I gate-crashed a wedding last week. In my defence, it was a genuine accident, but I am rather pleased that I did. Like many people, I enjoy a good wedding; it is one of those events where the power of love forcibly overpowers the cynicism and doubt that can inhabit some of our lives. It takes the most hardened cynic not to feel just a twinge of emo…

We know that Spring has arrived in the Canary Islands when we see the first flush of flowers on the many magnificent almond trees that embrace the islands. These beautiful flowers, which begin to open after Christmas, create a magnificent and rich landscape of colour. At the end of January and the beginning of February, almond trees demonstrate the…

The usual August madness has swept across Spain with a vengeance. First of all, it was ‘refreshing’ to see that the reliable Swedish emporium of all things good and wholesome, namely Ikea, haven’t lost their sense of humour in marketing a lavatory brush given the appealing name of ‘Farage’. Sadly, Ikea has since disassociated itself from the toilet…

It is of course, the poorest in society that are most affected by high electricity bills. Terms such as ‘Fuel Poverty’ or ‘Energy Poverty’ are some of the current meaningless phrases designed to make this serious issue somehow socially more acceptable. For many people, this can mean an impossible choice between keeping warm or eating. In the Canary…

All this puts into context the number of pensioners who have been caught smuggling drugs from the Canary Islands in recent months. Apparently, drug smugglers prefer to recruit elderly and disabled people to carry out their drug running operations, because no-one would suspect an elderly, innocent-looking granny of carrying drugs in her bra, or that…

It has been amusing to read comments about the islands’ weather in the press and social media over the last few days. Apparently, the Canary Islands have only just survived storm and tempest and all manner of tragedy. Flights have been cancelled, airports destroyed, cars and roads have been washed away and, basically all hell has broken loose on th…

I really have no time for graffiti of any kind. I don’t care whether it has been daubed by that anonymous street artist or vandal, depending upon your view of life, going under the name of Banksy, or if it is Juan or Maria who feel the urge to scrawl their names in appalling handwriting on a newly painted wall. Admittedly, some graffiti can be extr…

The Spanish love their chocolate. Pastries are dipped into it, biscuits are coated with it, churros are drowned in it and anything else is sprinkled with it. Chocolate is everywhere in Spain, which is not surprising, because it was the Spanish who discovered and gave birth to modern chocolate. © Barrie Mahoney 2024 To find out more about Barrie, hi…

I was interested to see that the thorny issue of chickpeas has featured quite heavily in the press recently. An article by a Spanish food blogger featured a picture of her son, alongside the claim that her son doesn’t know what a biscuit is, which led to an interesting spat. Apparently, the boy starts his day with a bowl of chickpeas rather than co…

The Canary Islands are often regarded as having the “best climate in the world”, but we are not immune from the devastating effects of calimas. The intensity of heat on the islands increases respiratory problems and allergies, as well as general oral health. The tiny particles of dust generated irritates the mucous membranes, which can have serious…

I was intrigued to hear about one innovative offering from Airbnb on the deliciously unconventional Spanish island of Ibiza. Since accommodation on the island is in short supply, and prices have increased to unrealistic levels, some locals are offering a bunk bed on their balconies for just 50 euros a night. One such ‘hostel’ offers up to nine bunk…

“How about a timple?” I was asked by an earnest assistant in one of the traditional music shops in Las Palmas. I had just called in for a replacement violin string, and was looking at the range of Canarian traditional stringed instruments for sale. I quickly realised that I was not being offered an early morning alcoholic drink, and that the young …

I guess most people have heard of Indonesia and maybe Polynesia, but what about Macaronesia and, indeed, Micronesia? How about visiting Macaronesia one day? No, this is not a new name for France invented by the ambitious President Macron, but a cluster of four archipelagos in the North Atlantic Ocean, just off the continents of Africa and Europe, w…

The British used to be well known across the world for Shakespeare, Princess Diana and cricket. We like to be known for our infamous ‘stiff upper lips’, sense of fair play, tolerance and justice. Many, mostly older people, still like to revel in the days of Empire and the ‘enlightenment’ that it brought to the world, whilst conveniently forgetting …

Many people do not realise that the Spanish Civil War of 1936 actually began in the Canary Islands. Francisco Franco was General Commandant of the Canary Islands, who was based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. It was here that Franco plotted his strategy, well away from the rest of Spain, before he headed to the Spanish Peninsular. It was under his w…

It is true that less tourists return home alive than have set off for their holiday in the Canary Islands. This disturbing fact is not one that the tourist industry will thank me for highlighting, but it is time that the stark facts are raised once again and that holidaymakers are alerted to the potential risks of a holiday in the Canary Islands, a…

Getting the work-life balance right is not easy for many people, and for many juggling with earning enough to pay the rent or mortgage, food and other bills, there is often very little choice in the amount of free time available. Time to spend with families and friends is important, and I often admire the Spanish tradition of putting family life fi…

Here we go again, another Friday 13th. I really am fed up with reading what all the doom mongers have to say about the likelihood of disaster on this ‘unlucky’ day. It reminds me of an event a few weeks ago when a weird religious sect that takes the Book of Revelations literally, busily promoted the idea that the world was about to end on 21 Septem…

It is often fascinating to discover some of the remedies and answers to problems that can be found by looking at the past. If we look carefully, we often find answers to many present-day problems, and how our ancestors dealt with the inconveniences of life. I discovered this recently when looking at a tree on the small island of El Hierro... © Barr…

“Top 20 Caves to Rent in the Canary Islands” screams one advertisement, followed by “Hundreds of Cave Homes to Buy in the Canary Islands” shouts another. Well, I guess it all makes good copy, but is living in a cave just another symptom of ‘reverse one-upmanship’, and something to brag about to colleagues at work? “Oh, I’m just off to the cave for …

I often think of that throwaway and impatient comment by the author, Shirley Conran, that “life’s too short to stuff a mushroom”. It is a quote that often occurs to me when I am confused, bewildered or reach a dead end in an argument that I am having with myself. I had one of these ‘mushroom moments’ a few days ago. © Barrie Mahoney 2023 Join me on…

One of my favourite cafe bars is called ‘La Tertulia’. It is not a particularly grand establishment and is completely unlike any of those overpriced and often pretentious coffee shops that are springing up in city centres all over the UK. Our ‘Tertulia’ is a friendly and welcoming safe space where good coffee and delicious snacks are served at a fa…

One of my favourite Canary Islands is the Island of El Hierro. Despite being the smallest of the islands in physical size, it is an island crammed with natural wonders, such as sea cliffs, lush forests and volcanic features to admire. Each of the Canary Islands is different, and El Hierro has become particularly special, and famous in environmental…

Since the World economic recession in 2008, and many would say long before that, builders and developers have been accused of holding onto land that has been agreed for development purposes in the hope that eventually it will increase in value. At that time, and only when the price of land and property shows a significant mark up, will building wor…

The British have always loved the Canary Islands, but sometimes for the wrong reasons. A brief wander around Las Palmas will reveal British businessmen honoured in the names of some of its streets, a thriving fruit and vegetable export business originally started by the British, and even a traditional British church for the early businessmen to wor…

During the years that we have lived in the Canary Islands and the Costa Blanca, I often see groups of elderly men sitting together on the pavement, outside a cafe bar, playing dominoes. In most cases, this is not a genteel game played in silence, but quite an energetic activity that involves a lot of shouting and waving of arms. There is one partic…

Recent news articles about asylum seekers in Cardiff being forced to wear brightly coloured wristbands in order to claim their meals each day rightly drew both amazement and disgust from many decent people in the UK. This news broke within a few days of the ‘Middlesbrough red door’ controversy, whereby the homes of asylum seekers were targeted beca…

Most of us take sand for granted. Many of us hope that when we go on holiday, we will be able to enjoy a clean beach, with lots of golden sand. If we have deeper pockets, maybe we can head to one of those picture postcard Caribbean resorts offering white sand, or possibly somewhere even closer to home. I know of several beautiful, white sandy beach…

I’m all for a beautiful white, sandy beach; after all, it is the stuff of postcards, and the kind of image that one dreams about during those cold, wet and rainy days in the UK. I now live in a Gran Canarian village that can only offer black sand on its small, secluded beach. We live on a small volcanic island and the geology of the area dictates t…

It is often forgotten that when you speak about rum, you are talking about the Canary Islands; the two are intertwined. Many rum connoisseurs describe the Canary Islands as the ‘World Cradle of Rum’, where this beautiful spirit is made by combining a centuries old tradition with the superb quality of locally produced raw materials. White rum, banan…

I am not an expert on lizards, so I am unsure as to what species Clemmy is, but these islands are home to some of the most impressive lizards on the planet. It is interesting to know that most of the Canary Islands have their own indigenous species and may best be regarded as a lizard paradise. The islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La P…

The severe social and economic consequences of failing to provide sufficient housing for increasing populations is at last beginning to dawn upon national and local politicians in many countries although, as usual, UK politicians are slow to respond to the crisis. For far too long, governments of all political shades have ignored the issue of provi…

I confess to having a bit of a weakness for red wine. At UK prices the temptation was never quite as strong, but for me this has been one of the real benefits of moving to Spain in general and Gran Canaria in particular. A plentiful supply of good wine - almost on tap - most of which are remarkably drinkable and exceptionally good value just warms …

Some time ago, I visited a memorial sculpture to ten sincere and brave men, which was a very moving experience. These were ten Canarian men who were tortured and put to death for their beliefs during the Spanish Civil War. These ten men defied Franco’s fascist government and were put to death by being tied in sacks filled with heavy rocks and tosse…

Divorce is the most stressful experience that most people will ever encounter. Over the years, studies have shown that the stress of divorce, together with resulting implications for any children from the marriage, property and finance, compromises the immune system and puts anyone dissolving a marriage at risk of illness and disease. © Barrie Maho…

These invaders from the USA (Reticulitermes Flavipipes) were first reported in Tenerife in 2010. Commonly described as “an efficient and economic wood destroying insect” in the United States. These pests feed on all kinds of cellulose material, such as the wood used in buildings, paper, books and cotton. There can be as many as 20,000 to 5 million …

I am often asked which of the eight inhabited Canary Islands I like best of all. I can never answer the question, because each island is different and beautiful in its own unique way. I make a point of visiting each of the islands over the year. I love them all; each have their own unique character, culture and traditions. Let me give just one exam…

“It began with a dream…” was the opening sentence in the first chapter of my first book, which told the story of how my partner, David, and I found ourselves living and working in the Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands after careers as teachers in the UK. Like so many before us, we needed a change of pace and lifestyle and some sunshine; Spain was…

I have always been of the opinion that we are born as either golfers or dog walkers. Sorry, I can already hear some of you complaining, “But I play golf and I have a dog!” Well, maybe, but perhaps one takes clear precedence over the other? Personally, I am a dog walker and not a golfer. Maybe this is in much the same way that most people tend to pr…

New DNA technology has enabled anthropologists to further investigate the origins of the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. This archipelago, which is made up of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa, is located off the north western coast of Africa, midway between Morocco and West…

Since arriving in Gran Canaria, I have been fascinated and impressed by the politics of the small municipality of Aguimes, of which Arinaga is part. Locals tell me that, in the time of General Franco, Aguimes was one of the few municipalities in the islands to put two fingers up to the fascist dictatorship in Madrid and continued with their fiestas…

I know from my previous work as a reporter that many expats quickly become frustrated by the antics of some of the state monopolies in Spain. Dealings with the Town Halls, water and electricity companies, Correos and Telefonica - to name a few, can become incredibly frustrating experiences and can be the stuff of nightmares. With most of these comp…

Yes, it turned out that our new postman had just been appointed. I asked what had happened to our previous postman - a very nice man who was also a part-time drag queen by night. Maybe he had deserted his postal deliveries permanently in favour of the bright lights and a wardrobe of new frocks, wigs and feather boas? © Barrie Mahoney 2011 This arti…

Do we ever really know our neighbours? From a quick glance at the rotary clothes dryer, we know that the lady of the house next door has a liking for daring red underwear, and that the gentleman of the house likes to use his power drill early on a Sunday morning. © Barrie Mahoney 2011 This article is part of the book 'Living the Dream' by Barrie Ma…

When I moved to the Costa Blanca, I recall being told by one consular official that, “The Brits come here to die”. I quickly discovered that nothing could be further from the truth... © Barrie Mahoney 2011 This article is part of the book 'Living the Dream' by Barrie Mahoney. You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here…

As much as I love visiting friends and family in the UK and Ireland, the necessary air flight fills me with dread, which is why I avoid this tortuous ordeal as much as possible. No, it is not the actual flying part, nor the possibility of catching pig flu from all that recycled air, nor being crammed into airport buses and queues and not even the m…

Cows do it. Horses do it. People do it after drinking lager, or while eating a spicy curry. We all pass gas and lots of it too. © Barrie Mahoney 2011 This article is part of the book 'Living the Dream' by Barrie Mahoney. You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

I like eating bananas and, since coming to live in the Canary Islands, I am now a passionate advocate for this humble fruit, which, incidentally, is also called “the fruit of the wise”. From a health point of view, it really is a wonderful addition to the weekly shopping list, as it contains vitamins and minerals essential for the human body. © Bar…

The Canary Islands have a strong place in history in setting the centre of world time. Imagine the prestige (and confusion) if the world’s clocks were set to Canaries Mañana Time and not Greenwich Mean Time. © Barrie Mahoney 2011 This article is part of the book 'Living the Dream' by Barrie Mahoney. You can find out more about the author and this b…

Do you receive endless email spam messages advertising all kinds of competitions, pills and potions and, in particular, Viagra? The Viagra ones are particularly sinister, I find. After all, do they know something that I don’t? They are, of course, easily dealt with by using the delete button, and some email providers also provide very sophisticated…