Enjoy a cycling holiday in the Canary Islands (photo: James Mitchell, lanzaroteguidebook.com)

Despite its volcanic terrain, Lanzarote is a perfect location for a cycling holiday.

The island’s year round clement climate and super low rainfall (it lies just off the coast of west Africa and the Sahara) attracts professional and amateur cyclists in droves during the winter months, as they seek out warmer weather for training and practice.

From November through to May packs of colourfully dressed cyclists take to the island’s roads, enticed not just by the weather but also the incredible natural beauty of Lanzarote, which provides a breathtaking backdrop for all that pedalling and exertion.

The island is also manageably small, making it possible to take in a real variety of vistas in the course of just one day. Riders can enjoy the eerie volcanic scenery of the Timanfaya Volcano Park in the south through to the lush palm packed valleys of Haria in the north.

Facilities on the island for cyclists are equally impressive. Many professionals are attracted by the amenities on offer at the La Santa sports complex, which is located in the north of the island.

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A Spanish consortium plans to invest over 220 million euros on the Cape Verdean island of BoaVista, including the construction of a 2,000 room hotel, according to a protocol signed Wednesday in Praia.

The investment is the biggest ever in Cape Verde and involves Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Turastico das Ilhas da Boa Vista e do Maio (Sdtibm) and Spanish consortium Bucan, from the Canary Islands, made up of Cabocan, which has investments on Sal island, and hotel chain Riu, which is also Spanish.

The project will cover 450 hectares of the island, which has a total area of 820 square kilometres and a population of around 5,000, and according to Sdtibm chairman Joao Serra, will transform the island by 2020.

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The 2008 Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnival poster has been released. Created by the high profile Canary Islands painter Juan Galarza, the poster is themed on magic, the theme of the annual carnival, which runs from 16 January to 10 February.

Next years celebrations are much earlier than usual and kick off on 16 January with the comparsas, murgas, rondallas and musical group contests. Friday 1st February sees the carnival hitting the streets culminating in the Grand Final Procession or Gran Coso Apoteosis on Tuesday 5 February.

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She’s circled the globe four times, delivering much-needed supplies to remote island schools, conducting impromptu medical clinics, trading with the islanders and introducing nearly 1,000 people to the challenges and rewards of sailing a square rigger.

She’s the Barque Picton Castle and next spring she is setting out on an all-new epic adventure, one that will see her crossing the North Atlantic bound for the ports where her storied life began; places like Swansea and Milford Haven, from which she worked as a North Seas fishing trawler, or Bergen, where she was hailed the “Liberator of Norway” for her arrival as Nazi forces withdrew.

This latest voyage set to get underway from the ships home port of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada in May 2008 will see the Picton Castle traveling close to 30,000 sea miles as she explores the ports of the Atlantic World. From her first call at the volcanic islands of The Azores to ports in the UK, North and Central Europe, the islands of the Western Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Canaries, North and West Africa, a stunning studding sail passage back across the Atlantic and equator, to Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, then island hopping in the West Indies and ultimately home to Lunenburg, this is sure to be a voyage every bit as epic as the ships well-known world voyages.

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Foreign investment in Cape Verde is expected to reach US$7.8 billion between 2007 and 2011, according to figures from the archipelagos foreign investment promotion agency.

Investment is expected to increase continuously, from US$711.8 million this year to US$2.7 billion by 2011, allowing for the creation of 31,882 jobs, according to Cabo Verde Investimentos (CVI).

There area projects worth US$2.99 billion already approved, which will create some 16,715 jobs.

According to Portuguese news agency Lusa, the figures from CVI were told to a mission of 22 Portuguese businesspeople, which was analyzing investment opportunities in the archipelago.

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This exciting new development is currently being built in the south of Tenerife and will provide a perfect day out for families, groups of friends and conference and incentive teams. Inspired by the old King of Thailand, Siam, the water park will be the biggest in Europe, a 50 million euro investment with 185,000 square metres of thrilling attractions along with 25 Thai buildings.

Siam Park is due to open in May 2008 and will carry a Thai theme. The Royal architect, the professor Ruthai, is responsible for the design of the buildings capturing an Oriental feel. This, combined with the beautiful plants and water features make a visit to Siam Park a truly exotic and exciting experience.

Attractions include thrilling rides that will guarantee adrenalin and a great deal of laughter, such as the

Stories in the local, national and international press about a Canary island for sale have stirred up worldwide interest. Unfortunately prospective buyers might feel they have been had if they believe some of the photos appearing with the articles: lush, green landscapes more likely to have been taken in the north of Tenerife than the rocky, arid, guano-covered islet which is Montana Clara, north of Lanzarote, up for sale for a cool 9 million euros.

The barren volcanic rock, a haunt of sea birds and subject to draconian protection legislation which bans any building, is said to have awoken the interest of a number of starry-eyed potential purchasers.
But hardly had news about Montana Clara broken than its neighbour, the larger islet of Alegranza, also came on to the rarified islands-for-sale market, though with a price tag of a whacking 63 million euros.

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A new venture between the Foreign Office and the Department of Work and Pensions had an open day down in the South Gran Canaria last week. The first of its kind and I believe they will be visiting some of the other Canary Islands and the main land Spain in the near future

The reason for this visit was to identify the needs of British Citizens living in Spain, and to provide general information on UK Pensions and benefits in Spain.

They pointed out things to bear in mind when living in Spain, such as:

Registering at the Local Town Hall (Oficina del Padron en el Ayuntamiento)
Doing this will enable you to access your local social services and health care and even vote in municipal and European elections.
Also to remember that the health or social services that you receive in Spain may not be the same as you would receive in the UK. However, you will be treated exactly the same as a local.

They also announced that a new Consulate facility will be opening in the South of the Island. This will be held in the Patronato de Turismo, Yumbo Centre, Playa del Ingles. It will be opened on a Monday and Thursday from 9.30 to 13.30 until December. To avoid queuing, those wishing to see a Consulate can telephone the main consulate in Las Palmas to book an appointment.

Some useful telephone numbers:

British Consulate 928 262508
Age Concern Espana 902 003838

Salina Sea, on the island of Sal in Cape Verde, accommodates studios, one and two bedroom units and will support a maximum of 1700 beds of which 580 will be fixed and 1120 will be convertible. The planning ensures that the great majority if rooms enjoy good solar orientation and panoramic views towards the south. It is equipped with a large range of facilities such as panoramic restaurants, bars, SPA, swimming pools, open air jacuzzis, games room, wet bar, commercial spaces, exhibition gallery, lounges and reading areas, artificial beach and shallow pool lounging area.

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Salina Sands is a hotel building classified as a 4 start Apartment-Hotel and is located in the town of Santa Maria in the Island of Sal, Cape Verde. It’s located in St. Maria’s Tourism Development Area on a plot of land with an area of 41,472 square meters.

More concretely, the plot presents a very privileged site as it is positioned within the first line of hotels, adjacent to the south facing part of the beach, in the west of St. Maria. This front is mostly fully built-up, and the hotel we plan to build will occupy a void between two other existing hotel units, the Hotel Morabeza and the Hotel Oasis Belorizonte.

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