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View Full Version : Sand and Flower Carpets - La Orotava, Tenerife



canarybird
30-06-2011, 17:07
I was up there this morning (June 30, 2011) from 10:30 am to 12 noon to watch the flower carpets being made for the celebration of Corpus Christi in La Orotava, so after taking photos and reducing them in file size for the forum, I can post a few that I've had time to edit this afternoon.

The rest are going on a slideshow that I've just started, and will hopefully finish adding to it tomorrow and over the weekend.

Here they are - hope you like them :)

The volcanic sand carpets in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento: (city hall plaza)

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-fGZJBwJ/0/M/P1080526-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-FqQd2VR/0/M/P1080545-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-jTJdWqZ/1/M/P1080530-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-kPPXc8k/0/M/P1080541-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-ffv7T86/1/M/P1080551-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-RBwQFqx/0/M/P1080572-M.jpg

http://canarybird.smugmug.com/The-Sand-Carpets-of-Corpus/Corpus-Christi-2011/i-PVbbmnd/0/M/P1080591-M.jpg

Link to slideshow. (http://canarybird.smugmug.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=17817004&AlbumKey=MMgFgS)

The weather was cool and misty and I'm glad that it wasn't too hot, although the humidity was high.
I'm sure it was easier for those artists crouched on the cobblestones working on their knees.

Now I'll be watching the procession this evening on local TV.
It's quite a spectacle!

Canarybird http://www.pbase.com/canarybird/image/65726805.jpg

garlicbread
30-06-2011, 17:25
As usual Canarybird great pictures.

This is the first year in 10 that we haven't been up there for Corpus Christi making your pictures even more welcome.

Pooh
30-06-2011, 17:30
Thanks Sharon, beautiful pics... Unfortunately we weren't able to go there this year, but I'm sure we will, many times in the future.

warbey
30-06-2011, 19:43
One Picture speaks a thousand words.
Both lovely and educational.
Thanks Sharon....

rosemary
30-06-2011, 19:49
Thankyou Sharon so much. Had to miss it this year due to dentist! Next year is a must. Beautiful piccies. :hello:

TenerifeFanatic
30-06-2011, 20:13
Thank you so so much for these wonderful images. I feel as if I have been there today and experienced those marvellous works of art!! Well done Sharon!!:)

Pink shoes
30-06-2011, 20:50
Wow! thank you for posting the photo's. A lot of time and work has gone into thoose beautiful designs.

Megaloo
30-06-2011, 21:18
Thank you so much Sharron I unfortunately di not make it after all.

Assanya
23-09-2011, 10:51
its incredible
La Orotava to see how local people in the city Corpus Christi celebrated by decorating the streets and main square, with carpets made of sand, flowers and seeds.

This is a truly spectacular show and for anyone in the vacation time must be right on top of the "must visit" list. By the number of people who think yesterday was a bunch of lists of people, and there were thousands of all nationalities. In our coach only had Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Russian and British.

It's a bit like lining up to buy tickets for an important football match or rock concert. Everyone is dragging their feet in a "crocodile" one after another, the Church of the Conception of a road for the next until you reach the village, where the piece de resistance fills the town square. Last year the great work of art entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest of its kind in the world. It's hard to think while looking at works of art are made of sand and earth, the detail is phenomenal. It is also hard to believe that the end of the day there is a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, which follows the route of the carpets and all the hard work came up.

The tradition of decorating the streets with delicate petals of such vibrant colors, apparently started around 1847 (or so), but no one is around still to confirm the date. Still continues today outside the homes of family and the vast majority of the sample are family affairs. Everyone joins in the oldest to the youngest.