Archive for the 'People' Category

Érika is the bella of the five continents

Monday, April 23rd, 2007
The women of Tenerife have a reputation for their good looks, winning a string of prestigious beauty titles down the years all over the world. But few have scaled the heights that 18-year-old Érika Salazar has achieved in winning the ‘Miss Continentes del Mundo 2007’ crown in the Peruvian capital of Lima yesterday (Sunday, April 22). Érika, a student, qualified for the competition after finishing as runner-up in the Miss Spain contest. She was one of nearly a hundred girls from all over the world competing in a contest that ranks second only to the Miss World competition. Érika won a standing ovation from the audience in the packed theatre on the night of the grand final when she appeared in a costume created by the celebrated Tenerife designer Juan Carlos Armas. The contestants were judged on a range of factors, including singing, dancing and etiquette, in addition to deportment and ...

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Posted by Ken

Comments: Leave a Comment » Categories: All about Tenerife, Juan Carlos Armas

Weather delays world record attempt

Saturday, April 21st, 2007
Stormy weather has forced Spanish hang-glider pilot Ramon Morillas to delay his attempt at a new world record distance in a powered paraglider. His record attempt, mostly over the Atlantic Ocean, will see him endeavour to cover the 1,350km (nearly 840 miles) from Jerez de La Frontera in southern Spain to Tenerife, a journey that will see him flying down the west coast of Africa. Ramon has timed his record bid to coincide with the third Los Realejos International Paragliding Festival, due to start on Friday (April 27) at Socorro beach in the north of Tenerife. The holder of five current FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) world records, Ramon now plans to start his epic flight on Monday (April 23), aiming to beat his own existing distance record of 951km. He will have with him a fuel load of 65kg and special safety equipment that includes ...

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Posted by Ken

Comments: Leave a Comment » Categories: All about Tenerife, Festivals, Los Realejos, Paragliding, Paragliding festival, Ramon Morillas, Sport

Storm in a coffee cup

Sunday, April 15th, 2007
Disenchantment with politics and politicians has led many to the view that our leaders are completely out of touch with the problems of everyday living. The Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Zapatero, had to deal with just such an allegation in the build up to the country’s forthcoming elections when he took part in a live question and answer session on television. Did he know the price of a cup of coffee, he was asked by a member of the audience. He thought it was about 80 cents, a response that was greeted with much laughter by those in the studio, who were quick to accuse him of being out of touch with reality. The following day the Spanish press, quick to latch on to his obvious discomfort, despatched reporters to all corners of the kingdom to conduct a nationwide survey. They discovered that in most towns and cities across the peninsula a cup ...

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Posted by Ken

Comments: 1 Comment so far » Categories: All about Tenerife, Coffee, Culture, José Luis Zapatero, Tourism

New book courts Franco controversy

Thursday, April 12th, 2007
A new book to be launched in Tenerife next week will claim that General Francisco Franco, Spain’s former dictator, fathered an illegitimate son during his time as military commander of the Canary Islands in the 1930s. The book, ‘The Secret Son of Franco’, claims the child was the product of an affair with the wife of a lieutenant under his command. Spanish author Fernando Gracia will launch his new book in the Tenerife capital of Santa Cruz next week (April 20). The book will allege that the child was born just before Franco launched a failed attempt to overthrow Spain’s Socialist government in 1936, an action he directed from his base in La Esperanza, Tenerife, and which set in motion the bloody Spanish Civil War. He became leader of the right-wing Nationalist movement during the Civil War and became head ...

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Posted by Ken

Comments: Leave a Comment » Categories: All about Tenerife, General Franco, History, La Esperanza, Santa Cruz de Tenerife