Lions presidents night is the night when we celebrate the start of a new lion year and traditionally the president officially hands over power to a new president who has been elected by the club in a democratic (no arm twisting, vote rigging or opposition killing allowed) election.

This year was no exception, the main difference being that our current president was unanimously voted back for a second year in office.

Mary Thompson is now going into her second year as Lion President and her speech was short and to the point. Mary also, as is traditional, handed out a number of awards. The Lion of the Year award this year went to Club Secretary Jon Thornley. (pic right) and appreciation awards went to Ken Ward, Sheila Widdrington and Richard Dobinson.

Then night was held at El Marques in Puerto Santiago and what a fantastic night, the food was a sumptuous buffet, the staff were helpful and polite, José the head waiter was only too happy to help with last minute seating plan changes.

The entertainment was superb, Rick Porter had one of the hardest jobs of the night providing the pre-dinner and background music for the evening, he was followed by Steve Delsey (left) a very funny man who had the audience laughing with some very quick humor, and then just to show his talent more he finished his show with an operatic song Nessun Dorma, which had the audience on there feet in appreciation.

Next Rick was back with some dance songs to get the dinner worked down, then a special surprise Tuxedo Nights(right), a close harmony singing trio, Tom Bell, Eddie Hastings and guess who, yep the one and only Rick Porter, had every one up and dancing, and brought the night to a fantastic close.

For more information on the Lions Clubs International Santiago del Teide branch and what they do visit their web site

http://lionsclub.losgigantes.com/whatwedo.htm

Jungle Snake, adventure in the Siam Park jungle.

Siam Park is getting ready to open in 2008 and currently we are working on the final phases of decoration and technical trials. The park offers brand new and innovative attractions as well as the classical water rides that all have a special Siam touch.

The Jungle Snake is one of the rides that’s ready for everyone to enjoy. This attraction twists and turns in a jungle setting and can be enjoyed by the whole family. It can be ridden in individual or double tubes and as you plunge down on a thin film of water you slide through an amazing adventure. Each of the slides inside the Jungle Snake offers a different ride through open air sections with great views and other sections that are enclosed and in total darkness. The slide is designed to look like entwined snakes that are hidden amongst the lush greenery so that riders are not sure where the journey will take them and this really adds to the sense of mystery and adventure they will experience.

A key part of the design is to make sure that the attraction harmonizes with the setting and so the slides are set on a slope covered with plants, bushes and trees that camouflage the structure underneath. The height requirement is 1.25m and will be loved by all ages. It will without doubt be an experience they won’t forget. Siam Park is currently updating it’s website to include the latest news about the park www.siampark.net

The naked body of a man, thought to be aged between 30 and 35, was found floating in the sea off Diego Hernandez beach in Adeje on Sunday morning. People on board a private boat made the initial discovery. The body was recovered by Guardia Civil officers in their patrol boat Rio Gallo.

The man, who has not yet been named has long hair, a beard, a tattoo on one arm with the words Maria Ines inside a heart, as well as other tattoos.

Forest fire units in Tenerife sped into naction for the first time this summer to deal with a blaze near La Esperanza.

The fire broke out around 4pm yesterday near the road which is used by many tourists to drive to and from Mt Teide.

The flames, initially confined to the right hand side of the road soon crossed over, triggering alarm among locals with houses nearby.

Four helicopters were quickly on the scene and began ferrying giant buckets of water, which were emptied from the air to dampen the surrounding area and prevent the fire from spreading further. The blaze was put out shortly afterwards and a fire brigade team stood by for the rest of the evening to make sure it was not rekindled by the strong winds.

Four men, aged 32, 40, 43 and 55, employed as baggage handlers at the Tenerife Sur airport, were caught on security cameras and have been arrested in connection with the theft of items from luggage.

The police, after receiving several complaints from members of the public, have opened an investigation.

Guardia Civil officers had a rather unusual call yesterday in Las Americas when a hotel employee reported a monkey was on the beach.

They quickly swung into action and followed the monkey to an apartment complex where it was finally captured by their Nature Protection Unit. It was then transported to a local animal park where it will stay while investigations are carried out to locate its owner.

The African monkey, which is in very good health is a Cercophitecus Campbelli, or Campbell’s Monkey and it does not have the mandatory microchip which zoos are obliged to fit to their animals.

Spanish Customs have been alerted in case the monkey has been imported illegally.

The Canarian government, bowing to pressure from trade associations, have brought forward the start date for the annual summer sales.

Initially scheduled for 12th July, the Sales now begin next Monday (7th July) on most islands.
The decision had to be taken because many shops wanted to go their own way and start their sales from late June in a bid to attract custom and mitigate the effects of the current economic downturn.

The leading retail associations and chambers of commerce asked the authorities to amend the initial date to create a united position and prevent a split between the early birds and other shops who were willing to respect the original plans.

The Museum of the Fisherman in Puerto Santiago have organised a painting competition, open to all artists. The theme is the sea, fishing and its arts, fishermen, customs etc.

Entries are restricted to 1 painting per artist and can be handed in to the musuem between the 7th and 21st July.

Judges will be appointed by the musuem. 40 works will be selected and will be exhibited in the museum between 4th and 31st August. The winners will be announced and prizes given on 31st Aug at 20.30

First prize - A trip to Gomera staying at the Tecina Hotel for 2 people.

Secons Prize - A stay in Playa Arena Hotel for 2 people.

Third Prize - A weekend in Los Gigantes.

Al l prize winners will obtain diplomas and trophies.

For more info tel: 671 329 500 or email museo@museodelpescador.com

Once again it is the time of year for the Santiago del Teide “Nooks and Crannies of Santiago” painting and photographic competition.

The competition is open to non-professional artists or photographers, there is no age limit.

The theme is Rincones de Santiago, or Nooks and Crannies of Santiago, and entries should reflect the picturesque nature and/or local culture of the municipality.

Artists are limited to three entries per person, and each painting must be a minimum of 40 x 30 cm and correctly marked with the artist’s name.

Prizes for the painting competition are:

First Prize €601

Second prize €301

Third prize €150

Photographic entries are limited to 3 per person. They can be in colour or black and white and each must be a minimum of 30 x 40 cm and clearly marked with the photographer’s name.

Prizes for the Photographic competition are:

First Prize €301

Second prize €240

Third prize €180

Fourth prize €120

Fifth prize €60

Competitors are limited to one prize. Entries need to be handed in by 2pm on 24th July to the Department of Culture at the Santiago del Teide Ayuntamiento, with the following words clearly marked on the outside, “Para el concurso Rincones de Santiago”.

All entries will be on show on 27th July in the Guaninfa cultural centre in Tamaimo, to coincide with the Artesanía Popular Canaria - the local Arts and Crafts Fayre.
At 5pm the winning entries will be announced.

The second five star hotel (after Abama) in the borough of Guía de Isora open its 1st phase to guests today. Several months of work are still needed to complete all the building work before the hotel can be fully open to the public.

Being heralded as the new luxury flagship of the Sol Meliá group, The Gran Meliá Palace de Isora in Alcalá was designed by Spanish architect Álvaro Sans. (Artists impression - right)

To serve different client needs the hotel will offer a number of different zones. In the best part of the complex there are 53 bedrooms, an independent entrance and reception area as well as a number of unique services. There are also several Garden Villas each with its own pool, hydro-massage bath and garden.

In the general zone there are 114 Demi Suites with garden view, 296 Demi Suites with ocean views, 49 Demi Suites with private gardens, a number of master suites with whirlpools, family suites and 53 Demi Suites and six Garden Villas labelled as ‘exclusively for adults’.

Special attractions include the Infinity Pool, a salt water pool 265 metres long placed next to one of the biggest artificial beaches in Europe.

There are five superb restaurants each of them offering individual specialities, and a central 2,800 m2 plaza.

Families are well catered for as there is an enormous children’s zone with a terrific range of activities for all.

The hotel caters for business as well as pleasure, offering a fully functional business centre with four conference halls (with provision for up to 11 more within the complex).

The hotel also boasts up to 500 underground parking places so in theory that should take the parking pressures off Alcala!

Once again the Canary Islands host one of the most amazing events in the annual music calendar, the Canarias Jazz y Mas festival, sponsored by Heineken. Apart from the concerts at the Auditorio, the shows are free, so jot them down in your diary!
Tenerife:
4 July 21.00 Puerto de La Cruz, Plaza de Europa - The Pee Wee Ellis Assembly, Kike Perdomo, Ac&Funk
5 July 21.00 Puerto de La Cruz, Plaza de Europa - Lizz Wright, Nguyên Lê Quartet
6 July 21.00 La Laguna, Salón de Actos del I.E.S. La Laboral - “The Music of Ivan Lins”, featuring Ivan Lins with special guest Nnenna Freelon and guests Leonardo Amuedo, Marcelo Martins, Teo Lima, Marco Brito, and Nema Antunes
7 July 11:00 to 14:00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Conservatorio Superior de Música - Seminars
21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza behind the Auditorio - Kyle Eastwood, Esperanza Spalding
8 July 11:00 to 14:00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Conservatorio Superior de Música - Seminars
21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza behind the Auditorio - Spyro Gyra, Yul Ballesteros
9 July 21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza behind the Auditorio - Toto Bona Lokua, Gerald Toto, Richard Bona & Lokua Kanza, and the Ramón Díaz Group
10 July 21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Plaza behind the Auditorio - New York Voices, Polo Ortí Group
11 July 21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Auditorio de Tenerife - Sala Sinfónica The Crusaders featuring Joe Sample, Wilton Felder, Ray Parker Jr., Nick Sample, Nils Landgren and the Funk Unit. Co-organized with “Auditorio de Tenerife”
12 July 21.00 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Auditorio de Tenerife Sala Sinfónica - Madeleine Peyroux.
Co-organized with “Auditorio de Tenerife”
Tickets can be purchased for Auditorio events direct from the box office, or through CajaCanarias ticket sales at the Los Cristianos Cultural Centre.

After the island’s Cabildo had to bail out Titsa Bus Company to the tune of €23 million last year, there are calls for a massive rethink.
Another €13 million was added to that figure from the regional government and Madrid, the total amount of public money used to keep the company operating has amounted to €36 million.

Critics say the company is over staffed and current routes are poorly-planned. TITSA was taken over by the Cabildo last year in a bid to streamline public transport provision in Tenerife following the entry into service of the tram link between the capital and La Laguna. The funding revelations call for changes at senior management levels in TITSA.

Tipsy Terrace Bar and Bistro officially opened yesterday. To celebrate the occasion there was entertainment by various well know singers in the village and a special menu prepared for the day.

For the next two weeks the new restaurant will only be open at lunchtime, but Sally aims to have the restaurant open in the evenings with the full evening menu available by mid July.

Busi­ness owners in Icod are gathering support from town councils throughout the north of Tenerife to push for a planned railway to reach the old commer­cial town.

The regional government are planning to build a railway connecting Santa Cruz to Adeje, which will improve travelling to and from the capital to the tourist resorts of the south. The rail link will reduce traffic and mod­ernise the island’s trans­port network. The lines will then be extended to reach Los Realejos.

A railway tunnel between La Orotava and Güímar is also in the advanced planning stage. Icod’s business as­sociation, Aspymecod, is playing the victimised card and suggests that by be­ing excluded they are being treated as second class.

For the future progress of Tenerife’s northwest it is concidered that their inclu­sion in the railway network as absolutely imperative.

No doubt the councils further to the north feel the same and with more reason. Icod at least has a major bus sta­tion which acts as a hub for connections to many of the neighbouring towns and surroundings, whilst other towns are lucky to see one bus an hour.

Many thousands of miles to travel, an out of date passport, a missed flight, a death in the family – yet it all came together at the last minute when Alison and Nigel tied the knot with friends and family of many nationalities as witnesses, in Los Gigantes Church.

It was always Alison’s dream to have a white wedding and to walk down the Isle with her father, and that dream came true earlier this month on June 14th.

Nigel and Alison have been an ‘item’ since 1999. They met in the 80’s in Coventry where Nigel works as an IT field engineering manager and Alison is a beauty therapist in her own business. Arranging a wedding was very difficult for Alison because she has an evening job too – catering in her now retired fathers’ previous bar, the Queens Head in Meriden. Read Full Story » »

Soon to open to the public in Icod de los Vinos is a section of the second largest volcanic tube in the world.

The Cueva del Viento is a volcanic tube system which consists of more than 18km of intersecting galleries unique in the world as they are laid in three floors superimposed over each other. Lakes, falls, terraces and walls of lava make up the largest underground labyrinth worldwide which have still not been fully investigated despite the almost 40 years of dedication by various teams of speleologists.

During the explorations of the cave system many fossils have been found of extinct animals and insects. The cave system takes its name from the strong currents of air that can be felt underground and an enormous amount of work has been done to make it accessible and safe to the public with maintaining its ecological integrity as a priority.

World environment day was chosen to announce the opening of the visitors centre and the restricted visit to the tunnel system although a fixed date has not yet been set.

Information panels are in Spanish and English and of special interest are the 170 insects which live in the caves of which 48 only live underground and 15 are new to science including two members of the coleopterous, Wolltinerfia martin and Woltinerfia Tenerife and an eyeless cockroach, Loboptera subterranea.

The Canarian government has warned the public to expect sweltering heat in many parts of the islands today. The Canaries will feel the effects of a heat wave which affected many parts of southern Spain yesterday, with temperatures reaching 42ºC.

The heat is not expected to be as bad in the islands (34ºC maximum) but the combination of warm air and humidity as of mid-morning could make life uncomfortable in the capitals. Most of the islands have mobilised fire teams to deal with potential blazes in woodland and forests. The heat will last throughout the week-end, according to the Met Office.

Tenerife’s historic bull ring is under threat of being pulled down for a major redevelopment scheme.
The city council and the owners of the property have reached an agreement for the historic building and the surrounding land.

Architects have been invited to submit ideas for the regeneration scheme in the next few weeks and the entries will be on display July 4th, 5th and 6th in the García Sanabria Park.

Residents will be able to vote for their favourite idea and their opinion will be taken into account when the judges meet to choose the winning project. The final decision will be announced on the 7th July. The ring may be partially or totally demolished or the whole of the facade could remain, it depends entirely on the ingenuity of the architects.

The demolition is opposed by traditionalists who have already mobilised to block plans on websites if the structure is not retained.

The old famous bull ring hasn’t been used for its original purpose for decades. Latterly it hosted the Carnival Queen competition until audiences and the Queens’ dresses became too large and in the 90s it held only the occasional concert and political rally.

Life may finally change, in the near future, for those who lost their homes in the devastating Masca fire, almost a year ago.

The whole area is protected, which means that to rebuild they have to conform to strict regulations to ensure the new buildings integrate into their surroundings. Therefore residents have another level of bureaucracy to deal with on top of the normal rubber stamping. Architects and draftsmen have at last finalised their plans, agreed with owners, and all permissions have been issued. It is still to be decided who will be given the contract to rebuild.

Some improvements have been granted within the plans.  Colin and Susana will have a water tank of their own, as well as a large tank for the whole village to prevent any further problems, as this is the second time the village has been damaged by forest fires.

Sadly, many hundreds of beehives, which were scattered over the areas, were burn out during the fires.  Apiarists have received some help from the central and regional governments, councils and their insurance companies, but so far the Cabildo has failed to respond to their plea.

The problem not just acquiring more hives and bees but the bees’ natural habitat has been destroyed. There is no pollen, therefore no food for them, and a problem has arisen by homeless bees swarming and trying to nest in local homes.

Tonight is St John’s Night, and the skies throughout Tenerife will be lit up in celebration with the annual bonfires.

It is expected that tens of thousands of people will light hundreds of fires across the Canaries, mainly on the beaches.

The Fire Brigade is on standby ready for its busiest night of the year to attending fires which go out of control and spread to nearby scrub land, although the cooler weather conditions today in several parts may help to reduce the problem.

The vast majority of preliminary tax returns contain errors which favour the Treasury. Taxpayers are urged to check their returns very carefully.

Gestha, an association representing Tax Office staff nationwide, says that almost 70 per cent of the pre-completed forms sent out to households by local branches have mistakes in the calculations, particularly in the allowances to which the recipients are entitled to offset their tax payable.

The new system, whereby the Tax Office fill in the forms directly using information supplied by employers and banks etc, is a huge success because it just takes a phone call or an Internet visit to confirm the end result and the rebate (in most cases) is automatically sent within a few weeks.

However, Gestha says people should check the figures carefully because many of the calculations underestimate the size of allowances. One of the main errors, concerns mortgage relief for houses purchased before 2006.

The allegations have been strenuously denied by the authorities, who say Gestha’s claims are grossly exaggerated.

UK’s Jamiroquai started their world tour on Friday, 13th of June,  with a concert in Gran Canaria and in Tenerife’s Arona the following evening.

After a two years break the group celebrated a magnificent comeback to the stage to present their new CD. The stadium of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, attracting around 30,000 fans, while the stadium in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, seemed to take a while to fill up. Eventually there was a rapturous reception when the group’s lead singer, superstar Jay Kay finally arrived on stage at about 1.30 am.

While fans were waiting for Jay Kay and his band, Canary musician Aristides Moreno and the popular Spanish group El Canto de Loco, kept the audience well entertained, so much so that the appearance of Jamiroquai with Jay Kay performing as lively and funky as always was just another highlight of a fabulous evening.

Even though the stadium was only half full by midnight, there was a good atmosphere. Jamiroquai performed songs from their new album but also delighted fans with classics like Cosmic Girl or Deeper Underground. And despite rumours claiming the performer from Manchester was not going to wear anything on his head this time, Jay Kay appeared with his typical funky hat, looking as cool and sexy as he probably could.

Tax office staff in the region are snowed under with the number of enquiries concerning errors in annual returns sent out to people living here.

Representatives of the tax office said that they have reached saturation point due to the volume of people who have asked for their calculations to be reviewed due to mistakes made in the pre-prepared forms.

Nine out of fourteen offices in the Canaries are effected and there could be delays in issuing rebates.

The world’s most famous cruise ship has paid its last ever visit to Tenerife.

The Queen Elizabeth 2 arrived in Santa Cruz port on Friday morning for a 1-day stop and will be the focus of a special goodbye celebration organised by the local authorities.

The liner, which first visited Tenerife in 1969, has been sold by Cunard to a Dubai company which intends to convert it into a floating hotel. Passengers are to be met today by hostesses in typical Canarian dress and will be sent on their way at 10pm tonight with a firework display.
The cruise liner, which first visited the island on April 5th, 1969, will be handed over to its new owners in November, and, will become part of the Palm Jumeirah complex - the biggest artificial island in the world.

Improvements are planned for one of the oldest, most deteriorated, areas of Playa de Las Américas and the cost is estimated at around €600,000 with most of the money being paid by the Canarian government.

Arona council have singled out Verónicas and Starco for urgent special attention as they are the busiest spots, both day and night

The redevelopment project includes a number of green areas, up to a hundred more parking spaces and several pedestrian crossings. The current wall between Verónicas and Avenida Rafael Puig will be demolished and a single lane built for traffic, which will be one-way only. Part of the road further up the stretch will be widened also to give room for bin lorries to turn and not have to pass through the shopping area as at present.

The pavements in the Verónicas and Starco areas are also due to be replaced with better quality stone and kerbs lowered in several parts to facilitate wheelchair and pushchair access. No date has been set for completion of the work.

If the Cabildo get their way, visitors will have to pay for the privilege of walking down the Masca ravine.

The official environmental reason is clear, the paradise needs protecting and that costs.

A similar toll is paid to walk through Hell’s Gullie, el barranco del infierno, on the south side of the hills.

Forty years ago the village of Masca was almost com¬pletely isolated. In recent years it’s become such a tourist at¬traction that the paths on the walk are becoming badly eroded and the main bridge was burnt through in the fires.

The other reason may be economic. The mayor of Buenavista, the mu¬nicipality to which Masca belongs, is also keen to do his bit for the environ¬ment but his council could benefit even more from the proceeds from the paying walkers. Ecologist groups like Ben Magec see that economic sideline as the main reason behind the initiative. They are op¬posed to having to pay to walk anywhere.

Others, like the guided walk organisation Patea tus Montes, are entirely in favour of a charge to walk down the Masca ravine. According to their spokesman the damage caused by people walking has been brutal. These guides already charge €18 a head for transport to and a guide during the Masca walk. Anyone who can’t face the walk back up the barranco can pay €10 for a boat trip to Los Gigantes marina.

Health and safety experts described the tragic death of a Tenerife plane mechanic who was sucked into the engine of an Airbus on Monday night as ‘totally incomprehensible’.

An LTE spokesman said this that the man was sucked into one of the engines of the Airbus 320 at around 10pm, at Tenerife South airport, just before the plane was due to take off for Warsaw. Ambulance services rushed to the scene to find the mechanic sliced to pieces by the spinning blades of the engine.

The inquiry initial findings are believed to show that a colleague in the cockpit revved the engines to 90% power while the 24-year-old Miguel Angel Rodríguez was working near the forward undercarriage, a procedure which clearly breaches safety regulations. The suction created was the equivalent of a 70mph wind and the mechanic was shredded to pieces immediately.

Identification relied on DNA tests due to lack of recognisable body parts. A health and safety spokesman for another airline operating in the Canaries said ‘procedures had clearly been breached in the maintenance operation, with tragic consequences’.

Following Suspension of Road Hauliers’ Strike The passport courier service operated by Bpack was reinstated on Tuesday 17 June. Passports will be couriered to customers as quickly as possible.

However, due to the road hauliers’ strike, Bpack have a backlog of passports to distribute and customers may still experience slight delays. In the meantime, if you have an urgent compassionate need to travel – e.g. for a family illness – then please contact our call centre on 807 429 026 (for Spain) or 800 813 877 (for Portugal) between 09:00 and 17:30 local time.

Read the full story on their web site - news and events blog.
http://sanfranciscoanimales.losgigantes.com/news/

On June the 4th 2008, Maxims Restaurant re-opened in a brand new location – Cuevo del Polvo, the former home of El Guanche, on the main road between Alacala and Los Gigantes, just above El Varadero.

The new setting offers, easy parking and spectacular sea views from the cliffs of Los Gigantes to El Varadero, The terrace is the perfect setting to enjoy a delicious meal while watch the sun setting over La Gomera. In the cooler months you can dine in the very tastefully decorated interior.

The owner, Denis Kets, is from Belgium. After loosing his job 9 years ago in his home country he looked for a brand new start. Denis and his son packed up their belongings and moved to Tenerife, attracted by the weather and the lifestyle.

His new life started in Las Galletas working in an apart/hotel whilst his son enjoyed his new school and the challenge of learning another language, then in Dec 2006 he opened Maxims in Los Gigantes. There he met Christina.

Christina, (left) having worked in the Swiss Chalet, Ireland for many years where she won the Irish Tourism Award in both 1984 and 1985 moved to Tenerife in 1986, eventually becoming the owner/chef of La Bodega in Puerto Santiago for 10 years. Due to family commitments she retired.

Fed up and bored with retirement she became, and still is, chef of Maxims, preparing and cooking a mouth watering selection of French and Belgium cuisine with that little twist of luxury that can make an evening really special. All produce is prepared specifically to your order using only the highest quality fresh products.

Every Friday and Saturday evening, as well as Sunday lunchtime, you can dine at your leisure and enjoy listening to their resident pianist - Julia - playing a selection of much loved tunes gently in the background.

For more information about their superb menu and opening times, check out their website
http://www.maximslosgigantes.com

Tel: 922 862 415 or 653 944 995