Calima, Carnaval, Coso and Los Cristianos, what a red hot combination. This afternoon as Tenerife baked in the 32 degree heat, and fought for breath in the hazy dust filled air, an army of brightly coloured revellers danced through the streets wearing make up, clinging costumes and elaborate head gear.

After seeing Santa Cruz Carnaval a couple of weeks ago, I must say that this was a much bigger turnout, both from participants and watchers. The road side was packed solid all the way from Paloma Beach Apartments, down near Montaña Guaza, right through to the finish at the Cultural Centre near the showground behind the Valdes Centre.

Vantage points were at a premium as people competed for the best view, bus shelter roofs, balconies and trees came into their own as everyone seemed to aquire Spiderman like powers to shin up any surface. An incessant drum beat powered the procession along, with the Carnaval Queen contestants mounted on floats, and the bands, dancers, and strutting peacocks showing nifty footwork as they danced along. Pride of place went to the newly elected Queen, 18 year old Marie Paula Silva (pic above) with her creation, Bollywood.

A few of the party people wilted in the heat, but the organisers had made sure there were ample free supplies of water to revive them. Things seemed to be getting a little heated too between the police and this skunk and mouse, the law had the “drivers” pulled to one side and were engaging in a frank exchange of views. Any real, and thankfully smaller, rodents were destined to find slim pickings as Arona council had their rubbish collection lorries following on at the back of the procession to clean up the empty water bottles and the odd stray wing, feather or outrageous wig.

Jolly Green giants, bone shakers or Gua Guas, whatever you want to call them, I’m a self confessed fan of the public bus service here in Tenerife. Last week I read that the comapny were tinkering with 8 routes from Saturday March 14, mainly cutting frequencies, but the big bombshell came on Saturday morning with reports that Titsa have clocked up 50 million euros of debt, 19 million of that in 2008.

I used the Aerobus last night, and after the early controversy and sky high price, it has now settled into a useful service, it was just 1.35 euros from Los Cristianos to the airport. The new timetable, now sees it run hourly rather than every 30 minutes, well that will please the taxi drivers. Among the other timetable changes is the addition of 2 new buses on the 472 Los Cristianos to Playa Paraiso and Callao Salvaje route, the other changes are more in the north around La Laguna.

Last year was the 30th birthday of Titsa, the Tenerife government owned bus service, the latest bombshell is bound to result in a cost cutting excercise and more route pruning, and maybe even cuts to the 1,600 work force. The company had definately been affected in the Santa Cruz region by the arrival of the tram, sleek, efficient and fast, it’s really packing them in. Titsa are also bracing themselves for the opening of the second Santa Cruz tram line from La Cuesta to Tincer, scheduled for May 30, the national holiday of the Canary Islands. So grab hold of your Bono cheap fair ticket, and hold on tight, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

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