A caldera you can take a bus to.
Caldera de Bandama (middle)
The way down. Tiny lava rocks roll and you slip easily. Looks like a nice, easy walk but it's not without walking poles (I didn't bring mine).
The way up, to "pico" for the views. The path is super narrow, exceedingly treacherous and steep. You would need a machete to hack your way through. Not a popular path for a reason. I got slashed by razor sharp aloe and branches. Thorns got stuck in my hands and skin. The big rocks rolled under every step. The path doesn't zigzag, it goes straight up, that's why it's steep. Quite scary.
The views up here. Just before I lost all interest in photography...
The bottom of Caldera Bandama
Took the car road on the way down. Much easier than risking my life again using the steep path.
I was just up there.
Ingenious idea. Old bike as a plant hanging thing.
The official name of the capital
More Gran Canarian beer and wine
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Las Palmas is an ugly concrete jungle. The buildings are so high the sun can't reach the pavement. It's dark. This tree leans in the direction of the sun. Photo taken early in the morning when few people were about.
Concrete canyons
A minimum amount for 2
After 3 days the employees recognised us and knew what we would be ordering.
Film photography is back. I'm happy with my digital cameras and can recreate looks of film stocks so not going back to film.
Always watching
Surfing is a thing here. The waves are worthless right now but that doesn't stop tourists from taking surf lessons.
One of the lunch specials: Cuban-style rice. FYI, there are a lot of Cubans, Venezuelans etc on Canary islands. And Canarians speak South American Spanish. If you know the difference then it's very easy to spot the mainland Spaniard.
Slow-cooked goat meat.
Soft and wobbly flan
Last of the Canarian beer
This one is industrial IPA (Damm is based in Barcelona)
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The last day.
The last churros and omelette bread rolls.
Churros are fried in this big vessel. The batter drops from the cylinder with a handle.
Browsing the market one last time after the coffee and churros session.
This butcher has all the typical Iberico cuts.
This long squash...
Couldn't find Spanish Maggi sauce anywhere. Did check all the shops and supermarkets. This one is actually French, which I can get at home.
Finally found it, at El Corte Ingles. Expensive. I got it anyway. Glad I bought 4 or 5 Bovril on La Palma. Expensive at El Corte Ingles! Bovril is my favourite. Marmite if there's no option, and don't want vegemite.
I don't watch this food programme. They have this product I saw for the first time at El Corte Ingles.
These Lay's crisps/chips are also sold at El Corte Ingles. Didn't see them in other supermarkets. "Truffle, egg, and crema de patata".
"Calf's tenderloin with caramelised shallots" (flavour)
Found in a Chinese shop
Last meal. Chicken soup (too simple and too little!) and fried fish (muuuuch better).
And of course the last papas arrugadas con mojo rojo.
Some of the alcohol we drank...
Also bought 4 big bread filled with pata asada (big brown chunk on the worktop) for the wait at the airport.
Goodbye and thank you! It's going to take years to walk the trails on these islands. Looking forward to returning in a near future!
Hope you have found/learnt something interesting about this part of the world. I've learnt a lot and enjoyed visiting La Palma and Gran Canaria (despite the ear infection and how much Las Palmas irked me). And of course, putting this together (photography is a big part of my holiday).
Many thanks, everyone!
