Tonight was for us the carnival for 2015 in the Canaries finally over. Dietmar had to endure one last event. Namely the "Burial of the Sardine".

The Burial of the Sardine is a big festival in Spain and traditionally symbolizes the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The focus is on a huge colorfully decorated fish figure from paper mache and fabric, in a procession of torch-bearers, wailing widows and mourners accompanied in mourning is carried through the streets. The festival ends, when the fish figurine is finally lit. With the burning of the figure is generally a large fireworks display. (free by Wikipedia)

According to the Internet should this take place against seven clock. Still without rental car we took the bus to Los Llanos, lead us to the unbeatable price of 2,74 € (for two) brought in a quarter of an hour in the Old Town.

Since we did not know exactly, exactly where the funeral was to take place, we visited only public carnival fairground. On stage, played in our ears cruel scenes from. A lady sang loud and obliquely some kind of pop music. We quickly ran away. From the "Sardine" there was nothing had happened to see.

Still, could be felt, that today something was going to happen. Significantly more people than usual at this time were out on the town. On the big board at the "Plaza de Espana" While we were able to decipher, that the sardine would still worn only at half past nine to the grave, Unfortunately, we were left the scene of the action but still a mystery. So I tried something first to buy time and Dietmar invited to a Baraquito a. As most of it was in the evening in the city quite fresh, if(n) in kurzen Hosen unterwegs ist 🙂 und bis halb zehn war leider noch etwas Zeit.

Dietmar was visibly pleased, that it was the last carnival company of the year, and was brave. And eventually they appeared really to: The long-awaited Sardine.

The procession was led by a police officer with flashing lights on the bike, then followed a great car the Sardine: colorful painted, determined two meters high and made of papier mache.

It was followed by the "mourners", black-clad men and women in costumes, the wailing and mourning.

More and more people joined the procession and we followed the funeral procession. So we came through the old town to the place of the actual events. The crowd had to stay behind barricades and away we witnessed the cremation, which ended with a very nice fireworks.

For us, a very successful conclusion, slowly because it gave me even. The palmeros celebrate but two days more, bevor der Karneval auch hier endlich zu Ende gehen wird 🙂

Since not all of life revolves around the Carnival, even if one comes from the Rhineland, We wanted to see us today in the north of the island, the almond blossom.

Due to the harsh weather another dive was not in question. Still a strong wind and high waves made a safe trip to the underwater world impossible. Very sad, since the first course dives were planned and there was a lot to learn new.

So we wound our nearly five hours along the northwest coast on small winding roads through the mountains. The blossoming almond trees smelled very strongly of honey and every photo stop was also a real treat for the nose. Just in time for radio round to 14:30 but we were back on the SUMMER, because the weather forecast to our friends at sea so would not convey by themselves. To support good friends on your voyages, Dietmar is very important.

After the trip to the enchanting nature stood as a contrast by five clock "Corso de Carnival" in Los Llanos. Since in the Canaries is rather cozy and equipped by all fixed dates are usually rather viewed as a rough guide, we went just before five on the way. After a lengthy car park we came quarter past five in place to, where the train should start. As already suggested, but was still nothing happened. 🙂 So konnten wir noch in Ruhe einen Platz in der ersten Reihe suchen, which gave us the best view on the way, the'd take the train.

More than an hour lasted the Corso, where we met again next several great samba music groups, the Samba dance groups from last week.

For me, the children's carnival queen were, the adult carnival queen and all non crowned contenders the real highlights of the event.

The imaginative costumes, who wore the ladies, were significantly longer than two meters wide, low and high. So the ladies can even move so, the costume is built on a base with castors. To march such a long way with the heavy costumes is impossible with the best will. As always, the four beauties were loaded together on the back of a large lorries. So they stay up and can not fall they had fixed easily on all sides with sturdy wire on the truck :-)!

Santa Cruz de La Palma has a very special carnival tradition, we do not want to miss. "The Carnival Monday is fully dedicated to the emigrants, returning from overseas in their white suits as a symbol of their new wealth in the home. On this day Sprinkle each other with talcum powder (or baby powder), bis alle weiße Anzüge tragen.“ – so schrieb es unser Reiseführer 🙂

Dietmar got the whole "Powder history" from the beginning very critical. As Hamburger its carnival passion is anyway not particularly remarkable, der Reinländer ist da doch deutlich mehr experimentierfreudig 🙂

But somehow I succeeded, to motivate him so far, that we were quite early on Monday morning in the car to Santa Cruz. Would start the show with the arrival of a ship with the "Moors" on board. The figure "La Negra Tomasa" was 1992 von Victor Lorenzo Diaz Molina, called Soso, launched and is now an integral part of the "Día de los Indias". The figure represents the mixture of black and white in the Cuban culture.

At the port, a crowd had already gathered. We quickly had to find, that wearing white clothes was mandatory. Unfortunately, my motivational skills were not in the morning but have been so far successful, we also costumes were traveling. Now we felt in our colorful clothes almost like the animals in the zoo, aber das ließ sich jetzt auch nicht mehr ändern 🙂

In my imagination, I awaited the arrival of the Moors with a large and imposing ship, that borrows heavily from the old ships, which formerly was the Atlantic crossing. So I was quite surprised, when a little later a small white boat approached the port.

This arose from the Moor, The withdrew a really great show and definitely something brought the crowd together with the Samba drummers boil.

So the train started moving towards the city center, raged in the streets already numerous battles powder. On every street stall you could not just cocktails and beer, but also buy large cans of baby powder. But particularly startling was the powder guns, large amounts could shoot powder over the crowds.

The Dietmar was then too colorful or rather to know so we had to beat a retreat. Clean and without "powder damage" we reached our car and quickly searched the length. On our way across the island but we realized, that we had only seen the beginning of the Spectacle. A bus to the neighbor, crowded with white-clad party animals, came to meet us and the west side of the island must have been terrifying afternoon but empty, because only tourists and Carnival muffle sought refuge here.

To complete I have a few pictures from the internet used. Maybe it was better, that we are gone. Vielleicht wären wir sonst an einer Babypudervergiftung zugrunde gegangen 🙂

On Saturday night we got from the nice and unfortunately unknown young lady the tip, to look at the farmers market in Los Llanos on Sunday morning by. For there you would get fresh fruits and vegetables directly from the island, harvested ripe and not transported far. That we sure did not want to miss and went after breakfast on the way.

At the half-way route we came unexpectedly into a kind of traffic jam. An Island ratios surprisingly large amount of cars was apparently looking for a parking space. The lucky ones, her car had already gotten rid of, flocked determined by a large gate and thus disappeared from our sight. What was going on here? Were curious as we, we changed our plans immediately. We stopped and parked our car in a side street off. A little later we found ourselves on a large artisans- and flea market.

Dietmar I really fell for the glassblowing, in a glass-makers worked at the glass melting furnace. He quickly got out of there this week and it turned, that they had not only visited both the same in Wertheim vocational school, but there had acquaintances in common. Die Welt ist klein und die „Glasbläser-Welt“ ist anscheinend noch kleiner 🙂

After the first visit to the market we were only really in shopping mood and drove on to the farmer's market, as it was originally planned. Although it had become quite late, the offer was still huge and the quality convincing. So hiked two kilos of oranges (1a quality 1 € for Kilo), a cauliflower and lettuce in our basket.

Until the daily radio round at half past two a little time remained for us, we used for a trip to the viewpoint "El Time" directly above the port.

So we were back to the ship on time and as agreed to put Dietmar 14:30 UTC contact via shortwave on 22.159 Mhz for yacht MAYA on the way from Cape Verde by Barbedos and SY BELOW SEA in the Caribbean ago. Dietmar had made it their task, to supply the two yachts on the long crossing to the Caribbean with weather information and to ask for being on board. In addition, the families and friends of the crews were happy, if he has passed the greetings of the sailors by email to them.

The next morning we had to organize a car first, which proved to be quite difficult. But around noon there was a nearly new Skoda Yeti on the Marina parking, to take us in the next week comfortably from A to B. So we moved to Los Llanos los same time, the second largest city of La Palma, which no 15 Located minutes from the marina.

We strolled through the neat old town with its beautiful pedestrian area around the "Inglesia de Los Remedios" and the "Plaza de Espana" middle of the old city center. Eventually, we could not resist and turned in "Frida", a cafe with homemade cakes and homemade ice cream. On the way back to the car we passed a billboard, the informed about the upcoming carnival events in Los Llanos. Right here with bids. Since our Spanish but unfortunately not enough, to decipher all the details, We decided tonight just personally stop by and see, what had actually standing right on the program.

Also at the Marina Tanzacorte prepared you to a special festivity ago. Early in the morning we had started, build a marquee. About five clock, as we were about to leave for Los Lllanos straight again, we heard traditional Canarian music.

At the opening of the second investor for large ships in Tanzacorte was great and plays a folk dance group shows your skills.

Many officials were invited. 59 Million euro funding had flowed into the overall development of the port. Two gigantic breakwater protecting investors for two cruise ships or ferries up to a length of 150 Meters in front of the sometimes very rough seas.

If ever such a crusader will invest here, but is uncertain. The Latest, joined the Tanzacorte with Santa Cruz, was adjusted in any case again. It all seemed to trouble anyone but further. Die Veranstaltung endete sogar mit einem kleinen Feuerwerk 🙂

In Los Llanos angekommen, we found, that today most of the children's carnival had been on the program. Da waren wir doch wohl schon rausgewachsen 🙂

After a short round about the fuss we went back to BUZZER. It is probably really time, to improve our knowledge of Spanish. Who knows, in which strange situations we are otherwise still maneuver us.