He may be small, but Aristides Moreno is pretty big in the Canary Islands. The whimsical singer from Gran Canaria, is a welcome visitor to Tenerife on Friday November 14, when he performs a FREE unplugged concert at Faro Chill Art.

Aristides has a bizarre sense of humour that has won him many fans, although the title of his latest LP, Submerged Economy, may be a little too near the truth in the current climate. The appearance is part of a promotional night that includes fashion, design and Canarian food, something for every taste really.

For those yet to discover Faro Chill Art, it is in the Commercial Centre Torviscas Costa, close to the Hotel Niña, where 24 hour parking is on hand. Aristides is due on stage at 11pm but get in earlier and sample the other attractions of this stylish lounge bar.

Oscar D’Leon spans the salsa loving music world with his infectious mix of rhythms and passion. The Venezuelan born star may be 65 and the survivor of 3 heart attacks, but he still knows how to get people dancing. On Saturday November 22 he will bring his musical experience to bear on the football stadium in Adeje town for a 9pm start.

It promises to be a full night of entertainment with Calle Ciega as the support act and other artists to be confirmed nearer the big night. Tickets are 15 euros in advance from usual outlets including most record shops, or 20 euros on the night.

Just bring your boogie shoes and prepare to enjoy yourself at this open air extravaganza. Costa Adeje has a great record in attracting the top salsa and latino acts, there will be many more to follow Oscar.

Like the finest of action movies, it was High Noon at Siam Park today when Great Britain and Spain 1 served up the first match of the Tenerife Champions Cup beach volleyball tournament. There was a typically clear Tenerife blue sky, the finely raked sand was baking hot, and it was just about to get a whole lot hotter.

The Champions Girls cheerleaders, had been limbering up and outshone the sun when they appered at courtside. You had to admire the concentration of the players with such delightful distractions, but these guys are professionals and live for the game. Spain’s first team of Pablo Herrera and Raul Messa had a score to settle with the Great Britain pair of Jody Gooding and Robin Miedzybrodzki after losing to them in the recent Brazil tournament. The Spanish pair proved too strong this time for GB and won by 2 sets to nil, 21-15 and 21-16. 

The tense action on court was a dramatic contrast from the previous evenings cocktail party launch at the Hotel Sheraton La Caleta. Players were able to mingle with invited guests out by the pool and enjoy the fine food and drink served up. Great Britains Robin (left) and Jody (right) seen below relaxing with new found friends, were impressed by the 5 star luxury of the Sheraton, and excited by the prospect of playing in the Tenerife Champions Cup.

The opening game certainly set the net high, but all 8 teams are fired up to chase the glory and prestige that goes with winning the Tenerife Champions Cup.

Sporting action doesn’t get much hotter than this, 16 of the Worlds top male beach volleyball players in pairs action, over 3 days at the new Siam Park in Costa Adeje, and it’s FREE. At the press launch this morning, at the amphitheatre high up above the wave palace, it was clear to see why this was chosen as the venue for this prestigious international event. The sun bathed the light sand court and the stone tiered seating, banking upwards in a semi circle, gave excellent views, not only of the presntation area, but Siam Park below, and out to the sparkling Atlantic.

Glamour was added by the 8 members of the cheer leading troup, Champions Girls, but once we reach noon on Friday October 3, it will be down to serious sporting action as the professional players of Spain and Great Britain start the first match. Jody Gooding and Robin Miedzybrodzki represent GB as they build towards their target of London 2012, and Pablo Herrera and Raul Messa, fresh back from Beijing will wear Spain’s colours.

• FACTS AND FIGURES
• FRIDAY OCTOBER 3
• Noon -  Great Britain v Spain 1  
• 1pm - Spain 2 v Germany
• 2 pm - France v Italy
• 3 pm - Poland v Russia
• 4 pm - Spain 2 v France
• 5 pm - Spain 1 v Poland
• SATURDAY OCTOBER 4
• Noon - Germany v Italy
• 1 pm - Spain 1 v Russia
• 2 pm - Poland v Great Britain
• 3 pm -  Spain 2 v Italy
• 4 pm - Germany v France
• 5 pm - Russia v Great Britain
• SUNDAY OCTOBER 5
• 11.30 am - Ist Semi Final
• 12.30 pm - 2nd Semi Final
• 3 pm - GRAND FINAL

Don’t forget the event is FREE to watch, just head up to the side entrance of Siam Park, and join in the fun.

Shrieks of pleasure, gasps of admiration and the frantic click of cameras rung out across Costa Adeje as a dream became reality. Yes, It’s official, Siam Park has arrived. The water kingdom theme park received its inauguration last night in the company of politiicians, business leaders and media from right across Spain. The 185,000 square metre site has been taking shape since 2002 and is a flagship for tourism in the south of Tenerife.

Crowds gathered outside awaiting the arrival of special guest the princess of Thailand, Maha Charkri Sirindhorn, to cut the floral ribbon, before that, the Bishop of Tenerife blessed the park as the crowds admired the imposing exterior. Once inside, the thai theme rang out loudly as colourful temples and guards, not gods, great care has been taken to show due respect to Thai history, dominated the skyline. Performers in traditional dress added a touch of style in the Thai village, the largest outside of Thailand, sealions lounged in the entrance pool and the longest and highest lazy river meandered through the parkas guests explored.

A party of local youngsters eagerly tried out some of the 14 rides, revelling in the warm recycled sea water. The tower of power was the biggest challenge with its 28 metre steep water chute, many looked on in awe through the glass tank where the chute becomes a sealed tube whooshing the rider through a sea of fish and out into a splash pool. Similar thrills awaited on the dragon and volcano with an inflatable raft carrying riders through a maze of tubes and into another splash pool, life guards were ready for them to guide them to a safe stop.

As the sun set, the view over the park and beyond Las Americas to sea, took on a magical light and guests headed to the 5,000 square metre imported white sand beach for the speeches by local dignitaries. The torches burnt around the wave pool, where man made waves of up to 3 metres will delight surfers, and the pagoda like restaurant was a focal point that along with 4 other bars and restaurants, will feed the estimated 7,500 visitors a day the park expects. Fireworks tore through the night sky to round off the evening, and many were already planning return trips with their families when the park opens to the public tomorrow, Wednesday September 17.

•  FACTS AND FIGURES
• Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm
• Adults 28 euros (residents 25 €) book on line 26 euros
• Children 3 to 11 years 18 euros (residents 16 €) book on line 17 euros
• Twin Tickets Loro park & Siam Park www.twinticket.com
• Adults 49 euros (residents 39 €) book on line 46 euros
• Children 33 euros (residents 25 €) book on line 31 euros

It may be A Long And Winding Road to Tenerife but it looks like Paul McCartney may be making the journey to thrill the islands music fans on Saturday December 6 at Golf Costa Adeje. That may just be the start, the same sources are suggesting that guitar great Eric Clapton may be Wonderful Tonight, sometime in April 2009, at the same venue.

The precedent was set on January 24 when Elton John wowed a large audience in the natural amphitheatre of the driving range at the Costa Adeje golf course. There has been many a slip between intentions and delivery in Tenerife in the past, but Canarias Live Sun Festival were as good as their word in delivering the Rocket Man, and they are behind the 2 latest concerts.

Elton John was spot on musically, starting dead on time at 9pm and belting out all his hits in a two hour plus set, the only problems came with getting fans into the 20,000 makeshift stadium. this was the first ever concert at Golf Costa Adeje and with those teething problems uppermost in their minds, the organisers should be able to fine tune these future concerts.

The Paul McCartney gig is being confidently predicted on several international websites but the Eric Clapton concert is in its early stages. As a rough guide, the Elton John tickets were 120€ for V.I.P seats and 90€ and 35€ for standing room. The venue has proved itself, and these two international acts will appeal across the board to ex pat Brits, Canarians and many other nationalities. We will keep you informed as things develop.

If you have been inspired by the gold medal winning Brits at the Olympic Games, you may like to take in one of the big road cycling events of the summer calender, as it passes through Costa Adeje.

The Tour de Tenerife starts on September 3, and this year will involve 14 teams all tackling some of the most diverse and challenging terrain in Tenerife, over 321 kms. Adeje gets its chance to host on Thursday September 4, with the second stage of 93.5 kms, setting off from Calle Grande at 1.30 pm.

The stage will lead out of Adeje and up the west coast to Playa San Juan, Playa del Arena, Los Gigantes, and then up north to Tamaimo, Santiago del Teide, Erjos, El Tanque, Icod and finishing at El Sauzal.

Most of the teams taking part are from mainland Spain, but Germany and Italy have entrants, and Tenerife is represented by several local clubs, including the Loro Parque team.

Music of all types and nationalities can be heard in Costa Adeje, earlier this year, Elton John performed in an open air spectacular at Golf Costa Adeje. It’s the turn of latino music next as Juan Luis Guerra comes to town on Friday August 29.

Juan is from the Dominican Republic, and is a major world star, performing merengue, salsa and latino songs. Over recent years, he has won bucket loads of Latino Grammy Awards and he enjoys superstar status in Spain. The concert will take place outdoors at the big football stadium in Adeje town from 10 pm and tickets are a bargain 25 euros. Tickets can be bought at El Corte Ingles in Santa Cruz or on line at www.ticktackticket.com It should be a great night with plenty of dancing and fun, the whole of Costa Adeje will be swinging their hips for days.

There are plenty of fiestas all year round in Costa Adeje, it’s a busy and thriving community. Many Brits have settled in the area, lured by its character and charm, maybe you could be next, www.secondhometenerife.com has plenty of properties to tempt you.

People settle in Tenerife for many reasons, and Costa Adeje lures many different nationalities for many reasons. It takes an adventurous spirit to relocate to another country but some are more adventurous than others, Peter Raab from Germany is a prime example. The long term resident of Tenerife owns Total Marine in Puerto Colon, boat brokers and marine experts, when it comes to practical experience he has the ultimate qualification, he has recently returned from a 3,000 mile two man rowing trip to Antigua.

Ocean rowing has a long proud tradition in the Canary Islands and Peter first got the itch when the 2001 Atlantic Rowing Challenge set off from Playa San Juan on the west coast. The idea simmered until Peter decided in late 2006, it was time to have a go himself, so he set about raising funds and finding a partner and a boat. Martha Dos was a sturdy 7.1 metre long and 1.9 metre wide row boat, that had made the crossing in 61 days in the 2001 race, and Peter managed to rent the boat from the Martha Dos hospice charity in the north of Tenerife, this was the first contribution to charity.

The original rowing partner had to pull out at a late stage but after chasing up his contacts, Peter found Tim Wilks, a semi pro rugby player and adventurer from Darlington, who was keen and willing to push himself to the limit to catch up fast on the gruelling training. As the December 8 2007 departure date raced towards them, the boat became a familiar site in Puerto Colon harbour as it went out on late evening training runs.

As if the sheer mental and physical challenge wasn’t enough, Peter and Tim pledged to raise funds for the Orobal charity, an organisation that supports the  mentally and physically handicapped from its Los Cristianos base. Local business’s and groups like Freebird Sailing and Santiago del Teide Lions Club rallied round with sponsorship, and on the morning of December 8, a large crowd packed the Puerto Colon marina to see them off.

Powerful waves, strong currents, hot sun, cramped conditions and basic food and drink were all hardships they had to bear but after 59 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes, they sailed into Antigua to a heroes welcome. Now 4 months on, Tim is back in England, Peter is back in Costa Adeje but the boat is still stuck in Antigua, much to their annoyance. “We have paid to have it shipped back” said Peter, “but are still waiting for the Ocean Rowing Society to make it happen. It’s rented till August, so if we don’t get it back soon, we will end up paying out more money.”

The boat will bring a financial bounty back with it, all the special equipment bought for the crossing will be sold and that money will go into the pot for the Orobal charity.  The total is currently nearly 9,000 euros but that will also be swelled by the DVD of the crossing that they have just brought out. All the trials and tribulations of life at sea are on there and the 14.99 euros price includes a 9 euro donation to Orobal, just pop into Total Marine on the first floor at Puerto Colon or make contact via the website.

As to the future, Peter isn’t about to take up the oars again but he does say, with a far away glint in his eye,  that he is looking for another challenge.

What a sporting spectacle, two worthy opponents, unseperable in open play, forced into a sudden death showdown on Sunday evening, with a big prize awaiting them. No, not Spains Euro 2008 triumph, this was drama Costa Adeje style, in the 2008 Tenerife Ladies Open at Golf Costa Adeje, played out to a Europe wide television audience.

Rebecca Hudson from Doncaster eventually lifted the trophy after seeing off Anne-Lise Caudal of France with a winning putt at the 17th hole. The four day competition had come to the boil after both players took 278 shots to finish on 10 below parr. It was a tight contest all the way, and third place was shared between Europe number one Gwladys Nocera of France and, one for the future, amateur sensation, Carlota Ciganda of Spain, both had taken 281 shots.

The real star of the contest was Costa Adeje itself, not just the beautiful course with its trees, shrubs, stone walls and sloping greens that look out to La Gomera, but also the surrounding coasts and mountains, all will have been captured by the cameras to present a living brochure to potential property investors, holiday makers and golfers. Golf Costa Adeje is one of the top courses in Tenerife, and the best way to really appreciate it is to get out there and play, full details of charges and course statistics are on the website. It is just one of the fantastic range of attractions in Costa Adeje, let’s hope we see you soon.