Arrived After a Good Flight and Easy Time Through Baggage. Ironically, As We Had Been Early

Diary 2 (January 2005)

Arrived after a good flight and easy time through baggage. Ironically, as we had been early at check in our bags were lastish out but never mind.

NOTE: REMEMBER YOU NEED A 1 EURO COIN FOR A TROLLEY IN THE AIRPORT – MAKES LIFE A LOT EASIER!

Lovely to be back. Those were my thoughts as we stepped into the apartment and drew back the curtains to drink in the view. Great excitement as all the plants seem to have really put on a spurt. Feeding them in September seems to have really spurred them on. All the hibiscus (hibisci?, hibusicum??) are in flower in vivid colours and there is a wonderfully fragrant plant by the hot tub that is sending powerful wafts of perfume into the evening air – glorious!

Made my shopping list of basics required and we took the car on the five minute journey to the eurospar just down the road in the atlantico shopping centre. They realy do have just about everything you could want. I don’t want to be cooking so we just bought water plus all our favourites for breakfast (muesli, yoghurt, fruit, tomatoes, smoked cheese, ‘panos’, butter and coffee) plus a few treats of local almonds, tomato juice, avocado pears, olives and wine for our sunset toasts!!

It has been a busy time back home and by the time we’d finished the shopping our early start had caught up with us so instead of popping into Caleta to our favourite Italian La Bodegita we followed our noses and enjoyed a half share in a really good pizza (thin crust, plenty of cheese and artichoke). We followed this with the most amazing hot chocolate I’ve had in my life!!! So thick you could literally stand your spoon up in it!! Terry had the whipped cream whilst I abstained (aren’t I good!!) This just hit the spot and all for the most amazing price of 8.50 euros – for the two of us!

Pizza on the seaward side of the Atlantico shopping centre (top floor outside). They also sell the most delicious ice cream. Terry favours the lemon water ice but I’m sold on the frais (strawberry).

Have to admit our age showed and we tottered home replete, stowed the shopping, showered and fell into our welcome bed!! So much for the high life!

Breakfasted al fresco in the garden. Such a treat for us Brits in January. Had very good yoghurts with muesli and fruit. Smoked cheese and tomato in a drizzle of olive oil (yes I know but we really like it and so does my skin which seems replenished from the inside) with crusty panos and butter. Spent the morning with Hayley sorting out stuff like that blasted blind in the bedroom which someone had broken again. We’ve now replaced it – good old Tomas! On the whole though our guests are lovely and seem to treat Casa Felicidad as though it were their own and look after it.

La Bodegita (mushrooms and taglietelli for me - Terry enjoyed his favourite Spaghetti Marinara (with mussels and prawns).

We were going to drive down south to the garden centre and spend the afternoon on the beach at Costa Calma but decided to nip to Puerto del Rosario instead and buy an oil filled heater for Casa F (for those occasional chilly evenings).

Pottered into Caleta on our return and took a look at the spa in town ‘Centro de Thalasoterapia’. Their heated sea water pools look amazing and I’m hoping to make time for an aromatherapy massage before we go home. Receptionists speak good English. I’ve left a brochure at Casa Felicidad.

At last I got to the sea. I’m nuts about the ocean and a usual it didn’t disappoint. They are doing some work on the beach to the left of the Atlantico but I’m sure these lagoons are going to be fabulous when they’ve finished. We sauntered up to the beach in front of the Elba Sara and tucked ourselves into one of the stone cabanas on the beach. I love watching the birds in the rock pools there and Terry fell asleep in his chair – his book gently falling to the beach as his hand relaxed – bless. ! Enjoyed a session of Tai Chi watching the rhythm of the waves and feeling the breeze and the sun on my face – blissful.

Tried the fresh fish restaurant on the beach in Caleta for supper. It is just that – fresh fish!! When you enter the waiter shows you a platter of fresh fish and you point to what you want. Terry had the ‘salmon’ which is actually mullet – grilled to perfection complimented by the salty canarian potatoes washed down with a house red. DON’T GO IF YOU DON’T LIKE FISH!!!

My tuna was good – not sure the gourmets would recommend Seven Up with it but I was driving!!

Talking of which we are finding the little hired car very easy to drive even though we both drive automatics at home (Opel Corsa). We spent under 13 euros on petrol for the week for 420 km (we drove virtually from top to bottom of the island). Incredible value.

The smalls I’d rinsed through in the morning and put out in the garden are all dry and smell of sunshine. Can’t be bothered to use the machine this time as just have few bits.

Golf for Terry. He was very pleased with his performance and was so excited he lost his new sunglasses (bought in the Atlantico the day before) somewhere on the course! Do go and look around the Elba Palace hotel. It has a really gorgeous Spanish colonial style courtyard (the owner had the hotel painted three times before he was happy with the shade of yellow!). Terry’s golf very good value (52 euros) hire of clubs 15 euros and trolley 2 euros. Also found out that the driving range is really cheap. Bucket of balls and the loan of a couple of clubs is only 3Euros.

Ate tuna salad with olives, crispy ‘panos, and avocado for lunch whilst sitting in the garden. Lovely!

Relaxing time for me with my wonderful Robert Goddard book – really enjoying it.

Hot tubbed – very, very pleasant. Sat in the hot bubbly water with the afternoon sun on our faces……….mmmmmmmm!

Pizza again – we were so tired after all that doing nothing . We just wanted to carry on reading which is such a luxury (aren’t we awful) but it was hot and good and we could totter home for a video and bed in five minutes!

Sunday

Got going early and drove down to the south of the island. Wonderful views of fantastic landscape. Went to the Oasis to buy a few more plants (my weakness!). Had a lovely potter around the garden centre delighted by the startling colours, scents and shapes – especially wonderful in January.

We then drove on for just a short way (15 minutes) and turned off for the Hotel Sol Geronus for the windsurfing centre on the incredible beaches south of Costa Calma. Indescribable really – miles and miles of white sand and sapphire sea. Windsurfing and kite surfing paradise.

Also apparently nudists paradise – we felt quite overdressed in our bathing suits! Actually it is only a small proportion of people in the ‘nuddy’ and they all looked so tanned and well it wasn’t in any way offensive as they strode through the waves.

Went to the Piccadilly Restaurant in Caleta for supper – tired again It must be all the fresh air! Had the roast dinner. Simple fare but huge portions and hit the hungry spot after our long afternoon on the beach – and we’d forgotten to eat lunch in all the excitement.

Monday

Totally chilled out at Casa Felicidad. ‘ Solid gone man’. I placed the plants and Terry God bless him, planted them. I love the new splashes of colour we’ve introduced and hope you do too. Terry hot tubbed again in the afternoon but I really enjoyed just toasting my bones in the sunshine. We stayed in the back garden watching the golfers, and chatting to one or two who came close (one we accidentally hailed when we were waving at a plane!) until the sun left in the later afternoon then we just moved into front garden and tucked ourselves into the sheltered spot to continue the serious business of doing absolutely nothing. Please note that you are welcome to move the garden furniture around in the garden anywhere on the black volcanic pecon (just as long as you don’t squash any of the plantes!)

La Bodegita again this evening. Another really good meal – excellent steak.

Tuesday

Our last full day boohoo. Went for a wonderful walk this morning would REALLY recommend it. Drove the car to the Elba Sara then struck out to the right along the beach away from Caleta. We walked along to Las Salinas. WONDERFUL!!! We loved it. The beaches are rocky, unspoiled, amazing. I collected lots of shells (see vase in Case Felicidad bathroom) and I’m sure there is fossilised sand there but haven’t had time to check these facts.

We walked past the amazing whale skeleton and salt beds then into the delightful, peaceful, cove at Las Salinas. Enjoyed a simple lunch (garlic prawns for Terry which he said were the best he’d ever had and I had a tuna and tomato salad – neither of us had any trouble with vampires that night as the garlic was powerful!). Why does food always taste better when eaten in the sunshine. Delightful spot. The beach is soft, gently shelving sand. Perfect for small children – take the umbrella though. We ‘power walked’ back and made it back to the car at Elba Sara in 28 minutes. I find it miraculous to be able to walk and not be breathless. This weather is perfect for me.

In the afternoon we zoomed up to Corralejo (three quarters of an hour in the car). The Dunas are really amazing and worth seeing – like a mini Sahara!). It was a very clear afternoon and Lobos and Lanzarote were very visible. I want to get to Lobos next time as the snorkelling is supposed to be incredible in very clear, clean water. Dolphins abound too so a boat trip is special.

Corralejo is much busier than Caleta but we had a pleasant afternoon visiting a friend. Really wanted to drive on to the village of Cotillo in the North West of the island (I have fantastic photographs somewhere that I took in El Cotillo ten years ago of the sun setting through the huge waves) but we lingered too long so I had to content myself with watching the moonbeams on the ocean as we drove back to Caleta.

A week isn’t really long enough but I had switched off by the time we drove back to the airport. Still masses I want to do. I didn’t get time for the massage in the end but I was so relaxed I didn’t need it any more!

Adios Casa Felicidad. Hope to see you really soon..