Football, beer and travel, what a great combination, there has to be a downside of course, there was the small matter of the nail biting, gut grabbing climax to the La Liga season with CD Tenerife slugging it out to avoid relegation. Volcanic clouds diverted and a nervous evenings intake of Dorada to settle the nerves, and a small section of the Armada Sur joined the other football pilgrims at Tenerife South airport for our Sunday charter flight from Viajes Halcon.
Canarian TV cameras hovered around us as we queued at check in and Kirsty uttered a very naughty Anglo Saxon word that may be picked up by English speakers over their morning Gofio. No delays and we were soon touching down in Valencia, a much smaller airport than Madrid and easy to filter through to our awaiting coaches. First stop was the stadium to collect our tickets, the local marathon was in full flow and the sun spotlighted this very clean city where ancient and modern rub shoulders. The tickets weren’t ready for us so a few of us jumped off the bus, careful to avoid the many cycle lanes that criss cross the city.
Was it a mischievious IPhone or did Kirsty need to brush up in her map reading skills, either way we were headed in the wrong direction for Plaza del Virgen, the pre arranged fans meeting place. A quick about turn and we found our way to Plaza del Reina and regrouped over a few beers at a fast food cafe. Lookie lookie men have big ideas and even bigger displays of sunglasses here and we amused ourselves watching them set up and hurridly dismantle their pavement wares as the police played cat and mouse with them. Some of the previous days arrivals found us and we realised we were just a short walk from Plaza del Virgen.
Passing through the narrow connecting street we were in a large open square with cafe bars one side and a performance but it was the ornate statue draped fountain that really attracted us. Mingling with other CDT fans we swapped good wishes, beer and brandy as The General went in search of bubble bath and washing up liquid to liven up the flowing water. it certainly worked, the local kids loved it, tourists posed in the foam and the police looked on bemused. It was a lovely setting and I couldn’t resist a trip up the Torre del Micalet for 70 km high views over the city. A cluster of 14 bells held off while I snapped away at the gorgeous city unfolding below.
Time was moving on, the beer was flowing and the game was beckoning, Viajes Halcons rep had delivered our tickets so it was time to head for the ground to welcome the Tenerife players. Our date with destiny was almost here.