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Letters from the Atlantic

Letters from the Atlantic

"Letters from the Atlantic" is a quirky and amusing weekly blog by author and international columnist, Barrie Mahoney, about an expat"s perspective of life from an island in the Atlantic Ocean. For more information, go to: www.barriemahoney.com

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All Episodes

5:28

El Hierro, Sailors and the Virgin

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/08/24

One of my favourite Canary Islands is the Island of El Hierro. Despite being the smallest of the islands in physical size, it is an island crammed with natural wonders, such as sea cliffs, lush forests and volcanic features to admire. Each of the Canary Islands is different, and El Hierro has become particularly special, and famous in environmental circles, due to its imaginative efforts in making the island self-sufficient from oil, relying upon water and wind power, of which it has

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4:09

Getting Tough on Builders

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/08/08

Since the World economic recession in 2008, and many would say long before that, builders and developers have been accused of holding onto land that has been agreed for development purposes in the hope that eventually it will increase in value. At that time, and only when the price of land and property shows a significant mark up, will building work be completed. © Barrie Mahoney 2023Join me on Facebook: @barrie.mahoneyTo find out more about Barrie and his books, go to:

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4:58

Britain's Wartime Plan to Invade the Canary Islands

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/07/29

The British have always loved the Canary Islands, but sometimes for the wrong reasons. A brief wander around Las Palmas will reveal British businessmen honoured in the names of some of its streets, a thriving fruit and vegetable export business originally started by the British, and even a traditional British church for the early businessmen to worship in. Did you know that the British planned to occupy the Canary Islands, and Gran Canaria in particular, during the Second World War? A

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4:05

The Domino Effect

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/07/19

During the years that we have lived in the Canary Islands and the Costa Blanca, I often see groups of elderly men sitting together on the pavement, outside a cafe bar, playing dominoes. In most cases, this is not a genteel game played in silence, but quite an energetic activity that involves a lot of shouting and waving of arms. There is one particular group of players that I often see when I pass a cafe bar in our nearest town; it is usually the same group of elderly, and not so elderly

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5:06

The All Inclusive Wristband

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/07/08

Recent news articles about asylum seekers in Cardiff being forced to wear brightly coloured wristbands in order to claim their meals each day rightly drew both amazement and disgust from many decent people in the UK. This news broke within a few days of the ‘Middlesbrough red door’ controversy, whereby the homes of asylum seekers were targeted because all their front doors were painted red. Again, many people complained that this policy was wrong. Both incidents revealed an appalling lack

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5:31

The Sands of Time

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/06/20

Most of us take sand for granted. Many of us hope that when we go on holiday, we will be able to enjoy a clean beach, with lots of golden sand. If we have deeper pockets, maybe we can head to one of those picture postcard Caribbean resorts offering white sand, or possibly somewhere even closer to home. I know of several beautiful, white sandy beaches in Scotland’s Hebridean Islands, although it is usually far too cold to enjoy them to the full. Another option is Spain’s Canary Islands, of

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6:07

Shifting Sand

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/06/05

I’m all for a beautiful white, sandy beach; after all, it is the stuff of postcards, and the kind of image that one dreams about during those cold, wet and rainy days in the UK. I now live in a Gran Canarian village that can only offer black sand on its small, secluded beach. We live on a small volcanic island and the geology of the area dictates the colour of the sand. In contrast, the nearby Maspalomas Dunes, which offers a wonderful, ever changing landscape of shifting near-white sand,

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5:04

The World Cradle of Rum

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/05/26

It is often forgotten that when you speak about rum, you are talking about the Canary Islands; the two are intertwined. Many rum connoisseurs describe the Canary Islands as the ‘World Cradle of Rum’, where this beautiful spirit is made by combining a centuries old tradition with the superb quality of locally produced raw materials. White rum, banana rum, toffee rum, chocolate cream, coco-pineapple and coffee rum are just some of the many varieties available although, personally, I am rather

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4:17

Getting to Know a Lizard

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/05/15

I am not an expert on lizards, so I am unsure as to what species Clemmy is, but these islands are home to some of the most impressive lizards on the planet. It is interesting to know that most of the Canary Islands have their own indigenous species and may best be regarded as a lizard paradise. The islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro are home to some of the largest true lizards on the planet that can grow to around 80 centimetres long, so Clemmy has a very

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7:00

Living in a Hayloft or Pod

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/05/08

The severe social and economic consequences of failing to provide sufficient housing for increasing populations is at last beginning to dawn upon national and local politicians in many countries although, as usual, UK politicians are slow to respond to the crisis. For far too long, governments of all political shades have ignored the issue of providing sufficient numbers of high-quality, low-cost housing for sale, as well as for rent. It is disturbing, inhumane and unacceptable to see

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6:29

In defence of Red Wine

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/05/01

I confess to having a bit of a weakness for red wine. At UK prices the temptation was never quite as strong, but for me this has been one of the real benefits of moving to Spain in general and Gran Canaria in particular. A plentiful supply of good wine - almost on tap - most of which are remarkably drinkable and exceptionally good value just warms the cockles of my heart! © Barrie Mahoney 2023Join me on Facebook: @barrie.mahoneyTo find out more about Barrie and his books, go to:

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4:20

Just Nuts About Almonds

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/04/25

The Canary Islands were the crossroads between Europe and the Americas for many years. As a result, the islands can boast a rich and varied cuisine, offering a unique blend of flavours that is influenced by Africa, Europe and America. Without going into too much detail here, there is accumulating genetic evidence which suggests that much of the material used for horticulture in the Americas came directly from the Canary Islands. These islands had centuries of trade with Berbers,

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6:27

A Traitor in Paradise

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/04/17

Some time ago, I visited a memorial sculpture to ten sincere and brave men, which was a very moving experience. These were ten Canarian men who were tortured and put to death for their beliefs during the Spanish Civil War. These ten men defied Franco’s fascist government and were put to death by being tied in sacks filled with heavy rocks and tossed alive into the Atlantic Ocean. Almost 80 years have passed since those dark days, but now, at the point where they were deliberately drowned, a

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4:36

Single, Married or Divorced?

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/04/03

Divorce is the most stressful experience that most people will ever encounter. Over the years, studies have shown that the stress of divorce, together with resulting implications for any children from the marriage, property and finance, compromises the immune system and puts anyone dissolving a marriage at risk of illness and disease.© Barrie Mahoney 2023Join me on Facebook: @barrie.mahoneyTo find out more about Barrie and his books, go to: http://barriemahoney.com/

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4:14

Termite Teror in Tenerife

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/30

These invaders from the USA (Reticulitermes Flavipipes) were first reported in Tenerife in 2010. Commonly described as “an efficient and economic wood destroying insect” in the United States. These pests feed on all kinds of cellulose material, such as the wood used in buildings, paper, books and cotton. There can be as many as 20,000 to 5 million workers in a colony, with the queen laying 5,000 to 10,000 eggs each day.© Barrie Mahoney 2023To find out more about Barrie and his books, please

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4:24

Whistle While We Work

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/20

I am often asked which of the eight inhabited Canary Islands I like best of all. I can never answer the question, because each island is different and beautiful in its own unique way. I make a point of visiting each of the islands over the year. I love them all; each have their own unique character, culture and traditions. Let me give just one example. One of the smallest Canary Islands is La Gomera, which is currently much favoured by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. No doubt, she,

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5:08

It Began With A Dream

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/10

“It began with a dream…” was the opening sentence in the first chapter of my first book, which told the story of how my partner, David, and I found ourselves living and working in the Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands after careers as teachers in the UK. Like so many before us, we needed a change of pace and lifestyle and some sunshine; Spain was beckoning and had been for several years. © Barrie Mahoney 2023To find out more about Barrie and his books, please click here

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5:35

A Cat and Dog Story

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/05

I have always been of the opinion that we are born as either golfers or dog walkers. Sorry, I can already hear some of you complaining, “But I play golf and I have a dog!” Well, maybe, but perhaps one takes clear precedence over the other? Personally, I am a dog walker and not a golfer. Maybe this is in much the same way that most people tend to prefer cats to dogs or dogs to cats. It’s all about personal preference and, more often than not, whether we were brought up to love and respect

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4:36

Have You Checked Your DNA?

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/04

New DNA technology has enabled anthropologists to further investigate the origins of the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands. This archipelago, which is made up of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa, is located off the north western coast of Africa, midway between Morocco and Western Sahara. The study of its early indigenous people has always been subject to guesswork and argument, with little real evidence to back up

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5:26

A Playground for the Wrinklies

Letters from the Atlantic ·

2023/03/04

Since arriving in Gran Canaria, I have been fascinated and impressed by the politics of the small municipality of Aguimes, of which Arinaga is part. Locals tell me that, in the time of General Franco, Aguimes was one of the few municipalities in the islands to put two fingers up to the fascist dictatorship in Madrid and continued with their fiestas and other celebrations as normal. These flamboyant events had been generally banned by the General and his regime at the time - and totally

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