Concepción is a headland on the boundary between Santa Cruz de la Palma and Breña Alta. The top is at 400m, and the sheer cliff down to the beach is about 300 ft (100 m ) high, which is about the size of a mature California redwood tree, or a Saturn V moon rocket. These days it’s got a tunnel drilled through it, but until 1917, the only way to…
The Cistercian convent at Buenavista in Breña Alta, La Palma The Cistercian convent of the Holy Trinity at Buenavista in Breña Alta is surprisingly new. It was founded in 1946, and it’s the only closed order on the island. I was surprised to find out that there are only ten nuns who live there. The convent has a small shop. I first went there about eleven years ago, in search…
La Distiladera in Breña Alta sells a variety of crafts from La Palma. The big difference is that most of the products are made by mentally handicapped adults in the special Employment Centre in the same building. This gives them the dignity of supporting themselves, and you a chance to buy good quality souvenirs at a fair price. They stock a good variety of crafts, from papiere mache wall decorations…
The devil arriving at the fiesta, San Miguel, Breña Alta La Palma has several fiestas where the devil appears. On Saturday night I went to one in San Miguel, a little village in Breña Alta. It started off like most fiestas – a band playing in the village square, with a couple of kiosks selling drinks and snacks, and a stall selling cheap kid’s toys. Then, a little after 1…
Los Llanos del Jable, with El Paso behind The main roads on La Palma form a rough figure 8, with the main east-west road being the LP2 from Santa Cruz to Los Llanos, through the tunnel. But whenever I’ve got time, I like to take the scenic route, the LP203. This winds up through the heather and bayberry forest, then pine forest, past the barbecue and picnic areas at Pared…
Saint Isidore the Laborer This weekend they’re holding the second biggest livestock fair on the island, at San Isidro, in Breña Alta. (The biggest is San Antonio del Monte, in June). It starts off with a procession which brings the statue of the saint from the church to the fairground. Sorry, I missed that bit (I was having a lie in) Cattle at the fair of St. Isidore, Breña Alta…