Tenerife By Bus

Bus Routes: 843[Los Cristianos, Las Americas] to 'Esaction' Costa Adeje then 460[Guia Isora, Icod] Return: 460[P Americas], 843[El Medano] We have been along the route of the 460 before both to Santiago del Teide and to Icod 'Estacion', transferring to a bus to Garachico (November and January blogs). I have contemplated Icod de los Vinos to give its full name before because it is the home of the famous 'Dragon' tree, a photo of which appears in every guide book or map of Tenerife. I was put off by comments by a travel writer who was going to visit Icod then changed his mind because there was nothing there other than a 'flat modern shopping centre near the bus station'. Consulting my sources as to what was on this week highlighted 'Fiestas de San Marcos, Icod de los Vinos' so I thought “Why not.” Incidentally I have put a 'Useful link' in to the 'Island Connections' English newspaper published fortnightly here in Tenerife...

Bus Route: 843[Los Cristianos, Las Americas] to Los Cristianos. Return: 843[El Medano]

Bus Route: 483[Los Cristianos, P Americas] to Los Cristianos Return: 470[Granadilla] to Los Abrigos As I have mentioned in previous blogs I use the calender in the 'Island Connections' free newspaper to find out what is happening around the island. I will add the web address to the useful links so that you can have a look at coming events if you are booking a holiday. It has had a running item of a 'Folk' festival i.e. traditional Canarian, on a Thuirsday in Los Cristianos and Friday in Playa Americas running from Nov till the end of March. As it is nearly the end of March "ALREADY"  I thought I would track this down as no specific location other than 'Paseo Maratimo' in the former (Checking a map I thought that this might be the far end of the beach.) and the 'Centre' in the latter was given.  I thought this might be an afternoon entertainment so hopped on the 11:05 bus into Los Cristianos. 

As the title suggests this was a 'laid back' day for me after all of the carnivals attended recently. It turned out to be an eventful day in its own right without leaving Los Abrigos so no buses this time unless you are visiting (470 & 483) .

Statue on roundabout Estacion MagMa Convention Centre They say there are only two certainties in life - death and taxes so I thought that I would include a little adventure I had yesterday and hope it may help. I had read in an 'advert-info' type of article in the English speaking free press that I was supposed to fill in a tax return even though I wasn't earning anything here in Tenerife. I made some enquires and discovered that this was not required but, if one is resident on the island for more that 184 days a Nūmero de Identidad de Extranjero (N.I.E) is required. David from Los Abrigos Properties supplied the form for me and advised that queuing is required!  They helped me complete the form - passport number, full name, town of birth, county of birth, parents Christian names. Was I an economic, professional or social visitor and the description of why I was here (touring).

Bus Routes: 470 & 483 to Los Abrigos if you don't live here. Just as I thought carnival was over I was walking through the square this afternoon when I saw speakers and microphone stands being erected. I asked around but no-one knew anything about it. Later the square was filled up with chairs so I thought this must be something big. At around 18.00 there were signs of activity with people in costume and eventually a parade commenced from the harbour up to the square. Once there a performance started on the stage with the main attraction being the 'Murga' Los Retorciditos. I managed to find out, and I hope I got this right, that they represent Grandilla de Abona which Los Abrigos belongs to and probably have some people in the group.  They won their section in the competition at Santa Cruz Carnival 2012 no mean feat! Their enthusiasm and skill gave a rousing performance and I have tried to capture some of that in my photographs. Once again children and youn...

Bus Routes: 483[Los Cristianos, P Americas Est] to Los Cristianos. Return: 111[Santa Cruz] to Las Chafiras then taxi home. As you can see from the first photograph in the album I was not alone when I caught the 18:31, which actually arrived at 18:45, to Los Cristianos!  We arrived in ample time for the start of the procession at the 'Cultural Centre' where the 'Sardine' had been lying-in-state.

Bus Route: 470[Los Cristianos] - The 14.05 terminates at Costa del Silencio so a change of bus to the 467 is required. If you use a Bonobus ticket the fare is valid for the whole journey. Return: 483 [El Medana] last bus approx 10:10 otherwise 111[Santa Cruz] to Las Chafiras then taxi. After showing you some of the run up events to carnival, I have included the photographs from Saturday's fun day in the album which can be accessed from the previous blog, I was not going to bother going to the 'Gran Coso' - main parade or the 'Burial of the Sardine'. However I decided that this would complete the 'Carnival' season with differences in scale and, for those of you who visit the south on a regular basis but miss the event a view of what goes on.

Bus Routes: 483[Los Cristianos, P Americas Est] to Los Cristianos. Return: Either the 483[El Medano] at 22:10 (last bus) or 111[Santa Cruz] at 00:30 to Las Chafiras then taxi. (If you are on holiday in Los Cristianos or Playa Americas walk) I have mentioned in other 'Carnival' blogs that the 'Grand Parade' and 'Burial of the Sardine' are the end of a week or more of activities the grander the carnival the more there are. In fact, once the carnival is over and the theme is announced the designers will start on the costumes for next year. I thought that I would show you some of the run up week at Los Cristianos.

Bus Routes: 483[Los Cristianos,P Americas Est], 473[Los Gigantes]. Return: 477[P Americas Est, Los Cristianos] to Los Cristianos, 483[El Medano] to Los Abrigos. Due to my confusion as to the destination the day before I decided to set off a little earlier and take some photographs of the route, this time from the back seat of the bus which is even higher. Hopefully these will help to reduce the panic as you make the journey as there are some spectacular views along the way and more destinations for me to visit later. On arrival at a very pretty 'bus station' in Los Gigantes I had lunch in

The 'Fisherwoman' statue at the top of the hill  at the entrance  to Los Gigantes Bus Routes: 470[Granadilla], 111[P Americas Est], 473[Los Gigantes]. Return: 473[P Americas Est, Los Cristianos] to Costa Adeje bus station, 111[Santa Cruz] to Las Chafiras, taxi home. (If you walked up the hill an earlier 473 would have allowed a connection with the 483 to Los Abrigos) A Junior Carnival Queen float The carnival grand parade at Los Gigantes took place at 17:00 on Sunday 4th March preceded by concerts, competitions, Drag Queen Gala and children's days. I had been on the 473 to Adeje (January blogs) so this would give me the opportunity to complete the run and to see a 'village' carnival. Little did I know that the run takes about 1.5 hours (there is an express but being a Sunday!) wending its way through several villages and coastal resorts inducing the panic of where to get off.  We eventually arrived at Los Gigantes however the bus does no...

Bus Routes: 483[Los Cristianos,P Americas Est] to Costa Adeje. Return: 111[Santa Cruz] then taxi home. We have visited the MagMa Art and Conference Centre at Costa Adeje before so have a look at the blog on Costa Adeje (January) for photographs of the building and the concert I went to. Carnival South 2012 kicked off in various centres and villages on 3rd March, I don't know if it was coincidence or planned but this show was taking place at 21:00 following the opening carnival parade in Los Cristianos.  I had already booked a ticket for this event before I realised this. Hopping on to a 483 from Los Abrigos I got off at the bus station at Costa Adeje/Playa Americas as the map seemed to indicate that the parade was, in fact, mid-way between the two. The parade was due to start at 19:00 so I thought that I could catch a good bit of it before wending my way back up the hill to the MagMa Centre. I was proved wrong, I couldn't find the parade and eventually asked someone wh...

Bus Routes: 470[Granadilla], 474[Vilaflor, La Escelona]. Return: 482[Los Cristanos], 470[Granadilla] home. I thought that we would have a change of pace between the 'North' and 'South' Carnival seasons so I decided to take at trip to Vilaflor, the highest village in Spain at 1,400 metres (4593 feet 27⁄64 inches). I am told that is higher than any mountain in the UK!  It is difficult to imagine that you are only about 30 minutes away from the beach in Los Cristianos when you see the photos: