A VISIT TO LAS GALLETAS...

February 4, 2012 – Saturday – From Los Cristianos – It’s been an interesting week and, of course, the weather has been great—not too hot, no humidity and with cool evenings that makes sleeping very pleasant!  Here are a couple pictures of our studio apartment at Castle Harbor—our view is of the pool area and the hillside--welcome to our world!: 

Kitchenette:   looking back towards the door from dining/living areas!

A view towards the balcony from kitchenette!

Geoff enjoying the paper on our balcony!

Sue from balcony with hillside view!

This last Tuesday we hopped a local bus (called "Titsa") and headed over the mountain next to us into a smaller town called “Las Galletas” to explore.   The views on the way there via the autopista (motorway) were of the beautiful craggy hillsides, desert like landscapes, newer landscaping and a few old buildings (Larisa...does it still remind you of California?

One view enroute to Las Galletas!

Autopista with craggy mountains in background!

Some nice green landscaping as we near Las galletas!

Local home--no, just an old,  derelict leftover we passed!

Love the signs:  

We walked a couple blocks from the bus stop to the “playa” and found an older section along the smaller promenade: 

Promenade with soccer ball design!

The older looking buildings along the promenade!

The beach here had coarser sand and lots of pumice stones—there were people swimming  but there were lots of larger rocks protruding from the water, unlike the beach at Los Cristianos!   Very pretty and the breeze kept the sun from beating down and frying our heads!   We walked along the promenade to the “puerta” (port)—“Marina del Sur” and enjoyed the views of jetty rocks, cacti, water and interesting boats or yachts!:

Rocky beach and rocks in the ocean.

The beach view looking toward the puerta.

Along the beach on the small promenade.

Another beach pic!

Looking back from the jetty.

Some pretty cacti plants next to a blue building along the jetty walk!

The Marina del Sur with Mt. Tiede way up there--you can just see a bit of the white peak--it gets some snow in December but looks like it has all pretty much melted--my first view of the volcano!

And wouldn't you know it...a makeshift Yellow Submarine!

Peeking thru jetty rocks at the beach here!

A close up of the pumice stones on the beach!

We stopped for a late lunch and Geoff had a Spanish beer: 

With the ocean in the background!

...while sunshine shimmers over the ocean!

There was this mosaic sort of wall around a recycling collection area that reminded me slightly of the Gaudi “Park Quell” in Barcelona that I visited with my niece, Katie, in 2005—I loved the glass seahorse  embedded in it and it was a treat to see artwork like this in this older community!  

A touch of glass!

 On the way back, more of the area views:

Pretty Tenerife view!

More craggy mountain views!

More of the same...

There are actually lots of cacti getting ready to bloom along these hillsides!

It was such a beautiful evening so when we returned we decided to sit by the pool across the street from Castle Harbor at Oasis Mango and have a cool one!   The cactus by the entrance was spectacular:

Can't seem to get enough of these cacti!

The pretty pool area across the street at the Oasis Mango!

Enjoying the last rays of the evening by the pool!

Geoff also enjoying the last sun rays of the day!

On Wednesday, we went down to the Los Cristianos promenade again to enjoy another gorgeous day.  One of the views of the local area: 

Looking back at the mountains from near the ocean--very pretty!

The tall high rise in the back is where we will be living on the 7^th floor for the remainder of our stay starting on February 15—it’s called Costamar.  

Looking back along the south end of the promenade towards Costamar!

The area along the promenade is SO pretty—I love it: 

Just about as pretty as it gets!

A “Bird of Paradise” breaking out of it’s shell to bloom near the Arona Gran hotel. 

Yesterday, Friday, we took a bus and rode the other direction to see one of the other areas and ended up in Playa Fanabe:

 Sun setting over the ocean!

Nice resort areas!

A tall ship out in the ocean!

Lots of these interesting trees around!

That’s it for now!   Hasta luego.   Love, Geoff and Sue xo 
Houston, there may be a problem--when I tried to download side pictures, I got a message that I have reached my maximum to download photos--I don't know what that is all about--hoping this isn't the end of the line for my blog--perhaps it is just some glitch--if anyone has any info on this for blogspot, please post, por favor!   Gracias! 

WELCOME TO LOS CRISTIANOS, TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS...

January 27, 2011  - Friday - Castle Harbor - We arrived here nearly 2 weeks ago and I just now am getting around to doing a blog about this place.  It is almost perfect--a great temperature (warm with no humidity and cools down in the evenings).   I have posted on Facebook that it is a very cosmopolitan area--lots of Brits but lots of people from all around Europe and northern Africa.  I have not met any Americans as yet but I am sure I am not the only one!  

I love the desert-type landscape and there are lots of cacti and other plants I have not seen before.  As in other tropical areas, the plants that grow outside are one's that I have struggled to grow inside my house back in Olympia!   Here's a couple samples:

I have no idea what this is--was as tall as me and growing next to a mini-market in town!   Interesting!

Some pretty cacti getting ready to bloom!

Outside Castle Harbor!

This was outside where we are staying!



So we have been staying uphill from the ocean for this first month (will move down to stay right on the water on February 15!)--but have been exploring the shops, restaurants and bars around our area.  We also head down to the waterfront and walk along the promanade which is lovely in itself:

The view along the promanade at one point!

The pretty design of the concrete on parts of the promanade!

Sand sculpturers working on their craft!

Lots of people playing Petanque in the sand.

Me & Geoff in the backseat of a local cab!

I am really enjoying great walks along the promanade--Geoff says it's about 5 miles long so I still have a ways to go--I figure I will be doing lots of walks once we are staying right on one end of the promanade!   One afternoon earlier this week, we decided to go explore some more and here are more pictures:

A church downtown--very pretty!

Along another section of the promanade!

A bit of a pickup volleyball game on the beach!

Lots of terraced building with bars & restaurants to explore!

We stop in a terraced bar and this is the daytime view!

Watching the sunset--spectacular!

The moon shines through--it was so pretty!

That's it for now--just a little taste of Los Cristianos as we begin our stay.  More to come, of course, as we explore new areas.   Sending warm wishes (to those in the cold) and love, Geoff & Sue xo







PLAYING CATCH UP WITH MY BLOG...

January 11, 2012 , Wednesday, Melbourne, Florida – So here I am in Florida with Geoff staying here for the 2^nd time with my dear friend Sue Bailey.   I realize I never did finish my England trip—guess it was just too much work to pack the laptop around to find wi-fi and also to get the photos downloaded to do this.   Thought I would bring you up to date before I leave the US again on Saturday!   J

Okay, so I left you in Garstang, England—we caught a wonderful  train from Preston to London and stayed in the heart of London in the SoHo area—just a block from Picadilly Circus and Chinatown—it was a great location!  We spent the first night having dinner in Chinatown and wandering Regent Street—sitting in a pub, too.   London was in the throes of putting up huge Christmas decorations across the streets—unfortunately we had to leave before they were lit! 

The next day we walked all over London town seeing Covent Gardens, Savoy Theater, the Eye of London, Thames River, Big Ben, Parliament , Sherlock Holmes Pub and ended up at Trafalgar Square since it was close to the Prezzo Restaurant that we were going to eat at before we went to the theater and saw “Dreamboats & Petticoats” (a MUST SEE if you get the chance—absolutely wonderful !).  

The next day we took one of those black cabs to the train station and we had to follow the horses as they clopped along to Buckingham Palace with the Queen’s Guard atop! 

We caught another train and rode it south to Bognar Regis that sits right on the English Channel.   We were going to end out trip with 3 days of 60s music (and it WAS FABULOUS) at a resort called Butlins.  I sure wish I got better pictures of those that dressed in 60s costumes (and other assorted dress)—it was a very fund trip down memory lane.   I took a few pictures of the English Channel but can't seem to find where I put them...sorry...

After our long weekend in Bognar Regis, we again boarded a train and went to Gatwick Airport for our flight to Orlando where my Sue Bailey picked us up.   We spent 3 weeks of November (including Thanksgiving where my oldest grandson joined us from Ft. Benning) with Sue.   Saw the Atlas 5 launched from Cape Canaveral, went on an airboat ride on the St. John River with Jon, had lots of good food and drink, drove down to the Florida Keys for a week and even managed a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas before we left to fly to Washington State to spend Christmas and New Year’s at my house!   Here are some of the highlights:

Jon & I @ Thanksgiving in Melbourne, Florida!

Atlas 5 space launch--what a thrill!

Geoff & Jon after finishing the  10k Turkey Trot:   (Jon won 1^st place for his age bracket and medaled!  Geoff made a respectable showing!):

Geoff, me and Jon at the Atlantic ocean:  

Jon & I on the airboat ride (saw lots of alligators!)  It was a blast! :

Florida Keys—stopped at a small marina that had a great tiki hut bar and saw some beautiful wildlife and views:

While in the Keys, SueB’s friends, John & Debbie showed us around Key West and we had a great time!:

After our Key West experience we boarded the Monarch of the Seas, Royal Caribbean cruise ship and headed to Nassau and Cococay island!   That was a fun trip and the ship was decked out for Christmas.  I can’t wait to take another cruise—maybe in the Mediterranean???   Loved the food, entertainment and the way they make you feel like you are someone special!   It was divine!:

Then home to Seattle for a family Christmas Eve at my home & Christmas Day at Shelley & Tim’s—got to meet Jon’s girl “Alex” who flew in for a few days before Christmas then on to be with her family in Long Beach, CA—and meet Amber who is Jordan’s girlfriend (she is from Steilacoom, WA)!   We all had a great time and it was good to spend time with family.   My sister Kathi, along with her guy, Jim, flew up on Christmas Day from Mesquite, NV and she and Shelley (along with other family help) put together a 60^th birthday party on December 30^th (my birthday is January 1 but Kathi wanted to be there for it and she had to leave on December 31^st)—it turned out to be a lot of fun!  Many friends and family were there including my older sis, Jan & husband, Jim from Medical Lake WA and of course, my Mom and brother Doug who live in Oly!   It was just fun to be around all the fun people who came!

Christmas Eve

Geoff with his new WSU hoodie & manbag!

Jordan, Jon, Shelley & Tim Christmas morning 2011

Geoff and I celebrated New Year’s Eve fairly quietly watching the fireworks at the Space Needle on TV, toasting each other and then calling it a night!

On January 7, Shelley and Tim drove us up to SeaTac to catch our flight down here to Florida and the rest is history, as they say.    Next stop in Tenerife, Spain,  via Gatwick, England airport!  

See you in Spain!!   Hasta luego!  Saludos carinosos, Sue & Geoff xo