Lanzagrotty - only it wasn't (grotty that it)

As a way of getting some winter sunshine and avoiding the VERY windy and grey weather that the UK seems to be blessed with this year, we hit Lanzarote for a while. By plane though, the boat  trip down across Biscay would have been horrid....

A few impressions of island life follow for you.

It was kind of ironic that at the Janubio salt flats they were selling the stuff. We seem to get lots of it for free all over our Nordhavn whenever we take the boat out in rough conditions:

Of course, you have to check out the local marinas ready for overwintering here sometime. Puerto Calero (see website) is a bit designer, lots of designer clothing shops at designer prices and the ubiquitous restaurants. Lots of space around most of the berths too and all pontoon moorings - not the slimy typical mediterranean pick up lines:

Biggest drawback - no proper food shops and nothing in walking distance. You would be renting a car regularly! For the folks who say that we have too many aerials and things up aloft, we spotted this sport fishing boat that makes us look like beginners:

We much preferred the Rubicon Marina in Playa Blanca. Better spot to spend time in.

One of the must do things on the island (we've done it before but had to go again) is to take the coach trip around the Timanfaya volcano area where you get to see the crater and the dramatic evidence of the last (1834) eruption:

You have to trust the coach driver and the brakes on the vehicle as the "roadway" is pretty narrow and steep. We got the front seats in the bus and were hanging over the side of the mountain on some bends....

They like to prove that the volcano is still warm by pouring a little water down a hole then standing back:

We avoided buying the chicken cooked over the volcano. It looked very well done!

The north of the island is home to a fairly fierce ferry:

Much friendlier were two Nordhavns (a 46, Starlet and a 47 Summer Star) that arrived in Arrecife jsut before we left the island. Sadly, a little too late for us to meet up with the crews but we exchanged mails:

They had come across from Morocco and will be heading across to the USA, planning the Pacific ocean next year.

On Lanzarote, you have to stop to photograph the camels which were used as working animals until quite recently. Now they really struggle, dragging vastly overweight tourists around:

They looked quite content though, if a bit smelly:

El Golfo, on the west coast, is a lovely waterfront and town, which must have the highest density of restaurants per square foot on the island. It also had some charming little holiday villas:

and one resident who had great taste in quirky British sports cars:

No idea how he could use and enjoy the thing on the tiny island though!

Sadly, one of their street names doesn't work quite as well with English pronounciation:

The oddest part was a native North African guy, sitting on the seafront, playing jingle bells on an accordion in glorious sunshine with a big decaying teeth grin. Hardly Christmassy!