Friday 24 September 2010

a little bit about Tenerife .....

WHY?

because we will be there six months from today ... that's why!!

Now someone is sure to ask where is Tenerife, I have located a couple of maps from Google:
 
and more data from Wikipedia has that Tenerife is a rugged and volcanic island sculpted by successive eruptions throughout its history. There are four historically recorded volcanic eruptions, none of which has led to casualties. The first occurred in 1704, when the Arafo, Fasnia and Siete Fuentes volcanoes erupted simultaneously. Two years later, in 1706, the greatest eruption occurred at Trevejo. This volcano produced great quantities of lava which buried the city and port of Garachico. The last eruption of the 18th century happened in 1798 at Cañadas de Teide, in Chahorra. Finally, and most recently, in 1909 the Chinyero volcano, in the municipality of Santiago del Teide, erupted.
Tenerife (Spanish pronunciation: [teneˈɾife]) is the largest of the seven Canary Islands, Spain, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa. Tenerife has an area of 2034.38 square kilometers, (Singapore is 655 square kilometers), and 899,833 inhabitants. It is the most populated island of the Canary Islands and Spain. About 43% of the population of the Canary Islands is on this island. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, which is also one of the busiest Spanish resorts and the first of Canary Islands. Tenerife also has one of the world's largest carnivals, and the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife now aspires to become a World Heritage Site.Tenerife is the only Spanish island that has two airports. Tenerife is the largest number of tourists it receives, it is also headquarters of the main financial institution of the archipelago, Tenerife so is the economic capital of the Canary Islands.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the island and the seat of the island council (cabildo insular). The city is capital of the autonomous community of Canary Islands (shared with Las Palmas), sharing governmental institutions such as Presidency and ministries. Between the 1833 territorial division of Spain and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands, until in 1927 a decree ordered that the capital of the Canary Islands be shared, as it remains as at present.

The island is home to the University of San Fernando de La Laguna, which was founded in 1792. The University of La Laguna is the oldest university in the Canaries. San Cristóbal de La Laguna (World Heritage Site) is the second city of the island and the third one of the archipelago.  The city of La Laguna was also capital of the Canary Islands until Santa Cruz replaced it in 1833.

Tenerife also has the highest elevation of Spain, a World Heritage Site that is the third largest volcano in the world from its base, El Teide.The island's capital contains the architectural symbol of the Canary Islands, the modern Auditorio de Tenerife.
 
 
 
 
 Tenerife's Carnival claims to be the second largest in the world, after the one in Rio. The celebration kicks off with the election of a queen, and there are many parades, including one especially for horses, the "cabalgata." The center of the merrymaking is Santa Cruz, where the Grand Parade is held, but each town has its own fiesta. How do you know when it's all over? When it's time for "Entierro de la Sardina," (Burial of the Sardine), a mock funeral to bury the spirit of the Carnival, complete with grieving widows and other mourners dressed in black. This year the sardine's interment takes place on Mar. 1, the day after Fat Tuesday and the beginning of Lent. 
 The seven major Canary Islands are scattered over 300 miles of the Atlantic Ocean, starting about 60 miles northwest of Morocco in Africa. The archipelago is part of Spain, and the islands have a diverse climate and topography. ...... we are very much looking forward to seeing this part of the world.

Just six months from today


1 comment:

cajunsis said...

It is breathtaking! What made you decide to go here? I see why you are going here, but how did you find out about it? It is gorgeous! No wonder you are excited!