After a long drive yesterday we left the car in the underground garage and walked today. The Friday Artisan Market was all over the town, on the streets, in the squares, by the port etc. The place was crowded.
After a wander around we stopped in a bar overlooking the boats and had a drink.
After dinner we walked back down to the port to enjoy the night life.
Tonight we are looking forward to some Rock and Roll in the entertainment bar!
Only one day left!
Carol
Today we set off on a long drive over the mountains into the centre of the island, heading for Tajeda, an attractive, sleepy village according to the guide book. The roads were good, if a bit scary at times, with many hair pin bends.
Eventually we could see Tajeda in the distance. When we arrived, the village was rammed with cars and people. We were very lucky to find a space to park. It turns out that the village was the finishing line for one of the Trans Gran Canaria running races. We managed to get a table on the street just before the finish and enjoyed a drink and an almond cake while watching the exhausted runners coming in. Tajeda is famous for growing almonds.
Not quite the sleepy village but a great drive nonetheless with amazing scenery and even more amazing cyclists who we passed on the way up the mountains and passed us on the way down!
After a long day of driving we need a break and plan to stay local tomorrow. There is a Friday Market in Puerto de Mogan which we can walk around.
Bye for now
Carol
Today we visited Maspalomas Dunes, 1000 acres of sand dunes, now a protected nature reserve.
The dunes are constantly moving.
We then moved up the coast to Playa des Ingles and had a beer looking out over the sea.
Not far from there the shore line becomes more rocky and a 19th century working lighthouse keeps ships away.
Tomorrow we plan to travel inland to the middle of the island.
Carol
Last night we had acrobats entertaining us.
We started Day Three with breakfast on the terrace.
Then we drove clockwise round the whole island. (See map from Day One) We drove through the mountains, with hairpin bends and along newer roads with tunnels cut through the rock.
We strayed from the route to visit Firgas, with its waterfall, tiled benches and 3d sculptures and pictures of each of the Canary Islands. It was a nightmare to park!
It was a long day – 9 hours – but great views of bare rock but also green valleys growing tomatoes and bananas.
Time to chill before dinner.
More tomorrow
Carol
We chose to stay local today, visiting the beach …
the port ..
and the town.
We had a swim in the pool and then relaxed in the shade with a book.
Tomorrow we will take a drive around the island.
Until then,
Carol
We left foggy Bristol early this morning on our way to Gran Canaria.
We landed at Las Palmas Airport on the east of the island, picked up a car and drove west along the GC – 1 to Mogan Playa (blue dot).
This is a view of Mogan.
Although very warm there is a haze concealing the beautiful blue sky in the previous photo. Due to Saharan dust apparently.
Looks a lovely hotel complex.
Had a great buffet dinner, now relaxing in the bar.
More tomorrow,
Carol
Homeward bound and the sun has come out! Nice calm sea.
Passing the Isle of Man.
We’ll be back on English soil about 7.30pm. Lovely holiday but we were unlucky with the weather.
Today was windy and rainy again. We had decided to visit Dunluce Castle but the wind was so strong on the Atlantic Coast that it would have been dangerous.
If you zoom in you can see the castle clinging to the rocks.
The waves were crashing on the beaches.
So we did what every family does when on holiday at the seaside in the rain – we went to the amusement arcade!
Start ’em young!
We drove back along the coast road.
We hope the sea is calmer tomorrow when we get the ferry back to England.
Very wet today so we went on a road trip, following the Causeway Coastal Route west to Londonderry.
We braved the rain to see some of the murals in Bogside.
Then we drove through the Sperrin Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stopping for lunch at the Glenpark Estate.
We continued to Enniskillen, then circled back via Lough Neagh – the largest freshwater lake in the United Kingdom.
We are hoping for drier weather tomorrow but the forecast doesn’t look good.
This morning we visited the Giant’s Causeway.
We were lucky to avoid the rain, but it was very …..
very ……..
windy!
Some of the basalt columns are very tall. They are not all hexagonal.
In this photo a camel laying down can be seen. Legend has it that the camel belonged to the giant Finn McCool.
After our visit we took our grandson to a local soft play area so that his mum and dad could go to the causeway.
Photographer of the day goes to Amy. They got wet but experienced this beautiful double rainbow.
