49 ~ Today's Sand & Flower Carpets

Click to enlarge

Close up of sand painting June 18, 2009

Today is a day of festivities and religious celebrations in the villa of La Orotava. For weeks the annual carpets of sand have been in the planning, to be created in the town hall plaza over a period of days by uniquely talented artists who drizzle the natural coloured volcanic sands onto the ground to create images of great beauty.

This year the central image represents the year of Saint Paul and the laterals on either side represent the dignity of humanity, and especially that of women, represented by the two female images.

Town Hall Plaza Centre Image
Right side of carpet
Left side of carpet
Closeup Central Image

This evening they will be swept away after the solemn procession, celebrating the Christian Eucharist, moves from the church to the above city hall plaza, la Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Preparing the petal carpets

I have not been there for the last two years so this morning I made sure I was up early and went to La Orotava, a few minutes drive from my home, just after 10 am, armed with two cameras and wearing good walking shoes. Orotava is very steep and one must walk partway up the hills since today the roads are blocked for the making of the carpets.

Thousands of roses

Since this morning there has also been excitement in the town as the alfombristas or carpet makers are working on the flower petal carpets which will fill the narrow cobblestone streets. They last for today only, as they will be walked on by the church procession this evening. I saw many boxes of fresh flower petals as well as these rosebuds stacked for use in forming flower carpets. Finely milled green heather is also used to form a green background and edging along with black volcanic sand for accents and edges.





Whole families take part in this event and small children learn from an early age how to take apart the petals and put them in place.





Bronze statue

A bronze statue of an alfombrista, a flower carpet maker, kneels in the typical posture of those who work on the carpets. He is lovingly provided with fresh flowers and greenery throughout the year.

Here is a slideshow of the above and other images, which may be an easier way to view them in large screen size. All but the first image are from this morning, June 18, 2009. The first photo was taken in 2007.

I hope you will enjoy your visit to ....
The Carpets of La Orotava!

44 ~ Fiestas de Corpus: Romeria

(click to enlarge photos)

Every year during the June Celebrations of Corpus Christi in the beautiful old town of La Orotava on the north west coast of Tenerife, there are some events which are rarely equaled elsewhere in the world for their uniqueness and high level of craftsmanship. One of these events is the formation of an enormous sand carpet mural, this year 870 meters square, made from natural coloured volcanic sands taken from the caldera of the island's volcano, El Teide.

Sand Carpets from 2007

At the same time, on the last day of the fiestas, flower carpets of intricate designs are made from fresh petals to cover the streets of the town. These are the famous 'alfombras' of La Orotava. I will show some photos of these soon as this year's celebrations are already underway and will continue until 30 June, 2009.

Making the Flower Carpets

But one celebration which is especially enjoyed by locals and visitors is the procession of the Romeria during the fiestas of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of agriculture, also held in June. Here is where the local Canary people dress in their traditional costumes, with slight differences in the style and colour which denote the town or area from which they come.

The procession is formed by dozens of oxen-drawn carts, each one decorated with farm implements, fruit and vegetables, wine barrels and little stoves on which sausages, kebabs and other meats are cooked before, during and after the procession, as it moves from the highest point where the oxen and carts are assembled down through the streets of the town.

It is a joyous event with much music, singing and dancing. The regulations for participating are quite strict and those in the procession must adhere to the traditional dress of their ancestors with no modern embellishments such as watches or sunglasses.

Here is a slideshow of photos (full screen) that I took during the fiestas of 2007, when I spent a morning watching the preparations before the procession, taking candid photos of the participants, their oxen and carts.
Small version of slideshow here below.

13 ~ Around Casa de Los Balcones

La Villa de la Orotava is a historic town with many beautiful architectural treasures, churches, patios and gardens. It lies above the city of Puerto de la Cruz on the mountain road leading to the Teide National Park, on the northwest coast of the island of Tenerife.
(Click to enlarge photos.)

View from Casa Lercaro

View over Puerto de la Cruz from Casa Lercaro

Street in La Orotava

One of the attractions there is La Casa de Los Balcones (link to the website) or the House of Balconies, built in 1632, which is a magnificent example of Canary architecture. It is a three storied building with an interior patio lined with beautifully carved wooden balconies, which now houses a museum and several shops selling handmade goods and souvenirs.

Embroidered Shawls and Tablecloths

Patio in Casa de Los Balcones

Across the street are two more beautiful buildings: Casa Lercaro and Casa del Turista, housing yet more examples of local handicrafts and artifacts for sale to visitors. There is also a sand painting artist or alfombrista displaying the technique which is used in the yearly celebrations of Corpus Christi of drizzling fine volcanic natural coloured sands onto the ground to create images, usually of a religious nature. These sand paintings, called Las Alfombras de Corpus Christi, or Corpus Christi carpets employ a technique passed from one generation to another.
Sand Carpet Artist in Casa del Turista

Another class of alfombras created during the celebrations of Corpus Christi are the flower carpets, created early in the morning from fresh flower petals, milled green heather branches and coloured sands.

Formed on the roped-off streets of La Orotava over sketches chalked directly onto the cobblestones, they are a magnificent art form, created by family and cultural groups, again depicting religious scenes and floral patterns. Later I will make an entry dedicated to these floral carpets, including the photos I have taken of them.

Flower Carpet of Corpus Christi

Stone water distillers are an interesting sight and are still used in some places, apart from their decorative value, to purify water. Some are kept in a pine wood lattice-doored structure and are a most attractive element in a Canary patio. Water is poured into a top stone filtering vessel from where it slowly drips down into a stone container below, which keeps it cool.

Stone Water Distiller in Casa de Los Balcones

Here below is another shop seen in one of these three buildings. This charcuteria or delicatessen, sells sausages, cheeses, breads and specialty condiments typical of the islands.
Charcuteria or Delicatessen

I liked the look of this shop with the red interior walls, selling glassware and porcelain as well as lamps and souvenir objects.


And finally, here is one of the large old wooden grape presses which were used to make the Canary Island wines which nowadays are winning international prizes. This one is located on the grounds of La Casa de Los Balcones.

I took these photos a few years ago while on an excursion to La Orotava with my English friend Anne.

Next: The Gofio Mill in La Orotava.