Discovering the Canary Islands: Travel Highlights of Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera, La Palma and Lanzarote

Panoramic view of San Sebastian de La Gomera, with colorful houses and buildings nestled between lush green mountains and the sparkling blue sea.
Panoramic view of San Sebastian de La Gomera, with colorful houses and buildings nestled between lush green mountains and the sparkling blue sea.

Welcome to the Canary Islands, a paradise on earth! The archipelago, located off the coast of West Africa, is made up of seven volcanic islands, each with its own unique character and charm. From the stunning beaches to the rugged landscapes, the Canary Islands have something to offer for everyone. Our recent trip took us to six of the seven islands, and we cannot wait to share our experience with you.

Fuerteventura: Our trip began on the island of Fuerteventura, known for its long stretches of golden sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. We spent our days sunbathing and swimming in the turquoise sea. The island is also home to the Corralejo Natural Park, which boasts impressive sand dunes that reach up to 50 meters high. We highly recommend taking a stroll through the dunes and enjoying the beautiful views.

Tenerife: Next, we headed to the largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife. The island is home to the Loro Parque, a stunning animal park that is a must-visit for animal lovers. The park is home to an array of animals, including dolphins, penguins, and even orcas. We highly recommend the Orca Ocean show, which is a highlight of the park.

Gran Canaria: Our next stop was Gran Canaria, where we visited the Poema del Mar Aquarium, a stunning aquarium that showcases the beauty and diversity of marine life. The aquarium is divided into three main areas: surface, deep ocean, and freshwater habitats. We highly recommend visiting the deep ocean exhibit, where you can see sharks, stingrays, and other fascinating creatures.

La Gomera: La Gomera is a small island that is known for its lush green forests and rugged terrain. We highly recommend taking a hiking trip through the Garajonay National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is home to a subtropical forest that is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.

La Palma: La Palma is known as the ‚Pretty Island,‘ and it is easy to see why. The island is covered in lush green forests and boasts some of the most stunning scenery in the Canary Islands. We highly recommend taking a stroll through the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, which is a vast crater that is home to unique plant species.

Lanzarote: Our final stop was Lanzarote, a volcanic island that is known for its stunning natural beauty. We visited the Jameos del Agua, a unique cave system that is home to an underground lake and a stunning concert hall. The concert hall is used for concerts and other events, and it is an unforgettable experience.

In conclusion, our trip to the Canary Islands was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will never forget. The islands offer something for everyone, from stunning beaches to unique natural beauty and fascinating animal parks. We highly recommend visiting the Loro Parque on Tenerife, Poema del Mar Aquarium on Gran Canaria, and Jameos del Agua on Lanzarote. We hope this blog post has inspired you to plan your own trip to the Canary Islands and experience the magic of this stunning archipelago.

Exploring the Natural Beauty of Madeira: Gorgeous Gardens and Coastal Cliffs

Panorama of Madeira, featuring the city of Funchal, the coastline, and the island's rugged peaks in the distance
This stunning panorama captures the beauty of Madeira, with its lush green hills, rugged coastline, and crystal-clear waters.

Madeira, the Portuguese island off the coast of Africa, is a true gem of the Atlantic Ocean. With its breathtaking landscapes, stunning coastal cliffs and year-round warm weather, Madeira is the perfect destination for nature lovers, foodies and adventure seekers alike. One of the most beautiful places on the island is Funchal, the charming capital, where you will find the stunning Monte Palace Tropical Garden and a wealth of other attractions.

First on your itinerary should be the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, a botanical paradise that covers over 70,000 square meters. Here you’ll find a diverse array of flora from around the world, including exotic plants from places like Japan, South Africa and Brazil. As you stroll through the garden, you’ll be surrounded by lush greenery, tranquil waterfalls, and colorful flowers. Take some time to relax and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of this stunning garden.

Once you’ve had your fill of the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, head to the historic center of Funchal. Wander through the narrow streets and alleys and you’ll discover charming shops, cafes and restaurants. If you’re looking for a unique experience, take a ride on the traditional Monte Toboggan, a wooden sledge that races down the steep streets of Funchal at breakneck speed.

Next on your list should be a visit to the Mercado dos Lavradores, the colorful and bustling farmers‘ market in the heart of Funchal. Here you can sample a wide variety of local delicacies, including fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables. Be sure to try the famous Madeiran honey cake, a delicious and sweet pastry that’s a staple of the island’s cuisine.

The cliffs of Cabo Girao are some of the highest in Europe and offer breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. The recently built Skywalk allows visitors to walk on a glass platform that juts out from the cliff face, giving the sensation of walking on air. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but definitely worth it for the thrill-seekers and nature lovers.

Another amazing viewpoint in Madeira is Miradouro Girão. It’s a clifftop viewpoint that offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, coastline and sea. It’s a great place to watch the sunset or sunrise and take some stunning photos.

Finally, for a relaxing end to your trip, head to Praia Formosa Beach, a beautiful sandy beach with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. You can soak up the sun, swim in the clear blue waters or simply take a leisurely stroll along the shore.

All in all, a trip to Funchal and Madeira is sure to be an unforgettable experience. With its stunning gardens, charming streets and delicious cuisine, there’s something for everyone on this beautiful island. So pack your bags, grab your camera and get ready to explore this incredible destination.

The Big Book of Dashboards: A Comprehensive Guide to Building Effective Business Dashboards

The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios
The Big Book of Dashboards: Visualizing Your Data Using Real-World Business Scenarios

As a data enthusiast, you know that creating an effective dashboard is not just about presenting data, it’s about communicating insights and making data-driven decisions. That’s why I’ve chosen The Big Book of Dashboards (BBoD) for our #datamustread book club. Written by Andy Cotgreave, Steve Wexler, and Jeffrey Shaffer, this book is a comprehensive reference that provides real-world solutions for building effective business dashboards.

Let’s dive into what makes this book so valuable for data enthusiasts.

Real-world solutions for building effective business dashboards

The BBoD covers dozens of examples that address different industries and departments, such as healthcare, transportation, finance, human resources, marketing, customer service, and sports, among others. It also covers different platforms, including print, desktop, tablet, smartphone, and conference room displays. With this book as your guide, you’ll be able to match great dashboards with real-world business scenarios.

Practical and effective visualization examples in The Big Book of Dashboards

The book is organized based on scenarios and offers practical and effective visualization examples. You’ll find an entire section of the book devoted to addressing many practical and psychological factors you will encounter in your work. The expert authors have combined 30-plus years of hands-on experience helping people in hundreds of organizations build effective visualizations. They bring uncommon empathy to help you, the reader of this book, survive and thrive in the data visualization world.

Tools, guidance, and models to produce great dashboards

The BBoD gives you the tools, guidance, and models you need to produce great dashboards that inform, enlighten, and engage. A well-designed dashboard can point out risks, opportunities, and more, but common challenges and misconceptions can make your dashboard useless at best, and misleading at worst. This book will help you avoid those challenges and produce dashboards that truly make a difference.

Examples of modern, effective designs

What sets The Big Book of Dashboards apart from its peers is that it contains a number of examples of modern, effective designs. The examples are of good visualizations, rather than bad, and this focus means that the reader is exposed to a vast range of quality content, rather than endless examples of what „not to do.“

Order The Big Book of Dashboards Today

Once you’ve read the BBoD, you’ll want to keep it nearby as a guide for your data visualization projects. The book provides 20+ high-quality dashboards based on all kinds of data from different industries, with detailed explanations of why certain chart types, layouts, and colors were used, why they work well, why other choices were not good enough, and what could be changed to make the dashboard even better.

Order your copy of The Big Book of Dashboards (BBoD) today with this link that supports both me and the authors. Also, comment on my LinkedIn post below for a chance to enter our book giveaway. Happy reading!

Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn for more insights, and don’t forget to check out my new book Decisively Digital: From Creating a Culture to Designing Strategy, which dives deep into digital transformation.

9 Key Elements of a Successful Data Strategy for Business Growth

Get the Competitive Edge with Decisively Digital - The Ultimate Guide to Data Strategy
Get the Competitive Edge with Decisively Digital – The Ultimate Guide to Data Strategy

Data is a valuable asset that can give businesses a competitive edge and drive growth in today’s digital age. But without a clear and well-defined data strategy, companies risk missing out on the benefits that data provides. To help your business succeed in the digital world, here’s an overview of nine essential elements of a comprehensive data strategy.

    1. Goals and Objectives: Define specific goals and objectives that the company wants to achieve through its data efforts, such as improving customer experiences or optimizing business processes.
    2. Data Sources: Identify the most valuable data types and determine where they will come from, such as internal transaction or customer data and external market research.
    3. Data Management and Storage: Outline how data will be collected, organized, and stored consistently, accurately, and compliantly, with data management tools and technologies.
    4. Data Analysis and Reporting: Define how data will be analyzed and used to inform business decisions, with data visualization tools, dashboards, and reporting systems.
    5. Data Governance: Establish clear roles and responsibilities for data management, guidelines for data use and access, and ensure ethical and regulatory compliance.
    6. Data-driven Culture: Foster a data-driven culture by providing training and resources for data-driven decision making.
    7. Data Security and Privacy: Ensure data is collected, stored, and used securely and in compliance with privacy regulations.
    8. Data Integration and Interoperability: Define how data will be integrated and shared across systems and platforms.
    9. Data Quality and Accuracy: Ensure data is accurate and up-to-date, with processes for data cleansing and enrichment.

A data strategy is a must-have tool for any company that wants to fully realize the benefits of its data. It provides a clear roadmap for data collection, management, and analysis and helps organizations make better use of their data, drive growth, and succeed in today’s digital world. Get more insights and in-depth information by reading the book Decisively Digital (on Amazon).

Tableau Calculated Field: 20 Essential Tricks for Your Tableau Dashboards – A Comprehensive Guide

Tableau Calculated Field tips: Even more Tableau tricks in these books: “Datenvisualisierung mit Tableau” and “Visual Analytics with Tableau”
Tableau Calculated Field tips: Even more Tableau tricks in these books: “Datenvisualisierung mit Tableau” and “Visual Analytics with Tableau”

Tableau’s Calculated Field feature is at the core of its capabilities, offering powerful data manipulation and insights. In this post, we’ll explore 20 ultimate tricks to elevate your Tableau dashboards with calculated fields. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, these Tableau Calculated Field tips will unlock the full potential of Tableau.

20 Ultimate Tableau Calculated Field Tricks – Simply Explained

  1. 📊 Summing Based on Conditions
    Calculate the sum of sales for a specific region:
    IF [Region] = "West" THEN SUM([Sales Amount]) END
    Great for targeted analysis!
  2. 🔗 Accessing Related Data
    Grab related product names:
    ATTR([Product Name])
    Simplifies data relationships!
  3. 🧠 Row Context Calculations
    Calculate sales amount per Sales ID:
    {FIXED [Sales ID]: SUM([Sales Amount])}
    Unlock the power of context!
  4. 🏅 Ranking Values
    Rank sales amounts in descending order:
    RANK(SUM([Sales Amount]), 'desc')
    See who’s on top!
  5. 🧮 Safe Division
    Avoid division by zero:
    IF [Total Units] != 0 THEN [Total Sales] / [Total Units] END
    No more errors!
  6. 🔄 Multiple Conditions
    Use CASE for multiple conditions:
    CASE [Rating] WHEN 1 THEN "Poor" WHEN 2 THEN "Average" WHEN 3 THEN "Good" ELSE "Unknown" END
    Keep it clean!
  7. 🚫 Removing Filters
    Exclude filters from a calculation:
    {EXCLUDE [Sales]: SUM([Sales Amount])}
    Take control of your filters!
  8. 🧵 String Aggregation
    Concatenate product names:
    CONCATENATE([Product], ", ")
    String it together!
  9. 📆 Year-Over-Year Comparisons
    Calculate the difference in years:
    DATEDIFF('year', [Date], TODAY())
    Time travel with data! #Tableau #Analytics
  10. 🕳️ Handling Missing Data
    Replace zeros with NULL:
    IF [Sales Amount] = 0 THEN NULL ELSE [Sales Amount] END
    Clean up those blanks!
  11. 🎨 Custom Date Formatting
    Format dates your way:
    DATEPARSE("MMM-YYYY", [Sales Date])
    Make dates work for you!
  12. 🎯 Single Value Validation
    Check for a single unique value:
    IF COUNTD([Region]) = 1 THEN [Region] ELSE "Multiple Regions" END
    Validate with ease!
  13. 🕵️‍♀️ Filter Detection
    Detect if a field is filtered:
    IF SIZE() > 1 THEN "Filtered" ELSE "Not Filtered" END
    Be a filter detective!
  14. 📈 Maximum Values in a Table
    Find the max sales amount:
    WINDOW_MAX(SUM([Sales Amount]))
    Reach the peak!
  15. 📉 Minimum Values in a Table
    Find the min sales amount:
    WINDOW_MIN(SUM([Sales Amount]))
    Find the floor!
  16. 🧮 Counting Rows in a Table
    Count rows in a table:
    SIZE()
    Count on it!
  17. 🎲 Counting Unique Values
    Count unique products:
    COUNTD([Product])
    Uniqueness counts!
  18. 🔍 Lookup Scenarios
    Check if a product exists:
    IF CONTAINS([Product], "Product A") THEN "Exists" ELSE "Does Not Exist" END
    Look it up!
  19. 📊 Creating a Series of Numbers
    Generate a series of numbers:
    INDEX()
    Count it out!
  20. 📝 Conditional Formatting
    Apply conditional formatting based on sales performance:
    IF SUM([Sales Amount]) > 10000 THEN "High" ELSEIF SUM([Sales Amount]) > 5000 THEN "Medium" ELSE "Low" END
    Visualize performance at a glance!

Even More Tableau Tricks

📚 If you want to dive even deeper into the world of Tableau, check out my Tableau books 🔗 Visual Analytics with Tableau (Amazon) and 🔗 Datenvisualisierung mit Tableau (Amazon)! These books are packed with even more Tableau Calculated Field tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you master Tableau. Don’t miss out on these invaluable resources!

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