Teide National Park – why aren’t the tourism authorities making the most of it?

[Janet]

We went for a drive yesterday, and ended up in the national park. We parked and went for a walk along the Los Roques trail, and then headed over to the cafeteria which is part of the Parador hotel and the visitor centre. And this is where I get baffled. It was Sunday lunchtime. Several buses had just arrived. We are ahead of the queue at the food counter so I decide to leave the crafts and gifts shop until later. After refusing to pay the extortionate prices for snacks, we ended up with coffee that is now from a machine so has lost all the taste and body it used to have when made by humans. We drank it quickly because it really wasn't nice, and then I headed over to the shop ... which had suddenly closed. There were at least three busloads of tourists heading its way and it closed.

Meanwhile, the loos have a guardian of the keys who demands money before you can enter. Now it is my understanding that all restaurants and cafés must have bathroom facilities, and that they must offer these freely even to those who are not using their establishments. We were using the establishment but still had to pay. OK it's just 50 cents -  there's no sign but she told my husband that his 40 cents was not enough, and that he must add at least 10 cents more - so is there a fee, or not, and if so, what is it? And, that's from everyone ... busload after busload ... for something that should be free.

So, we decided to go to the visitor centre. This had been closed for "reformas" when we were last up there a year or so ago ... and we had rolled our eyes because it had already been closed for a year at that point. But no, still closed. What on earth is the point of pretty road signs dotted all around the island's roads directing them to tourist destinations which are clearly clueless, and have not the first idea about nor interest in how to deal with the tourists who arrive? Get your act together, for heaven's sake. JA

[Michael]

They really haven't a clue have they?

About the toilet thing, couldn't you complain?

[Perikles]

About the toilet thing, couldn't you complain?

Of course, I'm annoyed I didn't complain at the time, but I can't think properly when my bladder is about to explode. You also need to be able to think on your feet, which I'm really bad at, especially with legs crossed.

I shall next time. They must be raking in an illegal fortune from the bussloads of Russian tourists. 

And the coffee at €1.80 was actually undrinkable dishwater. Almost as bad as coffee in England. 

[Michael]

So basically whoever the manager is is a complete numpty? He/she thinks their job is safe so they don't have to try. 

[Janet]

It seems to me that it's an attitude that is all too common. Safe job (idiot who thinks that in this climate, but it's a mindset), tourists a nuisance, just pay and fuck off ...

The tourist authorities a few years ago even felt obliged to launch a "Tenerife amable" campaign telling people working in the tourist industry to SMILE for fuck's sake ...

That didn't work either ...

I've tweeted the post on my website to the tourism minister himself. Wonder if I'll get any response ...

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

In my experience, the loos are free. I think some rogue employee has decided they can make a few quick bucks by charging.  I'd tell them to fuck off.

In my experience, they close the gift shop at the first sign of tourists.  Always. 

As for the visitor centre, the last time I saw it open was in 2004.   

[Guanche]

Could do with a big black tar brush smiley here. But I think that typifies Spain Janet. Its the mass of public holidays the siesta 2, 3 hour dinner break. The 'Puente's' Even in the face of mass unemployment and the high possibility of losing ones job we can still find appalling service.
We always have coffee at this time and I don't care if there's a queue of people waiting.
I will finish my private conversation with a work colleague before I serve you!
A recent example. We were ion 'Perez Ortaga' the other day. The wife had to follow the only lad that seemed to be working while he served other people. When he finally gave the wife his attention an old bloke who had been standing and watching the lad run his arse off called him over, the lad turned on a sixpence and started to walk over to him leaving the wife standing there. I had had enough and I got a quick 'Hold on a sec' ( in Spanish) before the wife (which is no mean feat!) and called the lad back holding my hand up to the old bloke and giving him a stern smile!!

There was a 2 second stand off and the lad got the message and returned to the wife. The old bloke wasn't happy so I quickly said 'Thank you' in my most insincere and forceful way. The old bloke was Mr Perez Ortaga!!! ignorant git! We got what we wanted and left. Mr Ortaga still stood in the same place.

Was this a rant? no don't think so

[Michael]

Love your style Guanche. 

[Perikles]

I've had a reply from somebody I know from a science forum who runs a bar in Barcelona. He says that they are entitled to charge entrance fee for toilets for people not using the establishment to buy food and drinks.

It transpires that the ticket you get from the bog-guard can be redeemed at the food counter, so that those buying stuff do not have to pay for the toilets (assuming they do things in that order). Of course the scam is first that there is no notice explaining this, and secondly the ticket is in Spanish only, given to foreign tourists almost all of whom don't bother to read it or can't.

I find this is thus technically allowable, but a cynical exploitation of tourists worthy of Greece. They deserve to be thrown down some lava tube. 

[Janet]

and Tony Thorne has just posted on my own website that:

"If you buy something first, before going to the toilet, and show the receipt... you get in there for free, and that is however many times it's shown, even by others, apparently."