BarrieMahoneyThe Canary Islands have a richness, colour and diversity that are probably unequalled in most parts of Europe. No, I am not talking about the flora and fauna of these islands, but its people. Here you will find people of all colour, faith and no faith, straight, gay and transgendered. In the main, all rub along happily with each other and this is one of the many reasons why I adore these islands so much. The islands offer a culture of ‘live and let live’ with tremendous energy, vitality and enthusiasm - feelings and impressions that are quickly sensed by our many thousands of tourists to the islands and why they return year after year.
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
BarrieMahoneyLive and Let Live
One of the many things that I love about our island in the sun is the ‘live and let live’ attitude of most of its people. No, I don’t mean the thousands of tourists, but the true Canarian people, those who were born here and have stayed in this little corner of Paradise. As long as it is broadly legal and does not interfere with anyone else, in the main, anything goes. For many of its present day expat population, with its heady mix of faith, culture, colour and sexuality, it takes time to get used to not being judged. Maybe this stems from the time, it is said, when Spain’s General Franco, intolerant of gay men in the military, would ship them off to Gran Canaria, which became a kind of penal colony for homosexuals.
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
BarrieMahoney'Twitters from the Atlantic' is a quirky and amusing weekly blog by author and international columnist, Barrie Mahoney, about an expat's perspective of life from an island in the Atlantic Ocean. For more information, go to: www.barriemahoney.com
BarrieMahoney'Twitters from the Atlantic' is a quirky and amusing weekly blog by author and international columnist, Barrie Mahoney, about an expat's perspective of life from an island in the Atlantic Ocean. For more information, go to: www.barriemahoney.com
purplelover110I love hand-written letters ^^. I do write letters to my friends sometimes :).
BarrieMahoney"Despite all the positive aspects of living in the Canary Islands there are, as in all things in life, a few negatives too. One of my main irritations is slow delivery of parcels, which is often due to the Aduana (Customs) process. Even though the Canary Islands are part of Spain, and within the European Union, we are outside of both for the purposes of taxation. This state of affairs is of great benefit to residents and visitors alike, who can buy all the luxury goods they can afford whilst on holiday, and pay only 5% IGIC (local tax) instead of IVA or VAT in Spain of 18% and in the UK at 20%. However, there are downsides too..."
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
BarrieMahoneyExpats and Ebooks
I miss books! One of the most difficult things that I had to do when we left the UK for Spain was to cull my collection of books. We could neither afford to transport them all, nor was there going to be enough storage space in our new Spanish home to accommodate them. Book lovers will know the feeling, I am sure, that books become like old friends - always there to provide words of comfort and support in times of difficulty, laughter as well as endless sources of wisdom collected over the years. In the end, I had to make a decision and most of my collection of books found their way to the Salvation Army shop at the end of our road. It was heartbreaking. Even so, I just could not part with some of my earliest childhood memories and so some of my favourite children’s books are still stored in a box in my elderly Aunt’s garage in the UK.
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
AudiobooUgh - getting rid of books is so hard! I just feel reassured seeing them on my shelves.
Kate
@Audioboo
BarrieMahoney"There are references to Carnival in island government records as far back as February 1556, but the fiesta has grown from strong influences from South America and the Caribbean, as many Canarians left the islands after the Spanish Conquest seeking work or their fortunes in the newly discovered lands of the Americas. Some islanders were forced to leave their homes in the Canary Islands by the Spanish government as it wanted more people to settle in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Over the years, many islanders returned to their homes and brought with them many traditions from these newly discovered countries..."
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
BarrieMahoneyIt is easy to understand the fascination of many Americans with these small volcanic islands just off the coast of Africa. More than two hundred years have passed since the arrival of the Canary Islanders in Louisiana. However, Spanish surnames are plentiful in Louisiana as well as in other states, and their descendants still treasure the unique heritage of their brave ancestors from the Canary Islands.
www.barriemahoney.com
BarrieMahoneyDo you receive endless email spam messages advertising all kinds of competitions, pills and potions and, in particular, Viagra? The Viagra ones are particularly sinister, I find.
www.barriemahoney.com
BarrieMahoneyNothing says “Royal Wedding” quite like an ostrich’s bottom joined to your left temple. No, I had told myself, I would not be spending the day watching the wedding celebrations and associated hats of a couple I did not know, would never meet and who were representing a country many miles away.
www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com
play0:00 / 4:36Live and Let Live One of the many things that I love about our island in the sun is the ‘live and let live’ attitude of most of its pe...
