La Palma Carnival: Tuesday – Friday

Los Indianos, Santa Cruz de la Palma Tuesday 16thSanta Cruz de la Palma5 pm Fancy dress ball in the senior citizens day centre, with live salsa music Los LlanosCancelled Wednesday 17thSanta Cruz de la Palma11 am Presentation of prizes in the town hall. Los Llanos11 am – 1 pm Children’s activities, Plaza de España8 pm Murgas, Plaza de España Cancajos8 pm the Octopus’s Funeral followed by a dance Thursday 18thLos…

February 16, 2010
Read More >>

Puntagorda’s Almond Blossom Fiesta

Puntagorda fiesta: almond blossom La Palma isn’t a big island, but it still takes almost 2 hours to drive from Breña Baja to Puntagorda. I found most of the blossom had been spoiled by the bad weather last week, but it was still pretty. (In a good year, the whole hillside turns pink.) Then I got sidetracked into visiting a friend’s barbecue, and very nice, too. I finally got to…

February 8, 2010
Read More >>

Breña Baja: The Old Butcher’s Shop

The 19th century butcher’s shop, Breña Baja, La Palma The old butcher’s shop stands on the outskirts of the village of San Jose, in Breña Baja, near the Paradorof La Palma. The building dates from the late 19th century, and it was a butcher’s shop until the 1960s. But now it’s been renovated as a craft exhibition and shop. The famous cigars of The Breñas Although the place is small,…

February 4, 2010
Read More >>

It’s Raining on La Palma

Some people think it never rains in La Palma. Well, it’s the greenest of the Canary Islands for a very simple reason. And right now, it’s busy getting greener. In fact, we have an official orange weather alert, and all school is cancelled for tomorrow, for the whole archipelago. The thing is, it’s not raining all that much, at last not here. It’s just like a wet day in Wales….

February 1, 2010
Read More >>

The Molino Museum

A collection of old weights As well as the workshop making replica ceramics, the windmill at Mazo houses a small museum. Entry is free, but there are a couple of places you can make a donation. Upstairs is mostly a collection of old tools: an old Singer sewing machine, combs for flax, knife grinders, braziers… Oil lamps … the millers glasses, shepherd’s poles, long handled pallets for putting bread in…

October 16, 2009
Read More >>

Pre-hispanic Ceramics

Inside the workshop at El Molino The Benahoaritas (or Auaritas or Awaras) were the people who lived on La Palma before the Spanish invasion. They lived in caves and wore animal skins, but they farmed, and they had ceramics. The older ceramics are simpler, and the newer ones usually more decorated. At El Molino, in Mazo, they make replicas of these ceramics. The business was started by Ramon and Vina,…

October 13, 2009
Read More >>