the Hispano Inglés

Pupils at the CHI benefit from a quality education that equips them to communicate with an immense number of people. This is due to the wise decision taken by the school ten years ago to include Mandarin Chinese on its curriculum, with classes delivered as part of the main timetable by native Chinese teachers who are also bilingual in English.

All pupils at the Colegio Hispano Inglés in Las Palmas follow the UK education system and the Spanish system as both are built into the curriculum. Academic demands and requirements are high given that they all must pass both the official UK qualifications and the Spanish ones, in the latter case by passing the EBAU university entrance exam.

The success of the project is best reflected in the achievements of our pupils down the years. More than 1500 have successfully taken the official YCT and HSK tests accrediting proficiency in Chinese and have obtained the corresponding certificates awarded by the Confucius Institute at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

This requires discipline, dedication and hard work on the part of the pupils, although with the satisfaction and ultimate reward of securing a dual UK/ Spanish qualification that paves the way for a promising academic and professional career.

In addition to Spanish and English as working languages, Chinese and German are taught from a very early age.

The Confucius Institute’s primary mission is to promote the language and culture of China and thus enable the world to get to know the country’s traditions.

China is opening up both economically and culturally, and Chinese people are very keen for their culture to be known and accepted across the world.

As a result, during their time at the school - and almost without even realising - they can end up being proficient in four languages, a genuine and measurable goal few schools in Spain are capable of.

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People from these shores

By Galo Martín Aparicio Photos by Rocío Eslava

PUROS ARTESANOS JULIO: SMOKE LITTLE BUT WELL Puros Artesanos Julio is a themed and educational cigar shop in Breña Alta on the island of La Palma. This family business has been in operation since 1999 and is based on the knowledge that Publio (not Julio) shared with and passed onto his children. Julio, the eldest of the siblings, and his two brothers and their partners devote their efforts to teaching people about the fields where tobacco is grown, helping further our understanding of what goes on during the seven years or more leading up to the lighting up of a La Palma cigar.

Cigar smoking is something of a ritual today, which is almost how it all started – at least according to José Julio Cabrera Rodríguez, after whom the Puros Artesanos Julio cigar shop is named. In pre-Columbian civilisations in the Americas, smoke from a burning tobacco leaf would be inhaled by leaders in ceremonies associated with nature, rainfall, storms, earthquakes and even bloodletting. The Spanish conquistadors were not that keen on the bloodletting for religious ends but were quick to export to Spain these miniature torches made from strong, thin and pliable leaves.

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People from these shores

Many people from La Palma emigrated to Cuba in the 19th century to work as vegueros on the tobacco plantations.

On their return from exile to their impoverished island, they brought with them tobacco seeds, the method for cultivating tobacco, the art of achieving the perfect product through a blend of tobacco leaves and skilful handling of the crescent-shaped knife (chaveta) used to cut the wrapper. The wrapper is the outer leaf of the cigar and the one Julio’s father works on in the store next to their Breña Alta shop.

Of the over two hundred cigar makers that there once were, only six survive today, together with a few small plantations Both premises resemble a museum to some extent, although without actually being one. Many of the implements used in the cigar shop come from other cigar makers that no longer exist. Of the over two hundred cigar makers that there once were, only six survive today, together with a few small plantations, little workshops and one cigar factory.

However, many of their implements have survived and are used by Julio and his brothers to decorate their own shop: tools to cut the foot of the cigar (the part that you light), wooden moulds, scales, cedar chests and boxes, etc. These works of art, which are relics today as they are so scarce, were brought to La Palma by emigrants returning from Cuba over a century ago.

The cedar cabinets in which the unfinished cigars are left to age for up to six months, the humidors which keep

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the cigars at 20-21ºC and a relative humidity of 70%, and the location of Puros Artesanos Julio in Breña Alta make the cigars feel as if they are in their beloved tropics. Julio describes how the trade winds collide with the mountains in the area and reach the valley where his tobacco plantation is located as more gentle winds that temper the climate.

The plantation is bathed in sunshine until mid-day; after that a thick layer of cloud – caused by the clouds getting caught up in the mountain peaks – protects the plants and provide the shade, humidity and coolness they require.

In addition to the role played by these natural conditions, Julio cites the combination of leaves from Indonesia, Brazil, some cuttings from the Dominican Republic and La Palma, and a little secret he does not divulge. The end result is a blend of aromas from the different tobaccos used in the cigar, in which the leaves of the filler, binder and wrapper are rolled in perfect unison. The leaves provide strength, taste and aroma.

Like Marie Antoinette’s head, the cap of the cigar is removed with a guillotine cutter, never with your teeth like Saturn devouring his son in Goya’s ‘black’ painting. The foot is the part that you light.

Once lit, the smoke is inhaled and the cigar’s nuances are savoured. While all this is happening, a long and solid ash forms but this should not be flicked away as if it were cigarette ash. Neither is a cigar put out by crushing it in an ashtray: it must be allowed to burn itself out, like a fire in the hearth. Amidst all this romanticism, the question of which cigar is the best one crops up. Julio’s answer is that it depends on how much time you have available. The best moment of a cigar is when it burns hottest, which occurs when it is half-way through.

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Walks. Gran Canaria. Artenara-Agaete

By Aarón Rodríguez González Photos by José Chiyah Álvarez

IN AND AROUND TAMADABA Gran Canaria is special. The island boasts numerous hugely attractive locations for walking although one name in particular stands out among the rest: Tamadaba. This month’s walk takes us mostly through this protected natural space, which is a beautiful, rugged and enticing setting, a bastion of Gran Canaria’s best-preserved pine forests and guardian of one of the most impressive panoramic views found anywhere in the Canaries.

Our walk begins in Artenara, a charming little town on the edge of the immense Tejeda volcanic caldera. After saying hello to the giant Bentayga and Nublo Rocks which are visible throughout, we head gently up towards the foot of firstly Mt Brezos and then Cruz de Acusa. Once we reach Pino Paraguas, the view that until now stretched from north to south opens westwards and lets us see Tenerife’s Mt Teide in the distance on the far side of the sea.

ian pine trees. We are doing well but will soon be out of breath. We reach the Las Presas mountain and, after negotiating this, arrive at the plateau known as El Laurelillo. It is impossible not to feel awed by the amazing natural surroundings. The stunning Faneque Cliff emerges suddenly ahead, tilting towards the sea (a mere kilometre away) from over 900 metres in height. We walk down slowly, still enjoying the views from Gáldar all the way across to Tenerife. At Vuelta del Palomar, the path veers east and becomes steeper before resuming its northerly direction towards Agaete, the coastal town where our walk ends.

We continue west at a leisurely pace, taking in the views and breathing in the intoxicating scent of the many Canar-

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Walks. Gran Canaria. Artenara-Agaete

Pino Paraguas

Degollada de los Chiqueritos AGAETE

ARTENARA

Positive elevation: 720 metres uphill.

Negative elevation: 1880 metres downhill.

Length: 18.2 kilometres.

Highest point: 1310 metres.

Lowest point: 30 metres.

Nearby places of interest: the walk takes us through two hugely interesting, unique and beautiful protected spaces: Nublo Rural Park and Tamadaba Natural Park.

Notes: the walk is moderately difficult due to its length and the changes in elevation. Walking poles are recommended for the downhill sections. You should also take plenty of water, a hat and sun cream, particularly in the summer months.

Did you know? Tamadaba is one of the most spectacular natural spots in the Canary Islands. It boasts a rich variety of Canarian pine forest as well as cliffs that plunge seawards from heights of around a thousand metres.

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FOTOGRAFÍA: NACHO GONZÁLEZ

CATEDRAL DE SANTA ANA - SANTA ANA CATHEDRAL

Advertising Feature Loro Parque

LORO PARQUE CELEBRATES ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY Loro Parque celebrated its 50th birthday on 17 December, coinciding with its opening date in 1972. For the occasion, the renowned zoological institution unveiled a new commemorative logo and held a series of special events to mark the occasion.

Loro Parque had the occasion to celebrate the tenth edition of its renowned International Parrot Convention, which brought together the most renowned experts in parrot breeding and management.

gether the world’s leading conservation specialists for the CPSG (Conservation Planning Specialist Group) meeting.

On the other hand, as a 50th anniversary gift, Loro Parque decided to offer 30,000 tickets to the residents of Puerto de la Cruz as a token of gratitude to the municipality. To round off this anniversary, a big celebration event was organised at Loro Parque and the Hotel Botánico & Oriental Spa Garden.

It also hosted the annual conference of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) which brought the most important personalities of the zoological community to Tenerife. Just a week earlier, Loro Parque brought to-

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Beaches. Tenerife. La Caleta

By Raquel Álvarez Photos by Rocío Eslava

A NATURAL SPOT THAT OOZES BEAUTY Now that the tents and huts that stood for years on this unspoilt and alternative beach in Tenerife’s most tourist part have been removed, Adeje’s Playa de La Caleta has recovered its true essence. It is as if the clock has been turned back decades or even centuries in this iconic spot between El Puertito (the beach in Armeñime) and La Caleta, a village renowned among other things for its select fish restaurants. People who need to get away from urban life and have contact with nature can enjoy a legendary location much favoured by hippies but now devoid of jerry-built constructions.

Although you can get there by boat, a journey on foot is normally required to get to this spectacular twin cove. Along the way, however, you are treated to lovely views of scenery dominated by limestone and with numerous examples of endemic animals and plants. Swims on this goldensand beach are usually relaxing and invigorating and, whether alone or in good company, provide moments to be stored in your senses’ hard disk.

Terms such as jewel, treasure, pearl, etc have appeared frequently in the various features on beaches, coves and natural pools in the Canaries published in this magazine down the years. Although they are clichés and arguably a reflection of a somewhat limited range of vocabulary, they are justified because they sum up perfectly the sensations experienced in the many stunning coastal locations that exists in our wonderful eight islands.

Adeje’s legendary La Caleta Beach, an alternative favoured by hippies from the 1970s onwards and a concrete-free spot in the part of Tenerife most impacted by tourism, has always been a massive draw

for those seeking a different way of life, one much more associated with nature.

It has always been a shining example of unspoilt spots that could still be enjoyed in Adeje and Arona. That very reason has inevitably also attracted many yachts that weigh anchor in thus haven among apartments, hotels, homes and marinas.

While all the above is true, La Caleta’s attractions have been increased further by the removal of the tents, huts and constructions of different kinds that stood here for many years and allowed people and groups of a certain type to spend time in this iconic location.

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Beaches. Tenerife. La Caleta

La Caleta has been rejuvenated. It is as if time has been rewound decades and even centuries to when it was a jewel on a coastline much less impacted visually by the concrete that was, it has to be said, synonymous with development even if its excesses were clearly apparent.

If walking down the track from La Caleta and stepping onto the clean golden sand for a dip in the clear waters (albeit with care as the sea can be a little rough at times and there are also strong currents) previously made you feel truly privileged, that same sensation is now multiplied by the impression that you have arrived at a virtually undiscovered spot. La Caleta appears in all its splendour, including the typical yellowish colour of its hillside which is a source of limestone, its endemic flora and fauna, the views of the blue sea and of La Gomera, and swims straight out of a film.

Location: south Tenerife, in the western part of the municipality of Adeje.

Lifeguards: no.

Surfing beach: not usually Restaurants: not here specifically but there are several good fish and seafood restaurants in the nearby tourist village, also called La Caleta, on the left of the beach as you face the sea.

Toilets: no.

Showers: no.

Sunbeds and umbrellas: no.

Adapted for the disabled: no.

Parking: available in the village of La Caleta, the nearest area to leave your car.

Public transport: taxis and buses to La Caleta.

Dogs: yes.

Interesting fact: this very special spot differs greatly from much of the developed coastline of Adeje, Arona and other parts of south Tenerife and is visited regularly by yachts, sailing boats and other types of boat.

La Caleta appears in all its splendour, with the typical yellowish colour of its hillside which is a source of limestone Despite first impressions, getting here is not difficult: at least getting to the village of La Caleta. Come off the southern motorway at Las Torres (you can also use the interior access road from the roundabout leading to the town of Adeje). A short distance later you come to the residential part and you should leave the car here. Then take the path on the right (if you cannot find it, just ask a local) that leads down to the beach.

You will pass a spectacular sea inlet (where some love to have a dip, sea conditions permitting) but keep going and take care not to slip.

Depending on what shape you are in, after about twenty minutes you come around a small headland and are rewarded with a sight worthy of a postcard.

Although a number of trails take you down to the beach along the sloping hillside, the safest ones are the ones almost at the far end, where you will see the occasional small cave also. A swim in the sea here is pure enjoyment of a true jewel of the Canaries. The size of the beach can surprise, particularly at low tide. You will have an unforgettable swim in a place that renders clichés somewhat meaningless once you get to know it.

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Advertising feature Hospiten

OBESITY, THE PANDEMIC OF THE 21ST CENTURY Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Treatment of excess weight and the early stages of obesity is based on diet and exercise, with medical supervision. Surgery is recommended when certain BMI levels are exceeded, according to Dr Marcos Alonso, specialist in general and digestive surgery at the Hospiten Rambla University Hospital.

The effectiveness of obesity surgery is very high and depends on the technique used, as well as on short and long-term monitoring.

«The most effective and safest treatment for morbid obesity is a gastric bypass. It is a highly effective surgery and weight loss is achieved in all cases », explains the specialist. However, «the main goal is to achieve appropriate long-term metabolic and energy balance, which requires reaching a target weight and longterm medical supervision of the patient. In turn, this means the patient requires good information and nutrition education ».

Dr. Marcos Alonso.

choose the most appropriate one for each patient. Hospiten Rambla has performed more than one thousand procedures of this type.

Dr Alonso adds that the technique does not just achieve weight loss but also leads to a remission of obesity-related conditions and complications, including diabetes and high blood pressure.

It is important to remember that gastric bypasses and other forms of weightloss surgery are only effective if changes to diets, lifestyle, and exercise are made and maintained, otherwise the weight lost may be regained.

There are many surgical techniques available and the specialist will always

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Health. Fasting

By Cristina Torres Luzón Illustrated by Ilustre Mario

FASTING FOR IMPROVEMENT Fasting has become a fashionable term, just like low carb and keto diets. However, few realise that there are many more health benefits to a process normally associated with fat loss. Fasting is not simply a matter of not eating. How to do it, what it entails for our body, and what benefits it brings are some of the key aspects we need to know.

If someone had asked us a few decades ago about fasting, we would probably have associated it with going hungry due to a lack of money. Ask the same question nowadays and many would reply that it is a form of dieting.

this field, which linked autophagy with a possible role in preventing multiple illnesses by stopping the aforementioned damaged cells from triggering inflammation processes.

The benefits of intermittent fasting are not restricted to cell regeneration and to the weight loss that results from reducing our calorie intake. Fasting of this kind also improves our immune system, reduces inflammatory markers, increases human growth hormone levels, provides metabolic flexibility, reduces triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure and oxidative stress, improves sleep quality, insulin sensitivity and neuroplasticity – thus

However, intermittent fasting is much more than that. By staying off food, we make our body use up glucose and its glycogen reserves, forcing it to start burning fat (ketosis) for energy. It also activates its autophagy mechanism for cell regeneration, eliminating damaged cells from the body.

Yoshinori Ohsumi won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2016 for his research in

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Health. Fasting

Three things should be borne in mind irrespective of what is most appropriate for a given individual: how to break the fast, what can be taken during it, and how we allow our body’s migrating motor complex to do its job.

preventing neurodegenerative disease – and improves gut microbiome, etc.

Moreover, now that we are in the middle of winter and flu is doing the rounds, it is important to bear in mind that autophagy helps after an infection by eliminating viral invaders and intracellular bacteria. When we are ill, often the last thing our body wants is food. The key to getting better is rest and hydration.

A period of fasting should be broken with foods that are low in carbohydrates and high in easily digestible proteins such as eggs, yoghurt or wild salmon.

Starch-free vegetables such as greens are great for restarting eating, but highly processed foods should be avoided as they cause glycemia to rise significantly and do not normally provide our body with the required nourishment.

Our body is intelligent and we need to know how to listen to it. It is important to recognise which signals, such as loss of energy and performance or always thinking about eating, tell us that it is not adapting well to fasting.

Fasting does not mean that during periods of intake we can eat anything regardless of the quality or amount, nor does it mean constantly snacking. Our stomach needs to rest for approximately four hours between meals so that the migrating motor complex does its job, which is to clean food remains and other waste.

You should seek advice if you decide to start an intermittent fast. If you suffer from an illness or are under treatment for something, professional guidance is crucial to assess your individual situation and how well you might adapt to going without food.

Fasting is not advised in certain specific cases, for example, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, or for children as they have higher energy requirements. Neither is it advised in persons with food disorders or who are experiencing a particularly stressful time in their lives.

The benefits of autophagy are reportedly apparent after twelve or fourteen hours of fasting Specialist advice should be sought as regards taking supplements or medication during fasting hours. Liquids such as water, coffee, tea, infusions, spices, etc are permitted but we should not take foods that contain glucose or supplements such as omega 3, sweeteners, milk...

There is no specific number of hours for the perfect fast. Rather, it will depend on each person’s capacity and needs.

The benefits of autophagy are reportedly apparent after twelve or fourteen hours of fasting and they increase and multiply with further hours without food.

You now have some basic notions about intermittent fasting. If interested, seek further information and educate yourself so that you can fast safely and effectively.

Many people choose to do without the first or last meal of the day to achieve sixteen hours of fasting and a window of eight hours for food intake.

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Health News

ALLERGISTS FROM HUC PUBLISH ASTHMA PATIENTS STUDY The Serious Asthma unit at the Allergies Department of the University Hospital of the Canaries (HUC) has conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a personalised biological treatment in a group of patients suffering from a sub-type of serious uncontrolled asthma (endotype) which is very common in the Canaries and known as T2 (allergic and eosinophilic).

A total of 61 patients with serious uncontrolled T2 asthma and undergoing treatment with mepolizumab for a period of twelve consecutive months were analysed. Following the biological treatment, the patients were found to present a statistically significant reduction of 71.22 % in the number of annual respiratory exacerbations due to asthma, QSincluding T9 Da Vinci admissions Prost Prensa 180x130 Ago22 to ENGA&E. AR.pdf and CM visits

Roboticassisted Surgery for prostate cancer

1

The scientific article published in the Biomedicines journal (Open Access) confirms the efficacy of mepolizumab, which led to improvements in the clinical and immunological parameters analysed 11/8/22 the 11:24 during 12-month monitoring period.

Urological procedures can be performed with the Robotic da Vinci Surgical System, the most sophisticated and innovative minimally invasive surgery technology available.

• Greater precision and 3D high-definition vision • Better and quicker patient recovery • Less pain and smaller scars • More rapid return to normal activities, including urinary continence and sexual function

Provinding highly quialifed surgeons the benefits of advance technology.

Check your results and manage your appointments in “Mi Quirónsalud” area at quironsalud.es, or via our App.

Hospital Quirónsalud Tenerife Calle Poeta Rodríguez Herrera, 1 - 38006 Santa Cruz de Tenerife - +34

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922 29 50 30 - CirugiaRobotica.tfe@quironsalud.es

Prior appointment

+34 900 301 013

CANARIAN HEALTH SERVICE PROFESSIONALS PARTICIPATE IN STUDY ON IMPACT OF COVID-19 IN OVER-75S Nursing staff from the Directorate General for Public Health and the Tenerife and Gran Canaria Primary Health Care Districts are taking part in the Multicentre study on the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the care and health of persons aged over 75 and their carers (CUIDAMOS+75 Project).

Among other variables, the clinical research examines functional capacity for daily life tasks, cognitive state, underlying conditions, care needs, the incidence and perception of the COVID-19 threat, vaccine status, fragility, nutrition status, quality of life and the psycho-emotional state of patients and their carers.

The 3-year project is currently in the clinical data collection stage, which consists of assessments of patients and their carers. The assessments will be repeated up to four times in the coming eighteen months.

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What’s On

THEATRE, MUSIC AND ACTIVITIES

THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF

TENERIFE

CARNIVAL

Tenerife Auditorium From 21 to 29 January Ópera de Tenerife presents The old maid and the thief by Gian Carlo Menotti. Specifically created to be performed on radio, the opera premièred in 1939 on NBC Radio stations in the United States and its success prompted the composer of the music and libretto to adapt it for the stage. Four voices play the main roles in this twisted tale of ethics. The Auditorium’s Chamber Hall is transformed into a 1940s radio station to host this one-act opera. With musical direction and piano by Javier Lanis, and stage direction and set design by Alicia Peraza, singers Silvia Zorita, Fernando Campero, Candelaria González and Estefanía Perdomo recreate this amusing comedy.

LANZAROTE

CANARY ISLANDS INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL MUSIC Sant Cruz de Tenerife From 15 to 26 February The Santa Cruz Carnival is the Tenerife capital’s most international celebration, part and parcel of its identity and a thread that weaves a multidisciplinary artistic tradition handed down from generation to generation.

Every year, a community of almost 10,000 people make Carnival possible. The event was officially designated a Festivity of International Tourism Interest back as 1980. The Santa Cruz Carnival is a globally-known celebration that entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1987 when it was the setting for the world’s biggest outdoor dance, which featured Celia Cruz and over 200,000 people.

Lanzarote and La Graciosa From 14 January to 3 February Fans of quality classical music have an unmissable date with the prestigious Canary Islands’ International Music Festival, which returns to Lanzarote and La Graciosa in 2023 and brings top soloists and orchestras to the two islands. The first Lanzarote concert of this year’s 39th Festival is by the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, who will perform works including Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.4 under the baton of Japanese conductor Eiji Oue. For its part, the En Paralelo Festival will end with baroque music by charismatic group El Afecto Ilustrado, led by Canarian violinist Adrián Linares. The group will take the audience on a journey to the Neapolitan School of the 17th and 18th centuries using Selva d’amore.

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GRAN CANARIA

VALLADOLID

SANTANDER

LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA CARNIVAL

LAGO-COMEDY CLUB

THE CAT EMPIRE

Escenario Santander 11 March Carrión Theatre 4 March

From 10 February to 5 March 2023 On Friday 10 February, an opening parade will depart for the first time from La Isleta to Santa Catalina Park as the prelude to the official proclamation that kicks off the festivities, which this year are dedicated to the legendary New York nightclub Studio 54. For the second year in a row, the main venue of the Carnival will host the official launch. For more information, see www.lpacarnaval.com and www.lpavisit.com.

The latest news from Miguel Lago point to a show like no other but which nonetheless retains the traits that have placed him at the pinnacle of Spanish comedy. Lago-Comedy Club is a new show with lots of soul and marks Lago’s 13th consecutive season. the show will offer something new every week, not to mention a list of unpredictable curtain-raisers.

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA

Australian band The Cat Empire are back with a new stage show that highlights the impact of their 20-year+ career. The concert features new band members and new songs but also provides a comprehensive look back at their biggest hits. The Cat Empire originally formed back in 1999 and play a blend of ska, jazz, funk and rock.

SAN SEBASTIÁN

AIDA

JAVIER PERIANES

LOS ABRAZOS FURTIVOS Víctor Jara Theatre 28 January Said Muti presents the most intimate and acoustic version of his latest tour, Los abrazos furtivos.

We will be treated to a concert in which the songs are presented naked, just as they were born; accompanied by the guitar and voice of their composer and the piano expertise of Javier Auserón, Muti’s faithful partner in this very personal and profound show. A unique opportunity to see Said just as he is about to embark on a new project which will see him take to the studio soon to record his third album.

Centro Kursaal Elkargunea 19 March Villamarta Theatre 25 March Javier Perianes returns to the Villamarta Theatre for a tribute concert marking the centenary of the birth of Alicia de Larrocha, considered one of the top pianists of the 20th century. Works

by Clara and Robert Schumann, J. Brahms and Enrique Granados will be used to connect Perianes with the pianist who is the subject of his tribute.

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Relive Aida, one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most famous operas and one the most iconic in the history of music. Set in the Egypt of the Pharaohs, it tells the story of Aida, an Ethiopian princess who is enslaved in Egypt, and Radamès, an Egyptian soldier and commander of the forces that occupied Aida’s country. Their romance is opposed by Aida’s father Amonasro, who demands vengeance, and by Amneris, who is also in love with Radamès.

What’s On

FLORENCE

MADEIRA

FRANCESCA MICHIELIN

SUGAR CANE FAIR

EXHIBITIONS AND FAIRS GRAN CANARIA

WATER, COLOUR AND LANDSCAPES CICCA Cultural Centre Until 10 February

Teatro Puccini 7 March

Funchal 9 and 10 April

Francesca Michielin comes to Florence in March on her 2023 tour. The singer-songwriter shot to fame in 2011 when she won Italy’s Factor X Italia talent show. In 2016 she took part in the Sanremo Festival, finishing second, and was then chosen to represent Italy in the 2016 Eurovision Song Context, where she sang Nessun grado di separazione.

The regional sugar cane fair takes place in the town of Canhas, in the municipality of Ponta do Sol. The main venue is the Canhas Farmers’ Marker and there will be loads of food and drink stalls, music and entertainment, as well as exhibitions centred on sugar cane. If you are feeling energetic, you can try your hand at harvesting the sugar cane on the Saturday morning.

This exhibition shows the most intimate side of Pedro del Castillo-Olivares in the form of a journey through watercolours that illustrate his fascination for open, clear and colourful landscapes featuring nature in its wild state. An exhibition in which to savour his use of colour and light and discover a different Canary Islands through the eyes of this great Canarian artist in the centenary of his birth.

SAN SEBASTIÁN

ATLAS OF AN EMPIRE OF PAPER

TOULOUSE

KEV ADAMS

San Telmo Museum Until 28 July

Zénith Toulouse Métropole 22 March Actor and comedian Kev Adams takes to the stage at Zénith Toulouse Métropole to delight fans with his customary stand-up humour.

The versatile comedian has established a name for himself also as a leading film producer and scriptwriter in France, with many of his creations characterised by their comical content. In this new show, he uses his own particular brand of humour to explore what we feel when we look in the mirror at our own reflection as we grow older.

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Entitled Atlas of an empire of paper, this exhibition centres on a tool that creates a journey through the map holdings of the San Telmo Museum. A robotic arm moves a camera along each document, taking hundreds of close-ups. The results can be seen in this installation housed in the museum’s church. The resolution of the images is so impressive that you can even see tiny details such as the paper fibres, a lithographer fingerprint and little holes caused by a moth.

A CORUÑA

IBAN ILLARRAMENDI

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: STEVEN MEISEL 1993

Aiete Cultural Centre Until 19 March Every three months, the Illustrator Corner hosts the work of an illustrator and this time it is the turn of Iban Illarramendi. The creative universe of this Zarautz-born illustrator and graphic designer consists of elements of nature, the sea and his Basque roots. In 2022, he was awarded the Etxepare Illustrated Album Prize for his book Kiratsa.

MENORCA

KITCHEN OF CRAFTS

Muelle de Batería, A Coruña Until May 2023

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 space for family gatherings and 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 different types of kitchens down the ages.

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Steven Meisel 1993, a year in photographs features the work of this maestro of photography during 1993, a decisive year in a career marked by his close collaboration with Vogue that saw him earn twenty-eight front covers and over a hundred editorials for the magazine. The exhibition consists of more than one hundred classical portraits of men and women from the worlds of fashion and cinema, including Linda Evangelista, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell, Hamish Bowles and Kyle MacLachlan.

Gastronomy. Sustainability

By Francisco Belín Illustrated by Ilustre Mario

BEYOND HEALTHY COOKING: SUSTAINABILITY AND COMBATTING ALLERGIES Christmas is over and we all now must face our remorse at the gargantuan meals and excess wine consumed, while also feeling terrified at the evidence from the scales that we have clearly put on weight. We are suddenly confronted by hefty January bills and our anxiety to switch into healthy mode. Dieticians, including ourselves, emerge left right and centre, with very dubious results.

It has become something of a tradition to devote this space at the beginning of the year to light meals that help us keep to our New Year’s resolutions after so much festive eating and drinking. On this occasion we will look beyond the canons of healthy eating and highlight suggestions by Canarian chefs who engage in

a cuisine that is not only sustainable but combats food allergies and intolerances.

«One family left absolutely thrilled: a couple of them had allergies yet they were able to eat the same as the others with no problem at all. That reinforced my philosophy of cutting out allergens

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Gastronomy. Sustainability

completely through a complete overhaul of my recipes». These are the words of La Palma chef Pedro Hernández Castillo, who for almost a decade has been going to great lengths to cut harmful ingredients to a minimum and offer up dishes made with products he sources on the day from organic growers near his restaurant in Los Llanos or by travelling the length and breadth of the island to collect ingredients from Puntallana market or cheesemakers in Puntagorda.

guaranteed: the dish will be delicious and will do you good; it is healthy cooking without labels or famous names that not only benefits people with allergies or intolerances but everyone in general».

It takes great effort and hard work on a daily basis to do away with convenient, pre-cooked foods and replace them with products chosen directly on the day from the allotment or fish market.

Many of his dishes feature a maximum of three ingredients and are the result of eliminating ovens and grills. You simply have to see the expression on the faces of diners when they try his slightly pickled tuna or amberjack, octopus stew, low temperature black pork, or La Palma veal chuck. People who have a sugar problem need not worry when trying his Garafía almond dessert –made with xylitol– or leche merengada ice cream.

Before continuing with the approach adopted by Hernández, which extends also to artisan bread made with local cereals, mention must be made of the Michelin Green Star earned by Gran Canaria’s Borja Marrero, a shining example of sustainable cuisine in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria using products from the Tejeda hills. Healthy cooking featuring innovative approaches and based on ingredients from family-owned farms located in the heart of a World Heritage area, complete with organic allotments, animal farms where goats, sheep and calves roam freely, chicken runs, pastry-making facility, ice-cream shop and oil mill.

Borja Marrero is a special case when it comes to «off the bone cuisine», expressed in the form of mountain lamb dishes made using carefully selected cuts of leg, entrecote, rack, sirloin and loin, not to mention his roasts and even foie. A further innovation introduced by Marrero after lengthy study and trials is his subtle culinary sequence using prickly pear plants, from which he extracts their full organoleptic properties.

For almost a decade La Palma chef Pedro Hernández has been using products he sources from nearby organic growers -

We cannot end without mentioning the Tenerife-Argentinian chef Diego Schattenhofer, who is revolutionary in his use of interdisciplinary teams of chefs, scientists and psychologists and his commitment to researching the possibilities of goat’s meat, deep-sea Canary damsel fish from El Hierro, and other raw materials from the Canary Islands.

Bold gastronomic approaches that follow strict parameters to achieve the best possible use of products to produce the healthiest outcomes.

Marrero finishes off some of the dishes on the menu in real time, pulling up, cleaning and serving ingredients in a restaurant that has become one of the most impressive examples of so-called «circular gastronomy» in Spain.

Pedro Hernández describes how, on his menu and taster menu, «tastes are

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News from Binter

BINTER FINALISES DEAL WITH EMBRAER TO BUY FIVE NEW AIRCRAFT FOR 389 MILLION DOLLARS

Binter has signed an agreement with aircraft manufacturer Embraer to buy five E195-E2 planes, which join the five added to its fleet since 2019, when Binter became the first European airline to use the model on its flights. The Canarian airline announced the news at an aviation seminar held in Gran Canaria and attended by travel journalists from the various destinations served by Binter flights.

«Our experience these last few years confirms passengers’ excellent opinion of this model of aircraft, which is ideal for our longest and biggest flights in terms of passenger numbers. The arrival of the new aircraft will enable us to expand the number of routes and flights we currently offer».

The airline’s new general coordinator, Santiago Guerra, told participants that the deal involves a total outlay in excess of 389 million dollars, with the first of the new jets expected to arrive in the Canaries in November 2023. «A month later, in December, we will take delivery of a

The E195-E2 is the biggest and most modern of Embraer’s twin-engined medium-range E-Jet E2 family of commercial jets. The new planes will have the same 132-seat single-cabin configuration, with a comfortable seat pitch of 79 centimetres.

further two and the last one will arrive in April 2024», he explained.

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BINTER CELEBRATES A YEAR OF DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM THE CANARIES TO A CORUÑA AND SAN SEBASTIÁN

Binter celebrated in December the first anniversary of the launch of its routes between the Canary Islands and A Coruña and San Sebastián, which have proven a big hit with passengers.

Coruña on Wednesdays at 19:50, Fridays at 12:45 and Sundays at 19:35.

During the current winter season, the airline will continue to fly between A Coruña (LCG) and Gran Canaria (LPA) three times a week: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Services to San Sebastián have also been adapted to passenger demand in winter and are now on Thursdays and Sundays to facilitate weekend breaks.

Flights from the Canarian airport depart at 14:30, arriving in San Sebastián at 18:40. The return flight departs at 19:10 and lands in Gran Canaria at 21:15.

Flights depart from the Canaries on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 15:20, 08:15 and 15:05, landing in A Coruña at 19:10, 12:05 and 18:55, respectively. The return flights depart from A

Passengers on both routes can take advantage of the facilities offered by Binter to fly to and from an island other than Gran Canaria, with connecting flights available at no extra cost.

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@mirko.kiss

@docolespotting

@bmeridiano

#FLYINGWITHBINTER Fancy sharing your Binter experience?

If you love taking in the scenery while flying, share your pictures on social media and tag them using #FlyingwithBinter. The best photos will be published in our magazine and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t forget to use the tag. Enjoy the flight! /bintercanarias

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@bintercanarias

Complementary gourmet snack on domestic and international flights Now healthier, fresher and more varied, with products from the Canaries

GOURMET SNACKS FOR KIDS Nocilla chocolate spread, jam, cheese, and sticks, digestive biscuit, brioche roll, white/brown bread roll, chocolate wafer biscuit Fruit compote available for babies

GOURMET BREAKFAST Fruit salad, jam, brioche roll, butter, cheese, and chocolate wafer biscuit White coffee, orange and Canarian banna natural fruit juice and bread

GOURMET SNACK Iberian charcuterie, houmous, Canarian cheeses, vegetables, white/brown bread roll, chocolate wafer biscuit

GOURMET SNACK Houmous, salmon or chicken paté, Canarian cheeses, vegetables, white/brown bread roll, chocolate wafer biscuit

GOURMET SNACK Only available on ATR aircraft*

Selection of focaccia breads, fruit juices and chocolate wafer biscuit

EMBRAER BAR**

ATR BAR**

Beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, fruit juices and water

Fruit juices

We hope you enjoy yout in-flight menu Menus subject to change for operational reasons. Fresh products rotated according to reason.

* Aircraft operates routes to Madeira and certain African destitanions. ** Space restrictions may affect the availability of drinks during the flight. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Green

Silver

Gold

8% 9% 10%

DIRECT

DISCOUNT Selected outlets in Gran Canaria

SSP EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT You still have January to enjoy the advantages of your BinterMás card! SSP offers you up to 10% off in selected outlets in Gran Canaria Airport. Show your BinterMás card when paying and reap the rewards of being a cardholder.

BinterMás Green 8% Direct discount BinterMás Silver 9% Direct discount BinterMás Gold 10% Direct discount

bintercanarias.com 922/928 327 700

Valid until 31/01/2023. Offer available at programme partners in Gran Canaria Airport only.

Occidental Santa Cruz Contemporáneo. Tenerife

Occidental Las Palmas. Gran Canaria

BARCELÓ HOTEL GROUP EARN POINTS x2 Start the year by earning double points when staying in selected Barceló hotels. City hotels located in the heart of the two capitals of the Canary Islands and the Hotel Occidental Roca Negra on the Agaete coast.

Hotels Occidental Santa Cruz Contemporáneo Occidental Roca Negra Occidental Las Palmas

180 + 180 points/night 180 + 180 points/night 180 + 180 points/night

Valid: January 2023.

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barcelo.com 902 101 001

Abora Catarina by Lopesan Hotels. Gran Canaria

LOPESAN HOTEL GROUP

GOLD BY MARINA

EARN POINTS x2

EARN POINTS x2

Choose Abora by Lopesan Hotels and enjoy an all-inclusive break with the family. Alternatively, if you prefer, an unforgettable stay in the Hotel IFA Altamarena overlooking Jandía Beach in Fuerteventura.

Earn double points during January in the adults-only GOLD

by Marina Hotel in Playa del Inglés (south Gran Canaria) and discover the concept of modern-vintage.

Lopesan Hotels Abora Catarina Abora Continental IFA Altamarena

Earn x2 260 + 260 points/night 260 + 260 points/night 260 + 260 points/night

Double room

lopesan.com 902 450 010

goldbymarina.com 928 948 555

Valid: book until 31/01/2023. For stays between 06/01/2023 and 28/02/2023 only.

Valid: January 2023.

215 + 215 points/night

Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora 5*. Tenerife

MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL

BINTERMÁS MASTERCARD

EARN POINTS x2

SUME MÁS PUNTOS

Book a relaxing stay in selected Meliá Hotels International hotels and earn double points with this exclusive offer.

Hotels Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora 5* Meliá Tortuga Beach 5* Sol Fuerteventura Jandía 4* Sol Arona Tenerife 3*

Shop safely and practically with the BinterMás Mastercard* credit card. Apply for your card here or via the BinterMás section on our website.

Earn x2 200 + 200 points/night 200 + 200 points/night 100 + 100 points/night 100 + 100 points/night

No card issue or maintenance fees 2000 points as welcome bonus 1 point for every 2 € spent

melia.com 912 764 747

santanderconsumer.es

Valid: January 2023.

Scan the code before taking off or after landing!

*Issue of card subject to study and approval by Santander Consumer Finance S.A

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CICAR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT UPGRADE Present your BinterMás card when booking a car with CICAR throughout the year and benefit from a free category upgrade*. Enjoy more space and comfort with your CICAR car hire and earn between 40 and 100 points per rental day also.

Exclusive benefit for BinterMás cardholders Car category upgrade Groups A / B / C / D / E / F / G/ H L/M

cicar.com 928 822 900

Points 40 points/day 100 points/day

Valid: 2023. Subject to availability and peak demand periods.

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A WORLD OF ADVANTAGES, WITH OVER 30 PARTNERS...

FLIGHTS

FLIGHT + HOTEL

SHOPPING

BINTER 922/928 327 700 bintercanarias.com Earn: from 100 to 1000 points

CANARIASVIAJA 922 24 81 61 canariasviaja.com Earn: 1 point per 1 €

CANARIENSIS 900 252 423 aldeasa.com Earn: 120 points for 30 € spent

IBERIA 902 400 500 iberia.com Earn: from 75 to 300 points

WELLBEING

GOLF

TALASOTERAPIA LAS CANTERAS 928 271 170 talasoterapialascanteras.com Earn: 40 points/circuit

SALOBRE GOLF RESORT 928 94 30 04 salobregolfresort.com Earn: 100 points

PETROL STATIONS

SOCIAL

DISA 901 101 016 disagrupo.es Earn: up to 50 points

UNICEF 928 269 293 unicef.es Donation of 300 to 500 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

FINANCE BINTERMÁS MASTERCARD santanderconsumer.es Obtención: 1 punto por 2 €

ACCOMMODATION ARRECIFE GRAN HOTEL & SPA 928 800 000 aghotelspa.com Earn: 300 points

GLORIA THALASSO & HOTELS 928 128 505 gloriapalaceth.com Earn: from 300 to 430 points

MARINA GRAN CANARIA 928 153 015 marinagrancanaria.com Earn: 215 points

BARCELÓ HOTEL GROUP 902 101 001 barcelo.com Earn: from 125 to 400 points

GOLD BY MARINA 928 948 555 goldbymarina.com Earn: 215 points

MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL 912 764 747 melia.com Earn: from 100 to 200 points

BUENDÍA CORRALEJO NOHOTEL 928 943 027 buendiacorralejo.com Earn: 215 points

CORAL HOTELS Happiness in the Sun

CORAL HOTELS 928 327 700 coral-hotels.com Earn: from 160 to 560 puntos

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

R2 HOTELS 928 546 054 r2hotels.com Earn: from 200 to 300 points SALOBRE HOTEL RESORT 928 943 000 salobrehotel.com Earn: 340 points

HOTEL PARQUE TROPICAL 928 774 012 hotelparquetropical.com Earn: 200 points

DREAMPLACE HOTELS & RESORTS 902 210 902 dreamplacehotels.com Earn: from 200 to 600 points

SHERATON FUERTEVENTURA BEACH, GOLF & SPA RESORT 928 495 100 sheraton.com/fuerteventura Earn: 640 points

IBEROSTAR HOTELS & RESORTS 902 995 555 iberostar.com Earn: from 100 to 200 points

VILA BALEIRA +351 291 980 800 vilabaleira.com Earn: 165 points

DUNAS HOTELS & RESORTS 902 142 828 hotelesdunas.com Earn: from 300 to 500 points

LOPESAN HOTELS & RESORTS 902 450 010 lopesan.com Earn: from 150 to 325 points

HOTEL CORDIAL MOGAN PLAYA 928 143 393 becordial.com Earn: 470 points

For the full terms and conditions governing the award and use of points, see bintermas.com or call 922/928 327 700.

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