Wriggling into tight costumes as AC/DC gave the passing seagulls a full rock blast. It wasn´t a Highway To Hell, just the back road between the beach and Guaza Mountain, and it was filling up with feathers and sequins as the floats loaded up for the Coso Parade up into the centre of Los Cristianos. The 2019 Arona Carnaval was into the final stages but was going out in Tenerife style.

Pride of place went to the candidates and winners in the Queen categories, their huge designs stood like colourful monuments on flat back trucks, awaiting the insertion of their wearers in the centre. Rebeca Gonzalez Cabrera milked the adoration in her pink and silver explosion that scooped the main Carnaval Queen award. Candelaria Perez Dominguez glowed in a cool white dress surrounded by roses, she was number one in the Third Age category.

The starting grid might have looked colourful but chaotic, the stewards had it all sorted and ticked down their clipboards, slowly adding everyone to the mix. It is always a hot, sunny afternoon for the Coso, planning is essential, a good ice box for beer and wine helped the mood along, and an extra lick of make up ensured plenty of happy photos. In keeping with tradition, the parade started an hour later than advertised and snaked its way along the route in bright sunshine.

Official figures said 15,000 people lined the course but it looked less than other years, the tell tale sign was areas of bare rope on each side of the street. Normally it’s almost impossible to squeeze between people all the way along. The revellers, floats, and groups were certainly as plentiful as ever, and the operation was slick, loud, and proud. Even the clean up behind the rear of the parade had a new zest, Arona’s new fleet of Italian, electric, road sweeping buggies ploughed through the rubbish generated by the event.

Alas the final act arrived with the sardine funeral, and what a cutie it looked, but this fish had a sting in the tail. The mourners gathered in their black, widows veils and the procession set off round the streets with much weeping and wailing from the mourners. As tradition demands, I adjourned to The Devon Arms for a couple of Dorada’s as the sardine made its slow progress, emerging just in time to see the fish loom into view at the old beach. As people poured down onto the sand for the cremation, the heavens opened and the rain poured down – the sardines revenge? Slightly soggy, the fish still burst into flames as fireworks ripped through the sky. The monsoon continued, I managed to wade up through town and sought refuge in The Buccaneer as I raised a few glasses to another fabulous Arona Carnaval.