A Difficult Start to the Morning
This morning’s coffee began with a slight problem: the first recommended café was closed, despite its advertised opening time.
I had allowed a little extra time in case that happened, but the second option was also closed for holidays. After helping a group of young footballers who were searching for breakfast, I continued through Playa Paraíso to find somewhere that was actually open.
Finding Luz del Mar
The search eventually led me to Luz del Mar, tucked away beside the car park opposite the Hard Rock Hotel.
It is easy to miss from the main road, but once you walk through the car park, the café is waiting in the corner. It has a bright, comfortable interior and views towards the Hard Rock Hotel and the sea.
Luz del Mar serves breakfast, lunch, tapas and cocktails. The team also explained that they hope to extend the opening hours and introduce a new menu.
Breakfast and Menu Prices
The menu includes English breakfast, eggs Benedict, avocado dishes, toast, salads, tapas, sandwiches, burgers, tacos and several desserts.
There are also croissants, bread, sandwiches and cakes available to take away. The prices appeared reasonable for this part of Tenerife, with an English breakfast at €11.50 and several smaller breakfast choices available.
A Homemade Croissant
I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice and a homemade ham and cheese croissant.
The orange juice was a particularly generous serving, made with real oranges and plenty of ice. The croissant was buttery, freshly made and very enjoyable.
I would happily pay a little more to have it filled with proper lacón rather than ordinary processed ham. Lacón is cooked ham from the leg and can sometimes be found at the delicatessen counter alongside the cheeses rather than in the supermarket’s packaged-ham section.
YouTube Copyright Claims
During breakfast, I explained what happens when background music in a café causes a copyright claim on a YouTube video.
Disputing a claim can involve several stages and sometimes takes 30 days. In this case, the claim was eventually released because it had not been reviewed within the permitted period.
After all that effort, the disputed advertising revenue amounted to less than €3. Small amounts do add up across several weekly programmes, but it shows the reality of running a modest YouTube channel.
New Cameras for Balcony Banter
I also talked about the new OBSBOT Tail Air cameras that I plan to use for Balcony Banter.
I first saw the system several years ago, when a three-camera setup was far beyond my budget. A recent offer and interest-free payments have now made the equipment more affordable.
The plan is to test a completely wireless multi-camera arrangement during Balcony Banter.
Exploring the Area
After breakfast, I met more of the Luz del Mar team and took a walk around the surrounding area.
Nearby is Café Paraíso, a Cuban café whose owner recognised me from YouTube. I hope to return and include it in a future morning walk.
Luz del Mar is close to the Hard Rock Hotel, Roca Nivaria Gran Hotel and Playa Las Galgas. Street parking can be difficult, but paid parking is available beneath RocaMar. Another option is the free parking at Rosa Center, approximately ten minutes away on foot.
Luz del Mar is certainly hidden from the main road, but it is well worth knowing about if you are looking for breakfast or lunch in Playa Paraíso.