Blogs from Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain, Europe - page 2

LANZAROTE We have just spent a glorious week in Lanzarote visiting our friends, Sue and Jim who have visited the country many times and often stay during the cold UK months to get some winter sunshine. We flew into the capital Arrecife from our local Bournemouth airport and the flight was only three and half hours so we were soon enjoying the warm sunshine too. We had visited the island once before a few years ago and had grown to love this scenic Island. There are eight main islands forming the Canary Islands, which are an archipelago and autonomous community of Spain located on the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Morocco and the Western Sahara. The largest is Tenerife which we visited many years ago and did not have a very good impression of ... read more

Total miles travelled from Santos: 4648 nautical miles We docked in Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote at 10am, not a cloud in the sky, fluffy or otherwise. Up in the buffet some people seemed to be wearing sweaters, jackets, and even coats as they all descended like piranhas mopping up what the locusts had left behind on the breakfast buffet before venturing out on either an organised tour, taking the shuttle the 4 miles in to Arrecife town or to negotiate a price for one of the army of taxis scattered along the quay. Wherever they were off to, the temperature was going to be around 21 degrees C. There are no mountains in Arrecife unlike Tenerife so as Phil Collins stated: No jacket required!! Originally when we were here last October we had decided to ... read more

As a couple going away for less than a week on a relaxing holiday, we decided to head to a beach location in Lanzarote. I couldn't help but compare to our last holiday in Majorca, as though they were competing with each other (...location in Majorca 0-1 location in Lanzarote...) The beach (in comparison to Majorca) was around a fifteen minute walk away, but the walk there along the coast was breathtaking cliffs, as black as coal, looking over a sparkling turquoise ocean. The local restaurants used this area in their favour and there were balconies for people to enjoy a romantic sea front meal, which we happened to enjoy the pleasure of too. The hotel was Brit-abroad-stag-and-hen-all-inclusive-esque who, on speaking to a few, wasn't aware there was a pristine beach around the corner. However, they ... read more

How strange to land at a warm, sunny airport, whilst still wrapped in a thick jacket from the cold, damp airport from which we departed just a few hours earlier. Coats off and immediately you change into a more Summery mood. Discovering a beautiful blue swimming pool just in front of the apartment added even more sunshine to my smile and with a belly full of wonderful local food; it's time to start exploring this unique volcanic island. Lanzarote is Volcanic in origin and is the fourth largest of Canary Islands (845km2) in Atlantic Ocean. The name in native language was “red mountains". The Volcanic landscape appears much as after the eruption. What will stay in my memories and what I would like to share are those places: Jameos del Agua Is volcanic cave with collapsed ... read more

On Nov 9, 2011, we left Arrecife and anchored for 2 days at Papagayo beach which is a nudist or “naturalist” beach. On Nov 11, 2011, we anchored outside Marina Rubicon and was there for 9 days, then we docked in Marina Rubicon for 7 days. The best internet place in Playa Blanca is El Mundo Latino at calle La Laja 16b. We waited for a taxi at the taxi stand just outside Marina Rubicon but none came. We went to the Marina and they called the taxi for us but said that nobody was picking up the phone. We went back to the taxi stand and about 10 people were waiting there but no taxis came. We continued calling and finally booked a taxi for the next day. To go to the airport from Marina ... read more