Streets of Puerto de la Cruz

Hello again!

Sunday, February 26th was the last day of carnival celebrations and my walking partner and I planned to go walking down into the town again.  It was a sunny warm day, 24°C  (75.2°F) and instead of heading down the stairs this time we walked down the main Botanico road.

 Walking down the Botanico road in Puerto de la Cruz.

There's a lovely little Drago tree planted in the walkway on the way down, accompanied by a couple of park benches, presumably to provide a rest for those intrepid pedestrians courageous enough to tackle the uphill walk.  Not an easy task, especially if one has been enjoying a lunch of paella and wine shortly before.  So far we have opted out and taken taxis back up the hill!

 But the uphill trek is still in our future plans. One friend of my walking pal is a man who has been doing the down and uphill walk every day for some time and as a result he has lost 25 kilos weight.

The town was still busy with tourists and costumed children wandering the streets to the distant sounds of Latin rhythms emanating from speakers down in the plaza.

Street vendors and living statues added their colour to the scene.

Here one is hoping to sell genuine handbags to the passing tourists.

And as we near the plaza we begin to hear the hum of the crowd blending in with recorded carnival music coming from loudspeakers set up on a stage on one side of the plaza.

Down in Plaza del Charco the Cafe Columbus was already filled with diners and those who chose to just sit, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere of sights and sounds.

The plaza was filled with stalls selling costumes, headdresses and all manner of fancy dress.

So after browsing and doing a couple of turns around the plaza we settled down to find a table and again try out that great paella from the same chiringuito (a snack or dining stall set up on a temporary basis) where we ate last Sunday.

And here is one of the paellas nearly ready for serving.

And to put an end to carnival season, here's another video I put together from Sunday's clips.

Thanks for dropping by.  I'll be back soon with more recent photos from my life in Tenerife.

Till then, ¡hasta la vista!

Walking To The Plaza

I'd better get these photos from last Sunday up on the blog because it's Sunday again tomorrow and my walking friend and I, a lady from my Pilates class,  intend to walk down to the town again for the last day of carnival here.  Actually we walk for the exercise but it will be an added attraction to see the crowds, the costumes, the food and hear the music, even though it's usually blaring out at so many decibels that it can probably be heard in the next town.

We start with walking down many many stairs.  I was aching a little the next day!
Good exercise for your calf muscles, but maybe not so good for your knees

When nearly at bottom we get a glimpse of the sea and cliffs covered with palms and cactus.

Down in the town we pass by Calle La Hoya, now a pedestrian street, formerly a very congested road where early morning traffic jams and car horns were a cacophony of sound. 
Thankfully it's now a quiet shopping street with no traffic.

As we near the main plaza the crowds become more dense.  There were competitions of childrens' costumes that morning. The air was a little chilly but the sun was out. 

Down in the plaza  people were sitting where they could to have a lunch or drink.  The
outdoor cafes were full and one was lucky to find a free table. Music was blaring from a live band.

We were lucky to find a seat at a little churinguito....a provisional eatery set up for carnival.
There were typical tapas of jamón serrano, cheeses, paella, Spanish olives and hot dishes.

The waiter begins to slice the serrano ham for a tapas plate.
These are the cured hams that are mounted on a frame to hold them while they are being sliced.
Serrano ham is nearly always included in a selection of tapas, along with cheese and olives.

And here are a couple of paellas being prepared and served along with a huge pan of potato with onion, garlic, green & red pepper slices, called Patatas A Lo Pobre , or roughly 'poor man's potatoes', although there's nothing poor about the flavour.  It's one of my favourite dishes, and is seen cooking on the far side of the photo.

Mmmm...here's one paella still cooking to reduce the broth, while the waiter above serves from one which is ready and garnished with lemon slices, shrimp and mussels.

My friend and I manage to find a couple of empty seats at the churinguito.  I had paella and she had baked green peppers. The other sidewalk cafes were also filled with people enjoying the food and carnival atmosphere,  and the music blared on!

Here's a little video I made that day.  I'm afraid I need to practise a lot more at taking videos. But you can get an impression of the atmosphere and a lesson on how to slice the ham!

Thanks for dropping by.  See you soon....¡hasta la vista!

Carnival in Puerto de la Cruz

This year the carnival celebrations of Puerto de la Cruz have 'recycling' as the theme.

And so the poster announcing the festivities, designed by Anoniman, shows a face decorated with random bits of metal objects to demonstrate that even a few screws and loose nuts can be made into a costume for carnival.

and this year the carnival queen of Puerto de la Cruz is Virginia Molina Marrero.

 The first runner up or 1st dama de honor is Carolay Garrido Rodriguez, pictured below:

Credits for these photos go to the photographers of the official carnival websites.

The main parade in Puerto de la Cruz will be on Saturday, February 25 and there will also be another day carnival in the streets on the next day, Sunday February 25 from 10:30 am.

I will probably be down in the plaza to join the crowds.

I'll be back next with my street photos from last Sunday. 
Thanks for dropping by and ¡hasta la vista!

Carnival in Tenerife

We're in the midst of the Tenerife carnival....or carnaval, as it's written in Spanish.
Yesterday the main parade was held in the capital city, Santa Cruz and tonight is
the 'Burial of the Sardine'.

Here are some photos taken from the official carnival website, here on this link.
Credit goes to the unnamed photographer(s) 'Prensa' whose photos appear on that site and here below.

                       Here is the coronation of this year's Reina de Carnaval (Carnival Queen)

And since I love the sounds and rhythms of carnival music, here's one song that's always present...a favourite of Tenerife locals: Chicharrero de Corazon, video from 2009.

      

I'll be back very soon with more of my own photos taken in the streets during this carnival season.Thanks for your visit and ¡hasta la vista!

The Snow Came

Teide Snow on February 17

But it was just a light covering and didn't last long. Today on February 21 it's nothing more than a few white shadows in the crevices of the mountain flanks.  We haven't had rain this winter and to get a good snowfall we need a heavy rain.  Other than that the garden is still looking green, thanks to my helper Teresa who remembers to turn on the sprinkler and water the flower pots.

One of my favourite corners of the front tropical garden.

 The Osteospermum glows in the late afternoon sun.

And that special golden light just before sunset.

And now the Tenerife Carnival is in full swing, so I'd better post a few photos of the festivities.  Coming up next!

Bye for now and thanks for your visit. ¡Hasta la vista!