Reader’s Letters – January 2025

Our readers regularly send us messages and emails regarding Lanzarote, here are some of your thoughts that we printed in the January edition.

Readers are reminded that views and comments expressed within the Ed’s Postbag page are those of the contributors and may not necessarily reflect the opinions or standpoint of our staff. It should also be noted that we are an independent publication free from political persuasion or governmental censorship.

We publish your letters! Have something you want to say or something to get off your chest? Send your letters to editorial@gazettelife.com to have your thoughts featured.

ONE DAY…

Dear Editor,

 I am a reader of Gazette Life via the internet, and although I am a Dutch citizen, articles about Lanzarote are a way for me to keep up to date with everything that is happening on the island.

Although I have been visiting the island as a tourist for over 30 years, I am always surprised by your articles which, despite the fact that the magazine is in English, are easy for me to read and understand.

Especially the Ed’s letter is spot on every month, and reminds me with nostalgia of my last stay, now 8 months ago.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to travel in the near future due to illness, but I will definitely make up for that, I miss the heat, the landscape, the sea, and long walks on the long hiking routes around Tias.

I would like to wish the editors of Gazette Life a Merry Christmas and hope to stay informed of everything that is happening on the beautiful island of Lanzarote in 2025.

One day I will live there and grow old.

Sincerely, Harm Uringa, Netherlands

Ed: Thanks, Harm, all the best to you and lets hope you recover and return to Lanzarote quickly.

FOOD FESTIVAL 2025 

Dear Editor,

Can you please advise when the next food festival in Costa Teguise will take place in 2025.

Thank you

Regards, Veronica Clarke

Ed: So far authorities have only confirmed that it will take place, Veronica, but no date has yet been announced. It normally falls on one of the last weekends in November.

TAX ME!

Dear Gazette,

 I am an English tourist who read your article about the water shortage here on Lanzarote. I was saddened to hear that local people have to accept water shortages whilst people like me, a tourist, can have water all the time. I would like to say that I feel uncomfortable with this and I’d suggest that the island council impose a €20 tourist tax per holiday on all tourists (not children) giving the island much needed revenue to improve your water industry.

When I visited Salou in Catalunya, I paid a €21 tourist tax on my holiday. And as a tourist I’d be more than happy to pay a similar tax to visit your beautiful island of Lanzarote.

Regards, James Whitaker, Costa Teguise.

SEVEN MIRACLES

Dear Editor,

My precious partner Susan and I relocated to the small village of Teseguite, last year. On Sunday 10th November I fell off the roof of our aljibe, which is about 4.5 metres deep. This is when the miracles started….

Miracle 1. Our grounds are massive and Susan could have been anywhere, I think my screams were picked up by our beautiful little rescue dog Macky I remember a lot of barking, then Susan managed to find me.

2. Our property address doesn’t exist on any Ayuntamiento records, even though it is fully registered. Even so, not only did the emergency ambulance and police service find us in I think not more than about 20 minutes, they had managed to negotiate the 250 metres of treacherously washed away road to reach our front gate.

3. Then those wonderful people managed somehow to extract me (not knowing the extent of my spinal damage) from our still very unfinished hole in the ground, still alive.

4. Bearing in mind that this is now Sunday night, there was still a fantastic emergency team awaiting me at the Dr. José Molina hospital in Arrecife. They quickly realised the need for an extra analysis from the Gran Canaria spinal unit.

5. On Monday morning I was airlifted to University Hospital Dr Negrín in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.Once again the fantastic team in the intensive care unit speedily did a full analysis of the extent of my injuries.

6. Then the ultra-fabulous spinal surgery team stepped in. I’ve been pinned, bolted, cemented and collared and in just 12 days I am now in a position that I may be well enough to be transferred back to Lanzarote early next week.

7. My darling Susan has been so tremendously supported by our wonderful neighbours, friends and acquaintances. Even the priest David Brown from the English church in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria have paid me visits and given lifts to and from the airport to Susan. And finally our life-long friend Susie Barrett who I suspect has saved my Susans sanity by flying out from the UK to stay with her and visit me.

Hope you feel able to help me pass on this message of deepest heartfelt thanks. If I have missed anyone or anything please put it down to the bump on my head.

Yours sincerely, the luckiest 68-year-old in the Canaries, Paul Mobbs.

HIPERDINO LIGHTSHOW

Dear Editor,

The new Hiperdino store on Faro Park has installed a huge neon sign, taking light pollution to a whole new level. It is a wonder that the local council have approved this.

The three houses opposite now have to suffer this intensive lighting in their homes until very late at night and sometimes all through the night. This is not we expected in the Faro Park area, as the sign does not blend with the natural environment.

Homes are lit up by neon lights announcing Supermarket Hiperdino, plus a whole rooftop full with freezer equipment that is not even disguised to blend with the environment.

Hiperdino’s own website states “for years they have been working with Canarian society to promote actions that reduce their impact on society which contributes to acting in a more respectful way with the environment.” I see no evidence of this on Calle Irlanda Faro Park.

J Taylor.

BEWARE THE UNRIPE CAQUI

Dear Ed,

Recently, terrible vomiting and fainting caused me to call the ambulance. I was treated wonderfully and fully recovered. I am 89 so they kept me in for tests and said there was no infection. I had to find out what caused this to avoid it in the future. The fruit that is called Caqui in the supermarkets (Persimmon in Wikipedia). Their entry on toxicity reads:

“Unripe persimmons contain the soluble tannin shibuol, which, upon contact with a weak acid, polymerizes in the stomach and forms a gluey coagulum, a “foodball” or phytobezoar, that can affix with other stomach matter.”

Fascinating – but to be avoided!

I ate only a small piece of unripe fruit, about 15%, with half an unripe pear, on an empty stomach. I felt progressively worse during the day, was violently sick twice, and ended up in hospital at 11 pm. I’m thankful I ate so little.

Please make sure your Caqui is ripe!

Malcolm.