twitters

The dates of Easter change each year and so the date of Carnival across the Canary Islands also changes, so that although the capital cities of each of the Canary Islands have the biggest parades and open-air entertainment, many smaller towns also hold their own Carnival parades. These parades have large floats that carry many in amazing costumes who often throw sweets or even offer those watching small cups of Canarian rum. Before the big parades there are also competitions for the best Carnival Queen (ladies), Carnival Dame (older ladies), Carnival Junior Queen (young girls) and of course the best Drag Queen (guess)! There are also singing competitions called Murgas, when local people on each island sing songs that can often be very rude to those living on other islands. Carnival starts when a large sardine appears, and it ends when the sardine is taken out to sea, where it dies, and many spectators will be seen crying! It is an emotional and passionate event, often reflecting the partying frolics of the previous night!

© Barrie Mahoney 2017

This article is part of the book 'Living in Spain and the Canary Islands by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

Nothing 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. It was a country that I had left many years ago and would be unlikely to return to. Participating in such an event from a small island in the Atlantic did seem a ridiculous way to spend a day, when I had far better things to do. Although I respect and admire the Queen, I suspect that is more to do with the fact that she represents continuity in my life, rather than a wish to celebrate the wedding of her grandson. I had another chapter of my book to write, and that was the way that I fully intended to spend the Royal Wedding Day.

How wrong I was. After being initially drawn by the excitement that was building on the radio, curiosity led me to switch on the television. The atmosphere was infectious, and by 10.00am, I found myself watching and sharing the events on television with around 2 billion other people in at least 150 countries around the world. 

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney.
You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

Babs Drougge och Matilda Rånge på P3 Nyheter förklarar morgonens stora nyheter, alltid tillsammans med programledarna för Morgonpasset i P3: David Druid, Kodjo Akolor och Margret Atladottir.

Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radio Play.

Nakenbilder på tjejer, en del så unga som 13 år, säljs och köps helt öppet på nätforum, enligt en granskning av Dagens ETC. Tjejerna själva vill inte att bilderna ska finnas där och köparna är ofta klasskompisar, som vill ha nakenbilder på specifika tjejer som de kanske känner eller bor granne med.

Sen snackar vi om massuppsägningarna på Twitter som startar idag. Personalen väntar nu på ett individuellt mejl om de ska få stanna eller gå. Och vad har egentligen hänt sedan Twitters nya vd Elon Musk slutligen rodde i hamn sitt impulsköp av plattformen för en vecka sedan?

Twitter's Vine, Google buys Jet.com, TMobile. Podcasting, Max Linsky, Pineapple Street Media, Calendar Watch, Amazon's Grocery Stores. Let's learn something about our own businesses through these blogging, social media, and tech news.

On today's episode Retweet wth comments now, Twitter's Curator, Facebook's Facepay, Nike and Instagram, Yumm.com, Weilos, Welly, Weight Watcher's, Google and Toei Samurai, Glozell, Amy Mains, Jeremiah Moss. All the tech, social media and blog headlines that Bloggers love, need and use everyday.

#Katch, Twitter's Periscope, Kim Kardashian, Meerkat, Hang w/, Oreo, Ascend Conference, Arby's, Budweiser, Stacy Minero, Twitter, Hunger Games, Starbucks, Michelle Phan, Blonde Salad, Adweek, a girl named Brandyn. All the tech, social media and blog headlines that Bloggers love, need and use everyday.

I am not a great lover of things nautical; after all, I tend to get seasick when having a bath if the water is too deep. However, the recent announcement of a new ferry service from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria to Huelva in Peninsular Spain, with a journey time of just over one day, as compared to nearly three days on the alternative service, set me thinking about a once-beautiful ship now lying off a beach on our neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Message in a Bottle' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

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.

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

"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..."

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

Lighthouses and Lime Kilns

There are many lighthouses in the Canary Islands and locals and many visitors will know that there is a particularly fine one at Maspalomas in Gran Canaria. The lighthouse, or Faro in Spanish, helps sailors to navigate their ships and is an integral part of sea-life. Usually, they are cylindrical towers with a light on top, and emit a fixed sequence of beams that is unique to a particular lighthouse. Built in 1980, the Maspalomas lighthouse is still operational and, for those who like full details, provides 3 white flashes every 13 seconds. Before lighthouses were invented, sailors were warned of hazards by the lighting of fires along the coastline...

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Message in a Bottle' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

In Santa Cruz, police recently arrested one man and five women, who were offering €10,000 to pregnant, homeless women in exchange for their babies. Police had been watching the suspects for some time after hearing about a person in charge of finding homeless pregnant women who were prepared to give up their babies for cash. Fortunately, the gang have now been detained and charged with crimes against family relationships, as well as attempting to alter the paternity of a child.

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Message in a Bottle' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

The 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.
© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

As much as many expats such as myself enjoy living in our newly adopted countries, it is strange what we miss from our countries of origin. Lemon Curd, Persil tablets and Branston pickle are just a few of the items that I know our friends beg visitors to bring when they visit. For me, it is Marmite, mince pies and ‘J’ cloths that ensure that our visitors receive a particularly warm welcome. I also miss BBC radio news, as well as radio drama.

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

One of the many things that I enjoy about living in the Canary Islands is a decent cup of coffee. Gone are the days when “a cup of instant” seemed to be the norm, and I still shudder when I return to the UK for a brief visit. A visit to one of the relatively new, and supposedly trendy, overpriced coffee shops is, for me, an ordeal best avoided. A quick visit out of sheer desperation during a frantic shopping expedition led me into one of the many branches of ‘Costa Lottee’ that are opening up in all of the UK’s High Streets - after all, it did offer “Free Wifi Connection.” 

© Barrie Mahoney 2012

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

Over the years these values have been recognised and supported in most civilised societies, who have felt that a collective investment in children is an investment in society as a whole. Sadly, as we have seen with the increase in tuition fees in the UK and the erosion of the principles of “free education for all”, these values appear to be under threat or, depending upon the colour of your politics, are requiring “readjustment to meet changing fiscal needs.

© Barrie Mahoney 201

This article is part of the book 'Expat Survival' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here

'Letters from the Atlantic’ offers an amusing and reflective view of living abroad for foreigners living in a country with a different language, a different culture, different legal systems and more importantly, a different pace of life. This book sets out clearly the do’s and don’ts for those who are contemplating moving abroad, as well as for those who have already made their choice for a life in the sun. The advice and suggestions are meant to encourage and support, as well as to entertain and amuse. 

This is not a travel book, but a well-observed view on people, society and the culture of living in another country. Barrie’s work as a reporter and editor of an English language newspaper in Spain led him to meet a wide range of people, some amazing and some weird, but most who had stories and experiences to share with others. These letters are intended to be an inspiration for those tempted by a life in the sun, as well as some cautionary advice based on Barrie’s real life experiences in Spain and the Canary Islands.

© Barrie Mahoney 2023

This article is part of the book 'Letters from the Atlantic' by Barrie Mahoney. 

You can find out more about the author and this book by clicking here