Poco a Poco

  
    We're now halfway through our eighth week of lockdown here in the Canary Islands. My waistline has expanded a little, ( I'm probably not being too honest about that) and the grey roots of my hair are getting harder and harder to disguise. (I am telling the truth about that.)

    I've been keeping myself busy the best I can. I've read a barrel load of cozy mysteries and I have been very productive in the writing sense. This work I hope to share with you very soon. Something I won't be sharing with you is my baking, which I do once a week as I'm afraid we've managed to scoff it all. Hence the larger waistline. Okay, I've included a picture of my cheese scones, because I didn't want to disappoint.

    On Sunday past, we started a phase of de-escalation of the state of emergency, here. De-escalation will be done poco a poco, as they say in Spain. Thankfully, we are now allowed a little exercise, which will help rid the extra pounds as well as the cabin fever that has gradually crept in. We can leave our homes for an hour each day to walk, run, or cycle, as long as we stay within 1 kilometer of our homes (6/10 of a mile.) This can only be done with members of your household, meaning if your son or daughter lives down the street you can't walk with them.

    In order that social distancing can be maintained our daily exercise has been given time slots by the government, according to age.  My partner and I can go out of doors between the hours of 6am-10am in the morning or 8pm-11pm in the evening.

    We choose to take our walk around 8am and the first morning it was strange to walk along the main road and find it fairly deserted of vehicles and pedestrians. A small line of people had started to form outside the supermarket and one of the store assistants kept a watchful eye on the forming queue, making sure that the 2-meter rule was being adhered to. But, otherwise, there were no queues at the bus-stops and the buses passed with no passengers on board.

    Hopefully, within the next few weeks, we can start to move around a little more freely. Our contagion is now nearly zero within the islands and thankfully the number of deaths has fallen into near solitary figures. But, freedom is not the most important thing right now. Staying alive is.

God bless. Stay safe.

Huntigowk Day, Keep Smiling

    

    Where have all the days gone this year? The first day of April will soon be upon us and I know I wish that when 12pm arrives on Wednesday, everybody is going to shout "April fools." Yes, you know what I'm talking about.

    When my husband and I were chatting the other day, we started to reminisce, something we do lots of these days. Although we've been married since God was a boy, we can still manage to dig deep and exchange stories that we've never told each other before. Or, maybe we've just forgotten! That makes them sound new I suppose.

    Okay, the memory that flooded into my mind was one of  my grandmother on 'April Fool's Day.'  It wasn't a memory of a practical joke she had played, but of the name, she gave this annual custom. She called it 'Huntigowk Day,' and if you fell for her practical joke, she would cry 'Ah, Huntigowk.'

    My husband had never heard this name before and to be fair I can only remember this name being used by my grandmother. We surmised it was an old Scottish title and I decided that to satisfy our curiosity I would have to dig a little deeper into this unusual name.

    Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away many years ago and sadly so have all of her children, therefore, there is none of her family I could call to shed some light on my query. It was time to hit the keyboard and search on Google.

    It wasn't hard to find an answer. It seems that in Scotland the tradition was called 'Hunt the Gowk Day.' Gowk meaning cuckoo or as in this case, it means 'fool.' Traditionally, someone would be sent with a message to a recipient, supposedly asking for help, but the message on the note said 'Dinna laugh, dinna smile. Hunt the gowk another mile.' The recipient sends the person to someone else, so, so on until the messenger realizes he/she has been sent on a fool's errand.

    The memories etched in my mind of my grandmother are still teaching me something many years on and the fond memories I have of her can still bring a smile to my face. That means some of the advice that I would ignore if I was the recipient of this note is 'Dinna laugh, dinna smile.'

   

    

   

End of Week One "We're All In this Together"

    Week 1 of lockdown is nearly over. Life has changed, but life is important and we need to embrace the changes necessary to save all of our lives.

    Living on a Spanish island the laws that have been put in place are somewhat stricter than in other parts of the world. Such as the UK where I know many feel that the restrictions that have been put in place there with regards to socializing are a little draconian. But, rules are made for a reason and the reason is not always apparent at the time and sometimes it can be too late.

    The Spanish are very social people and hugs and kisses play a huge role in the culture here, so it is difficult to stand a meter away from your best friend or neighbor if standing in line at a food store without interacting with them in any way other than a "Hola! Que tal?" But, when we get through this we can hug and kiss each other with a sincerity that was maybe a little lacking before.

    As the island empties of short-term visitors, a good friend of mine has had to return to England and I was sadly unable to say goodbye to him in-person. Thankfully, we were able to connect on WhatsApp and for now, I can't complain about smart devices and their apps.

    It can be difficult when we watch the news to remain positive and when my grocery delivery men arrived yesterday wearing masks and gloves, a hard blow of reality hit.

    However, last night my spirits were lifted when the residents of the community I live in and the one adjacent all came out onto the terraces and balconies and clapped for a minute to show their appreciation to the health service. The sound made by 400 or so united neighbors was amazing as it echoed all around and the odd cry of "Ole!" uplifted my heart.

    It was an empowering experience, an action that just not gave thanks, it also demonstrated that there is no need to feel alone in this troubled time. As we are all in this together.

    Stay safe.

   

   

The Silent Enemy

  

    Day 3 of lockdown here in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. It all came as a bit of a shock to us here, that we've got to isolate for 15 days, as we weren't given too much notice. Being some 1750 km/1089miles (flying) from Madrid and an island, we thought it would be some time before the strict rules applied to the mainland would be imposed on the archipelago.


    However, it does make sense as millions of tourists visit Tenerife and the other islands from all over the world every year. Until now that is.

    Tenerife has been affected by many wars, including the Anglo-Spanish war, the Spanish Civil war, and WWII. Pillboxes can still be found dotted along the south coast, in the areas of La Caleta, Los Cristianos, El Medano, and Montana Roja.

    Following WWII Tenerife fell into financial hardship and many of its nationals fled overseas. In the 1960s tourism discovered the island and its neighbors allowing repatriation and economic growth.

    This time we cannot guard ourselves against the enemy that surrounds us by building pillboxes on our shores or, point cannons towards the vast open seas. Because in previous wars our enemy was visible, now the foe we face is invisible and silent. But, like the Phoenix, I know we will rise from the ashes bigger, better and stronger.

    Readers, please take care, wherever you are in the world and please respect others.

Each for Equal

  

    This weekend it's International Women's Day 2020, a time to celebrate the achievements of women worldwide. On researching great women I came across one lady I didn't know a whole lot about. She is Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord George Gordon Byron the British romantic poet a name that most of us who have an interest in the literary world will recognize. Why is Ada a woman we should know more about? Because her dad is famous? No, Ada Lovelace's life deserves to be celebrated with all those other great ladies in the world because of her contribution to computing.

    Augusta Ada Byron (1815-1852) was brought up single-handed by her mother after her marriage to Lord Byron broke down shortly after the birth of their daughter and he left for abroad. Lady Anne Isabella Milbanke Byron knew the importance of education and made sure that her daughter received the best. Ada proved to be a gifted scholar and especially talented in mathematics under the mentorship of Charles Babbage.

    Mathematician, and inventor, Charles Babbage, is known as the 'father of computing' due to his invention of the Analytical Engine, a proposed general-purpose computer. His young student Ada's contribution to his programmable computing device saw her being recognized as the 'first computer programmer.' A great accomplishment for anyone in itself, but for a woman in the 19th century when women were not treated as equals she deserves to be honored and that's why am writing this today. #EachforEqual #IWD2020

    Unfortunately, Lord Byron never saw his daughter again after leaving England, but she was in his heart when he wrote this verse about her in, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Canto III.

Is thy face like thy mother's my fair child! 

Ada! sole daughter of my house and heart?

When last I saw thy young blue eyes they smiled

And then we parted, ..... not as now we part

But with a hope

Fantasy versus Reallity

  

Calima

    As a writer of fantasy when depicting a scene I try to imagine the sights and sounds that my characters would encounter. The color of the sky can especially in my opinion help set the mood and help the reader visualize the scene.

    There are times I've written about strange happenings in the heavens above and wondered if my ideas were too fantastical, therefore probably making it too difficult for the reader to envisage.

   However, reality can also create situations that are hard to believe and last weekend here in the Canary Islands we found ourselves living in a surreal world. The beautiful clear blue skies which we have pretty much all year round turned ochre and the warm wind started to blow at gale force speed. The 'Calima' the name given to the hot east- wind from Africa which we encounter all year round, had carried much more red sand from the Sahara Desert than was normal and while it was an amazing sight it caused havoc on the islands.

    Going outdoors was advised against as in these conditions, breathing can be difficult and the winds were causing structural damage and fanning wildfires. Flights in and out were suspended and being diverted to other locations in mainland Spain, a logistical nightmare for the companies and those passengers involved.


    48 hours on the hot wind remains, but it's time to clean up the mess and repair the destruction. Thankfully I only had lots of cleaning up to do, but for those who were badly affected, I'm hoping our real-world doesn't turn into a fantasy one again for a long time.

   

Normal Tenerife Sky

Restoring History

Plaza de la Candelaria

      I read a book several years ago about a victorian traveler who visited the Canary Islands. Her documented account of the places she visited was and still is of great interest to me.

    One such location was, Plaza Candelaria, in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Even in the mid 19th century by her description, it was a bustling Square, as it is now. Located with easy access to the port, in the days of the steamship the weary traveler didn't have far to go before reaching a hotel, here.

        While many buildings facades will have changed immensely, one which hasn't is the Palacio de Carta. Built in 1721 this excellent example of the Canarian Baroque style was initially built as the family home of Matias Rodriguez Carta.

Palacio de Carta

    This stone structure was the first building in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to be protected as a place of cultural interest and one of the first in the whole of the Canary Islands.

    At present, it is under restoration to return it to its former glory,and the tales of its bloodied past will be retold when it becomes home to a history museum. In days gone by, the building was the site of a military coup in 1936 when 2 people were killed and was also residence to 19 General Captains, its walls bursting to tell a story.

  Amongst the many island's heirlooms to be exhibited will be the famous Tiger Cannon which was used to defend the city from the attack in the Battle of Santa Cruz.  This documented assault was led by Admiral Horatio Nelson and the cannon is said to have fired the shot that cost the admiral his right arm. 

    I can't wait to visit here once fully restored.



https://devilslayingamongstotherthings.blogspot.com/2015/03/romancing-stone.html

The Phantom Ship

    As, Storm Dennis, battered the Irish coast over the last weekend, the small fishing village of, Ballycotton, landed an unexpected catch. An unmanned, Tanzanian registered ship, the Alta, could battle the storms and the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, no longer. Starting its ghostly journey drifting south-east of Bermuda in 2018 for 20 days or so, it somehow managed to sail north all the way to Ireland.

   ' Phantom ships,' are in my mind the haunted houses of the sea, they have many stories to tell, and will continue to inspire storytellers and creators of all forms of art until the end of time.

    The Gothic novel, 'The Phantom Ship', published in 1839 and written by Frederick Marryat, was based on the legend of the 'Flying Dutchman. The 1935 film of the same name, starring, Bela Lugosi derived from the famous mystery of the Mary Celeste, which was also found adrift in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in 1872, the list could go on and on.

    I've included today a poem by, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose mind was also stimulated by these floating enigmas.


    Have a great week, readers.

 THE PHANTOM SHIP

 

In Mather's Magnalia Christi
  Of the old colonial time
May be found in prose the legend
  That is here set down in rhyme
A ship sailed from New Haven
  And the keen and frosty airs
That filled her sails at parting
  Were heavy with good men's prayers
"O, Lord! if it be thy pleasure"
  Thus prayed the old divine
"To bury our friends in the ocean,
  Take them, for they are thine!"
But Master Lamberton muttered
  And under his breath said he
"This ship is so crank and walty
  I fear our grave she will be!"
And the ships that came from England
  When the winter months were gone
Brought no tidings of this vessel
  Nor of Master Lamberton.
This put the people to praying
  That the Lord would let them hear 

What in his greater wisdom
He had done with friends so dear
And at last their prayers were answered
  It was in the month of June
An hour before the sunset
  Of a windy afternoon
When steadily steering landward
  A ship was seen below
And they knew it was Lamberton, Master
  Who sailed so long ago
On she came, with a cloud of canvas
  Right against the wind that blew
Until the eye could distinguish
  The faces of the crew
Then fell her straining topmasts
  Hanging tangled in the shrouds
And her sails were loosened and lifted
  And blown away like clouds
And the masts, with all their rigging
  Fell slowly, one by one
And the hulk dilated and vanished
  As a sea-mist in the sun!
And the people who saw this marvel
  Each said unto his friend
That this was the mould of their vessel
  And thus her tragic end
And the pastor of the village
  Gave thanks to God in prayer
That, to quiet their troubled spirits
  He had sent this Ship of Air. 

 

    

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882

To My Valentine

We've been together for years

Shared lots of laughter and some tears

Do you remember?

Yes, you do

The photos we took

Our memories captured forever

Not only on film but in our minds

And importantly in our hearts

Just like the love we share

A Journey North

   

Jose Murphy y Meade

    A couple of weeks ago we decided to travel north from where we live in Tenerife and spend a few days in the capital of the island, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Unlike the UK, bus fares here are very cheap and the service to the city is regular, modern and comfortable. Therefore, our decision to travel by 'la guagua' (pronounced wawa) was a no brainer.

    We chose a hotel in the center of the capital, as I wanted to visit the designer shops that fill the main shopping streets and a girl doesn't want to carry her purchases too far. Does she?

    As well as an abundance of shops, the streets of Santa Cruz, are filled with copious amounts of bars and restaurants. I have to confess that we were forced to make a regular pit-stop at a few of the bars to refresh ourselves with a glass of Rioja Blanco and a tapas. Otherwise, exhaustion would have taken over!!

    Walking among the cobbled streets, the architecture and statues cannot be ignored. Outside, Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis (Church of St Francis of Assisi), a statue caught my eye not because I was particularly impressed by it but because of the name carved in the stone. The name was Jose Murphy, the name, Murphy, not being very common here made me want to find out a little more about the man being celebrated.

Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis

    Born of Irish descent Señor Murphy, born February 1774, was a Spanish, liberal politician, who worked hard for the city to be recognized as the capital of the island. Because of his great accomplishment, he is now known as the 'Father of Santa Cruz de Tenerife'.Unfortunately, Jose Murphy's political views didn't go down well with everyone and he went into exile for many years. His final years he spent in Mexico where he had been appointed Consul General of Spain, never to return to his beloved homeland, a punishment for sure.

    The few days we had in the city we didn't have time to take in every sight, but what I do know is that we will be spending more weekends there. In the next few weeks, the second most popular carnival in the world will take place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. So if you are visiting the island it's not to be missed.


#Tenerife #CanaryIslands #SantaCruzde Tenerife #JoseMurphyMeade #Carnival

    

Best-laid Plans

   

    Hello again. Remember me? Yeah, I'm the author who used to write regular blogs. For the the last year plus, I haven't been around much online. My writing life has been topsy-turvy; yes, confusing and filled with disorder. I am in general a fairly organised person, however best-laid plans don't always go as planned. Yes, in the words of Robert Burns, " The best laid schemes o' mice an' men, gang aft a gley."

    And mine definitely went wrong. I wrote at the beginning of last year about my move to the Canary Islands, Spain and due to the small problem of a broken ankle my planned journey of 3000 miles was delayed somewhat. Therefore, instead of moving January 2019 I didn't actually reach my paradise island until April 2019.

    Since then I have tell you that my writing has been on the back burner. Putting a pen to paper and my fingers to a keyboard  has been sporadic. My words haven't dried up, I have just babbled more verbally than I have typed. Ask my partner.

    My beloved PC, my writing amigo, didn't enjoy being boxed up, squeezed into a container and rocked about on the decks of a ship. Finally, reaching its new home to find itself stuck in a box for 9 months, or so. It has now made full recovery with a little TLC, and settled down on a new workstation. We are now long lost friends reunited and our mutual agony has come to an end.

    If you are a new reader joining me today for the first time, welcome. If you are a temporary, abandoned, reader I would like to thank you for your continued support and hopefully you will carry on dropping by.

    Happy weekend.