Bit of a Blog : B2B2B : SoA : embarking 20/01/22

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Taking pictures today from the coach extremely difficult due to glare and reflection.

Lanzarote has 150 volcanoes, most are extinct. There's no grass at all; palm trees abound otherwise no trees. It's relatively flat and covered in volcanic dust. The tallest building is a 17 storey hotel. Otherwise all buildings are low and mostly white. There's an airport with a short runway.

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Our first stop is Teguise. Founded in 1414 was originally the capital of the Canary Islands, and was capital of Lanzarote until it moved to Arrecife in 1852.

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Back on the coach we head to the little town with an incredible beach at La Caleta.

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

We don't get much time here. Houses have steps straight from the back yard to the sand. Only Graciosa, one of several small volcanic islands off Lanzarote, is inhabited.

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Our final stop is at the Monumento al Campesino, Monument to the Farmer. Right in the island centre. The white fertility sculpture is made out of disused water tanks.

The Casa Museo del Campesino houses craft workshops and artesan outlets. Bought some honey! There's a fine collection of farm ephemera.

A circular staircase leads down to a lava tunnel.

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Back at the port.

From my balcony from the left :

B Gas Jupiter : LPG tanker

La Belle des Oceans : passenger ship

Leonardo da Vinci : cable layer

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Current location......

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

JuCru · January 26, 2022

Thanks for info. Glad you are sorted with jacket and snow grips. You do have to fish around for some information!

More stunning photos. Blue sky and white buildings is a great combination. Pleased you got a nice sunny day.

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Took one for the team. Was ok. Do feel yesterday's formal night dinner was better actually.

The knickerbocker glory was my friend's. Made with still frozen fruit.

Edited January 26, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 26, 2022

Tomorrow's excursion :

LAS PALMAS, GRAN CANARIA

- 27TH JAN

SNAPSHOT OF NORTHERN GRAN CANARIA - INCLUDED EXCURSION

Explore the pretty village of Teror, with its whitewashed houses and ornate balconies. Accompanied by a guide, this short tour will visit the outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pine. It is considered one of the most important churches in the Canaries after shepherds saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary nearby. You’ll then continue to the town of Arucas, which boasts the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista, which was created by master stonemasons in the area and has seen the town declared an area of historic-artistic interest. A visit to the city would not be complete without a visit to the Duchess Gardens. Enjoy a stroll through the Romantic style gardens, filled with Canarian and tropical plants before heading back to the ship.

Please note: Walking of up to 500 yards is at your discretion.

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Thanks for following

wowzz · January 26, 2022

5 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

There's an airport with a short runway.

Not sure who told you that. The runway is 2400m long, so longer than Bristol or Newcastle, as just two examples.

Glad you had a good day, but it was a strange tour - it missed out the best parts of the island !

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

Not sure who told you that. The runway is 2400m long, so longer than Bristol or Newcastle, as just two examples.

Glad you had a good day, but it was a strange tour - it missed out the best parts of the island !

Info from the tour guide!!! 🤷‍♀️

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

Day 8 / 67

We have berthed in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Sailaway 2000.

To enter Portugal and the UK the Government Passenger Locator Form has to be submitted. Saga is brilliant and is filling this out for all pax unless objection is raised at reception and they will guide you through the complicated process. If already completed to let them know. Disembarking testing will qualify for the 'day 2' test.

I've read of someone on Discovery who was clear on disembarking on the 21st then contacted by track and trace that on the 20th and 21st they had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive. Sure enough they are poorly now 😢

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

We are the long blue line to the left. The other is Vasco Da Gama, a passenger vessel.

Edited January 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

Breakfast this morning was an absolute delight. I'd previously enquired about shakshukah and drawn a blank. Yesterday I requested a fish plate for this morning. My wish was fulfilled and then some!

paulatsea · January 27, 2022

5 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Breakfast this morning was an absolute delight. I'd previously enquired about shakshukah and drawn a blank. Yesterday I requested a fish plate for this morning. My wish was fulfilled and then some!

Wow !!

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

Set off on our excursion. Gran Canaria is totally different to Lanzarote. It's lush, many trees in many varieties, very green and developed if that makes sense.

Once out of town we start climbing relatively steeply. The views are incredible but there's no photo opportunity stop to capture the layers of villages, banana plantations and fields of sugar cane.

A formee prison now a police station!'

Edited January 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

We are climbing, expertly driven around hairpin bends. Up the GC-21 to Teror.

Edited January 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

Teror is a small, very pretty town some 543m above sea level. It is a place of pilgrimage from around the islands as in 1481 it is said that a vision of the Virgin Mary appeared to shepherds by a pine tree and since then Nuestro Señora del Pino has been declared the Patron Saint of the island. Unfortunately the Basilica, where her statue resides, was under wraps when I went in.

Chickens actually crossed the road right in front of us when we were on the coach, on a crossing. But why? 😉

Edited January 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

paulatsea · January 27, 2022

Anyone on your trips wearing black socks and sandals ? Haven’t spotted any yet !

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

Just now, paulatsea said:

Anyone on your trips wearing black socks and sandals ? Haven’t spotted any yet !

Not black..... but other colours certainly!

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

We then drove to Arucas (sugar cane on one side of the road and bananas on the other) where it promptly decided to rain. Buckets of the stuff which kept us on the coach for a bit.

Edited January 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

NorbertsNiece · January 27, 2022

In Arucas we visited the stunning gardens of the Marchioness. La Casa y Jardin de la Marquesa. The gardens are really sumptuous and I am so glad the rain stopped so we had time there.

We were greeted with a shot of banana liqueur. Yum! I was so impressed that the majority of trees and plants had QR codes on little plaques which connected to a description.