Día de Canarias, Canary Islands Day, is May 30th! White, blue and yellow flags adorn schools, village squares and restaurants. Gofio is a must today, as well as the vibrating strings of a timple. Black hats, cachorros, on men’s heads, goats and dried fish…
Despite my lack of patriotic inclination, I realize that a day like this can be particularly touching. Yesterday I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye while watching my children’s long-awaited and prepared school performance with traditional dancing and singing. Isn’t it nice to enjoy being incarnated in this wonderful place, or in my case, being washed up here?
The restaurant in Centro is currently closed for renovation work, but the women who are working today have put sweet potatoes on the stove to cook. It’s a community day, a special day to eat lunch together. Rosi, our housekeeping manager, has made pella de gofio and bought Canarian bananas to take to the apartments with the change of towels. White plate – blue towel – yellow bananas.
A warm welcome culture!
It is this place with its traditions, tastes, music and linguistic melody that has grown close to my heart and makes this place and its people my home too… Without any patriotism.
Mikaela Nowak
