Costa Adeje to Lose Two of its Beaches
The south of Tenerife’s coastline is set to undergo another dramatic face-lift over the next four years as a proposal to get rid of two of Adeje’s beaches is about to be approved. Before anyone gets unduly worried about losing two beaches, the plan is to turn Playas Troya I and II and Play Bobo into one long sweeping sandy paradise just like Playa Fañabe along the coast. It seems a sensible idea. As Adeje council point out, the three beaches have a disjointed look about them at the moment and one long beach would be far more appealing to the eye. It’s not known yet what the new beach would be called. Any suggestions? Playa Costa Adeje maybe…
There Aren’t Plenty More Fish in the Sea
Those fishermen perched on the rocks along Tenerife’s coastline might add a nice little touch to photographs, but according to the CofradÃa de Pescadores (guild of fishermen) in Puerto de la Cruz they’re a threat to the livelihoods of professional fishermen.
The CofradÃa says that these “poachers” operating between Tacoronte and La Guancha have cost them 2000 kilos of fish already this year. It seems incredible to think that a handful of guys casting lines, or nets from the shore could have such an impact. What’s even more incredible are the CofradÃa’s claims that some poachers are packing guns. One fisherman says that he saw one poacher draw a pistol when tackled about his illegal activities. And I thought fishing was supposed to be a gentle activity.
Tenerife has the Cheapest Taxi Fares in Spain
A recent survey revealed that the taxi fares in the capital Santa Cruz are the lowest in Spain at around €2.68 for travelling a mile. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Arrecife and Ceuta also fared well. The places where taxi users in Spain are likely to feel as though they have been well and truly fleeced are Tarragona, San Sebastian and Leida where the same journey costs a whopping €9.10.
Where Have All the Tourists Gone?
Ashotel vice president Juan Antonio Rosado expressed concerns this week about the state of tourism in Puerto de la Cruz. Tenerife’s original tourist resort has seen visitor numbers decline by 22% between 2006 and 2009. Ashotel believe immediate investment in the town is necessary to reverse the trend in the long and short term and have proposed a rebirth of the city with the development of projects that include landscaped streets and more pedestrian areas, electric transportation and a cable car linking the Martiánez areas with La Paz. The problem is that… improving the town’s looks isn’t the answer to the problem. Puerto already has pedestrianised areas and character filled squares that are more picturesque than the southern resorts. The real problem is the perception of the weather in the north of Tenerife. Deal with that and you’ve found the goose that lays the golden egg.
La Laguna Will be Warmer this Winter
There are few places on Tenerife that can match the historic ambiance of the former capital, La Laguna’s perfectly preserved streets. The pavements of the old quarter’s World Heritage Site would be an ideal place to linger over a tapas lunch or a candlelit romantic dinner…if they weren’t so damn cool in winter. But this winter will see the city’s restaurants use parasols to protect diners from rain, windbreaks from the breeze and heating systems to take the chill out of the air. The project to make ‘eating out” in La Laguna more comfortable was announced by MarÃa Luisa Cerrillos, director of the Plan Especial de Protección del Casco Histórico. It’s a wonderful project that could transform La Laguna into the Barcelona of Tenerife.
And finally the TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award goes to…Councils who Act Like Cowboys
Just about everyone who’s worked on Tenerife seems to have stories of not being paid for work they’ve done. It seems to be part and parcel of life on Tenerife. Even some of the island’s councils can behave in a manner that seems more in line with cowboy employers than professional businesses. Four workers in San Juan de la Rambla are still waiting for payment for work carried out tidying up cultivated land over two years ago. Shortly after they took their story to the Spanish newspaper El Dia, the workers were informed that the money owed would be finally paid to them in October.
Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident. Nine employees of an infant school in Añaza in Santa Cruz haven’t been paid by the council for five months and nearly every week there are reports of councils not paying employees or workers contracted to provide services. Every time the reports are accompanied by reams of excuses…none of which ultimately help put food in the mouths of those affected. It’s a poor, poor show.
