Noddy moving his house around, that’s what we used to call thunder when I was a nipper, but the almighty claps along with lightning and torrential rain in the early hours of this morning were like a pile driver pounding Tenerife. A yellow alert had been declared but it still disturbed me from my slumber and I awoke to find a Cabildo (government) press release advising that access roads to Mount Teide were closed due to snow. It does happen from time to time but will pass in a few days leaving a beautiful snow capped peak on the volcano and hardly a trace of the rain once the sun puts its hat back on.
In the meantime I dodged the heavy showers to experience some of the strange sights the weather produced down in Los Cristianos. Holiday makers especially Brits are very resourceful and resilient, I love that spirit that says we paid for this holiday and nothing is going to stop us from enjoying it. As I sipped an early coffee at a bar in the Valdes centre I could see a lone walker on the small peak of Montaña Cayofita that overlooks Las Vistas beach. It was hammering down with rain and pretty windy but this defiant individual seemed totally unruffled, I quite expected him to get out a picnic basket.
Suddenly the tap turned off, the clouds parted and hot sunshine emerged, as quick as a flash people peeled off layers and were ready for action. I took the chance to pop into Via Vai on the old beach front but was half way through my cheese roll when the next episode of rain arrived with a vengence. We all scattered from the exposed tables and sheltered under the awning as the chirpy Candy used a broom to push tidal waves of water off the sagging cover. Back came the sun within minutes so I made a bolt for it, a trick I learnt in metalwork.
Just down the promenade I spotted the fisherwomans statue in Plaza del Pescadora had aquired a brolly, it looked quite fetching but was now more like a sun shade. Strange how these things come in pairs, just round the corner a local chap was snoozing on a bench with his umbrella perched protectively. Las Vistas beach was almost empty of sun worshippers but a few were risking the big waves, one lady stood at the waters edge with her walking poles looking like Queen Canute holding back the waves. For those worried for swimmers (and surfers) safety the flags were set at yellow and the lifeguards were keeping watch, but it was still too wild to entice me in.
The forecast suggests that this wet spell will go in a few days, no rain for our CD Tenerife game in Santa Cruz tomorrow night please. The afternoon ended warm windy and sunny and most seats along the sea front were taken, I even saw a few enjoying ice creams, I was almost tempted to sing Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside but resisted the urge as it frightens the seagulls.