My Tenerife adventure continues with this
short post about the capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz. It's also the joint
capital of the Canary Islands. I was unaware joint capitals were even a thing
until I researched Santa Cruz.
This city is home to 500k people and has a mix of culture
that is not entirely Spanish or African. It's Canarian, loosely described as
mostly Spanish with some Guanches influence. The Guanches are the first known
human inhabitants of the Canary Islands, around 1000 years ago.
The issue with busy itineraries like the one I was adhering to in Tenerife, is the lack of time to observe and
absorb the culture. I only had a week and change on the island and was more
focused on capturing 360 video than exploring local customs. Some might think
of this as a shame, but I love filming!
I love the process of exploring and finding
the shots that I want to share. I love editing the clips together and then
taking Katie on a virtual adventure, as we narrate the videos for others to
enjoy. I also know that this will paint a picture of Tenerife that my future
self will appreciate as well! Hopefully others appreciate what we're trying to
do with our 360 vlogs as well!
That's not to say I wouldn’t have loved to
learn more about the culture. But as we say, always leave something undone so
you have a reason to return. And in the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger… I'll be
back.
The shopping and museums in Santa Cruz are
a big reason tourists and islanders visit the capital. Neither enticed me
there. I was going to see the architecture, principally the "Auditorio de
Tenerife". This beautiful structure was built by Santiago Calatrava, the
same man responsible for the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, as well as
the Oculus World Trade Center in New York.
As you can see, this building is a work of
art. It was simply incredible to walk around the auditorium and see the
paintings on the rocks nearby of famous and mostly dead musicians. A stark
reminder that even the greatest humans can't escape the ultimate fate.
The city didn't do too much for me but it
was very much a flying visit. As I said earlier, I hope to return with my
partner in crime and eat all the local delicacies. I barely ate out at all,
favouring pack lunches. Part of the reason is cost, but also not having the
excited and knowledgeable Katie whispering the culinary delights we have to try
meant I missed out on the food. I'LL BE BACK.
Next week I'll tell you about a seaside town
that impressed me with rock pools and grand plazas. For now, go watch our 360 video on Santa Cruz. We'll see you next week!
