Corralejo

The bus from Arrecife to Playa Blanca on the southern tip of Lanzarote was just a normal bus with a special signboard. Playa Blanca was not completely overrun by tourists, not yet. The brilliant sunshine made the white boats in the harbour gleam.

There were many other tourists on the crossing. Our boat was similar to this one belonging to the other company serving this route, Naviera Armas, headed in the other direction. 20 minutes later we docked at Corralejo, on the northern tip of Fuerteventura.

Corralejo exists purely for tourism, in particular at the 7 km of sandy beach running south on the eastern coast. Besides tourism there is a little agriculture on Fuerteventura as it is mostly flat and arid, like Lanzarote. Water has to be obtained by desalination. The strong winds that give the island its name attract windsurfers to its waters.

I was disappointed to discover that the minitren mentioned in the guide was not running. I was counting on it to carry me past the long stretch of beach. Bugger that, I thought, as I started walking, I am not going to miss out on visiting the beaches and dunes because of some municipal incompetence. I had the consolation of staying close to the water and seeing its beautiful turquoise colour.

Fortunately I was not a lone madman in the noon sun; others had the same idea. I was glad to have a hat and sunscreen.

Here you see a traditional Fuerteventuran sacrificial site. In the ceremony, a hapless tourist, preferably a pretty young one, is basted in sunscreen oil, and tied to the rocks in the burning sunshine until he/she turns lobster red. Hahaha, sorry I made that up. It is nothing more sinister than a windbreak used by sunbathers for protection from the constant wind.

As you can see there were many of these scattered across the sandscape, and many were showing signs of occupancy. In the distance are two resort hotels. I didn't go that far, but turned back when the going got boring.

The small Isla de Lobos is separated from the main island by a narrow strait. The animals that gave the island its name were not wolves but monk seals, which sadly are extinct there.

I had skipped dinner the night before, so I enjoyed a plato combinado for lunch with a pastry and an ice cream afterwards.

After an uneventful trip back, I checked at the car rental agency who sadly told me that they had no small cars available the next day. So I tried a shop called Temisa Rentals. They offered me a small car at €90 for 4 days and I could drop it off at the airport. Done! I would pick up the car at 1230 the next day. I just had to amuse myself for half a day.

I took a spaghetti bolonaise dinner at Macaroni, the same Italian restaurant as the day before. It seemed that the staff were really Italians who had migrated to Lanzarote.

I was tempted, now that I had wheels, to move out of the hotel, but on reflection, decided not to. It was only a place to sleep at night anyway; I had my run of the island.