Well, I'm back at work now but I still haven't caught up in the weblog on my vacation adventures. Let me tell you a tale...
No, just kidding, I'm just going to give a resume of my activities while in Gran Canaria. Hopefully the accompanying photos will be up shortly.
Spent the day doing last minute preparations for the trip as our flight wasn't until past 8:00 pm. Ceilidh had decided to come at the last minute even though school was starting up again on Monday. I helped her find a last minute flight for 69 pounds the she could pay herself so Bev and Fraser let her come. Her flight was two hours after ours. We figured since it would take time to get our luggage and then process the rental car that we would be able to wait a little longer then take her with us to the apartment.
So around 3:30 (and almost on time!) we all took off for Gatwick. We got ourselves checked in (Ceilidh's wasn't for another couple of hours) so we bid adieu to her and passed through security so we could have a bite to eat and a drink while we waited.
As we were headed to our boarding area I happened to glance at the departure screens and saw that Ceilidh's flight had been delayed 2 hours! Not much we could do about it but continue to boarding. Ceilidh caught up with us just before we boarded and it was decided to stay with the original plan.
Flight got off on time and we settled down to a movie (Cheaper by the Dozen) and our dinner. Plane arrived in Las Palmas just after midnight, almost 40 minutes early. Fraser went ahead to get the car. Bev and Fraser's luggage came off the plane almost first and mine came almost last considering we checked in at the same time!
We decided to go on to the apartment. It took about 45 minutes. 4 lane highway most of the way then winding coastal road. Cala Blanca is built on hillside (actually, more like cliffside). Had to take two elevators down to where apartment was. One bedroom unit with kitchen and terrace. Twin beds in bedroom, couch pulls out to two twin beds. Bev and I set up then went to bed. Fraser laid down for a short snooze then took off to pick up Ceilidh.
Woke up early. Had heard Fraser and Ceilidh come in buy it didn't really disturb me. First one up, I went and sat on the terrace. Went to the MiniMercado in the apartment complex and bought cereal, water, sangria and beer. Finally Bev then Ceilidh woke up. We let Fraser sleep in and took off in the car close to noon to go to Teror where a local Sunday market goes on.
Took the highway back toward the airport then just past the airport turned inland. Winding inland mountain roads, didn't agree with Ceilidh. The vegitationtion was quite a bit more lush then in our neck of the woods (no vegitation, just rock!). Lots of pine trees. Cooler too, than the coast. Here we are in our shorts and such and the locals were in jeans and sweaters. Typical tourists! Arrived in Teror and finally found a parking spot. Wandered around, into a couple of lace/tablecloth shops. It really was a local type market. We bought cheese, chorizo, sausage, bread and olives. Had lunch. Took a more direct route back toward the coast coming out of the mountains in Las Palmas. Got back to the apartment around 5.
Made good use of the terrace, we sat around for a bit and ate munchies and drank some beer. We drove over to Puerto Mogan to stock up on food. From there I dragged Ceilidh out. When I had done my research on the internet I made of list of possible restaurants/bars to go to. One of them, the Pio Pio, has a Sunday music on the beach thing happening (Tauro-on-Sunday) so of we went.
It was a couple of ravines away from where we were. Past some more ugly sprawl of Playa del Cura to on old campground. Followed a dirt track along a river bed to the beachfront and along a bunch of old huts and campers. There was a building with two bars in it and Pio Pio was the one on the end. Lots of people about but no music (later found out they were "between" performers and it was going to restart the week after we left).