Anyone who has travelled across these islands and has driven through some of the older road tunnels, carefully crafted through the centre of some of the volcanic mountains, will appreciate the impressive engineering skills demonstrated by the talented workers of earlier generations. I was reminded of this once again when it was reported that the authorities in St Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia, announced their decision to dedicate a bridge on the tributary of the Neva River in honour of the Canary Islands engineer, Agustín de Betancourt, who worked for Tsar Alexander I.

The trade winds have both a positive and negative impact upon everything in the Canary Islands. The shape of the volcanoes, climate, the guiding of sailing boats and the natural cycles that enrich the Atlantic Ocean are all affected by the trade winds, which many refer to as “the Motor of the Atlantic Ocean”. Mariners have used and relied upon them for centuries for reliable and swift sailing. Surprisingly, the trade winds may also have determined how churches were originally built in the Canary Islands.

© Barrie Mahoney 2025

To find out more about Barrie, his blogs, podcasts and books, go to: http://barriemahoney.com/

With the exception of articles about receiving British television in Spain, the most popular article on my website continues to be ‘Death in Spain’, which is why I repeat the publication of this article from time to time. Death is a subject that no one really wants to talk about, but most wise expats know that they should give it some thought, if only to spare their loved ones’ unnecessary problems during a distressing time.

© Barrie Mahoney 2025

To find out more about Barrie, his blogs, podcasts and books, go to: http://barriemahoney.com/