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Gran
Canaria is a sensible place to visit in January or February, if you
want to escape from the UK winter. The island has a variety of resorts,
some of which are peaceful, others full of activity and nightlife.
The Princess Hotel in the resort of Maspalomas is ideally
placed, near several bus routes, and there are plenty of taxis if you
are averse to walking any distance. |
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Location,
as always, is crucial and the microclimate enjoyed by the area is
excellent, with shelter provided by the mountains to the North.
The magnificent sand dunes provide the background to the beach,
which is about three miles long, and some areas are available for those
who prefer to wear no clothes, without fear of being in breach of
political correctness. |
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A
few miles away lies Palmitos Park, which was devasted by fire in 2007.
Fortunately the Park has now been more or less restored, and there are
many parrots, along with other birds and animals. These meerkats
are really cute, and they appear to be quite happy, despite being in
captivity. Definitely a place to visit if you are in the South of
the island.
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A good a way to get to the busy
market at Arguineguin is to take the local bus, though starting early is advisable. The fellow trying to
merge with the background must get pretty hot at times, and he appears to have a
doppel-ganger who performs the same act at the market at Mogan. The latter version has
been observed cooling off in the sea. |
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The weather is not always perfect, and
the sudden appearance of this swell at Patalavaca portended a gale and a thunderstorm the
following evening. It appears that such storms are relatively rare, for the local people
were totally thrown by the downpour and coped about as well as we do in the UK when there
are a couple of inches of snow. |
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The Canary Islands are supposedly named
after their wild dogs, but littoral cats appear to be much more in evidence. They inhabit
the rocks just above high-water mark during the day, hiding from the sun, but they migrate
inland towards evening in search of leftovers from the restaurants and bars. They believe
firmly in sharing, and they tend to jump up onto the table if not watched closely. |
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Balito Beach was built rather too close
to the sea, and the seaward portion at least has now been abandoned, presumably because
the foundations have been somewhat eroded, and there is a perceptible Pisa effect with
respect to the front balconies. Close up, the combination of boarded-up doors and windows
and the surrounding detritus suggests how far plans can go astray. |
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Puerto Rico is a popular resort in
the South of Gran Canaria and, (like most Internet sites), it appears to be under
continuous construction, as the hotels and apartments gradually creep up the sides of the
hills enclosing the bay. An excellent place to visit if you wish to become fit by having
to climb numerous hills and flights of steps. |
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Puerto de Mogan is easily reached by
bus, as long as you do not suffer from acrophobia, or by ferry. The harbour area resembles
Venice, with its network of waterways and the more adventurous can examine the citizens of
the deep via a trip on a genuine Yellow Submarine. The markets give one an opportunity to
practise one's negotiating skills, as there is good value available. |
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The interior of the island is
mountainous, rising to over 6000 feet and it can be chilly in winter, even with occasional
snow. The reservoirs struggle to retain what little rainwater falls on the South of
Gran Canaria, though the slopes in the North of the island have green vegetation due to
the greater precipitation borne by the prevailing North-Easterly winds. |
