1995 Gran Canaria: Potpourri

My last few trip reports have each been based upon a topic or trip. Today I want to comment on the litte things I've noticed in passing during the second phase of my trip. These are the kinds of things you never hear from vacationers because they've forgotten them by the time they've negotiated the baggage carousel and customs.

Palm trees

Gran Canaria abounds with palm trees. Everywhere you look you see them. Small. Tall. Fresh and green. Tired and brown. Bent. Split. Holding up a laundry line. Framing the skyline.

Unlike the way I remember it to be, the palms I've seen during this trip all look like they're of the same species. I think it was a friend in California who explained that using only one type of tree for decorative planting is the ecological equivalent of putting ones eggs all into one basket. Should the right pest or blight head your way and you lose everything. At least I'm seeing young trees. Too many places seem to have forgotten that the next generation will enjoy the trees we plant today.

Birds

Each morning, and during much of the day, I enjoy the singing of the birds in our aviary. I showed you the aviaries a few days ago. Here are some of the denizens.

Although I've never seen anyone tend to the birds, I suspect that it's Ricardo, our night watchman and pool cleaner.

Cats

The name Canary Islands (Islas Canarias) has nothing at all to do with the little yellow birds; that's a bastardization of the Latin name Islas Canis, the Islands of Dogs.

As recently as fifteen years ago there were packs of feral dogs roaming the island, even fledgling tourist resort areas such as Playa del Inglés. I would watch pack behavior (alpha male, etc.) during my early morning walks along the beaches. I can't ever feeling threatened by the dogs, even as a child here. My grandmother took in one of the dogs and gave him a home and the most wonderful home-cooked dog meals you could imagine. (Being a feral dog didn't exactly guarantee three square meals each day.) Panchito was a wonderful dog to play with, except he couldn't abide loud noises such as firecrackers. During the Canarian New Years festivities Panchito would be cowering under a bed, whimpering.

After the dogs were depopulated (don't ask me how, I wasn't here for those ten years) there was an empty niche in the food chain. Not for long. The island is now filled with feral cats, some of which are quite friendly.

Understanding Gorillas better than Spaniards

Have you found errors nontrivial or marginal, factual, analytical and illogical, arithmetical, temporal, or even typographical? Please let me know; drop me email. Thanks!

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