Téléclubs
Eat well while immersing yourself in the local culture
and play traditional games
The “sociedad,” also known as “Téléclubs,” are a real institution on the island of Lanzarote. They also exist throughout rural Spain.
You will find a sociedad in every village, and they are usually run by a family who stands for election as manager every three years. The managers are therefore keen to offer good food and drinks that everyone enjoys at reasonable prices, which ensures their re-election. They are called Téléclub because they date back to the days when the only TV in the village was in this building. Many have adjoining rooms used for family celebrations, receptions, music lessons, yoga, and dance classes.
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Local dining
téléclub Mancha Blanca
croisement LZ 67/LZ56
calle Pico Partido, 2,
35560 Las palmas
The village of Mancha Blanca also has a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, a few houses clinging to the side of a nearby volcano, and a small parking lot near a village hall. There is a small car park near a village hall, next to which is the village’s tele-club: a long counter, a TV showing a Spanish league football match, and a young couple who welcome you with a big smile and help you choose from the local dishes on offer. Don’t hesitate to try the fish of the day, “Calamar al grill,” a tarta de queso, and lots of other good things that I’ll leave you to discover.
Traditional games; the bola
In tele-clubs, players throw a large wooden ball made of palo blanco, a wood also used to make the gears of windmill blades.
Unlike petanque, there is no limit to the number of players as long as the teams are equal. The more players there are, the more lively the game.
The aim of the game is to throw the bola as close as possible to the “boliche” or “miche.”
Traditional games; los jolateros
There are no festivities without Jolateros races, small boats built from fuel cans, which were used to reach the boat from the shore. This ingenious reuse of tin began in 1940 and became a summer pastime for the boys of El Charco, who build them, paint them, and launch them to see who can swim the fastest with flippers. You will find small jolateros used as flower pots or emblems in many shops in Arrecife.
Traditional games;
levantamiento y pulseo de piedras
In some festivals, traditional games such as lifting and handling large stones allow participants to test their strength. It is called pulséo when the stone must be lifted above the head without touching the body, while lifting the stone allows contact with the body.