249 January 2024
LAS SALINAS DE AGAETE Pilar Rumeu - Twenty-four - Madrid - Irati forest - Fantasy in Venice People from these shores - Tamadiste: the babbling sound of water - Healthy goals Aromatics plants
Editorial
BINTER TOUCHES DOWN IN MADRID WITH ITS OWN GROUND HANDLING SERVICE Allow me to begin by wishing you a happy 2024. We always seem to start a new year with fresh possibilities and hopes and this year promises to be a very exciting one at Binter due to the challenges that lie ahead. We are working hard on the launch of our new Madrid flights, which begin on 1 February. In December, we took delivery of four of the five Embraer planes that will be used on the route. The airline has made a considerable financial effort to acquire new aircraft and by 2025 we will have a total of sixteen Embraer E195-E2 jets in our fleet. To provide the best service to our passengers, one in keeping with the Canarian way of flying which they are accustomed to, we have recruited and trained the staff who will look after our ground handling operations and the Binter Vende sales office in Madrid, which is a further feature that will enable us to continue to offer our hallmark customer service in Terminal 2. Our Binter System group of companies continues to grow in different areas, with leading names in their respective fields. A prime example is Aeronautical Training Canarias, our training centre which inaugurated new premises in December and has a three-way focus to its work: to be an incubator of professionals in the Canary Islands and help develop the aeronautical sector; to act as a specialist ATR and Embraer training centre; and to operate as a placement agency to enhance employability in the sector at national level. Binter’s commitment to ensuring travel mobility for Canarians and visitors is stepped up during special times such as the recent Christmas holidays to facilitate get-togethers of families and friends and to enable those visiting us to travel to our Islands at a time when temperatures in continental Europe are not so kind. During the festive period, Binter laid on more than 5000 extra seats on the busiest departure and arrival days on our interisland routes. At the end of January we will have a stand at the FITUR Tourism Fair in Madrid, where we will promote not just the new routes between the Canary Islands and the capital but also our other inter-island, mainland and international provision, which has seen us exceed five million annual passengers and 6.4 million seats offered on sixty-four routes. The coming year is full of challenges and we hope you will continue to place your trust in us as your airline. We hope that 2024 is as exciting for you as it is for all of us who form part of the Binter family. Thank you for choosing us. We look forward to continuing to welcome you on board our planes. Santiago Guerra General Coordinator
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STAFF CONTENT COORDINATOR Beneharo Mesa · redaccion@barabaracomunicacion.com TRANSLATION Karl McLaughlin EDITING Lavadora de textos CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Beneharo Mesa, Francisco Javier Torres del Castillo, Alberto Piernas, Elena Horrillo, Elena Ortega, Saioa Arellano, Aarón Rodríguez González, Carla Rivero, Cristina Torres Luzón, Francisco Belín. CREATIVE DIRECTION AND LAYOUT great · greatttt.com · estudio@greatttt.com COVER PHOTO Carlos Novella PHOTOGRAPHS Saioa Arellano, Mónica R. Goya, Elena Ortega, Asier Calderón, Rocío Eslava, Carlos Novella, Pixabay. ILLUSTRATIONS Capi Cabrera, Ilustre Mario. ADVERTISING publicidad@barabaracomunicacion.com · 922 897 517 BINTER Rodolfo Núñez – Presidente Alfredo Morales – Vicepresidente Noelia Curbelo – Relaciones Institucionales y Comunicación FOLLOW US ON OUR WEBSITE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA www.bintercanarias.com · Facebook · Twitter · Instagram · www.revistabinter.com
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SUMMARY 6 Pilar Rumeu Interview
10 Twenty-Four Economy
36 Lola, a life of embroidery People from these shores
42 Afur-Taganana Walks
52 Healthy goals Health
64 Aromatic plants Gastronomy
18 Madrid Domestic destination
24 Pamplona Domestic destination
46 Las Salinas de Agaete Beaches
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Interview. Pilar Rumeu
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By Beneharo Mesa Illustrated by Capi Cabrera
“THE EVOLUTION UNDERGONE BY JOURNALISM HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE” Pilar Rumeu (1973, San Cristóbal de La Laguna) is a frequent face on the news at Televisión Canaria. Although a journalist who is used to asking the questions, she has no problem taking questions for our NT magazine and looking back both at her early days in the profession and how journalists have evolved thanks to Internet.
if you like. I found it really hard to interview the mother of young Jeremy Vargas: her son had been kidnapped and she still does not know where he is as he has not been found. When I worked as a reporter I was heavily affected by seeing gender violence so close up. I don’t want to be lurid but I would have to attend locations where a woman had been murdered and I saw the remains of what had happened. It left its mark on me. I would ask myself how I would recover and get back to the news desk to tell that story and
What are the positives and negatives of journalism? Have you ever covered a story that left its mark on you? The lovely and wonderful side is what we create and do as journalists, namely, communicate. In my case as a news presenter, transmitting to viewers the work of a big team and letting them judge for themselves. Our credibility is uppermost in mind all the time. However, there are also the hard things you go through as a journalist. I can give you some examples
Access our interviews in advance on the 28th of each month at revistabinter.com.
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Interview. Pilar Rumeu
put together the images … Do you know what? I have become more sensitive as I get older. I have no idea why but news affects me much more than it did at the beginning. We all become affected perhaps by the sheer volume of news; it gets to us all. The Canaries are not immune to the serious problems that are occurring.
mation instantaneously. Today we can do this from anywhere, using a mobile phone… It’s been truly great, wonderful. That said, Internet has its negatives. However, the positive side is that it has been of massive help to us and we have made tremendous progress, for which I am grateful. Internet is the biggest thing to ever happen to us as journalists.
There are times when you would like to switch off from all the news. During the Covid pandemic, it was always the same thing every day.
How were your early days as a reporter? I applied to Televisión Canaria but did not get through the tests. I’d like to put this message out there: at times you don’t get what you want first time. Later, I signed up to an employment agency-type scheme and a year after that received a call to start on the news desk as a reporter. I did that for four or five years and it was a great experience. I like presenting but it is true that when you are a reporter out on the street you are right there, close to the actual news and with lots of contacts, and you are more sensitive to certain issues because you experience them directly. However, I just love presenting and communicating, perhaps because I did drama at primary school. It must have helped me as I was very shy. I was contacted later to cover for presenters during the summer holidays and then, from being a stand-in, I got the job permanently.
Exactly. I think the pandemic period made us all feel down, or at least it did me. I needed to switch off. People may say “what nonsense” but, for me, being able to switch off from 9am until 2pm is a way of actually switching off. I say that because I can go overboard in the car listening to the radio first thing. Then watching the debates and the programmes on TV as I go about my morning. Then I start the afternoon shift and am working in the studio, where it is obviously 100% news. For four or five hours a day I have had to force myself to stop listen to and watching the news in order to keep my spirits up. At weekends I try only to look at the headlines. I need to do it this way to clear my head because the news we communicate affects us all.
“Anyone hoping to study journalism has to keep up to date with the news every day” -
Who would be your dream interview? Queen Letizia. You could probably consider doing King Felipe, but I don’t think you would be as big a success as if you interviewed Queen Letizia.
What is your view on how we consume news today? The evolution undergone by journalism has been absolutely massive. I am from the days when there was no Internet, nowhere we could consult infor-
See the full interview with Pilar Rumeu in video format Open the QR for access.
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Economy. Monthly feature
Text by Francisco Javier Torres del Castillo* Illustrated by Ilustre Mario
TWENTY-FOUR Ahead of us lies a neat year that is an even number, begins on a Monday and is a leap year with 366 days, instead of 365. Check your seat belts as 2024 gets off to a strong start and there are 29 days in February. It all seems well structured and carefully thought through. Although the forecasts are highly nuanced and lots of challenges lie ahead, there is broad consensus in terms of what these are.
Geopolitics is the second key factor that deserves to be highlighted. In addition to the Ukraine-Russia war, which sparked an energy crisis, there is also the eternal Middle East conflict which has reignited once more with violence and clashes.
Interest rates are the first challenge. Their impact on economies is proving slower than anticipated. Everyone has been surprised that the biggest and fastest rate increases in decades have been so slow to produce effects in terms of lowering inflation and laying the grounds for economic growth. In a best-case scenario, this unexpected circumstance will lead to a slowdown in the economy as opposed to a feared recession.
Alongside US-China tensions, the intensity of both conflicts will lead to fluctuations in the market prices of gas and crude oil, food and raw materials. Even if these do not actually cause prices to rise, they will make any reductions very marginal, particularly in the case of energy. As a result, monetary policy with high interest rates will remain in place for longer. However, a global and radical change in the energy model is necessary and inevitable, even if it will also prove costly and inflationary in the coming years at least. The planet is in transition and transition is also in evidence due to new
This means continued high inflation, albeit one that moderates gradually, and slight expectations of a rate cut at the end of 2024 or in early 2025.
* Director, Renta 4 Banco in the Canary Islands.
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Economy. Monthly feature
balances in international leadership on the geopolitical and commercial levels, with China a main player.
artificial intelligence, means that as yet unknown new changes and advances can be expected.
Economic growth in the eurozone is in serious decline and is accompanied by uncertainty over public policies. These have been prominent since the pandemic years but are now conditioned by the need to remedy the fiscal deficit generated and fiscal policies will be contractionary as a result.
Even company financing is undergoing an important shift towards more Anglo-Saxon models that are less dependent on bank loans and more geared to private markets offering direct access to private capital. These circumstances point to an increasingly prominent role for bonds. For decades savers have not enjoyed the benefits of the pleasant rewards the bond market will offer throughout the coming year in terms of risk vs return on investment.
Economic growth in the eurozone is in serious decline and is accompanied by uncertainty over public policies -
However, if we broaden the picture of factors to consider, including inflation and a long-term vision, interesting investment opportunities arise in traditional markets such as equity markets and alternatives such as private equity, investment in infrastructure and other solutions.
Clouds lie on the horizon for Europe and Spain due to their lack of competitiveness and limited technological capacity. These clouds may end up turning the sky completely overcast, due to increased labour costs caused by the foreseeable rise in the minimum wage, rumoured changes to redundancy payments, and the popular cuts in the working week.
We should bear in mind also that current megatrends in health and ageing, water and natural resources, clean energy, robotics and artificial intelligence are attracting considerable flows of investment and will generate significant returns in the coming years.
A further drawback is the lack of talent and qualifications. The high cost of housing is another decisive factor, with obstacles faced here including the lack of building land, a shortage of labour in the construction sector, and a general legal uncertainty that will be unable to prevent price rises in 2024, particularly in major cities.
In short, 2024 is replete with opportunities even if we can expect to face new upheavals and circumstances every month of this, the year of the dragon in the Chinese horoscope. I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year. Remember to fasten your seat belts as 366 days full of challenges lie ahead.
Spain and Europe’s paltry demographic growth is another major challenge which, together with disruptive technological advances brought by
Have a great flight.
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Business News
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SANTA CRUZ DE LA PALMA AMONG THE MOST SOUGHTAFTER DESTINATIONS IN SPAIN
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Santa Cruz de La Palma is one of the most sought-after Spanish destinations for 2024, according to international online accommodation booking site Airbnb. The number of users of the site looking to stay in alternatives to traditional hotel accommodation during the coming year has situated the La Palma capital at the top of information searches, ahead of Seville and Cullera (Valencia).
Por un año pleno de seguridad y salud
FELIZ
SUCCESS FOR 10TH SABOREA LANZAROTE FESTIVAL
GRUPO DENTAZUL CELEBRATES ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
The 10th Saborea Lanzarote (‘Savour Lanzarote’) Wine and Gastronomy Festival, held in November in Teguise and organised by Lanzarote’s governing Cabildo, surpassed all expectations in terms of turn-out. Approximately 50,000 people attended over the two days of the event and more than 420,000 tickets were sold for food and drink at the different stands.
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Business News
SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE: A DESTINATION FOR EVERYONE
This municipality in southwest Tenerife is a destination that offers inclusive experiences in its marine environment as well as its protected natural spaces, thus enabling it to fulfil six of the seventeen SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) of the 2030 Agenda. Many activities can be enjoyed in the sea and they
add to the range of experiences available through its Ecotur Azul product, which brings together all the activities that can be carried out in the water, including whale/dolphin watching, kayaking, diving, boat trips..., in all cases adapted to persons with physical, intellectual, hearing and visual disabilities.
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En este gran mar JUAN MANUEL PARDELLAS
“El libro del que todo el mundo habla” Una de las historias más crueles y trágicas de la migración de personas africanas a Europa Distribuido por Interleo, una empresa del Grupo ARNOIA
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Domestic destination. Madrid
Text by Alberto Piernas Photos by Saioa Arellano
MADRID, A ROYAL PALACE AND A SECRET PASSAGE TO HEAVEN Binter is commencing its new flights to Madrid, Spain’s so-called Zero Kilometre point from where all distances in the country are measured. The capital is also the starting point for multiple experiences and ways of touching the sky. Let’s head into the city that never sleeps through its to iconic buildings such as the Royal Palace, a gateway to a range of recommendations covering infinite forms of art, leisure and dining.
Madrid is Spain’s Zero Kilometre point although you might even suspect that it is also where the world begins. There are very good reasons to think so: the capital is a crucible of cultural influences, avant-garde trends and iconic buildings steeped in history such as the Royal Palace, where all historical eras seem to converge.
Considered the largest palace complex in Western Europe, Madrid’s Royal Palace is more than 135,000m2 in size and its 3418 rooms bear witness to centuries of glamour and splendour. It is also one of the few official residences of a Head of State that are open to the public, receiving more than two million visitors annually.
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Domestic destination. Madrid
This iconic palace on Calle Bailén was built in the 18th century and not only marks a high point of baroque classicism but also boasts an artistic heritage that is unique in the world. Its treasures include musical instruments such as Stradivarius and Palatinos, as well as impressive paintings, tapestries and sculptures, all of which are displayed in rooms that immerse you in an authentic journey through time.
Many speak of passageways that connect the Royal Palace to the rest of the capital The Throne Room, also known as the Kissing the Hand of the Monarch Room, speaks to us of whims of velvet, majestic frescoes and bas-reliefs dating back to the reign of Carlos III. History permeates other iconic rooms such as the Royal Armoury, whose collection of 16th century weapons makes it the most important in Europe along with Vienna’s Imperial Armoury. We can also dance with the past in the Hall of Columns, the masterly work of Turin architect Giovanni Battista Sacchetti and scenario of countless banquets and courtly events. A carriage sounds in the distance and you no longer know if you are still in the year 2024 or somewhere in the distant past. You walk up the main staircase, its lions as witnesses, and contemplate a sky that seems more glorious here, filtered by the caprices of history. Quiet please: the king is holding an audience in the Gasparini Hall and his tailor waits to suggest a new outfit for him. There is a toast in the Gala Banquet Hall, centuries-old processions in the Hall of the Halberdiers, and a Royal Chapel where the parishioners confess their sins. Fashionable
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candelabra, whispering chandeliers, and smells from a Royal Kitchen that has witnessed as many stories among its stoves as secrets in its passageways. Indeed, many speak of passages that connect the Royal Palace to the rest of the capital. Although access is restricted, something tells us that courtiers of old still use these to reach the Madrid of today (and even of the future), where we can lose ourselves among its many enticing features, such as the thriving gastronomy of its bars, Michelin-star restaurants and markets. Museums such as the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen and the Prado form the angles of an art triangle that is merely the beginning of a journey through all periods of history. From the Levantine light of the Sorolla Museum to the exhibitions of the Caixa Forum, art is present in Madrid in multiple forms and colours. Time moves on and you look out from a rooftop and see dusk cloak everything. Land and sky seem to be closer to each other here than anywhere else on earth. This was the way to heaven. All you had to do was follow the passageways of history.
– MADRID From 12 ,000 points one-way or earn up to 1,200 points one-way. 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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NT for ANACEF
ANACEF LAUNCHES ‘WE LIKE FISH’ CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE CONSUMPTION OF FISH IN THE CANARIES
Fish Producer Organisation (FPO) ANACEF (National Association of Cephalopod Fishing Freezer Vessels) recently unveiled its We like fish campaign, the aim of which is to increase the consumption of fish and cephalopods in the Canary Islands.
During the official presentation of the campaign, ANACEF manager Juan Carlos Martín Fragueiro revealed that Spain and Europe are the main outlets for the bulk of the 20,000 tonnes of fishing products caught every year. Consumption in the Canary Islands is below the national average for Spain although the difference is narrowing thanks to initiatives of this kind and “also to local producers”.
Participants in this official presentation also included Silvia Solís Reyes, deputy director general for Economic Sustainability and Social Affairs, Directorate General for Fisheries Management and Aquaculture in Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who advocated official support for this type of promotion of fish and cephalopod consumption.
Martín underlined the extensive properties of fish and cephalopods for a healthy lifestyle and recommended that they be used more extensively in the home and especially in school canteens.
The Canary Islands are the home base for the majority of the ANACEF fleet, which has a highly significant economic impact on the economy of the archipelago.
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Domestic destination. Pamplona
Text by Elena Horrillo Photos by Mónica R. Goya
IRATI, THE MAGICAL HOME OF THE BASAJAUN
The 17,000-hectare Irati forest is not just home to Europe’s second biggest beech and fir forest behind only Germany’s Black Forest. In this reserve, where every corner is brimming with centuries-long light, you will find a reservoir, several rivers and waterfalls, dizzying vantage points, a now-abandoned 18th-century arms and munitions factory, a dozen or so unforgettable villages and, above all, a host of mythological figures that have inhabited and guarded these magical thickets.
If such thing as a forest spirit exists, it definitely lives in Irati. The Basajaun (the name given in Basque legend to the guardian of the hills) usually keeps himself hidden from human gazes, although, when necessary, his protective presence is perceived in the form of whistling and the sound of cowbells acting in unison. When he is not needed, this lord of the forest has the 17,000 hectares of the second biggest beech and fir forest in Europe at his entire disposal.
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Domestic destination. Pamplona
If you want to go in search of him, to explore the Irati forest or do both, there are two main accesses: Ochagavía, in the Salazar valley, and Orbaizeta, in the Aezkoa valley. Ochagavía is one of the most beautiful towns in the area and is situated at the confluence of the Zatoia and Anduña rivers. The Anduña is crossed by the Ochagavía bridge which, like the nearby church of St John the Evangelist, has a medieval appearance that blends perfectly with the atmosphere of cobbled streets and steep-roofed mansions of this small town inhabited by just over five hundred people.
consisted of the factory, a church and a small settlement. Today, the moss and weeds cast a creepy but enigmatic aura over this cluster of buildings, where you can still see the old furnaces and the route of the River Legartza.
The other usual way to get to the Irati forest is from Orbaizeta, which many choose for the ruins of the Royal Weapons and Munitions Factory, now overgrown with vegetation -
The other usual way to get to the Irati forest is from Orbaizeta, which many choose for the ruins of the Royal Weapons and Munitions Factory, which are now overgrown with vegetation. Built in 1748 on the remains of a medieval ironmonger’s store and abandoned in the late 19th century, this site was once home to over one hundred and fifty families and
Orbaizeta is also where you can access walks that take you to the lovely Irabia reservoir. Built in 1922 to tame the flow of the River Irati and generate electricity, it is now one of the forest’s prettiest spots. The walk around the reservoir is a great way to get to know the secrets of this lush environment of water and 26
and relax, or neighbouring Aribe, which lies just ten kilometres away. Nearby also is Roncesvalles with its iconic medieval collegiate church, refuge for walkers, pilgrims’ hospital, and tomb of King Sancho VII of Navarre (known as Sancho the Strong). The town is a popular starting point in Spain for the Camino de Santiago pilgrim’s walk.
forest. Approximately eleven kilometres in length, the walk is circular and mostly flat. Another favourite trail leading deep into the domains of the Basajaun – which can be done in either direction – takes us partly around the reservoir and then parallel to the River Irati as far as the small church of the Virgin of the Snows and the impressive clearing in which it stands. If you still have the energy, about five hundred metres further on lies the Cubo waterfall, where you can immerse your gaze in the cascading water and imagine the lamias (river nymphs in Basque mythology) dancing and combing their long hair, hidden among the rocks.
This area is also known for the many locations that hosted witches’ covens and rites of magic that suffered persecution due to their pagan leanings. On the road from Burguete to Roncesvalles you will find the Sorginaritzaga (Witches’ Oak) forest, while Roncesvalles is the birthplace of the Basajaunberro forest, where giant beech trees and twisted oaks create optical illusions for walkers. Don’t forget: if you catch sight of a tall and very corpulent man covered in hair and with a long mane, it is best not to run away: you are in the presence of the guardian of the forests himself.
Beyond the shade of the beech trees and the fleeting glances of mythological geniuses, the Irati forest is also home to small villages that garner the magic that surrounds them. A prime example is Burguete, chosen by author and journalist Ernest Hemingway as a place to rest 27
Domestic destination. Pamplona
– PAMPLONA From 12 ,000 points one-way or earn up to 1,200 points one-way. 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. Venice
Text by Elena Ortega Photos by Elena Ortega and Asier Calderón
FANTASY IN VENICE
During Carnival, the streets of the Serenissima are transformed into a giant stage where dreams and reality don period costume, the canals fill with gondolas of masked people, and an angel flies over St Mark’s Square. Yesteryear is recreated in the present and offers a trip back to the most romantic and colourful Venice.
A book can occasionally be enough to begin a journey. The watercolours and letters of “Venice” seem to come alive on paper lovingly chosen by publisher Tintablanca for select literary articles. Having travelled to the Italian city through the words of Pedro Galera and brushstrokes of his daughter Valle, boarding a plane and being fascinated by canals where art and history converge is always a wonderful experience. This is even more true during Carnival, when the Se-
renissima dresses up in costumes from the 17th and 18th centuries to celebrate its most important festival. Feathers and masks hark back to its period of greatest splendour when aristocrats from across Europe descended on the floating city to experience the year’s biggest event. These days, the period costumes combine with all kinds of characters to create a fantasy world that inundates the watery streets with cheer for ten days in winter.
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International destination. Venice
Although the earliest written mention of the Carnival dates back to 1296, it reached its high point of fame in the 18th century when it was hugely popular throughout Europe. The carnival joy lasted until public festivities were abolished during the Napoleonic occupation. Carnival returned to its great roots in 1979 and Venetians and visitors to the city have covered their faces with elegant masks during these days ever since. To immerse ourselves in this magical choreography, we can visit artisan workshops such as Bluemoon (calle del Capeler, www. bluemoonvenice.com), where we will see handmade paper-maché masks of all shapes and colours. Mask workshops have been present on Venice’s streets since approximately the 13th century, although the artisans (known as mascareti) did not turn professional until two centuries later. The coveted mask facilitated anonymity and levelled social classes, acting as criticism of the authorities and the aristocracy.
capes and ladies in very elegant dresses blur the boundaries of time in the waters of the canals. Carnival kicks off formally when almost a hundred colourful boats cross the Grand Canal guided by a larger one shaped like a rat, the Pantegana. One of the most special moments arrives a few days later when an agile acrobat launches himself from the Campanile in the iconic St Mark’s Square, evoking the traditional flight of the angel. During these days of Carnival, private parties are held in the historic palaces overlooking the canals. You can attend most of them by purchasing a ticket for the dinner and subsequent ball or just for one of the two. The Venice Carnival’s most exclusive dream is Il Ballo del Doge, a luxury masquerade party organised by designer Antonia Sautter which has become famous worldwide. Top international celebrities are ferried by gondola to the very entrance of the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, an impressive 14th century religious building in the Cannaregio district of the city. Against backdrops of tulle, silk and masks, dancers, singers and acrobats give free rein to Sautter’s boundless imagination and maintain the romantic fantasy that Venice becomes at this time of year.
The coveted mask facilitated anonymity and levelled social classes, acting as criticism of the authorities and the aristocracy. Venice also has its typical sweet during this time of year, the ever-present frittelle (a type of doughnut filled with chocolate, raisins or cream) seen in the windows of all pastry shops in the city. Its original recipe, one of the oldest known, is preserved in the Casanatense Library in Rome.
– VENICE From 18 ,000 points one-way or earn up to 1,800 points one-way. 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.
The streets of Venice are the venue for timeless balls while an infinite number of gondolas occupied by gentleman in
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NT for Siam Park
SAIFA, RECOGNISED AS THE WORLD’S BEST ATTRACTION
Siam Park received the Brass Ring Award with Saifa as the best attraction of the year 2023. The Brass Ring Award was presented by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) to ProSlide and Siam Park for the best water attraction of the year 2023 at the global attractions industry trade show in Orlando, Florida.
Saifa, Siam Park’s new attraction, combines two innovative ProSlide products: the Flying Saucer and the RocketBLAST. The slide offers visitors a unique experience full of speed, adrenaline and fun. With more than 600 metres in length on its two lanes. The Brass Ring award is not the first one for Siam Park. The water park has been named the best water park in the world nine times in a row by TripAdvisor users and has been awarded the European Star Award as the best water park in Europe twelve times by Kirmes & Park Revue, the leading publication and benchmark in the evaluation of theme parks.
The successful team of Siam Park and ProSlide have once again demonstrated innovation and creativity with this spectacular water slide, which is also considered a water roller coaster. With this attraction, they have raised the bar, setting a new standard for the industry.
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People from these shores
By Saioa Arellano
LOLA, A LIFE OF EMBROIDERY
It is 6pm on a no-through road in La Orotava. The houses stand close to each other and are all colourful, due perhaps to the influence of people who emigrated to countries in South America. At No.10 on the street, on a landing decorated with plants and light blue tiles, I wait for Lola to open the door to me. A lady with white hair emerges from behind a white and old glass-panelled door. Standing less than 1.60m tall, she looks at me and smiles, and I bend down to greet her with a hug and kiss on both cheeks.
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People from these shores
After this warm welcome, we head up two flights of typical narrow stairs made of granite. They are light brown in colour and have some dark stains, like the stairs of any of our grandparents’ homes. She walks up them with astonishing speed. On the second floor, at the far end of the stairway, is her workshop, the small space where she does one of her favourite things. She tells me that she only recently tidied it up and that it is the fault of her much-adored grandson, who also helped her choose the furniture. Even though this is “modern”, in here you can breathe the history of someone who is unaware of everything she is contributing to the living history of our islands.
Calado hand embroidery is a traditional and very meticulous practice as it involves pulling the threads out of linen fabric using intricate stitching -
encouraged her to do whatever she wanted. When her children grew up, she went back to her calado work, which she still does today. Despite having been in the profession for many years, she still signs up for training because she loves learning new techniques.
Lola was born in 1945 in El Rincón, a small area in the municipality of La Orotava located on the north coast between the El Bollullo and Los Patos beaches. She started embroidering aged seventeen because her mother gave her a sewing machine so she could learn how to do it and help her in the workshop they had at home. Thanks to a cousin, a short time later she started to learn calado embroidery, the fine variety to begin with and later the coarse version. She carried on doing this until, like many women of her day, she had to give up her occupation and passion in order to raise her children. Her husband Antonio worked in the Paris Café in Puerto de la Cruz at that time and it is lovely to hear her say, with pride and a sparkle in her eyes, that he was the one who always
Calado hand embroidery is a traditional and very meticulous job as it involves pulling the threads out of linen fabric using intricate stitching and then creating more complex patterns. The technique has been used down the ages by women to make household textiles such as table runners, napkins, tablecloths, etc., and it was also a way to contribute to the home financially. Lola tells me that she too began like this until people started placing orders with her. She has made blouses,
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on the job in hand, she uses one or other, larger or smaller, but always follows the same steps. First, she marks the thread with the fabric that she always buys from the Don Casiano shop. The threads are then pulled out and, depending on the type of calado she is doing, some cross stitching is done. Once this is finished, she sits over the frame to begin working on the actual embroidery, to which she adds a button-hole bar on completion. At no time does she look up from her needle and calado as she tells me all this. When she has finished the job, before removing it from the frame she sprays it with a little starch to get rid of the slightly clammy sensation left after working on the fabric for so many days. She tells me all this with the humility of a person who had to wear a traditional La Orotava skirt with the stripes sewn onto it because back in her childhood “there was no money for anything else”; the humility of a grandmother who always opens her door to you and has something to offer you, perhaps the grandmother of anyone reading this; the humility of someone who started her embroidery work at a young age, raised her children, got her first driving licence at the age of forty-two (encouraged by her husband), looked after her grandchildren and yet still found the time to pass on her love of things traditional. The humility of someone who quite openly admits that she does not consider herself an artisan because she doesn’t know how to teach others. What she fails to realise is that those who know her, have known her, or will come to know her are full of admiration for her.
particularly those worn as part of La Orotava’s traditional dress, which is her main calling card. She has also made tablecloths and petticoats and is currently making a pair of traditional La Orotava men’s long-johns using the so-called calado basto technique, in which the gaps in the pattern are bigger. She explains that this can be done with calado fino embroidery, in which the gaps are smaller. Making a pair of these men’s undergarments can take about four days, if you spend a few more hours on it every day. She must be amazed at the look of disbelief on my face as I hear about such perfect precision.
Before I take my leave of her, she offers me a coffee. How can I say no? Thank you, Lola. Even if you don’t believe it, you represent craftsmanship, living history and identity.
She has several embroidery frames in her workshop that have been with her for many years; so many that she doesn’t remember the exact number. Depending
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NT for Volcano Teide
VOLCANO TEIDE ENHANCES CABLE CAR EXPERIENCE WITH PERMANENT GUANCHE AND VOLCANO EXHIBITION
November saw Volcano Teide officially open the Teide Legend exhibition in the new visitor centre situated at the base station of the Teide Cable Car. The opening was attended by Teide Cable Car director Ignacio Sabaté and Blanca Pérez, Tenerife’s councillor for the Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security and Emergencies, as well as representatives of other institutions and professionals linked to the environment and tourism.
added that tourists visiting the cable car “will depart with a fuller picture of our island’s volcanic origins and of the life of the native Guanches who inhabited these parts.” Meanwhile Blanca Pérez highlighted “the ethnographic and anthropological work carried out for the Volcano Teide exhibition, whose modern and attractive look enhances the cable car visit and makes an important contribution to Tenerife’s leisure options”.
Ignacio Sabaté stated in his remarks that the exhibition enhances visits to Teide, “through values that convey rigorous yet enjoyable elements of Canarian science and culture, communicated in a very modern graphic language that does not compromise scientific rigour.” He
The new space, which uses existing facilities, consists of an exhibition room, cafeteria, shop and service area. Its opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Sunday, including days when the cable car cannot operate due to the weather.
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Walks. Tenerife. Afur-Taganana
By Aarón Rodríguez González Photos by Rocío Eslava
TAMADISTE: THE BABBLING SOUND OF WATER
The Anaga mountain range in northeast Tenerife condenses an assortment of geological, biological and cultural treasures which are of enormous value and highly unique, and have led this area to be designated a Biosphere Reserve. This rugged territory furrowed by an infinite number of ravines that run from summit to sea is crowned by lush forests, bordered by sharp ridgelines and sheer cliffs, and dotted here and there with farming terraces and white villages both in the fertile valley bottoms and along the craggy hilltops. It is an incredible setting which we will be able to explore, at least partly, on this month’s walk.
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Walks. Tenerife. Afur-Taganana
Our walk begins in the square in Afur, one of the first valleys given to the settlers who colonised Tenerife after the conquest of the island. The well-signposted trail that leads down to Taganana starts here in the heart of the biggest and most humid basin on the northern side of the range. The trail takes us along the Afur ravine, one of the few in Tenerife where water flows year-round. As a result, water will be our delightful travel companion, whether whispering beneath the willows or rushing over the many waterfalls along the way. Other wonderful companions on the walk are the beautiful junipers and Canarian willows. Lovers of water will find its most prized places of refuge here: the many big ponds used by locals to fish for eels (very surprising seasonal residents of this extraordinary location) or the stunning rock dykes, ancient and awesome testimonies to the fiery early stages of the formation of the Anaga mountains.
This superb scene is like a canvas painted by a master artist and is the setting for the last leg of our journey After taking in the splendid view of the giant cliffs overlooking Tamadiste beach, we begin the climb up the ridge of the same name, towards the foot of Roque Marrubial. The sights from here are magnificent: the panoramic view stretches from the Anaga rocks to Benijo beach, from Roque de las Ánimas to Chinobre. The entire Taganana arc, from the hills to the reeffilled coast, fans out like a horseshoe before us and is set against the deep blue of the sea. This superb scene is like a canvas painted by a master artist and is the setting for the last leg of our journey. We walk past old croplands, vineyards, stone winepresses, farming terraces and old houses surrounded by Canarian palm trees, and arrive in Taganana, one of the oldest settlements on Tenerife and the zealous guardian of much of Anaga’s heritage. 44
TAMADISTE Roque Marrubial
Sabinar de Afur
El Chorro
AFUR
Distance: 14.3 km. Highest point: 861 m. Lowest point: 0 m. Total elevation gain: 1546.11 m. Total elevation loss: 1546.11 m. Nearby places of interest: Anaga Rural Park is a not-tobe-missed treasure of endemic flora and fauna. Its laurel forests have many trails to discover. Remarks: although the walk is not difficult, you need to wrap up well and wear comfortable footwear to ensure you can complete it without problems. Did you know? Taganana is the most important town in the Anaga Mountains and is also one of Tenerife’s oldest.
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TAGANANA
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Beaches. Gran Canaria. Las Salinas de Agaete
Text by Carla Rivero Photos by Carlos Novella
THE LAST EVENINGS OF WINTER AT LAS SALINAS DE AGAETE
Three bronze figures point to the horizon. Their broad gazes try and capture the rush of the waves in the poems they wrote in life. Poets Saulo Torón, Alonso Quesada and Tomás Morales indicate for visitors the path that runs from the seafront road in Puerto de las Nieves to its far end: the pools at Las Salinas de Agaete.
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Beaches. Gran Canaria. Las Salinas de Agaete
Here in north Gran Canaria, the day seems oblivious to the vicissitudes of the weather. Sea salt hangs in the air on a Sunday which is best savoured with fried baby squid washed down with a beer. Far off, in the city, lies the stressful bustle of last-minute shopping, smoke, cars and miles-long traffic queues in and around shopping centres. Who would want that stress when they could imitate a scuttling black crab in the sun instead? The seawater pools of the municipality are as recognisable as Agaete’s Virgin of the Snows, the La Rama festivities in the searing August heat, the ferry that connects the Canaries’ two capital islands, and the Finger of God rock in the sea, which was reduced to a stump by tropical storm Delta. Pepe laughs when he remembers this particular incident; he has already passed that lesson, he says to himself as he looks at his girlfriend Claudia. Originally from these parts, she has brought him here for the first time. He is from Ibiza and the young couple, who met in Barcelona, compare the landscapes of the two islands. “It is very different to where I come from and, for now, Agaete is my favourite place with its little town, the promenade, everything is so green...”. Awaiting them are three large pools that are connected by underground volcanic passageways and provide a refreshing swim when the crystal-clear waters at low tide allow you to see the bottom. At high tide the foamy waves knock and tumble the swimmers, who try to cling to the concrete posts.
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The aluminium steps bear the weight of old and young alike – age and physical shape matter little – and facilitate access to the Las Salinas pools. Snorkelling tubes make an appearance and a water dog tries to attract the attention of a retired fisherman who sits back and waits for a fish to take the bait. These naturally formed pools are situated at the mouth of the Agaete ravine, near another hidden spot called La Caleta beach. This part of northeast Gran Canaria is blessed by the trade winds so temperatures are stable all season and you can wear shorts and t-shirt, along with a hat to protect you from the sun during the hottest times of day. A few children manage to give their father the slip and he laughingly scolds them, shouting “hey, how are you going to dry off?”, in a typical family scene in a location that offers a variety of accents.
Towels will be needed to lie on Domestic engineering pulls out all the stops to ensure comfort. The terrain is full of notches and rocky ledges, and the soles of bare feet gradually adapt on the slippy stone surface when moving from one pool to another. Towels will be needed to lie on and baby pushchairs may need to be used to put up a sun umbrella, which one mother does as she hands out lunch boxes filled with pasta in tomato sauce.
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Beaches. Gran Canaria. Las Salinas de Agaete
Location: in the municipality of Agaete, north-east Gran Canaria; take the GC-2 road northwards. Lifeguards: no. Surfing beach: no. Restaurant: yes. Toilets: yes. Sunbeds and umbrellas: no. Adapted for the disabled: yes. Parking: yes. Public transport: bus route 103 (Global company).
The luckier people got here early and are lying on the wooden mats that were brought in to modernise the sunbathing area. Eulogio and Anabel are the proud parents of Abraham and Eric. Although the children are now older, their parents still travel over to Las Salinas from the capital, Las Palmas, to give them this brief moment of peace and quiet that they themselves asked for. “The grandchildren will also come here!” because, to quote them, it has everything: “quiet, parking, it is all so clean and the sand is not whipped up by the wind. In fact, the water is colder here but once you get in it is fine. Their children add: “Any problems you have disappear.” You have a cold, a migraine, something serious? Jump in and you will feel like new.
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Health. Healthy goals
By Cristina Torres Luzón Illustrated by Ilustre Mario
WHAT GOALS WILL I SET MYSELF THIS YEAR? We all make New Year’s resolutions, including many with a health focus. Eating healthily, doing exercise and ensuring we get enough rest tend to be the most common. Why not take a different approach this year and make progress month by month?
My proposal this year is to set small, health-related goals that will gradually help us feel better and use our time to the full. Nobody is saying it will be easy and we will almost certainly go off track many days. Shall we get started?
life sharing moments with people, situations, spaces … but we don’t stop to consider how each of these impacts on us. Now is a good time to connect and observe how they resonate in our interior and what messages they give us.
January is a good month to put into practice the good side of things philosophy: every time something unforeseen arises or our plans change, we activate our senses and find a positive to the situation.
With March comes the Spring, a special period to blossom and discover the things that make us happy. This could be reading a good book, having a coffee overlooking the sea, or walking in nature. Tuning into our surroundings gives us the chance to detect the things that cheer us up and invest time in doing more of these.
The cold month of February encourages us to take shelter. We go through
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Health. Healthy goals
In April we have already completed our first quarter of the year, so it is a good time to reflect and look back at how we have done during these months. We can give an outlet to our thoughts by writing or drawing. Alternatively, if we are more body-oriented, movement to music allows our emotions to surface.
it. Let’s give time and space during these days to people who energise us, fill us with vitality and make our grey days better. For many, September is a standstill month when we rethink the way ahead. Starting new projects, trying different hobbies and improving our skills is a great way to break a rut and create opportunities.
May is an invitation to travel and visit different places that enrich us on a personal level. However, we can also explore places we already know but from a different perspective. This new approach gives us the opportunity to detect nuances that previously went unnoticed. When we are too focused, our vision is blinkered and we fail to appreciate the bigger picture.
We are now in autumn and October invites us to get rid of things that are old, no longer contribute anything positive, and get in our way. It is time to get rid of any beliefs that have constrained us and prevented us from moving forward. While we are grateful for everything they have done for us so far, we realise that they can no longer accompany us.
It is time to get rid of any beliefs that have constrained us and prevented us from moving forward -
November can be an atypical month, in which we find ourselves in a variety of situations because the cold wants to come but the warmth is reluctant to leave. When we get obsessed about a problem or obstacle, it can be difficult to see the wider options available. How we approach this is what lets us see windows where others only see locks.
It is June already; five months ago we promised to ring in the changes to our life and we can now start gathering the fruits of that decision. Appreciating this personal commitment is a key part of the process. Learning to give positive reinforce to effort and achievement helps us progress along the right path.
Who would have believed it? December is here again another year and it is time to look back and take stock. We can use it to recall all the situations that have brought us peace and well-being, allowing us to improve our emotional balance. Some of our goals will have proven more difficult to achieve but others are here to stay. It is a time to feel satisfied at our efforts and achievements.
July can be an opportunity to think of the lessons to be drawn from life. How many times do we trip over the same stone and make the same mistakes? It’s time to stop and reflect on why we always end up in the same place and, more importantly, what changes we can make to produce different endings.
Although we often take for granted that we will live on, we should remember how lucky we are that life has given us another year. Are you ready to start living it immediately?
August is synonymous with holidays; it is a month when we are supposed to rest and yet we want to make the most of
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NT for Hospiten
COMPLEX SURGERY UNIT, HOSPITEN RAMBLA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL High-complexity surgery requires a high level of professional specialism as well as appropriate technology to treat illnesses needing such specialisation due to the difficulties they pose. By this we mean primarily oncological surgery, where the latest strategies (complex surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, ablation therapies) enable us to treat the primary disease and its metastases with guaranteed success. According to Dr Manuel Barrera Gómez, head of General Surgery and Digestive Apparatus Surgery at the Hospiten Rambla University Hospital, “high-complexity surgery requires specific training and multidisciplinary teams (specialists in oncology, digestive surgery, anaesthesia, radiodiagnosis, nuclear medicine, etc.) supported by minimally invasive surgery for the best results”.
Illnesses treated at the unit include cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, colorectal cancer, cancer of the rectum, liver, liver metastases, pancreas, neuroendocrine tumours, thyroid nodules, parathyroid, primary or metastatic adrenal nodules and masses, rectal tumours, haemorrhoids, fissures and anal fistulas, inguinal and umbilical hernias, eventration and other pathologies such as hiatal hernia, gastroesophageal reflux, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and gallbladder and bile duct stones.
“We are a benchmark in healthcare, with a team that delivers top patient care thanks to our extensive experience and our use of minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy) and state-of-the-art technology”.
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Survey
FANCY PLAYING A PART IN THE CANARIAN GUIDE TO MADRID? Access www.revistabinter.com/encuesta/, list five recommendations and help us write the Canarian guide to Madrid with our NT magazine readers. Think of museums (it could even be the Museum of Ham!), parks (including children’s or pets’), streets (shopping or historic), shops, “what a great place” bars, restaurants, theatres, galleries … that you always visit when in Madrid and which are part of your life; places you go to time and time again as if they are home. Would you like to share five such special places in Madrid? That way we can all enjoy them when we fly with Binter to the Spanish capital from February onwards. We will compile a classification of reader recommendations of places to have fun and see new and interesting things in Madrid. Prize: a free flight to any destination in the Canaries for two people (must be residents in the islands). Subject to availability. Deadline: 31 January The winner of the October 2023 survey (NT 247) is María González Acosta.
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What’s On
THEATRE, MUSIC AND ACTIVITIES
LA PALMA
CANO
IN PARALLEL
TENERIFE
FADO AND CHANSON IN FEMININE GUISE
Aguere Cultural Space 3 February
Church of Los Remedios Los Llanos 30 January
Singer Cano is from Madrid, Rivas Vaciamadrid to be precise. Despite his young age has achieved significant impact on the urban scene and hs become an idol for many listeners. Key themes of his lyrics include the street, neighbourhood, money, and love. His catchphrase Dinero pa quitarme de problemas (‘Money to make my problems go away’) has helped him connect with a massive audience.
The Canary Islands International Music Festival (FIMC) presents this delightful chamber programme by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields as part of its In Parallel section. This is a golden opportunity to enjoy the work of this London orchestra, that is taking part in the 40th FIMC and begins with a select repertoire that includes the Ricercare a 6 of Bach’s famous Musical Offering, a masterpiece of the Baroque period.
GRAN CANARIA
MARWÁN Tenerife Auditorium 24 February Singer María Berasarte focuses on fado and chanson, two genres admired worldwide but never heard in the same concert. To this she adds converging and inspirational realities such as the legacy and sentiment of female voices from both genres, including Édith Piaf, Barbara, Amália Rodrigues, Maria Teresa de Noronha and François Hardy. A legacy that embodies the tradition of inspirational cities such as Paris and Lisbon. The past acquires new meaning in the present and is reflected in the versatility and elegance of top musicians from Portugal, Spain and Argentina who accompany Berasarte, a native of San Sebastián.
Alfredo Kraus Auditorium 27 January Marwán is one of the leading singer-songwriters in Spain and Latin America and is back to present his latest work. Following his El Viejo boexeador tour consisting of 70 concerts in Spain and ten in Mexico, he returns to the stage with his latest album, 20 Aniversario, for which he re-recorded his songs in duets with artists from Spain and abroad.
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CANARIES
JAVIER PERIANES
CARNIVAL
Pérez Galdós Theatre 31 January The successes achieved by Perianes performing solo and in his collaborations with orchestras in Vienna, Cleveland, New York, Berlin and London conducted by famous figures such as Barenboim, Mehta, Dudamel and Jurowski, have made him one of most internationally-renowned Spanish musicians. He is the winner of the 2012 National Music Award, 2019 ICMA Artist of the Year, and the Medal of Honour at the Granada Festival.
LA GOMERA
OCEAN Island Auditorium 26 January Ocean merges musical creations by composers from the Canaries and beyond, narrative and live oil painting. It uses the different arts to create a unique show with a single thematic thread. The multidisciplinary show seeks to offer the viewer something unique in which various arts come together to transform an idea, a concept, into a work of art. Based on the ocean as a sentiment and bond, musicians Sergio Rodríguez, Candelaria Dorta and Ayoze Rodríguez have composed works specifically for the show, which receives its premiere here.
From 12 January to 18 February Different locations Carnival is one of the most important and colourful cultural events in the Canaries and takes place throughout the islands, although most importantly in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which stage some of Spain’s best-known Carnivals. Tenerife’s Carnival celebrations begin on 12 January and last until 18 February. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria they begin on 26 January and end also on 18 February. During these main dates locals and tourists can enjoy the wide range of Carnival activities and events in the Canaries.
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What’s On
SAN SEBASTIÁN
LILLE
EL BARRIO
MIKA
Kursaal Auditorium 16 March El Barrio, one of the most important artists on the music scene at present, comes to San Sebastián’s Kursaal Auditorium on 16 March for a live performance of his new studio album Atemporal which, in the artist’s own words, “sees me go back to my past to collect remnants of old records.”
Zénith Arena 3 March Mika rose to stardom thanks to the blend of catchy pop and touches of glam that characterised his impressive debut album Life in Cartoon Motion, released in 2007. Winner of a prestigious Brit Award and an MTV award, he has combined his most recent musical works with his role as a judge on talent shows such as The X Factor (Italy) and The Voice (France).
MADRID
VENICE
NOTHING BUT THIEVES
VENICE CARNIVAL
Sala La Riviera 1 March The British alternative indie rock band take to the stage on 1 March at La Riviera as part of their Welcome To The DCC World Tour, where they present their fourth album, Dead Club City. The album was released in 2023 and brought the band their first No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. Its opening track is Welcome to the DCC, the name of the tour.
City of Venice From 27 January to 13 February Venice’s Carnival is considered one of the world’s most famous. During Carnival, the Italian city is teeming with acrobats, musicians, clowns and magicians. Period costumes are worn and parties, parades and balls are the order of the day. The big days featuring the most important events and balls take place in the second week, from 8-13 February. The costumes adopt a specific theme each year.
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FLORENCE
LEVANTE
INSOLATION
Levante (real name Claudia Lagona) released her first studio album Manuale distruzione a year later and followed up with Abbi cura di te (2015) and Nel chaos di stanze stupefacenti (2017) which helped her popularity grow even further. She has recently released Opera Futura and Magmamemoria.
MANOLO SÁNCHEZ AND EXPERIMENTS WITH WATERCOLOURS
Until 13 April CajaCanarias Cultural Space Until 13 April, the CajaCanarias Cultural Space in La Laguna (Plaza del Adelantado, 3) hosts the exhibition entitled Manolo Sánchez and experiments with watercolours, which is devoted to the much-loved Tenerife painter who passed away recently. For full information see cajacanarias.com.
GEOMETRIA MUNDI
Sede Afundación, A Coruña Until 17 February
Verdi Theatre 18 March
EXHIBITIONS AND FAIRS
A CORUÑA
Tenerife Espacio de las Artes Until February This exhibition takes its name from two novels that share the same title: by Carmen Laforet (1963) and Emilia Pardo Bazán (1889). In both, the ever-present sun sets in motion a series of seemingly trivial incidents that end up changing the lives of the main characters, while the others seem to remain unchanged, on their guard against anything that contravenes the norms. Martín and Asís Taboada navigate a reality that leaves them stunned and exhausted, one they can no longer remain on their guard against and which leads to a clear context of ruin. Painters José Martín (1922-1996) and Sofía Bassi (1913-1998) appear to reveal this collapsing world, probably because their own personal experiences, which see them relegated to the margins, shape stories far removed from the history of art.
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The Geometria Mundi exhibition dedicated to Luis Caruncho simultaneously covers all the fields in which the A Coruña painter and sculptor worked. It enables visitors to immerse themselves in the creative world of the artist through over one hundred works from his 60-year career. The works range from his early approaches, including one piece from 1949, until 2012. Luis Caruncho, who died in 2016, was a renowned artist in the A Coruña, popularly known as the city of Hercules. His contributions include not only his intense activity as a painter and sculptor of so-called geometric abstraction but also his design work in a broad range of areas, particularly his many architectural contributions.
SAN SEBASTIÁN
BRAIN(S) San Telmo Museum Until April The exhibition explores the mysteries of the brain from different perspectives down the ages. Using historical, scientific and artistic materials, it challenges our understanding of conscious experience and explores how art, science and philosophy have studied and represented this fascinating organ throughout history.
NT for La Pasadilla restaurant
TRADITION AND INNOVATION: THE CORE OF LA PASADILLA
Located in the heart of Gran Canaria since 1979, La Pasadilla is more than a restaurant: it is testament to the fusion of culinary tradition and modernity. Founded by Carmen, a master of home cooking, and now headed by her son Carmelo, the restaurant is a tribute to the island’s authentic flavours.
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Nurtured since childhood in the secrets of his mother’s cooking, Carmelo has adopted not just her recipes but her passion for gastronomy. Tradition is kept alive in La Pasadilla through dishes such as its unique house bread, mutton, veal soup, and exquisite meats barbecued on the embers of almond trees. There is more, however: Carmelo’s innovation creations are a fusion of Canarian cuisine and contemporary elements and they include scrambled eggs with seasonal mushrooms and Iberian ham, and pochas beans with sea bass. you to discover a culinary experience that showcases local ingredients and sustainability in a welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere.
La Pasadilla is a haven also for gluten-free enthusiasts, with seasonal desserts that are the crowning jewel of this gastronomic experience. Each dish invites us to enjoy the quality and freshness of the ingredients, many of which are locally sourced.
To immerse yourself in La Pasadilla is to savour a cuisine that evokes memories of Carmen and embraces Carmelo’s innovative vision. More than a restaurant, it is an encounter with the best of Canarian gastronomy. We look forward to welcoming you in 2024 to share and enjoy our passion for good food.
La Pasadilla is a culinary destination for all, not just those living in Gran Canaria but visitors from the other Canary Islands and beyond. This new year we invite
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Gastronomy. Aromatic plants
By Francisco Belín Illustrated by Ilustre Mario
WITH CANARIAN AROMATIC PLANTS YOU ARE GUARANTEED A HAPPY TUMMY Let any reader who has not overindulged at Christmas foodwise cast the first stone. The excesses of December manifest themselves in the extra weight put on or in tummy ache which our grandmothers pulled out all the stops to cure, back in the days when herbs and plants in the Canary Islands were used to not just for medicinal purposes but to season foods, balancing the properties of truly natural medicines grown at home or gathered wild. A number of January features in this NT magazine have included advice from nutritionists because, as a rule, everyone has probably stuffed themselves with food over the festive period. It is worth recalling that, in the past, grandmothers in the Canary Island used to cure the tummy aches of children and adults thanks to their knowledge of the healing properties of herbs, aromatic plants and even edible flowers.
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Gastronomy. Aromatic plants
Not only do these improve dishes being cooked, they also give us a lift in terms of mood and raise our spirits. Each of the Islands uses a variety of such plants to enhance or refine dishes tastewise, while also catering for the requirement that family meals should be healthy.
Oregano and rosemary are ideal for seasoning meat due to their strong aroma and high taste thresholds, although they should not be over-used as they can make dishes bitter. While there is no disputing the culinary benefits of the above, the orographic conditions and microclimates of our islands also produce a wide variety of botanical elements that we would never imagine capable of adding that definitive touch to our adventures and achievements in the kitchen. Borage, for example, which Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used in ancient times not only as seasoning but as an actual ingredient, can act as a fine and delicate vegetable cooked simply with a little salt and oil. It can also be used in stews, soups, omelettes, broths or even battered.
Coriander is a must in various rice preparations, stews and a host of other dishes. It is a firm favourite in Canary Island recipe books and in fusions arising out of long-past historical occurrences. In addition to its particular flavour, which you may or may not find appealing, it has stimulating, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties and is also a source of vitamins C, K, A, B1 and B2, not to mention minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Who would have thought it of these little leaves?
Cañasanta (lemon grass), which has a very expressive name in Spanish (‘holy cane’), is recommended for stomach pain, gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhoea, vomiting and even stomach, kidney and liver cramp. Many people turn to it also as an effective remedy for nervous conditions such as anxiety, headaches and insomnia. For its part, sage should not be restricted to the treatment of colds, which would be a crime. It is used also in dishes containing eggs, chicken, lamb and tropical pineapple.
Many sprigs of these sources of health are therefore crucial not just in infusions but to give our cooking its own unique ‘accent’ Many sprigs of these sources of health are therefore crucial not just in infusions but to give our cooking its own unique ‘accent’. If the following ones do not sound familiar, none will. Thyme is an aromatic herb of Mediterranean origin that is rich in essential oils. In addition to being used fresh, it is often dried by cutting the stems close to the ground and hanging them in bunches in a cool and dry place with little light. Its flowers are also used as seasoning and decoration for dishes.
Plants with popular names provide many interesting stories and, in that regard, mention must be made of greñamillo (cornsilk), which is widely believed to have diuretic properties. It is also used to treat urinary tract irritations and kidney stones and to reduce high blood pressure, as well as being a complement to detox and weight-loss diets. In the old days it was believed that men should limit their intake for reasons that we can easily guess...
Garden mint can be used as an infusion or as a condiment, particularly in soups such as picadillo or El Hierro’s limpets, edible snail and crab soup.
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News from Binter
BINTER PRESENTS NEW MADRID ROUTES TO TRAVEL AGENTS Binter met with two hundred travel agents from Gran Canaria and Tenerife to present the airline’s new flights between the Canaries and Madrid as well as the differentiating features of its product on what is the most important air route for the Canary Island market.
Under the banner of Madrid, you look good in green!, the airline gathered representatives of its main accounts and the most important travel agents for two events, which were organised in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife respectively. The events took the form of a dynamic workshop that included an improvisation show which familiarised attendees with details of the new flight connections in an original and entertaining way.
A key air route for Canarian travel agents The Canaries–Madrid route is a key one for travel agents in the islands given that virtually half of airline tickets sold in the Canaries are for travel on the route. Moreover, 83 % of tickets for the route are sold by travel agents on Tenerife and Gran Canaria. As the attendees noted, Canarian travel agents also look good in green!
The travel agents also benefited from a variety of prizes that included flights – for two people – to Madrid and tickets to enjoy the capital’s top experiences. 68
UD GRANADILLA TENERIFE SOAR TO SUCCESS WITH BINTER SUPPORT Binter’s commitment to women’s football in the islands is a key ingredient of its support for Tenerife’s only team in the top flight in Spain. Founded in 2013, the club achieved glory a mere two years later by securing meteoric promotion to the Iberdrola Women’s League.
It goes without saying that football is a sport whose universal nature lends itself to the integration of all groups in society. It is equally true that there has been an exponential and unstoppable rise in the influence of women’s football throughout the world.
Spanish women’s football. Like the two men’s professional football clubs in the Canaries, the so-called ‘warriors’ have to contend with the handicaps posed by insularity and the distance to the Spanish mainland. However, the club’s competitive outlook is in no way diminished by this barrier given that Binter Social provides key help to facilitate travel by the players and coaching staff.
In this regard, Binter has positioned itself as a strategic ally of the most prolific club in this field, helping it compete better with the big guns of women’s football in Spain. The airline has devoted special attention and effort to UD Granadilla Tenerife over the past decade because the club is a flagship both for its modest approach and as a factory of talent in the Canary Islands.
The airline’s contribution extends also to the club’s reserve side. After a troubled season, the junior warriors were relegated to the RFEF Second Division despite showing admirable dedication and fight. The fact that seven reserve players made their debut in the top flight of Spanish women’s football highlights the Tenerife club’s commitment to ensuring young players have opportunities to succeed.
The team’s productive time in the premiership (now known as the Finetwork Liga F) has catapulted it to the top of 69
News from Binter
BINTER OPENS NEW AERONAUTICAL TRAINING FACILITY Binter president Rodolfo Núñez has officially opened the new facilities of Aeronautical Training Canarias, a cutting-edge training centre approved by Spain’s Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and committed to delivering training excellence and employment opportunities for its students.
The opening was attended by the Canarian minister for Education, Vocational Training, Physical Exercise and Sport, Poli Suárez; the deputy minister for Vocational Training and Qualifications, Francisco Rodríguez; the mayor of Agüimes, Oscar Hernández, and ATC director Yurena Castro. The new centre in the Arinaga industrial estate in Gran Canaria is 1288 m2 in size and is spread over four floors, which house eleven training classrooms and two meeting rooms, as well as a library, dining area, offices and adapted toilets.
At the forefront of aeronautical training Binter and the Canaries are at the forefront of targeted in-person and online training in a highly specialised sector which is witnessing growing demand for professionals.
For its part, the 1261m2 workshop zone has storage areas, workshops and an engine area for practical Vocational Training. It also features an actual ATR 72-500 aircraft, the interior of which has been converted to the 600 model to provide theoretical and practical training for Binter crews and external collaborators.
The new centre further evidences the airline’s drive to boost the economy of the Canaries and contribute both to socioeconomic growth and the creation of specialised jobs that bring added value to the different components of the islands’ economy. 70
SSP DESCUENTO DIRECTO ¡Este enero no todo van a ser cuestas! Le invitamos a seguir saboreando sus ventajas a través de un descuento directo con SSP. Solo tiene que presentar su tarjeta BinterMás en el momento de abonar su consumición en los establecimientos seleccionados del aeropuerto de Gran Canaria. BinterMás Oro BinterMás Plata BinterMás Verde
15% descuento directo 7% descuento directo 5% descuento directo
Validez: hasta el 31/01/2024. Solo en el aeropuerto de Gran Canaria y únicamente en los establecimientos adheridos.
bintercanarias.com (922) o (928) 327 700
Gran Canaria
DREAMPLACE HOTELS & RESORTS ¡Nueva incorporación! El establecimiento Cristina by Tigotan 5* se une al programa aumentando las opciones para aprovechar sus puntos BinterMás. Disfrute de una espectacular ubicación frente a la playa de Las Canteras.
Cristina by Tigotan 5*
Sume 375 puntos/noche Utilice 15.013 puntos/noche dreamplacehotels.com 902 210 902
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Occidental Jandía Playa 4*, Fuerteventura
BARCELÓ HOTEL GROUP SUME PUNTOS x2 Situada en un enclave de lujo, la playa de Jandía es el destino perfecto para unas vacaciones inolvidables. Disfrute de experiencias únicas y ¡multiplique sus puntos! mientras se relaja en este entorno natural.
Occidental Jandía Playa 4* Occidental Jandía Mar 4* Occidental Jandía Royal Level 4*
Sume x2 180 + 180 puntos/noche 180 + 180 puntos/noche 270 + 270 puntos/noche barcelo.com 971 928 021
Validez: enero 2024.
Gran Canaria
DUNAS HOTELS & RESORTS SUME PUNTOS x2 + BENEFICIO EXCLUSIVO Sume el doble de puntos mientras vive una experiencia única en un oasis de exuberante vegetación, ideal para una escapada tranquila y exclusiva, ya sea solo, en pareja o con amigos. Además, los titulares BinterMás Oro y Plata podrán disfrutar de un beneficio exclusivo gratuito. Suites & Villas by Dunas 4*
Sume x2 500 + 500 puntos/noche
Beneficio exclusivo Upgrade gratuito a Villa Premium para titulares BinterMás Oro y Plata. hotelesdunas.com 902 142 828
Validez: enero 2024.
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Gran Canaria
Lopesan Baobab Resort 5*, Gran Canaria
MARINA GRAN CANARIA
LOPESAN HOTEL GROUP
SUME PUNTOS x2
SUME PUNTOS x2
Gane el doble de puntos disfrutando de largas horas de sol junto a las espectaculares vistas del océano Atlántico gracias a la idílica situación del Marina Bayview.
Disfrute de un remanso de paz que a su vez cuenta con un sinfín de planes de entretenimiento, mientras duplica sus puntos.
Marina Bayview 4*
Sume x2 215 + 215 puntos/noche
Validez: enero 2024.
marinagrancanaria.com 928 153 015
Hoteles Lopesan Baobab Resort 5* Corallium Beach 3* Abora Interclub Atlantic 4*
Validez: enero 2024.
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Sume x2 470 + 470 puntos/noche 260 + 260 puntos/noche 260 + 260 puntos/noche
lopesan.com 928 402 418
UN MUNDO DE VENTAJAS, EN MÁS DE 30 EMPRESAS ASOCIADAS... VUELOS
VUELOS + HOTEL
COMPRAS
BINTER (922) o (928) 327 700 bintercanarias.com Obtención: de 50 hasta 1.800 Puntos
CANARIASVIAJA (922) o (928) 24 81 61 canariasviaja.com Obtención: 1 Punto por 1 €
CANARIENSIS 900 252 423 aldeasa.com Obtención: 120 Puntos por 30 €
IBERIA 902 400 500 iberia.com Obtención: de 10 hasta 1.650 Puntos
BIENESTAR
GOLF
TALASOTERAPIA LAS CANTERAS 928 271 170 talasoterapialascanteras.com Obtención: 40 Puntos/circuito
SALOBRE GOLF RESORT 928 94 30 04 salobrehotel.com/golf/ Obtención: 100 Puntos
ESTACIONES DE SERVICIO
SOCIAL
DISA 900 818 411 disagrupo.es Obtención: hasta 75 Puntos
UNICEF 928 269 293 unicef.es Donación de 300 hasta 500 Puntos
GOLD BY MARINA 928 948 555 goldbymarina.com Obtención: 215 puntos
LOPESAN HOTEL GROUP 928 402 418 lopesan.com Obtención: de 260 hasta 420 puntos
H10 HOTELS 900 444 466 h10hotels.com Obtención: de 250 hasta 420 puntos
MARINA GRAN CANARIA 928 153 015 marinagrancanaria.com Obtención: 215 puntos
HOTEL CORDIAL MOGÁN PLAYA 928 143 393 becordial.com Obtención: 470 puntos
MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL 912 764 747 melia.com Obtención: de 100 hasta 200 puntos
HOTELES ELBA 902 172 182 hoteleselba.com Obtención: de 140 hasta 800 puntos
R2 HOTELS 928 546 054 r2hotels.com Obtención: de 200 hasta 300 puntos
HOTEL PARQUE TROPICAL 928 774 012 hotelparquetropical.com Obtención: 200 puntos
SALOBRE HOTEL RESORT 928 943 000 salobrehotel.com Obtención: 340 puntos
ALQUILER DE COCHES CICAR 928 822 900 cicar.com Obtención: de 40 hasta 100 Puntos AVIS 902 135 531 avis.es Obtención: de 50 hasta 75 Puntos
ALOJAMIENTOS ARRECIFE GRAN HOTEL & SPA 928 800 000 aghotelspa.com Obtención: de 240 hasta 330 puntos BARCELÓ HOTEL GROUP 902 101 001 barcelo.com Obtención: de 150 hasta 660 puntos BUENDÍA CORRALEJO NOHOTEL 928 943 027 buendiacorralejo.com Obtención: 215 puntos
CORAL HOTELS
CORAL HOTELS 928 327 700 coral-hotels.com Obtención: de 160 hasta 560 puntos
Happiness in the Sun
DREAMPLACE HOTELS & RESORTS 902 210 902 dreamplacehotels.com Obtención: de 200 hasta 600 puntos DUNAS HOTELS & RESORTS 902 142 828 hotelesdunas.com Obtención: de 300 hasta 500 puntos GLORIA THALASSO & HOTELS 928 128 505 gloriapalaceth.com Obtención: de 55 hasta 415 puntos
IBEROSTAR HOTELS & RESORTS 902 995 555 iberostar.com Obtención: de 210 hasta 300 puntos INCLUSIVE COLLECTION PART OF HYATT HOTELS & RESORTS 911 229 744 www.hyattinclusivecollection.com Obtención: de 600 hasta 750 puntos
SHERATON FUERTEVENTURA BEACH, GOLF & SPA RESORT 928 495 100 sheraton.com/fuerteventura Obtención: 640 puntos VILA BALEIRA HOTELS & RESORTS +351 291 980 800 vilabaleira.com Obtención: 165 puntos
Puede consultar las condiciones completas de obtención y utilización de puntos en bintermas.com o en el (922) o (928) 327 700.
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230 daily flights - 4,4 million passengers annually 8 inter-island destinations - 13 domestic destinations (Spain) 13 international destinations
Lille
Venice A Coruña Santander Vigo
Asturias
Toulouse
Florence
San Sebastián Pamplona
Valladolid Zaragoza Majorca
Madrid
MADEIRA
Murcia Jerez de la Frontera
Funchal
CANARY ISLANDS
La Graciosa
La Palma Tenerife La Gomera
Lanzarote Fuerteventura
Marrakesh Agadir Guelmim
Gran Canaria
El Hierro
Granada
El-Aaiún Dajla Nuakchot
CAPE VERDE Sal
Dakar
INTER-ISLAND CANARY ISLANDS: El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Graciosa
DOMESTIC (SPAIN) A Coruña – Thu, Sun Asturias – Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Granada – Mon, Wed, Fri Jerez de la Frontera – Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri Majorca – Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun Madrid – * Every day from February
Murcia – Mon, Wed, Fri Pamplona – Wed, Fri, Sun San Sebastián – Tue, Thu, Sun Santander – Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun Valladolid – Mon, Thu Vigo – Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Zaragoza – Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
INTERNATIONAL Florence – Sat Venice – Sat Lille – Tue Toulouse – Sat
Sal – Fri Funchal – Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat Porto Santo (From Funchal) – Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun Agadir – Sun Dajla – Tue, Sat Dakar – Tue, Sat, Sun El-Aaiún – Tue, Sat Guelmim – Wed, Sat Marrakesh – Thu, Sun Nuakchot – Mon, Wed, Sat
For updates, see our website, APP and social media.
bintercanarias.com — 922 or 928 32 77 00 — Airport Sales Offices – Travel Agencies
ESCAPE
INTO LUXURY
Imagine tranquillity, serenity and relaxation in an exquisite setting designed with you in mind. Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa is a haven for rejuvenating body and facial treatments, soothing hydrotherapy, relaxing massages, and pampering salons. Reach a new level of healing and relaxation with a spa designed to inspire a delicate sense of well-being and pamper you from head to toe. Live an unforgettable spa experience at Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa.
MAKE YOUR RESERVATION For inquiries and bookings: +34 828 08 08 00 Availability and prices: Reservations.seclz@secretsresorts.com Secretsresorts.com