Penelope Cruz Filming on Lanzarote
Visitors to Lanzarote could stumble across the set of the new Pedro Almodovar movie if they are visiting the island in June. As the highly acclaimed Spanish director, best known for works such as High Heels and Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown – will be shooting his new feature, Broken Embraces, starring Penelope Cruz – on location here next month.
Likely locations include Arrecife Hospital, Famara and El Golfo.
Island residents were invited to audition for roles as extras last weekend. Resulting in hundreds of excited, aspiring actors descending on the Gran Melia Salinas hotel in Costa Teguise. Where one exuberant young hopeful opted to perform a variety of contortions for the edification of the casting crew – in the nude!
Extras will be paid €40 per day – plus meals – for a twelve hour day on set.
Increased Flights to Lanzarote From UK
The number of flights to Lanzarote from UK airports is set to rise this Winter. As most of the major carriers to the island have announced enhanced schedules in reaction to burgeoning demand from British tourists.
ThomsonFly has unveiled new flights to the island from East Midlands airport commencing from November 1st. Whilst other key operators such as Monarch, EasyJet and Jet2 all plan to upweight services for the winter season too.
The announcement of the new schedules provides a further shot in the arm for the island’s tourist industry. Which is already enjoying a buoyant start to the year – with British visitor numbers continuing to climb versus 2007 – up 5.1% during March 2008 and 16.7% during January and February.
And it’s not just in the air that visitor numbers have increased. As Lanzarote cruise passenger figures are also on the up – by a whopping 110.46% during February 2008 versus 2007.
Life´s A Pitch
Stall holders at Lanzarote´s popular Sunday market in Teguise have been venting their frustrations over plans announced recently by the Ayuntamiento de Teguise to increase prices for pitches.
The local authority has increased the price of four metre pitch from 60 to 75 euros a day – with larger stalls experiencing bigger increases.
A number of stall holders, led by spokesperson Rogelio Quintana, have registered their displeasure. And argue that the money should be used to improve the supporting infrastructure in and around the busy market place.
Jameos del Agua Repairs Continue
The reopening of the concert auditorium at the Jameos del Agua has been subjected to a further delay. As the glass dome cupola in the auditorium requires further work to ensure that it is fully watertight – after workers discovered a number of leaks and perforations.
Originally it was hoped that the auditorium would be re-opening this May. But this date has now been put back – with no new official completion date set.
Hot Stuff
Visitors to Lanzarote experienced record breaking temperatures last weekend – as a heat wave created by an incoming calima from Africa sent temperatures soaring into the mid 30º´s – and above.
As a result, weather stations throughout the Canaries recorded the highest temperatures for April in over 70 years.
Changing Places
Tourists hoping to find their way around the island capital of Arrecife will need to ensure they have the very latest maps to hand. As the Ayuntamiento of Arrecife is planning to rename the streets which have names connected with the General Franco period.
A commission has been formed of political representatives and historical experts to change some of the street names in the capital. Many cities and towns in the peninsular have already begun the work of renaming buildings and streets that had names dating from this period in Spanish history.
And inroads have already been made here on Lanzarote. For example, in Arrecife the Public College of General Franco was renamed last March to the Public College of La Destila, with the full approval of the Ayuntamiento.
