October 5-13, 2024 – A 3.5-Day Passage, Lanzarote and Gran Canaria

Our friend, John, was still on Seahike with us. Yay! His next adventure with us was to participate in a 3.5 day passage. He was a great sport, staying up with Michael for three hours on his watch (until 11:00 p.m.), then joining me at 5:00 a.m. for the last three hours of my watch.

But before we left, it was time for breakfast with Moroccan tea. Then some pictures of the very colorful businesses by the marina.

And, we’re off! Ta ta, Morocco! (Again, we waited for high tide.)

We started a puzzle on the second day to help pass the time. We finished it the following day.

We did some fishing but no catching. . .

October 8: Land ho!
We anchored on the south side of the Isla de Graciosa, north of Lanzarote the first night. It was calm and peaceful.

We stopped for diesel in Arrecife on the eastern coast of Lanzarote then checked into Marina Rubicon on the southern coast of Lanzarote.

October 10

It was clear from the get-go that we were going to like Marina Rubicon and the surrounding area. There are a lot of restaurants from which to choose, places to take a nice walk, shops (although we didn’t shop), a good grocery store in a small mall, and a big swimming pool. We chilled and walked around that first day then went out to eat at a fabulous restaurant John had found on his morning walk.

We also spent a fair amount of time on the 10th deciding how to get to Gran Canaria. We weren’t really finding anything we wanted to do on Lanzarote, but we were finding several things on Gran Canaria. The winds were blowing directly the way we wanted to go to get to Gran Canaria, so we explored options other than sailing. In the end, we decided to fly. So that’s what we did, on the 11th.

October 11: Gran Canaria

The views from the plane were terrific. Lanzarote looks like a moon or other planet from the air (well, except for the inhabited parts). There are a lot of craters.

We stayed at the Poem Hotel in Las Palmas the first night.

We took a nice, fairly long walk along the beach.

Let’s talk about caves. You can see them in the right-hand picture below (although they are very far away) and on the left-hand side below that (a bit closer up). From a sign posted in this area:

“The first settlements at El Confital go back to the times of the ancient Canarian native inhabitants. The caves in this bay, where they could take shelter and from which they could look out, together with the food source from the sea, made some of the first inhabitants of Gran Canaria choose this as their place to live.

The Cueva de los Canarios, or Cave of the Canarians, is a good example. It is a settlement of great archaeological importance located at the summit of the mountain of El Confital. With easy access, it was a strategic vantage point for the pre-Hispanic natives. An exceptional spot with an impressive panoramic view from which it was possible to watch over the entire bay of El Confital, las Canteras beach and a significant part of the northern coast.

It consists of a set of residential caves which are located at different levels that have been excavated from the volcanic tuff using the existing orifices and concavities. They are all located under a natural arch which gave them protection. In 2009, this was declared a ‘Property of Cultural Interest,’ in the category of an archaeological site called ‘La Cueva de los Canarios.'”

We saw this small structure (see below). At first we thought it was a cool little bar and we headed toward it. But then it started to look like a small living area for a group of people. . . so we turned around and walked back to the town.

We got a kick out of this decoration consisting of a small boat on a davit!

If I recall correctly, we stopped for a drink or two before heading back to the hotel.

October 12: Gran Canaria

We walked around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, visited the Catedral de Canarias and El Museo Canario, then drove through the mountains to the southern part of the island.

The building pictured below on the left is the Casas Consistoriales de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Or, Las Palmas Town Hall. It is a 19th century building located on Plaza de Santa Ana. It is situated across the square rom the Santa Ana Cathedral.

Closeups of the dogs featured in the upper right-hand picture. They look so real!

The building below is the Gabinete Litario. It is one of the city’s most identifiable landmarks. The building is home to a cultural organization called the Literary Cabinet which focuses on the literary, cultural and scientific development of Las Palmas and the Canary Islands. Beneath pictures of the exterior are pictures of the equally beautiful interior.

The picture on the left hand side below is of the library. I somehow missed getting a shot head on. It was pretty enough that we wanted to see the inside. However, the only thing of interest on the inside was this very cool bench. I want one for my house.

Some random sights:

The Cathedral of Santa Ana (aka Las Palmas Cathedral)

Legend has it that the soaring twin towers of Las Palmas Cathedral replaced the only three enormous palm trees that were spared when the conquistador Juan Rejón set up a military camp in 1478. Most of the palm trees were cut down in order to clear the view and spot advancing Canarian warriors. The wood was then used to build defensive palisades, while the last three standing palm trees were used as a rudimentary lighthouse to guide ships arriving to the coast. This site would later become the city of Las Palmas. Years later, in 1485, Las Palmas Cathedral was built at the exact same location. The palm trees were replaced by towers to guide vessels.

The construction of the Cathedral spanned many centuries so it is not surprising to see various architectural styles. The cathedral occupies an impressive 7,000 square meters and was designed in the Late Gothic architectural style. The interior is decorated with Plateresque elements, inspired from the first Renaissance. There are three naves from which rise 10 columns and 22 pillars, supporting the star- and palm-like foliaged vaults. This is an ode to the indigenous flora, designed by one of the first architects to be commissioned for the project, Diego Alonso de Montaude.

The external façade of the building, however, is completely neoclassical. The only Gothic influence can be spotted in the six buttresses that join the lateral naves to the central nave. The dazzling white-washed external walls are a characteristic trait of Canarian religious architecture. All the other elements: the main façade that looks over Plaza de Santa Ana, the 19^th century towers, the façade that looks out on Plaza del Pilar Nuevo were all designed by the architect Diego N. Eduardo in the neoclassical style reminiscent of the turn of the 19^th century.

The interior of Las Palmas Cathedral is absolutely stunning. The combination of the Gothic design and the radiant luminosity, highlighted by the whiteness of the walls, differs drastically with the Gothic style of mainland buildings that are so much more sober.

This wondrous luminosity is an architectural marvel considering the main façade is fitted with small windows and a rose window, and not the classical Gothic stained-glass windows. The elegant vaulting ribs, which spring from the columns and pillars to mimic palm trees and form star shapes, are without a doubt one of the most striking interior features.

The cathedral does not house any great artistic treasures since it was repeatedly attacked and ransacked by pirates who terrorized the Canary Islands. The most devastating attack took place on 30 June 1599 at the hands of the Dutch pirate Van der Does. The only pieces which survived the test of time are the 18^th century wooden carved pulpit in the main nave, designed by Jerónimo de San Guillermo, and the Gothic altarpiece in the main chapel that is actually from the Seo de Urgell Cathedral (Lleida).

Let’s make a quick stop at the El Museo Canario before we hit the road.

El Museo Canario is an archeological museum dedicated to the pre-colonial history of the Canary Islands. The museum was founded after a group of intellectuals led by Dr Gregorio Chil y Naranjo and Agustín Millares Torres met in 1879 to set up a historical society. In 1880 they opened a small museum and library on the second floor of Las Palmas City Hall with the aim of promoting the study of Canarian history. There were no higher educational institutions in Gran Canaria at the time, and the museum became the main driving force behind historical research on the island. Archaeologists from the museum organized field trips into the island interior to gather artefacts from ancient settlements of the Guanches, the original indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands prior to European settlement.

Dr Chil died in 1901, and after the death of his widow in 1913, their home in the Vegueta district of Las Palmas was bequeathed to the museum society. The museum collection relocated there in 1923, but its opening was delayed until 1930 by the economic crisis that followed World War I. The museum continues to operate today in the former Chil residence.

The museum’s archaeological collection mainly consists of prehistoric remains and historic artefacts originating from the early human populations on Gran Canaria, as well as artefacts originating from other islands in the Canarian Archipelago. Items on display include ceramic vessels, religious idols, pintaderas (a form of stamp used by the pre-Hispanic natives of the Canary Islands), tooled implements made of bone or wood, animal skins and other remains.

As the largest archaeological collection in the Canary Islands, El Museo Canario is an important resource in the study of pre-Hispanic society in the archipelago. It has been described by El Mundo newspaper as “one of the best archaeological museums in Spain.”

Collection of animal bones (pictured below). Goats, sheep and pigs were part of the belongings that the indigenous Canarians brought from their place of origin in North Africa. From this livestock were obtained foods such as milk and meat, as well as skins, bones, tendons . . . which were used to make clothing, tools or ropes, among many other things.

They also brought dogs that they used to guard the livestock and their properties.

These animals had a role that transcended the merely alimentary or functional one if we consider their participation in different ritual activities documented in domestic and funerary contexts.

Many human skeletons were discovered as well, several (of various ages and abilities) of which are on display. Oh, and a bunch of skills.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP AHEAD TO THE PRETTY PICTURES OF THE MOUNTAINS IF THIS TYPE OF THING BOTHERS YOU.

These bones were in a section indicating that it was apparent that the people had been injured. I neglected to take notes, but these don’t look normal. The images on the outside are definitely femurs.

You can learn a lot from bones, as anyone who watches any TV crime series knows. This person died from “assault with a sharp weapon.”

One more picture of skulls and we will be on our way.

Views from our drive “down south.”

John found the perfect place for us to stay in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria: Balcón Del Mar. There were two bedrooms in the unit with a shared living space.

October 13: Sand Dunes and the Beach (Still in Gran Canaria)

We started the day with a walk before the sun came up.

We drove a short distance to The Maspalomas Dunes Special Natural Reserve.

The Dunes of Maspalomas originated millions of years ago as a result of crushed organisms that the wind has been spreading over a large area ever since. The area, shaped by the Atlantic wind, creates a dynamic and ever-changing landscape. Although it may look like a desert, the dunes are home to a variety of plant species adapted to life in harsh conditions, such as balancón and aloe vera. It is also a crucial nesting site for birds such as the kentish plover and the black-legged sandpiper.

And, boy, was it fun to run up, down, and around them!