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The Swiss Senn couple visited Tenerife for the first time in 1976. After pausing for several years, since they bought a house in their native country, they returned to return to their travels and decided to visit the island again. They have been traveling to Tenerife for 24 years, almost always twice a year, in February and November. Last year they had to cancel their reservations due to covid-19; in Switzerland they have many restrictions due to the pandemic: “Compared to Switzerland, Tenerife is a paradise”, comments Franz Senn.
The couple has just confirmed their next reservations for February and November 2022. They will stay, as always, long-term. The hotel reception staff have confirmed “your room” for you every year. “I call reception and ask for our usual room. No problem, they tell me, and I have my room confirmed ”, smiles Franz Senn. During all these years, the couple have chosen for their stays the Tigaiga hotel, in Puerto de la Cruz, north of Tenerife and with a privileged climate. The welcome at the Tigaiga hotel is exceptional, it is “like coming home”, both comment. Not only the reception staff, but also the restaurant staff; they recognize and greet them as soon as they see them. The couple refer to themselves as a “fan” of the Tigaiga hotel, Tenerife and the Canary Islands in general. The friendliness of the staff is out of the ordinary. They comment that, when traveling to other destinations, they always compare the hotels where they stay with the Tigaiga and say: “there we feel at home, this is very difficult to find.”
“We have traveled all over the world, but we no longer want to take a plane and spend 10 hours flying to get to our destination,” explains Franz Senn. They used to travel to New Zealand and it took a total of 36 hours to reach their destination. Now they prefer shorter flights, like the one to Tenerife, with a duration of 4:30 hours; “That is more bearable”, they affirm. They also know the neighboring islands of Gran Canaria and La Palma, which they visit often with the ferry that offers several connections to all the islands on a daily basis.
The couple usually travel alone, although on occasion their siblings have accompanied them. They choose the months of February and November because they prefer to travel outside of school holidays. “Families with children come before us, so we do not coincide and we are calmer,” adds Franz Senn. But they also always book on the same dates to celebrate their birthdays on the island. They prefer to celebrate here, and that says a lot about their esteem for fate. By always booking on the same dates of the year, they have made many friends over time. “We meet up with friends every year here in Tenerife”, says Anna Maria Senn. They keep in touch with some when they return home.
When they talk about Canarian food, they smile and say: “Hmm, it’s very good.” You don’t need to speak Spanish to order a good cherne with wrinkled potatoes, since in restaurants they speak German. The couple comment that they have seen how the tourism sector has developed in so long. “Before communication was more difficult, but now everyone speaks a little German and if not, nothing happens,” says Mr. Senn. “That is one of the things we like, we see that canaries make an effort to understand us and care about details; They are charming, the people are very friendly ”, he adds.
During their stay, the couple rents a car. They visit their favorite places, such as the Cañadas del Teide and the Bosque de La Esperanza. Before they were dedicated to hiking, and once they even walked up to the peak of Teide. Now, they take it more calmly, although they are still very active. They usually walk 7-8 kilometers every day. They enjoy the tranquility of the environment: “There is always something new to see, to discover,” says the couple. What they like the most is the pure air that is breathed on the island. They really enjoy the landscapes and their daily walks through nature.
It must be said that the Senn couple is already older, they are in their 80s, and they comment: “Winter is torture for us, that’s why we run away and come here. At home, we suffer from a lot of muscle aches from the cold. As soon as we arrive in Tenerife we feel good, very good, the pain disappears! ”.
It is true, the weather in the Canary Islands is very mild, with pleasant temperatures throughout the year. Spending the holidays in a place where pain disappears is something extraordinary.
