As I was hungry, I went downstairs for breakfast. The buffet was many-sided and very tasted. I like typical British food for breakfast, so I ate bacon and eggs and had a glas of orange juice as a drink.

Afterwards I went to the car-rental agency to get a vehicle as I wanted to be independent from public transport. Hiking is one of my great passions, and I wanted to reach a few corners you do not get into with a car. For that reason I left my car somewhere in the mountains to cross a few narrow paths and enjoy being alone with nature for a while. My personal highlight was to see a barrier lake.

After I had finished my trip and given back the rental car, it was time for a short refreshment in the waves of the beach in front of my hotel. The weather was not that hot, but water is always a good idea after an exhausting tour.

In the evening I wanted to get in touch with other young people, so I started to look for a place I could do that. Unfortunately there was no evening program in the Sahara Playa hotel. However, Playa del Inglés has a very lively centre of amusement which is called Kasbah. Finally I ended dancing in a club called Zig Zags where I had a few bottles of beer , met a nice group of football fans from London and had lots of fun with them. We stayed there until the DJ finished playing the last song at 6 in the morning. It was one of the greatest vacation nights of my life.

I have been there in December 2009 and spent at first some time in the island capital Las Palmas. This attracts visitors with its unique cathedral of Santa Ana in the old town. It is the largest and oldest church in Gran Canaria. It was built in 1500 as a sign of the conquest of Gran Canaria by the Spaniards. But it has been finally finished 1781.



The space in front of the Cathedral, the Plaza de Santa Ana, attracts the tourists with its beautiful buildings from different eras that surrounded this place.

Also the home of Christoph Columbus I’ve watched on my journey. It is located directly behind the cathedral. Today this house is a museum. Other buildings associated with Columbus in context are in Las Palmas.

After I have explored Las Palmas, I equipped the nature of the island a visit. Here you can experience the amazing flora and fauna of Gran Canaria, which results of its lush vegetation. Here I have looked at the Caldera de Bandama, a part of Tafira reserve. From here you have got unforgettable views over the beautiful nature of this island.

Not far from this untouched nature is the tourist city Maspalomas. It is always worth a visit to the dunes here. They are so big that you might think you stand in a desert.



I can say that a visit to this varied island is absolutley nice. Here you will find unspoiled nature, great sights and pleasant temparatures at a fair price. You should rent a car to get in more remote parts of the island.

There’s a wide range of accommodation ranging from luxury air-conditioned apartments in Puerto Mogan with a swimming pool to economical self-catering apartments in Puerto Rico or perhaps you’d like or somewhere with a stunning sea-view in Playa del Cura.

Apart from basking in the sun on one of the beaches, there are lots of other things to do on the Costa Mogan. For the energetic there are activities such as sport-fishing and diving, hiking in the mountains, golf, tennis and other sports. Visit local attractions and galleries, take a trip along the coast by ferry or see the underwater world by submarine – you’ll find plenty to occupy your time. And of course, shopping – there are lots of facilities for your regular dose of retail therapy, including markets in Arguineguin and Puerto Mogan.

If you like to relax over a meal and a drink you’ll find a vast array of bars and restaurants. With such a choice the question is where to go? There are restauramnts serving Spanish dishes and Canarian specialities, traditional English fare, a Indian curries, a Chinese, Italian, German or Greek food or French cuisine – the choice is yours!

There’s plenty of nightlife – shows, karaoke and discos, especially in Puerto Rico. You can enjoy a wide range of live music including traditional Canarian and Spanish folk, blues and rock, and we’re pleased to be able to tell you that Elvis has NOT left the island!

If you are a fitness fanatic then there are several gyms and fitness centres so that you don’t slip behind with your training schedule.
There is a whole range of complementary therapies available in the locality, including reiki, thalasotherapy, acupuncture and various kinds of massage, and if you require herbal or homoeopathic remedies there are several health food shops (herbolarios).

Arguineguín

Arguineguin is the main commercial and residential town of the Costa Mogan. It has a busy fishing port and two beaches with the local sand. Market day here is on a Tuesday.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is the largest holiday resort on the Costa Mogan. It has a sheltered beach, two marinas and excellent facilities for water-sports and other activities. The two main centres have shops, supermarkets, restaurants and there is live entertainment at numerous bars, clubs and discotheques.

Taurito

Taurito, with its beach of native sand, is in a spectacularly steep-sided and narrow barranco (valley) and has an excellent lido and a recreation area.

Veneguera

It’s a long way to the beach at Veneguera, but worth the journey if you don’t mind driving down the long unmade road past banana and papaya plantations. The track is pretty rough in places but once you arrive, this undeveloped beach is ideal for a picnic and a quiet lazy time. Take everything you’ll need with you – it’s a long way back to the shops!

Playa Amadores – “Lovers’ Beach”

Amadores beach, with its white sand and beautiful blue water is one of the most popular beaches in the area. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and pedaloes can be hired hire.
There are showering facilities, lots of parking and a frequent bus service.

Tauro

The beach-front at Tauro is relatively undeveloped, though big changes are on their way as the new golf resort just inland is developed. Currently there are just two beach-side bars serving seafood and local specialities.

Mogán

This typical small Canarian town, in a spectacular setting with a backdrop of mountains is the administrative centre for the municipality of Mogan and is less touristy than the resorts on the coast. There are several bars and some excellent restaurants, serving mainly traditional Spanish and Canarian dishes.

Patalavaca – “Foot of the Cow”

Patalavaca is a resort linked to Arguineguín, many of whose hotels are built on the face of the cliff below the costa road, and so one enters many of them on the top floor.

Puerto de Mogan

Puerto de Mogan, on the south-west coast of Gran Canaria is the most picturesque resort on the island.

The original fishing village of Playa Mogán with its narrow passageways and steps is a jumble of houses and apartments clinging to the cliff and the Mirador at the very top has one of the best views of the resort.

The harbour area, known as the "Venice of the Canaries", is a pedestrianised development of two-storey apartment blocks with roof terraces bursting with bougainvillea and other gloriously colourful plants and is dotted with gardens of banana and papaya trees, palms and bird-of-paradise plants.

The new development on the beach-front and stretching back up the valley includes new hotels and luxury apartment complexes, some with great views up the valley or over the beach and of the sea, cliffs and marina.

Puerto de Mogan is packed with excellent restaurants serving local fish landed at the fishing harbour and other Canarian and international specialities. It has several banks and supermarkets, and shops selling clothes, souvenirs, jewellery and much more. If you want a haircut or a tattoo, there is a choice of salons or studios, and if you need to send an email or surf the web, there are several places where you can get connected.

The golden beach, of sand imported from the Sahara, faces south and is protected by a rocky mole, which makes it ideal for safe and easy swimming, and there are sunloungers, parasols, pedaloes and canoes for hire. Outside the enclosed area is good for those who are more adventurous and like to snorkel.

For those who want a bit more excitement, there are jet skis for hire, parascending, scuba diving lessons, sport fishing excursions. And if you’re not feeling so energetic you could try a submarine trip round a local wreck, a dolphin spotting trip or taker the ferry to Puerto Rico, Anfi del Mar or Arguineguín.

On Fridays there is a large open-air market which fills the two plazas on the marina side of Puerto Mogan and the area behind the beach. There are stalls selling shoes, clothes, leather goods and watches, many bearing designer logos – try your hand at getting a real bargain. You can buy African carvings and drums, cheap and cheerful jewellery, second hand books, fruit and vegetables, beach towels, sarongs and swimwear.

Gran Canaria ist adequate for activity holidays and sports.

Today we have two tips for ventures and leisure time activities on Gran Canaria.

Firstly we want to inform you about the website ofv Grancanaria-Excursions.com. On this website you find a huge offer of excursions all over the island. At Grancanariaexcursions.com you can book many kinds of day trips to different places and destinations.

In the range you find a trip to Las Palmas, on wich you can discover the capitol of Gran Canaria, with its famous quarter of La Vegueta full of shops and sights. For those who are interested in the history of Gran Canaria, we recomment the Ancient History Tour, starting in Guadedeque, where you can view some caves from the aborigines of Gran Canaria. This half day trip guides you to different viewpoints and characteristic places of the isle. Another excursion offered, ist the Gran Premium Tour. During this day trip you can view the giant pine of Teror (Pino de Teror) and visit other, interesting villages on Gran Canaria.

On the webpage of Grancanariaexcursions.com you can book day trips and half day trips on the island as well as boat trips on the Atlantic Ocean.

If you are interested at the excursions of Grancanariaexcursions.com, you can have a look on their website below:
Grancanariaexcursions.com

One of the most favorite trips for a holiday is a sport fishing boat trip. Therefore you find at your disposal a modern boat with space for up to six sport fishers. This boat is called Blue Marlin 3 and it is as well available for a private charter. You have the possibility to join a trip on the Blue Marlin 3 without being a sport fisher. A boat trip with Blue Marlin 3 can be a spectacular holiday experience and you can be witness of great fishing.

If you would like to know more about sport fishing trips on Blue Marlin 3 ahead the costs of Gran Canaria, you can join the website below: Blue Marlin 3

On Cosascanarias.com you find Audio/TV items, pets and pet accesories as well as goods for house and garden. For all who are interested in antiques, Cosascanarias.com sometimes has attractive offers. Cars and accesories are as well anounced on this webpage.

Another rubric on the page of Cosascanarias.com ist Real Estate, where you can find offers for properties and rental objects in the area of the Canary archipelago.

If you are looking for private contacts with people to share leisure time and hobbies, you can have a look at the announces on Cosascanarias.com.

Vacations, journeys and excursions are as well offered on this variable website. There is as well a category about employment on the Cosascanarias.com site.

Cosascanarias.com is lika a virtual market place on the Canary Isles, which offers you anything you can imagine.

If you are intersted or you are looking for something, you can have a look at their site: Cosascanarias.com

It is named after Alfredo Kraus, a famous spanish tenor who died in 1999 and was considered to be one of the last Grandseigneurs of opera. Designed by the architect Oscar Tusquets and the sculptor Juan Bordes it was first opened on December 5th in 1997.

The auditory hosts many cultural and social events like the annual Canary Islands’ Music Festival, wich takes place at each years beginning, or the Las Palmas of Gran Canaria Film Festival, which is organized in corporation with the city council of Las Palmas.

Throughout the year many events are running in the auditory. Many own concerts, as well as the Las Palmas Philharmony Society concerts and the annual Jazz and Guitar Festivals are taking place in here.

But also modern acts can be seen here, as it’s the cutural and social centre of the city.

WOMAD festivals take place in over 20 countries, on 4 continents.

The original idea of Peter Gabriel – the founder of the festival, was to evoke interest in celebrating, and first of all, in sharing the world music, arts and dance.

WOMAD in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a real feast for those who seek for great multicultural atmosphere in a beautiful surrounding. It also gives the opportunity to taste the food and to buy souvenirs from all around the globe.

It is a place, where you can just “taste the world”.

The “Aquasur” finally turned into “Aqualand” in the course of the years and makes the largest leisure park of the isle by now. Covering a surface area of about 90.000 square metres this theme park aims at offering a great amount of water- based attractions such as for example more than 30 water slides. There is a certain area addressing at children which also contains a great variety of the park’s mascot, the “Aqualand”- ape.

Another amazing attraction is the famous “Tornado”, a closed flume entertaining visitors by presenting light- and sound effects while sliding. Furthermore there are tourist features like the “Mamut” for four persons, the “Crazy Race” with nine parallel water slides, a “mini park” for kid, the two “Kamikaze” slides (meaning high speed), “Rapids” as special rafting adventures as well as “Aquamania”, “Congo River” and a swimming pool with artificial waves for relaxing.

Situated at a tropical oasis in the southern part of the isle “Aqualand” is not far away from Maspalomas and is open to the public all- season because of its advantageous constantly warm temperatures.

Without renting a hire car the amusement park is approachable by using public transport. So there are two bus routes, one of them line 45 (Playa del Ingles / San Agustin) and the other one line 70 (Puerto Rico / Faro Maspalomas).

In the southern part of Gran Canaria you should visit Santa Lucia de Tirajana, it’s in the south of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and in the north east of Puerto Rico.

The small and pretty city, with it’s 56.000 friendly inhabitants offers you different options to spend your time as interesting as possible.

See the awesome landscape with the rocks and green fields, blotched with flowers.
Get impressed by the magnificent Costa de Agaete!

Visit the old castle of Santa Lucia de Tirajana and get in deep touch to Gran Canarian history!
Charter a boat at Puerto de Mogan and enjoy the ocean or catch your own fish for dinner!
Rent a bike and make a trip on your own or cruise leaded by one of the locals through the villages around.

Iff you don’t like any action like this lay down at the beach and relax.

Nearly everything is possible there and people are very friendly and helpful.

For dinner you should try Mirador de Sta. Lucía, its C/ Maestro José Enriquez Hernández,

Only some of the highlights of nature are idyllic bays and marvellous beaches, imposing cliffs, hidden paradises, majestic mountains, impressing volcanic craters, breathtaking ravines mixed with a subtropical vegetation. The isle of Gran Canaria sustains many nature reserves and national parks.

Due to the consciousness of tradition of the Canary Islands the origins of some of these events, or so called fiestas, lead back even to the time of the aborigines.

Most of the religios celebrations are in honor of a certain protection saint, givings thanks and heralding the end of the harvest time.

It is beautifully situated on the southwest of the island and has retained much of its original charm. You wont find rambling hotel complexes here, as the government has forbidden any new buildings which are over two storeys tall. You will find a much cozier ambiance than in lots of similar villages.

Puerto de Mogán boasts a very nice fishing harbor which is connected to the lively marina through a number of canals.

Fridays are especially lively with a weekly market that attracts people from all over the island.

Additionally, it’s the perfect starting place for ferry rides to Puerto Rico and Arguineguin.

And the hills surrounding the village offer a wonderful opportunity for hikers and for those who like trekking.

The southwest and west is dominated by rocky cliffs, the coast is very varied in the north and northeast with numerous beaches and little bays. The centre of the island is hilly with a couple of high peaks and many ravines which lead to the sea.

naturist association has been demanding a nudist area at the ‘Las Canteras‘ beach in Las Palmas for years, an idea that is now being overthought by the local coastal councillorship. Last July 15th was the international “swimsuitless day” and due to this the canary islands naturist association (Aniscan) wanted to state their claim for a nudist area at the ‘Las Canteras‘ beach.

Paco Ojeda, the president of Aniscan, is greatful that the Las Palmas council is going through this idea, which he stated would be a great touristic appeal for those naturists who decide to stay at the south of Gran Canaria since there are only nudist areas in this part of the isle.

Well, good news for those who like to hang around the beach in their birthday suit

if not the most famous, ‘fiesta’ on Gran Canaria is “La Rama“, which literally means ‘the branch’ but is at the same time short for “La Bajada de la Rama” or ‘the descent of the branch’, is held every year in August 4th, which would be tomorrow.

Traditionally the celebration is about going up the valley of Agaete dancing to the sound of a marching band, getting some tree branches, previously taken from trees in the ‘tamadaba forrest’, and taking them down (always dancing) to the ‘port of Las Nieves’ (the port of Agaete) to Our Lady of Las Nieves, who reside in the port hermitage, as an offering, after hitting the ports’ waters with them.

The mayor and the different neighbourhood associations of Agaete have decided not to carry branches this year, as a gesture of solidarity for the catastrophe suffered by the island due to the forrest fires. Only a few selected people, the usual devotees, will carry some, and the rest will get green handkerchiefs at the same place where they would normally get their branch.

Wow…, i got no words for this…
That is a really really nice gesture.

to provide sunshine wherever it’s needed and we on Gran Canaria fortunately have plenty of it. The Red Cross organizes from this monday till mid september and initiative to help handicaped people enjoy the beach as much as we do. The “leisure at the beach program” gives people with mobility problems the oportunity to take walk at the shore or a dip of the ‘Las Canteras‘ beach in Las Palmas.

For those living in Las Palmas the program includes a “pick-up service” in the morning for those who need it and then from 11:30 till 16:30, several volunteers will help take care of them. Other activities are planed too, swapping the seashore with visits to different places of Gran Canaria.

Now that is one good news i think. Great guys!!

here on the isle, and everywhere else. The simpsons make it to hollywood in “The Simpsons Movie”. The official release date is this friday (27/07/07) but some theatres will screen it tomorrow. This weekend was the pre-release in the small town of Springfield, in the US state of Vermont, who won the airing of this movie in their town after a voting contest with 13 other Springfields’.

Yesterday was the premiere in L.A.(California) with about 300 invited guests. The Simpsons as a show for its own celebrate this year their 18 years of airing, with 400 episodes yet aired in 18 seasons, but “the Simpsons-franchise” celebrate their 20th birthday since it first started to see the light in April 1987 in “The Tracey Ullman Show”.

Whatever your age, sex, political orientation or religion is, i think this movie will be great!!

I’m back again yeeaayy!! hahaha
I have been very busy the last months and I just wanted to start over again with some good news.

Therefore, here I go. The ‘port of Mogan‘ and the ‘Amadores beach‘, both in the municipality of Mogan, have been awarded once again with the so called "blue flag", which is given by the ‘Federation for Environmental Education’ for excelcent quality, cleanliness, accessibility and security of their waters and beaches.

The other "blueflagged" beaches on Gran Canaria are: the ‘Las Canteras‘ beach in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the ‘Melenara‘ beach in Telde and the beaches of ‘San Agustín‘, ‘Playa del Inglés‘ and ‘Maspalomas‘ in San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
The other "blueflagged" ports are: the port of ‘Pasito Blanco‘ in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and the only "blueflagged" non coastal area is the nature park of the ‘Dunes of Maspalomas‘, also in San Bartolomé

That’s nice, huh?? 27 beaches and 3 ports are "blueflagged" this year on the entire archipielago.

Don’t think it’s intentionally but a students life is busy while the exams last.
Please be patient, i finish this Tuesday and hopefully be posting again from then onwards

Thank you, Rayco.

Don’t get alarmed tonight,

if the entire island seems to be submerged in chaos with bonfires everywhere. We are neither under attack nor have been hit by a meteor shower.
If you don’t have nothing to do tonight, i higly recomend you wherever you are on the isle, but specially those near to the Playa del Inlges (San Bartolomé) and the Canteras (Las Palmas) beaches to visit these beaches around 12:00 PM.

Like every year in june, normally coinciding with days around the summer solstice, the night of the 23rd to 24th, we celebrate
“San Juan”. In this peculiar festivity there is a large fireworks spectacle and people make huge bonfires almost everywhere but the bigest are seen at the beaches. This was originally made to “strengthen the sun”, since the days will get shorter every day until the winter solstice.

You should witness this festivity, it is very spectacular.

has come to an agreement with the airline ‘Jet2‘ wich will offer, starting in October this year, low cost flights from the UK to Gran Canaria. Leeds, Manchester, NewCastle and Belfast are the cities chosen for this particular project which will offer one daily low cost flight from each city to Gran Canaria, increasing the actual air traffic between Gran Canaria and the UK in almost 10%.

In adition to this the Tourist Board has also made another agreement with ‘Nowegian Air‘ which will offer low cost flights from Oslo to Gran Canaria. This new service is supposed to start in winter this year.

How you like that ?!?! Kinda cool i think. That’ll give our tourism-based economy a little push.

June 8th the CAAM, the spanish acronym for Atlantic Center for Modern Art, offers an ‘open night’ due to the ‘Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely’ exhibition titled L’Art et L’Amour. The center will not close its doors at 9 p.m. as usually and will remain open till 12 p.m. for this ‘open night’.

The exhibition will also include the performance of the ‘Rayko León Trío’ jazz group, but you will also be able to visit the rest of exhibition rooms of this museum.

I won’t be able to go but if anybody is, don’t hesitate to comment on this. I think It’ll be interesting to read more about it.

May 30th is the ‘dia de canarias‘, that is literally, the canaries day. The ‘dia de canarias’ celebrates the aniversary of the first session of the canarian parliament held in 1983, 10 months after we were publicly declared an autonomous region.

A lot of municipalities decorate the streets and organize special events. I would like to focus on th municipality of Mogan, where there’ll be a lot of interesting things done. Today will be the official start of the ‘San Antonio’ festivities in Mogan. At the 30th there will be a craftwork and gastronomy fair held in the ‘Plaza de las Marañuelas’ in Arguineguin at 18:00 which is something i highly recomend you.

Have a nice ‘canaries day’

There you go again,

big screen time with the (aparently) last part of this amazing adventure ‘saga’. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the title of Disney’s last top production. Its’ official realease date was supposed to be on may 25th but Disney decided finally to release it a day earlier. Therefore, tomorrow is the big date.

Casting returnees are Johnny Depp (Captain Jack Sparrow), Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann) and Geoffrey Rush (Captain Barbossa) with Chow Yun Fat making his first appearance as singapore pirate Sao Feng.
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards makes a star appearance as Jack Sparrows father.

Oh, this makes now clear why he fell from a coconut palm a couple of months ago… …he was practicing his pirate role

One of these days i’ll finish uploading all the info on the main page on appartments and homes to rent, hotels, cottages, etc… here on Gran Canaria. When i have everything uploaded i’ll post again with all the main links, but i think you’ll find it very interesting to have a look at its’ content.

Stay tuned for the upcoming info.

where i posted the different museums on the isle but with their spanish names, so i thought to myself they wouldn’t mean anything to you if you didn’t live here for a long time or even speak spanish.

Therefore here is a downloadable file for those of you who would like a printable version of the table. Plus, i added som extra info, a small description so you’d know what the museums are all about.
I hope its usefull: Museums

posted a comment the Vegueta post, asking for some information about some museums here on the isle. Since i think this is something interesting to know for everybody, i prefer posting it as a normal post rather than as a response on a comment.

Here are the different museums:

and you’re planing to take a trip to Las Palmas, i would highly recomend you the ‘old part’ of the city, Vegueta. In this beautiful area, which is being renewed to be only pedestrian, you can find the market of Vegueta and several restaurants in which you can enjoy typical canarian food. I personally would recomend you “El Herreño”.

The streets of Vegueta are very beautiful, have a look:

You can also find in Vegueta, the “house of Columbus” which is a museum about Chistopher Columbus.

the rest of the Tejeda pictures i posted yesterday. Oh and, by the way, Tejeda is highly recomendable visiting at any time of the year, specially after some rainy days when the weather is sunny again.

Thanks again to Josele, for the great pictures…

finally i manage to post again. I’m really sorry for this unmeant break. Things came together all at the same time, construction works at home, refurbishment, college works,… :S
I’ll hopefully be able to manage it so this won’t happen again.

As a matter of ‘reward’ i post you this awesome pictures a friend took for me of Tejeda, at our islands heart. I’ll post some now and the rest on another post, since they’re a lot.
I was just as astonished as you’ll be after going through them:

Josele, thanks for the pictures…

i had the chance to take a trip with a friend on a Cessna, flying over the south of Gran Canaria, and i have to say it was just great. And as you might have noticed it seems that i have always my camera with me…
Here are some of the best shots i took:

Thanks for the ride Krile…