Gran Canaria - a taster

---

Hola to one and all...

This blog has been seriously delayed... I got back from my first, albeit brief, visit to Gran Canaria a few weeks ago but I have been sooooo busy - mainly doing not much at all! Although with Crimbo just round the corner and another imminent trip to Switzerland coming up... shopping has been my main focus - I think I preferred last year when I was in the Maldives and I was able to just get away with adopting a polar bear and snow leopard rather than wandering around the shops trying to find witty and unusual gifts for friends and family... Anyway I have wandered off track bit like I do when I'm shopping - so back to Gran Canaria...

I was there in mid-November and the temperaturse and weather were just about right, certainly better than what the UK was enduring... and I was surprised at what a beautiful island Gran Canaria is. Located off the coast of North Africa, Gran Canaria (or any of the Canary Islands...) was somewhere I had always fancied for a bit of winter sun but never got to... until now.

Some of the coastal resort areas can seem a bit 'concrete jungle-ish' but take one of the many island coach tours available and you'll see some real gems. Lush green valleys, stunning mountain ranges and hidden picturesque villages - there's also a rum distillery and a visit here is, unsurprisingly for me, highly recommended :-) One of the speciality rums of the island is made with honey and many restaurants serve a little glass of it after dinner - it is really yummy!

I saw beautiful sunsets, had some lovely meals, enjoyed fab nights out and even took a walk on the beach down by the lighthouse - there is definitely more to do here than just sunbathe and party! Speaking of partying...

The nightlife is something else in Playas des Ingles, due to the company I was with (Thanks boys for the invite...) I spent my nights out at a place called the Yumbo centre. The Yumbo is the gay zone and I was warmly welcomed in most bars and have some great memories of some great nights out - yes I was able to remember...

This is a relevant little point for the girlies/drag queens reading this - With all the bars and clubs in one place a night out doesn't involve walking miles in killer heels, and thanks to a 'clean up' taxis are well regulated on fares and safety - I took a taxi a couple of times on my own in the wee small hours and felt confident that I wouldn't be ripped off or worse!

There are other bar/club areas that cater for all tastes and nationalities so maybe had I had more time I would have ventured further afield but I enjoyed the gay bars during my all too brief visit - I saw a couple of drag shows, which were brilliant, had a few boogies around my handbag and generally partied harder than is reasonable for a person of my age. I felt I needed another holiday when I got home...

If you fancy a few days of winter sun then you could do worse than head to the Canary Islands - I had a lovely time and I'm very pleased to finally be able to say I have been to Spain - one of the few countries in Europe I had never visited.

So, next stop is Switzerland then home to the UK for Christmas before starting my new contract back in the Maldives... watch this space for more blogs - thanks as always for having a read and don't forget to leave a nice comment, you can leave a nasty one but it'll be deleted :-)

Finally, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Super New Year - take care, have fun and happy travelling.

Love Tallulah x

---