European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 11, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Canary islands is photos by Kevin Dougherty is there were 26,000. There s nothing Here for Young  Many of Gomera s youth have left for tourism jobs on some of the larger islands especially Tenerife. In an Effort to reverse that trend resort communities have spying up in the South around Playa de Santiago and in the West near Valle Gran Rey once a popular hippie hangout. Valle Gran Rey has changed a lot Powrie said. Before it was very hippie and. Very  the influx of hippies is no longer the subject of conversation in the few Coffee shops and restaurants that ring san Sebastian s Plaza de America. Nowadays Many islanders Are concerned about the pending Cut in government subsidies for the bananas they grow. F Gomera annually produces about 11,000 tons of bananas. Powrie predicts that some Farmers will give up. The business out of frustration. Besides bananas some islanders Are upset Over the construction of an Airport scheduled to open in october. The Airport is being built for local traffic at the Behest of the european Community Powrie said. Gomera is the Only Island in the archipelago without an Airstrip it s the islanders own fault because they complain but they Don t do anything to prevent it said Powrie whose husband Skippers a ferry boat. I Don t know anybody Here who wants the Airport she adds. Yet i Don t know anyone who stood up and said they did t want the  the islanders weren t always so submissive. Gomera was conquered by Spain in the mid-15th Century but for several years they had to fight off tribes of Guanchez the indigenous people of what was then known As the fortunate islands the Guanchez Are believed to have been related to the berbers of North Africa in 1487, the Island chieftains of Gomera killed the spaniard who governed Gomera. His wife Beatriz de Bobadilla took Refuge in a Tower that still stands. The Beautiful Black haired widow assumed control of the Island and later had an affair with Columbus. In fact the Tower of the count built in 1450, provided Refuge for Beatrix de Bobadilla widow of the Island s governor. Before he set sail for America Columbus is said to have spent 10 Days with Beatriz while the Pinta s rudder was being fixed. After picking up the ship from the Island of Gran Canaria Columbus ordered his Fleet to return to Gomera so he could rendezvous with Beatriz one More time. But Columbus had other reasons for coming to Gomera. Gomera had the Best natural port in the Canary islands Powrie said. While Gomera s lasting claim to Fame is that it was the last port Call for the Man credited with discovering the americas Christopher Columbus is not revered on the Island. In addition to their fling Columbus and Beatriz collaborated to sell Pomeran natives into slavery in Castile. Christopher Columbus was a Friend of the Spanish court Powrie said but he was not a Friend of the Pomeran  above left the Barber shop in Agulo provides conversation As Well As grooming. Above Christopher Columbus is reputed to have drunk from the Well at the old customs House in san Sebastian. August 11, 7994 stripes Magazine 7