Flip flops on the trails and sewage in the sea, a reader’s verdict

Von Marlis Zoschke

It really is astonishing what goes on in some people’s heads. How can anyone go on hiking trips in bath slippers – because, as far as I’m concerned, flip-flops aren’t proper shoes? The rest of the attire that many people think makes them look ‚cool‘ can only be described as stupid. The fact that fines are now being imposed for such attire is long overdue.

Many people also have no qualms about entering an restaurant dressed like that. It would be up to the owner not to let such guests in. But the money is always a temptation.

We have already seen in Italy and on the Costa Brava that men wearing shorts or with their chests bare were turned away – even when they were guests at the hotel.

Tenerife has a wide range of problems

And what about the main problem? It’s no secret that there is virtually no functioning sewerage system on Tenerife, but the fact that they are now saying they want to put an end to sewage discharges into the sea strikes me as the height of audacity.

Millions of people are lured into the country – with images that sometimes don’t even exist, and promises that can’t be kept, whatever they may be. But it was always like that in the past too; back then, it was always ‚mañana‘.

‚Mañana‘ is a code word in Tenerife

Over time, we’ve come to realise that whilst it means ‚tomorrow‘, it usually actually means ’never‘. Because this shambles with the drainage system is age-old; it’s just that nobody has ever really done anything about it. After all, there weren’t that many tourists back then. In our block, there was a private sewage treatment plant that had to be pumped out every now and then. Did we ever actually see that happen? What do you think?

The ancient art of archery has now reached Tenerife too, which sounds good, as it is, after all, firmly rooted in mythology thanks to Diana and Cupid. It is, however, high time that the Canary Islands hit the mark again. At the very least, the penalty for such unnecessary rescue operations is a start.