Fiestas in honour of Santa Ana in Tamaimo

Friday 29th July from 17.00 hours Free Cinema showing “Los Increíbles” in the cultural centre. The at 18.00 finals of the "bola Criolla" at the football field. from 20.00 h a comeday night with the “Cherfe” theatre group asnd the Cuban comedian Juanito Panchín. from 23.00h grand open air ball with dancing to the music of the Arguyo band.

Saturday 30th July is the day of the Child. from 11.00 there will be a games park for the children with a "bouncy castle " a "feudal obstical course" castle and a foam party. From 18.00h a childrens party with performances by the childrens dance groups "las Aranzazus and danza Sole, los lunnis the singer Xiomara and the acrobatics of "flash show" Followed by a grand open air ball at 23.00h with dancing to the music of two of the best bands in the Canaries ” Los Brumas” and “Maracaibo”.

Sunday 31st July at 11.00 the 15th Sta Anna Cross country race with some of the best Atheletes in the island taking part. At 17.00 the single men versus single women's football match and from 21.00 the grand finale ball with performances by Isabel González, the humour of e Daniel Calero and dancing to Los Sabandeños.

see the Fiesta photo report HERE

Sunday 10th July saw the 10th edition of the annual Playa Arena to Puerto Santiago swimming race which is organised jointly by the Santiago del Teide council sports department, the Tenerife Island Swimming association and the Tenerife Island Government.

This year there was an extra prize due to the introduction of a new award - the Copa Cabildo de Aguas Abiertas ( Cabildo Open Water Cup). Swimmers from all over the island and also some visiting competitors from Gran Canaria gathered on the beach at Playa de la Arena at 10 am this Sunday in preparation for the 950 metre sea swim.

Winners of the men's race were 1st Benjamín Hockin Brusquetti with a superb time of 12 minutes 54. 76 seconds followed by 2nd place Jonathan Cabrera Alonso (13’01”93) and 3rd Romen Medina (13’12”12)

In the Ladies Race 1st place went to Carmen Elisa Domínguez Escobar with a strong time of 13 minutes 4.42 seconds, 2nd place to Melodie Domínguez Suárez (13’53”68) and 3rd place to Beatriz Díaz Díaz (14’54”03).

Just an hour afterwards the competitors for the Cabildo open water cup set off attempting to cover a distance of 3000 metres - as one can imagine entrants in this category possessed an extremely high level of fitness. Results of the men's race were 1st José Carlos Báez González, 2nd Betuel González de Armas (who finished in an almost dead heat and were pronounced as having the same time for the course) 3rd was Oliver Fernández Morgan. In the ladies race , 1st was Marta de Francisco, 2nd was Concepción Escatllar Fernández de Misa and Jessica Díaz Díaz was third (pictured above).

This month's theme party held at the Bamboo Bar in Los Gigantes yesterday, revolved around a St Trinian's motif as old school ties came out of moth balls! There was a free buffet and entertainment provided by local entertainers, Kevin Allen, Billy Mac, Peter Jay, Dodie, Joanne Love and John Cumins. There was also a face painter on hand to get people in the fancy dress mood, with all proceeds going to the Friends of the Animals Charity.

Billy Mac (above)

Mayor Ramos welcomes singer David Bustamente to the county

David announces his golden disc award and then bursts into an impromptu rendition of one of his hits (below)

A heavy police presence surrounded David Bustamante's visit to the Lagos de Ceasar Hotel in Puerto de Santiago this Friday evening. The singer achieved overnight recognition when he battled through to the finals in the Spanish Television talent show "Operación Triunfo" (Similar to the British "Pop Idol") achieving third place. David took the opportunity to speak about his recent gold disc award, at a local press conference where the adoring fans outnumbered the press corps by about 10 to 1. Santiago del Teide Mayor Ramos welcomed Bustamente to the county and said that he was sure that tomorrow's concert in the Plaza at Puerto Santiago was going to be a huge success. David answered the questions of reporters and adoring fans and gave two local radio stations "I love Santiago del Teide" sound bites before bursting into an impromptu accapelo version of one of his hits much to the delight of the assembled crowd. He posed for photos and signed autographs before leaving in a cavalcade of siren screaming Police vehicles. Two black cars which have been temporarily badged up for the Policia Local, and boast American style clip on sirens, are on loan to the local force for the next couple of days during the star's stay in the municipality. Bustamente is rumoured to be actually staying at the Playa de la Arena Hotel although his exact location has not been disclosed.

The concert will start at 10 pm tomorrow, Saturday and will also include a warm up performance by Monse.

Juan Pedro Lecuona Gonzalez, head of the Fiesta Comission who is pictured just behind Bustamente below, excorts the star to his limo, surrounded by a heavy police cordon.

María Ramona González Pérez local councilor for tourism has announced a four per cent increase on last year's hotel occupancy figures in the county for the month of June - producing a staggeringly bad 46% hotel occupancy in total!

The disappointing figure is broken down as follows; Puerto de Santiago with 56%, Los Gigantes with 51% and Playa de la Arena with only 31% - meaning over two thirds of the hotel accommodation available in that area lay unused during June.

Seem familiar? it should do, its the same statement that the Santiago del Teide local council sends out in the 1st week of every month, only the figures have been changed to try and protect the guilty! Tourism and in particular hotel occupancy seems to be in freefall in the county and Doña María, issued the statement she always does ; “ These figures do show a four per cent increase on the same period last year, but in no respect can we be happy with these results, even though this trend is not isolated to our municipality alone - there has been a general fall in occupancy figures throughout the archipelago. This is not encouraging data by any means, but should be looked at in view of the expected annual drop in occupancy for this time of the year".

When are the local council going to do something about making this county an attractive place for visitors? Standing up at the Urbanisation San Francisco the other day I was able to count no fewer than 15 cranes in plain view. When Visitors stop at the mirador de Archipenque on the entrance road to Los Gigantes what is plonked right in front of their view of the cliffs - you guessed it a crane!! Maybe its all part of some devious plan to fill up the Playa de la Arena Hotel by tempting construction workers to hold their conventions here!

This year's festivities in Puerto de Santiago in honour of Our Lady of Carmen are to be the longest yet, starting on the 9th July with a concert for the young or young at heart, starring David Bustamante. The singer achieved overnight recognition when he battled through to the finals in the Spanish Television talent show "Operación Triunfo" (Similar to the British "Pop Idol") achieving third place.

The full programme of events for the fiesta including a fantastic fireworks display on Saturday 16th July can be viewed here

Canary Government vice-president and councilor for Health matters, María José Castañeda, yesterday unveiled the new Regional health awareness campaign "Don't Gamble with your Skin", designed to advise on the dangers of sunbathing and to prevent adverse health effects resulting from this coming summer's expected all time high temperatures. The aim of this campaign is to "to meet the possible problems of this summer head on and to resolve them in the most healthy way possible for the populace" said Castañeda.

These are very firm messages "written in understandable language", making it plain that the Canary islands are in a geographic zone which is "especially affected by ultraviolet radiation and those exposed to it need to know these facts ", explained head of dermatology Domingo Núñez.

The campaign includes for the first time this year the publication and distribution of some 100,000 photosensitive cards designed to indicate the maximum recommended time of exposure to the sun, without burn risk. Similarly 100,000 giveaway fans show in addition to information ski protection, information about food conservation and diet during the summer, with particular reference to "the prevention of the dehydration".

Also, 25,000 pamphlets detailing preventative measure for the avoidance of heat stroke in seniors - particularly vulnerable group within the community- the kit will also include a thermometer on which alert level temperatures are clearly marked and explained. Youngsters are also targeted in the campaign, with the publication of 3,000 posters explaining skin protection methods and ultraviolet radiation.

All material will be available in health centres, pharmacies, Red Cross stations and Senior citizen institutions and centers Núñez emphasized, "making it as easy as possible for each citizen to get the information."

During he most recent year for which figures are available in the Canaries- 1999, there were 60 registered cases of malignant melanomas and 1,602 of carcinomas, a type of skin cancer which if not treated, can become malignant. According to the specialist in preventive medicine and Public Health Alberto Armas, "it is necessary to be more prudent in the Canary Islands than in the rest of Spain, since the islands "do have more hours of sun than other parts of the country".

Suitable glasses

One the same theme the Optometrists School of the Canary Islands drew attention yesterday to the sale of non guaranteed sun glasses, that can bring about headaches, conjunctivitis or fotofobia. In an official notice, the professional body advised that with the arrival of summer a substantial increase in the sale of sun glasses always takes place, and recommended the purchase of high quality eyewear that carry EC markings specifying the filter number and category and that the lenses are suitable for filtering GRAPE radiation.

Guidelines

Minimise your exposure to the harmful effects of strong sunlight. This is not just because of the unpleasantness of sunburn but because of the relationship between long term exposure to UV light and increased skin ageing with predisposition to some skin cancer.

There now seems to be a reasonable association between risk of skin cancers and the length time of exposed to UV light and the frequency of skin burning/peeling.

As the skin ages, it because more prone to making mistakes during cell division. The rate of mistakes increases with length sunlight exposure. Everyone is concerned about malignant melanoma, but other less serious lesions such as solar keratosis and rodent ulcer are also linked to UV light. Loss of skin elasticity, blood vessel malformation and other ageing changes are also accelerated by sunlight.

Not everyone has the same risk, of course. The darker the skin, the greater the protection, but dark skinned people still burn if not used to the sun! Those most at risk of malignancies, malformations in the skin and early signs of ageing have fair skin, often with fair or ginger hair.

Be aware of your skin type and your known likelihood of burning and use appropriate creams. Fair haired and ginger people should use high factor creams on their hands, heads and face even during the UK summer. The factor number refers to the multiples of time you could theoretically stay in the sun with that particular cream. Factor 50, for example, has high protection and Factor 6 would allow someone to stay 6 x longer in the sun without burning.
Remember these figures are for guidance only. Perspiration and water from the sea or swimming pool will dilute the effect and the cream would need to be applied more often.

Covering up is also still an option. It was not always fashionable to have a tan, and 100 years ago people used hats, parasols and long sleeves in the sun! White, flowing garments are cooler in a hot climate than minimal clothing in direct sun.
Prickly heat sufferers (thermal urticaria) really MUST avoid direct sunlight in this way. Their skin acts a bit like photographic paper, producing histamine release under the skin wherever the temperature is high enough. This causes intense irrigtation and can be relieved by antihistamine tablets such as piriton or loratadine (Clarityn).

If sunburn does occur, treat with cold water, calamine lotion and/or paracetamol. Drink lots of fluids to help reduce the associated headache and dehydration.

Remember:

Although a tan looks good and being in the sun feels healthy, direct sunlight is harmful to the skin. That means not just a cancer risk but also accelerated skin drying and ageing.

What can you do to help yourself?

Avoid sunlight!
Use sun creams and blocks
Treat sunburn with fluids, paracetamol and calamine or similar lotion.

Holidays next summer are likely to be up to 30 per cent cheaper than this year, according to the Co-op Travel Group, as tour operators attempt to secure early bookings to popular destinations.

In a survey of major tour operators, the agency discovered that average prices to Tenerife have fallen from £746 this summer to £524 in 2006, a reduction of 30 per cent. Holidays to Malta are 17 per cent cheaper and those to Barbados have fallen by nearly 13 per cent.

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