Not even the stiffling hot heat wave, the dust laden calima hanging in the air or the raised expectation level that had been steadily rising made this such a classic 2-1 home win for CD Tenerife over Burgos. It was the shear quality of home play right across the pitch, the passion of the 18,383 crowd, and a belief that anything is possible that propelled the Santa Cruz side to the top of the Segunda table.

Tenerife had to absorb a little early pressure but with goalie Soriano on top form, that was not a problem. Each game now there´s always another player making their mark on the supporters, Medrano showed his defensive alertness and an eye for a quick break from the left back position. Mo Dauda started again, and even with Angel on the bench, there was plenty of threat every time Tenerife surged forward. Just before half time though it was Soriano´s turn for a cameo role as he made a superb low save from a penalty after Mo Dauda had been sent off following a clash of heads and a second booking.

The only surprise of the game was it took 64 minutes to underline the home superiority. Medrano made a power run into spce on the left and teed the ball up perfectly for Roberto Lopez to leave the goalie high and dry. With home tails up, it took just four minutes to increase the lead after defender Mumo fouled sub Gallego, who cooly converted the spot kick.

Despite a late reply from Curro, it was a convincing victory with stand out performances in several positions. The squad is gelling together and their character has shone through in the last two wins after a heavy away defeat. It´s always a tell tale sign of the feel good factor, when neighbours are watching on from the high vantage point balconies outside the ground. Inside the Heliodoro we were sweating like chickens on a rotisserie but clucking happily.

For those too young to remenber his previous barn storming displays in the CD Tenerife shirt, Angel Rodriguez smashed two goals past Racing Santander. The visitors could not reply to the nostalgic blasts by the 36 year old from La Laguna, earning his team a return to second place in Spain´s Second Division.Coach Garitano also welcomed the re boot of the team after a 3-0 loss at Eibar earlier in the week.

Gallego led the line from the kick off, Alexandre Corredera was back in midfield as the creative spark with Sergio Gonzalez adding a hard edge alongside him. Waldo had the best first half chance for Tenerife, making space before shooting from the edge of the box. The Racing goalie reacted sharply to turn it aside.

Growing in confidence, Roberto Lopez hit his best form and went close with a wide effort in the second half. AS Tenerife pressed, Luismi Cruz made a dart down the right and was fouled in the box by the goalie Ezkieta. Angel looked confident as he strode up to the spot and cracked it past the stopper for a 63 minute lead.

Just a couple of minutes later, the big striker was at it again, latching onto a telling pass from Roberto before rounding the keeper. The legs may be a little older, but a teenagers spirit beats inside the confident veteran.

There were plenty of other helpful contributions from the white shirted winners. Mo Dauda added width and pace after coming off the bench, and goalie Soriano made a rock solid stop in the final minutes to seal a great evening for the 14,773 crowd.

DONG! Every 15 minutes the bells of the Torre de la Concepcion chime, but it still made me skip a beat as I looked out over the panoramic views of Tenerife´s majestic university city of La Laguna.

The seven storey time piece didn´t have a mammoth ascent but contrasts stretched out in all directions as a chill breeze wafted in between the stone masonry windows. The three parralell main streets of the city were bustling with visitors and residents as commerce rubbed shoulders with religon, theatre, and history.

On the day of my latest visit, several smaller connecting streets were sealed as part of the European Day Without Cars, a welcome chance for the area to take a well earned breather. Looking out from my high perch, there were other signs of change, such as solar panels on roofs of old beautifull buildings.

Tenerife North airport, the original landing strip for the island, was busy as ever as planes skipped just above the tall green hills. There have always been storys about the poor choice for this modern addition, even now the clouds sometimes settle so low they cause cancellations in high summer.

The tower is great value at 2 euros, which includes a look inside the old church next door, opening times are Monday 10 to 2 pm, Tuesday to Friday 10 to 5pm. . For modern splendour, the La Laguna cathedral is a must to visit, and only a short walk back down into the main streets. At the other end of the construction range, the old bus station has been bought by the coumcil (ayuntamiento) and may well be demolished. It was replaced by a gleaming, modern building a decade ago, that dove tails nicely with the tram service between La Laguna and Santa Cruz.

I had mixed feelings about this old interchange, but the churros and chocolate bar was always a favourite of mine. Hopefully the balance between old and new will continue to respect the importance of the city to the spiritual and educational history of Tenerife.

Fuelling the pre match chat with moans about adjusting to the heat of Tenerife, Espanyol were reeled in by a cool, well organised victory from CD Tenerife. Espanyol are widely expected to quickly regain their Primera statuus but there was plenty of ambition and skill from the home ranks before an ecstatic 18,300 crowd.

The visitors tore into Tenerife from the kick off, asking lots of questions. The home side kept calm and soaked up the oncoming waves. Goalie Soriano was on top form, quick to spot danger and race out to make the ball his own. With just 16 minutes on the clock, the Espanyol goalie got himself in a muddle as the ball sat teasingly between his feet. Enric Gallego pounced on his uncertainty and burried the ball in the back of the net.

Tenerife grew in confidence, Waldo was again full of running and ideas, and Alexandre popped up all over the pitch to pose problems for the visitors. In defence there had been some discussion whether to keep faith with rising young centre back Loic Williams, however Amo got the nod and Espanyols breaks floundered on the back four.

There was a niggling feeling that Espanyol would step up a gear towards the end but Tenerife didn´t let their guard drop. The Tenerife squad is shaping up well, another youth product, Jesus Belza, got a short debut in extra time to continue the range and versatility of the squad. Now in third place, the Santa Cruz team have more to give and it´s a pleasure to watch them mature.

Two huge spits of rock attract fleeting curiosity half way up the motorway that links Los Cristianos to Santa Cruz – especially recently when they were partly covered. Walking the 6 km descent from Fasnia old town (see previous post) to the coast was tweaking my interest to fever pitch as the tight turns of the modern road revealed my familiar coastal refuelling point for CD Tenerife home games.

A flurry of work in the lower reaches showcased a new botanical garden being installed to admire plants and insects. An all action sculpture of Canarian wrestling made an informative focal point, and nearer the walkway under the motorway, an old water train showed how the life giving liquid was extracted from underground galleries. Preserving the past is high on the agenda with subtle changes being incorporated.

Emerging from the road tunnel, brought views of the black sand granules of Playa del Arico, and Playa Los Roques to rival the two rocky outcrops of Los Roques on the southern side of the cafe restaurants. There is much to stop and admire in this area as most of the traffic roars by unaware of the history of the gems below. Birds were swooping over the rocks, guardians of their colony. There is a small community of fishing families below the eye level of most visitors, and a transformation had just taken place.

The two beaches used to be linked but crumbling rocks and neglect kept the old houses and church hewn into the cliff, largely unoticed. Now it is possible to stroll around the edge of the biggest beach and onto the far beach, following newly concreted paths with wooden stair rails to ensure safe distance from the larger waves. The facelift has made it neater without changing the charm of the area, and a colourful mural from Roberto Rodriguez guides walkers from one gem of a view to another, complete with rock stacks and a small promenade.

The bigger beach is partly protected by rocky guardians but can still be prone to the odd roque wave. A hi tech safety capsule ca be quickly thrown into the sea from its holding post and expands into a flotation device. Perhaps the biggest change of all is about to happen, a new urbanisation of 40,000 square metres is proposed just inland from the beaches. Hopefully it can breathe new life into the area whilst keeping the character and history intact.

Was the coast clear? Divinely so as the modern road flexed and wound down towards the eastern aspect of Tenerife. I had the perfect viewing point at the small ermita church on Fasnia mountain.

In my wake I had left the neat historical heart of the municipality with barrancos (ravines) parting the fertile land. Nature had left its mark over the centuries and in recent weeks the wild fires that swept Tenerife had raged too close for comfort. But Fasnia is a place with an eye on the future as well as a deep respect for the past.

Where the quiet back streets intersected, the Ayuntamiento (council) building stood proud opposite an eco agricultural centre. A poster proudly displayed an impressive range of locally grown potatoes, very timely as a potato shortage  was currently gripping the island due to colorado beetles hitching a ride on the small number of imported spuds from Egypt and Israel.

Further down towards the modern church of San Joaquin, a large park, and play area was receiving a blue modern coating to encourage young sports fans. The plaza surrounding the church was also a bustling social area with a bar and outside seating. The local football ground claimed a dynamic vista overlooking the sea in the distance to further enhance the charm.

From my lofty perch at the ermita it looked like a time curtain divided the view to the west as the Arico wind turbines whirred at a frantic pace. My downward gaze prepared me for the 6 km walk I was to undertake towards the coast. My brief visit had shown me solid roots of an established community, but I was soon to find that local pride was making a big splash on the other side of the motorway.

Armada Sur south based CD Tenerife fan club will always do their best to get supporters to the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez  stadium in the capital of the island. If coaches are full, tickets sold out at ground, or you just want to have a random look at the 23,000 capacity stadium (sorry no inside tours) and club shop, here´s a south to north route guide. If you want match tickets, try official outlets Papelaria Raquel in El Camison, Los Cristianos, or DNI Photo Studio, opposite the police station in Playa de Las Americas , close to Costa Adeje bus station and the slip road up to Siam Park. Open 9.30 am to 2.15 pm.

The green TITSA buses converge on the Costa Adeje (Las Americas) and Los Cristianos bus stations for 55 minute journeys to the Santa Cruz intercambiador three storey travel hub. The 110 bus goes from Costa Adeje but doesn´t stop at Los Cristianos, the 111 serves Costa Adeje but also skips Los Cristianos and takes about 30 minutes longer due to added rural stops, the 112 picks up at Los Cristianos but not Costa Adeje. A one way fare is 9 euros – cash or card when boarding, but an unlimited one day travelcard is just 10 euros, or 50 euros for 7 days movement (plus 2 euros for the plastic card) – you need to buy these in the bus station or from a kiosk before boarding. The card also covers the Santa Cruz to La Laguna tram system.

The tram picks up just outside the Santa Cruz terminal every 10 minutes and costs a standard 1.35 for any trip. The easiest call is the 5th stop of La Paz, turn left, and cross the bridge over the ravine, and left at the small roundabout to reveal the grand facade of the stadium and the nearby club shop a few strides down. If you want to meet up with the Armada Sur, we meet in the small lively plaza just down from the stadium. If its a late night game, the 10.25 and 11.45 are the best bets for a speedy bus back to the south.

Just add crowd for the buzz of a live match, but even empty, you still get a feel of the history and passion of CD Tenerife.

They came in large numbers to show their support, not just for CD Tenerife but also for the bomberos (fire fighters) who had tamed the raging wild fires. The small clutch of Real Zaragoza supporters among the 18,848 crowd left with a 0-1 victory that owed a generous intervention to the ref who tipped the balance with a harsh sending off for home forward Angel, barely 5 minutes after coming on as a late sub. There were still plenty of good indicators though that Tenerife have assembled a talented squad, and with a few days transfer window fine tuning remaining they can feel confident of adding to their opening two victories.

Zaragoza´s huge budget dwarfs the modest finances of CD Tenerife, but Tenerife showed more desire to play good football. The visitors had a negative style but strong first half shots from Waldo and a cross that flashed temptingly across the Real goal mouth, geve encouragement to the white and blues. Home keeper Soriano was alert to smother a long shot after a hurried clearance.

It´s still ealy days for new Santa Cruz coach Asier Garitano so he was still trying new combinations in his line up. By the later part of the second half, after a Jair goal, it was time to shake up the front line. Mo Dauda added width and trickery on the ball while Teto was lively and unlucky to see a shot canon back off the post. Angel came and departed in quick succession after the ref saw malice in a routine tackle. Nine minutes of play were added under the new fair play rulings, an added strain on a baking hot night. Theatrical play is still thriving, but now we seem doomed to see even more of it, as Zaragoza showed in the added spell.

The night was about bigger matters than just football, an auction of limited edition training tops helped to swell the fire fighting fund with a donation of 94,240 euros.

Unbeaten, full of hope, beer, and burgers, all things are possible in that dream land of pre season. The CD Tenerife players had just started taking tentative steps onto scales and hoping any out of term over indulgencies would not show. Meanwhile high up in San Miguel, the Armada Sur fan club were limbering up appetites and voices at Cho Pancho barbecue park.

Sandwiched between heat waves that teased at 40 degrees, it was a misty, low cloud setting that greeted our coach from the south as it cork screwed up steep, tight roads. The advance party had been busy since first light to ensure chilled drinks, a stoked up fire, and a liberal sprinkling of banners. These well maintained picnic zones feature in key spots around Tenerife, with sturdy roads for vehicles, but most of us enjoyed walking the last part to sharpen the anticipation. A party of just graduated young students were celebrating just above our welcoming hollow.

There were good reasons for the Armada Sur to look forward to the new campaign. The appointment of a new coach, generous season ticket prices, the return of some island born players, and five new signings to date, plus a much needed revamp of the Heliodoro stadium facillities.

The pine forest was a fitting setting for our pre season reunion. Armada Sur are entering their 31st season of supporting CD Tenerife, and still welcoming new friends all the time. Some well worn barbecue features had to be observed for our “nearest and dearest” rivals from across the waters. as we raised our beers and gave their mascot the warmest of welcomes on the grill. Bring on the season, more good times in the company of good friends…and hopefully plenty of wins. Vamos Tete!

Cathedrals of rock rose steeply from secluded beaches, and the few people chosing to dip their toes certainly earned their reward by threading their way through old plantations, and past mirador viewing points, defended in the past with canons. My starting point for the Rambla de Castro was only a small trial and error challenge through entry points close to Puerto de la Cruz but worth every step. Notices warning of rock falls were nearly all breached at various points just beyond Playa Jardin, Punta Brava, Loro Parque, and two old tall pastel coloured hotels. The best entry route was between the two modern La Romantica housing complexes.

Playa Los Roques spread out below as the foaming tide tickled the secluded rock stacks, the insistent roll of the waves was almost like nature itself breathing. My feet didn´t quite share that notion as I followed the twisting track down to a large protrusion with a tight walkway wrapped around it. On the far side, seagulls dived and swirled as I ducked my head to pass under an archway carved out by the tide. Retracing my steps up to the higher road, a modest commercial estate soon gave way to the resumption of the high coastal ledge.

The long view ahead soon revealed rising green terraces inland, and more secrets below. Despite these competing charms, it was the bizarre ruin of the Gordejuela water pumping station that caught my eye. Dating back to 1909, it had seen better days, and had been partly stripped, a compact modern water station mocked the remains from a high perch. A small mirador viewing point was a good point for reflection, a smart, modern walkway, complete with safety rails led up and beyond into Los Realejos, and up the other side of the ravine and beyond up the coast.

The carpenters devotion to the wandering staircases served me well as I ventured further up the coast where more miradors sprouted at key points. These were great to view the small coves below. Mirador El Fortin was one of the smaller look outs but packed a punch in its day from some small but potent canons. It was a baking hot afternoon and several groups of young people were answering the call of the waves. I was moving along the cliff tops and then back inland to a point where several paths converged just by the leafy shade of a plantation.

The grand old house , La Casona, stood proud but in need of some attention, that was granted a few days later in the form of a 8 million euro, 2 year restoration programme announced by the Tenerife government and the local municipality, Los Realejos. A multitude of paths veered off from this point, I was looking to move on into San Juan de La Rambla but emerged quite a way short on the main road linking La Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz with Icod de Los Vinos. My Titsa bus ticket allowed me a few other stop off on a unhurried return to the south, there were plenty of variations left for another trip soon.