Gran Canaria

A few years ago we met a couple from South Africa on a cruise through the Norwegian fjords.  We became friends.  They invited us to their vacation house in Roses, Espana.  We took them up on their offer and stayed with them for a few nights then took advantage of the tie and visited all the cities along the e=Western seaboard of Spain.  It was a gift.  We had not planned to visit Spain on that particular trip but we did. We visited Valencia, Madrid, Malaga, and more.

During our times together our friends spoke of the Canary Islands ( correct name: Canaria, Espana).  As they talked about the place we conjured in our minds an exotic island, one we may never see.  Here we are though and it is nothing like we envisioned.

First impression as our plane descended . . . the land looks brown, not golden like California or Ericeira, but brown, and desert-like. Dry as a bone!!  It is, but the land is also hilly, and windy and there is a 20-mile long beautiful but rugged eastern coastline on the heavy waves and crystal clear waters.

A wide beltline paved path lines the entire coastline from east to west along the city of Las Palmas.  It is gorgeous!  And people love it.  We didn’t have a plan for today but wanted to walk.  We entered the promenade and turned to the right.  We walked all the way to the Atlante statue, about 2 miles westward. 

The weather is weird. Typically much cooler, the temps here and now are warm but the day does not reach the high temps until 4 or 5 pm.  The earlier part of the day is cool, very cool in the wind.  On long streets between tall buildings, the wind funnels and is mucho frio!!!  But we have been warned a heat wave with haze is on its way.  – The haze is here already.  It is difficult to determine the right clothes to wear.

But we found some good stuff today.  We walked three blocks from our apartment and caught a bus to Old Town Las Palmas.  Moovit is the very best app for in-city travel.  No good for intercountry travel but once you land in a town, any town in the whole wide world, it will guide you to almost any place by bike, foot, by bus, train or by metro, whatever is available and it is correct, step by step, bus stop by bus stop.  So . . .  we are not super clever, we have simply found the very best apps to get us around.  If you are not sure, download Moovit App and check out your city or town.

Old town is old indeed.  Located just off the north African coast, the Canaria archipelago is the last western point amidst the Trade Winds. Founded in 1478, Fort of Las Palmas became a key destination for trade and for outfitting goods and supplies explorers and seekers of the new world must have to set sail.

We visited the Casa de Colon museum.  Touted as Columbus’ house, there is no factual evidence that he actually lived there but he likely spent time here as a guest of the Governor.  Christobal Columbus did visit Las Palmas as part of his 1492 and in at least two other voyages en route to the Americas.

Yesterday’s tour of Old Town gave us a chance to get our bearings, figure out the bus system and also decide what’s next

Stan said he wanted to see the sand dunes.  Sand dunes? At the southernmost tip of Gran Canaria Island, there are, in fact, tall sand dunes. The sand is finely textured and compares to something between granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar.  It is very fine. We said we’d only go out to take photos, but we could not help ourselves, we walked up, down, and all around.  It was like visiting another planet.

The town surrounding the dunes is Maspalomas.  If we ever take a vacation, we might come to Maspalomas and join the crowds enjoying the beach or more likely the pool, the dunes, and the fabulous resorts here.

Down the road a bit is Puerto de Mogan.  We thought it might be a fishing village.  Nope, it is another resort town.   These two coastal towns are secrets only Europeans and North Africans know about.  If we ever take a real vacation, we might come to Puerto de Mogan and join the smaller crowds enjoying the beach, the pools, and the food in the fabulous resorts here. 

For all you explorers out there and you luxury beach lovers, if you want something unique, something truly remarkable and off the beaten path for most Americans, visit the south part of Gran Canaria.  It is uncanny. It is exclusive, and it is an important destination to note. I’m adding this to the list of places I want my girls to visit.