I Get Around
Gran Canaria
After the solitude of a staying in a lighthouse on La Palma, the next part of our Canary Island tour was always going to be a shock to the system. A short hop courtesy of a small Canary Fly plane and we were on Gran Canaria, our destination being the capital city of Las Palmas.
Las Palmas is Spain's 9th largest city according to Wikipedia. The hustle and bustle of street-wise city life is combined with some of Europe's most famous surfing beaches. Like all the best major cities there are a variety of experiences to be enjoyed in Las Palmas. The seafront promenade of Las Canteras Beach is brimming with tourists and locals alike, and at the the south end of the beach you'll find the striking Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, designed by Oscar Tuequets as an homage to the original lighthouse that stood there.
Adjacent to the auditorium is the perfectly pleasant, modern Las Arenas shopping centre, but a more more alluring cluster of independent shops, tradiational bars and restaurants can be found in the Triana district which is an open air pedestrianised area. Las Palmas is a big sprawling city with a busy docks area to the east and beaches flanking the west, so you'll need to use local transport or taxi to potter between some of these areas.
Vegueta is the old town of Las Palmas and where the origins of the city can be found. Wandering through the historical streets and squares you can't fail to miss the impressive Cathedral of Santa Ana. Nearby is the 160 year old market which is surrounded by shops and is just across the road from the Triana shopping district.
We stayed on a large typical beach hotel and there was a distinctly older age profile to the clientele, or at least there was in early spring when we visited. It was at the start of the pandemic breakout, but just prior to serious lock-down measures being put in place across Europe and the world.
A few months on I already hanker for some of the subtleties of a pre-covid age and fear they may be lost forever. A crowded breakfast buffet generating it's unique dance of steely determination and borderline manners. The gentle, older lady teasing each individual teabag on display, even sniffing a small sample before settling on English breakfast. A wise choice.
We had opted against hiring a car so made the most of the excellent transport links to explore the island. The southern resort town of Maspalomas is an hour on the number thirty bus which winds through several built-up resorts on it's way south. The focal point of the upmarket resort is the incredible Maspalomas lighthouse.
To the east of the lighthouse is an expansive beach which incorporates the Natural Dune Reserve of Maspalomas. It is very beautiful and it's heart warming to see very little sign of the development we'd encountered on most of our journey south. The natural beauty of the dunes has been protected and is there for all to enjoy, including large marooned pink men who have nodded off in the hot sun.
Back in Las Palmas, a stroll on the promenade along Las Canteras Beach will keep you busy for few hours each day. The surfers of all abilities trying to master the North Atlantic will also keep you entertained if you enjoy watching people fall over with unerring regularity.
Another walk, more popular with the locals follows the promenade east to the less developed Playa del Confital. From this quieter beach you can carry on around the headland to the nature reserve of Isleta. There is a lighthouse somewhere on Isleta but unfortunately a military zone blocked our path, as we always knew it would. But it's an excellent walk none the less and it feels a million miles away from the busy capital city only a few kilometres away.
Heading back from Isleta we chanced upon the restaurant Amigo Camilo, which not such much overlooked the sea, but hung precariously over it, perched above the fisherman's boats that delivered straight to the restaurant door. This very busy place was not geared up for tourists but I got to choose my own fish from the day's catch and my vegetarian wife got an excellent fresh salad and potatoes, so all happy.
Another restaurant of note, if only for it's convenience, quick and excellent service is Bioloco which serves excellent variety of burgers, salads and also caters excellently for vegetarians.
So that was our time up on the Canary Islands of Las Palma and Gran Canaria, The isolation and calm of the first complimented the busy city of the second and made for a nice balanced break.
Sadly, our last for a while.
There were no signs of corona virus on this trip beyond a politely positioned hand sanitizer. But as we spent our last few days in the sunshine, the rest of the world and the virus hysteria was starting to reach epic levels. Within ten days of us returning home the UK was locked down.
Our world and our lives are now set to change forever.
Let's hope we all have something to smile about some time soon.
After the solitude of a staying in a lighthouse on La Palma, the next part of our Canary Island tour was always going to be a shock to the system. A short hop courtesy of a small Canary Fly plane and we were on Gran Canaria, our destination being the capital city of Las Palmas.
 |
| Las Canteras Beach, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
Las Palmas is Spain's 9th largest city according to Wikipedia. The hustle and bustle of street-wise city life is combined with some of Europe's most famous surfing beaches. Like all the best major cities there are a variety of experiences to be enjoyed in Las Palmas. The seafront promenade of Las Canteras Beach is brimming with tourists and locals alike, and at the the south end of the beach you'll find the striking Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, designed by Oscar Tuequets as an homage to the original lighthouse that stood there.
 |
| Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
Adjacent to the auditorium is the perfectly pleasant, modern Las Arenas shopping centre, but a more more alluring cluster of independent shops, tradiational bars and restaurants can be found in the Triana district which is an open air pedestrianised area. Las Palmas is a big sprawling city with a busy docks area to the east and beaches flanking the west, so you'll need to use local transport or taxi to potter between some of these areas.
 |
| Cathedral of Santa Ana, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
Vegueta is the old town of Las Palmas and where the origins of the city can be found. Wandering through the historical streets and squares you can't fail to miss the impressive Cathedral of Santa Ana. Nearby is the 160 year old market which is surrounded by shops and is just across the road from the Triana shopping district.
 |
| Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
We stayed on a large typical beach hotel and there was a distinctly older age profile to the clientele, or at least there was in early spring when we visited. It was at the start of the pandemic breakout, but just prior to serious lock-down measures being put in place across Europe and the world.
A few months on I already hanker for some of the subtleties of a pre-covid age and fear they may be lost forever. A crowded breakfast buffet generating it's unique dance of steely determination and borderline manners. The gentle, older lady teasing each individual teabag on display, even sniffing a small sample before settling on English breakfast. A wise choice.
 |
| Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
We had opted against hiring a car so made the most of the excellent transport links to explore the island. The southern resort town of Maspalomas is an hour on the number thirty bus which winds through several built-up resorts on it's way south. The focal point of the upmarket resort is the incredible Maspalomas lighthouse.
 |
| Maspalomas lighthouse, Gran Canaria |
To the east of the lighthouse is an expansive beach which incorporates the Natural Dune Reserve of Maspalomas. It is very beautiful and it's heart warming to see very little sign of the development we'd encountered on most of our journey south. The natural beauty of the dunes has been protected and is there for all to enjoy, including large marooned pink men who have nodded off in the hot sun.
 |
| Maspalomas lighthouse, Gran Canaria |
 |
| Maspalomas beach, Gran Canaria |
Back in Las Palmas, a stroll on the promenade along Las Canteras Beach will keep you busy for few hours each day. The surfers of all abilities trying to master the North Atlantic will also keep you entertained if you enjoy watching people fall over with unerring regularity.
 |
| Las Canteras beach, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
Another walk, more popular with the locals follows the promenade east to the less developed Playa del Confital. From this quieter beach you can carry on around the headland to the nature reserve of Isleta. There is a lighthouse somewhere on Isleta but unfortunately a military zone blocked our path, as we always knew it would. But it's an excellent walk none the less and it feels a million miles away from the busy capital city only a few kilometres away.
 |
| Isleta, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
 |
| Isleta, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
Heading back from Isleta we chanced upon the restaurant Amigo Camilo, which not such much overlooked the sea, but hung precariously over it, perched above the fisherman's boats that delivered straight to the restaurant door. This very busy place was not geared up for tourists but I got to choose my own fish from the day's catch and my vegetarian wife got an excellent fresh salad and potatoes, so all happy.
Another restaurant of note, if only for it's convenience, quick and excellent service is Bioloco which serves excellent variety of burgers, salads and also caters excellently for vegetarians.
 |
| Restaurant Amigo Camilo, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria |
So that was our time up on the Canary Islands of Las Palma and Gran Canaria, The isolation and calm of the first complimented the busy city of the second and made for a nice balanced break.
Sadly, our last for a while.
There were no signs of corona virus on this trip beyond a politely positioned hand sanitizer. But as we spent our last few days in the sunshine, the rest of the world and the virus hysteria was starting to reach epic levels. Within ten days of us returning home the UK was locked down.
Our world and our lives are now set to change forever.
Let's hope we all have something to smile about some time soon.
 |
| Maspalomas lighthouse, Gran Canaria |
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