We're in San Augustín on the south coast, about 10km east of Maspalomas. The hotel is right on the water and we're 4 floors up. Had breakfast on the balcony. Damn, it was too hot. Shame.
We have been putting up with some jerk no doubt poor but honest guy in a microlight helicopter all morning buzzing by; the landing strip is only a few hundred metres away.
However that's not the news. I thought he was coming to land on the balcony and rushed out. I was entirely mistaken. It was the gobierno helicopter flying by toward the west. The concerning thing is it had a basket underneath it, they type they use to pour in wildfires. If I get any further info I shall report it.
Otherwise you may have to put up with inane random thoughts. I will say it so @Penkles doesn't have to: business as usual.
It must be nice for you to have a change of scenery. I must admit though that an oil rig at a distance looks remarkably like a scaffolding tower, although not so colourful, so perhaps they induce some nostalgia. :tiphat:
No views of oil rigs from the hotel.
The airstrip next door seems to cater for learner-pilots. We have had take-offs every minute for hours. Practice makes perfect, and one of these days the would be pilots may fly for Binter, so let them at it.
We had a lovely and I do mean lovely, conversation with a timeshare tout today! He accosted us while we were finding a place to eat. He asked me "Svensk? Norge?" I said no. He said "Where are you from?" I said "Tenerife." Whereupon the guy collapsed in laughter and we had a good time where he tried to guess where we were from. He could not understand how I could speak Spanish. Lots of good banter and he was quite disappointed he could not invite us to look at one of the timeshares he had on offer because we are residentes. Nice guy.
Most tourists here seem to be Scandinavian. Very well behaved, and they wear clothes in the street. Most menus are in Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Danish. Locals are ASTOUNDED when anyone speaks Spanish to them. I am a hit.
Nothing more from the gobierno helicopter. That's a good thing.
We found a Chinese restaurant which had the most to-die-for homemade chili oil. Copious amounts were consumed.
As I write planes have taken off another half a dozen times.
Time for sundowners on the balcony.
Not much to report yet today. We had a hell of a lot of rain so have been stuck indoors. We even had to eat breakfast inside.
The sea is brown from sand washed down a barranco.
Before the big rain hit we could see a ship almost on the horizon and it was square rigged. It was enormous.
I best go lie down; the pace is killing me.
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Hey guess what, you really can have a good time in GC!
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I do hope the aspiradoras (vacuum cleaners) aren't part of the swingers' fun for all ...
:laugh:
I didn't ask!
LOL I was wondering why Myrtle was so excited to see hoovers :rofl:
It's strange but those signs seem more prominent than the one for the 'club'...perhaps it's an age thing :)
More rain here today. Went to the mountains to see the Roque Nublo which was covered in cloud. Freezing cold, about 14 degrees. Had a nice lunch near San Bartolomé.
Tenerife is far more beautiful than GC.
And why does GC have 6 lane motorways and we don't?
Better weather here today.
Went to the market at Puerto de Mogán, and it was great but I can buy the same crap in Tenerife for less. So I bought nada.
I am hugely impressed with the hotel. We went down around 1845 to return the safe key, pick up the safe key deposit, put some stuff in the car etc. I decided to tell them that 1) the lavavajillas (dishwasher) does NOT work and 2) the microondas (microwave) does NOT work. The dishwasher is strange; you put the program on and it runs and runs and never stops. Having given it three hours one day and four hours another, I feel comfortable stating it does not work. (What I did in the end was yank the door open and put it on the rinse program which when ran for about 45 minutes and finished. Figured the dishes were clean.) The problem with the microwave is that the dial that goes onto the shaft has completely worn away. It is plastic, the microwave is cheap and ancient, that's about it in a nutshell.
At 1930 a maintenance guy showed up! We told him what was wrong and that we did not plan to use either machine tonight and he'll be back tomorrow. But the fact that they sent somebody was unexpected.
Now, let's get on the to the topic of the day. THIS IS A TENERIFE RANT. :angryoldman: :angryoldman: :angryoldman:
As mentioned we went off to Puerto de Mogán today. This place has a freaking 6 lane motorway!!!! :gonnagetit: :banghead: :gonnagetit: :banghead: It does not have a patch on Tenerife, and it certainly does not have our population! The three lanes each way continue for about 15km at least to the west of here, then drop down to 2 each way.
And guess fucking what? :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: While we are sitting there with a non-usable partially constructed motorway, these people have 11 - ELEVEN - ONCE - ένδεκα - goddamned wonderful modern stylish functional TUNNELS on the way to Puerto de Mogán. It nearly puts Madeira to shame, and theirs is a system worth worshipping. This is on a stretch of road well under 20km.
How the hell can it be that in Tenerife we have the population, the tourists, and the need for such a magnificent motorway system, and in pokey old Gran Canaria they get it? :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit:
I ask you, what is wrong with Spanish politics? :angryoldman: :angryoldman: :angryoldman:
We Tinerfeños have been gypped, ripped off, denigrated and stomped on. It is about time we reclaimed our rights! It is a complete travesty.
So I warn you: come here and be careful of your blood pressure.
I give you José Manuel Soria - one time presidential hopeful in the Canaries, now Industria minister in Madrid. From ...
guess ... go on ...
Gran Canaria!! Take a bow ... :bows:
(http://www.preferente.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/jose-manuel-soria1.png)
And how he's seen generally now that the Repsol soundings are underway, under the auspices of Industria, and with approval from the national parliament governing party PP, of which Soría is also a member ...
(http://www.criteriodefuerteventura.es/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/recreaci%C3%B3n-de-pintadas-contra-Soria-560x577.jpg)
To which the typical response is ...
(https://elhombreirrazonable.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/soriaincredulo.jpg)
I could go on about Las Palmas, the correct title. The 'Gran Canaria' came later, and please don't use the 'Gran' if you ever meet the wife, or any self respecting Chicharrera! :)
All you have to do is watch local TV to see that Las Palmas gets the bulk of the coverage. The thing, according to the Chicharreras, is that the Canariones have a massive inferiority complex because all the have is the 'Finger of God' and the Chicharreras have a bloody great volcano! Plus its the capital of the islands. Just watch the local news and you will see that by far and away the bulk of the news and reports come from Las Palmas.... the TV stations are there, or most of them!
Plus it doesn't help that the 'Finger of God' fell over in a storm a couple of years ago. Did I mention that the 'Finger of God' was a small thin pillar of rock that stuck out of the sea just off the coast somewhere off Las Palmas and it got knocked down in a storm a couple of years ago. So it ain't the finger of god no more. :giggle:
Bets not to mentoin it to the locals Myrtle :cheesy: