The Goal Posts Have Moved Again!

So our borders have opened and people have been coming to see us, however, it has now all changed again!

It would now seem that people entering the Canary Islands can only do so if they've received a negative Covid test within 72 hours of travelling. This is for all people over 6 years old staying in the hotels and in registered tourist resorts. So where does this leave the others?
What about people coming to visit their families?, what about people who own their own apartments?, what about people staying in friends apartments? are they exempt? Have they not been in the same airports and on the same airlines as all the others? Also these tests are rumored to cost in excess of 100 pounds, so for a family of four, you're looking at at least 400 pound on top of the cost of the holiday. This could almost spell an end to last minute bookings and what about people that fly to The UK for example and stay there for two weeks, would they then need a test to come back. I'm guessing as long as they are resident here then probably not.
Also if you speak to almost anyone from the UK, they will tell you its nigh on impossible to get a test!
Once again, nothing adds up!
It is now looking like the UK will be back in Lock down from next week so maybe people will be unable to travel, we wait and see

We had a couple come in the bar a few days ago who had flown in from Wales. Now as far as I know Wales on lock down, however because they told me they'd come from a tiny village with no infections  they were OK. What about all the people they had been on the travelling with? what about all the people in the airport?

It's like we are having a carrot dangled in front of us and as soon as things begin to look up, the carrot is taken away. 

Its Halloween today and usually we would throw a big party in the bar. We would serve food, we would decorate and we would all dress up! This year it just doesn't feel quite right to advertise such a thing. We have however put some decorations up and I know that people have been busy making costumes and will be dressed up and we can't wait to see you all!

Until next time, Have a great weekend and stay safe

H x

I've included a few photos from last years Halloween party!

Just Sitting On The Fence!

So, I've woke up with a zest of positivity!! the cheese firmly on the cracker, and going nowhere!

After the last blog, which had a record number of views, the borders are now open and it seems that people can travel here freely from places like Sweden, the UK, and Germany to name but a few.
In all honesty we had no idea what to expect...would anybody really come? or would they come in their droves? well it seems that the latter is the answer, and its great.

We had a fabulous day entertaining at the wine bar's "Music Monday" along with Obsession duo. Ray and Chrissie are great entertainers, if you've never seen them you should seek them out. Ray plays bass guitar, Chrissie plays the saxophone, and coupled with two great voices, this talented pair do a fabulous job.

We then went down to the bar to open up and like I say we had no clue what to expect.
Usually Mondays are quiet with just a few locals coming in for a quiet drink. It started off this way, however we then had a few tourists come in and as nice as it was to welcome them it was also a bit surreal.
Its as if lock down has made us all a bit insular. we've got used to being a village pub, seeing the same faces. Everyone that comes in, we know and not only do we know them, we know what they drink, we know what they sing and we probably know where they live! However this has all changed again, the tourists are back and there is a new buzz around our little village. I´m not going to say Los Gigantes is busy, far from it, but there are definitely more folk around and its good to see.

Sadly some folk (not all) don't know the new laws here and are walking around without masks and not abiding to our social distancing rules. These are not our rules, it is Spanish law, however I don't think we can blame the tourists as they are simply not being that well informed. Only today people on a Ryan air flight were told that masks had to be worn by everyone unless they are under twelve years old, the law states that masks have to be worn by everyone except children under 6. I've also heard that the hotels are letting people just walk around without the masks therefore not enforcing the rules to their guests.
Someone I know also posted about a group of people coming over on holiday, one of which had been tested positive for Covid, however they would not divulge where they had been as it would "Spoil Their holiday"
So, this is what we are up against here and I know that the majority of tourists and locals are adhering to the rules but like everything else its always that small minority that spoil it for all the others.

We are loving  that the tourists are back and that they are coming in 60's Bar to see us. We've even had people from the Golf Del Sur that watched us all through lock down travel up to Los Gigantes just to spend the evening with us. Its been heartwarming and humbling and we hope that this new buzz continues. Just remember is you are on holiday and you are unsure of the laws, just ask someone. 

Until next time, be safe and take care

H x

Just a couple of pics today.

A fabulous sunset taken from El Marques, A full flight from Edinburgh and Obsession Duo hard at work!

Utter Confusion!

So, we've now had time to digest the news that the UK have lifted the 2 week quarantine on people arriving from the Canary Islands and people have very mixed feelings.

On the one hand some people are leaping around like the island is going to be full next week, and the flood gates have opened. On the other hand people are worried that our cases are going to soar. What we have to remember is that as quickly as the UK lifted its quarantine, they could reimpose it again with very little notice, leaving us back at square one. 

I see hotels and venues advertising that they are reopening and I just hope that people will abide by the rules, wear the masks and socially distance as best they can. Also many of the bars and restaurants have capacity restrictions. We also have to be closed by midnight. this doesn't mean we stop serving at midnight. it means that all the customers must be out and the doors closed.
I saw an article the other day where an airplane travelling from the UK to Tenerife had to divert and land at Portugal because of an unruly passenger kicking off about wearing a mask. He was abusive to his wife, the cabin crew, and the passengers around him, and this isn't the first incident that I've read about recently. I feel sorry for those cabin crew and the other people on that flight and I really hope that this idiot gets banned from ever boarding a flight again. He should also get billed for the the incurred airport fees.

We are looking forward to welcoming some more tourists and I know that many people have already booked and we can't wait to see you. We are also a little confused because in Wales and much of the UK you can only mix with people in your household or meet up with people in the support "bubble", yet people can get on a plane with two hundred other folk and take a holiday. It just doesn't add up does it!
Still, it is what it is, the airline prices have shot up and they are scrambling to find extra planes to carry the extra passengers.

We took a ride down to Los Cristianos last week and again like our village is was very quiet. We had a walk along the sea front and had breakfast in one of our favorite places, The Promenade Bar. Without sounding really old we used to visit the Promeande Bar when we holidayed here many years ago, when I was a teenager in the late 80's. Back then there was a wall along the prom, they've knocked it down now and replaced it with wooden benches. The resort was that busy back in the day that people would sit on the wall and wait for tables to become available. I wonder if we will ever see these days again!

For now I am sitting on the fence and watching and waiting.

Until next time, stay safe and look after each other.

H x

I have enclosed a few pictures of our village, along with a few from our recent visit to Los Cristianos.

Christmas Has Come Early, Or Has it??

The news today states that from 4AM on Sunday morning October 25th people will no longer have to self isolate for two weeks on their return from the Canary Islands!

This is great news although I can´t help but feel a little sceptical about it.

Firstly, it comes in to force just as we would be starting our winter season, and also the start of half term in the UK. Our busiest season is the winter because basically there is no where else you can travel to within four hours and get pretty much guaranteed sunshine

Secondly, with the tier lock down now happening across the UK, can people really travel?
The thing is, is you live in Manchester for example, which is on the highest tier of lock down, the Government states that you should only leave the county for work, or for education purposes, the same goes for wales I am lead to believe.

So here is my issue, while I´m pleased that this corridor has been granted, people that live in the areas with the worst amount of cases, and therefore the highest tier of lock down are surely not supposed to be able to board airlines and go swanning off to sunnier climes! 

I'm just finding it all very confusing. However, I am sure we will get a new influx of tourists for a few weeks and I just hope our Covid figures stay low and that this just doesn't send us in to a new lock down.

We also still have all the "new normal" rules. Mask wearing at all times apart from when eating or drinking, capacity restrictions, social distancing etc and I really hope people follow the rules and that we will be OK.

Rough Seas & Wobbly Knees!

With the news being complete doom and gloom at the moment and with no end in sight I thought I would blog about how we came to be in Tenerife.

I first visited the island back in the late 80's with my parents and various other family members. It was when cabaret bars were getting going, live entertainment was in full swing and karaoke was just in its infancy. We would stay in Los Cristianos, usually Paloma beach as my dad knew someone that had an apartment there, or sometimes we stay at Royal Palm at the top of Cardiac hill. Many wonderful holidays were spent here over the years and we all loved the island.

Eddie and I lived in Mallorca before we relocated to Tenerife, and we had four wonderful years there, however, the summer season was gradually getting shorter and the winters were getting slightly longer, so we took a holiday to Tenerife and the decision was made that we would move there.
With pretty much all year round good weather and all year round tourism it seemed the perfect place for us to go. 

In Mallorca we lived in a resort called Alcudia.  Leaving was just awful as it meant leaving behind many friends and guaranteed summer work, but it was the right decision for us at that time. We packed up our belongings, put them in the hands of the removal company, and packed up our Renault Kangoo until it was full to the brim and there was just enough room for Eddie and I.

The journey was meant to be an early fast ferry crossing from Palma to Denia and from there we would take a leisurely drive down to Cadiz and catch the once a week ferry to the Canary Islands, disembarking in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. We even worked out that would we able to take a look at Gibraltar on the way down.

This is what actually happened

The Van was packed, we had handed the keys back to our apartment and we left Alcudia in an horrendous storm. It was raining stair rods and the wind was howling around the car buffering us from side to side. We arrived at the Port in Palma with plenty of time to get the ferry to Denia. However, when we got there, every single ferry was cancelled, except one. It was a Trasmediterania ferry leaving for Barcelona at midday. This meant we wouldn't get to the mainland until nearly midnight that night. We had no choice but to take this ferry as we were now homeless, the car was packed and we had no other option. Add to this that funds were low so there was no option of staying in hotels or bed and breakfasts along the way. It was bad enough that we had to use some of our savings to purchase a new ticket for the only ship that was sailing. 

After a lot of waiting and hanging around we finally drove our car on to the ship and set sail. 
In all the years and of all the ships I have sailed on this is the most memorable ferry crossing I have ever taken, and sadly not for the right reasons.
I never knew the Mediterranean sea could be so rough, it was no wonder there were no other ships sailing that day, and to this day I still believe that the one we were on shouldn't have sailed either. But it did, and we were on it.
I have never seen so many cups, saucers, glasses cutlery and other miscellaneous objects flying around in my life. I have also never seen quite so many people being ill as we saw that day. Eddie and I are pretty hardy sailors and what food and drink was in our bellies managed to stay there but the smell, as you can imagine was horrendous.

Eventually we arrived at Barcelona, never have I been so happy to see land. Barcelona is a massive port, and as nice as it was looking at all the enormous cruise ships, we could not wait until we got on dry land. We weren't even sure if the car would be in one piece, luckily it fared better than many people did.

From the port we had to find our way out of Barcelona and on to the correct motorway that would take us on our journey. we had no Sat Navs back then, Mobile phones were basic so there was no Google maps etc etc, our journey was in the hands of an enormous map book and my navigational skills.

During our journey through Spain we encountered just about every weather phenomenon going, you name it, we had it. Torrential rain, hail, thunder, lightening, even snow at one point.

Because of the cancellation of our ferry it now meant we had just about enough time to make it to Cadiz to catch our other ferry to Tenerife. If we missed it, there wasn't another one for a week so this simply wasn't an option. 
To this day I don't remember much about that journey.  Probably because I had my head in a map book for most of it. We literally stopped for a few one hour power naps along the way and made it to Cadiz with an hour to spare before we sailed. One other thing that I should or maybe shouldn't tell you is that we drove all the way across Spain with no car insurance, not something I would advise, especially when at one point we were being followed by the national police.

We boarded the ferry and fortunately the Atlantic ocean was like a mill pond compared to the Med and it had been this one that I had been more worried about with it being a 36 hour crossing. This crossing was pretty uneventful and we spent most of it asleep. We had the odd game of Spanish Bingo, watched some dodgy entertainment and ate and drank at the set meal times that were included in the price.

So there you have it. 
We have had nearly 18 years here, have we looked back?

At times, yes we have and I would be lying if I said any different.  The journey was almost as if someone somewhere was telling us not to go. However, here we are 18 years on, we have a wonderful son, we've made some wonderful friends and have so many fabulous memories.

I wonder what the next 18 years will bring.
Until next time, stay safe, and be nice to each other

H xxx

I had to share this photo. It was taken one afternoon in Mallorca just before some hefty rainfall. you can see the sun is out but the sky was black! It has not been photoshopped! 

Who remembers these????

Sun, Sea and Reflecting!

Its been Hot Hot Hot, with temperatures soaring in to the mid 30's, and lovely as it is I am craving my jeans and boots. The weather is due to change a little at the weekend. A bit of cooler weather will be welcome after this heat!

It has been a week of reflecting really, and not just 2020. One day when we were in full lock down, i got a little philosophical and started talking about what we did and didn't have 20 years ago, for example...

We only visited large supermarkets once or twice over a two weekly period. The rest of the time you would use the local Green Grocer, the local Butcher, there would also be a local Hardware store. You can now get it all from one big supermarket.
There was no such thing as ready meals, if you wanted Yorkshire puddings with your Sunday roast, you made them, there were no Aunt Bessie's in the freezer!
Hen nights and Stag parties were taken locally, these days it is a four day bender in a foreign country.

People seem to have this need for the latest "this" and the latest "that, whether they can afford it not. 
Is there really any need?
I was probably just as guilty as the next person, however Lock Down has really taught us that we don't need all these brand new must have material things around us. 

I just feel like the world got too complacent and everything had become too readily available until Covid.
Someone said to me recently (before Covid) that we (the human race) would destroy this world and I feel like they might be right.

When I was a kid I used to get hand me downs from family members and I really enjoyed getting a bag of second hand clothes. Maybe I was lucky as I had very trendy older cousins. These days people would rather go to Primark and buy throw away crap! Everything has just become so disposable. 

I´m just not sure what our world has become, and I´m not sure I like it, I´m also unsure of how we are ever going to come back to any normality after this. However I feel like we maybe need to look back before we can move forward.

When my family and I first moved to Tenerife there were two days a week that you could travel here, Tuesdays and Fridays. Then flights became two a penny and people could travel here any day of the week. It never made the island any busier. 

We visited Los Cristianos last night, I've been curious to see it because unless you live or visit a place you can´t possibly know what it is like. We went for Dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant on the Mirador strip, usually this would be very busy and they would send people to the bar next door while they waited for a table to become available. We were there for approximately two hours, a handful of other people came in, and in all the time we were there I saw about 20 people walk past.

From there we took a drive through Playa De Las Americas and it was just so sad. Passing through the Safari Centre which is one of the busiest areas with lots of large hotels, we saw about fifty people. We then drove further along through San Eugenio and it was just the same. 

So, lets talk about Los Gigantes. Everyone who visits here says how safe it feels. Its a small village with a good community of local people. It is built on the side of a mountain but I guess most places in Tenerife are. A lot of places have reopened after Lockdown but like someome said to me last night we don't quite have the massive rents and the massive competition that they have in Las Americas. In my opinion Las Americas and the surrounding area has just got too big.
Los Gigantes hasn't really grown that much over the last few years and I really do feel that the smaller places maybe the ones that come out better off than the larger resorts.
Sadly The Los Gigantes Hotel remains closed, as do the Sombrero Apartments along with many other places. However there are still some great accommodation options available should you be in a position to travel.

Until next time, stay safe and keep riding the storm. Also feel free to message me, I try to respond to them all. You can also find me at 60's Bar at the weekend and The Wine Bar on Mondays from 3PM

H x

Its a both sides situation!

To fly or not to fly?

To take a holiday or not take a holiday?

Half the UK population is so confused now, its a wonder anyone has a clue about anything.

The way I see it, if you can take a holiday then do it. If you can do the two week quarantine then do it. Tenerife along with many other destinations are crying out for you to be here. We want to serve, we want to entertain, most importantly we want to survive and regain some kind of normality.

Sadly for many, the insurance, the quarantine, and the whole travelling and what it now entails has put many people off, sadly a lot of them simply cannot do the the two week isolation because of work and other commitments. I get this and I totally understand. However, this is what i think.

If you can take a holiday, stay in a hotel, or somewhere that has a Vv licence, this means that should you contract Covid while visiting then you will be covered (I think I am correct, however don't take my word for it).
There are insurance companies out there that will cover against the governments decision regarding unnecessary travel. 
It seems that Ryanair and Easyjet are the "Go to" airlines at the moment, the more reliable ones but again don't take my word, do some research. Many of our customers have used them and report a great service from both.

Holiday Destinations are very quiet at the moment and tourists that have been over are often the first to comment about how safe it feels. I must admit when we visited Mallorca in August I really enjoyed it. A once in lifetime opportunity to be in my favorite place with fab weather and not over flowing with people, my family and I felt completely safe.

The only real uncertainty I guess is the fear of getting stuck somewhere and being unable to get home. Many people have now lost confidence in the whole travel industry which is very sad, particularly the elderly as everything is now done online and it is complicated. Gone are the days of having proper printed tickets, everything is now a screen on a smart phone and although many older folk can use them, for those that can there are an awful lot that simply don't know how.

So, what is the answer? 
Nobody really knows, I don't think those in the "the know" even know, My guess is that we just have to keep soldiering on as best we can, doing what we can, and just keep riding this long storm.

Sadly many businesses on the island have now closed their doors for good, many are hoping to reopen and those that have reopened are simply taking it week by week and doing as best they can.

These are simply unprecedented times and all we can hope is that things do improve, sooner rather than later. On a more positive note, the village does seem a little busier, a few of the swallows have returned and its great to see them. The village is nowhere near busy, but it is a step in the right direction.

Until next time.

Keep riding that storm and stay safe.

The Cheese is Back!

Today is a good day! it is 7.45am and as I sit here here writing, it is raining. When you don't see rain too often it is wonderful to both see and hear. It is just starting to get light and I find myself watching the cars coming down the road as the rain reflects in the headlights!

As you know from my last blog, the cheese slipped, well more than slipped if I´m honest. However it is now back on and hopefully secure for the time being.

I've had some wonderful comments regarding my blogs, people say its great to read about our village, especially when people are unable to come and visit during these times. We are trying our best to keep the village alive and to keep you informed of whats going on and hopefully we will see all our usual visitors, along with some new ones very soon. 

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be asked to host the new Monday Music afternoon at the Wine Bar and Terrace. It was very well attended and hopefully it was just the first of many more to come.
Myself, along with The Platinum Duo (Lucinda and Karen) were the entertainment, along with a few local guest artists. It was a fabulous afternoon, many thanks to Dodie and all her staff who go above and beyond to make sure everyone is safe and happy.
Covid has hit the entertainment industry particularly hard and sadly there are so many talented entertainers out of work. Hopefully we are moving in the right direction and we can all get back to doing what we love. I think a world without Music and entertainment would be a very sad world.

As well as Blogging, my husband Eddie and I like to Vlog (Video Log). We talk about our village, along with covering many other subjects and areas, and we try to make them as interesting as we can. When we were in full strict lockdown a few weeks back we did a Vlog everyday and for many of our viewers we became part of their daily routine. Eddie is very confident and natural in front of the camera. I, on the other hand find it very nerve wracking and weird. Being on stage and singing to an audience is where I am most comfortable, talking in to a camera I find more difficult, and it feels very strange. 

Until next time, stay safe and try not to let the cheese slide!

H xxx

No More Pint"o" for Ant"o"

Its been an odd week this week. Emotionally its been a roller coaster and the cheese has slipped. However today, it is back where it should be, well pretty much.

Let me start by explaining the title. Ant has been one of our locals for a good while now but sadly due to the situation we are all in he finds himself having to return to the UK. We hope its only temporary and that he will be back. Good luck Ant and stay safe.
So whats with the Pint"O"s? I hear you ask. Its something that has become a running joke with a few of our locals after telling them a story about something that happened to us many years ago when we lived in Mallorca. 

Eddie and I worked in a bar called The Red Lion. It was frequented by mainly British tourists.
One Sunday, one of those said tourists came in, went to the bar and asked for a Sunday Dinnero with Gravyo and Yorkshire Puddingo. I kid you not, this is absolutely true, and said tourist generally thought that if you put an "O" on the end of everything then you were speaking the lingo.
"que" was the response from the Tomas the Spanish barman. Said tourist then repeated again, a Sunday Dinnero with Gravyo and Yorkshire Puddingo!!!

Having told this story to some friends in the bar, it is now a running joke,  we serve pint"O"s, Whisky"O"s, Brandy"O"s, you name it, we've got them all.

I´m not going to lie to you, the cheese really did slide on one particular day this week, I lost my shit and I wasn't in a good place. It happens to us all, we have good days, bad days, it is what it is and we are all trying to deal with it as best we can. Most of the time I´m absolutely fine, but on the odd day.............the same as everyone else I would imagine, the cheese slips.
"Lets go out" Eddie said
"OK" I grunted back
We ended up in Santiago Del Teide at one of our favorite tapas bars. It was cold, it was windy and it was raining, not proper rain, just that drizzle that soaks you. Its amazing what a change of scenery, a change of weather, good coffee, good tapas and good music can do for ones well being. Thank you Ed!

We had some sad news this week. My brother and his family sadly had to say goodbye to their beloved English Bull Terrier this week and we are all upset. Rufus was with the family for thirteen years, he came as tiny puppy that would fit in your hand and grew to around 6 stone. He was an amazing dog, he loved to sunbathe and my sister in law used to have to put sun cream on him. He loved the family Xmas tree and every year he would bury his nose in it until it was red raw. He didn't have a bad bone in his body and he will be terribly missed by us all.

One last thing, I saw a post on Facebook this week regarding scones! how do you say it? is scone like bone and or is scone like gone? For me its a scone like gone! The question was cream or jam first? Simple, you start with a slice of butter, then the jam followed by the cream. During strict Lockdown our terrace would turn in to a tea shop and most Saturdays we would have afternoon tea on the terrace! how very civilized!

I hope you enjoy reading my blogs, I enjoy writing them. Please feel free to share wherever possible, it would help me lots.

Until next time

#besafe #ridethestorm

H x

The los Gigantes Institution, or as its affectionately known -The Chicken Shack!

How do you describe Stevie Gerald in one word? erm...... I don't think you can. He has been a massive part of the Los Gigantes community for many years, long before my family and I arrived. He´s had many roles but these days, and for the last twenty years or so you will find him at his restaurant, The Chicken Shack!

If your expecting a varied menu then I seriously suggest you go somewhere else, however what Stevie and Goyo do, they do brilliantly. There is no menu, you can either have spicy or plain chicken,  and thats it! however which ever one you choose it will come along with freshly prepared salad, homemade chips, and bread with Alioli.

We go every few weeks to support Steve, we like him and Goyo and we love the "show" that happens there. There is always a lot of banter and Steve will keep you entertained with stories of his many roles and adventures that he has had over the years.

We were invited by friends last night, there were 5 of us and as always Steve was on top form and the food was brilliant, along with my favorite wine (from the "1970's).
A couple of the people with us (the men) had decided they were going to do a chilli taste off and they were each given a chilli from Steves garden. At first it didn't seem so hot, but slowly it got hotter and hotter and we watched as they went slightly pink and their eyes started to water. They then started to pant a little, took copious mouthfuls of whatever they were drinking, flapped around a bit until eventually the taste and the intense heat wore off. It was hilarious to watch!

We went for our usual dip in the Atlantic yesterday, armed with our usual beach shoes, which do make us look a bit silly but we don't care. We took our usual dip at our usual spot in Playa San Juan but I don't mind telling you it was cold. It did take ones breath away a little but after being in a few minutes it wasn't so bad. We then went to our favorite little tapas bar, where we had an impromptu drink with some friends who were celebrating a birthday.

We have now become the sort of people that I usually rant about!!!
The ones that come off the beach, get to the their car and take an absolute age to sort themselves out. your driving around for the umpteenth time, you think a parking space is about to become available but no. 10 minutes later they are still drying off, getting changed and methodically putting everything in its place with no sign of speeding up so you can have their elusive parking spot. Sadly we have turned in to these people and I find myself in agreement that from coming off the beach and being ready to drive away takes time and cannot be rushed!

This week the Wine bar and terrace are launching their new menu. They have a new chef called Klaus who used to own a restaurant in Playa San Juan called Creativo, It was known for great food and created a large following. We wish Dodie and the team all the luck and we can`t wait to go and sample Klaus's food next week, I have no doubt it will be amazing. 

After a week off from gigging I will be putting my singing shoes on again on Monday afternoon for "Music Mondays" taking place as The Wine Bar & Terrace from 3pm on Monday afternoon. I will be joined by a few other entertainers and it promises to be a great afternoon,
Of course you can still find me singing the odd few tunes and playing guitar at the 60´s Bar. For now our opening hours are Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 7PM until Midnight. I've heard this week that some of our friends are coming over this month and we can't wait to welcome them back!

Until next time

#besafe #ridethestorm

PS. If you use Youtube be sure to check out and subscribe to our channel, The Old Guy Rules, you'll find lots of info about our area, here is the link The Old Guy Rules