Holiday Snaps: Tenerife from Las Palmas

Early up and going

I seem to have settled into real holiday mode without wanting to tax myself with anything beyond sleep and some excursion.

The second book I picked up to read seems to be going at a page a day, though today, I have already managed 10 pages – appalling.

On Thursday, I was up at 04:45 for the early pickup to Tenerife Island, it arrived at 05:30 and after a few more pickups we made for the port of Las Palmas.

Abridged visit

My excursion was to visit Mount Teide, the highest peak of Spain before going to Loro Parque but the weather forecast, of high winds and rain clouds meant that was out of the itinerary. Maybe I should have switched to a visit to Fuerteventura Island, but that is for another time.

Normally, we would drive through the clouds towards the mountain and have clear blue skies above regardless of how dull the day is below on the island.

The ferry from Las Palmas was run by Armas and it was to last 2 hours rather than the Fred Olsen high-speed link from the North-West of Gran Canaria which was for 70 minutes and completely enclosed.

You had a breakfast snack, three outside decks from which to take pictures or breathe the fresh sea air and chairs that did really recline better, it was my fifth visit to Tenerife.

Doing other things

When we arrived at Loro Parque, I decided on visiting other parts of the island than seeing dophins, penguins, parrots and orchids again, you can only have so much animal entertainment, it is not like some band with a new album every now and then – the moves are tried and tested rather than versatile and innovative, to the first timer however, there is much to see.

I needed a full English breakfast in the afternoon and the New Robin Hood bar offered the choice of a Maid Marian, Robin Hood or Friar Tuck breakfast, I asked for the Robin Hood and ended up with the Friar Tuck which I tucked in with little to spare and ready to tip the scales at a terrifying number I cannot bear to view.

A walk round the black beaches and a few photographs, I returned to the rendezvous at Loro Parque and we made our way back to the port at Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Weathering the return

Unlike the Fred Olsen embarkation point which is beside the port building we were quite a distance away but soon boarded the sea craft and reclined on deck chairs for up to 30 minutes after leaving port before the weather came in.

Included in our fare was a dinner buffet which was fine enough, the advertised Wifi connection on the boat was there but not beyond the boat itself – you find that these services have not yet reached a level of reliability to expect much.

It was past 23:00 when I got back to the hotel, there was a cold snack left in my bedroom but I was just too tired for much, in the end, I spent the whole part of useful Friday in bed and even did not go out at night – it was restful, let us see what today brings – 3 full days to go yet.