Bob's Blog

This Blog will follow my adventures - well holidays really. Hopefully you will want to tell me what you enjoyed in the countries I have visited and maybe recommend places to go.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Tango in Tenerife (27 Aug - 2 Sept)

Tenerife is a mostly barren island dominated by Mt Teide, a volcano that is the highest point in all Spain. The climate is so good (30 deg and no cloud cover while we were there) that there is a tourist and agricultural industry. From the air you see large rectangles of fawn coloured netting protecting the crops (mostly bananas), an occasional green golf course, an estate of white villas and 100's of hotels.

Begonia and I joined about 20 others on an all inclusive basis for a tango course run by Claudio and Silvia ( www.canariastango.net). We each had an apartment; large double bedroom, bathroom, very large living room with kitchen facilities at one end and balcony at the other end. It was clean and simply furnished, not luxury. The food we thought excellent at the start of the week but became bored after a week despite variations in the fish and meat served every day. Beer, wine, sangria, G&T all included.

Claudio and Silvia are lovely friendly people and exacting teachers. They were supported by Carolina.  We worked hard on technique; balance, control and relaxation were the themes and steps were not taught although we did end up with a move that needed our now polished (?) technique. The group gelled together very well, helped by a group of Italians who were so friendly and definitely party people! We generally had 2 or 3 sessions of tango each day and 4 on one day! Twice we danced in the pool bar to entertain the other residents and we also visited a local milonga and had our own moonlit outdoor milonga.

We had time for the enormous sea water pool and the small beach alongside. We had excursions to Mt Teide and a fabulous lunch/party at a farm nearby. Another morning was spent in a catamaran and we saw about 20 pilot whales! There was also a walk to explore the nearby coast and an exotic seafood dinner and a goodbye pizza on the final night.

Mike and Tina (from York) joined us for the classes (with Begonia translating) and much socialising, particularly if honey rum or mojitos were involved!
Our aim is to get a group of at least 8 and Claudio and Silvia would run a course for us at our chosen date.
Do get in touch.