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EDITORIAL CONTENTS “Treat the Earth well. It was not a Editorial ...................................................................... 5 gift to you from your parents, it is on Readers’ Letters ......................................................6 - 1 0 British Ambassador ................................................... 1 2 loan to you from your children.” Handel’s Water Music ................................................ 1 3 Kenyan proverb Fiscal Advice – Real Estate ......................................... 1 4 Property Guide ......................................................... 15 Lanzarote - World Biosphere Reserve Lanzarote Rotary Club .............................................. 16 César “Lanzarote” Manrique Round the Island by Car ......................................18-23 History of the Ancient Inhabitants .......................2 4 - 3 3 In 1993, Unesco declared the island of Lanzaro- Cochineal on Lanzarote ........................................3 4 - 3 6 te as a Biosphere Reserve. The principle requirement of Cabildo Tourist Attractions ..................................38-39 granting this distinction is that the commercial develop- Dining Out ...........................................................4 1 - 4 3 ment of the location is carried out in tandem with con- Health – Advice on Sun-tanning ................................ 4 2 servation of the natural environment without damage to the natural surroundings. The commitment on the island Insular and Regional News ...................................44-64 to follow this path can be traced back to the 1960s, a time Cabildo Tourism and Centres ...............................44-49 during which the word environment was hardly part of the Canarian Government Campaigns ........................50-53 everyday vocabulary when talking about tourist resorts. King and Queen Visit Canary Islands ........................ 5 3 However, Lanzarote was blessed by having a na- Tias District - Puerto del Carmen .........................54-55 tive son called César Manrique, 1919-2002. Despite Yaiza District - Playa Blanca .................................56-57 being an internationally recognised architectural de- San Bartolomé - Playa Honda ...............................58-59 signer, sculptor and painter, he devoted almost his en- Arrecife - San Ginés Lagoon .................................60-61 tire professional life between 1969 and 1991 to the Teguise District - Costa Teguise Resort .................62-63 creation of most of the island’s Tourist Attractions. Haria Town - District ................................................ 64 Manrique was truly someone special in creating art in Lanzarote Para Athlete at the Rio Olympics ............... 65 public spaces decades before this term was in use. As St Patrick’s Day Celebrations on Lanzarote................ 67 stated by Chris Somerville in the Sunday Times, “Cé- Miscellaneous Photo News Items ..........................65-70 sar Manrique was fifteen years ahead of his time in Tourist Information ................................................... 71 what he achieved on the Canary Island of Lanzarote.” Bridge and Simple Crossword ................................... 72 Jameos del Agua Grotto, had been an underground General Crossword – Local Organisations ................. 73 cavern with an aperture in the roof through which the islanders would dispose of their rubbish; Mirador del Concerts and Cultural Events .................................... 74 Rio Belvedere was the ruin of a fortification built in the Taste of Lanzarote “Saborea” Run ............................ .76 1890s to guard the straights below; Jardin de Cactus was a stone quarry abandoned over two centuries earlier and the 18th century Castillo de San José had been a ruin for more than a century having last served as an ammunition dump. The leading member of Manrique’s team, Jesus Soto, installed the illumination in the Green Caves and President: Antonio Coll mapped out the Volcanic Route in the Fire Mountains. Lancelot Medios General Manager: Javier Betancort Wishing you all a very enjoyable holiday and if you Director Lancelot TV: Jorge Coll are thinking of spending more time here, why not buy a Honorary Editor: Larry Yaskiel holiday home. The weather is spring-like throughout Advertising and Layout: Liz Yaskiel the year and we are only a few hours from most Graphic Design: Betty Romero of the major airports in Europe. We publish quar- Avda. Mancomunidad s/n (Arrecife Gran Hotel) terly, our next issue is out on 1 September. Adios. 35500 Arrecife - Lanzarote Tel: 928 51 20 26 e-mail: [email protected] Whilst every attempt is made to ensure that ar- Published quarterly: 1 March, 1 June, 1 September, ticles and advertisements are factually correct, the 1 December. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or publishers and printers cannot be held responsible broadcast without the written consent of the Publisher. for any errors or omissions. Intending purchasers Copyright LANCELOT. Depósito Legal GC 846-2014 must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise Distibution: Totaldis - Printed by Minerva, Lanzarote of each of their statements. No. 141, 2017 http://www.lancelot.es/prensa.php e-mail:[email protected] Lancelot 5 LETTERS TO LANCELOT neal beetle which is harvested to ex- the dye to give their famous ape- tract its blood. At the time, textiles ritif its distinctive colour. Among and dyeing were one of the world’s the first major customers were the major industries and a dye of this British who used the dye for the quality which cost nothing to pro- famous red-coat uniforms and for duce was an incredible find. the guards at Buckingham Palace. C o c h i n e a l F i e l d s A few years later a Spanish king Over the past fifty years synthetic Dear Sir, was quoted as saying that a ship la- dyes have usurped its role but an When did the cultivation of co- den with cochineal was more valua- attempt is currently underway in chineal begin on Lanzarote and is it ble for his country than one carrying the village of Mala close to Guati- produced anywhere else in Spain? gold or silver. The source of this za to re-introduce this traditional Dorothy Lewis dye was kept a secret for almost 100 harvest to satisfy a demand for non- 37, Westover Road, years but in the 18th century the toxic natural colourings. There is an Bournemouth BH1 2 BS Spanish decided to attempt raising article on the subject elsewhere in England the tunera themselves and sought this issue. César Manrique decided the most suitable area. Having ex- to create his Cactus Garden in this GUINEVERE When the Spa- perimented all over the mainland location because the surrounding nish colonised Mexico in the 16th without success they found that the fields are home to many thousands century, they noticed Indian tribes climate and soil of the Canary Is- of tunera cactus. smeared bright crimson warpaint lands was the most conducive, espe- on their bodies before going into cially Tenerife and Lanzarote. battle. When asked where they ob- The colorant was mostly used by Volcanic Monitoring tained the dye they pointed to the the pharmaceutical and cosmetic Dear Sir, tunera cactus plant which grows industries. For many years Campa- In the excellent article “Monito- wild in Mexico and demonstrated ri was one of the biggest customers ring Volcanic Activity” in issue no. how it acts as a host for the cochi- for the Lanzarote harvest who used 140 you mention an information 6 Lancelot LETTERS TO LANCELOT module in the Cueva de los Verdes venues we have spotted the statue pplied with water by ship from Te- which checks sea levels. We oursel- of the girl with the water pot. The nerife and Grand Canaria, and so- ves are scientists and have visited latter town has a board explaining metimes even from mainland Spain the caves several times without see- about water shortages in the island, in times of drought. This could last ing a laboratory. Where is it loca- and we have read elsewhere that for up to three to four years at a ted? And what does it observe in once, for a period of thirty years time, before the island’s first desali- the sea? there was no rain at all, water being nation plant was built in 1964. brought by sea from Gran Canaria. When the English author Olivia Stanley and Carol Robbins How times change! However we Stone arrived on the island for the Las Brisas Playa Blanca would very much like to know the first time in 1884 she noted in her history behind the mysterious ‘girl book that there were puddles of GUINEVERE This area is out of with the water pot’!! Who sculpted water on the quay at Arrecife har- bounds for visitors who can, howe- her, who is she? Can you help?! bour following the first rainfall in ver, observe how seismic activity is Jane and Will Downes, three years. She tells a highly inter- monitored from panels and interac- SV ‘Bounder’. esting story about her visit to Te- tive graphs on the upper level of Ja- PS We love the mag, Lancelot. guise, the first capital of Lanzarote. meos del Agua. At the base of Santa Barbara Cast- GUINEVERE Your “Girl with a le on Mount Guanapay in Teguise “ G i r l W i t h a P o t ” Pot” is an award from the Spanish is an area called La Mareta which Hi Lancelot, Government to local authorities all served as a water reservoir for the We are berth holders in Marina over Spain for having made their entire island in times of drought as Calero and spend a fair amount towns and villages look pretty as it collected all the abundant rain of the year sailing, and travelling