DAMIEN ENRIGHT: You just can’t beat authenticity thanks to sunset drummers

My column of February 26 explained that a unique charm of the Valle Gran Rey on the island of La Gomera in the Canaries is the laid-back “vibe” left over from the first hippies that arrived here, Vietnam War draft dodgers in the late 1950s, writes Damien Enright.

An “alternative culture” has thrived ever since, welcomed by the then farmers and fishermen, now turned tourism providers with family enterprises. It might be said that some of the first businesses, trekking guides, bike rentals, and bakeries were started by foreigners who first arrived in ragged jeans, toting backpacks, and decided to stay.