My readers from the USA celebrated Martin Luther King Junior Day today. This national holiday is meant to remember Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the main leaders of the American civil rights movement. King has become most famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech. King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to end racial discrimination with non-violent means.

On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean we got a duststorm from the Sahara, which happens every once a while throughout the year. In 2000 about 8 million metric tons of dust were blown as far as Puerto Rico.

This time it does not seem to be that strong. I am living in the North of Tenerife on the leeward side. All I noticed was the yellow, brownish “fog” all day long, a sudden rise in temperature, very low visibility, and the terrace is covered with fine dust from the Sahara desert. I could not even see the horizon where the sea normally touches the sky.

The other islands, foremost El Hierro, got hit harder with 120 km/h (75 mph) hour winds. Schools have been closed there.

As you can see I am still around.

Yours
John W. Furst

This blog needs some pictures. What do you think?

Tenerife on Fire 2007 (↑)

It was in the news media all over Europe for days. The people living on Tenerife and Gran Canaria were threatened by large forest fires end of July. I live here, I saw the fire, the smoke, the disaster.