Back on the rock and ready to roll, time to check out what has been going on in my brief abscence, heading north to Santa Cruz on the 111 Titsa, a quick chage to the tram and I was in La Laguna to check out the Chinyero exhibition. On November 18 it will be 100 years since the last volcanic eruption, in the north west corner at Chinyero, and Instituto Cabrero Pinto in Calle San Augustin has a FREE exhibition about the eruption and volcanic activity across the Canary Islands. Plenty of old pics, records and detailed reports, help to shine a light on this momentous event for Tenerife. The show closes on November 1 but re-opens in Puerto de la Cruz from November 13 to December 17, at the old convent of Santa Domingo.

La Laguna was in fine fettle, there is an active effort to improve the streets and plazas as it celebrates 10 years of being a UNESCO natural heritage site. Work on the fire damaged Cathedral palace is moving on quickly, but the ducks around the pond seemed unflapped by it all. I’m not to sure about the addition of a “Noddy train” around the old historic streets, but it’s one way of keeping the tourists happy.

Back on the tram to Santa Cruz and christmas was creeping in, well they were putting up the lights in the main shopping streets – already! I was hoping to see the group of 11 Tibetan monks playing at Plaza del Principe, raising money for the Sera Jhe monastry in India, but they were having a spiritual tea break. During the last week, Santa Cruz has been hosting the Tenerife Design Festival at various outlets, one of them being TEA arts centre opposite the African market. The Flying Grass Carpet had landed outside the TEA entrance, an artificial grass, instant park measuring 25 x 36 metres.

A few people were spread out and enjoying this inspiral carpet, maybe it should return for Carnaval and we can see if anyone rolls it up and lights it. TEA is just about to celebrate it’s first birthday, and as part of the celebrations they have 2 new English language films showing FREE (normal film price is 4 euros). Michael Moores Sicko is on October 30, 31 and November 1 at 7 and 9.30pm, and Quentin Tarantinos Inglorious Basterds is on November 6, 7 and 8 at 7 and 10 pm, both well worth a look.

For me though it was time to head back south, there is always plenty more to see in Santa Cruz, but thats for another day.