CANARY ISLANDS

Friday, March 20, 2015

Three days at sea, we are halfway there. I thought I would be bored at sea but there's been so much going on that I need to pencil in time just take a break. In between trivia, eating, games, eating, watercolor, dance lessons, spa appointments and more eating the time is flying by. It's amazing with the ship being so small, capacity I believe is 850 people, and we are at 270 it's like you know everybody.

This morning they had a Mariners luncheon for all those on board who are part of the mariner society, which of course, is the frequent cruiser policy. Believe it or not there were some people who have done more than 800 hours of cruising with Holland America!
 

It's been kind of rock 'n rollin' traveling across the Atlantic. The captain says that there are 10 foot swells, so you are always rolling around but it's great to be rocked to sleep and everybody looks like a drunk in the hallway so there's no problem. At least we haven't had any rain a bit cloudy at times but still you can always see some blue sky.

That's the more interesting people over the past few days some a little more eccentric than others and then there are those that you thought you would never have a good time with what you're having a fantastic time.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Crossing is complete! Six days of rockin' and rollin' and I have crossed the Atlantic, taking a southern route from St Maarten, heading northeast towards the western coast of Africa. I didn't realize it, but the Canary Islands, part of Spain, is only 100 km off the coast of Africa, Morocco to be exact.

 The Canary Islands consist of 13 islands, seven of which are occupied. We will be visiting three during the next few days; Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria. The islands were named not for canaries but actually dogs or canines.

 The islands boast near perfect year-round temperature because of the Tradewinds… There was no tropical Tradewinds, or warm weather, or sun. As a matter of fact we were told that the weather we encountered was very unusual. Luckily I had bought a sweatshirt so I was a little warm with my windbreaker over everything but it was a very chilling experience but a fantastic one as well. It's amazing how the islands have their mountains from the volcanoes and black cloth of dirt all over but it's very harried area which is why camels are in use and cacti are found all over the islands.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015, Lanzarote

I never got to see Tenerife as I came down with a 24 hour bug that kept me in bed for the better part of the day and half. So my first excursion into the islands was on Lanzarote. I took a tour to explore several parts of the island, our first stop being the former capital of Teguise. We stopped at a small church, our Lady of Guadalupe and walked around the village. All the homes on the islands are painted white, due to the Moorish influence and have roofs so that whatever minor rainwater there is can be collected.

 

 Later in the morning we continued on to view the rest of the island which really look like a lunar landscape. We went to an aloe farm which had some beautiful plants and wonderful products including a juice that supposedly will take care of all your ailments from arhe common cold to arthritis to whatever else is bothering you.Yeah, I bought a bottle.... Hey a gir'ls gotta do what a girl's got a do!

 

A native of Lonzarote, Cesar Manrique, a well-known artist and sculpture, whose work is found all around the island. He reminded me a bit of Gaudi. Many of his steel sculptures are found around the island and in the roundabouts.

 

We visited a quarry which was turned into a beautiful cactus garden, Jardin de Cactus, home to more than 10,000 cacti. It was amazing walking around the terraces and seeing some of the beautiful plants.

 

Thursday, March 26, 2015 Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

 

Today, I head off on my own to do the hop on hop off bus and check out Las Palmas. Las Palmas is a crazy hodgepodge of a city with buildings from 3 to 10 stories different colors, squeezed together, narrow roads, and crazy drivers. (One part of the island is very narrow where you can look to the right and see the ocean and look to the left and see more water from the pier.)

 

After going the entire route, I continued back to hit the old town. I headed first to the Cathedral, where I went up the Bell tower to get a beautiful view of the city. Up in the mountains, neighborhoods squeezed together on the hillsides with white houses crammed so close together it look like little Monopoly houses but it was a beautiful sight. The interior of the Cathedral was lovely. I am still amazed at the craftsmanship and beauty of the pulpits in these all churches.

 

Across from the cathedral there's a square and in the place of honor are the canines for which the islands were named. While admiring the view who should I run into but Stan, one of the dance hosts, and Leslie. We headed back to the bus stop because there was supposed to be a walking tour at 1:15. But when we got there we found out that you had to have the hop on hop off ticket to do the tour which Stan and Leslie did not have. Rather than leave them, I decided to go with them rather than the other group. So glad I did!

 

We found the home of Christopher Columbus, as well as the small church that bears his name. I told Stan and Leslie about the Mercado and we headed off in that direction. Off on a side street we heard this crazy, raucous music. We found a simple doorway where the music was coming from but when I looked inside but didn’t see anything but a little bar. Leslie walked in and at the other end found the musicians.

We went in there were about 20 women laughing and singing and dancing and carrying on like it was a wild party. Five old gentleman playing guitar, ukulele, one guy rubbing two pieces of wood together, one guy holding two little balls making some kind of noise, all of them singing their hearts out with the women.

Asked if I could take a picture and they said yes and the next thing we know we're dancing and singing and laughing and having a crazy wonderful time! I ordered some tapas... Tuna, potatoes, cheese, and, of course, wine. It was the best tuna I have ever tasted! Between eating and drinking and singing and dancing we passed away a couple of hours. I asked one of the women if it was a party and she said ‘no we just have a couple of hours free’. One of them spoke a little English and asked where I was from. When I told her Florida she got so excited because she had been to Florida... Orlando and Miami, and she told me her son is going to university in the States. When it was time for them to get back to work we took a last picture and she gave me her email address so I could send it to her.

 

It was really the best part of the trip so far. We had no idea what they were saying or singing but we dance with them and la-la-la'd our way through the music with them, yeah and said our goodbyes, or adios, and both went our separate ways.

 

A note about ship life.

 

It seems that every few days we get a new gift. The first SCIF was a tote bag and a small credit card case. The next time I got a little bag that had sewing kit and Band-Aids and miscellaneous stuff in it. Today I got a Tumi portable luggage scale to make sure that I don't go over my 50 pound limit. It's like having a birthday every third or fourth day.

 

Days at sea they have a lot of activities but what I like most or the dance lessons. I’ve learned the samba, the merengue, the rhumba, tango, and there are four dance hosts who are at our beck and call every evening. Gerri, the 91-year-old southern belle from Mississippi, wears them out. She loves her two-step and freaks out when I suggest disco!