Why Was She Just Left to Sink?

Transcription

AprilMay2015
FREE!
WHY WAS SHE
JUST LEFT TO SINK?
Just as we were going to press this
month, reports started coming in
about a ship having caught fire in the
port of Las Palmas, filling the capital
with smoke. Multiple fire crews
were called to tackle the blaze both
from the quayside and from boats in
port. The emergency services were
unable to get it under control.
At some point, someone made the
decision that the fires on the Russian
Fishing trawler, Oleg Naydenov, could
not be put out safely, and that her
fully laden fuel tanks posed a threat
to other vessels and so ordered the
ship out to sea. She was towed first
east, toward the southern tip of
Fuerteventura, and then when the
fires had been extinguised, she was
towed south until she sank 2 days
later just 15 nautical miles off the
point of Maspalomas. Despite repeated assurances that she posed no
threat to the marine environment,
the stricken vessel started to leak
some of her 1,400 tonnes of fuel,
diesel and lubricants in to the sea.
Ministers seemed satisfied that the
slick would be simply blown away
from the islands, but as blobs of oil
pollution started to come ashore
everyone wants to know why, once
the fire was out, she was left to sink
and not towed back to safe port,
where she could have been dealt
with properly.
2
April-May
News, Views & Sunshine
2015
N ews ,
S unshine
Editor-in-Chief: Edward JB Timon
[email protected]
T he C anary N ews . com El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria
Telephone: 928 987 952 / Office Open Mon - Sat 9AM - 5PM
Sales: +34 620 978 709 (En/Es/S) / [email protected] via 928 987 952 (En)
Accounts: [email protected] Production: [email protected]
The Canary News can not accept any responsibility for claims made by advertisers, either in advertisements or advertorial, nor can it be held responsible for any inaccuracies, errors, or the nonappearance of
advertisements or advertorial. This publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors as a result of poor quality artwork or logos supplied by advertisers and no responsibility is accepted for any loss or damage caused
by any error or inaccuracy or nonappearance of an advertisement or advertorial. Every effort will be made to ensure the authenticity and accuracy of articles and advertisements in this publication, however the publisher
does not accept responsibility for claims or opinions in the same. Reproduction of any part of this newspaper is permitted under Creative Commons 3.0 rules of Attribution, unless otherwise stated.
Edita: JDC Canarias SL, Imprime: Canarias7, Gran Canaria, España. Deposito Legal GC1291-2013
The English Newspaper for Gran Canaria
T he C anary N ews . com News, Views & Sunshine
April-May
2015
3
Accidents happen. It is how we deal with them that defines us. Ordinary
Canarians, the people of Spain, foreign residents and the world’s press, along with
a multitude of environmental activists and organisations are all pretty confused as
to why the order was given to take the ship away from land and away from where
any consequences could most easily be controlled.
Some hard questions will be asked in the coming weeks and months.
Insurance from A - Z
Follow regular updates on this story at:
TheCanaryNews.com
Your Allianz Agent
Patricia Ba
Arguineguín  CC Ancora 97  Tel. 685 287744  928 735763
[email protected]  Allianz Paty Ba
4
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com The best private hospital
in the Canary Islands
El Periódico Inglés de Gran Canaria
(Ranking of the Spanish healthcare system)
24 hours
Emergency Service
Hotel Medical Attention
Interpreter Service
Travel Insurances accepted. We are the only
private hospital on Gran Canaria where the E11
European Health Insurance Card is accepted.
All medical and surgical specialities,
General and Digestive Surgery, Dermatology,
Neurology, Traumatology, Internal Medicine,
Cardiology, Gynecology, Hemodialysis,
Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation,
Rheumatology, Aesthetic Medicine, Plastic Surgery,
Radiology Service, Urology, etc.
928 063 666
www.hospitalessanroque.com
April-May
2015
5
€16 MILLION SPORTS MARINA FOR ARGUINEGUÍN
It was announced at the beginning of
April that a local entrepreneur is to spend
more than €16million to develop a sports
marina in Arguineguín on the south coast
of Gran Canaria.
90 for sports fishing facilities, along with
other improvements in catering, commercial infrastructure and for the town’s
own fishermen.
sports marina in Arguineguín, three other
companies also competed: Real Estate
Dismare S.L.U., Marina Arguineguin and
Marine Atlantic Arguineguin, whose proposals all lost out to Puerto Deportivo
With plans to start the construction
Arguineguin S.L., whose submission won
The Board of Directors of Puertos Caas early as 2016 the project could be
129 of the 146 points possible. Over the
narios, a public entity which includes the completed within 2 years, although, as
regional government, island councils (Ca- explained by the director of the project, coming month public scrutiny of the projbildos), municipalities (Ayuntamientos)
everything is subject to the date on which ect is invited and any objections that may
and employers’ organizations managing the Ministry of public works and Environ- arise in accordance with the provisions
the independant port areas of the archi- ment approves the environmental impact and regulations of the law on ports can
be submitted for consideration.
pelago, last month agreed to provisional- statement.
ly approve a proposal for a sports marina The plan is to create a 6,000 M2 fishing
To go with the new port facilities a new
in the Puerto de Arguineguín, which was dock with capacity for 40 boats, adjacent shopping area has been included in the
examined by a panel convened for the
to the current fishing area, but separated proposals as well as leisure facilities and a
purpose and approved by the Advisory
from the Marina by a concrete pier. Fish- private car park.
Board.
ing activity in the port is primarily un2,000 m2 for shops, terraces and resThe €16.6 million project, presented by
the company Puerto Deportivo Arguineguín SL, now goes on to a new phase of
public consultation for a month before
being finally adopted. The proposal chosen includes a total of 334 new berths,
dertaken and controlled by the cofradía
de pescadores (Fishermen’s Fraternity),
which has 44 members.
taurants will be located along the jetty
where berths will enable anyone on a
boat to dock temporarily to enjoy a lunch
During the call for tenders to grant the 30 or a party. A petrol station has also been
year-period award for the right to build a included to facilitate the supply of fuel to
vessels.
Ristorante Don Dario, Authentic Italian Family Restaurant
Plaza Negra, Calle Juan Juanez, 17/A, Arguineguín +34 928151041
6
April-May
2015
April-May
2015
7
The Perfect Fusíon of
Great Taste and Natural Pazzazz!
Restaurateur and chef David Gibson followed his dreams
opening Fusíon Restaurant and Lounge-bar, in the sleepy
southern Gran Canaria fishing town of Arguineguín, on June
11th 2007.
service and clearly the most delicious cocktail menu on the
island, in a hidden colorful little gem of a setting, just a hop,
skip and a jump from the ever popular Yumbo Centre, on the
main street down to the beach.
Through a mixture of hard work, great service and some of the
most amazing Southeast Asian inspired cuisine, Fusíon quickly
became a central meeting point, and a hub of activity, for
foreign residents and visitors alike serving extraordinary food
at extraordinarily ordinary prices.
Consequently, so as to be able to stride confidently forward,
David has come to the difficult decision to sell his lease on
the buzzing little scene Fusíon has created in Arguineguín so
that he can concentrate fully on his new venture, which has
already been meeting with some real success. “It wasn’t an
easy decision but for me and the future of my business it’s the
right thing to do.” says David, who is gagging to create a lovely
outdoor space for Fusíon Playa del Inglés.
David’s talent and easy charm coupled with the wily pizzazz
of his managers and staff proved to be a winning combo,
in a much loved tourist area where previously only the
outstandingly fresh fish available had been the highlight of the Whomsoever manages to take over his Arguineguín hotspot,
town.
will do so with a capacity crowd and a need to step up to the
top quality example Fusíon and its staff have set over the last
Within a few short years Fusíon became, and remains, a
favourite hangout for its large and vibrant community of local 8 years. The passion and attention to detail with which the
business was developed will be a hard act to follow, but the
clientele and visitors who return year after year to this high
community there will show their gratitude to anyone who
end dining experience, encompassing the laid back vibrance
of a beachfront cocktail bar with the sensational fresh flavours cares enough to do it right, right there on the Arguineguín Sea
borne out of a passion for great food. It didn’t take Fusíon long front.
to become the best ranked eatery in the area.
Arguineguín is culturally much richer for the experience of
having nurtured Fusíon’s early days, and many more residents
Clearly the most popular haunt in town, David’s recent
announcement of a permanent move to much larger premises of that town will now have a clear reason to visit the new
premises a few short km around the coast. As for Playa del
in nearby Playa del Inglés is both a symptom of Fusíon’s
Inglés, the arrival of this outstanding eatery, and its visionary
success and a natural progression which will allow them to
host can only bode great things for the standard of cuisine
reach much larger groups of quality-hungry travellers and
available in one of the most popular resort towns in all of
grateful residents on this small sub-tropical paradise.
Spain.
In March 2014 David opened his second premises, on the site
of the first ever oriental restaurant in the south. With much
We wholeheartedly recommend you pop along and try the
more space and a wider clientele he has for the last year been famous Fusíon 2-for-1 deal and if you have any questions, or
wowing a fresh dining and nightlife scene, once again bringing simply to make a reservation, give them a call on the number
together his eclectic styles of cuisine, an outstanding focus on opposite.
WHO CAN I VOTE FOR IN
THE LOCAL ELECTIONS?
8
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com On March 31st 2015 the local elections were
officially convened and over the next few weeks
we will learn more about the parties putting
themselves forward for government and their
aspiring candidates.
Several parties have already made public their intention to
run in the next elections on May 24th.
Nueva Canaria (New Canaria) is a party created by
Román Rodriguez, the former president of the
Canary Islands (2005). It arose from a separation of
some members of Coalición Canarias who disagreed with the
policies that led the group and they decided to create their
own party with nationalist and progressive ideologies.
Izquierda Unida (The United Left) was founded
as a political and social movement in 1986 and
We have put together a little information to give you an
was originally founded as an electoral coalition
overview of some of the parties and help you to make your
of seven parties, but currently the Communist
decision as to who to vote for here in The Canary Islands.
Party of Spain (PCE) is the only integrated member of this
Coalición Canaria CC (Canarian Coalition) has ruled coalition at national level. Their aim to gradually transform the
capitalist system into a democratic socialist system, based on
the islands since the 1995 regional elections often
sharing government with other political forces. It
the principles of justice, equality, solidarity, respect for nature
was a result of the merger of five individual Canarian parties in and organised as a social and democratic state.
1993, they are nationalist and progressive and base their
policies on the differentiation of The Canary Islands regarding
Ciudadanos / C’s (Citizens) arose from the Catalan
the Spanish State.
party Ciutadans de Catalunya in 2006 and with the
recent problems in Spain regarding the two main
Partido Popular PP (Popular Party) is one of the
parties, have gained a large following throughout the
oldest parties in Spanish democracy. Founded by
Manuel Fraga in 1976 as the Alianza Popular
country. Their president is Albert Rivera and they are center(Popular Alliance), and changing it’s name to Partido left, a party that offers a mix of liberalism and social democracy
Popular in 1989. They define themselves as center-right and
in its platform. C’s, is one of the parties that has had intense
Christian but also have many party members and backbenchers media coverage in recent months and one of two that are
that are further right. The PP won their first general election in having much more success in the polls and therefore one of the
1996 with José María Aznar and has since been taking turns in new parties aspiring to break the long standing bipartisanship
government with their main opposition the Partido Socialista of PP-PSOE.
Obrero Español (PSOE). They have been caught up in many
Podemos (We Can), the latest party that has entered
scandals regarding corruption such as the Bárcenas affair,
the fray, created in 2014 by Pablo Iglesias, is the main
resulting in their treasurer being imprisoned. They have also
party opposed to the existing two-party system.
faced opposition to laws banning abortion, amendments to the
Interestingly, Pablo was named after the 19th Century
intellectual property law (Ley De Propiedad Intelectual) and
founder of Spanish Socialism. Ambiguously not declaring as to
laws about bullfighting.
whether the party it is right or left since winning by surprise
Partido Socialista Obrero Español PSOE five seats in the last European elections, it has been the victim
(Socialist Workers Party) was founded
of attacks by the two large parties, however these attacks have
clandestinely in 1879 by Pablo Iglesias
not hindered its growth and it has positioned itself as the
(not to be confused with Pablo Iglesias, second political force in polls of intention to vote in most
founder of Podemos). The party is defined as labor and leftist, communities. Fiercely anti-corruption and anti-austerity,
however since they came to power have been tending
Podemos, with it’s leaders coming from political academia, has
increasingly towards neoliberal policies. They came to power
attracted the support of an abundance of disenfranchised
for the first time in 1982 with Felipe González and have shared youth, academics, the unemployed, and citizens affected by
power with the PP since then, leading to the current situation the crisis and continual austerity.
of bipartisanship. They too have also been caught up in many
Paula Bolaños & Daniel Dixon April 2015
corruption scandals of late.
T he C anary N ews . com Davinia Arbelo is an impassioned
supporter of the newest and fastest growing political movement
in Spain. So much has she been
inspired, by the actions and the
rhetoric of Podemos, and its figurehead Pablo Iglesias, that she decided to try to gather others around
her from her local area to start the
process of creating a local Podemos
group, known as a circle, for the southern Gran Canaria municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
Having herself previously studied political science she says
that the first thing she remembered learning, in the very first
year “We, as people, don’t know anything about politics for
a reason. It’s because the people that are in charge, that are
‘in power’, or how ever you want to say it, they don’t want
people getting involved in politics”
She believes strongly that those who have control, take and
directly influence all other social structures and organisations,
primarily, it appears, to ensure their own survival, and to continue being in control. When it comes to political involvement
she says “A government can make it stronger, or they can
make it weaker” suggesting that civil society and the organisations that aim to really serve their fellow citizens are so very
dependant on the municipal and regional councils from whom
they might gain funding, that they are simply afraid to speak
out, for fear of losing what little they have to work with.
It’s an idea that has easily taken hold across Spain, grown
from the seed of the 15M movement, groups sympathetic to
Podemos have sprung up across the country, refusing to be
April-May
2015
9
labelled red or blue, gathering support from a broad spectrum
of citizens trying really hard to bring about real change on a
local level. Invigourated by the idea that this is their time.
Buoyed by the support they have received, she and her
group decided to try and send an independent candidate for
mayor to the upcoming local elections, based on their love for
their community and many of the ideals pushed forward by
Podemos. They want to add to the debate, and even the odds.
With only a month to prepare, she and her team have,
through hard work and commitment managed to collect more
than the 1500 signatures necessary to validate her as a candidate. San Bartolomé También Puede (San Bartolomé Can Too)
is the name of their group and they stand by a single call to
action “Change is here and now!”
“All the great things humans have done throughout history
were previously labeled impossible by others.” said Davinia on
hearing the news that they had been successful reaching out
for the first time. “A million thanks to all the neighbors who
have with their own signatures, and their efforts collecting
over 1,700 more signatures, supported the establishment of
a group of voters, San Bartolome También Puede, to stand in
the local elections of 2015 in San Bartolomé de Tirajana!”
Definitely, Congratulations San Bartolomé Can Too
10
April-May
2015
Springtime Swansong
Kay Owen has been, along with her amazing husband Paul, the most loyal of our supporters over the
last 8 years, faithfully contributing to this publication every month with insight fortitude and regular
messages of hope to the thousands who, through these pages, enjoy her lively spirit and unstoppable
energy. Alas she has finally managed to persuade us to accept her resignation, after a year or more of
trying politely to leave, and even having moved to another island and pretending that she can’t hear
the phone! It is with deep gratitude and no end of sadness that we must accept that the world needs
more of Kay Owen and like any good mentor, she has deemed the time right for us to stand on our
own feet, to put into practice the many things she has taught us. We have decided to award Kay the
dubious honour and lofty title of Life Editor. It is with the child-like glee of Christmas mornings that
we will look forward to publishing more of her inspirational jottings, as and whenever she sends them
from between her many adventures. Ed the Ed - sobbing at his desk “Please do not forget to write!”
I just read an article in the Times Magazine where a regular
columnist was bewailing the fact that mice had destroyed her
old hand written features and articles, making nests of her
best vellum thus irrevocably damaging years of happy memories and much of her early forays into journalism. Her vivid
description of mouse poo and ‘Eau de rodent urine papiermache’ left little to the imagination!
I felt sad...all that hard work to say nothing of the accompanying nostalgia erased by a few thoughtless rodents. It made this
old technophobe happy to have made it into the computer
age - my own humble ramblings, with the exception of the few
which took themselves off into cyberspace, stored on lap top
and back-up hard drive.
Eight glorious years have passed since I first took to ‘penning’
this page in our illustrious paper here on the island. As I am
now back in the UK and happily settled in my wonderful Welsh
homeland the time has come to say my fond farewells to all
you dear readers and faithful followers of this page.
It has been a blessing to write for The Canary News and I certainly shall miss it. I send my sincere appreciation to Ed the Ed
– a very special person; a man full of good humour, kindness
and integrity. It has been a joy and privilege to work with you
Eddie. Thank you - especially for being big hearted enough to
print the stuff I have occasionally penned to which you have
sometimes been radically opposed. I love you!
Today, as I look into my garden bathed in glorious April sunshine, I see life in abundance. Daffodils, pussy willows, snowdrops and catkins; while in the field beyond new born lambs
are skipping, and love birds are singing their hearts out as they
nest- build in our hedge. Springtime is here...a new season.
My own new season begins with fond memories of so many
lovely friends and supporters in Gran Canaria. I would need
the whole paper to mention everyone by name, but the following, among others who have been outstanding in their
support of the Charity work which has occupied much of my
waking time on the island, however, do stand out. Cynthia
Workman (Las Palmas) for igniting my desire to make a difference to the poor and disadvantaged wherever and whenever.
Elsa MacTaggart who freely gave of her considerable musical
talent, David Gibson (Fusion) for allowing me to fundraise in
his beautiful restaurant on many occasions: my friend Libby
and the MAD team who got up at 4am on Sunday mornings to
ensure a ‘good spot’ for our home and abroad charity bookstall at Faro Dos market .
And of course a massive thanks to you our readers for always
supporting our resource raising events. Pink parties, open
house days, concerts, cycling marathons, car boot sales, etc;
What did your never failing generosity buy over the years?
Shoes for life - bare foot kids project; rubbish tip children’s
rescue (Cambodia); school building programmes ( Las Palmas
Ladies Luncheon/Jo Charles Foundation) ; (Slave trafficking Life Rescue Mission) local food banks ,and much more. Together we raised over €10,000 towards the fight against poverty
and injustice and we became all the richer for it. Many grateful
hearts appreciate you.
So before I finish up with more ‘Farewells’ than Nellie Melba
I will conclude my own’ Swansong’ with my favourite MAD
legend first printed by TCN in 2010 in “A letter from Suzie”.
(Translated)
T he C anary N ews . com “Dear Readers ,
You do not know me, My name is Suzie and today I am sharing
my story in which lots of you feature. This letter is my way of
saying “Thank you” to those of you who met my need in my
saddest hour.
One morning, as I awoke from a fitful sleep, my stomach
knotted as the hopelessness of my situation hit me. My own
darling husband was no longer here…only a cold empty space
where his warm body and his love used to be. Loneliness
and longing enveloped me as I lay on a hardwood floor in
a mildewed loft which I and my 3 dear children share with
a flock of noisy dirty pigeons! Tears of anguish racked my
body as I hugged my sorrow-soaked ‘pillow’ .
Just two years ago I had a loving husband with a steady
job .We were blessed with 3 adorable children and were
gloriously happy .Our children, sponsored by Josephine
Charles Foundation, were doing really well in school . We did
not wish to depend on relief aid .We had always determined
that we would educate our children so that they would never
be caught in the poverty trap.
Suddenly Peter got sick and was no longer able to provide
for us. We became penniless after spending our precious
life-savings on hospitals and medication, all to no avail - my
husband and best friend died in my arms. He was 34 years
old.
Grief stricken, I moved my dear little family out of my home
village into the city - where I found work as a seamstress for
2-3 euro a day ,working 7 days a week. I have developed
painful arthritis in my neck What I earn sometimes does not
even cover the rent .
April-May
2015
11
CUSTOM CAPS
WHILE YOU WAIT!
Your Name
or Logo Here
OR
Your
or Lo Name
go H
ere
e
Nam
Your Here
go
or Lo
Your Name
or Logo Here
From 5.00€
Tel: 677 807 300
The Print Shop [email protected]
Your Name
or Logo Here
Jo Charles shares my plight with compassionate hearts in
GRAN CANARIA .My woeful story was only just hot off the
press in The Canary News, and suddenly there appeared
big-hearted benefactors who come to my rescue. 3 days
later, shaking with excitement, I was whisked off to shop for
a brand new modern sewing machine. I pinched myself to
make sure I was not dreaming!
b.com/ProyectoVecinalDeAlimentosDeMogan
Your gift has totally changed our lives. My earnings mean i
can afford medication for my little boy’s chest infection, and I A VOLUNTEER FOOD DISTRIBUTION POINT FOR THE NEEDY OF MOGÁN
am currently receiving therapy for my neck problem. Thanks
to your indescribable generosity I can now independently
provide for my family.
THE NEIGHBOURS’ ASSOCIATION OF
You have helped restore my dignity and turned my tears
of sadness into rivers of joy .I send you much love from a
grateful heart,”
Suzie.
Kay ends:- Sending blessings - grateful to you all and to The
Canary News for a treasure trove of marvellous memories, I
bid you “Adieu”.
Kay Owen April 2015
Ps. Gracious as ever my editor has offered me a guest writer
spot In case I have an uncontrollable urge to share a gem or
two in the future. You can’t keep an old dog down! Thanks Ed.
LAS LOMAS DE ARGUINEGUÍN
Any amount is welcome!
If you wish to make a donation earmarked for a special need (dental costs for a
child, nappies, rent, eggs, potatoes, baby food, a specific family, transportation,
etc.), please state it when making your deposit or transfer. Better still, why
not pop along and see what they do in person, they love to receive help from
visitors
They are deeply grateful for your support!
Asociación de Vecinos de
Las Lomas de Arguineguín
Banca Sabadell:
IBAN ES50 0081-1394-11-0001028108
& SWIFT BSABESBB
12
April-May
2015
Maspalomas
PRIDE
SPECIAL
1000 A 6 FULL COLOUR
FLYERS WHILE YOU WAIT 50.00€
1000 Business Cards 80.00€
BANNER’S 25.00€ Mt Sq
VINYL Solvent Ink 25.00€ Mt Sq
Designs not Included
Offer ends May 2015
Tel: 677 807 300
Your Name
or Logo Here
A
N
A
April-May
2015
15
DAY TRIP TO...
Triana Main Street CC 2.0 by-sa Matti Mattila
I
R
T
28˚ Culture Editor - Daniel Dixon
The Canary News, Views & Sunshine
Telde - Las Palmas & Gran Canaria North
[email protected]
It’s surprising how many people live in the south of Gran pedestrianised shopping zone. If you walk up the side
Canaria but never venture further north than the airport. streets, you will find numerous small boutiques, curiosity
shops, gift shops, shops selling specialist beers, wines,
Once people visit Las Palmas, they usually find many
things that they’ve been missing out on and discover oils and delicatessens selling delicious cured meats and
a totally different Gran Canaria. An example of this is cheese. If your partner doesn’t want to join you on your
high street shopping, if you’re bored of the cookie cut- shopping adventure, you can always plonk them on a
ter shopping centres, head to the Triana district. It’s a nice terrace to watch the world go by, cold beer in hand.
shoppers paradise, high street brands like H&M, Zara and
Most of the eateries have a menu of the day, 3 courses
Marks and Spencers sit alongside boutiques, quaint cafés
and a drink for around 10€. A Pintxo bar called Taberna
and wine bars.
Arena was highly recommended by the locals for its large
Getting to Triana is pretty simple, drive up the GC1 or
selection of inventive pintxos and delicious cold beer. See
take the number 1 bus directly to San Telmo station. The our interview with the owner below.
bus is a great option because it takes away the stress of
parking and allows you to partake in a few cheeky drinks. I hope that you enjoy a trip to Triana soon, Joaquin has
given us a special offer for readers of The Canary News,
Once you’ve arrived in San Telmo park you will see signs Views & Sunshine.
directing you to the shopping district, all signs are in English and Spanish.
Link to bus timetable
Head that way and you will arrive in Calle Triana, a
http://www.globalsu.net/lineas/linea1.pdf
16
April-May
2015
Profile: Joaquín Pujol,
What is your specialty?
Age: 26
Taberna Arena offers our clients a wide variety of pintxos and
tapas. We combine interesting ingredients to achieve great flavours. We also stock one of the best brands of Spanish beer.
Job: Owner / Manager, Taberna Arena, Calle Arena, Triana
Hobbies: Sports but especially crossfit. Spending my free time
with my friends.
What made you decide to open a restaurant at such a young
age?
I started my working life in the military and some years ago
decided to leave uniformed services. Last year, I had the opportunity to delve into this project with the help of my family
and friends.
Do you enjoy being your own boss and being responsible for
a team of staff?
Wheever you are in charge of a business or a team, you need
good time management and organisation skills. At this point
i’m very happy with my team and my job.
Taverna Arena (Facebook.com/TabernaArena)
Tel: 646 34 70 36, Just off Triana, Calle Arena 12
35002 Las Palmas of Gran Canaria (Las Palmas)
Tell us more about Pintxos, what are they?
A pintxo is a piece of bread, topped with various ingredients.
They vary from region to region and create an explosion of
flavours. We like to combine fresh local ingredients with fruit,
nuts and different sauces.
Many of our readers enjoy seeing the “real” Gran Canaria.
Apart from visiting your restaurant, what else could you recommend they do in the area?
Close by we have the historic zone, Vegueta, this is a lovely
place to visit. Also in Triana and Vegueta we have lots of museums, theatres and art galleries. It really is a wonderful place
to visit, work and live.
Thanks for your time Joaquin, I’m sure many of our readers will be
calling in to try your delicious food.
Taberna Arena is offering all of our readers a very special
promotion:
April-May
2015
17
WHAT’S IN TELDE?
Visiting the 101 Km2, of this municipality, without a doubt will
show you the true heart of canarian life. This old, large city
conserves some of the richest landscaping, archaeological,
historical and artistic wealth of the archipelago.
Telde is often overlooked by residents and visitors but it has
lots to offer.
The beaches in Telde are wonderful, generally quieter than
the beaches in the south, several of Telde’s beaches are connected by an extensive promenade. There are 9 beaches in
total but the most popular is Melenara beach. 600m in length
and in the shape of shell. It is made up fundamentally of dark
fine basaltic sands and has recently been awarded the Blue
Flag by the FEEE, “Foundation for the Environmental Education in Europe” The great selection of seafood restaurants,
bars and cafés make it a great place to spend a really relaxed
day.
For a more cultural visit, you could visit San Juan and San
Francisco. The cobbled streets, museums, churches and a
wonderful park offer a great alternative to the south and Las
Palmas. There are several small bars and restaurants around
the plaza in San Juan, great for some tortilla. There is also a
wonderful audio guided tour service every Friday at 12:00
that is provided on a donation basis, bring your own headphones or buy a set from them for 1,50€. If you prefer to
wander around yourself, start in the centre of San Juan at the
church and begin to potter about, the locals are very friendly
and helpful.
If you like shopping, Telde is a great place for bargains in the
San Gregorio area. Mostly independent clothes and shoe
shops and a few high street stores, San Gregorio is a busy little
shopping area mainly situated on one pedestrianised street.
At the top of the street, you will also find a beautiful town
square with a great tapas restaurant to fill a gap and quench
your thirst.
To get to Telde by bus, take the number 90 from the south.
The bus stops in the middle of the two areas, San Juan and
San Gregorio so you can make your choice which to visit first.
See Telde Tourism and Discover Telde Tours websites for more information
18
April-May
2015
© Rob Davis Photography
A PHOTOGRAPHER’S BEST INTENTIONS
Have you ever returned home after a full day
of carrying your camera around your neck
only realise that you have not taken a single
photo? Annoying isn’t it?
Don’t worry though, you are not the first to
have done this and you won’t be the last!
The reason for your chaffed neck and
lack of photographs is simple; you had no
motivation or pre planned intention for your
images.
The world, to a photographer, is what a
blank canvas is to a painter or an empty
page to a writer. There are so many
possibilities that the brain sometimes gives
up looking for a place to start. Without an
idea of what you wish to record, the world
is just too overpowering. Light and subject
matter are literally everywhere so unless you
have an idea of where to point your camera,
it is quite possible you will not point it at all!
Every photograph you have ever shot had
an intention. This may be known to you and
in your conscious mind or it maybe hidden
away deep in your unconscious but there
will always have been a reason ‘why’ you
pressed
the shutter release button.
The easy answer is maybe to say “for
memoires” but this is only half the story.
Why, for example, did you choose that exact
time and place to shoot the photo?
Rather than try to find out why we
photographed something or someone it is
more productive for us, as photographers,
to know why we are going to photograph
something before we do. What is the
motivation for shooting this picture or series
of pictures?
By creating a list of specific criteria we
can narrow the world down, much like
putting “Blinkers” on a race horse. It helps
us to avoid distractions and focus on our
objective.
It’s similar to buying a new pair of shoes.
When we decide we want a new pair, we
start seeing shoes everywhere, on our
friends, on the TV, even looking at the shoes
of others all the way to the shop. Our focus
has become “directed”.
We are all different and so are the intentions
of our photos but here are some simple
things to keep in mind before you go out,
and right up to before you take the picture.
What will I do with this photo?
Print it, post it on a social media site, Send it
to friends e.g.
Which type of photo do I want to shoot
today? Landscape, seascape, portrait, family,
architecture e.g.
What do I want this photo to “say”?
happy, sad, stunning, beautiful, peaceful e.g.
Finished image?
Colour, black and white e.g.
This was the single best tip I was offered
as a young photographer. By answering
questions like these before you start
shooting it will help you to see what to
shoot. And continually asking and answering
these questions will push your photography
forward by creating consistency and
purpose.
So tell me, what are you going to
photograph next, and why?
Rob Davis is a proffessional portrait / fine
art photographer and teacher offering help
at all levels to those who want to improve
their understanding of photography...
R D L iv i n g E d u cat io n . c o m
T he C anary N ews . com MORTGAGE NUMBERS RISE IN GRAN
CANARIA AND CANARY ISLANDS
The latest mortgage statistics from the Canary Islands are positive
with local banks granting 76.2% more mortgages in January 2015
than in January 2014.
The total number of mortgages in the Canaries during January was
2,243.
Mortgage numbers also spiked across the Canary Islands between
December 2014 and January 2015 with an 81% increase from 1,238
to 2, 243.
In Gran Canaria, the number of mortgages rose 168,19%, from 393 in
December to 1,054 in January.
While this month-to-month rise is largely seasonal, the overall data
suggests that the Gran Canaria and Canary Islands property market is
gradually gaining strength.
We believe that this is due to two factors:
An increase in available credit: Spanish banks are now moving back
into the mortgage market because it is becoming an important source
of business to them. With interest rates in Europe so low (the 12
month Euribor rate is currently a lowly 0.2%) few people are putting
their savings into the bank.
Buyers who were willing but unable to get a mortgage are now
returning to the market.
A rise in demand from local property buyers: We believe that the
market in the Canary Islands and specifically in south Gran Canaria,
our area of expertise, is still a buyer’s market. However we are seeing
a rise in demand from both foreign buyers keen to take advantage of
the weak euro and low interest rates, and from local buyers looking
for a decent return on their money.
Buyers are taking advantage of rental yields and low mortgage rates
to invest in property.
For foreign buyers focused on south Gran Canaria, the market is
attractive. Supply exceeds demand and there are plenty of bargains.
With the euro weak compared to other currencies, mortgage rates
low and tourism booming, it’s an excellent time to buy a holiday
home or second residence.
Here at Cardenas Real Estate we continue to list the best
properties on the market and to focus on providing our clients
with the best possible service. We also offer Gran Canaria
property viewing trips with free accommodation if you buy.
(http://www.cardenas-grancanaria.com/en/viewing-trip.htm)
Source: Canarian Institure of Statistics (ISTAC)
April-May
2015
19
20
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN PUERTO RICO
“Customer acquisition” specialists, Centrea, have spent
the last year or more working closely with the various
community groups representing Mogán business owners
within the main Shopping Center of this thriving and
popular tourist town, on the south coast of Gran Canaria.
Together they have created and developed an integrated
information and advertising platform that looks clearly set
to thrust the SCPuertoRico firmly into the 21st century,
by offering a combination of free wifi services and a
free-to-download mobile app providing real benefits to
customers and business owners alike.
Designed specially for the Shopping Center Puerto Rico,
the app provides invaluable information along with up-todate guidance on everything the center has to offer.
There is a wide range
of businesses in this
buzzing centro comercial,
and all of these are now
arranged into easyto-grasp segments
within the app; (Night
Life, Entertainment,
Gastronomy, Shopping,
and ‘Others‘), with details
on every one of the
individual businesses.
Each business now has
its own page with a clear
description and images,
as well as the opening
hours and specific
location, and links to
web sites and profiles for
social networks.
Designed to make it easier than ever for holidaymakers
to choose where they would like to spend the best time
of their holidays. The app also has a feature enabling
users to make reservations for exclusive daily ‘Hot
Deals‘. Never before has it been so easy to tell visitors
about all you have to offer as a business.
Fantastic discounts, as well as products
and services tailored to specific needs,
are available at the touch of a fingertip,
with a browser to help you
find all the information
you could ever
need.
Billed
as “The
ideal
tool to
install on
your mobile,
for tourists and
for residents too”
the SCPuertoRico app
is user-friendly and free to
download.
It gives visitors the option to register
before they even get here, and to
receive daily notifications about events,
promotions and special offers from the
hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars,
outlets and various services that Puerto
Rico Shopping Center has to offer.
April-May
2015
21
Download the SCPuertRico app from
apple or google and join with the future
of success in Puerto Rico, with this neat
little innovation helping small and medium
businesses to punch well above their
weight in an increasingly global market,
where the customers of tomorrow
want all the information the need
before they even step inside
the shop.
All of Centrea’s
hard work,
coupled
with the
foresight Distribution Points of The Month:
of various
M&M is situated on the top floor
community of Phase 3. They sell quality drinks at
managers,
the cheapest prices in the whole of
has resulted in
Puerto Rico ie: local spirit with a can
of real Pepsi or Schweppes mixer is
the first really exciting
€1-50
and €2-00 with imported Spircommercial application of
its. A pint of Estrella Dame will cost
its
kind on Gran Canaria, benefiting
you €1-00.
tourists with better information and helping
Sagitarius Cat offer day trips from
local businesses to really shine.
Puerto Base, with transfer from hotel
Great work.
to boat, breakfast, lunch, drinks, snorkeling equipment, hand fishing lines,
banana boat, trip to sea caves.
All Included at one great price.
0034 609359020 or 0034 649881368
22
April-May
2015
SI! VIVA ESPAÑA!
So you’ve decided to marry in Spain and want to inject some
Spanish elements into your special day.
Here are just a few ideas that will give your guests something
to talk about in years to come.
Spanish Guitarist
Imagine the soft strings of the Spanish Guitar serenading your
guests as they enter the ceremony area waiting for you to arrive.
Then sit back and relax at the Welcome Cocktail as you all enjoy a mixture of both relaxed and vibrant Spanish music, while
sipping a glass of champagne looking out to sea.
It’s the quiet moments like these that truly make you and your
guests feel relaxed and submerged in the beautiful Spanish
Island.
Spanish Flamenco Dancers
Kick the party off with the energetic and poetic movements of
the Spanish dancers.
The tapping of the feet on the wooden decking, the clicking of
the castanets and the twirling of their many colourful Spanish
dress will give you and your guests many beautiful memories of
your special day.
Canarian Dancers & musicians
There is no Canarian event without the presence of the typical
Canarian Dancers with the singers and musicians.
Delight your guests with some Canarian entertainment while
you have your photos taken.
It’s a great way to start off the wedding celebrations and will
remind you and your guests of why you decided to hold your
special day on our beautiful Canarian Island
Fans
The fan or “abanico” is synonymous with Spain and any Spanish wedding.
Arrange for a basket of fans to be available for your guests as
they arrive at the ceremony area to be used to cool them down
during the day.
They can be plain wooden fans or can be personalized with
your names and/or made in the color theme of your day.
Not forgetting a nice white lace fan for the bride to inject a
little Spanish tradition into wedding look.
Welcome gifts
It’s customary for bride and grooms to arrange a small welcome gift at the hotel when the guests arrive on the island.
Why not choose a small basket of Spanish wines and Canarian
delicacies such as “mojo” sauce.
Or choose a nice ceramic souvenir of the island.
Not only will it set the scene for the whole event, but will also
be something nice for them to enjoy in resort or take home
with them as a souvenir.
We love to talk weddings so please contact me for many more
advice and tips for arranging your wedding in Spain and the
Canary Islands.
Bernadette Garside
Founder and Director of The Perfect Wedding Company
Chiqui Marti is well known as one of the most
highly accredited erotic dance and “Strip-art”
professionals in the Spanish speaking world.
As a dancer she began work at the famous
Cabaret El Molino in Barcelona and in major
nightclubs throughout Spain.
man, of any orientation, who wish to explore
their wide range of quality products designed
on enhance and enliven life in the bedroom,
kitchen, terrace or beach!
Her fame and popularity grew thanks to numerous television appearances
Scandals will of course be taking part in this
year’s PRIDE Parade March through Playa
del Inglés, on May 16th, with their very own
Float of Sensuality, a Love Bus par
excellence, with a special DJ and
a Drag Queen, where the drinks
are as free as the guests are
to celebrate sexual freedom
and the right to love who you
love, or explore someone
you adore in a safe, consensual and exciting environment.
On May 8th she performs on Gran Canaria at
the opening of Scandals at the
Centro Commercial Cita, in
Playa del Inglés with her infamous Strip-art show, posing
for photographs and signing
autographs.
The launch of Scandals is
free to attend for all open
minded couples and individuals, as well as those who
might need a little more
encouragement, who will be
treated to drinks, music and
nibbles while the delicious Scandals
crew
in-
troduce you
to their newest outlet right in the heart of
the Maspalomas Costa
Canaria.
Scandals Pride
themselves on
catering to
your curiosity
by providing
experience
and good
advice for
women, couples and gentle-
Encouraging you to Be Sensual and discover
The Art of Sex!
Early Bird tickets are
available for just €55, with
everything included.
It would be rude
not to!
Come Hop
on!
For More Information Email:
[email protected]
Come for a
ride you’ll
never forget!
April-May
2015
23
24
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com Twitters from the Atlantic
© Barrie Mahoney
THE UNFRIENDLY EXPAT
During this UK pre-election period, most of us will come to realise
that statistics can be adjusted to
mean almost anything to anyone.
It was therefore with some cynicism that I read a recent article
where the authors claimed that
“Nearly one third of British expats
have no local friends and refuse
to stray beyond the safety of their
British friendship groups”. The
study went on to claim that only
one in four expats would describe
their social group as mainly British, with one in 10 admitting that
their friends were exclusively
British. Only 10 per cent of expats
claimed to mix mainly with local
people, and more than one third
couldn’t be bothered to learn
the language, with a quarter admitting that they were not at all
interested in the culture that they
found themselves living in. The
implied message from the article
was, of course, that British expats
living overseas are a miserable lot,
whilst expats from other countries
are so much friendlier and easier
to talk to. It all made for rather
shocking reading, but then I remembered to add a rather hearty
pinch of salt that I usually reserve
for some of the more outrageous
British tabloids.
contact with friends and family
in the UK, it is local friends and
neighbours who will be there to
advise and to help in a crisis.
Admittedly, the attitude of the
host country and its people also
has an impact upon the happiness
of the newly arrived expat and
will help to determine how quickly expats settle. One survey claims
that the vast majority of expats
immediately feel at home in New
Zealand, with similar responses
from expats living in Canada.
Again, it is the warmth of the welcome, and a shared language and
culture that are the main factors
for this result, but the same thing
can happen in Spain, France, Italy
and Portugal too.
As a newspaper reporter in
Spain’s Costa Blanca, I once had
the misfortune to report upon
the misery of one Spanish couple
who were being ostracised by
their mainly British neighbours,
for being the only Spanish couple
living in ‘their urbanisation’.
When I attempted to discover the
reasons for the hostility, a range
of complaints were thrown at
me, including the couple having
meals, drinking and partying late
at night, playing loud Spanish
music, their untidy garden, as well
as parking in the wrong places.
On the face of it, most were trivial
complaints from a colony of Brits
who preferred to be in bed by
10.30pm, and unwilling to adjust
to the culture, timing and habits
of residents from the host country. Sadly, I later discovered that
the Spanish family could stand
the unpleasantness no longer
and moved away from the area.
The expats had missed good
opportunities to learn from their
Spanish neighbours. If they had
bothered to learn a little Spanish,
much could have been resolved
through friendly discussion, as a
well as adopting more of a ‘live
and let live’ attitude to their
neighbours. It seemed that most
of these expats were not happy
people, and most would have
been much happier living in Bognor Regis than in an expat urbanisation in the Costa Blanca.
So what relevance does all this
data have upon the expat contemplating moving to or already
living in Spain or another European country? It is true that expat
life can sometimes revolve around
mixing with and socialising with
expats from the same country of
origin. Much the same criticism
can be said about the Germans,
Swedish, Irish and Norwegians
who often feel more comfortable and sheltered by their own
communities, who are anxious to
build their own churches, schools
Integrating into a new commuand hospitals, using only their
nity, trying to learn the language, own shops, restaurants and bars.
however many mistakes, as well
Many British, Irish, German or
as appreciating the culture, is all Norwegian urbanisations that I
part of the adventure and process visited as a reporter in Spain were
of settling into a new home, a
On a more positive note, my
clearly defended against pernew community and a new coun- ceived ‘outsiders’, including those own experiences of British extry. Even though technology now from the host country.
pats is that most are more than
means that it is easy to maintain
happy to mix with their European
Barrie Mahoney was a head
teacher and school inspector
in the UK, as well as a reporter
in Spain, before moving to the
Canary Islands to launch and
edit a new English language
newspaper. He enjoys life in the
sun as a columnist and author,
and continues to write a series of
popular novels, books for expats,
as well as designing mobile apps
and websites to promote the
Canary Islands.
neighbours, given the opportunity. Often, failure to mix is due
to lack of motivation to learn
the language, together with
traditional British reserve and,
unlike the article written around
some rather suspect statistics, it
has very little to do with a lack of
willingness to make friends.
If you enjoyed this article, take
a look at Barrie’s websites:
www.barriemahoney.com
and www.thecanaryislander.
com or read his book, ‘Expat
Voice’ (ISBN: 9780992767174).
Available in paperback, as well
as Kindle, iBooks and Google
Play editions.
iPhone/iPad and Android
Apps: ExpatInfo, CanaryIsle
and CanaryGay now available.
© Barrie Mahoney
April-May
2015
25
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH CANARIAN SPANISH
Diego Mesa
(Puerto Rico Language Centre)
understanding the locals
One thing you must have noticed
while living on the island, is that
most of the locals cherish their
origins, customs, culture and their
climate to the point of even having
their holidays either in the south
of Gran Canaria, or just visiting a
neighbouring island like Tenerife,
Lanzarote or going ‘as far as’ La
Palma. Although this gives newcomers the impression that they are not
open minded enough, they can actu-
ally tell you about all the different
streets and villages within the island
and their experiences in each one of
these little places, where they have
been, giving those that know less
about the island a chance to find out.
Puerto de Mogán. All of these places
retain their unique history, architechture and their festivities including
Canarian folkloric music and dancing
for everyone to enjoy and have an
opportunity to mingle. If you go to
El Barranco de los Cernícalos, past
Telde, for example, you will find it is
an amazing place to go hiking, and
if you want to go to the Barranco de
Guayadeque, past Carrizal, you will
have the opportunity to eat amazing
Canarian food in the cave house restaurants there.
One enjoyable way of getting out
and about is researching the different areas of Gran Canaria, and
finding out what they are renowned
for. For example, Guía is well known
for its cheese, Teror for its chorizo,
Agaete for its oranges as well as its
fresh fish, just like Arguineguín and El
Take a look at the following Canarian words:
TINO
1. Ease with which one
remembers their past. Memory.
E.g. Aunque no es muy viejo,
ya se le van las cosas del tino. Although he is not very old, he
already forgets his past.
2. Sense, conciousness. E.g. A
veces le dan mareos y pierde
el tino. - He/She sometimes
has dizzy spells and loses
consciousness.
BAÑA
1. Pig´s fat. Also used for the
fat of other animals that
has accumulated as a result
of excessive eating. E.g.
Iba apartando la baña para
hacer manteca. - He/She was
separating the lard to make fat.
2. Fat build up in humans
resulting in love handles. E.g.
Salía todas las tardes a caminar
para bajar la baña. - He/She
used to go out for a walk every
afternoon to burn his/her fat.
As a final piece of advice, everyone who explores more of the island, learns of
its unique landscape, but more importantly it offers an opportunity to learn
about the way the real locals lead their lives. It really is a pity when visitors
just stick to Playa del Inglés or Puerto Rico simply because there are more
English speakers in that area. This can lead many to having a sense of living in
a really tiny and enclosed space, lacking in new opportunities which allow you
to expand your mind and mingle with a different type of crowd.
26
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com Language Lesson #93
with Theresa Coe
‘A HOUSE WHITE’: BACK TO FRONT IS RIGHT!
How to use adjectives in Spanish
We looked at words that describe people and things in lessons
13 and 14 (available on request). ‘Describers’ can be tricky as
they usually go after the noun and may change from masculine to feminine. We´ve all heard of Puerto Rico (Rich Port) but
really we´re saying ‘port rich’. It´s the same with Casablanca or
‘house white’ in Spanish.
GET THINGS IN ORDER
So, a pretty girl is a ‘girl pretty’: una chica guapa, while un
chico guapo is a handsome guy. As with nouns like amigo and
amiga (male and female friend) it´s ‘o’ for a male describer
and ‘a’ for a female one. And everything is supposed to ‘line
up’ in terms of being masculine, feminine, singular or plural.
This means that there are four ways to say a simple adjective
like ‘rich’ (rico, rica, ricos, ricas). They don´t make it easy, do
they? For example:
Bill Gates es rico; Madonna es rica; no somos ricos (we´re
not rich); las chicas ricas beben champán (the rich girls drink
champagne. Confusingly, this word means something totally
different if you combine it with ESTAR (meaning ‘to be’ for
temporary stuff and location). La comida está rica – the food
is tasty. La chica está rica – the girl looks tasty/hot!
Estamos relajados – we are relaxed. La música es relajante –
the music is relaxing.
Estoy preocupado por ella – I´m worried for her. La situación
es preocupante – the situation is worrying.
THE ONES WITH ‘OSO’
Another set of adjectives that we can learn together end in
‘oso’
Similar to English:
Curious – curioso; delicious – delicioso; fabulous – fabuloso;
famous – famoso; generous – generoso (heh-neh-ROH-soh);
jealous – celoso (seh-LOH-soh), mysterious – misterioso;
nervous – nervioso; religious – religioso (reh-lee-hee-oso);
precious (also beautiful) – precioso. BUT serious is serio (NOT
serioso).
Examples: la chica está nerviosa porque (ella) tiene un examen mañana – the girl is nervous because she has an exam
tomorrow.
Las playas son preciosas – the beaches are beautiful. No soy
religioso/a – I´m not religious.
Different to English:
MAKING LIFE EASIER Danger = el peligro. Dangerous = peligroso/a
The good news is that if you make a mistake and say ‘es una
mesa plástico’ instead of plástica, people will understand you
fine – it´s a plastic table. However many adjectives are neutral,
(often ending in an ‘e’) so you don´t need to change them
from masculine to feminine. We can learn them in sets as
many are similar to English. For example, if you want to translate an adjective ending in ING like interesting, it´ll usually end
in –ante in Spanish.
THE ONES WITH ‘ANTE’
Interesting – interesante; fascinating – fascinante; irritating
– irritante; relaxing – relajante (reh-la-HAN-teh); worrying
- preocupante (think: preocuppying); stressful – estresante;
exciting – excitante (though it might be safe to use emocionante as the former can have sexual connotations).
THE ONES WITH ‘ADO/IDO’
Another set to learn together are the ones that often describe
feelings and end in ‘ed’ in English, like tired, the equivalent
of which is ‘ado’ (somtimes ‘ido’) in Spanish. Remember to
change ‘o’ to ‘a’ if you´re describing a woman.
Interested – interesado; fascinated – fascinado; tired – cansado; irritated –irritado; busy – ocupado (think occupied); worried – preocupado (think: preocuppied), stressed – estresado;
excited – excitado/emocionado; complicated – complicado.
Examples: La chica está irritada - the girl is irritated (temporary state with estar). BUT: La mosca es irritante -the fly is
irritating (inherent characteristic with ser)
Talent= el talento. Talented = talentoso/a
Noise= el ruido. Noisy = ruidoso/a (roo-ee-DOH-soh)
Disgust = el asco. Disgusting = asqueroso (ass-keh-ROH-soh)
SAME IN BOTH LANGUAGES: THE ONES WITH ‘L’
Cruel (croo-EL); legal/ilegal (i-leh-GAL); formal/informal; natural (na-too-RAL); especial; normal. Also, posible, probable:
terrible (teh-REE-bleh), irritable (pronounced irri-TAH-bleh)
etc.
VERY SIMILAR: ADD A VOWEL!
Often just by adding a vowel, we convert an English adjective to a Spanish one. With ‘e’ you get: elegante, excelente,
ignorante, importante, inteligente, (in-teh-lee-HEN-teh), and
valiente, (brave – think: valient).
These ones work with ‘o’ (or ‘a’ to describe females or female
words): contento, estúpido, fantástico, perfecto, rápido,
tímido
El restaurante es muy elegante – the restaurant is very elegant. La isla es fantástica – the island is fantastic.
A-Z of adjectives
You can read all about how to use Spanish adjectives and then
do practice quizzes free at: www.studyspanish.com/lessons/
adj1.htm
For an A-Z of popular adjectives see: www.spanishlanguageguide.com/grammar/adjective.asp
April-May
2015
27
Free! The Gran Canaria
Language exchange
1,400 people take part in language
exchange gatherings and conversation
clubs around the island. We meet
weekly in Playa del Inglés, San
Fernando, Arguineguin, Agüimes Las
Palmas, Telde and Arucas.
To find out more, check out:
Facebook.com/LEGintercambio or
email me [email protected]
For info about Spanish classes, the
language exchange or to receive
past lessons from this newspaper,
just drop me an email.
CUSTOM STAMPS
WHILE YOU WAIT!
From 15.00€
Tel: 677 807 300
Your Name
or Logo Here
28
April-May
2015
April-May
2015
29
30
April-May
2015
T he C anary N ews . com The Mighty Quinny
A day oot on the Afrikat...
An invitation from Wendy and Potter to spend a day on the
Afrikat sailing out of Puerto Rico on the last day of March was
too much for me and Amanda to resist, we arrived in puerto
base early and had a coffee as we watched the various
boats prepare to sail, the sun was out and not a cloud
in the sky.
We were called to the jetty on time at 9-45 and
proceeded to board the boat once on board after
the safety brief Potter and the crew outlined the
days itinerary was pretty much as follows drink & fun
followed by more drink and more fun, and Potters
mad attempt to DJ was hilarious, we noticed that we
British were in the minority and as luck had it we sat
next to Darren, Allison and young Josh from Blackpool
so a total of 5 Brits on the boat with people from all over Europe
and even South America, strangers at the beginning of the day
excited and ready for adventure.
Potter served us our first drinks at our seats and we were then
told we could help ourselves after that (heaven lol) after arriving
at a small beach just the other side of Puerto de Mogán, one or
two brave souls decided to try the snorkelling, though most were
back aboard quicker than they dived in. A boat trip to the caves
is also included in the price and lots of the party took advantage
April-May
2015
31
however our seat next to the
beer pump was too good to
lose, jet Ski’s and Paracending
are available at very good
50% discount prices
and quite a
few tried it
a lot more
affordable from the boat than at the beach.
Once everyone had done their extras Potter
announced lunch was served. It was well worth
the wait, meatballs, salad, dips, canarian potatoes
and lots more, people were mingling and laughing
together, the language barrier ceased to exist.
As well as the drinks included in the price, other
beverages were available too at very reasonable
prices, Potters Mojito was to die for.
After lunch we sailed back slowly to Puerto Rico with one or two
dancing at the front of the boat, then Potter played the music
from the Titanic as the swell increased. Brilliant, though one or
two of the older trippers looked a bit nervous as we arrived back
in port. A day that started with lots of strangers finished with lots
of newly found friends. Sun, Fun, Food and Friendship sums up
the day. Thanks to all aboard the Afrikay, well worth a daytrip!
Send your answers by email to: [email protected], text them to 626 641 537 or call 928 987 952 for your chance to
win a day trip for two aboard the amazing Afrikat catamaran, for an all inclusive voyage of discovery in the southern waters of
Gran Canaria leaving from Puerto Rico. All correct answers will be collected together, independently drawn and announced in
the next edition Last editions winners are Dennis and Margaret, who’ve won a trip for two on the Afrikat!
Ans Coche
7.Where according to sailors is Davey Jones locker found?
Ans whiskey
4.What alcoholic drink is used in the phonetic alphabet?
Ans Frankie goes to Hollywood
3. Which band did Holly Johnson front?
Ans Ford
2. Which company produces the Focus and Fiesta cars?
Ans Green door
1.what colour door did Shakin Stevens sing about?
10. Name the capital of Greece?
Ans The tigers
9. Which river flows through London?
5. Which chocolate bar is advertised as a truckers favourite? Ans Yorkie
8.Which sport did Jocky Wilson play?
6. What is Hull City FC nickname?
5.Lead singer with T.Rex?
Ans Bottom of the sea
4. Spanish word for apple?
8. What is the Spanish word for car?
3.Cake named after a heavy wooded area
in Germany?
7.Sky, Azure, Dark and Light are shades of what
colour?
9. What type of motor sport is associated with the Isle of
Man?
Ans T.T or motorbike racing
2. Premier league club nicknamed the foxes?
Answers from last edition
10. In which T.V. show do the actors travel through time in the
tardis?
Ans Dr Who
1. How many points is Z
6. M.G.M movies start with a what a Lion, a Tiger or
worth in scrabble 9,10 or 11?
a Puma?
32
Upcoming events in Mogán...
April-May
2015

Why Was She Just Left to Sink?

Transcription

Similar documents

Asociación de Cooperación y Voluntariado

The Canary Island Geothermal Project join the challenge

the outcrop of the underlying substratum of the maspalomas dune

BLUME GRAN CANARIA Page: 1 of 5 Invitation TeamGym

Play golf in Anfi Tauro 10%

the canary islands - Gran Canaria Golf

newsletter aug 11