Fuelling the pre match chat with moans about adjusting to the heat of Tenerife, Espanyol were reeled in by a cool, well organised victory from CD Tenerife. Espanyol are widely expected to quickly regain their Primera statuus but there was plenty of ambition and skill from the home ranks before an ecstatic 18,300 crowd.

The visitors tore into Tenerife from the kick off, asking lots of questions. The home side kept calm and soaked up the oncoming waves. Goalie Soriano was on top form, quick to spot danger and race out to make the ball his own. With just 16 minutes on the clock, the Espanyol goalie got himself in a muddle as the ball sat teasingly between his feet. Enric Gallego pounced on his uncertainty and burried the ball in the back of the net.

Tenerife grew in confidence, Waldo was again full of running and ideas, and Alexandre popped up all over the pitch to pose problems for the visitors. In defence there had been some discussion whether to keep faith with rising young centre back Loic Williams, however Amo got the nod and Espanyols breaks floundered on the back four.

There was a niggling feeling that Espanyol would step up a gear towards the end but Tenerife didn´t let their guard drop. The Tenerife squad is shaping up well, another youth product, Jesus Belza, got a short debut in extra time to continue the range and versatility of the squad. Now in third place, the Santa Cruz team have more to give and it´s a pleasure to watch them mature.

Two huge spits of rock attract fleeting curiosity half way up the motorway that links Los Cristianos to Santa Cruz – especially recently when they were partly covered. Walking the 6 km descent from Fasnia old town (see previous post) to the coast was tweaking my interest to fever pitch as the tight turns of the modern road revealed my familiar coastal refuelling point for CD Tenerife home games.

A flurry of work in the lower reaches showcased a new botanical garden being installed to admire plants and insects. An all action sculpture of Canarian wrestling made an informative focal point, and nearer the walkway under the motorway, an old water train showed how the life giving liquid was extracted from underground galleries. Preserving the past is high on the agenda with subtle changes being incorporated.

Emerging from the road tunnel, brought views of the black sand granules of Playa del Arico, and Playa Los Roques to rival the two rocky outcrops of Los Roques on the southern side of the cafe restaurants. There is much to stop and admire in this area as most of the traffic roars by unaware of the history of the gems below. Birds were swooping over the rocks, guardians of their colony. There is a small community of fishing families below the eye level of most visitors, and a transformation had just taken place.

The two beaches used to be linked but crumbling rocks and neglect kept the old houses and church hewn into the cliff, largely unoticed. Now it is possible to stroll around the edge of the biggest beach and onto the far beach, following newly concreted paths with wooden stair rails to ensure safe distance from the larger waves. The facelift has made it neater without changing the charm of the area, and a colourful mural from Roberto Rodriguez guides walkers from one gem of a view to another, complete with rock stacks and a small promenade.

The bigger beach is partly protected by rocky guardians but can still be prone to the odd roque wave. A hi tech safety capsule ca be quickly thrown into the sea from its holding post and expands into a flotation device. Perhaps the biggest change of all is about to happen, a new urbanisation of 40,000 square metres is proposed just inland from the beaches. Hopefully it can breathe new life into the area whilst keeping the character and history intact.

Was the coast clear? Divinely so as the modern road flexed and wound down towards the eastern aspect of Tenerife. I had the perfect viewing point at the small ermita church on Fasnia mountain.

In my wake I had left the neat historical heart of the municipality with barrancos (ravines) parting the fertile land. Nature had left its mark over the centuries and in recent weeks the wild fires that swept Tenerife had raged too close for comfort. But Fasnia is a place with an eye on the future as well as a deep respect for the past.

Where the quiet back streets intersected, the Ayuntamiento (council) building stood proud opposite an eco agricultural centre. A poster proudly displayed an impressive range of locally grown potatoes, very timely as a potato shortage  was currently gripping the island due to colorado beetles hitching a ride on the small number of imported spuds from Egypt and Israel.

Further down towards the modern church of San Joaquin, a large park, and play area was receiving a blue modern coating to encourage young sports fans. The plaza surrounding the church was also a bustling social area with a bar and outside seating. The local football ground claimed a dynamic vista overlooking the sea in the distance to further enhance the charm.

From my lofty perch at the ermita it looked like a time curtain divided the view to the west as the Arico wind turbines whirred at a frantic pace. My downward gaze prepared me for the 6 km walk I was to undertake towards the coast. My brief visit had shown me solid roots of an established community, but I was soon to find that local pride was making a big splash on the other side of the motorway.

Armada Sur south based CD Tenerife fan club will always do their best to get supporters to the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez  stadium in the capital of the island. If coaches are full, tickets sold out at ground, or you just want to have a random look at the 23,000 capacity stadium (sorry no inside tours) and club shop, here´s a south to north route guide. If you want match tickets, try official outlets Papelaria Raquel in El Camison, Los Cristianos, or DNI Photo Studio, opposite the police station in Playa de Las Americas , close to Costa Adeje bus station and the slip road up to Siam Park. Open 9.30 am to 2.15 pm.

The green TITSA buses converge on the Costa Adeje (Las Americas) and Los Cristianos bus stations for 55 minute journeys to the Santa Cruz intercambiador three storey travel hub. The 110 bus goes from Costa Adeje but doesn´t stop at Los Cristianos, the 111 serves Costa Adeje but also skips Los Cristianos and takes about 30 minutes longer due to added rural stops, the 112 picks up at Los Cristianos but not Costa Adeje. A one way fare is 9 euros – cash or card when boarding, but an unlimited one day travelcard is just 10 euros, or 50 euros for 7 days movement (plus 2 euros for the plastic card) – you need to buy these in the bus station or from a kiosk before boarding. The card also covers the Santa Cruz to La Laguna tram system.

The tram picks up just outside the Santa Cruz terminal every 10 minutes and costs a standard 1.35 for any trip. The easiest call is the 5th stop of La Paz, turn left, and cross the bridge over the ravine, and left at the small roundabout to reveal the grand facade of the stadium and the nearby club shop a few strides down. If you want to meet up with the Armada Sur, we meet in the small lively plaza just down from the stadium. If its a late night game, the 10.25 and 11.45 are the best bets for a speedy bus back to the south.

Just add crowd for the buzz of a live match, but even empty, you still get a feel of the history and passion of CD Tenerife.