New life - first week in Lanzarote

Well, we arrived, and what now… 

Now we are supposed to taste the "real life" we have chosen for ourselves, one of the big question marks that hovered over the decision to separate from the familiar land life, and move on to life on Ester. The concerns consisted of questions about the content that would accompany this life, no work, no children / family / friends, no agenda, and whether there was a routine at all. 

In addition, and as if to make it difficult, the thought is to stay in places for weeks / months, when Ester is mostly home, and more over, when moving to a mooring place. The house is narrow, the company does not change much (Udi, Udi and a little more Udi…). 

I had thoughts about how to fill time with content: I thought of looking for research groups dealing with the sea, and offering my services voluntarily, as a retired biologist… Actually my childhood dream was marine biology, but then, in ancient times, there was no such studies in Israel, and so I ended up into the most molecular biology there is . The truth is that my research was so basic that it is actually a tool for research in various fields in the biological world. Another thought was to use the tools I had acquired in the prehistory, as a field school instructor, and to do a kind of "landscape survey" and route sheets of areas to be visited. These options are on the table, but wait… you need to calm down, breathe and examine. 

So here's a first taste, first week, looks wonderful to me! The skeptical side says: Maybe because of the fact that it's a first week, but the optimistic one, where I hope to be most of the time, says: could not be better than that! 

And as if to examine the question in the toughest way, for almost a week, my foot has barely stepped out of the dock area where we are anchored. The first few days felt like resting, resting and relaxing from last month’s race at sea, and a few months leading up to the departure. There was an "excuse" for idleness, and yet I felt busy all the time. But now I can choose what to deali with, at what pace, without prior planning. What is called "flowing" among other things with what life summons, and they summon… 

For the first two days, straighten the boat a bit after crossing, as the boat became a big mess. You do not have to do everything at once, bit by bit. Phones to the family who were expecting to hear, and we too missed and kept up with relaxed and long conversations, as much time and desire as possible on the other end of the line. On the first evening, we go out to taste "Arrecife", the city where we are located, because the large marina is not really inviting. The restaurant we were just aiming for closed, so we gambled, and this time really not well. And in general, the feeling at least in Spain, is that one can fall badly, and local recommendations are important. 

Still, there is at least one "need." When we left Gibraltar we signed passports from Spain. Earn a few more days in the EU. For those who do not know, some explanatory words and information worth knowing… 

When your passport is not from one of the EU countries, also called Schenegen countries, it is forbidden to stay in the EU countries for more than 90 days every six months. Forget it, the calculation is a bit complicated… In any case it is impossible to stay more than three months in a row. This story excludes sleep from the inhabitants of other countries, of course that included us, but since the Brexit, includes the British as well. About half of the posts in the Facebook group of Mediterranean sailors are devoted to dealing with this issue, how to bluff / bypass / regulate officially. Many of the retirees on boats in the Mediterranean are British who for years live on their boats and roam between areas / marinas in EU countries. The Brexit, among other damages, closed this option to them, and they are in a frenzy. We, as "patriotic" Israelis, are the last of the fucked up, who could not find a great grandmother to give them the way to freedom by getting some EU passport. Recently (seriously) someone at work told me that maybe my Russian / Polish grandfather could enable me to get  a Polish passport. Would you believe? Black as I am with a Polish passport 😂 

Well, I got carried away… The whole last paragraph was to explain the need to get to the local police station to seal entry to Spain (along the way I may have contributed relevant information to some of you). 

We took a bike and rode for about half an hour along the sea to reach a remote hole, where we met two clowns, law enforcement officers on the borders of the Canary Islands (which are part of Spain). There we were explained how to cheat the limits of union. They explained that as long as we stay within ten miles of the marina, legally and officially, we do not have to sign an entrance. We are in what is called a "transit" that could be as long as we wanted. Ten mile limits are flexible, no one really checks. Apart from that, as the main clown suggested, when you return to visit Israel you can just lose your passport, get a new one, and then when you enter Europe again, no one will know how long you have been in Europe for the last six months… 

In the meantime, ten days have passed and we are still "in transit" - I have already said that the Spaniards, including the people of law and order, are the nicest and most flexibale we have met in the Mediterranean. 

Now it turns out that the main clown, a man about 40+ years old, not tall, not very wide, visited Israel in his youth. In Greece, we encounter many who landed on the shores of Haifa or Ashdod, being sailors on merchant ships. So I asked, but this time not .. and also - I asked how old he was, did he visit with the family? Here, too, the answer was no. So what's up anyway? You would not guess! When he was 17, he participated in the World / European Hand wrestling Championships, which took place in Israel! So I bragged about Udi, for me the strongest man in the world, especially in hand wresting, a descendant of the Rahat family, with known arm muscles. I offered a contest!  

Udi was invited to a desk in the office, and the results of the solid struggle, you can see in the following video: 

 

On the way to the police station, I located the place for lunch - a restaurant, half sunken from street level, in front of the fishermen's warehouses, a particularly shabby area, right next to the "main road". Some simple parasols peek out, hidden sign. I insisted on stopping, and it seems I have located on one of the best restaurants in Arrecife. Workers restaurant, simple tables, no menu, and people are stopping by, and slowly filling the few tables. From some who in the middle of a working day come to dine alone, and up to two ladies parked on the side of the road, with gleaming, roof-open Mercedes, and pedaling on heels to the simple restaurant. So we ordered! Everything is fresh, delicious, excellent home cooking, and the price accordingly, ridiculous… Few words about Arrecife…Although the capital of Lanzarote, but tiny, not very attractive at first glance, maybe even at second .. Still, to me it is pleasant. Not pretentious, well-kept, a small center with its alleys, a tiny vegetable market on Saturday mornings, cafes, restaurants, a beautiful and picturesque lagoon, a good place to stock up and take care of boats, a modern marina, convenient for bicycles, an excellent bus network to the whole island. I think I more or less concluded that. So the pictures can tell the rest:

 

And there is also this for those who must do some Spanish shopping

They have style ...

Our favorite local restaurant La Andalucia

Delicious and interesting dish: Anchovies with basil sorbet! 

And what else in the happy days of Arrecife? We have made new friends who fill our days with a young and happy spirit. We call them the "pirate ship" anchored right next to us. A random conversation, which continued in Ouzo and snacking on Ester, and an in-depth conversation of three hours. The next day an invitation to a birthday party of the Dutch captain Thomas.

 And who are the pirates… Tower of Babel.
Thomas, the owner of the boat, as mentioned, is a 35-year-old Dutchman from a family that is engaged in sailing, so he grew up on boats all his life. Before purchasing the great iron boat, which has a glorious history, he founded an ocean conservation organization, which deals in particular with collecting information on micro-particals, which pollute the oceans, and have in recent years become the biggest nuisance of nature conservationists at sea. Worth having a look and being impressed by the guy and the project on their site:
Ocean movement.
Two years ago, he decided to buy a boat that would serve as his home, a way to roam the oceans, and promote research on the subject, including renting out his services to research groups from around the world. He was joined by Chili, an energetic guy from a tiny island in Malaysia, who left because of his love for the sea and curiosity for the world. One of 12 brothers, a remote village, a rural family, who went on an adventure in love, with a Scandinavian partner he met. From there he has been living in Europe for over ten years, much around working at sea, learning languages, experiencing the world, learning something new every day. Really lovely, and an excellent cook! For the past two years he has been working with Thomas on renovating the ship, and together they set out from the Netherlands, crossing the Bay of Biscay, notorious among sailors, Portugal, Spain and the Canary Islands.
On the way joined:
The beautiful and charming Paula. Daughter of a famous Spanish football player, sister of Juan Mate No. 8 at Manchester United (whoever does not believe can check). Besides, she has a bachelor's and master's degree in communication and gender studies (second from a university in Iceland). The resume includes several years of work in the framework of international aid organizations in Ethiopia, Somalia, Egypt. She's only 35 years old. On the boat is also Nesto, a young man from Lanzarote. The birthday celebration was also joined by Leo, a 45-year-old Argentine who has lived in Lanzarote for twenty years, a father of two, a 25-year-old student and a 17-year-old boy. In short, a very cheerful bunch, a high-class company, interesting, fascinating conversations. They for their part, I think, have found cool parents. We  are spending time together, once in our boat and once on their own, and go out dancing together. In short, FUN!

From right to left:
Argentine Leo, local Nesto and Spanish Paula

A table full of all good, Paula happy

And Udi plays ...

On the right Thomas - the captain and chief pirate

Chili, the amazing partner and chef from Malaysia with the bowl of tahini I brought

A table full of all good, Paula happy

And Udi plays ... 

 
 And also go out dancing together at the marina bar - paparazzi photo courtesy of Paula: 

 First outing outside Arrecife, 20 min bus ride to a famous Sunday market in Teguise. Dozens / hundreds of stalls, most of them with local or oriental art, varied, pleasant… A small, cute village, filled every Sunday with many people.

Notice the pink fruit - dragon fruit as the locals call it

A conversation with the sweet sandals seller, who according to the accent identifies as Scottish (living many years in Lanzarote), reveals to us where the locals eat when the market closes around 2pm. She said that if we arrive early there is a table. One of the recommendations worth sharing. Great food, at ridiculous prices. Two alleys from the tourist route, and their number is decreasing exponentially…

Worth a note

How do you choose? I think we will need a second round...

For those who worried - there is also seafood paella

The outing out of town gives a taste of the island. Very very dry, volcanic peaks in a variety of colors, white, non-Greek villages, desert surrounded by sea. I as a desert lover (and coming from the desert) fall in love right away. For Udi it takes longer. Prefers the green in the eyes… We postponed the planned hike to the next day. Be careful of excess activity 😃 Arrived the next day, no choice, we get up and go, a quarter of an hour bike ride to Central Bus Station, half an hour bus ride to the tiny village of Femes, and from there a descent route, as we like to a small bay, black, no living soul, except us and white friends:

A variety of cacti in every garden, about them in one of the following posts

And there is also a goat pen, I have no idea what they feed on, other than dry hay

 

Udi caught me, sneaking up to photograph the seagulls

Pretty modest and a bit tough ...

Can't stop admiring the black sand ...

Two hours of beach nap, another half hour walk to the nearby village, and an eye-catching surprise - a multidisciplinary artist, who left Granada in favor of a charming studio facing the sea. It was hard to stop filming, so just a taste ...

A ride to the bus station, bikes and we're back in the boat. There awaits us an "oceanic surprise," a definition of Gavri Lahav, the best in humor and language games!

Our Shye

His wife Eliana (she is also ours by now...)

Arrived for ten days, seem like a dream come true.
About their visit… .in the next post.
As we are not expected to sail in the coming months, I am adding a map with sights of trips and visits. A souvenir for us and possibly relevant information for future visitors.