More praise for La Gomera

The article below appeared in 'Northern Ireland Travel News' (nitravelnews.com) a few days ago:

''La Gomera: Land of the Winter Sun

With only a few months until the summer rays give way to colder weather, you may be wondering about the best places to soak up some winter sun

Look no further than La Gomera, a Canary Island known for its vivid landscapes, black sand beaches and abundant nature. While there’s plenty to see and do, these suggestions are a great start to keep you coloured through the UK’s cold and grey season…

Retreats in Nature

Looking for a peaceful location to revive your love of nature? A hiking or yoga adventure is a wonderful way to do just that. La Gomera offers year-round retreats for those wishing to explore its untouched landscapes.

As you take in the sights, you can follow many hiking trails that criss-cross the terrain. Better yet, each marked path has a different degree of difficulty so you can discover the island at your own pace.

You can also opt for a local guide to lead you into the silver-clouded forest of Garajonay National Park. Not only does the UNESCO World Heritage Site brim with native wildlife, but its ancient scenery is also the perfect introduction to this spectacular little island.

Long Walks on the Shore

For many people, there is no better place than the beach, and La Gomera happens to be blessed with an abundance of them. Another bonus is the beautiful black sand, which provides a relaxing setting to residents and visitors alike.

Many Gomeran beaches are also away from the crowds and only accessible by foot, with clear waters and warm temperatures in winter. On the south coast, for example, Playa del Medio will tempt you with its soothing surf ­– just the thing for an easy day in the winter sun.

Meanwhile, Playa de la Caleta awaits a few minutes from the centre of Hermigua. This slice of paradise is considered the best beach on the north coast and has many convenient facilities nearby, such as restaurants, picnic areas and showers.

There are excellent choices if you’re travelling with kids this winter too. Charco del Conde in Valle Gran Rey is one of many family beaches that are sure to impress. Expect accessibility, cleanliness and a protected natural pool for all ages to swim in at high tide.

Nourishing Local Foods

Gastronomy gives people a direct window into culture – like all the Canary Islands, La Gomera features a variety of nourishing local seafood and healthy dishes to keep you warm and satisfied.

When visiting the green island, one can’t-miss dish is papas arrugudas. ‘Papas’ is the local term for potatoes, and because of the island’s volcanic climate, these potatoes gain a signature taste and texture.

The simple but delicious dish is boiled in water with salt then paired with a generous serving of rich mojo sauces. Mojo verde is bright green and refreshing, while Mojo picón is vibrant red and slightly spicy. Either way, you’re in for a savoury treat.

But when it comes to treats, palm syrup is the undisputed star of Gomeran cuisine. With more than 130,000 palm trees blanketing the island, La Gomera has the highest number of specimens per capita. What’s more, almost every restaurant serves desserts drizzled in the stuff. It’s also used to sweeten cocktails and add the final touch to meat and fish dishes.

If you’d like to keep a taste of La Gomera long after your holiday, you’ll be pleased to know that palm syrup is offered in almost any supermarket and craft fair – a fine purchase to take back as a souvenir.

Getting There

Fly into Tenerife and catch a 50-minute ferry to La Gomera. A short flight from Tenerife will get you there as well. Once you arrive, you can choose from a wide range of hotels as your home away from home this winter. Go to lagomera.travel/en for more information and winter sun ideas.''

Folk festival in Playa de Santiago this Sunday

La Gomera's south-west from the air

La Gomera's south-west with La Merica mountain and the plains of Valle Gran Rey
in the foreground, seen from the air this summer by Canarian photographer Alvaro Armas (facebook).

Greetings from hot and sunny Ireland

Greetings from very hot and sunny Ireland where the temperature at midday is already higher than in La Gomera and is expected to exceed 30ºC later today. Above image of a shop window display was taken in Youghal, Co. Cork, last week.

Very large minke whale found dead

The large dead minke whale being lifted out of the water in Vueltas harbour (Image: Speedy Adventure)

A very large minke whale was discovered floating dead in the Atlantic just off La Gomera not far from the harbour of Valle Gran Rey on Saturday. The carcass was towed into the port and lifted out of the water with the crane on the pier and onto a council truck for disposal. The minke whale showed no visible signs of injuries and further examinations and tests were to be carried out to determine the cause of death. However experts were surprised at the unusually large size of the marine mammal. This male dead minke whale measured about eight metres in length (25 ft), which is a metre longer than normally encountered. The waters just off the south coast of La Gomera are a popular spot for whale watching and more than 30 species of marine mammals have been sighted there.

Almost too large for the council lorry (Image: RTVC)

New public bus service

Valle Gran Rey bus station (Estacion de Guaguas)

A new public bus service has been inaugurated between La Gomara's western towns of Vallehermoso and Valle Gran Rey. Previously passengers had to change buses at Apartacaminos in the forest of the national park with very few connections available. Now the new direct service will travel between the two towns three times a day in each direction (twice on Sundays and public holidays) with the usual stops in between. The new service will facilitate locals travelling to and from the ferry terminal in Valle Gran Rey and will be of great interest to tourists as well, as it is now possible to reach scenic highlights like Epina much more comfortably. The single fare for the full distance between Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso is a modest four Euros and the new connection will have the number 8 (Linea 8).

La Gomera's public bus services have been owned and successfully run by the local government for many years now, after the previous private service went bankrupt despite generous subsidies. The timetable for the new service can be found here: Linea 8 Guagua Gomera SAU

Note: A bus is called  'GUAGUA' (pronounced 'gwa-gwa') in the Canary Islands and not 'autobus' as in Spain.

Fire-jumping fiesta

The picturesque town of Agulo in La Gomera's north will celebrate the highlight of the annual Fiesta de San Marcos', the spectacular fire-jumping event, tomorrow night Saturday 28th of April 2018 (see promotional video below). Following an old custom the fires are lit in honour of the town's patron saint San Marcos every year, and many of the town's population are rising to the challenge and jump over the bonfires. Visitors are welcome to join in and there's even a version with smaller fires for the children. If you're a bit older or just not as daring, you can wait until the fires have burnt down a bit and try the 'light' version. The organisers recommend to cover your hair and avoid wearing flammable synthetics. The bonfires will be lit following the procession and mass in the centre of Agulo.

After the spectacular fire-jumping, there'll be general merriment and dancing to live music all night, and and plenty of cold drinks to quench the thirst resulting from the bonfires. I can reveal that this year a Canadian film crew who are shooting a documentary about La Gomera intend to capture what must be La Gomera's most captivating and spectacular fiesta during its main event.

Angela Merkel in La Gomera for sixth time

Merkel in La Gomera 2016 (Image: Darias/La Opinion)

German chancellor Angela Merkel , often dubbed ''the most powerful woman on earth'', was spending her Easter holidays in La Gomera once again, together with her husband Joachim Sauer. This is the now the sixth time she is spending her private and supposedly secret spring holidays on the island amid tight security. She is known to enjoy walking and exploring La Gomera's national park and ancient forest. She's also said to be fond of a local specialty called potaje de berros which is a soup made with watercress. The German chancellor arrived by ferry in La Gomera on Good Friday for a week's peace and quiet. The above image was snapped by a local couple who spotted Merkel by chance when taking some shots of nature in La Gomera's national park with their mobile phone in 2016 during one of the German leader's previous visits. It is said to be the only photo that was published of any of her visits to La Gomera and appeared in the Canary Islands daily La Opinion. The German chancellor was staying at the island's largest hotel among many average tourists and is reported to have enjoyed a normal relaxing holiday without much special attention

New hippie caves

The 14 new 'Hippie Caves' (left). Image taken about 5 weeks ago when landscaping work had begun

Tourism in La Gomera started with an influx of hippies in the 1960's, as it did in many other now gentrified tourism destinations in Europe like Nice and St.Tropez in France, West Cork in Ireland, Matala on Crete, Ibiza,  etc., etc., and in all those tourist resorts some hippies still come and go, but now form a minority. They are still a major tourist attraction and 'the main crowd' always followed the hippies who first discovered these scenic locations and the ordinary travellers are attracted by the hippies. There's also the phenomenon of the 'weekend hippies', who are well-off ordinary people having a bit of fun 'dropping out' at festivals and when on holidays and relaxing by acting and dressing like hippies, but generally paying with credit cards.

The hippie tradition in La Gomera's Valle Gran Rey has continued since the first American 'draught-dodging' hippies arrived when the Vietnam war started. However, the Spanish law enforcement agencies carried out 'cleansing' exercises and evicted hippies from their favourite places such as crevices between rocks at Playa del Ingles, the caves at Argaga beach (aka 'Bay of Pigs') and the caves between San Sebastian and Playa de Santiago about once a year. Only a few weeks ago another such campaign was carried out when hippie numbers had increased after the end of a 'Rainbow Festival' nearby. Many hippies' temporary homes were destroyed by the authorities and many of them left La Gomera or had to find more remote spots to hide from public view.

So what to do with the hippies without losing them altogether and what to do with the regular hippies that have been coming for many years ? A novel scheme now offers a solution. Artificial 'safe social caves' (cuevas seguras sociales) have been built in the vast open space in the outer harbour of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey. They consist of simple cells with a shutter that when opened make the room appear like a proper cave, but can be closed during bad weather or to protect their occupants' belongings. 

The first 14 caves of this novel social housing scheme have been completed and the first batch will be allocated to hippies who have been legally resident in Valle Gran Rey for at least five years. They can apply to the local council and will just have to pay a monthly maintenance fee. Each of the fourteen modern caves can sleep up to four people just as uncomfortably as in a real cave, but WIFI and electricity for charging 'phones and laptops, etc., is provided, making it a luxury cave fit for the digital age. A communal barbecue area will be built in front of the caves and an elevated platform will be erected to the right hand side with sweeping views across the Atlantic. There the hippies can gather at sunset to dance and play their drums which they artfully make from local agave stems, a well established tradition here, predating even the 'bajadas' of the local patron saint. The platform will boast a fine view of the sunset all year round, which the current favourite  hippie gathering spot in La Playa only offers during the winter months. Tourists and 'weekend hippies' are invited to participate, but are expected to make a small donation. Unlike in a zoo, here you are allowed to feed the exhibits and food donations are readily accepted. However local authorities have stressed that they do not intend to charge tourists to enter the compound, which when landscaping has been completed will be very attractive and a welcoming green area. The resident hippies are expected to decorate and paint their 'caves' internally and externally and will be given free paint to express their creativity.

There will be an official opening ceremony with fire-eaters, jugglers and dancers, didgeridoos, flutes and other instruments including about 50 drummers, tonight April 1st 2018, from just before sunset. All are welcome, but don't forget to bring food and lots of drink. The first ten people who'll arrive barefoot and with a flower in their hair will get a free henna tattoo, I've been told. With a bit of luck Tony Reece's 'Cave Song' will also be sung around the campfire tonight: ''You've got to be brave to live in a cave...'' See video below:

Happy Easter

Image taken in the church 'San Juan Bautista' of Vallehermoso,  La Gomera's north-west

This Sunday at bus station

The trio of Tom Words featuring Strat7rieder plus Gerd on Bass will be playing at the bus station in La Calera tomorrow, Sunday April 1st 2018, from 1:30 pm. 

Double vision

Spotted in Barranco de Ingenio near Vallehermoso