Updated: May 29, 2023
Disappointingly the weather that greeted us was quite overcast and windy this morning as we through back the patio door curtains around 8.30am.
This had not stopped the towel brigade who had been out in force to claim almost all the sunbeds around the pool even if the weather meant they had little intention of ever using them. They just didn’t want other people to use them either. Also, I saw we had some stackers staying. These are people for whom the sunbeds are too low for them so again without any regard to others hog even more for their own individual use by stacking up to three on top of each other and then putting a towel on them. I’m not sure why people feel it is necessary to do any of this when they all have perfectly nice balconies to sit upon. It’s not even as if any of them bother to go in the pool either. I’m also not too sure why it all mildly annoys me either but I do harbour a desire to throw all their towels into the pool.
Anyhow we had some breakfast and after doing other chores readied ourselves for our morning walk. Today we had decided to turn left and head to Matagorda. It was breezy but warm enough that I didn’t need to wear the zipped hoodie I carried just in case.
As we walked, we felt that Puerto Del Carmen is definitely still trying to gentrify itself. New buildings were springing up and seemed to be of a higher class. Some existing buildings were being upgraded as well. Yet there were still too many ‘tat’ shops still selling the same old crap stock, as well as too many cheap Irish bars appealing to the lowest common denominator by offering large beers for 1.50 Euros. All have cheap plastic seats with many sat almost on the pavement so the clientele can either be seen or can stare at the passer-by’s. Many still offer ‘music’ in the evenings although one can only guess at the standard.
With that rant out the way we headed round the bay amazed at the number of other people out walking as well. We are never 100% certain where Puerto Del Carmen stops and Matagorda starts but after walking just over 2 miles, we reached our destination for brunch. Ironically it was an Irish Cafe after my previous rant. This one is a tad more up market and set back with nicer tables and chairs. O’Shea’s is always staffed by real Irish people and is quite popular. They also have a working useable Wifi which we used as we sat.
We ordered a coffee and tea to start with. Karen had an Americano which was more like an Expresso when delivered but it was at least a proper coffee. Karen had the not terribly up market all day Full English breakfast whilst I had the not terribly up market full Irish breakfast. The difference being I got Sautéed potatoes and Black Pudding with mine whilst Karen got chips were hers. They were both jolly nice.
We lingered there sheltered from the wind for as long as we dared. As we sat there, we saw the Jet2 fly past to land that we knew Sharon & Iain were on. I waved but they didn’t wave back.
On the way back we popped into Spa to pick up the things we had forgotten yesterday and then still forgot to get more milk. Apparently, that was my fault.
Back on our balcony we read and did a crossword and suddenly found that 3 hours had past doing almost nothing. At which point we started to get ready to meet Sharon & Iain in Reception at 7pm to go out for dinner. There were lots of catching up chatter as we headed to one of our favourite restaurants Pinocchio’s to eat. They were full and told us to come back in 20 minutes when like long lost regulars we were warmly greeted with a free table.
I had the traditional Tipica Pizza with a side of Canarian potatoes whilst Karen went for chicken. We shared a small carafe of Sangria, before Karen had her first Irish coffee of the trip. When it came to pay the bill, we were given a free shot of Limoncello by a waitress we hadn’t seen before. We were a tad disappointed as normally being ‘regulars’ we would be given a choice of shots. As we downed the shots one of the guys who knew us came over offered us another shot of choice which we all gladly accepted as well.
Everyone was tired and so we went back to La Penita where I watched the BBC News with Karen before retiring just before 10.30am.
The next morning, I woke up sore and in pain from my back. I wasn’t sure if it was the bed or the 5 mile walk the day before. My mood wasn’t helped by the dark overcast sky as I pulled back the curtains. The forecast wasn’t looking good but it still hadn’t stopped the mindless morons who wanted to ensure that even if they wouldn’t be using the sunbeds today then no one else could either as there were towels already out a plenty.
To make my mood even worse, the Wifi was down completely. I had to resort to using my mobile data again. This was it for me, the final straw and I was ready to change our flights, pack up and go home today. I had had enough. This was before breakfast and Karen had even stirred.
But then I managed to watch the Norwich goals on my phone and it distracted me enough to think perhaps I was being a bit hasty. I decided to have breakfast quietly but then remembered we had forgotten to buy more milk yesterday and there was only just enough for one us. So, without wanting to make my day worse I left it for Karen.
Just after 10am we went for a walk, this time turning left heading in the direction of the Old Town. It felt like rain was in the air. We bumped into Sharon & Iain who were sitting on a bench having a takeaway coffee from Dos Mil – a favourite of Karen’s. Unfortunately, it is now also the favourite of many people as you cannot never get a table there now. Perhaps some of the other businesses should take note and convert themselves into a more up market coffee shops as there is obviously a demand.
We continued our walk and the weather felt like it was trying to improve. We popped in a couple of the perfume shops as there is one particular perfume Karen was after. She had never been able to find it cheap at home anywhere. Afterwards we looked it up and found out that it is because it is actually a Spanish perfume which explained why it is cheaper here.
Just before getting to the harbour, we stopped at La Galosa Tea Rooms in a small square. We had been there before. As they were probably the only place selling Sausage Rolls on the Island I had one with a cuppa. Karen had an enormous slice of Apple Tart with her coffee.
We wandered down to the Harbour where an enormous and totally out of proportion Stage was being erected for the Town Carnival that starts later today. It would have been suitable for somewhere like Blickling and not a small area where probably only a few hundred may be able to fit in. Perhaps it was the only one left when they went to Stage-Hire-R-Us or something.
Along the harbour walk there were lots of cats sleeping as normal and plenty of fish in the sea. There was German guy fishing who caught a nice-looking Bass but then dropped it onto the rocks below as he was trying to get it off the hook. The fish would have had a nasty headache after that as well as a sore mouth.
On the way back we stopped at the new large and very nice supermarket in the new small shopping complex that had been finally finished and opened. We were very impressed but did not buy too much as there were still about 2 miles walk back to the apartment.
About half way back my back was getting really sore again and so we stopped for a few minutes on a bench. The way I found to ease it was to sit there gently rocking back and forwards which must have made me look like I had lost control of my body. I thought Karen would moan about this but encouraged me saying that if it helped which it did then carry on.
We got back to the apartment just as the sun finally broke through at 3pm. It then became almost too hot on the balcony. We decided that Lanzarote is not very good at getting its weather just right for us.
After reading for a while, we then got ready and met Sharon & Iain in reception again at 7pm. We didn’t know where we were heading for Dinner and I jokingly said we should go to the whatever the first one we found on our right as we walked. It turned out to be a place where they had eaten before and they had liked. So, we went in and had a very acceptable meal. Karen went for a Tuna Omelette whilst I had Fish stuffed with Prawns in a Crab sauce, all washed down with a bottle of Rioja called Azpilicueta, which made both Iain & I smile for football reasons.
Sharon & Iain then headed off in search of bar with music downtown whilst we decided to find a nearby venue for Karen to have an Irish Coffee to finish off the day. We went to the new Lani’s building next to the apartments and went up to the roof bar. It was lovely. They brough over our own gas heater and gave Karen a blanket. We were toastie warm. The bar had been finished to a high standard and the staff and service was very good. We were impressed and decided it also be a perfect spot during the day to have a cold drink in the sun,
At about 10.15pm we wandered up the small hill back to the apartment where we soon retired for the night. It hadn’t been such a bad door after all and I was glad I hadn’t brought our flights home forward.
