Cardenas Real Estate Agent Blog – Gran Canaria

Spain and its wonderfully sunny islands like Gran Canaria, are emerging as better value than ever, pushing holiday high fliers like Turkey, down the pecking order. The British Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer has shown a 44% rise in Turkey for meals, drinks and other holiday items. Spain, in contrast, is now the cheapest Eurozone destination, with a 30% fall in the cost of similar holiday items since last year.

That’s nice to know, but behind the figures, is an even more important message, the all year round sun and high temperatures make sure that Gran Canaria is still one of the most popular places for British holiday makers to visit and to live.

The south coast of Gran Canaria offers fantastic beaches that never go out of style, and with good transport, schools and shops, it’s sure to continue to put other holiday spots in the shade.

By Cardenas News

Photo by Oliver Bossecker, taken from Cardenas Facebook

More than 40 million people world wide have seen already the famous musical Mamma Mia with the best ABBA Hits.

Now and until the 29th of January you have the chance to see this Musical in the theatre Pérez Galdos in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Entry tickets can be bought at the theatre or via La Caja de Canarias in one of their branches or via Internet at cajatique.com

By Cárdenas News

The Tourism Board of Gran Canaria has selected Mogán in order to promote the “aquatic side” of Gran Canaria. David Silva, the European Football Champion, of Mogán, had a photo session in Mogán these past days, result which is going to be presented in the International Tourist Fair in Madrid “Fitur” this January.

By Cárdenas News (Photo from Masha31 a@ Flickr)

Last Saturday night there was a schoolmates’ get-together of the Colegio Alemán de Las Palmas (German School). We were about 40 old friends from different classes who finished high school in the early 90’s; hard to believe but it will soon be 20 years since! The event had eloquently been published on Facebook as “Show me your wrinkles”.

We met at the “Rockola Club” in Las Palmas, a live music night club recently opened by Oliver alias “el Rubio”, one of our old schoolmates and unconditional rock’n’roll fan. The club offers live music from the very best Rock and Blues bands of Gran Canaria, e.g. The Beatmaps (playing Beatles’ versions) or Red Marks (http://www.myspace.com/redmarksrock) only to name some. I truly recommend a visit to Rockola if you are fond of music of the 60’s and 70’s. The address is Olof palme 37 (next to Mesa y Lopez).

We had great fun. It was only the day after I realized I am not 18 anymore, what a shame. But I really look forward to repeating the event next year again at Rockola. So Keep on Rockin’, Rubio!

By Carolina García Chagrin

Click here and look at teh video which includes as well nice images of the island.
http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/?page=2#659550

If you like crafts then you should visit the 15th craft fair “Parque San Telmo” in las Palmas de Gran Canaria. There will be 94 artisan representing 34 different crafts. Maybe its a good place to find your 3 wise men’s present.

It will take place from the 2nd to the 5th of January in Parque San Telmo.

By Cárdenas News

After a dinner with the family or friends it is traditional to eat 12 grapes, one on each chime of the clock. It is usual to follow these chimes on TV. This year TVE (Spanish Television) will show the traditional 12 chimes from El Faro de Maspalomas. This tradition has its origins in 1909, when grape growers in Alicante thought of it as a way to cut down on the large production surplus they had had that year.

After the dinner most young people go to organized parties with friends.

Read more about the tradition at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Eve#Spain

After the rain on the 26th of December Pilar was out for a walk in one of our beautiful dams on the island, Presa de las Niñas. There were nice water falls as this one here.

Here are some nice pictures:

http://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q=presa+de+las+ni%C3%B1as+gran+canaria&s=int

By Cardenas News

In Canarias 7, one of the most important local newspapers , I have found an online guide for walking trails around San Mateo, Tejeda, Valsequillo, Santa Brígida.

There are approx. 35 different routes in beautiful landscapes to choose from. Each route can be downloaded in a pdf file. In the pdf file there is a map and a description.This is the link: http://www.canarias7.es/ocio/ediciones/ed_senderos.cfm

Unfortunately this one is in Spanish. As soon as I find the english one I will publish the links here.

Good walking

By Ramón Sánchez Bruhn

Almost all the top names in the musical firmament have visited the festival: Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Colin Davis, John Eliot Gardiner, Esa-Pekka Salonen, …

And impressive is as well the list of soloists who have taken part at the festival: Alfredo Kraus, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Mstislav Rostropovich, Krystian Zimerman, …

More information at http://www.festivaldecanarias.com/festival_2010/bienvenida.php