Today was the day that we'd hired the car for, but we were in no particular hurry to get started. We had breakfast and got ready, and headed out on foot to the Avis car rental place, which google told us was up on the main road behind the apartment. We walked, and asked, and walked and asked, and finally we were told that Avis had moved back into Las Palmeras - the shopping centre closest to the apartment. So we walked back. Grrrr.
In Las Palmeras, we found Avis on the top floor and the woman there talked us through all of the things. Finally we got the keys, and went down into the underground car park to drive away. It was a small black Skoda, and did the job. We drove back to the apartment, parking across the road outside Oasis Dunas.
We packed up the things we'd need, planned a basic route, and headed out. I'd found a road that led to the nearest volcanoes, and I navigated us to the beginning of that road, in the north west of Corralejo. Turns out it was a dirt road. So we turned around and went the other way that would get us to the volcanoes. It wasn't a road at all. From that point, I stopped trusting google's representations of roads. So we took the main road straight across to El Cotillo, where the Easy Riders guy had recommended a seafood restaurant.
We went through Lajares to get there, which was a small town of little note. El Cotillo is a much more charming seaside town than Corralejo, but with a very grand approach through El Roque.
We parked in a small side street, and went in search of the La Vaca Azul restaurant. It wasn't difficult to find. We got a table outside (it was only just after 12pm), and studied the menu. El Cotillo centres around a rocky bay, which on this occasion was being buffeted by furious surf. And the tide was coming in. And dark clouds were threatening.
As we sat, the day's fish was delivered to the side door of the restaurant, and someone lovingly laid it out in a display case. We decided against a starter, and ordered mixed grilled fish for two. They brought out an extra table to put beside us, laying it with special knives, and giving us bread and dips. That's when I knew this was going to be a special meal.
When it came out, the fish were whole, and quite small. The waiter deftly took the heads off, separated the meat from the bones, and presented the fillets on our plates. A wonderful experience and one that I won't forget in a hurry. The fish was served with Canarian potatoes and the two famous dips. The fish itself was wonderful, though you did have to be quite careful with bones.
We had desserts - Christian had crema catalana, which was streets ahead of the creme brulee I'd had at La Casita, and I had sorbet, which was tasty. It was a wonderful meal.
After the meal, we wandered around the rest of El Cotillo, taking pictures. From the top of the opposite cliff, we could see the harbour and the castillo, and went to investigate the harbour. There wasn't an enormous amount to see, but it would be a much gentler alternative to Corralejo as a base.
Back in the car, we drove south to La Oliva. I expected it to be a bigger city than Corralejo, as it is the administrative centre of the north of the island. I was wrong. It was a fairly small town. We stopped at Casa de Los Coroneles, which is a grand house used by both military and civilian law keepers over the years. It is architecturally significant for the island, but we didn't pay to go inside. We took some photos of the surroundings, though, as the rock formations in the mountains were amazing.
We drove on, taking the long way to Puerto del Rosario. On the approach to the town, a brilliant rainbow appeared beside us. We stopped to take photos, but most of the vividness had faded. I'd never seen anything like it, particularly one that you could see going to ground.
We found a spot to park near the port, and had a wander. There was a giant cruise ship docked, and the foreshore had been nicely decorated with sculptures and statues. The sun was shining, and so it was a pleasant detour.
We drove back to Corralejo, and had an evening in with some tortilla wraps I'd bought, then some pasta because they weren't enough, some wine, and some telly.
In Las Palmeras, we found Avis on the top floor and the woman there talked us through all of the things. Finally we got the keys, and went down into the underground car park to drive away. It was a small black Skoda, and did the job. We drove back to the apartment, parking across the road outside Oasis Dunas.
We packed up the things we'd need, planned a basic route, and headed out. I'd found a road that led to the nearest volcanoes, and I navigated us to the beginning of that road, in the north west of Corralejo. Turns out it was a dirt road. So we turned around and went the other way that would get us to the volcanoes. It wasn't a road at all. From that point, I stopped trusting google's representations of roads. So we took the main road straight across to El Cotillo, where the Easy Riders guy had recommended a seafood restaurant.
We went through Lajares to get there, which was a small town of little note. El Cotillo is a much more charming seaside town than Corralejo, but with a very grand approach through El Roque.
We parked in a small side street, and went in search of the La Vaca Azul restaurant. It wasn't difficult to find. We got a table outside (it was only just after 12pm), and studied the menu. El Cotillo centres around a rocky bay, which on this occasion was being buffeted by furious surf. And the tide was coming in. And dark clouds were threatening.
As we sat, the day's fish was delivered to the side door of the restaurant, and someone lovingly laid it out in a display case. We decided against a starter, and ordered mixed grilled fish for two. They brought out an extra table to put beside us, laying it with special knives, and giving us bread and dips. That's when I knew this was going to be a special meal.
When it came out, the fish were whole, and quite small. The waiter deftly took the heads off, separated the meat from the bones, and presented the fillets on our plates. A wonderful experience and one that I won't forget in a hurry. The fish was served with Canarian potatoes and the two famous dips. The fish itself was wonderful, though you did have to be quite careful with bones.
We had desserts - Christian had crema catalana, which was streets ahead of the creme brulee I'd had at La Casita, and I had sorbet, which was tasty. It was a wonderful meal.
After the meal, we wandered around the rest of El Cotillo, taking pictures. From the top of the opposite cliff, we could see the harbour and the castillo, and went to investigate the harbour. There wasn't an enormous amount to see, but it would be a much gentler alternative to Corralejo as a base.
Back in the car, we drove south to La Oliva. I expected it to be a bigger city than Corralejo, as it is the administrative centre of the north of the island. I was wrong. It was a fairly small town. We stopped at Casa de Los Coroneles, which is a grand house used by both military and civilian law keepers over the years. It is architecturally significant for the island, but we didn't pay to go inside. We took some photos of the surroundings, though, as the rock formations in the mountains were amazing.
We drove on, taking the long way to Puerto del Rosario. On the approach to the town, a brilliant rainbow appeared beside us. We stopped to take photos, but most of the vividness had faded. I'd never seen anything like it, particularly one that you could see going to ground.
We found a spot to park near the port, and had a wander. There was a giant cruise ship docked, and the foreshore had been nicely decorated with sculptures and statues. The sun was shining, and so it was a pleasant detour.
We drove back to Corralejo, and had an evening in with some tortilla wraps I'd bought, then some pasta because they weren't enough, some wine, and some telly.
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