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98-668: Cabeza de Vaca probably passed the spring in 1534. Comanche used this spring as a campsite. Later it became a regular stop on the Old Spanish Trail from San Antonio to El Paso. Pecos Spring was 32.26 miles, south of Leaving of Pecos and 6 miles northwest of the Pecos Crossing of the Devils River on the San Antonio-El Paso Road . It was the last good water for travelers from the east on

196-671: A four-year position as Adelantado in Rio de la Plata , Cabeza de Vaca wrote from memory a chronicle of his in South America. It is believed that his secretary at the time, Pero Hernández, transcribed Cabeza de Vaca's account in what is known as Comentarios . The publication of Comentarios was appended to La relación as a joint publication in Valladolid, Spain entitled: Naufragios. At that time, explorers often published their reports of travels in foreign lands. In 1906, Naufragios

294-516: A group of 200 Indians. The encounter quickly turned into a fight and the Indians were driven off. Nearby, the Spaniards found a village where they stayed for several days and helped themselves to the stored maize. Cabeza de Vaca pleaded with Narváez to send a scouting expedition downriver in hopes of finding a bay where their ships might be waiting. Narváez relented and ordered Cabeza de Vaca to lead

392-418: A reconnaissance. After two attempts to find their way through the swamps and heavy forest, their search yielded no ships or suitable harbor. Narváez still hoped to find riches at Apalachee, so the expedition pressed forward using captive Indians as guides. Seven weeks after leaving their ships, they came upon the largest village they had found so far, a collection of forty houses. Their guides assured them this

490-416: A round shape, with a diameter of approximately 50 km (31 mi) and a surface area of 1,560 km (600 sq mi). Gran Canaria's maximum elevation is 1,956 metres (6,417 ft) at Morro de la Agujereada , although the nearby Pico de las Nieves has traditionally been considered the island's tallest peak. The coastline measures 236 km. About 80% of the volume of the island was formed during

588-405: A slaving expedition of about 20 horsemen, and attempted to negotiate peace between them and the natives. However, as soon as they departed, Alcaraz went back on his word and plundered Cabeza de Vaca's entourage of natives that he had sent back home. Not long afterward, Cabeza de Vaca encountered the chief alcalde (Spanish captain of the province), Melchor Díaz. Díaz ordered Cabeza de Vaca to bring

686-408: A suitable harbor and await their return. Cabeza de Vaca protested that dividing their forces would put both groups in danger without any certainty that they would be able to find each other again. He advised that everyone remain with the ships until a suitable harbor could be found to serve as their base camp. Narváez ignored his advice and suggested that if Cabeza de Vaca was afraid, he should stay with

784-613: A village known as Aute, about 5 or 9 days away, was rich. They pushed on through the swamps, harassed by the Native Americans. A few Spanish men were killed and more wounded. When they arrived in Aute, they found that the inhabitants had burned down the village and left. But the fields had not been harvested, so at least the Spanish scavenged food there. After several months of fighting native inhabitants through wilderness and swamp,

882-714: Is also known for its annual carnaval . It was the first stop of Christopher Columbus' expedition on his way back from the Americas, a commemoration of which is the Hermitage of San Antonio Abad, where the navigator prayed, and the Casa de Colón . Other attractions in the capital city include the Museo Canario (the most important archaeology museum in the archipelago), the cathedral and the Plaza del Espíritu Santo . In Teror

980-602: Is also the third most populated island in Spain. In antiquity , Gran Canaria was populated by the North African Canarii , who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. In the medieval period , after over a century of European incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on 29 April 1483, by the Crown of Castile , under Queen Isabella I . The Canarian queen Abenchara was captured and imprisoned by

1078-406: Is held to have started some 2.8 million years ago and is considered to be still active. The last eruptions are held to have occurred some 2000 years ago. The changes in volume and, therefore, weight of the island have also caused the island to rise above the previous sea level during erosive periods and to sink during eruptive periods. Some of these "fossil beaches" can be seen in the cliff faces of

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1176-633: Is home to CB Gran Canaria – a basketball club playing in Liga ACB at the Gran Canaria Arena , with a capacity of 11,000. The island is also home to UD Las Palmas – a football club playing in La Liga at the Estadio de Gran Canaria , with a capacity of 32,392. Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) holds its annual competitions at Pozo - Pozo Izquierdo: This spot, which is situated in

1274-485: Is located in the Atlantic Ocean in a region known as Macaronesia about 150 kilometres (93 mi) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1,350 km (840 mi) from Europe. With an area of 1,560 km (600 sq mi) and an altitude of 1,956 m (6,417 ft) at Morro de la Agujereada , Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the archipelago in both area and altitude. Gran Canaria

1372-514: Is now the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the northeastern Mexican states of Tamaulipas , Nuevo León and Coahuila , and possibly smaller portions of New Mexico and Arizona. He traveled on foot through areas near the Gulf Coast, but encountered no other Europeans. Turning inland because of the threat of hostile Indians, he and his companions continued through Coahuila and Nueva Vizcaya (present-day states of Chihuahua and Durango ); then down

1470-538: Is that the islands name derives from the people Canario or Canarii living near the Atlas mountain range . Jean de Béthencourt named the island Gran Canaria as the people on the island were valorous opponents to his conquest . Gran Canaria is located in the Canary Islands archipelago southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura . The island is of volcanic origin, mostly made of fissure vents . It has

1568-780: Is the account of his experiences with the Narváez expedition and after being wrecked on Galveston Island in November 1528. Cabeza de Vaca and his last three men struggled to survive. They wandered along the Texas coast as prisoners of the Han and Capoque American Indians for two years, while Cabeza de Vaca observed the people, picking up their ways of life and customs. They traveled through the American Southwest and ultimately reached Mexico City, nearly eight years after being wrecked on

1666-529: Is the first known written description of the American Southwest. Laila Lalami 's novel, The Moor's Account (2014), is a fictional memoir of Estevanico , the Moroccan slave who survived the journey and accompanied Cabeza de Vaca through the Southwest. He is considered to be the first black explorer of North America. Lord Buckley created a monologue The Gasser based on Haniel Long 's novella. This

1764-526: Is the only commercial airport on the island. The large number of aircraft and passengers passing through it each year make it one of the busiest in Spain. Gran Canaria is also responsible for all air traffic control in the Canaries. By destination island, Gran Canaria is the second island that congregates the largest number of passengers in the Canary Islands. Car rental companies that have offices in

1862-480: Is the third-largest and second-most-populous island of the Canary Islands , an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa and is part of Spain. As of 2023 the island had a population of 862,893 that constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria , the capital of the island, is the biggest city of the Canary Islands and the ninth of Spain. Gran Canaria

1960-426: Is under protection as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO . The number of annual visitors was 3.6 million in 2014 (of which 450.000 Spaniards). It is the second island in the archipelago in number of annual tourists, after Tenerife. Most of the tourists visit the southern part of the island. The north tends to be cooler, while the south is warmer and sunny. The east coast of the island is flat, dotted with beaches, while

2058-727: The Battle of Ravenna where the Spanish were badly defeated and Cabeza de Vaca was wounded. He later served as the royal standard-bearer in Gaeta , near Naples. In 1513 he returned to Spain, still in the service of Medina Sidonia. At some point he married María Marmolejo, member of a prominent converso family in Seville. When the Revolt of the Comuneros broke out in 1520 against the new Spanish king, Charles V , Cabeza de Vaca fought alongside

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2156-572: The Bay of Jagua under the command of Cabeza de Vaca. While Cabeza de Vaca watched over the ships and crew, Narváez remained on shore to find replacements for the lost ships and hire more men. In February 1528, he returned to the Bay of Jagua with one additional ship and another one waiting for them in Havana. They resumed their expedition to La Florida with the intention of first stopping in Havana to pick up

2254-521: The Gran Canaria Cabildo and the autonomous Canary Islands' Government, though the discussion with the central Spanish Government hinges now on budget. The planned 57 km (35 mi) railway line would run between Las Palmas and Meloneras, with the section in the capital running entirely underground as far as the suburb of Jinámar. The line is planned to have 11 stations, including an underground station at Gran Canaria Airport. The scheme

2352-524: The Miocene period eruptions, between 14 and 9 million years ago. This is called the "Old Cycle" and is estimated to have lasted some 200,000 years and have emitted about 1,000 km (240 cu mi), mostly of fissural alkali basalt . This cycle continued with the emission of trachytes , phonolites and peralkaline rocks. This period was followed by one of erosion, which lasted some 4 million years. A second cycle of volcanic eruptions, known as

2450-513: The Tenerife airport disaster . Pliny claimed that the island was named for the dogs on the island, of which two were presented as a gift to Juba , King of Mauretania . This opinion is disputed as when the Europeans arrived on the island, no dogs were found. Another source suggested the way the natives ate fish was doglike and this was the reason for its name. A more plausible assumption

2548-407: The conquest of Grand Canaria , one of the major islands of the Canaries. He was appointed military governor of the island and used his position to capture Canary natives ( Guanches ) and sell them as slaves in Spain. When natives on the neighboring island of Gomera revolted, he brutally put down the rebellion, killing males over the age of fifteen and selling the women and children into slavery. He

2646-408: The indigenous peoples . He became a trader and a healer, which gave him some freedom to travel among the tribes. His group attracted numerous native followers, who regarded them as "children of the sun", endowed with the power to heal and destroy. As Cabeza de Vaca grew healthier, he decided that he would make his way to Pánuco, supporting himself through trading. He finally decided to try to reach

2744-609: The necropolis of Maipés ), and the port of Sardina del Norte (one of the island's ports where, as in Las Palmas', Christopher Columbus used to get supplies for his ships). Heading west along the southern coast is the fishing city of Arguineguín in the Municipality of Mogán . The official natural symbols associated with Gran Canaria are the Canary Mastiff and Euphorbia canariensis (Cardón) Nearly half of

2842-493: The "Roque Nublo cycle", took place between 4.5 and 3.4 million years ago. This shorter cycle emitted about 100 km (24 cu mi). Most of the inland peaks were formed by erosion from these materials. This period also started with fissural basalts, but ended with violent eruptions of pyroclastic flows . Some phonolitic features, like the Risco Blanco, were also formed in its last stages. The third or recent cycle

2940-406: The "archaeological site" category) in the municipality of Santa María de Guía bears testimony of it by being the largest pre-Hispanic collective granary of the Canaries. This island is called a "miniature continent" due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found, with long beaches and dunes of white sand, contrasting with green ravines and picturesque villages. A third of the island

3038-650: The 1960s, Gran Canaria was selected as the location for one of the 14 ground stations in the Manned Space Flight Network (MSFN) to support the NASA space program. Maspalomas Station , located in the south of the island, took part in a number of space missions including the Apollo 11 Moon landings and Skylab . Today it continues to support satellite communications as part of the ESA network. The island

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3136-646: The 242 survivors. Cabeza de Vaca commanded one of the vessels, each of which held approximately 50 men. Depleted of food and water, they followed the coast westward. But when they reached the mouth of the Mississippi River , the powerful current swept them out into the Gulf, where the five rafts were separated by a hurricane. Some lives were lost, including that of Narváez. In November 1528, two crafts with about 40 survivors each, including Cabeza de Vaca, wrecked on or near Galveston Island (now part of Texas). Of

3234-519: The 80 or so survivors, only 15 lived past that winter. The explorers called the island Malhado (“Ill fate” in Spanish), or the Island of Doom. They tried to repair the rafts, using what remained of their own clothes as oakum to plug holes, but they lost the rafts to a large wave. As the number of survivors dwindled rapidly, they were enslaved for four years by various American Indian nomadic tribes of

3332-577: The Gulf of California coast to what is now Sinaloa , Mexico, over a period of roughly eight years. Throughout those years, Cabeza de Vaca and the other men adapted to the lives of the indigenous people they stayed with, whom he later described as Roots People, the Fish and Blackberry People, or the Fig People, depending on their principal foods. During his wanderings, passing from tribe to tribe, Cabeza de Vaca later reported that he developed sympathies for

3430-404: The Indians assured him it could be found in great quantities at Apalachee. As a result, Narváez was determined to lead a force north into the interior to find this rich country. Despite strong objections from Cabeza de Vaca, Narváez decided to split his expedition. He would lead some 300 men and 42 horses overland to Apalachee while the remaining crew, including the women, would sail ahead to find

3528-469: The Natives; they wanted to use them for labor. Because he lost elite support, and Buenos Aires was failing as a settlement, not attracting enough residents, Martínez de Irala arrested Cabeza de Vaca in 1544 for poor administration. The former explorer was returned to Spain in 1545 for trial. Although he was eventually exonerated, Cabeza de Vaca never returned to South America. He wrote an extensive report on

3626-555: The Port of La Luz, where Trasmediterránea operates a weekly ferry route to Cádiz on the Spanish mainland, and the Port of Las Nieves , located in Agaete on the west side of the island, where Fred Olsen Express operates a catamaran ferry service to Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Plans for a Tren de Gran Canaria railway network linking the capital with the south have been approved by both

3724-584: The Roque de Gando, and the Peñón Bermejo. Traditionally, the highest peak of the island has been considered to be the Pico de las Nieves , at 1,949 metres (6,394 ft); however, Morro de la Agujereada is taller, at 1,956 metres (6,417 ft). The capital city is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Las Canteras beach , a protected area and diving zone, lies in the heart of the city. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

3822-539: The Río de la Plata colony in South America, strongly criticizing the conduct of Martínez de Irala. The report was bound with his earlier La Relación and published under the title Comentarios (Commentary). He died in Jerez de la Frontera or Valladolid on an uncertain date, although there are no surviving records of him after 19 May 1559. La relación de Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ("The story of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca")

3920-418: The Southwest. As he did not begin writing his chronicle until he was back in Spain, he had to rely on memory. He did not have instruments to determine his location; he had to rely on dead reckoning , and was uncertain of his route. Aware that his recollection has numerous errors in chronology and geography, historians have worked to put together pieces of the puzzle to discern his paths. In 1540, Cabeza de Vaca

4018-589: The Spanish colony in Mexico. Many natives were said to accompany the explorers on their journey across what is now known as the American Southwest and northern Mexico. After finally reaching the colonized lands of New Spain , where he first encountered fellow Spaniards near modern-day Culiacán , Cabeza de Vaca and the three other men reached Mexico City. From there he sailed back to Europe in 1537. Numerous researchers have tried to trace his route across

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4116-430: The Spanish during the conquest. The conquest succeeded after a war that lasted five years, and it was an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain. The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded on 24 June 1478, under the name "Real de Las Palmas", by Juan Rejón , head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Christopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on

4214-587: The TransGC Card, which is valid across the whole network. Inter-urban bus services across the island are operated by the Global bus company. Global was created in 2000 after the merger of two bus companies, Utinsa (which operated in the north of the island) and Salcai (the bus operator for the south). Local bus services in Las Palmas are run by the municipal bus company, Guaguas Municipales de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria Airport ( IATA : LPA)

4312-467: The accounts of Cabeza de Vaca and Hernando de Soto are the only written records of their existence. By the time of the next European contact, many had vanished, possibly from diseases carried by Cabeza de Vaca and his companions . One of Cabeza de Vaca's greatest accomplishments in his journey was bringing peace throughout the land. As the travellers passed from one tribe to the next, warring tribes would immediately make peace and become friendly, so that

4410-435: The airports are: Autoreisen , Avis, Cicar, Europcar, Goldcar (only south airport), Hertz, Sixt and TopCar. The most important ports in the island are the Port of Las Palmas ( Puerto de la Luz ), in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ; Arguineguín , which exports cement from a large factory; and Arinaga , located in the main industrial zone of Canaries and one of the major ones of Spain. The main passenger ports are

4508-484: The battle of Puente de la Reina . In 1527, Cabeza de Vaca appeared at the royal court in Valladolid and received an appointment as royal treasurer for an expedition to be led by conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez to explore and conquer La Florida , a portion of North America roughly comprising today's southeastern United States. The reasons for his selection are not known but his history of loyal military service to

4606-654: The botanical gardens Jardín Canario (in Tafira Alta) and Cactualdea (in La Aldea de San Nicolás ). El Dedo de Dios , or "God's Finger", was a rocky spire jutting from the sea in Puerto de las Nieves , and was previously the signature attraction of the Canary Islands until it was destroyed by tropical storm Delta that crossed the archipelago in November 2005. Other well-known rock formations are El Cura (also known as El Fraile), The Frog (La Rana), Roque Bentayga ,

4704-400: The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, after Tenerife . Gran Canaria has roads encircling the whole island and extending into the mountain areas. In the late 20th century, its dual carriageway, among the first in the Canary Islands, were opened and run around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and were later extended to

4802-468: The coast to pick up additional provisions at Trinidad . In October, while Cabeza de Vaca was ashore negotiating for supplies, a hurricane hit the coast, resulting in the destruction of both ships and the loss of sixty men and twenty horses. Narváez arrived in early November to pick up the survivors. Fearful of encountering another storm, Narváez decided to overwinter in Cuba. The four remaining ships anchored in

4900-399: The coast. Inland the climate is still mild but mountainous areas see the occasional frost or snow. Annual rainfall averages 228 mm (9.0 in), most of this falling in the cooler months, with July, August and September normally rainless. Rainfall is unevenly distributed through the island with some areas being much drier than others. Cloud cover and sunshine is often quite variable during

4998-402: The conquering Spanish army and the natives. As Cabeza approached the area of Spanish settlement, he and his companions grieved to see the destruction of the native villages and enslavement of the native peoples. The fertile land lay uncultivated and the natives were nearly starving, hiding in the forest, for fear of the Spanish army. Cabeza de Vaca then encountered Diego de Alcaraz, commander of

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5096-433: The cooler months, and there can be several rather cloudy days at times in winter. Summers are generally quite sunny however, with the south of the island being most favoured. Until the conquest, Gran Canaria had extensive forests, but then suffered extensive deforestation as a result of continuous logging, land divisions and other intensive uses. This reduced the forest cover to just 56,000 hectares (140,000 acres), making

5194-453: The crown was certainly a critical qualification. He also had a relative, Luis Cabeza de Vaca, serving on the all-important Council of the Indies . On 11 December 1526, Charles V commissioned Pánfilo de Narváez to explore, conquer, and settle a portion of North America called La Florida , a territory vaguely described as stretching along the Gulf coast from Mexico to Florida. Cabeza de Vaca

5292-610: The culture of the Malhado people, the Capoque, and Han American Indians, such as their treatment of offspring, their wedding rites, and their main sources of food. Cabeza de Vaca and his three fellow survivors at times served as slaves to the American Indians to survive. Through his observations, Cabeza de Vaca provides insights into 16th-century American Indian life near the present-day Mexico-Texas border. For many peoples

5390-400: The customs of the numerous indigenous people I talked with and dwelt among, as well as any other matters I could hear of or observe”. He took care to present facts, as a full account of what he observed. The Relation is the only account of many details concerning the indigenous people whom he encountered. The accuracy of his account has been validated by later reports of others, as well as by

5488-622: The district's Spanish capital, Asunción , far inland on the great Paraguay River . Cabeza de Vaca is thought to have been the first European to see the Iguaçu Falls . In March 1542, Cabeza de Vaca met with Domingo Martínez de Irala and relieved him of his position as governor. The government of Asunción pledged loyalty to Cabeza de Vaca, and Irala was assigned to explore a possible route to Peru. Once Irala returned and reported, Cabeza de Vaca planned his own expedition. He hoped to reach Los Reyes (a base that Irala set up) and push forward into

5586-611: The duke on behalf of the crown. When the comuneros tried unsuccessfully to seize control in Seville in September, the duke put him in charge of defending one of the city gates; in December he fought to liberate the city of Tordesillas ; and on 23 April 1521 he participated in the defeat of the comuneros at the battle of Villalar . Later in 1521 when the French king, Francis I , invaded Navarre , Cabeza de Vaca fought against them in

5684-497: The eastern part of the Canary Islands community. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the provincial capital, one of the two capitals of the Canary Islands along with Santa Cruz de Tenerife . The island of Gran Canaria is governed by the Cabildo insular de Gran Canaria . Gran Canaria Island itself is divided into twenty-one smaller municipalities : The island has a population at the start of 2023 of 862,893 - with 380,863 of those in

5782-460: The expedition. They spent forty-five days on the island re-provisioning the fleet, and bought a sixth ship. They were especially anxious to acquire horses, but there was a shortage of them in Hispaniola, so the expedition continued to Cuba, where they hoped to recruit more men and buy horses. Narváez anchored at Santiago de Cuba and ordered Cabeza de Vaca to take two ships and proceed further up

5880-402: The final ship and more supplies. Before reaching Havana however, they were hit by another storm and blown off course into the Gulf of Mexico. Short of supplies and fresh water, they decided to push on toward Florida rather than try to get back to Cuba. In April they sighted land, anchored and went ashore. Although the location of their landing has been much debated, more recent opinion leans toward

5978-478: The first major contribution to Chicano literature. Scholars have identified five major periods of Chicano literature: Spanish Mexican, Mexican American, Annexation, Chicano Renaissance, and Modern. Cabeza de Vaca is classified as part of the Spanish Mexican period; he recounted eight years of travel and survival in the area of Chicano culture: present-day Texas, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. His account

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6076-441: The following peoples by name in his La Relación (1542). The following list shows his names, together with what scholars suggested in 1919 were the likely tribes identified by names used in the 20th century. By that time, tribal identification was also related to more linguistic data. Possible Karankawan groups: Related to Karankawa: Possible Tonkawan groups: Possible Coahuiltecan or desert groups: In 1555, after

6174-573: The island territory — 667 km (258 sq mi) (42.7% of island) — is under protection from the Red Canaria de Espacios Naturales Protegidos ( Canary Islands Network for Protected Natural Areas ). Of the 146 protected sites under control of network in the Canary Islands archipelago, a total of 33 are located in Gran Canaria, the second most protected island in the group. There are seven different categories of protection: In

6272-489: The island the most deforested of the Canary Islands. However, in the twentieth century reforestation of the ridge of the island was begun, recovering some of the lost forest mass. Much of the summit of the island is forested mostly due to reforestation . Gran Canaria is in the autonomous community of the Canary Islands ( Islas Canarias ). It lies within the Province of Las Palmas , a Spanish province which consists of

6370-496: The island) on his first trip to the Americas. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is, jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife , the capital of the autonomous community of the Canary Islands. Much of Iberian migration to the island consisted of conversos of Jewish origin. On 27 March 1977, a bomb went off in Gran Canaria Airport, the main airport on the island. Flights were diverted to the nearby Tenerife Airport: this led to

6468-427: The island. In 1537, Cabeza de Vaca returned to Spain, where he wrote his narratives of the Narváez expedition. These narratives were collected and published in 1542 in Spain. They are now known as The Relation of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. The narrative of Cabeza de Vaca is the “first European book devoted completely to North America.” His detailed account describes the lives of numerous tribes of American Indians of

6566-516: The island. Still further to the west along the southern shore, in the Municipality of Mogán, are the communities of Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogán , a village referred to as "Little Venice" on account of its many canals. Other attractions include Cocodrilos Park, Roque Nublo (an 80 m monolith), Cenobio de Valerón with more than 350 storage cavities, Painted cave of Galdar the most important archaeological park in Canary Islands, or

6664-517: The jungle in search of a route to the gold and silver mines of Peru. The expedition did not go well, and Cabeza de Vaca returned to Asunción. During Cabeza de Vaca's absence, Irala had stirred up resistance to his rule and capitalized on political rivalries. Scholars widely agree that Cabeza de Vaca had an unusually sympathetic attitude towards the Native Americans for his time. The elite settlers in modern Argentina, known as encomenderos , generally did not agree with his enlightened conduct toward

6762-403: The local dialect as guaguas . The Autoridad Única del Transporte de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria Transport Authority, TGC) manages the network and operates a number of bus stations across the island, including San Telmo and Santa Catalina bus stations in Las Palmas, Maspalomas and Galdar. Bus tickets may be purchased with cash, and AUTGC also operates a contactless electronic ticket called

6860-624: The more eroded northern coast. According to the Köppen climate classification , Gran Canaria is considered to have a hot desert climate (BWh) due to its severe lack of precipitation. Gran Canaria has consistent warm temperatures in spring, summer and autumn, and mild winters. Gran Canaria is noted for its rich variety of microclimates . Generally speaking though, the average daytime high ranges from 20 °C (68 °F) in winter to 26 °C (79 °F) in summer. Some cool nights occur in winter, but lows below 10 °C (50 °F) are unknown near

6958-516: The municipality of Santa Lucía de Tirajana) and Gáldar , that contains an important diving zone. In Arucas there is a Neogothic temple, popularly known as "Arucas' Cathedral", as well as a large fertile plain where bananas are grown. In Gáldar and its surroundings there is also a banana-growing plain and some remarkable archaeological remains, such as the Painted cave of Galdar or the cenobio de Valerón 's communal silos, ancient tombs (among which

7056-483: The natives back from the forests so that they would resume cultivating the land. Cabeza de Vaca and Díaz invited the natives to convert to Christianity, and the natives did so willingly. Cabeza de Vaca then instructed them to build a large wooden cross in each village, so that Spanish soldiers would pass through the village and not attack it. Soon afterward, Alcaraz's expedition returned and explained to Díaz that they were amazed to find, on their return journey, that not only

7154-469: The natives could receive the party and give them gifts. Cabeza noted in his personal account of the journey that, in this way, "We left the whole country in peace." Cabeza de Vaca saw these events as part of his purpose in America, writing that he believed that "God was guiding us to where we could serve Him." Cabeza de Vaca's greatest challenge as an ambassador came when he attempted to bring peace between

7252-401: The north coast and the airport and subsequently to the south coast in response to increased tourist traffic. The only highway of Gran Canaria are GC1 . Dual carriageway is GC2 , and GC31 , GC4 and GC5 . The western and the north-western parts, with the fewest inhabitants, are linked only with main roads. Public transport around Gran Canaria is provided by an extensive bus network, known in

7350-504: The oral traditions of descendants of some of the tribes. Cabeza's account also served as a petition to the King of Spain to both establish a permanent Christian mission and eventually establish the native tribes as a nation under the governance of Spain. In his reflection Cabeza writes to the king of Spain: Cabeza continued to be a strong advocate for the rights of Native American Indians throughout his lifetime. Cabeza De Vaca identified

7448-412: The party decided to abandon the interior and try to reach Pánuco. Slaughtering and eating their remaining horses, they gathered the stirrups, spurs, horseshoes and other metal items. They fashioned a bellows from deer hide to make a fire hot enough to forge tools and nails. They used these to make five primitive boats in hopes of reaching Mexico. The small flotilla launched on 22 September 1528, carrying

7546-559: The protected area of the Guayadeque ravine , where even the church has been built into the mountainside and visitors can find a number of popular cave restaurants. The district also includes the most renowned scuba diving area on the island: the marine reserve at the playa de El Cabrón just outside the town of Arinaga. Other important towns are Telde , known among other things for their surf schools in Salinetas, Vecindario (within

7644-693: The road up the dry, barren, west bank of the brackish Pecos River before the road reached the Arroyo Escondido , 48.52 miles away. 30°42′02″N 101°48′32″W  /  30.70056°N 101.80889°W  / 30.70056; -101.80889 This article about a location in Pecos County, Texas is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cabeza de Vaca Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈalβaɾ ˈnuɲeθ kaˈβeθa ðe ˈβaka] ; c. 1488/90/92  – after 19 May 1559 )

7742-547: The service of Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1503. The house of Medina Sidonia was one of the most powerful in Andalusia and was a dominant force in Seville, the commercial center of Spain's growing overseas empire. Cabeza de Vaca served as a page and then chamberlain for the duke. In 1511 he traveled to Italy to fight against the French in the Italian Wars . In February 1512 he took part in

7840-501: The ships. Cabeza de Vaca rejected the suggestion of cowardice and participated in the overland march. He later wrote, "I preferred risking my life to placing my honor in jeopardy." Narváez and his men set off overland in early May, 1528. They marched north for 15 days without seeing any Indians or native settlements. Then, as they were attempting to cross a swift-flowing river (probably the Withlacoochee ), they were confronted by

7938-479: The shrine of Virgen del Pino ("Virgin of the Pine"), patron saint of Gran Canaria, can be found. Its feast is celebrated on 8 September. The town of Agüimes , on the eastern part of the island, has been carefully restored and its town centre, centered on its old church and a peaceful square, now evokes the quiet living of a traditional Canarian town. The district also has some of the best preserved cave dwellings, in

8036-424: The time. Cabeza de Vaca showed compassion and respect for native peoples, which, together with the great detail he recorded, distinguishes his narrative from others of the period. Cabeza de Vaca reported on the customs and ways of American Indian life, aware of his status as an early European explorer. He spent eight years with various peoples, including the Capoque, Han, Avavare, and Arbadao. He describes details of

8134-545: The towns of San Agustín , Playa del Inglés and Meloneras . The Maspalomas Dunes are located between Playa del Inglés ("The Englishman's Beach") and the distinctive 19th century Maspalomas lighthouse . Playa del Ingles is home to the Yumbo Centre, which was opened in 1982 and has almost 200 shops, including bars, restaurants, cafes, fashion boutiques, electronic outlets and jewellery stores. In Tarajalillo, an Aeroclub exists from where tourist flights can be taken over

8232-589: The upper Gulf Coast . The tribes to which Cabeza de Vaca was enslaved included the Hans and the Capoques , and tribes later called the Karankawa and Coahuiltecan . Only four men managed to escape: Cabeza de Vaca, Andrés Dorantes de Carranza , Alonso del Castillo Maldonado , and an African slave of Dorantes, Estevanico . Traveling mostly with this small group, Cabeza de Vaca walked generally south through what

8330-477: The vicinity of Tampa Bay . During a quick reconnaissance of the area, they came upon a few small villages of Indians belonging to the Safety Harbor culture . Communicating with them through sign language, the Spanish were informed that a community or region called Apalachee lay to the north and was rich with food and gold. Cabeza de Vaca later noted that whenever Narváez expressed interest in something,

8428-595: The western coast is rockier and mountainous. The island possesses 32 Natural Protected Spaces, notably the Rural Park of Nublo, The Doramas Jungle, the Azuaje Ravine, Tamadaba, Pino Santo, etc. In the south there is a large bird park, Palmitos Park , as well as many beach resort communities. Resorts are concentrated in the central eastern part of the southern coast in the Maspalomas area, which includes

8526-554: Was Teresa Cabeza de Vaca, also from an hidalgo family. He was named after his mother's great-grandfather, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, but the real influence in his life was his paternal grandfather, Pedro de Vera. Pedro de Vera  [ ca ; de ; es ; fr ; ro ; ru ] was described by contemporaries as an expert in fighting battles on land and sea. He led raids against the Moors in North Africa and in 1483 completed

8624-596: Was a Spanish explorer of the New World , and one of four survivors of the 1527 Narváez expedition . During eight years of traveling across what is now the US Southwest, he became a trader and faith healer to various Native American tribes before reconnecting with Spanish civilization in Mexico in 1536. After returning to Spain in 1537, he wrote an account, first published in 1542 as La relación y comentarios ("The Account and Commentaries" ), which in later editions

8722-414: Was a major Apalachee settlement, so Narváez ordered Cabeza de Vaca to lead about fifty soldiers to seize the village. There was no resistance to their attack and Cabeza de Vaca found only women and children whom he rounded up to serve as hostages. A thorough search of the houses found plenty of food but none of the hoped for gold and gems. Apalachee had no gold but had only corn, but the explorers were told

8820-834: Was appointed adelantado of the Río de la Plata in South America. The colony comprised parts of what is now Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Cabeza de Vaca was assigned to find a usable route from this colony to the riches of the former Incan Empire in Peru and Bolivia now controlled by the Spanish. The heartland of the empire was in the Andes Mountains near the Pacific Coast. En route, he disembarked from his fleet at Santa Catarina Island in modern Brazil. With an indigenous force, plus 250 musketeers and 26 horses, he followed native trails discovered by Aleixo Garcia overland to

8918-544: Was arrested in 1544 and then transported to Spain for trial in 1545. Although his sentence was eventually commuted, he never returned to the Americas. He introduced the story of the India Juliana in his accounts. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was born around 1490 in the Andalusian town of Jerez de la Frontera , Cádiz . His father, Francisco de Vera was an hidalgo , a rank of minor Spanish nobility. His mother

9016-559: Was first announced in 2009, with a planned operational date in 2015. A public company called Ferrocarriles de Gran Canaria has been formed by the Cabildo's Gran Canaria Transport Authority. Plans were still being discussed in 2018. Gran Canaria agriculture is unique among the Canaries islands in that it was traditionally dominated by plantations, with much of these being grains as well as sugarcane , rather than by stock-breeding. The caves of Valerón (a property of cultural interest in

9114-568: Was first recorded in 1954 and again in 1959. His story is noted in the first episode of Ken Burns' The West , a PBS documentary which first aired in 1996. Russell Persson's The Way of Florida (Little Island Press, 2017) is a highly stylized novelization of Cabeza de Vaca's Relación. Grand Canaria Gran Canaria ( UK : / ˌ ɡ r æ n k ə ˈ n ɛər i ə , - ˈ n ɑːr -/ , US : / ˌ ɡ r ɑː n k ə ˈ n ɑːr i ə , - ˈ n ɛər -/ ; Spanish: [ɡɾaŋ kaˈnaɾja] ), also Grand Canary Island ,

9212-442: Was heavily fined for his actions and recalled to Castile in 1490. Cabeza de Vaca would have heard of these exploits growing up; many years later he named a province in South America, Vera, in honor of his grandfather. Cabeza de Vaca's father and grandfather died around 1506 and his mother died in 1509, leaving behind a modest estate for her seven children. His younger siblings went to live with their aunt but Álvar had already entered

9310-612: Was named treasurer by royal appointment, a position that put him second in command and made him chiefly responsible to look after the emperor's interests during the expedition. He was promised an annual salary of 130,000 maravedies , payable upon his return. Their fleet of five vessels set sail from Spain on 17 June 1527, carrying 600 soldiers and colonists, including a few married women and African slaves. When they stopped in Hispaniola for supplies, Narváez lost more than 140 of his men, who chose to stay behind rather than continue with

9408-496: Was published in a new edition in Madrid, Spain. The introduction says the intent of this edition was to publicize Cabeza de Vaca's observations and experiences to strengthen authentic representations. This has been described as having the objective of portraying Cabeza de Vaca as less aggressive , while trying to authenticate his role as a sympathetic observer of the natives. Herrera (2011) classifies Cabeza de Vaca's La Relacion as

9506-469: Was retitled Naufragios y comentarios ("Shipwrecks and Commentaries"). Cabeza de Vaca is sometimes considered a proto- anthropologist for his detailed accounts of the many tribes of Native Americans that he encountered. In 1540, Cabeza de Vaca was appointed adelantado of what is now Paraguay , where he was governor and captain general of New Andalusia . He worked to build up the population of Buenos Aires but, charged with poor administration, he

9604-428: Was the land repopulated, but the natives coming to greet them with crosses in hand and also gave them provisions. Díaz then ordered Alcaraz to do no harm to these natives. Cabeza de Vaca wrote this narrative to Charles V to “transmit what I saw and heard in the nine years I wandered lost and miserable over many remote lands”. He wanted to convey “not merely a report of positions and distances, flora and fauna, but of

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