WELCOME TO THE TENERIFE AGE OF CHANGE

Whether we live local on the island or a passing tourist enjoying the sun, sand and relaxation of Tenerife, over the years we have seen so many changes that have taken place. There has been a huge amount of investment and development both in the North and the South. 

Development in La Caleta (South) just up from the beautiful area of El Duque, is hosting more luxurious hotels and pushing hard to attract new tourists with all inclusive deals. Costa Adeje has created a huge tourist attraction with Siam Park which is one of the leading Water Parks in the world. This has been followed by Siam Mall, attracting holiday shoppers, so it proves investment and confidence within Tenerife is on the up!

In the North, you can witness new innovative buildings such as the stunning Auditorium which has had the welcome attendance from Stephen Hawkins and ex- USA President, Bill Clinton. The Auditorium is used for classical musical festivals and in the month of May, by the Armed Forces where their display of outdoor military museum is on show.

In La Laguna, Santa Cruz the creation of The Museum of Science brings visitors the facilities of a traditional Museum and also an area 'hands on' theme. The museum offers Planetarium sessions, informative talks, educational workshops and displays, with debates on Sci-fi films. This new investment shows Tenerife engaging into new areas of interest and being forward thinking with their creative ideas.

What this tell us about Tenerife is that their investments and innovation is paying off in today's tourist choices and more and more people are flocking to Tenerife as one of the top holiday places to be. Statistics show that even the Brexit has not discouraged the UK tourists from heading back to this much loved and cared for island. 

The Auditorium Building in Santa Cruz

So what are the changes over the years?

Let me take you on a journey of how the island looked in years gone by and what it looks like today! You can see more photographs by visiting Robert on Twitter @1966Ph.

Memory Lane...

Playa De Las Americas has been heavily populated with hotels, restaurants and bars which attract host of holidaymakers year on year. The area would struggle to fit any new buildings. Ten years ago, this was the place to stay as it had it all but on a negative note, this area will stay in a time warp as there is no room for innovation or change. Don't get me wrong, holiday makers love this place but it is not part of the new Tenerife with up to date arrivals of new technology and tougher competition. Visitors are heading further towards Costa Adeje which is seen as the number one place to stay, putting Playa De Las Americas firmly below them in popular choice.

If you are looking for a quieter town, away from the noise and crowds, El Medano is popular for wind surfers and has a small beach. There is a few shops but not your typical offering of bars and full English breakfast. It is more traditional of the island with local food and unspoilt, which is lovely to have this comfort as a means to escape from the tourist attractions.

Planning ahead, its likely that future visits will take me North, especially Puerto De La Cruz as it seems to be drawing me to it. Prices are more competitive although it is not as popular and the weather can be a little cooler. The place is 'greener' with exotic plants and there are some interesting places to visit which will take you away from the packed beaches and blistering sunshine. 

Thank you to Robert for helping with the 'old and new' Tenerife photographs. I am extremely grateful for his kindness. 

If you would like to keep up to date with new blog posts, please feel free to follow me on Facebook @tapasintenerife or Twitter @dawnmcintyre04 

Stay safe folks and enjoy this island!

2017 TENERIFE HOLIDAY IN SIGHT

It's that time again and we are thinking of our sun filled summer in Tenerife! The buzz of excitement, once we have pressed the button and the holiday is finally all booked up. The countdown to the days of getting on the plane and the thrill of landing in Tenerife Sur airport. The best part is when you walk off the plane and the heat just hits your whole body. Suddenly, England is a passing thought and your holiday is about to start.

So how do you select the best place for you to stay? It is all about what you like, what you want and your own personal taste. What you might like, others may hate so researching and getting recommendations from people you can trust is important. Tripadvisor is a great tool to refer back too but it can blow your mind a bit if the ratings are up and down for the hotel of your choice. Lets be honest, you cannot please people all the time and sometimes I think holiday-makers can only put the negative things on here.

Quick guide to location and what to expect!

Playa De Las Americas

It has everything you need for bars, English type restaurants, hotels and water-sport hire. This has always been a favourite but people are moving more to Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos. It is good for all ages but it tends to attract the young party people as it is close to Veronicas which is known for the parties and nightlife. You can stay away from this part and there is nice hotels nearer the beach but it's not my favourite area but thats a personal choice.

My opinion: It is not for me and I feel you get much more quality in the hotels, local area and food if you select the location in Fanabe, Adeje or Los Cristianos (would be my 3rd choice).

Warning: Like all places you visit, there are some things you need to take care about and one of the issues in Las Americas is groups of women standing in the streets outside the clubs. These will be women of a Cuban, African or similar nationality and then come up to men and take them around the back of the bars etc. Avoid this please as you will be robbed.

Also always keep your bags close by when sunbathing on the beach as this is a typical issue of stolen bags and wallets.

Ok, so I do not wish to put you off Tenerife but I base my blog reviews on trust and honesty so if you know what to look out for, you will have a safer holiday. 

Costa Adeje

This is now the most popular choice and I have seen over the years, more and more tourists heading to this part of the island. There is lots of pubs and restaurants to take your pick from and the standard of hotels are really great. You have some lovely little beach walks from Puerto Colon, right down to Fanabe and El Dulque or you can take the opposite route from Colon to Los Cristianos. You wont be short of a watering hole along the way too.

Fanabe Beach Walk, Costa Adeje

Fanabe Beach Walk, Costa Adeje

Fanabe Beach, Costa Adeje

Popular places to visit at night for bars is in the St Eugenes area and I would recommend for entertainment The Temple Bar which has great live Irish music and if you want a quieter bar, the Irish Fiddler next door (shared terrace) will offer you a great pint of Guinness or a super cocktail. Prices can be a little bit more than other bars but you get the live entertainment and atmosphere so hey, you are on holiday so treat yourself. The food is very good here so make sure you try it. Plenty of football on the screens to keep you up to date with lots of matches and it is a good central stopping point, with the large supermarket just across the road.

 Opposite here, you will get some good night life in San Eugenes Bar which has live tribute  acts on every night. Please beware if you have small children as the language can be a    little blue and they do have live cameras and photographs so if you are going on holiday  with someone you shouldn't be, stay clear of this bar. lol!!!

 My opinion:  I tend to stay away from the hotels up around by the Aqua Water Park area  and also down the stretch towards St Eugenes. The hotels do not have good reviews and  are a bit less quality. It can get noisy along this part with the bars which is great if this  doesn't bother you so if you get a good deal holiday offer in this area, make sure you have  checked out any reviews first.

 My sister Maureen recently stayed in the Hovima Santa Maria in Adeje and she liked it.  Food was good. Her opinion is that it wasn't as good as the Sunwing in Fanabe but she still  had a good time.

 Los Cristianos

Another popular choice of area for tourists and it is a little more quieter here but still lots to do and see. You will see the Cruise Liner boats from here and you will also be able to book a ferry to the neighbouring island La Gomera, which is a quieter island.

Plenty of little cafes to take a coffee or try an ice-cream as they really do offer super flavours and its simply a nice way to feel cooler in the blazing heat.

The hotel I stayed in twice, was really friendly, clean and very much a people's hotel. Paradise Park hotel focus on their visitors and offer a shuttle bus into the short main area a few times a day. There is a little bank to walk up so if you struggle with your legs or breathing, you may want to rethink but it is not really steep. 

Taylors bar, which is close to the hotel, offers typical English food and drinks and the owner is really friendly and nice. Newspapers available while having your morning coffee. 

Area around Paradise Park Hotel, Los Cristianos

View of Los Cristianos from Paradise Park Hotel Roof Top

Wherever you decide to stay, I am sure you will have a great holiday. The island is now one of the favourite with tourist figures, steadily on the rise. 

So, happy holiday and I hope you continue to read my blog, follow me on Twitter @dawnmcintyre04, Facebook @tapasintenerife or Instagram dittomac

Please feel free to leave any comments.

THE SPANISH LANGUAGE

Why is it good to learn the Spanish language when living in Tenerife? especially when there are so many ex-pat's residing on this island and a lot of the local people speak English. 

Ok, this is correct and English is the most commonly spoken language in the world, (music has influenced our language, to be a leader), so it seems ideal to just carry on using this one language. Well let us look into it a bit further from a different perspective and see why learning the Spanish language can bring so many other opportunities to your door.

Why has the Spanish language overtaken French and German and now the popular choice?

The language is currently a favourite choice for students and professionals (especially in the United States). A report by the British Council has identified this language is the most important language to learn for the future for the people of the UK.

There are over 400 million native Spanish speakers in the world; making it the second most widely spoken language (21 different countries). In addition to this, it is estimated 60 million people use it as their second language.

So now that we know the facts to support that Spanish is a fast growing language of the future, how can we adapt our way of thinking, change and embrace the new opportunities that sit at the open door!

If you have made the brave and bold decision to live in Tenerife or Spain, well done! it must be an exciting opportunity to learn new ways of life, culture, food and above all, the art of mastering the language. Accents play a part on how you will pronounce words, for example a person in mainland Spain will pronounce Spanish words in a different dialect from those from the Canary Islands. You will be noticed by what part of Spain you have 'picked up' the language or have studied, by the way you speak it.

Cultural, historical and geographical areas can result in grammatical and linguistic differences for the Spanish language. Some will make a difference but some may not be noticeable. With so many Spanish speakers, world wide, determining the proper dialect for interpreting, can be seen as very difficult.

Castilian Spanish

Developed and spoken in Madrid and Northern Spain and its name comes from the former kingdom of Castile. Letters pronounced with 'ci' or 'ce' as a th sound when they are together. There is other forms of Spanish types of pronouncement such as Latin American and Caribbean which will be immediately noticeable when in the company of mainland Spain or the Canary Islands.

Traditional Tenerife Style Costume

Opportunity Knocks...

So if we know that the Spanish language has rapidly increased amongst the young students and business people, it is in your best interest to study hard and add this new skill to your list of qualifications. If you decide to work in Tenerife, do not fall into the trap like many English ex-pats, where they are limited to work in the tourist areas only. There are well paid employment in large hotels, marketing, advertising and sales if you have the ability to interpret both Spanish and English language. 

Take the plunge, especially if your children go into a local Spanish school, there are classes available for the parents to learn the language too (usually free). This way, you open so many doors for more job opportunities, widen your scope of new friends and you can even participate in helping your children with their homework.

Now you know the facts, have some fun and add learning Spanish to your 'to do list'. Even if you do not intend using it everyday, take yourself out of the 'traditional English mode' or whatever nationality and add some 'change' into your life.

Happy studying!