Tourist boat Shogun, which operates for Puerto Colon, had to detour and make an unscheduled stop in Los Gigantes yesterday when a passenger on board suffered a heart attack.

The incident occurred around 3pm. The man, who name has not yet been disclosed, was in his early 40’s. He complained of chest pains then lost consciousness. A nurse on board was unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead when the emergency services arrived.

A second blackout in just over a week, hit not just Los Gigantes but the whole of Tenerife for several hours early this morning.

The problem occurred at 1am at a sub-station in Las Caletillas. 50% of power was restored by around 5am to Santa Cruz and the south of the islands. Full power should be resumed during the course of today.

The emergency services had few serious incidents to deal with because the blackout occurred during the night, but a few people had to be rescued from lifts.

Many residents of Los Gigantes are in shock today at the tragic news of the death of popular Tony Fordham.

43 year old Tony suffered a massive heart attack early yesterday morning in his car at Tejita beach car park in El Medano. Ambulance crews were unable to resuscitate him.

Funeral arrangements
Tuesday March 2nd at 11am – Los Gigantes church followed by a reception at Tipsy Terrace.

No flowers by request, instead contributions towards the cost of the funeral will be welcome. Donations will be accepted by Kelly and staff at Offshore 44 or Jo and staff at the Green Corner.

Condolences to Tony’s family from theLosgigantes.com team. He will be sorely missed in Los Gigantes.

A new deal has been signed between Thomson holidays and Durham Tees Valley airport to provide a weekly flight to Tenerife.

The new service will depart from Durham tees valley airport on Saturdays at 08:00 and return at 18:15

The German supermarket chain Lidl, who’s aim is to offer clients maximum quality at the best possible price, has now opened in the canary Islands. On their respective opening mornings large queues were waiting and gifts of flowers, balloons and parasols were given out to the happy shoppers.

12 Lidl stores have opened in the Canary Islands. In Tenerife they are located in Puerto de la Cruz, Granadilla, La Laguna, Adeje, Santa Úrsula, Las Chafiras. In Gran Canaria they will open in Telde and Agüimes on February 25th and in Ingenio and Vecindario on March 4th and in Arrecife (Lanzarote) on March 11th and Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura) on March 18th.

SANTIAGO DEL TEIDE BRANCH
Asociación San Francisco de los Animales

Annual Report
01.11.08 -31.12.09

Due to the fact that we have brought the branch’s year end into line with that of the main association it should be noted that this report covers a fourteen month period.

2009 has been a year of ups and downs. Most fundraising events, with the exception of the dinner in December, have been approximately one third down on income compared with the previous year. Fortunately donations increased which has helped to compensate.

Fundraising is vital for our work with the abandoned animals. We receive no government or municipal funding, thus having to rely solely on our own fundraising activities and donations from the public. Without fundraising we might just as well ‘shut up shop’. Without income we could not afford our veterinary bills, which accounts for a very large proportion of our income. Read Full Story » »

Stormy seas, high winds and heavy thunderstorms continue to cause chaos to the whole of the Caranry Islands.

In our local area yesterday heavy metal manhole covers were lifted out of their places by the sheer volume of water causing the closure of the main road in Playa Arena. Today the clean up begins as dozens of council workers clear mud and rocks from the roads.

The new beach and car park in San Juan has been badly damaged due to a river of flood water which was too much for the drains. (See pics below) At the time of flooding 2 cars were washed down from the car park on to the beach.

Waves of between 4.5 and 5.5 metres have been recorded. A yacht ran aground on the coast of Puerto del Carmen in Gran Canaria yesterday while the Fred Olsen ferry was forced to return to Tenerife after attempting to enter the port of Agaete in Gran Canaria. Further crossings were cancelled.

In Las Calletillas, wind ripped off a gas station roof, which resulted in some people being evacuated from their homes.

Schools and universities are closed until further notice and several roads to Mt. Teide remain closed due to heavy snow, rain or rock falls. Carnival events in Santa Cruz were cancelled yesterday and again today.

Many places were without power yesterday, and today from around mid day until 4pm the whole of Tenerife was without electricity.

Several flights have been cancelled or delayed but all ports, airports and bus services are now operating normally.

It’s not over. There are more storms lurking in the Atlantic, due to hit us over the weekend, so don’t put out your garden furniture yet, but it looks like we may have a bit of a reprieve for tomorrow.

Click on pic for larger view

Once again Los Gigantes is being battered by bad weather. Heavy rain, thunder storms, high winds and rough seas are causing chaos for locals and tourists. This week no boats are leaving or entering the marina. As I write this you can’t see the cliffs from the marina because the rain is so heavy.

Until Friday a severe weather warning has been issued by the met office.

Local authorities and the Fire Brigade are once again inundated with calls for help and in the area of Las Chafiras, they are stretched to their limit having to pump water from flooded homes and roofs have been blown off in the high winds. Trees have been blown down, but luckily there have been no reports of injuries.

Yet again the road to Teide is closed.

Update 3pm Wed 17th

After the torrential rain this morning, with rivers running down every road, residents in Los Gigantes are once again mopping up.  The beach road drains were soon blocked with mud and stones causing flooding yet again to the shops and restaurant and this time the flooding of Poblado garages.

Stephen McKenna, councillor for Santiago del Teide who appeared in court in Arona last Thursday was acquitted of all charges against him.

The complainant made no accusation, and withdrew criminal proceedings. There are no further appeals against the ruling.

Councillor McKenna was accused and charged for propositioning a minor for sex in an incident on July 21st last year.

The truth coming out in court came as a great relief for the councillor. The incident had made front page news as well as a topic for local gossip, which no doubt affected his business, but the tremendous support and good wishes from locals and swallows helped him through the very difficult past 6 months.

The Spanish government have promised three million Euros to build a one-kilometre beach and promenade at La Jaquita (Alcala). The plans have been approved, and the local council says it hopes to award the actual tender in the next few weeks.

Mayor Pedro Martín says the new beach will complement Playa San Juan, where a tourist information office has opened recently, and will strengthen Guía de Isora’s case to be formally designated a tourist town, which will bring more public investment and more flexible trading hours for local commerce. The project is the second to be undertaken in La Jaquita in the last few years, following the extensive work done to the seafront stretch in late 2007.

Click on photos to enlarge

Los Gigantes continues to be battered by high winds and torrential rain. The orange alert issued by the Met Office is extended until Tuesday evening.

A yellow alert for the south of Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro has been issued with warnings of heavy seas and gale force winds which could reach up to force 6 or 7.

Floods and electricity cuts are causing major chaos and the fire brigade and local authorities are working round the clock to unblock drains and clear the blocked roads of rocks.

The Cabildo de Tenerife Road Services Department has closed the TF-631 road from kilometre 3 to 4.8 from Abades to San Miguel de Tajao in Arico, due rock falls caused by torrential rain falls. The TF-21 Teide road from La Orotava is also closed because of hail storms. Access to the National Park using any of the other roads is not recommended.

Because of torrential rainfall and possible flooding, the following advice is a guide for the general public to follow:
1. Stay calm and stay at home; be on the alert for possible danger areas such as gullies and drains etc. nearby.
2. Keep watching local media for the latest weather updates.
3. Avoid driving during heavy rain. If you have to drive, pay particular attention to the depth of the water and be careful when braking. If your vehicle starts to fill with water, park it safely and abandon it.
4. If you are driving, keep to the major roads avoiding secondary roads, and drive in a lower gear.
5. Don’t cross bridges if the water has risen above the road level.
6. Don’t go into the lower areas of your house if they are flooded, such as garages and basements etc. If you are flooded, leave your house and find higher ground.
7. Disconnect the electrical power in these circumstances. Don’t use lifts in case there is a power cut.
8. If flooding has trapped you in the upper levels of your house, don’t attempt to leave it by swimming as you could be swept away by the current. It is preferable to call 112 and wait for help.
9. Keep a battery powered radio and follow instructions issued by the Protección Civíl through the press, television and radio.
10. Avoid unnecessary phone calls in order to keep lines open for emergencies.
11. In case of emergency, call 112.
These guidelines will be updated as weather conditions change.

There were 5 entries this year’s Los Gigantes carnival 2010 poster competition. The theme is “Africa” and the winning entry was painted by artist Rodolfo Jorge Gutierrez.

Juan Gorrín, The mayor of Santiago del Teide, appeared in court yesterday and was questioned for two hours about the landslide on Los Gigantes beach last November which killed two women.

The mayor may face criminal charges over the incident. Relatives of one of the victims heckled the mayor as he arrived and put up posters saying the tragedy ‘was not an accident but a crime’.

Today the beach remains closed to the public and local business on the beach road are still suffering from lack of business due to the closure.

Work is ongoing and financed by the Canarian Government to determine the safety of the cliff.

The mayor of Santiago del Teide, Juan Damián Gorrín Ramos, reported that after meetings with the Island Council improvement work will begin on the TF-82 at Tamaimo.

A petition of hundreds of signatures was collected from residents and road users seeking urgent action after continuous landslides put lives at risk.

Article from Tenerife News
‘The train now leaving for Fonsalia’….. words which will eventually come true.

As promised, Tenerife Cabildo has approved a plan which will extend the proposed train of the south to Fonsalia (the small village between Alcala and San Juan).

The idea received cross-party support last March and the formal document has now been approved. It will go out for public consultation for 70 days and also to the various public administrations.

Four alternative routes at a cost of 307 million Euros were studied. Including five kilometres of tunnels and one and a half viaducts.

The train service will eventually unite Fonsalia with Santa cruz with the journey time taking 52 minutes.
The trains will run every 15 minutes and will be capable of reaching speeds of 220kms an hour.

Santiago del Teide’s local police force now has six new officers. The new recruits were sworn in earlier this week.

The six new members took up their posts formally on Monday and were introduced to the public at a ceremony led by the town’s mayor.

Santiago’s police force now has 20 officers.

Work has started clearing loose stones and rubble from the cliff on the beach road in Los Gigantes.

The beach road was closed to the public a few weeks ago when more smaller rock falls occurred.

The results of the work will form part of a geotechnical study to decide how best to protect the beach from further rock falls.

There are bargains galore to be had as the winter sales begin today.

The date was announced last month by the Dirección General de Comercio, and has the backing of all the islands’ commissions, businesses, unions and consumer associations.

The chosen date was aimed at starting the sales as soon as possible after Kings’ Day on the 6th Jan, to give businesses the best possible chance of success. However a consumer group’s survey shows that people will be spending less than in previous years, with the average expenditure at 88 Euros per person. Items purchased will be essential items not impulvise purchases. The sales will finish on 6th March.

The Summer Sales will be from 1 July to 31 August.

The MSC Splendida, the biggest ship ever built in Europe, docked in Santa Cruz during the New Year festivities as part of an 11-day cruise. The ship brought 3200 passengers to Tenerife for a day attracting a large crowd of spectators in the port.

The Splendida left Barcelona on 30 December and visited Casablanca in Morocco on its way to the Canaries, from Santa cruz it heads to Madeira, Malaga and then Roma and Genoa.

Since the beginning of the year over 7000 cruise ship passengers have visited Santa Cruz.

The Santiago del Teide Branch of Asociación San Francisco de los Animales are holding a Fun Dog Show for Pedigree and Non Pedigree dogs, on Sunday, 10th January 2010. This will be held behind the Los Gigantes Hotel, Los Gigantes, Santiago del Teide. It is open to dogs from anywhere on the island.

Entries for the show will be taken at 10.30 a.m. There will be 4 classes for conformation for both pedigree and non pedigree dogs. The rest of the classes will be fun ones open to all dogs. Amongst these will be an Obedience and Fancy Dress - for the dog! Winners of each class will receive prizes and the first four placements in each class will receive rosettes. Certificates will be awarded to the top scoring Pedigree and Non Pedigree dogs.

All puppies entered must be not less than 4 months old and fully vaccinated.

There will be a Refreshment Stall selling food and drinks. Why not have a fun day out with your pooch and support our animal charity at the same time?

A full list of classes is as follows:-

Pedigree

Puppy (4 to 9 months) Pedigree not required
Junior (9 to 18 months) ” ” ”
Open (18 months to 8 years) ” ” ”
Veteran (8 years & over) ” ” ”

Mixed
Puppy (up to 9 months)
Junior (9 to 18 months)
Open (18 months to 8 years)
Veteran (8 years & over)

All
Obedience
Best Dog with Children
Dog most like the owner
Handsomest Dog
Prettiest Bitch
Best Six Legs (dog & owner)
Best Condition
Best Abandoned Dog which has been homed
Fancy Dress (the dog)

The yacht, said to belong to one of Russia’s mega-tycoons was ‘pictured’ at berth in Santa Cruz on a secret stop-over.
Other gags included the revelation that regional tourism minister Rita Hernández is to be replaced by Angel Llanos. Other jokes on Spanish newspaper websites include the scoop that National Geographic is to public scientific evidence that Stonehenge is a fake and news of Madrid’s plans to seek the 2018 Winter Olympics after its failed Summer Games bid.

It is with great regret that Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz has announced the death of the Orca whale coach Alexis Martínez, following an unfortunate accident during the first training session at the stadium ‘Orca Ocean’, which as usual, involved seven coaches.
Alexis Martínez was attended to immediately by Loro Parque’s specialized staff and the Canary Emergency Department who responded immediately after a 112 emergency call.
After on-the-spot cardiopulmonary resuscitation he was taken by ambulance to BellVue Clinic, where he went into cardiac arrest.
This news has caused enormous pain to all the Loro Parque Orca staff and the show has been temporarily suspended as a sign of mourning.
Alexis Martínez Hernández was an excellent trainer with 29 years experience. He joined the Loro Parque family in 2004 which he loved. The post Mortem is expected to take place soon.

This current spell of bad weather is set to last a few more days.

The Met Office has put out yet another weather warning. A yellow alert beginning at midnight tonight (Sunday), until midnight on Tuesday, forecasting winds gusting up to 85kph and possible up to 100kph in higher regions, for Tenerife, Gran Canaria and La Palma.

Let’s hope it ends there and the sun shines again in time for the Christmas season.

On Saturday 5th December the local Mayor switched on the illuminations in the Plaza in Los Gigantes.

Among those lights was an artificial Christmas Tree, which the Santiago Del Teide Lions Club annually commemorate for their good causes. In previous years they have raised money for the Sight First Appeal, which was sent to enable those with treatable blindness maladies be restored to a life with vision.

This year, the buckets went round for the ‘Sweet Lucy’ fund. The young lady in question is an 8 year old with a genetic disorder called Sensory Neuropathy Atoxia (S.N.A.) which prevents the brains’ messages to the limbs being properly sent. Thus everyday activities such as catching a ball or even walking, are denied her.

The evening raised 520.00 euros which will be placed in her ‘Fund’ which is husbanded by the Lions Club, and has so far reached over 4,600.00 euros. Of this 2,600.00 euros will be spent on a special electric wheelchair for her.

The account for her is at the Banco March, and should anyone care to donate, the number is IBAN ES 39 0061 0215 140119520111.

Santiago del Teide council are organising a Christmas concert on Saturday 19 December, It will be held in the square of Los Gigantes.

Taking part will be Folk Groups “Brisas” of Arguayo, “Taym” of Tamaimo, and Cultural Association Folk Roots of Santiago del Teide, the Municipal School of Folklore and the Municipal Band.

The Canary Islands Met Office has issued a yellow alert warning of the possibility of heavy rains.

Weathermen are warning that some areas could see a return to last months conditions with up to 60L per square meter of rain falling in the next twelve hours

The affected areas are expected to include the south and west of Tenerife, anticipated rainfall is expected from around 6pm today.

Umbrellas to the ready!

The new Tourist Information Office in Los Gighantes was pleased to announce that since its opening on the 16th of October its had over 1,000 people asking for information on various activities etc.

The main Nationalities visiting in October were British (738) Spanish (457) German (227) French (55).

In November 2.225 visitors were recorded with the majority again being British (976) and German (494) and Spanish (46).

More figures to follow in the up and coming months.

Local police are on the lookout for a bogus policeman who robbed tourists of their credit cards and PIN numbers.

He approached tourists on Tuesday 10th, while they were taking photos at a local viewpoint, near Los Gigantes, and asked them for their paperwork. Those who could not provide any ID were then asked for their credit cards and PIN numbers. He then left them declaring he was going to the nearest bank to verify the cards.

Three tourists obliged and handed over their cards with PIN numbers and the cheeky criminal drew out almost Euros 2000 at the nearest cash point.

All the members of the various administrations insist that you gain much more than you lose by registering as a resident at your town hall.

For young mums and students, residents may have the right to grants for transport, school meals and materials. There is a wealth of free cultural and leisure activities for everybody such as theatre workshops, learning computer skills, excursions and holidays within the islands, within Spain and international at very cheap prices, celebra¬tions at Christmas and New Year, folklore classes, hiking and trekking, beach sports, yoga, golf, visits to spas, open air gym classes and Spanish classes.
Tenerife’s island council also has grants available and summer camps, here and abroad for your chil¬dren. They give out craft licences, hunting, fishing and camping permits and help to administer free public transport for those who are eligible.
The local social services department offer personal homecare for disabled peo¬ple or the elderly, tele-assist¬ance, help with paperwork and administration and there is also economic help available in special cases.
There website is www.tenerife.es, which has a selection of branch offices all over the island and a central phone line at 901 501 901 which operates 24 hours but is better 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday.