For those in peril ....

These two statues by the old harbour pay homage to the sea-farers of the town over the years. Yesterday they got very wet!
Only a yellow alert this time, but some very strong winds and rough sea!

Not too nice on the prom!

Much research into meteo prospects as on Thursday we fly to Gran Canaria! Prop plane, of course... so Bob fearful of the 30 minute flight!
We are vacating the apartment because of a long-standing deal with our regular "tenant". Exotic plans like Cuba did not come to fruition so we are spending two weeks in the resort of Maspalomas in a bargain Thomson complex, three days in Las Palmas for some culture (and as we were told last night by our favourite restauranteurs here - Carlos & Sylvia - some great cuisine) and a week back here in Corralejo in a very cheap complex. Watch this space!

Extreme Lunching

After a week or so of glorious weather there was some deterioration - including heavy cloud and a shower on Monday whilst we were at Oliva Beach. There followed days when the sun didn't burn through until the afternoon. This meant some impromptu long "bad weather lunches", which Mad Mik mentioned on Hot FM!

On Thursday we decided to take this to extremes by getting up early and taking the two buses needed to reach Morro Jable on the Jandia Peninsula at the tail end of the island. Our last trip down there was in 1992 - owing to serious distances and a lack of interest in this (alleged) cultural desert.

The bus from Puerto del Rosario goes inland to serve some towns and villages and then follows the coast as the beaches get wider and the German influence builds, By Morro Jable the curry wurst count is very high! A mere three and a half hours after leaving the apartment we were there. Unfortunately Ruth's jacket was not! It was on its way back on the returning bus!Anyway - we managed to orientate ourselves in this rather strange town based on a fishing/ferry port in a ravine but spreading along the beach with huge notels, a lot of shops and German bars.

With indifferent weather we had a small fish lunch at the fishermen's co-operative; a walk over the headland and a short dip in the sea. The beaches down there are impressive! Then we came back!

Next day an email to Tiadhe resulted in the jacket being brought back on a bus for collection at our port. What service - and an expansion in Spanish vocab and grammar for Ruth (subjunctive needed!)!

Serious humps!

After the glorious New Year weather there was a bit of a blip with high winds and particularly heavy swell. Surfers' joy (apparently 6.5 m every 16 secs!)

but ferry-users' Hell! We watched in amazement as the slow Armas had to turn round and come back , and the swish Fred Olsen Cat went pointy end down & submerged into the waves! The prom was full of onlookers discussing in many tongues just how sick one would be on it!

Jan 6th is big here! This is when gifts are given. There are brought by the Three Kings from the East , who arrive the day before. We saw them on the "wally-trolley" during the day, and then arranged our evening so we could watch the procession through town. (This involved careful timing and location at the Chinese!) In the procession were Snow White and dwarfs, Tweety Pie, Brazilian dancers, lorry-load of nursery children, pirates on top of the wally-trolley, fire-eaters, and finally the traditional three camels with the kings and pages. All throw sweets (hard!). The confectionery-related injuries would fail a UK risk assessment requiring helmets and visors to be worn by all spectators!

Later the kings came to the new town square and sat on their thrones to watch children from the primary school of foreign origin give a welcome in their own language. Then all the town's children lined up to hand in their letters of request for gifts. Nicely done and touching... but time for a beer! Kings' Day itself was still and sunny!

El Cotillo or bust!

El Cotillo is a smallish fishing village on the NW coast of the island. We have been a couple of times over the years but not recently. On Thursday we took the bus. There used to be three a day - now there are ten or so- each taking a rather circuitous route to serve the developing inland communities. Once there the feel is like Paleochora - still remote, small, a bit hippyish but with some well-run bars & resturants and both old and new harbours. Also some ghastly emergent complex/large hotel developments tho' - and these were not there on our last visit! We saw El Toston - the tower - of which we have a photo from 1992 with a toddling Chloe.

We saw the old harbour with its little restaurants that we remember - although our favourite seems long-derelict!

We also walked North towards - but not reaching - the lagoons, and we had a paddle!

It was a beautiful day and although there was an impressive surf there was not too much wind on this side of the island! Note the black volcanic rock which is part of our terrain!

An interesting event was seeing one of the Tiadhe service buses which had been wrecked by fire! When we saw it the bomberos were sweeping up and the bus was still just smoking. we don't know the story - but it looked pretty drastic!
Our return journey was unaffected!

White Letters Day!

On Friday we decided to sort out the confusion about documentation! For years the Residencia card has been the opener of doors - most significantly to discounts on inter-island flights & ferries - although getting one has involved much hassle e.g.thumbprints, proof of means & probably engaging a "gestor" to ease the process; but no more have been issued since April. Brussels is insisting on its removal. We didn't need or want one, but in its place is the need for anyone staying for more than 3 months in Spain to register with the local town hall, so we sallied forth to find out more.

Thirty minutes later we emerged with a relevant certificate each, several certified copies of same, and an iterim paper giving immediate travel discount - just because we asked! No fee! Only half a tree of paper! No gestor! A bit of Spanish and the right attitude! Result!

(The locals say the island was rich in forest until the Spaniards arrived and imported bureaucracy!)

Back at the ranch the mailbox heaved! Tax stuff and two delightful cards with long letters enclosed! Penny, George & Gregory sent news from their fishing business near Poitiers. Not all good - given the climatic onslaughts - but with a lovely shot of their July wedding, which Bob had attended! If there are serious carp enthusiasts out there visit:- http://www.lequeroy.com

John (as in J & Judy) had penned a serious (!) account of Paleochora since we left in October. Highlights include the arrival of a Chinese clothing shop in the mystery premises opposite Joop's and the disappearance of the Baby Jesus from the town Nativity scene!

Two wonderful reads! Muchas Gracias!

Little Saint Mik - must be crackers!

Here is Mad Mik. We have known him since Xmas '95 and he is now a DJ (and some sort of Gran Queso) at Hot FM - our community English-speaking radio station. (There is a second station, but that's not getting a plug!)

We love the 50s to 80s music, hourly UK news, local news, weather and text-in competitions on music and films. We win them oten enough- not too difficult when the same 10 max people enter! Prizes are not the point (1st prize a meal at X, second prize 2 meals at X!) -it's just good to prove the little grey cells still function!

Anyway! On Xmas morning Mik asked for cracker-type jokes and Bob had seen a great set of old turkeys in the Independent. We accessed them on the web and sent them in. Mik scattered them through his 3-hour show whilst we partook of Bucks Fizz and smoked salmon! See the jokes on: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3276229.ece

and listen to Hot FM live on http://www.hotfmcanary.com/

Yule in the Pool!

Yes - but briefly!