Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Arriving into Santa Cruz de Tenerife was an exciting moment, having spent so much time here each week during the winter season on my first ship Azura. Every Friday we'd have an overnight call where we'd see guests arrive and depart for their fly cruises. As a result I've got to know the city well and have a shortlist of favourite venuess.

On this occasion it marked a significant moment, we were somewhere familiar and closer than ever to home. Best of all, my colleague and I had negotiated a day off. He has family flying into Cadiz so I'll cover him and in return he covers me for Tenerife. As a result of that, I'd planned my day and it involved food!! 

First stop was the African market where I used to come to enjoy Jamon, Cheese and possibly the best tomato in the world!

The African Market is a lovely place to visit, split over two levels the market sells plants and flowers at ground level with a bunch of shops selling various local food stuffs. The basement contains a fish market which after midday turns into a load of fish restaurants and more importantly Jamon Everybody, an amazing little restaurant serving local wine, meat and cheese. Getting a table here is difficult but we landed on our feet and managed to get the only table for six that they have. From here it was the usual spread of meats and cheese and of course THE tomato. 

Who knew a tomato could be so good? Blanched, skin removed and covered in olive oil, salt and herbs. It's fresh and delicious. It pretty much has your weekly salt intake in one go so is definitely a sharer!

Accompanied with freshly cut jamonnfrom the hanging cured pigs legs adorning the ceiling, local cheese and washed down with Canary red wine

After a couple of hours it was time to move on. The consensus was to go and find some Sangria or in my case a cold beer. And so it was that we made it over to another amazing place imaginatively called Wine and Cheese. Where unsurprisingly you can find both those things as well as Sangria and beer! More food entailed, including padron peppers and cheese croquettes. Another lovely local feast!!

Eventually, time had marched on and the ship beckoned. It had been lovely to revisit Santa Cruz de Tenerife, I wish we'd had a little longer but in the time we did have, we'd revisited some of my favourite places and enjoyed some of my favourite foods. It felt like a home from home and it was just lovely to be back!

But, my real home beckons and I'm not getting there without the ship so onwards we go, back into Europe for the first time since I flew into a snowy New York on January 18th. Cadiz awaits! The final port of this world voyage. It'll be a day on the ship for me but I'm into that phase of thinking about my packing so this will give me a chance to take a look at what that's going to look like!