Books > Sport & Leisure > Travel & holiday > Travel writing
|
Buy Now
Canary Islands - A Cultural History (Paperback, New)
Loot Price: R459
Discovery Miles 4 590
|
|
Canary Islands - A Cultural History (Paperback, New)
(sign in to rate)
Loot Price R459
Discovery Miles 4 590
Expected to ship within 12 - 17 working days
|
The seven volcanic Canary Islands that bask in the Atlantic off
shore from the north-west African coast have long had legendary
connotations. To the Greeks they were the Gardens of the
Hesperides, blessed with a perennial spring-like climate, while the
Carthaginians christened them the 'Purple Isles' on account of the
rich dye material they obtained there. Inhabitants have ranged from
the early Berber-descended Guanches, of whom cultural traces still
remain, to the rich blend of European and Latin peoples that
evolved after the Spanish conquest in the fifteenth-century. Famous
visitors have included Columbus, Humboldt and General Franco, who
famously flew from Gran Canaria in a (British-piloted) Dragon
Rapide in 1936 to launch Spain's Civil War. In today's cosmopolitan
capitals of Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife Spanish
colonial-era buildings merge with modern centres equipped with
sophisticated amenities. For holidaymakers tiny
ecologically-oriented havens like Gomera vie with big brash tourist
resorts like Playa del Ingles and Playa de las Americas, today's
major money-makers after the brief trade boom of yesteryear. Peter
Stone explores the fascinating history and culture of this
archipelago, where nature and geology provide a spectacular setting
for today's tourism industry. FANTASY LANDSCAPE Bone dry
'badlands', orange-grey dunes, giant craters, frozen lava flows,
black-sanded coves, rich green bananas plantations and sylvan
woodlands shrouded in perennial mists all form part of this
multi-faceted paradise. NATIONAL PARKS AND WILD LIFE Four of
Spain's fifteen great national parks are located on the islands;
Tenerife's 3,700-metre Teide, the country's highest mountain, is
the most visited. Island fauna vary from the desert-like lizards of
Lanzarote to the rich bird life of La Palma. UNIQUE LOCAL CULTURE
Local fiestas abound and traditional dance and music exhibitions
are held in cultural centres like Gran Canaria's Pueblo Canario.
Mould-breaking Lanzarote architect Cesar Manrique has left a
supreme legacy of innovative buildings and monuments.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.