Fire and Fiestas – the road to Garachico

Bus Routes: 483 [Las Americas], 460 [Icod], 383[Buenavista] to Garachico.

Return: 383[Icod], 460[Las Americas], 483[El Medano] to Los Abrigos.

Garachico is an interesting town of well preserved narrow streets and old buildings so I thought that it would be interesting to visit the Romería San Roque there on the 16th having seen the preparations a couple of weeks ago with my sister. I set of, as usual, on the 08:41 483 from Los Abrigos to Las Americas bus station using my bono ticket €1.90. After a 10 minute wait for the 460 to depart for Icod and a combined journey fare of €3.30 we departed on a very bright, clear day so, as the bus got held up on the bridge over the motorway, I took a photo in each direction along the TF-1. We journeyed onwards and, as the sun glinted off a large white cross up on the mountain ridge it reminded me of how many shrines and markers there are on the island. As we approached Santiago del Teide I took another photograph of the now verdant countryside as the vines and other crops have become a lush green giving colour to the parched earth. This is in contrast to the shots I took as we crested the mountain beyond Santiago and viewed the devastation left by the forest fire in the area of the Teno Rural park. 

Some of the photos show the randomness where swathes of green are visible in the otherwise blackened soil. As you can see power and telephone lines are being quickly restored so the panic reporting in the UK press is unfounded and life goes on, other than communal B-B-Q pits being cordoned off as a precaution, as normal as you can see when we drop down to Icod then hop on the bus to Garachico from the bus station (fare €1.15. One again Titsa lay on a shuttle to take the many pilgrims to the Romería and a temporary bus station has been set up next to the Garachico football ground to accommodate the extra traffic.

On arrival  I wandered up from the sea front lined with stalls into the square where the Plaza de la Libertad had been gaily decorated and many impromptu gatherings of musicians entertained. The main service was taking place in the Iglesia of Santa Ana whilst a convoy of oxen wound down the street to prepare for the Romería. At about 14:00 the procession wound its way down from the church along the Pérez Zamora down to the Plaza Ramón Arocia. At this point rockets were launched as the traffic was stopped and the Saint was led to the harbour side whereupon the loud cheers of the crowd mixed with the horns of the boats in the bay. The Saint was then brought back to the plaza and mounted to review the parade. This was a much more intimate affair as the decorated carts pulled mainly by oxen and a few bulls wound its way back up the narrow street towards the main plaza and on around the town. Cooked meats, boiled eggs, fruit and sweets were freely distributed along with copious amounts of wine. It was an exceedingly hot day so, once the parade had passed I retired to a hostelry to cool off before making my way back for the bus. It was only as the bus was leaving Garachico that I realised that the main 'Fiesta' stage has now been set up next to the new harbour and a large band in traditional costume was playing there. A fairground alongside and the usual stalls dispensing food and drink means that this is an area not to be missed should you decide to visit on 'fiesta' days! 

View my 'Fires abd Fiestas' Photo Album

I had some bono tickets with small amounts to use up on the return journey which resulted in a fare of €4.35 on the 406 from Icod to Las Americas and €1.90 on the 483 to Los Abrigos totalling €6.25 so it definitely pays to use the bono tickets and have plenty of credit so that journeys can be combined. 

Till next time...