Photos from the Canary Islands

Photo time again. There is nothing much to say since I last wrote. Bel ragazzo and I did contemplate going 'al natural' at the beach today. We went down to the south of the island and the beaches there are amazing. We had no bathing costumes in the car and wanted to dive into the crystal green sea...but then a big, fat, white and totally hair less woman put us off. Yes...we could see only too well that she was hair less...and sadly not on her head. Going back to the other days post...why of why must some people bare all?



(the colours on this picture have been a little enhanced. I was going for a CSI Miama orange vibe.)




Other then being partially blinded, I did drive bel ragazzo's work car for a while today as I have to get used to driving on 'this side of the road' again. I was ok...a little nervous but I haven't driven on the 'wrong' side of the road since I was living in Portugal last winter so I think I am justified in being a little weary of jumping back behind the wheel. I have to get used to it as I will be driving around a lot in Sorrento when I start work...and no one drives more crazy then the Italians so I have to get my confidence levels up. Bel ragazzo has told me that I have to drive like an Italian as if I keep driving like me (law abiding, a follower of the speed limit, someone who stops at red lights and stop signs) then I will never get anywhere in Italy!

I am leaving the sunny and oh so relaxing Canary Islands on Friday, overnighting at the Madrid airport and catching an early morning flight to Rome. There was not one single flight on the same day to get me to Italy. It was going to have to be overnight at the London Gatwick airport, or Madrid and I thought Madrid is at least closer. I am just going to (try to) sleep at the airport as I am not paying for a hotel since I get in there at 11pm and have to check in at 5am the next day.

Ok so photo time:
El Cotillo is not far from where we are staying in the north of the island. There is a little harbour, spectacular views and it is a popular place for surfers:







While bel ragazzo works I walk around Corralejo where we are staying and take a million photos. Here are some of my artistic ventures which some are touched up on the computer.










Yes this is bel ragazzo...and no he does not often dress in my clothes. Carnevale has come to Fuerteventura...I think this is the last place in the world since most countries did this weeks ago. Here everyone dresses up...everyone for 10 days. The streets are full with little girls who seem to favour dressing as a Flamenco dancers, little boys as pirates or cowboys and adults as anything and everything. We went to a party and got dressed up.














Many, many more photos to come...but they will most probably be posted when I get back to Italy - so until then Adios.

Touring around Fuerteventura

I am still here in the almost always sunny Canary Island of Fuerteventura!

This seems to be an island where people love taking off there clothes. You see them boldly stride along the beach with their private parts swaying with the breeze. No one bats an eye at the nudists here...there are so many that it would be hard to avoid them. I am not sure how I feel about the issue of nudism on the beach. I think there should be certain areas where you can bare all, but I don't really think people should just walk around with their goods on display for the world to see...or am I just being prude? I mean - if there are children around, shouldn't you put your private parts away?

People here also enjoy to walk around semi-naked even though it is technically winter. I know that 25 degrees is hot for some, but do the tourists really need to walk around with their tops off? The main streets are full of mostly old, white haired men with bright lobster red pot bellies on display. The normally well endowed wives walk around the streets with just bathers or something very flimsy trying to cover them up. The other day there was a woman we saw walk into the supermarket with her bikin bottoms on and a singlet top. Not even a skirt or shorts to cover up! I think this is a little much. The majority of people walk around like this. Topless...topless...and a bit more topless. They eat in cafes like that, they are dressed like that even in the morning when it is not even that hot! In Taormina, Sicily some of the tourists used to do the same but every now and then there were police to caution them to 're-dress.'

Anyway, enough about clothes or lack there of. Here are some pictures from an island excursion we went on. Bel ragazzo and I visited was the old capital called Betancuria. It is smack bang in the middle of the island and the capital has long since been moved to another port town. The town is however very cute and quaint if you visit the island well worth a trip.









We have also been to a fantastic beach area called El Castillo. It most probably will not be on a tour guides list of places to see, but we drove there independently a few times to spend some relaxing time on the beach.





More photos to come!

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.

Ola to Fuerteventura!

After a million hours (well what felt like it) five planes, one train, one bus and two car trips - I have finally...finally made it to the Canary Islands and my bel ragazzo. Australia really is on the other side of the world!

Since arriving yesterday I have seen the desert (as most of the island is a desert, sand dunes and all) I have seen lots of wild goats (they live in the not sandy parts of the desert...and look like cows since many have black and white spots) I have met many Italians (there is a massive Italian ex-pat community here in Fuerteventura and bel ragazzo has made friends with a lot of them. For once there seems to be more Italians then English or Germans here!) and I look forward to exploring the island during my two weeks here.

I may not be able to post photos from here or post very often for that matter... but they will come sooner or later.