Tenerife Magazine’s round up of some of the most interesting news stories of the week in Tenerife.
First of all congratulations to the Spanish football team for doing their country and football proud in the way they conducted themselves throughout the World Cup. They were deserving winners and gave the youth of Santa Cruz another excuse for holding a water fiesta in the pool in Plaza España.
One of the stars of the World Cup also provided Loro Parque with an opening to make an audacious request.
Is Paul, the World Cup’s Psychic Octopus Coming to Tenerife?
El Dia newspaper reported last week that Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz offered to give Germany’s psychic octopus and Spanish national hero, Paul a new home in the sun on Tenerife. It seems appropriate that now the World Cup’s over and he’s got a lot of spare time on his tentacles, the German cephalod relocates to the north of Tenerife where he could spend his watery days amongst people who worship him and his many fellow Germans who also live there. Call me psychic, but I”M predicting it isn’t going to happen.
Tenerife; a Barrier Free Paradise ““ Countryside Routes for People with Mobility Problems
Thumbs up to the Tenerife Cabildo for continuing to open up Tenerife’s countryside to people who might otherwise miss out on the island’s natural beauty spots. The popular walking route Llano de los Loros in the Anaga Mountains is going to be transformed into three different paths of varying lengths designed to suit walkers and people with disabilities. Tracks, bridges and walkways will make the area’s stunning viewpoints accessible to everyone, whilst interactive panels will provide information about flora and fauna to create this “˜Sendero de los sentidos’ .
Beaches on Tenerife ““ Doing the Doggy Paddle in Santa Cruz
It’s a blatant case of dogged discrimination ““ whilst Santa Cruceros can enjoy cooling down in the sea over the sizzling summer months, their furry pets aren’t allowed in the water anywhere along the coast. It’s a state of affairs that is driving the capital’s canines barking mad. With the backing of Tenerife’s College of Veterinarians, who say bathing in the sea is good for the dogs, thousands of dog lovers in Santa Cruz signed a petition last week to demand that their pets be allowed to enjoy the water like everyone else at the small beach near Parque MarÃtimo. Rumour has it that the city’s cats vehemently oppose any action aimed at making it easier for owners to take their pets for a swim.
Going Naked in Tenerife ““ The Big Cover Up
One Spanish language newspaper reported last week that there was a crisis on Tenerife’s naturist beaches ““ not enough people are getting their kit off. On some of the island’s seven official nudist beaches, where once there was hardly space to park a bare buttock in their heydays in the 80s, there’s hardly a white bit to be seen. One of the few die hard naturists left at Las Gaviotas near Santa Cruz bemoaned the fact that young people had become more conservative, opting to stay covered up rather than go for that all over bronzed look. There didn’t seem to be a shortage of naturists around the base of Montaña Roja last time I was there; there was a plague of naked men scurrying about the undergrowth -I couldn’t face a dinner of meat and two veg for weeks afterwards.
And Finally”¦
Appropriately considering the last item, there is no TIT (This Is Tenerife) of the week award. This week we’ve decided to have a HOT (Heroes of Tenerife) award instead. Last weekend wheelchair user Elena MartÃnez, helped by twenty two men and women of Montaña Para Todos (www.mptodos.org), reached the summit of Spain’s highest mountain, Mount Teide using a specially adapted chair called a “˜joëlette’. It was a remarkable feat and another example of what can be achieved with determination and a little help from your friends.
Enhorabuena España, Elena and Montaña Para Todos
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