THE VILLAGE LEISURE HOTEL

Dolomite Avenue, Coventry Business Park, Coventry CV4 9GZ

Sueno Azul – Saturday 3rd December at 10.30am

El Marques – Saturday 3rd December at 1.30pm

Las Casitas – Sunday 4th December at 10.00am

Las Brisas – Sunday 4th December at 1.30pm

It was nearly a year ago that a ceremony was held to herald the start of work on the beach, Playa Ajabo, the projected time scale was around seven months but things do tend to go at their own pace in Tenerife. However large piles of new sand have now been deposited on the old shingle beach, walkways down from the main road are laid and landscaping has added flower beds and plant areas, all now filled with soil.

One of the most impressive aspects is the new round block at the rear of the beach, downstairs will house toilets and changing rooms while upstairs the circular patio will be home to a snack and drink kiosk with room for seating to survey the beach and the Atlantic gently lapping at the shore.

Comments have been made recently in the local press about work grinding to a halt but fiestas and the arrival of some abnormally high tides may well account for the break. The beach area came through the high tides unscathed, a testament to natures design of this stretch of coast which sees the beach sheltered in a natural bay. Having seen previous beach upgrades race on in the final stages, let’s be brave and look to christmas 2011 for the opening of the main facilities of this new addition to Callao Salvaje.

Plenty of pre christmas cheer here in Tenerife with good news updates on 2 previous stories. Firstly going back to September we told you how the beach improvement project for Callao Salvaje had been approved and was ready to start in November. Running just a few weeks behind schedule the first new sand was depositied on Playa de Ajabo on 14 December during the inauguration ceremony.

This is the main stage of the 1.2 million euro project and the new revamped beach should be ready for use in July 2011, this will include new beach kiosks, sun beds and life guards. Then later after the 15,200 square metre beach is in full swing, the coastal walkway will be completed making it possible to walk from Callao Salvaje to Playa Paraiso. It’s all great news for visitors to Sueño Azul one of the many well placed Wimpen resorts.

Beach promenade walks seem to bring out the best in people, on Sunday 12 December The Walk For Life for breast cancer took place and was again a great success. The 3.5 km route from Salytien in Playa de Las Americas to the Plaza de la Pescadora in Los Cristianos was packed with well over 1,000 walkers who raised 13,631 euros. A group of swimmers took the sea route and pink was the dominant colour for all those showing support for this great cause. One of the many pleasing aspects of the walk was the way it drew together the British and Spanish communities, Tenerife is always a great place to make new friends.

Sometimes building projects seem to drag on forever in Tenerife so it’s good to see a big scheme nailed down to a start date and allocated a budget. That’s the case with the long awaited upgrade for Playa de Ajabo beach in Callao Salvaje. Work will start on 1st November for a 14 month project that will cost 1.2 million euros, this will provide a focal point along this naturally rugged coast and will make sun bathing and swimming a pleasure for the many visitors to this area.

Adeje council have been steadily improving the area with attractive walkways and gardens and better access, this latest investment will give a big boost to local economy and compliment the thriving network of local bars and restaurants. Sueño Azul of course has its own refreshing pools and family facilities but it’s always nice to pop down to the beach during your stay to experience the Atlantic lapping at your toes.

July brings two major events at different ends of the musical spectrum. On 20 July Simply Red perform outdoors at Golf Costa Adeje as part of their farewell tour. The course has already staged concerts from Rod Stewart and Elton John in previous years and proved to be a superb setting.

Then on 23 July the Moscow Ballet bring Swan Lake to Playa de las Americas. That takes place at the Magma Arts and Congress building next to the main bus station. The modern centre, normally used for conferences and corporate gatherings is adding more cultural events to its programme and will bring some of the top orchestras down south from the capital.

Talking of Santa Cruz, it may be early to think of christmas but bookings are now being taken for the festive seasons big musical offering at the auditorium on the sea front. This year it is the Spanish production of Chicago, one of the biggest modern musicals around.

Here are a couple of useful websites if you want to keep up with forthcoming music and cultural happenings. www.tenerifemagazine.com and the governments English site www.whatsontenerife.eu  Enjoy the shows.

My villa at Las Rosas is owned jointly with my wife and on 16th October last we visited the Consular General´s office at 20m Draycott Place, London SW3 2RZ, just a few minutes walk from Sloane Square Tube Station, where we met a Consular Officer – a lady, who was very courteous and helpful.

YOU MUST APPEAR IN PERSON AND TAKE WITH YOU:-

A) Form EX-14 IN DUPLICATE – two for each owner, this form may be downloaded from the Spanish Consulate´s website www.conspalon.org or alternatively obtained from WimPen´s Admin Office in Tenerife, and since this form is printed in Spanish and MUST be completed in Spanish online, PDF or on a typewriter, NOT HANDWRITTEN, I decided to contact WimPen whose Admin staff were very helpful and in addition to copies of the Spanish Form will also send you an English version as a guide, which will undoubtedly help facilitate your completion of the form.
Complete the Spanish form in front of the Spanish Consular Officer, who will then stamp the form and hand one copy of the form back to each owner. The retained copy will be forwarded to Madrid and in 1 – 3 months time the NIE Number will be forwarded to WimPen in Tenerife for personal collection in due course.

B) YOUR VALID PASSPORT and a photocopy of the page in your passport containing your personal details, but make sure you also copy the blank page opposite your personal details which will also be stamped and retained by the Consular Officer.

I am pleased to say that this service was provided completely free of charge. No passport size photographs were required, I did take my Escritura with me.

We arrived at the office at 10.50am and left at 11.00am – an excellent and efficient service, and we will collect the NIE certificates from WimPen when we next visit Las Rosas in August.

As indicated, the procedure is very simple and if any Las Rosas owner(s) would like to discuss the matter my email address is nallen772@btinternet.com

Nevilla Allen – Villa 50 – Weeks 35 & 36.

“After travelling for 3 days – arrived home exhausted! Met some terrific helpful people on the journey, Saw a lot of Spanish & French countryside.
Thanks to everyone in the office, particularly those that helped with the “bodywork repair” to our hire car with a sink plunger!!
See you next year.”
Mr & Mrs Cox – Owner Las Rosas

“Josi at WimPen Sueno Azul was marvelous, she tried and succeeded in helping everyone. I thought the price charged for the additional week was fair, no attempt was made on your part to profit from the situation – took all the stress away for me and my grandchildren. Thankyou”
Mr & Mrs Barrett – Owner El Marques

“Thank you for all you help at a difficult time. This experience has not put us off our visits to Las Rosas we will be back” – Many thanks to all the staff
Mr & Mrs Howe – Owner Las Rosas

“We cannot express our gratitude enough as to how helpful & kind everyone was in such difficult circumstances. I would recommend Las Brisas to everyone as at no point was anyone trying to make a “fast buck”, like many others around the world.”
Sara Denton – Las Brisas

A relatively small island, but bursting with major sporting events, that’s Tenerife, and september has a bumper bundle to offer visitors and long term residents. It starts with the Vuelta Ciclista, a cycle race that starts on the island of La Gomera, before taking in a wipe sweep of Tenerife. That is soon chased by the 2 day Adeje car rally, and the month closes with the Tenerife Ladies Open golf tournament in Costa Adeje.

The Vuelta Ciclista starts on September 2 in La Gomera, before winding through Tenerife to end in La Laguna on the 6th. On September 4th, the days stage will end up in Los Cristianos, a great chance for the good people of Los Claveles to enjoy some of the fun and celebrations.

The Adeje Rally zooms into action on September 11 and 12, and although it visits the neighbouring areas, Adeje will see the best of it. The action is more sedate from September 24, when the worlds best lady golfers descend on Golf Costa Adeje to compete over 4 days in front of the television cameras. Los Claveles is a short trip away, but this time Sueño Azul in Callao Salvaje is in a prime position to pop down and enjoy some top sporting action.

If that all leaves you hungry for more, don’t worry, Tenerife has plenty of action to keep everyone thrilled and entertained.