Blimey I have a few days away and the gang at Tenerife Magazine go mad, just look what they are offering as a prize this time. A week half board at the 5 star Costa Adeje Gran Hotel just 500 metres from El Duque and Fañabe beaches. They could have at least made people work hard for the prize but no it’s the usual easy entry, just click LIKE on the Tenerife Magazine competition page and your in the draw.

So let’s have a peak through the keyhole as that annoying American TV host would say. Costa Adeje Gran Hotel has 4 swimming pools, I’d be looking like a prune by the end of the week, courts for tennis, football, squash and paddle, 2 restaurants, 3 bars, gym and wellness centre, hairdressers and day and night entertainment, enough to keep anyone busy. GF Hoteles have 6 top class hotels in Tenerife so if you are looking for somewhere to stay give them a go.

Noone sent a cake but it’s just about a year since Tenerife Magazine leapt out at a unsuspecting world so if you haven’t popped in yet, please do and tell your friends, in fact go up and annoy people in the bus queue by giving them one of our business cards – hang on I think that’s my job. There are lots more prizes being lined up as well as a chance to read my waffle so stick with us. Back to the prize, you have until 30 November until the draw is made, it’s for two adults half board with no transport included, can’t be exchanged for cash and is subject to availability but you have 12 months to take the holiday. Contact us quick if you are the lucky winner, if we haven’t heard after 2 weeks the prize will be drawn again. Good luck.

Talk about feeling short changed, imagine paying a tenner for something with a 50 euro note and just getting two small coins in return. That could be a common feeling soon as a new 20 euros coin is released by Spain’s Real Casa de la Moneda (the royal mint). These special coins are only produced for a limited time to mark special events, this one commemorates Spain winning the 2010 World Cup.

The coins weigh 18 grams, have a 33mm diameter and can be pre ordered from today from any bank across Spain. The heads side shows King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia but the reverse has a footballer kicking a ball. The release date to the general public is 24 November, from then they will be legal tender but only 2 million have been struck so they won’t be flooding tills in Tenerife.

It all makes me wish I had kept my 1970 Esso world Cup coins, they must be a collectors item by now. if England had won the World Cup we could have had Rooney on one side of the coin holding out his hand for more.

First impressions are vital, especially if you are a holiday resort so it was particularly bad that today, International Day of Tourism, saw the streets of Arona at their worst with rubbish cascading from groaning bins and bags and boxes piled high. Arona covers the busy destinations of Los Cristianos and part of Playa de Las Americas and lives largely on visitor income. Since Friday the 300 refuse collectors and cleaners have been on strike as they hold out for 900,000 euros of outstanding overtime payments dating back to June.

Since I moved to Tenerife my appreciation of the refuse collectors has being heightened by their efficiency, and brought into stark contrast by the crazy rotating collection service in England that sees some types of rubbish picked up one week and a differfent sort the next. A few weeks ago I had my first hands on experience of this and was staggered at the bewildering array of different coloured boxes that have to be put out at the right time to avoid a public flogging.

Originally settling on the west coast the occaisional deluge of winter rain would sweep down the hill into Los Gigantes bringing a muddy deposit in its wake. I was always amazed at the dedicated early morning response from the cleaners who would be there digging in with shovels and brooms as the late lamented mayor Pancracio Socas made a point of being there with an encouraging pat on the back and a thank you. Then there was the nightly, yes nightly, rounds by the bin men who would remove pretty well anything that was put out for them.

That same service has always been on show here in the south and I have frequently remarked in this blog about how quickly the cleaners mop up after fiestas, concerts and parades. Every year the Sunday afternoon Los Cristianos parade is followed up the road by the cleaners for instant removal of the debris left by this colourful event and the huge crowds it attracts. As a keen swimmer I also notice the quick clean up of the beaches and promanade, even after the night of San Juan when barbecues, fires and parties are held all over the sand. These sort of set piece events mean that overtime is a fact of life for the refuse services on this island.

I believe these extra hours are normally paid every three months, certainly the current outstanding balance is for payments due in June and September but the workers were offered their money in late November, an improvement on the original offer of January 2011. As it stands the strike looks set to run into Wednesdays national General Strike that has been called across Spain, so it could be Thursday before the rubbish is moved, and it is very hot here, that’s why nightly collections are so important. The daft thing is once this dispute is settled the cleaners will need to work more overtime to clear the backlog – and so the dance begins again. What a load of rubbish.

Biased me? too right I am, I chose to live in Los Cristianos and love the beachfront so im very happy to offer you the chance to win a weekends half board accomodation at Arona Gran Hotel. I could have used the headline “come and be my near neighbour for a weekend” but I don’t want to put you all off.

Those nice people at Spring Hotels have cosied up to us at Tenerife Magazine to offer this great prize, what can I say, it’s four star, with a large swimming pool terrace that looks out to the Atlantic over Los Tarejales beach, packed with top facilities for food, drink and entertainment and has a nice relaxed friendly attitude.

Ok that’s the official blurb done, let me tell you what that area means to me and maybe it will give you a few ideas. It’s a short brisk walk along the sea promenade into the heart of Los Cristianos with some interesting small bars, lively but not throbbing like Amy Winehouses head on a Sunday morning – well any morning really. Los Tarajales beach is pretty basic for sunbathing and swimming, walk about 10 minutes along to the bigger sandy crescents, but it’s the harbour side so you get to see the huge ferries coming and going from the other Canary Islands, they always fascinate me and pop up in many visitors holiday snap collection.

Sunday mornings the big local market takes place a short shuffle along from the Arona Gran Hotel, it’s always popular and a nice way to build up an appetite for the day. If your a bit of a fidget like me and like to go walking, those big steep cliffs to the east will soon beckon you. Montaña Guaza is a wonderful medium difficulty walk, there are well marked steps up the side and a couple of choices of route but either way the views across Los Cristianos and beyond are well worth the effort.

Before I get too carried away I better tell you how to win this prize break. just click like on the Tenerife Magazine page and join our Facebook fans in the draw for Monday 4th October. The prize is for two adults on a half board basis, it doesn’t include transport and cannot be exchanged for cash and is subject to availability. You have 12 months to take the prize from the draw date and need to confirm acceptance of the prize otherwise we will draw it again. See you soon.

Like David Banner at the end of The Hulk or Cain at the end of Kung Fu, I feel compelled to walk into the distance and try new destinations, thankfully in my case without green fits or flattening the locals after announcing that I Come In Peace. Tenerife is perfect for my wandering spirit and the north has proved rich ground for some wonderful trips. For readers of Tenerife Magazine it could all be slightly easier and a whole lot more comfortable with a weeks free half board holiday for two people at Hotel Las Aguilas in Puerto de la Cruz.

That’s the latest prize on offer for simply being a Facebook fan of Tenerife Magazine and getting pulled out of the draw on 2nd August. Then it’s up to you what you do, I’m not going to nag and tell you about all those wonderous places you ned to visit like the Drago tree at Icod de Los Vinos, the Garachico rock pools and volcanic mound of rock spat into the sea by a major eruption of Mount Teide, and the wine trail at La Orotava that will leave you struggling to walk in a straight line. Wild horses and even countless repeats of Friends couldn’t force me to divulge the location of all those lovely coffee and cake cafes and bizarre bars that I have encountered on my travels. It’s up to you to go and explore.

Mind you I can understand if you just want to relax by the two large swimming pools at Las Aquilas, or enjoy the four star luxury service and views. Maybe try out the tennis and padel courts or the three restaurants and show bar. The 10.000 square metres of gardens may well distract your interest and the modern spacious layout will give you time to chill. For some history and culture the easy way just hop on the regular free shuttle bus into Puerto de la Cruz and explore the rugged sea front and a myriad of back street shops and restaurants. Basically there is plenty to do during your stay.

You still have time to win a week’s half board holiday for two people. All you need to do is be a Facebook fan of Tenerife Magazine by the closing date of 31^st July. The draw will be made on 2^nd August, is not transferable and must be claimed within 2 weeks of the draw or it will be re-drawn. The prize voucher can be used until the end of 2010, not open to staff or relatives of Tochdocun or Grupo Gomasper.

If you want to know more about Hotel Las Aguilas try the website www.hotellasaguilas.com or give them a ring on (0034) 922372806 or drop them an email reserves@hotellasaguilas.com

During my Tenerife sea swims I am often assaulted by many and various items of rubbish, one of the smallest and most annoying is the humble cigarette butt. I tend to see these more on the beach than in the water, mainly because they get easily swept out on the tides. I must admit I have never been a smoker so can’t say that I would clean up after me, but I like to think I would.

Arona council has just announced that they intend to bring in fines of up to 3,000 euros for dropping fag ends on their beaches. The councillor for the environment Antonio Sosa insists that it is time that people treated the beaches with more respect, and I’m all for that. Providing this plan doesn’t get scuppered like Arona’s unworkable plan to ban all smoking on it’s beaches, it wont come in until after this summer.

The council are proposing the measure to clean up the look of the beaches but there are other problems caused by ciggie butts. Years ago when at The Western Sun, I was shown some very unpleasant photos of an autopsy on a dolphin. The stomach was full of rubbish, mush of it cigarette butts that expand as they soak up water, the dolphin then swallows them and they fill its stomach preventing it from eating.

If this all sounds really heavy, it needn’t be, there is a very easy solution, just pick up your old cigarette butts. Many of the beach side Tourist Information Offices already give out free plastic cones for smokers, you embed the stem in the sand and have an instant ashtray and the butts just drop into the stem for emptying once you reach a bin. The council are prepared to make even more of these cones available free, so really there will be no excuse.

There I was just walking out of my apartment block the other morning and a large yellow plane skimmed overhead coming over Montaña Guaza. A bit of digging and I now know it was a hydroplane, just arrived to help fight any forest fiires we may have in the Canary Islands this summer.

The recent scorching temperatures are a timely reminder of the previous fires here in the north of Tenerife and more so over on the islands of  La Gomera and La Palma. Last year when fires broke out on La Gomera, every old fire engine possible was dragged into service in Tenerife and headed to the port for the ferry trip across to our near neighbour. These hydroplanes are a much more effective and fast solution when it comes to dousing the flames.

Two hydroplanes are now stationed at Los Rodeos airport in the north, on loan from Canadair, part of the 43 group. Originally they were loaned to Torrejon airport on the mainland but they will be looking after us until September. Each plane has the capacity to hold up to 13,500 litres of water to drop on any raging inferno. In football type emergencies they could probably transport large quantities of Dorada to fuel the Armada Sur.

Pink and glowing in the heat, well that was the bodies on Playa El Camison, but a few yards away the Hotel Sir Anthony was glowing with pride as the bright young things of Tenerife, the President Ricardo Melchior, leading dignitaries, and a party of well scrubbed journalists sampled the new improved five star hotel.

The Mare Nostrum Resort is a beacon of luxury in Playa de Las Americas and the sun was glinting off the high glass front as I arrived with John Beckley from Sorted Sites, just in time to catch the speeches among the dazzling array of frocks and high heels. The team of guides swept us into the super cooled lobby and up the spiral staircase to inspect some of the 70 rooms on offer. The refurbishment was completed last year but this was the official inauguration, current guests were invited to join the party downstairs but a few were relaxing on their sea facing balconies, thankfully they all refrained from cutting their toenails as the lead party passed through.

The rooms are compact and stylish, the drinks bar and television hidden within the storage cabinets, and of course those balcony views waft the sea breeze in as close as you could hope. Looking down I could see the party guests mingling in the leafy shade around the pool as a jazz group serenaded them so after a quick trip to the roof to see a jacuzzi terrace, I made my way past the large airy Windsor Restaurant to the gardens.

Trying my best not to trip and fall in the pool, I circulated and snapped a few photos, not only of leggy young ladies, and nibbled some of the scrummy food being offered round with some cool drinks. For the second part of the evening we were led to the Mare Nostrum auditorium, taking the beach promenade, looking like a very elegant crocodile. It was my first time in the auditorium, home to the big showpiece musicals like Alma, and I was impressed by the scale and decor of the place. After some publicity films and speeches, the main show began, a musical romp, Rock History, featuring the in house band and 60 of the resort staff.

They really pulled out all the stops as they whisked us through a full range of rock based music from The Rolling Stones, to AC DC, The Beatles, Queen and all stops between. It wasn’t just the stage being used, dancers appeared at each side of the balcony and then took a firemans poll down to the stage, and clever use of minimal stage props meant the set was constantly changing. After 90 minutes they were done and as some of the company danced in the aisles, children clung to their star shaped red ballons recently gifted to them.

We poured out onto the communal plaza for the resorts hotels and were greeted by every variety of food and drink imaginable interspersed with stilt walking clown ladies, bucking bulls and a live band, the core of the stage show. There was even a cream pie stall where you could gunge your friends or enemies, phew I got away with that one. The holiday makers in the plaza, many of them with children, were spoilt for choice and hopefully will return to Tenerife again and again.

Moscow has rolling tanks carving up Red Square, Oxford has drunk students jumping in the river as dawn breaks, but here in Tenerife May Day is a much more colourful and sunny affair. I headed up to Santa Cruz early for football and work was well underway for this busy holiday weekend. May day is followed by Spains Mothers Day on Sunday and the Day of the Cross on Monday, white metal archways were being put up and decoreated with flowers at key points around the city centre.

Arriving at Plaza de España I was just in time to see the Intersindical Union parading down to the area between the lake and the Cabildo building. It was more a general flexing of the muscles than support for any current isue but independance and opposition to Spains leader Zapatero were mixed in among the banners. Cutting through to Plaza del Principe, I found the UGT Union leading their followers into the park for rallying speeches, TV Canarias workers took the opportunity to raise their own ongoing strike. Both marches were in a relaxed spirit with many bringing their families with them and once the speeches were over, most of the particiapants adjourned to local bars for a few beers, probably the most important item on the days agenda.

One of the main things I had come to see was a flowers, plants and crafts fair in Parque Garcia Sanabria, just a 5 minute stroll from the centre. This is a truly beautiful park at any time and is well used for events or just chilling with nature. At the main entrance childrens entertainment was holding a large crowd spellbound as they sat around the large flower clock, the cafe was buzzing and the sun was scorching. The park centres around a small pond with imposing statues, leafy walkways radiate off from there, and they were lined with stalls featuring some stunning garden displays, they even had Snow White and her dwarfs cottage. I could hear a voice shouting “Las Palmas are a great football team” nice to know that Dopey was at home.

It was good to see so many people proudly wearing their CD Tenerife shirts especially the kids, bring them up the right way. Turning onto one path I discovered small pens of chickens, goats and rabbits, another delight for the little uns. Star turn though was an inflatable cow complete with working udders, children were taking turns to sit under the cow and squeeze out the milky liquid, I decided that I was probably too old to join in.

Returning to Calle Castillo I pulled up a cold drink at a cafe by the stage in Plaza Candelaria and watched a group of dancers going through their paces as they tested out the sound system. As luck would have it, the visiting Racing Santander team were staying nearby and went out to stretch their legs, they obligingly posed for me despite my CD Tenerife shirt and scarf making my allegiance clear. What a great way to start the day, and the football was still to come.

It had been simmering for weeks, the Policia Local of Arona have not been happy, stating their grievances as work conditions, equipment and lack of staff. Several demonstrations were arranged but each time the two sides reached enough of an agreement to cancel it. Today there was no more avoiding it and at Noon the Policia Local took to the streets of Los Cristianos, gathering at the cultural centre, just around the corner from their headquarters.

Maybe gathered is a strong word, the turnout was poor, maybe 60 or so, but bearing in mind they have to rely on their work colleagues when in a tight or dangerous spot, you could forgive them for being a little shy. The three cars parked next to each other outside hinted at solidarity between the forces, Policia Local, Policia National, and Guardia Civil motors couldn’t have been parked in closer formation.

For their part, the Policia Local had already got local backing, a meeting with the local neighbours association groups on Thursday had won their backing. Arona councillor Manual Reveron weighed in this morning in the local press describing the police grievances as all lies, he claimed their militancy was more to do with trying to get more money.

The “march” if you can call it that was led by the UGT Union and made its short journey to the church plaza where banners, some in English, were unfurled. Slogans were chanted including “more action, less corruption” but passing Guardia officers leant out of their car windows and swapped smiles and good natured banter. So now we wait and see what the next step is in this runing dispute.