The ties between Icod de Los Vinos and Latin America is strong. In the middle of the Christmas preparations here, people from all over the town gathered and celebrated Venezuela. A chilly Sunday of December suddenly became warm and people danced spontaneously to the music.
It is nice with breaks in the daily routines and a break with Venezuelan and Canarian food, wine, beers, and lively rhythms is absolutely fine for me. I have not met any Filipinos here yet, but the many Venezuelans give the community a touch of life I’m used to from home. We Filipinos are the Latinos of the Far East and can easily recognize the warm hearts of the Latinos of the Far West. We have a lot in common and I feel more at home here than in mainland Spain.
© Photos by Eldar Einarson
![Christmas flowers all over the town, but where is everybody?](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1-1-1024x626.jpg)
![Following the sound of lively Latin American rhythms](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2-1-1024x620.jpg)
![](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/3-1-1024x575.jpg)
![Some barbecue sticks, just like in the Philippines](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/4-2-1024x665.jpg)
![The dancing goes on all day](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1182-1024x598.jpg)
![A good way to fight the cold](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1185-1024x608.jpg)
![Is there a better way of exercise?](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1189-1024x575.jpg)
![Smiles and laughter melts in with the music](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1197-1024x603.jpg)
![A Latina from the Far East surrounded by Latinas from the Far West](http://mindanaoadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_1208-1024x638.jpg)