LANZAROTE Part 5 -Grand Tour Finale (Valley of 1000 palms, ALIEN mountain & albino crabs)
Welcome back,
Today we continue our Lanzarote adventures! It is the last blog of these series! So far, we’ve been to carnivals, sunset struck beaches, misty mountains …. we’ve seen pirate forts, lagoons, salt lands, volcano lands, camels, wineries… and counting. I’ve seen and experienced so much while in Lanzarote and it’s sad that this journey has come to an end, I believe there is so much more that this beautiful island has to offer. If you’ve seen the previous blog, you know we stopped off at the magical place of Mirador de Guinate to admire the mountains, low clouds that hung just above our heads and the little islets in the distance. We continue from this point on to the next location… Haria.
We then moved on to Haria which is nestled in the valley of 1000 palms. The place contrasts to the previously dark volcanic landscapes with vibrant greenery full of life. And there indeed was many palm trees. Apparently in 17th/18th century the village residents would celebrate a birth of new babies by planting a palm tree. One palm tree for a girl and two for a boy. The valley of 1,000 palms is surrounded by island’s tallest mountain range. Standing at 670 metres at the tallest point. We headed through a very small and swirly road up the mountain, with a massive cliff drop, literally centimetres away from the bus tires. I looked out of the window and because of thick mist and clouds saw nothing in front, but below us a massive cliff drop which gave me goosebumbs. One uncalculated move and were falling down, off the cliff. The tour guide, joked how the drivers wife was divorcing him and hoping he’s not suicidal.
We arrived at the top of Los Helechos with a beautiful view of…Nothing. And by nothing, I mean a blank white layer of mist and clouds with thickness that you could probably cut with a knife. I walked over to the edge of a viewpoint where I was meant to be stunned by vast view of island and felt as if I was in a matrix instead. The whiteness before me -was so freaky, I stretched out my hand to see it become hazy in the mist. All I could see in front of me- was a hazy rail, after that- nothing. I loved it though, because it felt as if I was on an alien planet- especially with the- alien waypoint looking café- behind me. I’m sure some were disappointed not to see the spectacular views, but to me this was an equally good experience. I walked inside the café, where I got some tea and a fruit cake. Though, I couldn’t see much through the wide windows -I really enjoyed the moody atmosphere of this place because of all the mist. After revitalizing my energy with tea and cake, it was time to move on to the next place.
Next location was the last one. We emerged from mist and clouds back into sunshine at Jameos del Agua. Another stunning wonder of nature enhanced by the artist Cesar Manrique during the 1960. Island’s volcano eruptions created a series of caves & tunnels in this location with a stunning interior lake caused by infiltrating sea water from Atlantic ocean close by. Cesar Manrique, saw this space as an opportunity to fuse the beauty of nature and art to create this cultural attraction. By this point of witnessing some of the things this man has created, I am convinced this man is a genius. The way he fuses nature with architecture, art & design is so seamless, complementing one another and therefore creating a wonderous place full of excitement for locals and tourists.
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My weak knee was doing wonderous things with the help pf painkillers that day. The series of steps and walking was challenging for me, but the excitement overpowered the pain I felt. And with that said, there was more steps. This location is more challenging for people with mobility restrictions. I walked down the steps, getting consumed by the cave. Soon enough I was looking at a small neat restaurant space with the cave surrounding us and a hole above, showcasing the bright blue sky. The cacti and other plants scattered all around. I carried on walking down the steps into the tunnel, the pace was very slow because of the crowds of people there that day. Maybe there’s days when it’s less busy that are worth considering, because it’s hard to soak up the beauty of this place when there’s people waiting behind you in line to move on.
The next place however was a wonder of nature. The salt lake which resembled a starry night sky. The dark midnight blue of waters with the little white dots scattered all around. What are those tiny white dots? They’re endangered albino crabs and the only ones you’d find in the world! The infamous crabs have been used as an inspiration for a symbol of Jameos del Aqua. They are also a reason why this space became protected by the government when some of the businessman wanted to purchase the site to privatise it for their hotel development. I walked through the small path and admired the deep colours in this dark space with the little crabs shimmering and moving around in the water. The water was so still and so clear it looked like glass. At times I had this weird urge to try and walk on it instead of the path. This whole scene was truly magical and hard to describe.
Emerging from the darkness of the cave I was hit by sunshine and baby turquoise hues from a swimming pool! Accompanied by the largest palm tree I’ve seen thus far. Surrounded by cave walls it looked like a little secret, secluded piece of paradise. Ahhh… the urge I had to dip into that luscious looking water, sadly though swimming was off limits. I learned that only king of spain has permission to dip into this swimming pool.
It’s hard to describe this place without writing a novel, as there is so many little details and designs that make it truly spectacular. The subtle art instalments, the hidden crevasses of flooded caves, the well placed variety of plants that enhance this full of life scene. Even down to small details like lobster inspired door handles. I walked over to an auditorium which was also a part of the volcanic tube continuing down all the way to the ocean. It’s used for musical concerts and film screenings because of its unique geological acoustic features. This place often organises events where guests can dine in the evening and enjoy live music. I can only imagine how magical and romantic the atmosphere of this place is at night.
Next I walked up the stairs, over to the museum/research station dedicated to volcanology. I walked around the models of volcanoes with informative descriptions. The place is fascinating, especially to those that have a thirst for knowledge. I saw instruments and computers which measure the temperatures and seismic movements of the earth. The instruments which help determine which volcanoes are active, dormant or extinct. Lanzarote being a land of volcanoes is swarmed by scientists who constantly monitor the volcano activity and perform research and testing. And this particular space hosts meetings for volcanologists from all around the globe, once a year.
Walking around I was also stunned by balcony views overlooking the swimming pool and the ocean stretching outside of the volcanic walls….The vibrancy of all the colours, fresh breeze and the warm sunshine on my face was making me burst with joy. Walking alongside the balcony, I had a chance to see this scene from several viewpoints. All equally beautiful.
Slowly I arrived at another café where the guests can overlook this beautiful place, with some warm beverages and food. I must say that ending this day, sitting with a warm cup of coffee enjoying the views of the pool, art, palm trees and other plants, with the ocean and the views of Lanzarote island in the distance sounds like an absolute dream. I mean in a whole, this whole experience seemed like a dream. Sadly, it was time to leave this magical place and end this wonderful day. I cannot recommend this tour enough. For such a mere price of 45 euros, I got the experience all the hotspots of the island featuring immense beauty. The amount of insight gained from the tour guide, all the knowledge and experience, I must say that even up to this day it’s one of the best tours I’ve taken. But I wouldn’t say to rely on this only! I’d recommend booking this tour and seeing the places in the first few days of your time on the island so that you know which places to return to. Because you’ll want to return to some inevitably. I wish I had more time to explore this place. There is so many packages offering a grand tour with different combination of places and though I got to see a lot- I know how there’s so much more to explore and experience on this island. Looking back on it, I would want to spend much more time in Timanfaya park and Haria amongst many others.
To finish off my travels, of course I was met by captivating sunset views on the way back, including an abandoned ship which I instantly wanted to get on top of, to explore. This scene of aged and decaying ship with rustic, dark and rugged features against beautiful soft clouds with pastel colours of the sunset. Such a mesmerizing contrast. What a way to end this trip!
As this is the last post of the Lanzarote adventures, I want to highlight the joy I felt & total humbleness being able to explore this place. Lanzarote is a perfect spot for holiday makers and adventure seekers, and those who enjoy both of those worlds. You can spend your day relaxing on the beach with most beautiful sunsets, or you can travel to volcano land and eat food cooked on the actual volcano! You can appreciate beauty, life and local culture which makes this place unforgettable. Lanzarote THANK YOU.
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