Street Scenes and The Weather Report

 Lookout in La Paz, Tenerife

I've been doing a daily weather column in a local forum since last year and along with the current weather conditions in my area of North Tenerife I include photos taken the same morning and the previous afternoon.

The Teide in February

This is my own choice to include photos but it does give an impression of the general climate and atmosphere of this part of the island.  It also requires me to get out and walk around each day, including days when I'm not in the mood for an outing, even if it's just in my own garden. So the weather report does have a beneficial effect on me as well.

 The Lido at Downtown Puerto de la Cruz & Martianez Beach

  But living in this wonderful climate, it doesn't take much prompting to get me outdoors walking around with the camera, or jumping in the car, driving somewhere and stopping to take photos.  I really do enjoy it.  So I should include some of those picture here, even though they are for the most part just casual snapshots, albeit taken with some thought.

So here are a few of my daily photos taken with my small pocket point and shoot Panasonic Lumix.  I'll continue in future to include some of these daily street and garden scenes to show this lovely part of Tenerife island.

This young lady didn't know I was photographing her as she was taking a photo of the sleeping cat:

Thanks for dropping by.  Do come again.  ¡Hasta la Vista!

The TV Show

It was well done.  I loved Javier's camera work and the background music.
Here are a few clips from my part in Canarias Mi Mundo on TV Canarias February 16, 2011.

Beginning in La Paz, in Puerto de la Cruz, overlooking Playa Martianez

In my Pilates class

Going for coffee afterwards with classmates

Arriving at my garden

Showing off one of the brugmansias

And my classical guitar

 

 My photo that got on a cookbook cover in Canada

Leaving my garden

Arriving in La Orotava at Casa de Los Balcones

Showing off the hand organ 

Looking at the antiques floor

Admiring the local handcrafted pulled thread lacework

Saying goodbye

Thank you for your visit!  Do come back again another day.  

¡Hasta la Vista!

Canarias Mi Mundo - I'm On Tomorrow

Photo taken by the sea wall in La Paz, Puerto de la Cruz

My participation in the TV Canarias program about foreigners living in Canary Islands will be shown tomorrow evening, February 16 at 11:00 pm.  They are now putting out publicity photos of those participating in the show and here is one of me, taking photos of the sea for a local forum where I write about weather and scenery in North Tenerife.
I haven't seen any rough cuts of the filming we did in November so I wonder how it will turn out!

It will be fun to see how they filmed my pals in Pilates class, where the camera crew also came to visit.

My classmates are excited to be seeing themselves on TV!

  More later.......

Beautiful Sunset - January 31

After so much rain, there was a misty sunset this evening that transformed our front garden into a surrealistic scene. The light was magical.  It touched the roses which had been rain soaked and head bent and brought them back to life.  The distant mountains were bathed in a soft golden haze.  I don't remember having seen such a beautiful light.

   I had to run and get a camera.

  

It reminded me of a light I had seen in paintings by old masters.  

Almost too lovely to be real.

The time was 6:04 pm to 6:08 pm and the camera was a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10.

Thanks for your visit. Hasta la vista!

TEA and HISTORY

Actually, it was history first and tea later when Derek Winterbottom's new book,
 "TENERIFE An English History" was presented to an appreciative audience of over eighty guests in the gardens of Sitio Litre in Puerto de la Cruz last Wednesday, January 12, 2011.

Derek, an historian and author of some twenty publications has now written a comprehensive history of the island as it has been recorded in the English language.

 Derek Winterbottom

After guests were seated in the garden,  John Lucas and Ken Fisher began by introducing the author, who then took the microphone to tell us about his new book.

 The weather was fair and sunny. 
There were ladies wearing summery straw hats, and men in Panamas. 

Peter, a friend of the author

Tea and coffee were served with sandwiches and cakes after the presentation. 

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at the event and it was pleasant to stroll around the garden afterward to admire the orchids and other exotic plants.

Unlike many other publications in English about Tenerife, Derek's book takes one in a very readable manner through the island's history and development from the early volcanic beginnings,  the Guanche era, the Spanish conquest, the arrival of foreign visitors and settlers,  the growth of agriculture and trade,  up to events of recent years.

With a detailed index of local names and places, and with photos in both colour and black and white, "TENERIFE An English History"  will serve as an invaluable introduction to the island's history for those English-speaking residents or visitors who would like to improve their knowledge of Tenerife's interesting past.

Derek Winterbottom

Derek Winterbottom resides on the Isle of Man and spends winters on Tenerife. 

His book is available through the English Library in Puerto de la Cruz and costs twelve Euros.

Slideshow of Derek Winterbottom's book launch in the gardens of Sitio Litre.

Have a lovely weekend! Thanks for dropping by and hasta la vista!

Arroz À La Cubana (Cuban Rice)

 I don't often post recipes since there are so many hundreds of blogs which do just that.  But yesterday I met a lady who heard that I have blogs and her first question was..."do you give recipes?"

My answer was that I don't have time to experiment frequently with new culinary creations as I try to keep our diet simple and basic, with as little baked goods and sweets as possible.

But then I thought ....well,  after so many years of living and cooking in Spain, there are many dishes I have learned to make that could perhaps interest others.

So today I'm filling in here with a recipe before I write about a lovely garden party I attended yesterday to launch a new book about Tenerife written by an author and historian from the Isle of Man.

Today I'm giving you one of my "lean days" menus that I learned to make while living in Palma de Mallorca, as a music teacher with two small children and very little income.
My little girls loved this dish.

  Cuban Rice or Arroz à la Cubana was one of the things we ate a lot.  I don't know if the recipe did originate in Cuba but it was also a dish that could be found on the menu of the more humble restaurants in Palma, and I have even seen it offered here in a popular Tenerife restaurant.

My photo, by the way, has been copied many times on the internet.  You will see it when you Google  Arroz Cubana or Arroz à la Cubana.  It has been altered, reversed, added to and changed a little to hide the fact that it was copied.  But nevertheless it is my original photo.

  I guess I was lucky that the egg turned out just right without breaking and since copying is a form of flattery, I don't mind a bit that my photo of Cuban Rice has become so popular.

CUBAN RICE (ARROZ À LA CUBANA)

For three people:

3 ripe bananas

3 eggs

rice - three servings

tomato sauce or puré - about 1 cup

salt and pepper

oil or butter

1) Boil the rice until tender in salted water.  Drain.

2) Split the bananas lengthwise and sauté gently in butter or oil.

3) Heat the tomato sauce.

4) Fry the eggs in butter or oil keeping yolks runny.

5)  Arrange the rice in the center of each plate, with a banana half on each side, cover the rice with an egg and pour sauce over top.  Add salt & pepper.

Poached eggs instead of fried are also good.

* Note:  here in Spain the tomato sauce I use is called "tomate frito".  It's a smooth sauce of tomato fried in olive oil which comes in tetra brik packs, tins or glass jars and is used a lot in Spanish kitchens.

 See you soon!  Hasta la vista.

The Blackbirds are Back

The blackbirds are back at my tree feeder and it is a treat to watch them while sitting at my computer looking out the window.  Here is one that I caught the other day..



HD video taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10.

I know I'll be taking more of these and the other birds as I can set up my tripod beside me on the table in front of the window and film while I'm working on my computer.

 

I hope I can also catch some video of the little blue tits that come from time to time.