Lanzarote

Hi everyone,

We've had a wonderful time on Lanzarote.  We've met a number of bluewater cruisers, including Lady of Lorien who we met in Gosport while with them on the hard at Endeavour Quay.

Cesar Manrique's Devil symbol of the Timanfaya National Park

After completing a number of boat jobs on Monday we walked along the Playa Blanca seafront and around the town.  There some popular beaches and the front is busy with bars and restaurants, including several English/Irish style pubs.

A walk along the Playa Blanca waterfront

Playa Blanca covers a large area due to the policy of no high-rise buildings in Lanzarote.  Just about all of the hotels are white, which also seems to be a policy.  It's quite a pretty place.

One of many Playa Blanca low-rise hotels

Yesterday (Tuesday) we took a coach 'Grand Tour' of the island with tourists staying in Playa Blanca.  Twas a great tour.  We stopped at a number of places with the highlights below.

El Golfo is the site of a volcano caldera of which half has been eroded away by the sea.  A green sea-water lake - coloured by algae - fills the remaining half.

Salt-water lake in the half caldera at El Golfo

Beach near El Golfo

Timanfaya National Park holds a number of volcanoes active in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.    The artist Cesar Manrique created the symbol for the park as well as many sculptures around the island.  He led the campaign which prevented high-rise buildings on the island.

Sculpture at entrance to Timanfaya National Park

Camel rides in the Timanfaya National Park

In the Timanfaya museum

Lava beds in Timanfaya

Hot enough to hold - just - from 3cm below the surface

Dry brush ignites 1m down

Steam bath anyone? (600C 3m down)

Volcanic BBQ

The park has a single-lane road carefully hidden in the landscape and accessible only by tour coaches.  The landscapes it reveals are awesome.  Much of the lava is covered in lichen.

Lava hills in Timanfaya

View across part of Timanfaya

Caldera of highest volcano in Timanfaya

Driving through a lava tube

View of a caldera

We visited a winery for a tasting.  The vineyard itself was very interesting.  Every vine is protected by its own lava-stone wall.  The soil is covered by lava ash which acts like a mulch - preventing water evaporation and capturing water from the moist NE trade winds which blow across the island.  The island's hills and volcanoes (the highest is 600m or so) aren't tall enough to cause rain.

Each vine has its own stone windbreak

A Cesar Manrique sculpture

Disused hillside terrace farms

The volcanic lava tunnel at Jameos del Agua  runs from a 500m high volcano several kilometres inland to the coast and out to an 800m depth at sea.  At the coast it runs close to sea level and sea water fills a small underground lake.  It has been developed into a very nice complex of natural lake in a natural lava cavern with bars, seating, dance floor, gardens, a swimming pool and a small auditorium.

Inside the volcanic tunnel at Jameos del Agua

The sea-water lake

The lake is surrounded by bars and a small dance floor

Garden above the lake

Pool above the lake

It's been great visiting and exploring Lanzarote.  Our next destination is expected to be to Gran Canaria.

Zen Again in Marina Rubicon

Trust all's well where you are!