Gran Caneria 16 Nov 2017

Once again the island bus service failed to impress.  We waited for the bus at the top of the hill above the hotel, where we could have got off yesterday. The journey to Palmito Park is about 25 minutes, the bus was late again, this time about 15 minutes. We purchased a return ticket.  The zoo is in a valley, it is the furthest inland we have been and it is the hottest day so far with temparatures already at 28 centigrade.
There is lots of climbing to do - up and down the side of the valley, fortunately there is plenty of tree cover.  The geography means that the enclosures are relatively small, so there are no big cats, or wolf packs.  Some of the creatures have much less space than is desirable. 
Apart from the zoo there is an orchid display and a cactus garden. 
The most impressive thing is the dolphin pool, we were determined to see the display but the instructions were not clear, in fact, they mostly concentrated on selling their dolphin experiences - I guess the entrance fee doesn't really cover the cost of running the zoo. 
Arriving too early we decided to have some lunch in the restuarant.  The service was very efficient, they are clearly practised at serving people and getting them out in time for the display.  The food was good, but relatively expensive.
We were sat outside in the full sun just after midday, covered in factor 50 sun cream and shaded only by a wide brimmed hat.  The pool is in a valley, which is a sun trap, it is very hot.  The display is amazing, showing both the skills of the dolphins and their trainers.

The next display was the exotic birds, again we are out in the sun, this time near the top of a hill, it is still very hot. The birds are allowed to fly free, they have nowhere to go, so they always come back - eventually.  On one occasion we were told one has stayed out for three days.  Three different eagles were on display, only two came back during the show, the other was still circling the next ridge, way up above the zoo, it was just visible if you could see it without staring into the sun.
About 4pm we left the zoo and waited in the shade for the bus back.  It arrived empty, and left on time - much better then the outward journey.

Gran Canaria 15 Nov 2017

Today's round trip, unlike yesterdays, would involve a lot mote effort on our part.  We are planning to walk along the Maspalomas beach then turn left and walk up to the beach at Playa del Ingles, and back through the town.  First though we are going to have a ride on a camel.

It's not far to the camels, the signs are easy to see, if rather amateurishly painted - black paint on green background cut in the shape of arrows.  Crude but effective.  The camp is made to look like a bedouin tent, but beneath it is a solid building - made of brick and wood.  We didn't get to sit on a camel, rather on a seat carried by the camel, one of us on each side.  The seats are built on a tubular steel frame and must be quite heavy, the addition of two adults must mean the camels work quite hard.  Either way they didn't seem bothered and easily rose from their sitting positions, tipping the passengers forward at an alarming angle.  The safety mechanism is a simple rope tied to the frame on one side and wrapped around it and pulled tight over it on the other - not exactly secure.  Jo was worried that hers was not tied tightly and held on very tightly throughout.  Although the ride was a good experience, it cannot be described as a desert experience because Maspalomas is visible in almost every direction, and never out of view.
From there we walked towards the beach, passing a small reservoir and spotted a grey heron on the far shore.  We didn't bring binoculars, so couldn't get a really good look.
We set off along the beach that borders the dunes, sometimes paddling in the sea, sometimes walking on the hot dry sand.  Progress was slow, partly because of the sand and partly because the beach is packed with people going in both directions, but mainly it seemed coming towards us. Part way along the beach becomes 'clothing optional', with very few taking the option.  We got to the other end about an hour after we arrived at the beach and started to look for somewhere for lunch.
The cafes on the beach are slightly on the expensive side, but the one we chose served good food, even if they spent a lot of time brushing the sand away.  They delivered the wrong meal, but soon corrected the situation, even if the waiter was quite angry (not at us).
After lunch we took a 35 minute walk across town along the same road as yesterday and bought ice cream from the Spa before walking down the hill back to the hotel.
From there we headed to the pool for a relaxing (read exausting) swim - how unfit we are!
According to Runkeeper we have covered 7.57 miles today (only a little of which was done by the camel).

oday I found out how the kitchen lights work.

Gran Cararia 14 Nov 2017

We decided to do the round trip that the Jet 2 representative had recommended, but we started later than planned because of a poor night's sleep.  Breakfast was very crowded (perhaps something to do with being later) either way a light breakfast was planned - just porridge and toast.
Bad news from the family meant some onward communication was required which added another delay, but these things cannot be avoided.
By now an hour later than planned we set off for the bus.  Not sure of the stops we walked further than we needed and waited ... and waited.  The bus from Maspalomas to Puerto Rico is the number 90.  The time table on the stop says it is due at 23 minutes past the hour.  At about 50 minutes past the hour a number 90 went past while I was checking that I hadn't somehow mis-understood the timetable.  So the timetable is wrong.  The next 90 came about an hour later.  The plan for the day had fallen apart.
The bus journey was un-eventful, stopping in quite a few villages, and only spending a short time on the dual carriageway. We arrived in Peurto Rico and got off the bus.  It is a tourist trap and very busy. We had lunch at a very international resturant, with menus in at least seven languages, called Mau-Mau.  The food was good and the service friendly but the orange juice is from a box, not freshly squeezed as we have found it in most other places.
Then onto the ferry, part two of the round trip.  It sails on the hour every hour and is right at the end of the bay.  We missed it by about a minute, it went just as we arrived to buy tickets.  So, time for ice cream and a walk around the end of the bay.  It was a hot day and we were both soon covered in melted chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Finally, we get on the ferry to Morgan.  The ferry provides some great views of the island - the volcanic rocks, dry and apparently uninhabited contrast with the clusters of modern hotels in each gully, and the crowded beaches in each bay.  The way the hotels climb the side of the mountain reminds me of Cornwall, although the climate is radically different as are the buildings, but the principle is the same.
Once in Morgan, and with our trust in the bus service destroyed we find the return bus first.  We had intended to then look around, but the bus is there and almost ready to go.  We decide to board as there is no telling whether the next one will run or when.  It is a shame because this is the first town that looks like it existed before the tourist invasion and still retains a little of the character it once had.  Some of the architecture looks quite interesting.  The bus journey back is direct and anything but interesting as it speeds along the dual carriageway.  It would drop us at the top of the hill on the opposite side of the hotel to where we picked up the 90, but I didn't know that, so as I was following it on googls maps, we jumped off with about a mile to go (on foot).  The bus had at least another couple of miles and was going south instead of west at the time.
At the top of the hill we bought chocolate from the Spa shop.
We sat in the bar at the hotel and had a drink and relaxed after our unnecessarily speedy trip.

Gran Caneria 13 Nov 2017

The botanical gardens that is situated along the side of the '50 metre' road that leads to the hotel is closed on Sunday's, so today is our first chance to visit it.  While it looks small, it is packed with exhibits. We enjoyed our walk around - up and down the hill, up and down the hill, taking pictures of the various plants.  Then the day was spoilt when by camera battery needed to be charged.
This morning, for breakfast, I had found mushrooms - they were peppered, not too much, but enough to disguise the delicate flavour.  There is also porridge available, which I will try another day.
After breakfast, we spoke to the representative from Jet 2, who scribbled a lot of things to do on the map.  As Jo is better today, our exploration can begin.
Approaching lunchtime, we walked into San Fernando, finally away from the resort area, with its endless hotels and into a residential area we began to get a better feel for the island.  San Fernando has a long shopping street with both small shops and cafés and large department stores. We had lunch outside a very Spanish café - I had deep-fried chicken wings and chips, the chicken was very hot and just about cooked - still a little pink. Fortunately, it did not make me ill.  Jo's chicken sandwich looked much better.
In the supermarket we bought dish cloths, honey, lemon and cough sweets.  On the way back we visited the park - a formal garden, a play area for children, and quite a lot of seating.  It was mainly populated by youngish men consuming cans of cheap larger and laughing and joking loudly.  The park is next to the church, which is closed all day on Mondays, and open at 7:30pm every other day.  We had a drink in a bar opposite the church before making our way back to the hotel.
We decided to try dinner in the refectory - serve yourself (like breakfast). I had grilled Tilapia, potatoes, peas and sweet corn. It was nice enough, but unremarkable.

Gran Caneria 12 Nov 2017

Jo is still not well, so today we will mainly stay in the room.  Our first real experience of the hotel is breakfast.  It is downstairs, underneath the foyer.  There is a huge variety, as there has to be for any hotel dealing with an international clientele.  Now I want a full english breakfast, but I cannot find mushrooms or tomatoes. There is also a very strange small flat cake like thing which turns out to be made of potatoe, egg and cheese.  It has a rubbery texture, but is very tasty.  The other strange thing was the lack of cold milk for the cereal.  Not a good breakfast experience for the first day.
Quite a while after breakfast we took a stroll out of the hotel and towards the beach.  We walked for about a mile, just past the fork in the road where it crosses what looks like a dried up miniature canal which I believe is a large drainage ditch - Barranco de Maspalomas. We stopped in a restuarant on the edge of the canal and had drinks and a very nice lunch - grilled sardines for me and vegetable risotto for Jo.
We then took a very lesiurely stroll back to the hotel (43/min per mile).  There we paid for some time on the TV (there are only a couple of free channels) to watch a replay of the Brazilian GP.  The TV channels are not as listed, either on the TV, or the cards in the gueats book.  Nothing unusual there.
Most of the day was spent reading and relaxing - the only way I can enjoy the heat.

Gran Canaria 11 Nov 2017

The taxi arrived as booked at 6am for our flight to Gran Canaria.  Despite being up for ages we were only just ready. The journey to Stanstead is not long and the traffic at that time of day is light, so we were soon dropped off.  The experience at Stanstead was not great, the 'miles' of retail under harsh bright lights was an unwelcome experience at any time, but especially early in the morning. So we walked through that as quickly as we could and found the gate.  There it was peaceful with only a few others like ourselves who had avoided the retial trap.  We were, by then at least 45 minutes early.  Jet 2 were very good at the gate, as the time to board arrived we were told by the representitive, not an announcement, where to go and to board from the front of the plane.  We had paid the extra for confirmed seats and were near the front, the best place to be.  The aircraft was like a flying bus - very basic, but unlike a bus, quite comfortable.  No video screens, no films on the flight, and we hadn't booked any food, so just bought drinks when we needed them.  Next to us on the plane was a lady who we later identified as Sonique, who was going to Gran Canaria for the 'Pride' festival (nothing to do with lions).  She was full of energy, always getting up and sitting down, ordering things from the staff and 'dancing' in the aisle.  Otherwise the flight was uneventful.
On landing, we were again met by staff who ensured that we got to the right coach for our transfer to the hotel. The coach was hot, more so because we were still in our winter coats and bundled with luggage.  We left the coach on the main road, then walked down the '50 metre' access road to the Vistaflor Bunglows hotel. The rooms have tiled floor throughout and belie their name by having the bedroom and bathroom above the loungs and kitchen.
Jo had been unwell for a couple of days prior to our journey, and was now exhausted.  So the usual explorations would have to wait.  We did find the local shop to purchase water and a few other basic supplies, but that was the limit.  We ate in the hotel restuarant and enjoyed the warmth, lying on a lounger outside until late and in my case re-reading 'Hothouse' by Brian Aldiss.

Our phones are connected to a service provider in a different time zone (1 hour ahead) which is very confusing.