Lanzarote, Beach day (the missing part)

FINAL PART.

******NB*******

This is the final part - if you want part one - click HERE

Today was a beach day, so no 'proper' pictures really. We just drove to the Papagayo national park, parked up and got on the beach. Again, Manrique's influence is here. There have been several attempts to cover this beach with umbrellas and sun beds, but these have been (rightly, in my opinion), resisted, mainly due to the efforts of the Manrique foundation.

These are your choices when you go to Papagayo.

Sue rushes to get to our favourite beach.

The line of beaches, looking from the cliffs.
We walked from Playa Blanca to that far one in the early part of this holiday.

Calm, still waters of Papagayo beach, a little sun-trap.

A little walk around the cliffs first to take in the views.

One of the two cafes has this strange camel-like figure on show.

The view of the volcano.

Time for some serious snorkeling.
It was in this bay that I finally got used to using fins. They felt weird at first, but once mastered, they REALLY get you places fast and effortlessly.

Looking up to the two cafes.

The beach got quite busy as the day wore on, but then it WAS Saturday, so a lot of locals probably join the tourists.

Later on, a jug of Sangria in the shade of the cafe umbrellas.

From time to time, small (and sometimes larger) yachts and trip boats pass by, some anchor up and the occupants take the opportunity to swim in these lovely, clear, warm waters.

We ended the day with another full walk on the top of the cliffs.

Then, it was back to the airport to return the car.

Lanzarote, part twelve, the Rubicon marina.

PART TWELVE.

The penultimate part - if you've come here to see all the pictures, start at part one, by clicking; 

HERE

 It was a little cloudy today, but not too bad. We decided to walk the whole beach front again, just to take it all in, one last time.

It’s been a great holiday, with everything we could have wanted, from both the island and the hotel.

This is the harbour, peaceful and warm today.

Looking out across the bay as we walked west.

This is close to the ferry port (which is over my right shoulder).

We then walked all the way back east, to the new Rubicon marina.

This yacht was having some mast-top repairs.

I loved the way the guy sent his WIFE up there, while he stood looking up at her

Hang on there!

As we were close to the ‘Blue Note’ cafe, one of our favourite haunts, we thought it would be rude not to call in for a drink.

This ‘deconstructed’ piano hangs on the wall.

Some really nice murals behind the bar too, you can see the piano on the wall, just under the ‘toilets’ sign.

You can see a short video of the type of music played at night in the ‘Blue Note’ by clicking HERE

This super sculpture was hidden behind a wall, in the courtyard of what looked like a closed shop (or maybe a gallery??).

I climbed on the wall to get this shot.

The ‘Bella Lucia’ – one of two really beautiful old boats in the marina. We Googled the name, and got some interesting information on her. She was for sale at over a million euros! Read about her HERE

1881 – classic!

The other yacht next to her.

As we found a lot on this - (and other Canarian islands), attention to detail made SUCH a difference.

This lovely mast is just a marker for the harbour entrance.

The old lighthouse restaurant and view over the bay to the mountains.

Point the camera down, and there were some delicate flowers growing here.

After refreshments in the Blue Note, we sauntered along the promenade and back to ‘our’ beach.

The ubiquitous ferry was plying across, back and forth, to Fuerteventura.

Fuerta’ looked very good and clear today, probably the clearest we’d seen it all week.

The man-made reef, which made for such good snorkeling.

So, one more look at the pool, and then we headed home the next day.
However, due to my ineptitude at blogging - I missed a part out - Papagayo reserve.

You can see that by clicking HERE

We flew late, so managed to get a morning's sun and snorkeling in, before making our way to the airport.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this photo journal of Lanzarote, and maybe it’s even tempted some of you to go?

If you'd like to see pictures of Fuerteventura, click HERE

Gran Canaria, click HERE

Madeira, click HERE
Majorca, click HERE
Skiathos (Greece) click HERE

Parga (mainland Greece) click HERE

Lanzarote, part eleven - TIMANFAYA & Los Hervidoros.

PART ELEVEN.

Today was one of the highlights of this holiday. This, according to everyone we’ve spoken to that’s been here, is the number one MUST DO on Lanzarote!

We’d planned to come here earlier in the week, but delayed it because the conditions weren't right. It had been VERY windy on the day we’d planned to come (reinforced by some other hotel guests who said they went that day, and could hardly stand up).

Anyway, today was PERFECT, with hot sunshine, clear skies and good visibility.

Time to go volcanic!

Don't forget, you can click on any of the pictures for a larger version or slide show.

The road to Timanfaya National Park is, as you would expect, very ‘moon-like’, and edged with vicious-looking sharp volcanic rock.

I would love to know just HOW they build roads over this stuff – can there BE an easy way????

Manrique’s entrance sign to the park.

We had been warned to go as early as we could, as it gets really busy with coach trips after about 9:30, so here we were at about nine o’clock, ready to see the sights.

‘Montanas del fuego’ – mountains of fire.

Very dramatic, or very drab? This place would be different things to different people. Sue & I love it.

Yes, we love and live among greenery at home, but it’s good to see the other side of nature sometimes.

Stark and harsh, there’s very little to support life here.

We arrived at the visitor centre, and walked straight on to a coach. Cars are not allowed in the park, so everyone has to go on the guided coach tour, which winds around the park, sometimes on impossibly sharp bends and narrow ‘roads’, stopping here and there at points of interest. We’re not really ones for ‘guided tours’, but in this instance, there was no choice.

Some of the youngest (and still active) parts of the island are here at Timanfaya.

You can read up on it HERE

How would YOU feel – this is the coach drivers view of the ‘road’ ahead!!!

Again, you have to wonder – HOW?????

Another coach on the far side wends it’s way around the park, like some sort of bizarre theme park ride.

All around, all you see is one volcano after another. This was (and, in places, still is) one very turbulent place.

Huge volcanic gorges edged the road as we continued.

This was the only life we saw really, a green, scrubby plant on the slopes.

No wonder they tested moon vehicles here, and made films too.

“Right, you lot – BREATHE IN!!!”

It looks like the top of that mountain was just blown apart.

After the trip on the coach, it was time for the show. Two bored-looking guys (who could blame them, they had probably done this thousands of times) did the ‘tricks’.

The first one placed a pile of brushwood in a hole.

Within a few seconds, it started smoking, then burst into flames.

(cue ‘oooo’s’ and ‘ahhh’s’)

See the video, click HERE

This guy was particularly officious and surly, but his trick was good.

Just pour a little water down the hole, and........

WHOOOOOSH!!!!

It came back two seconds later as a roaring jet of steam.

Watch the video HERE ( and note ‘Mr Grumpy’ always looking for the next poor tourist to tell off)

In the impressive visitor centre, they had a grill set up over a ‘hot hole’. All this raw food was cooked by the time we had done the tour, all by the heat rising from the bowels of the earth .

The centrepiece in the restaurant, sort of pan-like?

Another Manrique, I think.

At the end of our tour, which lasted about 45 minutes, we could see what we were told, coming true.
 Now HOARDS of people were arriving, and there were long queues for the tour coaches.

Posing by the sign.

The centre was built around the remains of a tree.

Like the park, simple, stark, but hugely impressive.

The restaurant looked like it could seat a LOT of people, and was probably just there to cater for arranged trips, as it didn’t seem to be open for us.

Before we left, we just had to get THE photo.

On the way back, we saw the sign to ‘Los Hervideros’, which means ‘boiling pots’, and decided to side-track to take a look.

Quite a bit of action in the sea, but NOWHERE NEAR as much as the other day.

That’s where we made a mistake, this place would be ten times more exciting on that sort of rough day, and that is when we SHOULD have come here!

This is how it might have looked – a photo taken from the web.

Ah well, another time maybe, but it was still good today.

The volcanic holes allowed the waves in, then, as they smashed against the walls, directed them upwards in a plume of spray.

People were all around at vantage points, trying to get a good picture.

Tomorrow was set very fair and warm, so we intended to use the car & go for a beach day at Papagayo.

Snorkeling and relaxing would be the order of the day.