The burgers, chops, chicken and sausage had that extra ingredient at this years Armada Sur barbecue – it was success. Promotion after a great season for CD Tenerife had to be celebrated in style and Cho Pancho high above San Miguel was the perfect setting for the annual fun and games.

It was a scorching hot day but the shade of the pine trees and a welcome breeze ensured things didn’t get too uncomfortable – unless you were a Pio of course. In time honoured tradition a large stuffed Tweety (symbol of our nearest and dearest from the other island) was abused, trussed up, and hung over the barbecue flames until it died horribly with its stuffing spurting out.

Two large wheely bins were packed with ice and cans of beer which we worked steadily through during the afternoon, there was plenty of wine for the ladies too and soft drinks for the younger generation. The cricket match didn’t quite get into full swing this year but the football was full bloodied and bruising, several players will have the marks to remember it by.

For anyone not familiar with the picnic areas in Tenerife, they are large, well looked after, and with brick built barbecue stacks to cook on, at Cho Pancho there is a toilet and washing block nearby and pick up points for the rubbish which we dutifully collected together before leaving. Our coach dropped us off and picked up at the end of the service road, some hitched rides down in cars but most of us walked, it’s a pleasure in such beautiful surroundings.

Full marks to The General and his troops for getting there early, setting everything up, and firing up the charcoal. The ladies did us proud with potato salad, pasta, and Kirsty’s wicked mojo sauce that could strip paint of a tank. I’m sure the people at the surrounding barbecues enjoyed our boistrous singing, it certainly made the lizards scuttle under cover. Roll on next year.

Despite being well loaded with beer I managed to drag myself back out at night and down to Los Cristianos for the Noche de San Juan, the traditional bonfires on the beaches way of marking mid summer. It was packed down there, the bars and restaurants can only dream of it being that busy in the daytime. I had a little wander over the sand to see some of the fires and see who was jumping the flames, another tradition, I wisely didn’t attempt any acrobatics and settled for a couple of pints at Goodfellas on the promenade as I watched the scantily clad young ladies wander by. I left at 1am but I’m sure the fun went on until daybreak, it always does, it was a nice hazy end to a very enjoyable day.