The tourists predicted by Reyes Maroto on the La Palma volcano: “It is a historical spectacle”

Last Sunday they began to search for the tickets in a hurry. Of course, they were cautious and chose as their destination Tenerife. From there, by boat, they would reach La Palma. “In case they closed the airport,” they foreshadowed. It was fulfilled. “In fact, my husband could not come because they closed the airport when he came.”

The sisters enjoy the moment. They are at a stop on the Empalme Dos Pinos road. Here are more examples of tourists like them. Most do not want to show their faces for fear of being criticized. If this is a show, the drama experienced by families in this area far exceeds it. Then? Is it legal or ethical to do tourism near a place that will be declared a Catastrophic Zone? To what extent can someone enjoy this natural phenomenon knowing the drama that it contracts? Do these tourists lack empathy?

The first time the debate was opened, Reyes Maroto was criticized to exhaustion. The minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism was the center of controversy for his statements in Channel On. “From Turespaña and the embassies we are going to give all the information so that the island (La Palma) becomes a claim for tourists who want to see this marvelous spectacle of nature wisely, because right now what concerns us is the safety of all citizens and tourists ”.

The minister was not saying anything crazy. The drama that La Palma is experiencing these days is clear, yes. You just have to turn on the television. But here there are dozens of tourists, if not hundreds, flocking to the island’s viewpoints to see the volcano. They want to see it from different points, from different angles and at different times, get as close as possible. Even the Civil Guard has sometimes had to vacate the shoulder of a few centimeters from the winding Canarian roads.

“Up to four hours walking”

The roar of a volcano sounds like a storm surge. Like when the sea hits the rocks. Or like the east wind blowing intermittently on the beach. The loudest explosions sound different, like a firecracker in the distance. Visually, it depends on the time of day, different phenomena can be observed. If during the day the spectacle is black, at night the incandescent red takes sides. The volcano spits and the explosions draw different pictures.

All very nice, of course. And a historical event to tell the grandchildren, if they have them. “I was there”. However, the opposite part of this coin is crying, people evicted, houses collapsing before the fire and people who are left without a livelihood from morning to night.

The palm trees also stop to see the volcano, of course. Some look from their rooftops, with fear, with uncertainty. “If you are at home at night, you hear explosions and you don’t know what happens. Better to be here watching it, if we are not going to sleep … ”, said a palm tree on Thursday night.

Outsiders don’t want to kick out outsiders. They are understandable, but they ask for a modicum of respect. Luis lives in Santa Cruz and he is seeing the volcano from the Empalme dos Pinos road, because he knows that it is a historical moment. He has come to this part of the island to see his relatives.

“I understand that people come to see it,” he says to the reporter who asks him. He is aware that the minister was partly right, although he knows that there are people having a hard time. What he does not like is that tourists are screaming in this place. It is a historic moment and it is understandable that they want to see it, but “a minimum of respect”. “A few minutes ago there were some boys here screaming at the door of the house – we are at a halt right in front of a house where a truck is parked. I understand that this man is not amused to see that being evicted ”.

In the same terms, another palm tree is shown in the area of The Time, a viewpoint 594 meters high. Cars crowd here and on Friday the Civil Guard even had to intervene to avoid accidents. This area, to the north of the island, has privileged views of the volcano. You can see all the laundry and lava come out in an incandescent red color. Some even use binoculars.

This palm tree, who has arrived on a motorcycle, makes it clear that he has been angry on several occasions. In one of them, he heard a man say the following: “Last night I sat down with a glass of wine and what a show.” That put him out of his mind and he had to restrain himself from facing them.

Canceled flights

This Saturday, air traffic was canceled in The Palm. Many stayed in the interior of the island, while others took advantage of the sea to go to Tenerife. This same route is the one used by others to access this place. Several do it from some of the islands of the archipelago, others arrived previously from the peninsula.

Just in case, there were those who looked for their flight to Tenerife For caution. “I thought that the La Palma airport could close and that’s why I chose that route. I knew that the boat would be the option ”, admits a girundense in the bar of El Time.

The Catalan comes with his brother and his daughter. He wants to see the volcano, but without disturbing. Many of those who have come to see the volcano of Old Summit they also want to help. This is the case of the aforementioned young man, who offered to remove furniture at any time.

Pedro, the fictitious name of a peninsular, also did the same. He sent several emails to help with civil protection. Enjoy, with respect, the historical opportunity that the volcano offers you. “Jodo, my goal was to see the volcano with the least possible impact and I would not want to hurt any sensitivity.”

He admits that he is sensitized, but one of his three dream trips was to see an erupting volcano. Last Sunday he did not think twice and bought a flight to La Palma. “If it wasn’t this, I was going to go see him anywhere in the world,” he acknowledges.

This 40-year-old doesn’t want photos because he feels judged. In part he understands, but in part he does not. He knows that there are many who would like to enjoy this historical moment and they do not say it out of hypocrisy. “Those who stand up in these cases are attacked,” he says. Repeat repeatedly that you do not want to hurt sensitivities.

Volcanic tourism and Reyes Maroto

“La Palma has among its tourist products the volcanic part and it can be a claim to take advantage of,” said Minister Reyes Maroto. It is true, you only need to go to the Fuencaliente or Puerto Naos area, the southern part of the island. There, it is presumed of the lava flows of the previous volcanoes: the San Antonio and the Teneguía.

“We are seeing it in other countries such as Iceland, where these phenomena are taking place,” Maroto also stated. And he was right. Moreover, the travelers who are here understand the words of the minister and share them.

Pedro is clear that if he were a politician, he would be in the spotlight all day for similar statements. “She was spontaneous,” he says.

The great example of this volcanic tourism is that of the family of Inma and Loreto, who also agree with Maroto. “Is right”. They are here, but they also went to Iceland when the volcano erupted. However, on that occasion they did not get to see him. When they went, he was no longer spitting lava. “That’s why we bought the tickets for Friday, to see it as soon as possible,” admit two sisters who did not want to miss it.

In fact, a generation of palm trees dreamed of seeing a volcano on the island. They thought, yes, that it would come out in an area where it would not cause damage. As the parish priest of Todoque acknowledged to EL ESPAÑOL, if it had come out that there would be material damage, “I would have preferred never to see it.” It is a shared feeling in this generation of palm trees.

Chema and Laura The minister’s words also see logic. They are from Tenerife and are parked watching the volcano before their ship sets sail back. “We came to bring help,” they say. But it is inevitable to stop to see this natural phenomenon. They also think that tourism is good for the island and again glimpse the controversy: “We need tourism, because we live a lot of it, but it is true that this is at the cost of the misfortune of others.”

Nonetheless, naughty he ended up rectifying his words and admitting all the criticisms. “You have to know how to rectify when you are wrong.” He regretted “that they have been able to offend the feeling that exists in La Plama and in the palm trees.” In addition, “I sympathize with the dramatic situation that exists on the island.”

The minister also presented another argument in said rectification. “There will be time to talk about tourism and how to recover repositioning.”

This report is written in a bar called Mirador del Time. The cameras crowd. Everyone wants to have their own photo, taken with their camera, even if it is from their mobile phone. Cumbre Vieja must be one of the most photographed volcanoes in history, we think.

With the passing of the hours, the night is gaining ground by day and the place is filled with tourists and onlookers. On Friday night, the police had to go to regulate traffic, as people were crowding around a rather dangerous curve. The insular accent does not dominate. An explosion makes everyone inside get up to see what is happening, how the volcano roars. How many of those who are here have come for volcanic tourism? How many will come while the Cumbre Vieja volcano continues to erupt? And then? And, above all, where is the fine line that separates respect for the victims of this phenomenon and enjoyment of “the show”?

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