Tenerife [antikvár]

IIMTRODUCTIOIM If there's one thing better than a summer holiday in Tenerife it's a winter holiday there. Just a few hours after shedding warm woollies and wrenching yourself away from sub-zero temperatures you step off the aircraft not only in another continent but in a different climate. It's a place for all seasons - and all of them warm and welcoming. If you have no desire to return home bronzed, or sit at a seaside café at midnight wearing only shorts and T-shirt, this is not the place for you. The temperature in winter 'falls' to 18°C. Little wonder that the Canaries are also referred to as the Fortunate Islands. To a large extent, they have made their own fortune. The islands were born out of sub-sea volcanic eruptions so the land is barren rock and dust. However, around the resorts, a lot of hard work has gone into creating floral explosions of colour. Soil was imported, an intricate irrigation system set up, and plants which have pride of place in pots on window ledges in Britain grow wild in Tenerife as hedgerows. A stroll along the quiet backstreets is like walking through the most carefully cultivated of hothouses. The other major attraction of Tenerife is that it is a duty-free island. The regional government of the Canaries recognises the earning potential of alcohol and tobacco and is dedicated to keeping costs down. This was a major factor in its refusal to become a fully integrated part of the Common Market. Locally-produced spirits cost about L3 a litre and cigarettes and excellent cigars can be purchased for pennies. A word of warning: there the bargains end. The shops are crammed with cameras, watches, hi-fi and hi-tech gadgetry. The covers and cases carry the names of reputable manufacturers, but many are fakes, made in Far East countries. Examine the guarantee to discover the country of origin. Lace and leather goods are also plentiful, but prices vary from shop to shop. By all means express an interest with a trader, but look at what others are charging. Bartering is not welcomed, but prices can be reduced instantly by about ten per cent. Hotels on the island are superb. Bedrooms are clean and spacious, swimming pools exciting and immaculately kept, and owners compete fiercely to create the most attractive reception areas and bars. The major emphasis is on marble, ponds and waterfalls, with many hotels proudly displaying plaques proclaiming the company which created