On November 22nd we flew to Gran Canaria on cheap residents' tickets, and there spent three pleasant days in Las Palmas. We eschewed this time the smelly Astoria and its bearpit breakfast room in favour of a self-catering apartment superbly located in Santa Catalina. This was a bit basic but very good value, From there it was but a few paces to Galia, where we celebrated Bob's birthday and the arrivee of the Beaujolais Nouveau! Worth the air fare just for that (the meal that is!)!
We had a good few strolls along the Canteras prom in some beautiful sunshine - though this display does rather exaggerate! It was more like 28! We also went to the previously unexplored north end of the beach and found another of the city's bronze and very realistic statues. You could almost believe that Chris the Fish was also on a short break!
Las Palmas continues to impress! We used the efficient and cheap bus to go to the other part of the city (San Telmo) and saw the new pedestrianisation near the cathedral; but we also found a new holder for "Worst Chinese Buffet in the World" title. It needed to be amazingly bad to supplant the one in Caleta de Fuste - and it was!
On the fourth day we took the bus down to Maspalomas. We had been forced to change from our usual tourist complex as we could not make bookings - even by ringing up, but in fact we were impressed by what we did find - particularly for the price. The weather was not as good by the time we got down South, and it remained too windy throughout for the beach and sea. On the first evening we strolled over to the strange Faro 2 centre with many ideas for eating. The first bar we encountered was permanently closed, and the next... The Dutch guys with a little drinks hut in the middle told us that almost everything had been closed. The whole upper story was empty - and that meant several of the places we liked were gone. The cause is a combination of the developer's suspicious behaviour, and the closure of many of the bungalow complexes that surround it. So that explained a few things! We found an adequate substitute restaurant, but again we remarked on the irritating attitude of the waiters in these resorts!On Sunday the weather was threatening and we retreated to the complex. During Sunday night there was a huge storm. In the morning there was no rain and Bob went forth to the supermarket. Suddenly the heavens opened. He could find no shelter so returned like a drowned rat. It rained for 24 hours! We were comfortable enough in our little duplex with a wine supply, old TV programs on the laptop and Canarian TV's news on the storm. It was worse in Tenerife, and not so dramatic back home in Fuerte! In the evening folk were waiting half an hour for taxis to take them around. We untypically but usefully used the voucher for a free buffet dinner on site and waited to see out the rain. In true Canarian style by the next lunchtime there was warm sunshine and a blue sky. On the Thursday we took a bus back to the road outside the airport and struggled down the verge:- a neat trick to avoid crowds on sparse proper airport ones! Then we flew back - content with the break, but sure we had chosen the right island as home!