Having neglected La Laguna of late, I headed up to Santa Cruz on the Titsa bus and changing at the bus station, finally made my first trip on the fairly new tram system. Time to hold my hands up here and admit to being a bit of a critic of the expensive tram but I was very impressed. All journeys are a mere 85 cents but one of the little extras you get from a Bono bus ticket is free or reduced fares when you take 2 journeys in quick succession – so my little jaunt registered nil when I clipped my ticket in the reader just inside the tram.Â

Just a quick update on the tram, the first rail for the second line, was laid in a special ceremony a couple of days ago and the La Cuesta to Tincer run is expected to be open for early 2009 with 4 stops, 6 trams, a 10 minute trip over 3.6 kms. The government has also confidently predicted that 4 lines will criss cross Santa Cruz and it’s nearby suburbs by 2015.

Anyway, one very smooth ride later, it even goes past the Dorada bottling plant – how nice, I got off right outside the Museum of Science and the Cosmos in La Laguna.

You can’t miss the building due to it’s huge satellite dish on the roof. The Bono ticket again proved it’s worth as entry is 3 euros or 1.50€ if you pay with a Bono, children under 8 are free and just 1.50€ above that age, Sundays are free for everyone. It’s worth paying the extra one euro at the door for the Turismo Cosmico – the trip to Mars – I will let you discover that pleasure for yourself, very good and great for the little ones. There are always special exhibitions on at the museum and until March 31, you can discover about living in space and see space suits and a history of launches.

Back on the tram for the 2 stops to the terminus at La Trinidad, bang in the centre of La Laguna, a quick walk along the main back street and I was at the Plaza del Cristo, new home of the local traders market.This was built in record time at the end of last year after the ancient market further along, started to collapse and slide into the barranco. You can find all your home grown produce and crafts here every day from 8am till 2pm. In the same plaza is the new ice rink, don’t get too excited, it’s not real ice and not very big, but it is good fun for the kids.

All in all, La Laguna is in good form and with the handy tram link, it’s definately a place worth exploring for it’s historic buildings and traditional charm.