Santa Cruz. La Laguna.

[Mac]

All one conurbation now, of course. Seen from the outer habour wall,
beyond the million-pound yachts and the newish Auditorio (supposedly
wave-shaped, but looking like a snail with a bad haircut), the city
sprawls up and over to the top of the island.

Staying in Santa Cruz wasn't even Plan X - just a brief visit in the
quiet of Sunday, then up to the hills. But then we found the new
tranvia (tram) and, weirdly, the whole town was draped in Scottish
flags, and we'll be out in the sticks in Gomera for the next few
days......

The flags were explained - it is the flag of Santa Cruz, playing at
home tonight. (They won 2-1 and every bar erupted.) The trams are
new, excellent and cheap - only €2.45 return to La Laguna, the
original capital, whose wide paved streets and stylish foursquare
colonial buildings are a topcoat cooler than the port below.

An uneventful city stay, not only the usual 'lunes cerrado' but a long
holiday weekend as well for the feast of La Immaculada Concepción. (I
find the timing of this feast a bit peculiar, but don't want to get
into a religious discussion.) Even the large Mercado de Nuestra
Señora de Africa is closed, the city taking a breathing space before
the onslaught of Christmas. Despite the insistance of the Canarians
that this is not Spain, Santa Cruz feels a very Spanish City.

Esperando el ferry para Gomera,

Mac

(This post is several days late, internet access being a bit difficult
in Gomera)