Day 12 - Wednesday, 22 January - ETD 11:40

Since 11 January we have not set the alarm clock, but this morning is was on, merciless, at 6 am.

This photo is not related to an excursion.

 We are waiting in the VIP lounge at the Arrecife airport for departure at 11:50 - ten minutes late.

Day 11 - Tuesday, 21 January - last day

Unfortunately it is a bit too fresh and clouded with very little sunshine.  

The day will probably be limited to some minigolf, a quick walk on the beach and a card game.

Hopelessly cold and grey.

A lonely baby seagull - as cold as I am this morning.

Tonight we will have supper at the Indian "Mumbai masala" which tempts us with Lamb Bityani and Pilau Rice.

Tomorrow is early departure !

Day 10 - Monday, 20 January ... 2 days left

Today is grey and almost cold.    What can we do ?

We decide to catch local bus number 3 at 11:36 direction Playa Blanca.  A 20 minutes ride take us to to Puerto Calero.

The village is small with low, cubic, white houses.  This typical architecture, which is present all over the island, is due to artist Cesar Manrique, who influenced the government to defend buildings higher than 3 floors.

Manrique came back from New York in 1966 and settled definitively in Tahiche, 5 km north-east of Arrecife, where he had his house built on and inside a lava “river”.  1.800 m2 living area on two levels with gardens, pool and terraces.   It is now turned into a museum exposing Manrique’s own works together with Miró, Picasso and local artists like Juan Gopar and Geraldo Delgado.

 This Manrique sculpture called "something" with winds and is just a bit down the beach walk.

"El Róbalo" he called it.

This iron Delgado is also on the beach front - he was a local artist, contemporary to César Manrique.

Who inspired who ?

Isn't there some Robert Jacobsen in both of them.

After a stroll on the harbour in Puerto Calero we are lucky enough to catch the Lineas Romero Express Waterbus (glass bottom boat) bound for Puerto del Carmen at 12:15.

Sailing close to the shore, it becomes clear why Lanzarote is called « Isla del Vulcanos ».

Very little green in the lava black-black lava "fields".

The "book" says, that Lanzarote is the oldest of the Canary Islands - old of 23 mio years.
Since 1993 it is classified by Unesco.
The island took shape during the big eruptions in 1730 to 1736, when Timanfaya was active non stop.  The air seems to have been filled with black dust and the sun was not seen for 6 years !!!!

But the island gained 174 km2 of surface from the lava streaming into the ocean.

The last eruption took place in 1824 - since there has been no more volcanic activity.

Cold beer and white wine at the port before catching local bus n° 3.

"All that meat and no potatoes" ... waiting for the bus "home".

A last look at the curious plants in our hotel garden.

Ficus Benjamini - I have one in a pot in the Plasky living room ....

Bourgainvillea spectabilis - it certainly is "spectabilis".

Does anybody know the name of this one ?

Figue de Barberi - very aggressive thorns.

"Goodbye" supper at o’Horreo :  Baby squid, delicious pan fried Dorade, potatoes with Mojo verde et roja (for me), mixed salad (for Hans) + a strong Irish Whisky as desert.

Day 9 - Sunday, 19 January - still 3 days left

We are offered champagne for this Sunday breakfast.

Tomorrow is said to get clouded and  temperatures will drop from 21 to 17*C.

Rain is also announced, but not before Wednesday, when we are to leave.

From this mornings walk:

Echinocactus grusonii - Mexico

Ferrocactus cylindraceus - Mexico

Dracaena draco

As for this strange guy I don’t know his name nor origin.

Flowering tree called Beaucarnea recurvata - Central America

Hibiscus in various shades of red, yellow and orange

The soil of which there is not much is covered with a rather thick layer of vulcano gravel or even vulvano dust in order to preserve the mist of the morning or the very little rain, which might fall during the winter.

As for supper we decided to try Irishman Patrick’s Ribeye steak at "Paddys Paradise" accompanied by a baked potato, some insignificant salad and a good red wine.

The day and the meal was closed by an Irish coffee and the usual “Ron et miel” (On the House).

Day 8 - Saturday, 18 January ... still 4 days left

Last night we had the best supper till now - at o’Horreo.

“o’Horreo” is a barn where grain is stocked.

,

Mini scallops in their own shell and Baby squids accompanied by an excellent Spanish white wine.

The owner said, he will land fresh fish on Monday.  We already booked a table and more scallops.

Saturday supper at the Italo-Spanish restaurant at ten minutes walk from the hotel:
2 tapas: grilled tuna and chese platter
followed by another two: fried peperoni and chicken wings.
The beaty is we can take half portions allowing us to taste twice as much as at home.
As usual we get a bottle of Spanish red, a coffee followed by pouce cafés “on the house”.

Day 7 - Friday, 17 January

Our day starts around 8:30 with a giant breakfast buffet.

Canned and fresh fruit 

Without mentioning fried and boiled eggs, omelet and freshly cut Iberian ham, all kinds of bread warm from the oven and 7 different jams

Lunch is usually a fresh fruit or a cup of tea leaving us with a good appetite for supper, the second - and last meal of the day.

Sometimes we have “ before dinner” drink before changing to go out - today it was Piña Colada.. 

And that was the end of a lovely day - tomorrow I will take you through the garden.

Day 6 - Wednesday, 16 Jan

A day like yesterday - with a long late-afternoon walk ...

... and sunset on the bay.

“Strange fruits hanging from the Poplar trees”

Five small bottles of beer plus tapas ...

But we are tempted by Irishman Patrick’s bar offering “Potato skins” and “Buffalo wings”  accompanied by a bottle of good Spanish red wine.

Our only regret is the temperature in the evening - indeed very fresh.