This audiovisual document filmed in 1960 in 8mm format follows the adventures and misadventures of a family on their way to Maspalomas beach.
Nowadays, when we think about spending a day at the beach with the family, the refrigerator with supplies, cell phone, towels, swimsuits, sunscreen and even the odd toy comes to mind so that the little ones don't finish bored on the shore... but a few years ago the trend was quite different.
In this 1960 documentary, " Excursion to Maspalomas," we can see a family's day out visiting the beach. Fifty years is a long time, and this is evident from the beginning of the documentary. The father's elegant attire, with a jacket and shirt, is quite different from what one might see today in Playa del Inglés. The mother's outfit is also unusual: dressed in a stylish red blouse and patterned skirt, she loads the parasol into the car and gets the children settled.
But it's not just in the clothing that the features of that era can be seen; in the video itself, you can see how the family embarks on their excursion in a car very different from what we are used to today; specifically, we are talking about a metallic Opel Olympia Caravan , a spacious family car that today we might consider an "SUV". In the video, you can also see other cars typical of those times, such as a Morris Oxford Traveller , with similar specifications to the previous one.
During the journey of the protagonists you can see the changes that the island of Gran Canaria has experienced for more than half a century in infrastructure such as roads or bridges. A shot in which you can perfectly see Gando Bay and a small plane taking off at what is today the sixth busiest Spanish airport with an average of thirteen million passengers a year stands out.
In the documentary we can see how during their journey the family stops along the way stopping in Los Corralillos, taking the opportunity to say hello. Once again, we see clothes that are very difficult to find on the streets today: long skirts with ruffles, hats, caps, scarves...
During their excursion, the family suffers an unexpected setback: a flat tire. A situation that stops the motorcade that accompanies the protagonists and from which more than a dozen people get out with the intention of lending a hand to the heated father of the family, who, with fuss, takes off his jacket and suspenders. to get to work.
Once they reach their destination, what is most surprising is the appearance of Maspalomas, a practically virgin landscape where the only element that stands out on the horizon is the characteristic Maspalomas Lighthouse, drawing a timeless image on the coast of Gran Canaria.
At the beginning of the article we made reference to what we usually take with us today if we think about going to the beach and how different it was more than half a century ago, something that can be seen when the protagonists open the trunk of their cars and they begin to bring out cauldrons and wicker baskets instead of modern refrigerators. However, something that seems to persist over time is the leisure of the little ones, with their balls and inflatable mats.
It is impossible not to be impressed when you see how men in suits, with moccasins and elegant hats get to work setting up their tents and umbrellas to spend the day on the beach; an image that if it were produced today on the coast of Maspalomas, would possibly be the object of ridicule and ridicule by tourists and locals.
After several shots of the family enjoying the water and sun of the Gran Canaria coast, the documentary ends with the family receding into the horizon after collecting their belongings at the end of a day at the beach.
Without a doubt, this excursion to Maspalomas is also a journey into the past; to the Canary Islands before the tourism boom , a past that many young people (and not so young) are unaware of. It's an excursion filled with nostalgia and emotion, one that allows us to appreciate and value the progress and changes the archipelago has undergone for more than half a century.
