Some island cruising - The Canaries and Sicily, then Milan

[RooFlyer]

In the cathedral, you can take an elevator up the tower for 4 euro - bargain! You get views over the town and offshore.









The cathedral has had a long history:

Construction began around 1497 by order of the Catholic Monarchs; however, due to a lack of funds, work had to be halted in 1570. The church's long history has resulted in a combination of styles as distinct as the late Gothic of its interior and the Neoclassical of its exterior. Its façade is its most distinctive feature. The 17th century and the first half of the 18th represent a long hiatus, until the arrival in Gran Canaria of Diego Nicolás Eduardo , a canon from Tenerife , who had learned the rudiments of architecture during his time in Granada and Segovia . This clergyman then decided to continue the building. Instead of following the prevailing Neoclassical style, he extended it to the current apse using Gothic structures, thus maintaining the uniformity of the work.

The cathedral had two major construction phases, one from 1497 to 1570 and the other from 1781 to the present day.

 

[Pushka]

That Sahara dust storm wrecked havoc in Greece, Athens in particular. This week on the news they showed areas of red lakes and it closed the airports for a couple of days. Not a usual one it seems.

And that hotel looks amazing. A random piece of luck.

 

[RooFlyer]

Close to the Cathedra is Casa Colon - Columbus House.

The current configuration of the building stems from the integration of several dwellings, one of which is part of the supposed former Governor's House, which Christopher Columbus is believed to have visited during his first voyage in 1492 to request assistance in repairing the Pinta .

The back of the Cathedral, apparently the oldest part



Then wandered the old town. Many solid, functional buildings, built of basalt blocks and rendered, beautifully preserved.









I fell in love with this row of buildings. I couldn't see that they were anything special, except for the busts of several notables, but I thought it would be wonderful to live in (for a short time)

 

[RooFlyer]

Back to the hotel, check-out at 1pm, and then three hours in and around the pools until a taxi to the cruise port (there being no Uber on the island). It was only about 25-28 degrees. Perfect.,



Staying hydrated (sort of). Costs within the hotel not as high as you'd think. 10 euro for a G&T.



Lunch of avocado toast. I think it was 12 euro.



Up to the rooftop pool.





Le Bougainville there in the blue.

 

[RooFlyer]

Boarding in my experience is not a great experience. "Boarding from 4pm." - you could drip your bags off from 10am.

So, rock up. Checked off once. Go upstairs of the cruise port building. 20 or so pax milling around the guy who is the next point.

Nothing happening - its 'priority boarding' time (suites and Commodore status - that's like P1. I'm 'Grand Admiral' which is WP). But there are no PB people there. Wait a few mins, then deck 6 & 5 (10 pax go forward), then deck 4 (rest, incl me). They could have said "Priority at 4, rest of the scum at 4:15".





I'm in cabin on deck 4, midships. Deck 3 has window only; deck 4 has door and window and balcony; decks 5 & 6 have sliding doors and balcony (and suites etc). Ponant charges more for the same cabin type the higher you go, but no more for being midships Vs the end (SilverSea does).











Included minibar of any type of mini you want; I have 5 laundry items a day due to status (bliss!), booze included in all bars & restaurants but you can pay extra for 'premium spirits' and there is a wine list to pay for.

Le Bougainville has 184 maximum guests, 92 Staterooms and suites and 118 crew members, mainly Philippino and Indonesian.



There is Le Grill on the pool deck and an a la carte restaurant on the deck above, also with outside tables. I nabbed one of those for dinner the first night. (That's not me - I wasn't quite quick enough ..)

 

[RooFlyer]

So we are 3 days into the cruise. Some observations:

* Pax are overwhelmingly French - 90+ %. Of the non-French, others mainly German; some UK and a couple of Australians

* A decent lot of pax - everyone has been on time for and during excursions; good humour

* Maybe 80% full? I'll check that,

* This is not an expedition cruise - all stops are tied up in port and we go on excursions in busses - some long, other short trips before a few hours hiking. Then maybe 3-4 hours 'free time' to explore towns at our leisure, which is really good.

* Captain is amiable, accessible and communicative

* Weather has been great - seas good, but that will change on the last night - a stop has been cancelled and we are heading back to Las Palmas a day early.

* I'm loving the Canary Islands.

 

[kookaburra75]

Boarding in my experience is not a great experience. "Boarding from 4pm." - you could drip your bags off from 10am.
Nothing happening - its 'priority boarding' time (suites and Commodore status - that's like P1. I'm 'Grand Admiral' which is WP). But there are no PB people there. Wait a few mins, then deck 6 & 5 (10 pax go forward), then deck 4 (rest, incl me). They could have said "Priority at 4, rest of the scum at 4:15".

You should have explained how Mona do it, for their ferry in Hobart

It all looks great though - I presume the great gin scandal hasn't occured?

 

[RooFlyer]

I presume the great gin scandal hasn't occured?

No .

We sailed smoothly overnight to Arrecife, the capital of the island of Lanzarote. We are scheduled to visit all 6 other main islands, one per day (although that will change).

Lanzarote » A unique island

A place where the people are as warm as they are active and proud. Where the food tastes of the sea and the earth

turismolanzarote.com

Geologically - you knew that was coming, didn't you - the islands get younger east to west. This is because, like Hawaii, they are formed by a plate - in this case, the African plate - drifting over a mantle hot-spot, or plume. Dollops of magma from the mantle rise slowly through the crust. bursting through from time to time, causing volcanic eruptions. The eruptions appear to move west, but its the source remaining almost stationary, while the plate drifts eastwards.



Here's an exceptionally cool image, showing the progressive age of the islands, including the very oldest, which have disappeared below sea level. Source here.



As a result of its age, Lanzarote (and also Fuerteventura, the next island) has been eroded down and has no mountains, so captures little rain, so is pretty arid.

Before an afternoon excursion, which basically puts the lie to everything I've just said, we were able to take a walk into Arrecife. Moderately interesting, but its Good Friday, so not much open.

Google search: Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote since 1852, originated in the 15th century as a small fishing settlement named after the volcanic reefs (arrecifes) protecting its harbor. Initially a port for the inland capital Teguise, it grew through trade but faced frequent, devastating pirate raids, leading to the construction of fortresses like Castillo de San Gabriel.

The Castillo



And a drawbridge in the causeway path to the 'mainland'. Wouldn't stop much?





A few shots of the small boat refuge/harbour and around town






And the church - 17th century, with Easter parage float at the ready.





And this statue of a marlin not being caught, and the explanation which was very interesting.






You come to a little out-of-the-way place like this, and you learn something new like that.

 

[RooFlyer]

Lunch on the pool deck, as always (why people want to sit in the main restaurant and do a la carte oin fine sunny days like this - abt 25 degrees - is beyond me.

Garlic mussels is today's chef's presentation and there is the salad, other seafood and sweets buffet.



The monstrosity in the background is from the German Mein Schiff fleet, holding about 4,000, Vs our 184., It followed us around the islands.



I have 350 euros credit to get through, so I quickly ordered this Alsace Riesling, that I've had before.

 

[RooFlyer]

At each port there were between 2 and 4 excursions offered, mostly 3-5 hours, mostly included. All done on uncrowded motor coaches and with a local guide.

Today its the Timanfaya National (volcanic) park - which, as I mentioned, gives the lie to the statement that the volcanic activity gets younger to the west. Most of Lanzarote is about 15 million years old. However, new volcanos erupted in 1730 and 1736 at Timanfaya, and in 1824 at Tao and Tinguatón. The reason volcanism returned here is unclear. Anyway, some relatively recent, and still warm volcanism to be seen.

The Canary Islands seem to have very good infrastructure - ports and highways. Lanzarote no exception - this motorway heading out of town.



Into the volcanic area and a typically barren landscape of old lava fields and tuff and cinder cones.



Craters and the dark recent volcanism in darker colurs.



At the visitors centre, we saw how things were still hot - a shallow pit put some dry bush aflame.





LOTS of tourists - as everywhere in the canaries. 3 million to this park, every year (30 euro entry fee).



Artificial geysers:

More volcanic landscapes

 

[RooFlyer]

Then the coach took us on a bit of a hoon though the volcanics - some ... in fact many ... very steep slopes, with no barriers and some sharp corners. Exciting! (The sound effects in the first one is not me!)