{"id":13784,"date":"2010-10-17T08:19:26","date_gmt":"2010-10-17T13:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/?p=13784"},"modified":"2010-10-17T08:20:50","modified_gmt":"2010-10-17T13:20:50","slug":"lanzarote-harsh-beauty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/setsail.com\/lanzarote-harsh-beauty\/","title":{"rendered":"Lanzarote – Harsh Beauty"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
A happy Sunday morning to you.<\/p>\n
Lanzarote is an island of amazing visual contrasts, made all the more powerful when there is good light and a few clouds. Yesterday we did a bit of touring, pulling off the road periodically to sample the aesthetic delights, of which there are many, with perfect conditions for taking the odd snapshot.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One minute you are faced with sharp edged volcanic rock, the next with manicured slopes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The sculpting Mother Nature has been doing the last few centuries is wonderful.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There are lichens in many areas.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And here and there heartier growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Wildlife is limited, just a few birds, a lizard or two, and the odd cockroach have caught our attention.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
If you fancy a bit of riding, camels, previously used for farming, will oblige.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The vast majority of the buildings are white but here and there a rebel stands out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Much of the island is used for farming.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Local wines are excellent.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There are even watermelons enjoying the volcanic soil and plentiful sunshine (we resisted the temptation to test this one left over from a recent harvest).<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Charming villages dot the landscape.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Lanzarote – indeed all of the Canary islands – depend on tourism for economic survival. There are apartments that can be rented quite reasonably almost everywhere.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After a hard morning scrambling over the lava in search of the perfect photo a leisurely lunch is in order.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Perhaps in the afternoon we’ll rent a board and check out the beach break.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Our attempts at bird photography have been disappointing. There are targets, but they are hard to get near, and the lighting angles have been wrong.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The big waves of a few days ago are gone. But the sky, water, and black lava coastline is still stunning.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What we need are big seas, low sun, occasional clouds, and the foresight to be at the right spot at the right time.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This is a test photo, so if the conditions cooperate while we are still here, the correct camera settings will be in the notebook.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We include this as a commentary on Lanzarote and Puerto Calero. The security system typically tells you something about the local environment. Most other marinas we have visited have secure, difficult to subvert, gate systems.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
And where else can you take a ride on a yellow submarine?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We’ll close with this work of art from the Puerto Calero offices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"