Innocent, endearing, but darkly haunting. It´s 160 years since Alice In Wonderland tumbled into a rabbit hole full of trouble. I was grinning like a cheshire cat when I discovered the Oxford written  creation of Charles Dodgson (under the name of Lewis Carrol) had emerged at a Caja Canarias Fundacion exhibition in La Laguna. Appropriately, the setting was a university town, but in this case, just outside Tenerife capital city, Santa Cruz.

As a child I was familiar with the tales that wandered from the academic path of Dodgson with his chosen staid diet of maths and science. Let´s be honest, I was more familiar with the frothy milk shakes and cream cakes at The White Rabbit cafe in nearby  Cowley Centre, although a little less familiar with the full meals upstairs at The Lewis Carroll Restaurant.

Quarrelsome twins Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, the savage Queen Of Hearts, Mad Hatter, and potions that shrunk and expanded Alice to giant size, hinted at dark forces. These underlying surreal twists are the focus of the exhibition. Salvador Dali and Max Ernst caught the bug in later life and added ideas to their paintings ans illustrations. The two storey building contains references to all this and more surprises. It´s even suggested that the ground breaking Hadron Collider particle acelerator was referred to as A Large Ion Collider Experiment or ALICE for short. Some of Alice´s universe has spread into other disciplines, the Jabberwocky poem from Through The Looking Glass established the bizarre creature as an iconic figure. maybe 90s post rave band The Mock Turtles were spurred on by the turtle featured in Wonderland.

Alice Liddel, the 10 year old child of a family friend of Dodgson, is said to be the inspiration for the fictional Alice. A surreal coincidence rounded off my trip ro the exhibition. Aster mentioning my Oxford connection, I was introduced to a young British family viewing the works. The father told me his interest was drawn to the display because they live in Lyndhurst in the New Forest, where the body of Alice Liddel is buried. How very curious!

Minus the wind and swirling sand of recent years, Los Cristianos beach was a much more sedate place to be on Christmas Day morning 2021 for the carol singing. The Swallows, our very active mature visitors from the UK were in good voice and very well organised.

It´s not easy rotating song sheets, props for the 12th Day Of Christmas, and fitting in food and drink, all between Covid masks and spacing. All the usual songs were rolled out, Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, and of course the frantic 12 Days.

It was a good start to a fairly busy day, despite challenging restrictions for visitors to negotiate, most revellers were moving on later to meals and drinks – all fuel to the battered local economy. Up north of Santa Cruz, the music was mising but the hot sun packed Las Teresitas beach. A rousing start to the day – even those on sun beds were huming alomg in Los Cristianos.

Surging up off the motorway to Adeje town , visitors are used to a few well placed guardians looking over them. Christmas 2021 has added a whole new colourful level starting with a candle powered lantern on the rim of the barranco del infierno.

The Guanche warrior stayed true to his vigil as reindeer and sleighs eased in alongside him. The tolling of the festive season was well heralded by giant bells and holly leaves. The faithfull bombero (fireman) hardly flinched at his new neighbour.

The theme carried on up to Calle Grande where guards stood alert with candy canes by their sides. More surprises lurked higher up the street near the Plaza de España. A royal red post box awaited requests for the three kings, well it´s good to post early. This years new special addition was a high tech interactive belen collection of nativity scenes and sounds. QR access ensured a personal link to a world of visions and inspirations.

Just around the top road, the new multi storey car park made a perfect station for a very special vehicle pulling in. Nature added its own special backdrop and even the church steps had a scattering of the giant holly. It was the diversity and colour that turned a warm winter afternoon into a wonderland. The large plaza and the modern, upwardly expanding cultural centre stood ready to host a wide range of events across the festive season. Just follow that candy.

When tourist coaches spread their loads around Tenerife, many people hold onto their first impressions of an unfamiliar resort. That´s why I was overjoyed at the cleaming white new coat on MYND Adeje Hotel. Gone is the fire damaged former squat, so no more distraction from the arch to Sueño Azul one way, and the dark sand beach and coastal path back to Playa Paraiso the other way.

A work still in progress, the hotel flower borders were being sculpted, sports courts and sandy play areas were being laid, and small outside pools were coming on strong. Part of a new chain, the hotel will be followed by a similar plot at Playa Blanca, Lanzarote.

It was enough to make me leap off and  swap Titsa buses for a change of plans, pitching up at Alcala, a little further north along the coast, and with an early eye on christmas. News of the completion of the coastal walkway to El Varadero and on to Los Gigantes was a loose end I couldn´t ignore. La Jaquita beach  coves were a popular stop with there full range of cafes, toilets, lifeguards, and neat landscaping.

Rounding the main cove, the clear but unobtrusive path offered confort, shade, and even a few artistic designs. An hours link to the main road exit and busy resort of Playa de la Arena, and Puerto Santiago looked good with the protective fencing now removed. Nature had room to spread a little and was growing into its new home.

As Agatha Christie brought murderers to book in Puerto de la Cruz, Alexander Von Humboldt cut a lonely figure surveying the La Orotava valley from his concrete mirador a mere 5 kms up above the city. Back in the post Covid world, the Fenix was raising job hopes in Santa Ursula. With Santas already abseiling up and down musical ropes, it was time to recharge my Titsa unlimited travel residents ticket for another month.

Events were outlined on the Puerto de la Cruz street posters for the 8th Agatha Christie festival from 5 to 14 November, all based on a short stpry penned by the prolific crime queen back in 1927 on a visit to the north Tenerife city. It´s grown over the years to include readings, plays, and music, and has helped to raise the city profile far beyond Tenerife. Always keen to turn the page to new activities, Puerto de la Cruz had just become the first Tenerife municipality to confirm their 2022 Carnava, fom 17 Feb to 13 March.. Santa Cruz is the biggie and is preparing for their own parties but are still a little shy of confirming dates as Covid restrictions change.

Von Humboldt invented geo botany after sailing in to Tenerife back in 1799 with his journals and telescope, and marvelling at all the plant and insect life that abounds here. This was my third visit to his lofty free viewpoint, and it seemed like the great German explorer was edging nearer to the sheer drop edge of the balcony as he waited for people to pop in to see him. The only other visitors were a German couple who said they didn´t know about our Alex, I suspect they had eased their hire car into the tight layby in hope of finding toilets, but all facillities have been closed since re-opening after a previous spruce up. Maybe an online visitors book address by his biography plaque might encourage some feedback.

I shall keep taking this high road on the TF-21 as it leads onto Santa Ursula, La Victoria, and La Matanza, three of the smaller but most interesting municipalities on the island. Santa Ursula had declared November, Fushion En Verde month with revamped premises, offers and an overall push to help local businesses as part of the Proyecto Fenix campaign, and the response looked encouraging. The neighbours were looking decidedly quieter. It´s a tough situation, these areas have to fight for their share of rural tourism trade. All credit to those who take chances and try new ideas, maybe the influx of tourists from newly accessed destinations will filter through to boost others as well in the north.

Planting one foot on Tenerife soil, Admiral Horatio Nelson drew his sword with his left hand and prepared to lead the assault on 25 July 1797. Then it all fell apart. A musket shot from the defending forces pierced his right elbow and sent him crashing to the ground still half in his landing boat. Disaster for the British naval force and potentially a career ending moment for the Norfolk born 39 year old leader.

But in an incredible display of mutual respect between two leaders of seafaring backgrounds, a very civil surrender led to the failed invasion becoming part of Tenerife culture and Nelson´s name being remembered with dignity. Over 250 British troops were killed as firece resistance and strong fortifications frustrated other landing parties that tried to breach other points around the coast of capital city, Santa Cruz. Nelson negotiated the surrender via his number two Captain Troubridge.

Rowed back to his ship the Theseus, Nelson had made light of his wound and pulled himself up onto the ship by a single rope and insisted. ” Let me alone, I have yet my legs left and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and get his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it is off the better.” In his journal he praised the hospitality of the Spanish Governor of Tenerife. ” It is right we should notice the noble and generous conduct of Don Juan Antonio Gutierrez. The moment terms were agreed he directed our wounded men to be received into the hospitals and all our people to be supplied with the best provisions that could be procured, ”

To this day, Santa Cruz is full of reminders of Nelson´s attack, normally reenactments are carried out on and around 25 July but Covid has severly limited that. For 2021 it will be mainly acts of remembrance at key points that featured in the repelling of the foriegn fleet. However you can tap into the past all year round via in Santa Cruz. Nelson touched land at the southern entry to the capital, Castillo Negra, just along from the modern Auditorium, was the power house for the rebuff of the sailors. Just next to it, a small concrete quay meets the sea.

At this point you will find the first in a series of silver plaques marking the spots where various clashes and strongholds were. They pepper the coast aalong as far as San Andres beyond the old dock area. Nelsons face even appears among clasical composers and poets on the large square concrete blocks that line the San Andres shore. One of the early warnings of the approach of the British ships, came from a female trader on her way to market, she rang the church bell to alert everyone, it assured her place in local folklore.

A short stroll along from the Auditorium to the Plaza de España lake opposite the cruce ship port, reveals a treasure chest of past echoes. Steps down below the lake lead to the remails of the city wall, only rediscovered after the plaza was dug up for redevelopment at the start of the 2000 millenium. The underground area shows a complete history of the Castillo de San Cristobal that was above, and those who tried in vain to take Tenerife. Pride of place goes to the Tigre (tiger) canon that was instrumental in keeping Nelsons and previous hopefuls pinned back off shore. Entry to this hidden world is free and very informative. Over in the cruce ship port, a canon ball impact on a low wall shows how close the city came to receiving greater damage.

For the best in depth history lesson, follow the port road along to the huge winged statue and above you will find the Military Museum. This covers all Spanish conflicts and is illustrated with maps, uniforms, and weapons. In the case of Nelson, an interactive map shows exactly how the battle played out, and the Union Jack from the flag ship Emerald, surrendered by Nelson, is on disply in a glass cabinet. Outside they have a wealth of military vehicles from different ages.

The museum is free to visit, open from 10 am to 2 pm Tuesday to Saturday. Altough it´s still a working base, there is a small cafe and a terrace. Keep looking out for other reminders of Nelson in the city, new murals have been added in recent years above La Noria near the main shopping area. Nelson´s name is immortalised on a street sign near the old bull ring at La Paz. There are also plans for a more permanent exhibition, fittingly, close to the sea front.

Rugged beauty draws sun worshippers to Playa El Callao beach just below the rising ridge of Guaza mountain in Los Cristianos. Not everyone takes their rubbish away with them, that´s why Keep It Clean Tenerife leapt into action armed with rubbish sacks, gloves, and bags of enthusiasm.

As a baking hot Sunday morning hit its stride, 58 volunteers covering a wide age range, left no stone unturned to capture  an impressive haul of assorted leftovers, they normally scoop up around 100 kilos each event. British  founder Tim was chalking up the groups 10 th clean up. “It started  just over a year ago when I picked up some rubbish when walking my dog, and its grown from there. We target the coast and have included Abades, La Caleta, El Medano, El Puertito, and Los Abrigos on a roughly monthly basis.”

The key is in the preparation, they set up base camp and welcomed their diverse team including Brits, Spanish, and Dutch. The long handles grabs were useful for the less fragrant deposits, but they didn´t hesitate to delve in along the craggy sides of the rock pool at the Las Tarajales entrance to the beach. The pool showed the diversity of the bathers from scuba fans to swimmers, and there were also  a few cans and plastic glasses from social gatherings perched on rocky ledges.

Large plastic water bottles were a perfect home for discarded cigarette ends. Tim explained that they could be recycled by a company in Holland. If that sounds unusual, a haul of old rusty nails and screws was an even bigger surprise. Tims guess was they were from wooden doors and pallets burnt on the beaches during the annual Night of San Juan (23 June)  when mid summer bonfires attract large groups to all Spanish beaches.

Two hours of combing the beach significantly reduced thethreat of more rubbish finding its way down into the sea. There are plenty more clean ups planned around the coast, including a big spruce up of the nearby Playa Las Vistas. Volunters are sure of a warm welcome, keep an eye on the Keep It Clean facebook page for full details.

Santas little helpers are furloughed and Papa Noel has put the elves on ERTE. As 2020 sneaks out the back door, it´s giving us all more indigestion than the turkey, but young eyes are sparkling with hope, and the halls are being decked with bells and holly. The streets of Tenerife had been defiantly decked out too.

My latest wanderings were back in the north of Tenerife starting at El Tanque and their tree trunk reindeer outside the town hall. On a chilly day with drizzle in the air, it coaxed a smile out of passers by. Icod chipped in with a shadow nativity in the church plaza, bold but brooding, the mood was lightened by outbreaks of poinsetia all over town. I was used to seeing the red and even yellow versions but was pleasantly surprised by the pink blooms.If your looking for positive signs, the Mariposario(butterfly house) below the plaza,is open again after years of planning arguments. Long may their wings flap.

Dropping down to Garachico, the nativity in the Plaza de La Libertad was very traditional and bursting with cuteness. Was that a yard of ale contest I could see over by the Castillo San Miguel? No, just wishful thinking on my pary morphing the musical herald. A cage like red heart nearby was hardly needed but added a bit more variety to the scene. Across the cove, another more basic nativity was a magic link to the wild sea and spray.

Back down in Los Cristianos, tradition had another stronghold. The scaled down statue of the Virgen del Carmen is lovingly tended daily with flowers but at this time of year that is augmented by a few christmas toys and baubles. It´s an appropriate nod to the Virgen´s role as protector and guide to the local fishing families.  A short hop away, the church plaza benches were getting the benefit of a painting makeover from the team that did such an uplifting job on the beach promenade seats. Hope and renewal will be on many wish lists as this year fades away -we will take any encouragement we can find.

Illegal bottle parties, and unlawful gatherings of more than six people, mainly young, have thrust Tenerife and specifically La Laguna and Santa Cruz, into the Covid spotlight. As I write, Tenerife has 80 per cent of yesterdays new infections across the seven Canary Islands, that´s 108 out of 139 new cases yesterday. Overall the Canary Island figures are some of the best in Spain but the pressure is on to squeeze a little tighter in the hot spots.

Christmas build up and Black Friday splurging into a week long event don´t help. I made a Saturday afternoon visit to the university town, and the capital city to see for myself. La Laguna´s main shopping area is centred on two main strets, Calle Herredores, and Calle Obispo Rey Redondo, a few policia local officers walked through the pedestrianised area, and a patrol car drove slowly through the link roads. This grid layout was marked to direct walkers in set directions to avoid close contact. It semed to work well without impeding the outdoor cafe table trade where masks, hand gel, and the six person group limit were the order of the day.

I made a call at the Museum of History and Anthropology and followed a small tour at a distance, There was plenty of space to avoid each other and browse, the staff even let me into a sealed storage area to see two ancient carriages, one with a London pedigree. I will return for a longer browse and do a post for here. It´s important that in these stressed times, that business´s and attractions continue to give good service – and they excelled.

After dark has been the main problem with Covid security but the current 11pm closing time for bars has helped as has the lock down of parks and plazas. Taking the tram down to Santa cruz, I turned my attention to Parque Garcia Sanabria, a delightful and popular park in the centre of the busy city. Large multi pathed and with many entrance points, I could see that barriers were already on standby for the 7pm sealing. Not robust enough to make entry impossible, but they represent another warning and probably and increase on the standard 100 euro fines. Video camaras near the flower clock would also play a part. Only time will tell if this measure will just move the problem or snuff it out,

My return trip to Los Cristianos was covered on my residents monthly payment card, cash seems unlikely to make a return to the bus drivers lives. Titsa have increased their payment options with tourist payment cards for a day or a week, and have increased the outlets where they can be bought, ncluding the airports and major bus stations. The whole rigmarol of Covid protection and measures is a monumental pain – but I´d rather stay alive!

Yellow beaks and webbed feet should alert you to any of the thousands of Pardela sea birds falling to earth in the Canary Islands from mid october to mid november. Otherwise known as Cory´s Sheerwater, they are aiming for a life floating on the Atlantic tides, but increased street and advertising lighting disrupts their natural radar. An annual desire to lay eggs on high rocky ground makes the Canary Islands a popular call.

Thankfully a well established safety net led by SEO Birdlife (thanks for their excellent photos)  swings into action each year. just call the emergency services free number, 112, and mention pardelas and their location, that will bring a rescue person. In the meantime, don´t feed or water the bird as that may confuse their awakening natural hunting instinct for fish and other small sea creatures, and a thirst for sea water that they can clense via a special gland in their body. As you wait, if it´s possible, you can gently wrap a small towel or cover around the bird to keep it from hurting itself by flapping. If you have a box just bigger than the bird, pierce some breathing holes and that is a good temporary holding point.

In Tenerife, the main coastal falling zone is from El Medano, up and around the west coast to Los Gigantes via Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas. The councils covering those areas are well versed in the procedures to help these creatures. Road lights and advertising neon are dimmed within safe levels and the emergency services are used to dealing with rescue calls. This year the Pardelas have even got a lift on the Titsa buses with the poster above drawing attention to their plight. Once the fallen birds have been assessed and treated, they are released from high coastal points to enjoy roaming the Atlantic. Just a few minutes thought and you can take pride in helping to be the wind beneath the wings of the Pardela.