Lanzarote

⇚   Thursday, December 1, 2016 / Stephanie / Exploration   ⇛

Our first explorations of Lanzarote began at Marina Lanzarote, where we were docked directly in front of a high-end shopping mall.  Surely, we'd traveled hundreds of miles to visit exotic, Atlantic Islands...but there we were at Marina Lanzarote gazing up into the orange hue of Burger King's neon 'WHOPPER' sign.  During the day, cruise ship passengers browsed duty-free merchandise.  From speakers mounted atop overhead sidewalk lights, low-volume elevator music kept shoppers' moods in check; relax, you're on vacation, it's only money and you totally rock that Hugo Boss shirt.  At night the overhead speaker music changed to an eery series of electric, intermittent "dings," "pings," and "do...do...do's," which when heard faintly from inside the boat, particularly when seated beneath the durod vent in the bathroom, sounded as though an alien ship was hovering above and I was the next to be peacefully beamed-up; great timing, aliens, who wouldn't want to be beamed off the toilet during the wee hours of the morning!  Ahhhh, the marina!  Luxurious laundry machines, cold showers (wait, are cold showers becoming the new norm!?), intermittent electric, barking dogs...all the joys of being in the 'burbs.  Between chores, we spent several days pal-ing around with friends aboard S/Y Mira Polaris and S/Y Granite, checking off errands and getting together for impromptu brainstorming sessions regarding various boat projects before shifting into cocktail hour.  Every sailors' day should end with a stiff drink and good laugh!Soon, neighbors aboard S/Y Serendipity of Sweden, S/Y Herr Nilsson, S/Y Vagus, and S/Y Win2Win joined the marina antics and we became too many people to contain within Marina Lanzarote's gates!
  Brian & Johan eating the best apples they've ever tasted perched atop 'Apple Rock' El Golfo - a caldera                        S/Y Mira Polaris opened surf school at Playa de Famara - an event that was extended into a second day at the beach!
                            To the top of Montana Blanca, a spot of rain and gusty wind did not dissuade us from reaching the summit of this volcanic crater!                        
                   When the sun set on Lanzarote, the explorations did not end!  But photo-sessions dwindled...bad lighting, of course.These tiny, albino crabs were not the only occupants of Jameos del Agua; a lava cave transformed into a restaurant/night club by Lanzarote's well known architectural artist, Cesar Manrique.  The atmosphere was astounding, service terrible, food delicious, and music (no offense) not good!  The next cave bar of the night, Restaurante Lagomar Bar Laqueva, also designed by Cesar Manrique, proved a significantly better experience!
On the move again...with the views of Lanzarote forever engraved on my mind!

4 Comments

  1. From Stephanie Grandjean on Dec 08, 2016
    Hi, John & Sue! We hope to depart early next week. Enjoying the islands and settled in with 2 new crew (father-in-law & friend), but unfortunately backtracking a bit to Gran Canaria for an SSB part (to install a modem for'our weather updates) before we are off.
  2. From John &Sue Head on Dec 05, 2016
    When do you leave for the Atlantic crossing from Teneriffe? We are following you on AIS from a winter in Cornwall. We will be in Grenada for 10 days in early Feb on a yacht called Betsy, you never know! John and Sue. Helford River
  3. From Stephanie Grandjean on Dec 04, 2016
    Thanks, Steffi! Have you visited any Canary Islands?? It is like a German Paradise :) We have made wonderful friends with German sailors, but still trying to have just as many laughs as we did with YOU! Prost!
  4. From Stefanie Weimer on Dec 01, 2016
    Good morning. Thank you for your Description visiting the shopping mall. It ist really funny. Have a good Time in Lanzarote. Best wishes from fürth Steffi