Saturday 14 March 2009

Winter is summer in the Canary Islands

All is well here in the Canary Islands...better then well actually. I just love it when it's 25 degrees in the winter time and you can go to the beach everyday!



The weather here is just great and the bel ragazzo and I have been very busy...We took a guided tour of the island (for work purposes you see...he needs to check what we sell the customers and I - well I have to give an impartial point of view :)



we have been snorkelling (well I splashed around in the water for a while until I can say I truthfully started snorkelling. Bel ragazzo being the adventure water lover that he is went scuba diving...We were in the somewhat rough open sea and I was so scared I was holding onto the snorkelling guides hand for dear life! I did let him go after a while however once I caught my breathe and realised I was not going to get hit by a massive wave out there. )

We have been walking in the sand dunes (nice and safe that...until you see the size of the dunes. They are soooo steep some of them. I did make it up the high one but had to crawl a bit as I was scared of falling. I know it was only sand and I could not hurt myself but I was scared all the same!)










and as mentioned above visiting the many unspoilt beaches and...well that's about all I have been doing!

Sorry for those who are hard at work or freezing cold as they read this, but I will be back to the 'real life' a.k.a working life soon as I return to Italy and Rome next Friday to begin work (only in Rome for one week before going to Sorrento.)

Here are some pictures of the island and you can see just how dramatic the landscape is. The Canary Islands are volcanic and only here thanks to some eruptions years and years and some more years ago. One minute you are in the desert - sand dunes and all - you can even take camel treks. After the sand dunes comes the barren out-back; red, dry, cracked earth, flat plains and not many signs of civilisation. You then have goat farms which are still dry but bring you into the mountainous terrain and along the way there are many quaint mountain and seaside towns.

The island is so laid back and I can see why there is such an massive ex-pat community. Most of the Italians who have moved here come from Milan and got sick of the hustle and bustle not to mention pollution of daily life. Here the sun shines pretty much every day of the year, the island from top to bottom is about a 2 hour drive and the if you feel stressed all it takes is one look at the beach to feel totally rejuvinated.






We are in the north of the island in the resort called Corralejo. The sand dunes are only a short drive away.






14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful you appear to be having a marvellous time. You are to be envied. We have had a long winter here in Belgium spring is just arriving although it is still grey grey.

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hello,
I imagine you have had a long winter indeed in Belguim. I have been only to Brugge and it was in autumn at that was cold enough! Don't worry...summer is soon going to be there for you to warm up a bit!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I'm molto jealous!
Beautiful photos. I look forward to more so I can live vicariously through you!

Gil said...

Those pictures are just beautiful. The sand looks as fine as confectioners sugar or like the sand I remember from Pensacola, Florida beaches. Enjoy it while you can!

Laura said...

Ciao Leanne! Fabulous photos! Looks like you are having a wonderful time. I went to the beach in Amalfi yesterday ... the weather should be pretty good by the time you get down to Sorrento!

Bitter Chocolate said...

God, I'm so so jealous! But you deserve to be having a great time, keep it up :)

Jewel said...

Yes, I am completely jealous, the photos look beautiful.

You really should be posting more regularly for those of us who are living vicariously through our travels.

Jewel said...

That should be 'your travels' not 'our travels'. I wish I was travelling!

LuLu said...

Absolutely gorgeous!! So glad you got a chance to see it and enjoy it!!

Chad said...

Leanne,

Looks like you're having a blast!! The canary islands are definitely on my list of places to go!! Just wanted to let you know that I just launched a blog on backpacking Europe on a budget, called The Squeaky Traveler. (http://squeakytraveler.blogspot.com) Check it out if you get a chance!! Enjoy your trip!!

Anonymous said...

Ciao! Looks beautiful! I will have to visit the Canary Islands at some point! Have fun!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Ms Violetta,
more photos will be on there way!

Hi Gil,
The sand really is so fine and so very clean. I have never seen anything like it. So beautiful.

Hi Laura,
I am having a wonderful time... but back to the real world of work and Italy soon.

Hi BC,
You have nothing to be jelous of...what with you going to Spain then the Uk and who knows where else!

Hi Jewel,
I will post some more pics for you. And you will travel sooner or later but you have a brand new house which is pretty great! So you sit in your nice new house and enjoy looking at my photos but knowing that I have no house or anything nice like that :)

Hi Lulu,
The island really is so pretty. Some parts are nothing special but then the water here is just spectacular. And no place can be 100% pretty now can it. That would just be too much.

Hi Chad,
I am having a pretty good time. I would recommend visiting these islands now that I have been here.

Hi Bolognastyle,
Yes if you get a chance visit the islands some time...especially a good idea to escape a cold winter as it is hot over here!

Nihal said...

Ciao Leanne,
Enjoyed reading your holidaying report, and drawn to your so nice photos. Mamma mia, anch'io non posso aspettare.
I've been to Calabria, and its so beauty+full places right down the south Italia. Bella no?! Ma bellissima w/ so wonderful climate, clear blue sea and yummy oranges.
Unforgettable!

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

Hi Nihal,
Thanks for stopping by the blog. Glad you enjoyed it. Calabria is a very beautiful place and what makes it even more special is that not many tourists actually make their way down there.