Worth a visit

Above is the entrance to the very informative visitors centre at the northern fringe of Garajonay national park. This recently refurbished interpretative centre boasts many exhibits besides explaining La Gomera’s flora, fauna, geology, history, culture, crafts, customs, etc. There are regular screenings of documentaries in the small theatre off the courtyard in the back of the main building, and the friendly helpful staff speak English. There's also a small museum cottage, craft shops, gardens with labelled plants and lots more. The centre is located at Juego de Bolas above the village of Las Rosas and is called Centro de Visitantes del Parque Nacional del Garajony (click for more info), but is just outside of the park itself. A definite must-see for visitors and fortunately still free of charge. There is also a coffee shop and bakery offering delicious traditional Gomeran treats, which is easy to find as there’s always a delicious sweet scent of baking wafting through the clear mountain air, and lots of birdlife around the area waiting for crumbs.

Note that on some afternoons it can get very busy with coach tours, but these don’t stay for long once they've visited the clean and ample toilet facilities.      

Summertime, cool glass of wine…

View north-west

Above is a view from 'Mirador de Vallehermoso' La Gomera's Garajonay national park taken earlier this year on a very clear day. It shows an uninterrupted view north-west with La Palma island's two peaks looking very close, but that's an optical illusion as it is about 70 kms away. Stunning anyway, but taken with a 'phone camera and in reality it was more impressive. La Gomera has lots of excellent well chosen viewpoints and a bit more about these HERE...

Have a rest...

I took this photo recently at El Cepo near Las Rosas in La Gomera's north, a geologically very interesting area

Naval base planned for La Gomera

Aircraft carrier 'Juan Carlos I' heading for Valle Gran Rey in La Gomera island soon ? (Image:gomeranoticias.com)

It has just been announced that the outer harbour of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera, is to be turned into a Spanish naval base.

After the revelation a few days ago that the Spanish navy has been shadowing and tracking Russian vessels which had been acting suspiciously while in waters around the Canary Islands for a while, it comes as no surprise that European and Nato forces are stepping up surveillance of vessels around these islands.

In a recent article published by local media like gomeranoticias, navy commander Alejandro Fraga Pardo de Guevara was quoted as saying: “It is a satisfaction for the navy personnel to contribute to collective deterrence in the archipelago, our work guarantees the integrity of the territory and prevents conflicts through a credible presence at sea”.

In another interview later rear admiral Juan Antonio Pepino de Bromista-Chistoso revealed: ''In view of the recent growth of global instability and conflict our presence in this remote archipelago in the Atlantic will now be increased significantly with the addition of a new small naval base in La Gomera's Valle Gran Rey to support our existing presence in these parts. This new base will help to protect Spain in line with our European and Nato defence obligations. The measure may also help to reassure the large number of anxious elderly German tourists and residents in the area and in general promote the area's safety.'' However,. the move should also be seen in light of the American president laying claim to the Canary Islands last year, as I reported HERE...

The rear admiral added: "Most ports and harbours of the Canary Islands are extremely busy or at capacity. They also often accommodate busy marinas which hamper our manoeuvrability. Valle Gran Rey's under-used, almost empty, large outer port facility is the natural choice for a new navy base. Further, its strategic far south-western location in the Atlantic with sweeping views over that area of operations and protection by tall mountains shoreside combined with only a small civilian population are making it most suitable.'' 

The long outer pier in Vueltas port with this SAR ship one of its few regular visitors

It is planned that the base will initially be home to 3 to 5 warships only during phase one. The current almost empty ferry terminal is to be converted into the naval base's command centre and an additional two floors will be added on top of this. The pier ''will get a long-range radar, a watchtower, fuel storage and ancillary facilities''. The ferry 'Benchi Express' will continue to operate from Vueltas, but will be moved to the old pier in the inner harbour. 

It remains to be seen how the spending power of the sailors when on leave will transform the nightlife of Valle Gran Rey when the naval base comes into operation on April 1st, 2027...ahoy there!

St. Brigid’s day in La Gomera

St. Brgid’s day was celebrated in La Gomera with a cross made from local rushes and a session of Irish traditional music, song, and even some Irish dancing. Here as in Ireland today is a “festivo” (holiday), but it’s Dia de La Candelaria, the patron saint of the Canary Islands.

Smelly trumpets and knickers

I took the above image some time ago in the winding, often stepped, little alleyways in La Calera in the centre of Valle Gran Rey, an area always worth exploring. The ornamental bushy plant is called Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia) and originated in South America where it has become extinct in the wild. It is quite a popular plant in gardens in La Gomera and the Canary Islands, grown for its showy trumpet-shaped pendulous flowers which emit a very pungent fragrance at night. Caution is advised on approach though, as all parts of the bush are highly toxic and ingestion can be fatal. Even touch can cause an adverse reaction.

Note the ladies underwear drying beside it in the fencing. This was very regularly to be seen hanging there overnight, maybe to be 'reodorised' by the trumpets after being deodorised in the wash ?

 

Hello from the donkeys in El Cedro village

This strange video is a must see and a great laugh

I found the above video on the web accidentally and I had to laugh so much it actually hurt. It purports to introduce first-time visitors to La Gomera and give ''essential tips'' for tourists.

It gets really mad from about 0!:15 into the video when a lioness is seen striding through the grass with the voiceover saying that La Gomera's wildlife boasts animals that are ''otherwise extinct in most places''. Now, why is this 'La Gomera lion' wearing a collar ?

No prizes for spotting the many more ridiculous errors in the video and the disjointed imagery. The voiceover and pronunciation are hilarious, too.

This video was obviously generated using artificial intelligence (AI) and confirms my reasons for always calling same artificial ignorance. 

There is some nice footage from La Gomera in it, too, and some factual information. But there's definitely no tuk-tuks in La Gomera bringing you into a jungle, etc., etc....

The author's travel vlog even dares to call itself ''Official Travel Guide'' and states: ''Whether you're planning your travel for 2023 or simply seeking inspiration from travel magazines, our La Gomera - Essential Tips for First-Time Visitors to the Canary Islands video is a must-watch.'' Yeah, no, essentially wrong.

Just imagine some poor innocent who doesn't know anything about La Gomera viewing this video and then deciding to visit to see the non-existent lions...

The New Age dawns in La Gomera

The boutique apartments with small shopping arcade and the attached 'Piano Bar' on the promenade in La Playa, Valle Gran Rey, collectively trading as 'Gomeralounge' is set for transformation to be La Gomera's first esoteric New Age Centre. ''This new exciting development constitutes a further organic cultural shift in the direction of my important societal aims'' owner Thomas Mueller is quoted as stating recently, adding that he will ''continue the wearisome work to culturally educate the mostly rural populace of La Gomera. I promise to strive to maintain my successful fostering of mainland flamenco in this remote isle, while also giving a platform to my own culturally significant work'', to quote Maestro Mueller from one of his frequent lengthy public speeches. By the way, with his voice and accent he sounds uncannily like former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.

The penny wise patron of the arts is now going to hand over the reigns of his flagship premises to Sandra and Daniel who amassed a fortune through crypto-currency dealings and are now in a position to acquire the business. Thomas Mueller is a German entrepreneur known all over La Gomera as the ''postcard baron''. He made his own fortune through various enterprises like the 'El Fotografo' postcard emporium, the now derelict 'Castillo del Mar' in Vallehermoso, apartment blocks, ice cream parlours, dance studios as well as bars and shops. Also known as a minor film-maker and music producer, 'Don Thomas' is now planning retirement with first  letting go of his Gomera Lounge Enterprises.

A tired looking 'Don Thomas' in his gaudy Gomera Lounge Piano Bar in 2017

The new owners of the Gomera Lounge and Piano Bar will continue Thomas' good work with a new impulse of New Age enthusiasm and intend to '' foster Valle Gran Rey's new spirit of esoteric endeavour'' which recently has seen a profusion of workshops on offer in La Gomera, mostly in German. 

They ranged from avocado-stone carving and ''dancing to the sound of your soul'', learning to sleep in the trees of the forest in the national park to ''disovering the inner self'' and ''human design''. Schooling in mysticism and crypto-currency investing was also offered. The latter workshop was tutored recently by Gomera Lounge's new owners Sandra and Daniel (see poster on right), who wanted to share how they became so wealthy so fast after leaving behind their previous regular lives in Germany. They are now running an ''academy for financial intelligence'' and found a solid investment in the Gomera Lounge complex, which is ideally suited for their goals of fostering the New Age movement and building the crypto-currency economy.

Gomera Lounge's ostentatious themed apartments, ranging from ''Bali'' to ''1001 nights'' offer accommodation for the ever-increasing number of esoterically minded tourists visiting La Gomera and especially Valle Gran Rey who are looking for magic inspiration and mystic enlightenment. These are all seeking suitably esoteric environs and are willing to pay above the standard rate for same. The premises' attached Piano Bar will be serving as a showy workshop venue during the day soon, but will continue to offer live music at night. However, in future they will concentrate in the programme more on performances on the mellow mystic side of music. This will continue Thomas Mueller's work in that direction and he has assured customers that his kitschy and tacky (sorry, but that's my opinion, Ed.) elephant video will continue to be shown in an endless loop on the large flat screen in the bar.

The business transaction and subsequent transformation will take a while, but it has transpired that after a short closure for minor refurbishment and ''spiritual cleansing'', the grand reopening of the premises is planned to take place on April 1st 2024, with a ''Meaningful Macrame'' workshop, a Hang Handpan concert and trendy band ''The Mystic Melancholics'' playing dopey dances. The donation box will be passed around as usual and you're expected to give generously as the artists will not get paid by the hosts so as not to break with the Piano Bar's tradition . The popular Nestle products will remain on sale, however, and drink prices will continue to be progressively upmarket as before, we've heard.

Most crypto-currencies will be accepted and are to replace cash transactions 'pronto' (asap), while the Lounge's rooftop jacuzzi with sea views offers customers a relaxing dip should the former take an unexpected dive in the markets.

The brave ''Nespresso Buddha'' outside the Piano Bar, patiently holding 

my devotional 'incense stick' while I took the photo a few years ago 

Valle Gran Rey seen from the sea

Image taken December 2022

A Happy Christmas To All

Image taken just before Christmas 2022 in Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey

La Gomera's stone circle to be moved

One of La Gomera's main visitor attractions is mythical La Laguna Grande in the centre of Garajonay National Park, and indeed in the centre of the island, high up in the mountains surrounded by ancient forests.

La Laguna Grande offers a small interpretative centre that explains the flora and fauna of the national park, a restaurant which is rented and run by the Fred. Olsen ferry company, public toilets, a playground, and barbecues and ovens which are popular with locals often bringing their extended families for day-long celebrations and parties. The area is also included in nearly all coach tours, bringing day trippers from Tenerife and cruise ship excursions. The popular spot is also often chock-a-block with rental cars, bikers and hikers.

 Now a major re-development of La Laguna Grande has been announced which will see the small car park between the open green area and the restaurant extended, providing three times more space. As it is now this car park always quickly fills, resulting in too many cars being parked along the dangerous main road above the area, where the coaches also must park because they cannot turn below. Trees there beside the GM-2 cannot be felled to create more parking along this main east-west artery because all flora and fauna is protected in the national park. 

 Further to this recently approved development it has been announced that the stone circle (see image above) will be moved to the beautiful park around another of the island's main attractions, the Torre del Conde in the island's capital San Sebastian de La Gomera. It had previously been suggested by the Spanish minister for culture to move the monument to a museum in mainland Spain ''to give it more protection from the elements and human interference'', but thankfully La Gomera's president Casimiro Curbelo intervened and he stated that La Gomera will not tolerate these stones leaving the island. There were also well-attended protests held in San Sebastian de La Gomera and during one of those the crowd formed a large 'human stone circle' (cadena humana de piedra) around the Torre del Conde, demanding the monuments be re-erected in front of the tower:

       The 'human stone circle' protest in San Sebastian de La Gomera recently (This image: gomeranoticias.com)

 The compromise solution now is to move the lot to the island's capital where it can be better monitored and protected, as well as making it more accessible to locals and visitors. The associated cup-marked standing stone/boulder (image below) will also be moved there. The whole operation will be supervised by a team of archaeologists and historians, to make sure the exact same alignment will be observed and that no damage is done.

 The existing small playground in the green of Laguna Grande will be augmented with a new themed amusements park with various additional rides and pleasure gardens which ''will reflect the many myths and legends associated with La Laguna Grande''. Work on the project is to begin after Easter when low season begins. It is hoped that both the newly-developed attractions and the relocated stone alignment will be open to the public again on April 1st 2023, according to Cabildo de La Gomera, the island's government. Funding has been made available with part-funding coming from the EU who praised the project as eco-friendly and a ''show-piece sustainable development which also will reduce traffic and emissions in Garajonay National Park''.

New 2€ coin to feature La Gomera island

Since the end of January the Spanish national mint has begun producing commemorative two Euro coins which will not show the portrait of the king of Spain on the reverse side. Instead these new 2 Euros (above) will show La Gomera's emblematic and iconic Roque Agando (more here...) together with examples of the fauna in the island's 1.8 million years old laurisilva forest. Both can be found in Garajonay national park, the stunningly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site which covers about 11% of the entire island, and to which the new coins are dedicated.

The Spanish king probably won't mind, as he has visited La Gomera and admired its national park on several occasions.

The new coinage will come into circulation ''in the first quarter of 2022'' according to the official decree issued two months ago, so keep your eyes on any 2 Euro pieces in your change from now on. This should also be of interest to numismatologists as the 2022 commemorative issue dedicated to La Gomera will be strictly limited in numbers by the national mint.

La Gomera's oldest citizen

La Gomera's oldest citizen is Antonio Navarro from the harbour village of Vueltas in Valle Gran Rey. Born the 29th of December 1914, he just celebrated his 107th birthday and he still clearly remembers all the events and experiences during his long life. Congratulations !

Antonio once imported clothes and shoes to Valle Gran Rey and he also built apartments to rent out to tourists. This accommodation is still officially listed as 'Apartamentos Navarro' today and available to book.

UPDATE Dec.31st 2022:

Antonio just celebrated his 108th birthday, see below:

                     (source of images: Ayuntamiento de Valle Gran Rey)

UPDATE May 20th 2023:  Sad news as Antonio has passed away, RIP.

Another stunning video taken from the air

The above video takes you through the air from Playa de Santiago to Valle Gran Rey (Source: Hotel Jardin Tecina)

Coronas

For several years I used to smoke above cigarettes when living in La Gomera. They're made in Tenerife by the same company that makes Benson & Hedges and other well known brands, but Coronas were and still are much cheaper. When the packs of ten cigarettes were phased out through EU regulations some years ago I remember buying 30 packs of 10 Coronas for just 3,30 Euros (total price for the carton of 300 , I kid you not, that's little more than 10 cents per 10-pack) in Anita's tiny supermarket in Vueltas, which is sadly gone the way of the ten-packs. Coronas cigarettes are still widely available all over Spain, though more expensive there than in the Canaries, as are all cigarettes. I wonder are they now as popular with hugely increased demand there as is Corona lager beer here in Ireland due to the Corona virus hype ?

...and no, I'm not promoting any brand of smokes nor any brand of virus, and a warning is on the pack. 

By the way a German carpenter living in Ireland once stated when making a table for me with a fag in his mouth: ''Smoking is yoga for the lungs''. He has since quit smoking and went back to Germany.

Sixes and Twos

Spotted in Barranco del Ingenio, near Vallehermoso, in La Gomera's north-west a while back

Explore La Gomera's north

The town and valley of Hermigua in La Gomera's north

The much quieter and greener north of La Gomera island, which includes the municipal areas of Agulo and Hermigua, is well worth exploring and the following link has loads of information in English: northgomera.com

Hello Halo

Hello there, just to let you know that I'm still on the ball, BUT I'm having minor 'accidental' health issues and major issues with my internet connection - hence the absence of more regular posts.

FERRIES: The connection to V.GR. is suspended temporarily due to a 'technical revision' of the vessel serving the connection. It is expected to be back in service with a new timetable very soon. Keep the fingers crossed !

WEATHER: We've had around 20mm of rain today in V.GR.. A good bit, yes, but only temporarily relieving the drought. Hurray anyway, and I've shared a few beers with local farmers who were grinning like children at Christmas.

***Much more happened lately, but my window of web space is narrowing, i.e. my neighbour wants me to talk to him rather than me talking to you via his connection... 

More and more details  soon, hopefully. 

By the way, above image of a halo around the moon was taken about 40 minutes ago. Good night.