Four points from their first two league games, and some quality new signings. CD Tenerife welcomed back the fans after 530 days of Covid exile, and it felt so good to be home. The 0-0 Santa Cruz draw with Sporting Gijon spotlighted the need for a proven scorer but 34 year old French Tunisian Yoann Touzghar is expected to join within days, he signed off with a goal for Troyes in France´s top division after his 16 goals last season fired them to promotion.
Just 5,059 fans witnessed the Tenerife return, a big drop from the Covid restricted 9,000 reduced capacity (the Heliodoro holds 23,000). Some 2000 fans didnt take up the new season tickets in time but lean financial times and concerns over the Covid restrictions on standing, smoking, compulsory masks, and distancing in green spot seats all made an impact. Reality was much kinder on this big step towards normality. There was a light touch to stewarding, Armada Sur fan club from the south brought their usual two coach´s to our pre match plaza and bars. Our turnstile wait was no longer than usual and despite the hot sun, everyone was in a cool mood.
Sporting bossed the first half, probing down the flanks with left back Ktavets trying to open things up before running into new home defender Mellot, one of the pre season success stories. Alexandre Corredera was another who shone in pre season games but couldn´t quite live up to his superb goal to clinch the 1-2 win at Fuenlabrada on opening day of the regular season. Recruited goalie Soriano kept the gloves to start and had another solid game. It wasn´t just about admiring the new guns, recently retired Suso Santana was honoured with a minutes ovation at the tenth minute mark. A well deserved tribute to the man who gave ten seasons of passion to Tenerife. The applause helped to loosen up the crowd a little and assure fans that they could cheer again for their favourites.
Tenerife grew in stature in the second half, Alexandre forced a low save from Diego Marino and Brit Sam Shashoua clipped the post after shaking off his markers. Coach Ramis was ready to shuffle the pack, adding Nono for Sergio Gonzalez in midfield and bringing on 19 year old local goal prospect Ethyan from Cruz Santa. The young striker has rattled in goals at youth and B team level, he worked hard and every senior minute he gets now will boost him as a player. Gijon dug in for the point after Tenerife surged forward fuelled by the return of passionate voices from the crowd. A draw was a fair result against a side that are expected to challenge for promotion. As for the match day experience, it was like slipping back into a comfortable routine. The bond between fans and the team was renewed in our Heliodoro home.
Memories of summer camps as a very green “brussel sprout” resurfaced as sweet scented blooms emerged from delicate bushes. Puerto del Erjos bus stop was just a few downward strides in my wake with Santiago del Teide, and Masca shielded by green ridges. The north west of Tenerife added parched trails and volcanic outcrops to daydreaming of my lost youth, and the heat was a much different setting from those rainy walks.
Bird song drew me to the pools in the wetland spread but on this August day they were distinctly dry. It was a start reminder of how quickly nature can change, in recent years wild fires had swept through the area but the balance had swung back and new growth sprouted at every turn. My aim this trip was to head for the black caves on the lower trail to the coast of Los Silos. Heading across to the white church tower in the hamlet of Erjos, I ploughed down a bumpy track between a cluster of old houses. A few months before, I had taken the high road up and over Monte de Aqua above the rising tree line. This was more of a hidden pleasure as the track narrowed and sunlight speckled the ground through a curtain of leaves.
It was short of markers and outside sound was filtered to a low level, I was grateful to a narrow water pipe that stretched ahead of me with reassurance that I was making progress. It gave me time though to appreciate the delicate shades of the leaves thrusting their heads up towards the light in the few spaces that appeared. The gaps became bigger and I got clear views of the cave openings that seemed to suggest facial features.
Not mnay other walkers desturbed my reflection, although there always seems to be at least one super fit athlete running against the flow. A family group from the Czech Republic stopped for a chat at they started at the coastal end – Tenerife´s walking pedigree reaches far beyond our shores. It was difficult to guess how far back the caves went but there were plenty of them to offer valuable shelter for farmers and traders as they cut off a long round trip against the sometimes fierce waves that batter the coast.
The final stretch gave me a base upwards view of mountains that I had viewed across barrancos, either way it was an impressive sight. Los Silos loomed into view and my path converged with the concrete path that cut directly out to the bus stop up past Garachico and into Icod. My admiration of Erjos had risen another few notches, theres still plenty more variations to explore and the seasons will keep changing the outlook on what I have seen so far.
An iron clad Spanish conquistador reeled at the feet of Guanche warrior, Tinguaro, as he sounded a defiant call on a conch shell. Cars thundered by on the Tenerife north motorway between Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz below were oblivious to the large mural but I felt like I was straddling two ages as I gazed through the wild grass.
Not that I was feeling critical of the local council gardening services for La Matanza de Acentejo. A worker was expertly trimming the garden on the rise into the town, It set the tone for the overall appearance of the municipality, a small picnic area with seating overlooked the dual carriageway. The rest area also featured a modern art version of the brother of Mencey Bencomo, one of the original tribal kings and a key player in the rearguard stand to delay the Spanish invaders back in 1495.
A mix of old dwellings and vineyards steerd me up a steep climb , beckoned by the twin towers of the El Salvador church. There were more benches and breather points along the way. From one I watched as two chickens played out their own turf war below a canopy of green leaves and ripening grapes. The church and large plaza were noble and well tended, A school of music, and a centre for people of the third age (such a nicer term than OAPs) boosted the range of facillities. Posters for a series of concerts featuring Cuban music kept up the cultural choices.
Heading back down to Calle Real, the street that meanders through the town, it was quiet but a few people were adding little proud brush strokes and repairs to houses with plenty of character. Plaza de Cuchareras gleamed brightly as the Ermita looked down on the roses and the fountain . It was a fair walk along to the end of town, a modern sports centre offered plenty of excercise to keep bodies nimble for treading the higher parts of town. With the coast far down below and the looming figure of Mount Teide above, La Matanza had plenty to say for itself before the road meged into the start of La Victoria. This corridor of the north keeps calling me back, and i have still only scratched the surface.